Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #150 is written by Sophie Campbell and published by IDW. Story consulting is by Kevin Easement, art by Vicenzo Federici, Fero Pe, Dan Duncan and Campbell. Colours are by Ronda Pattison and Luis Antonio Delgado and letters by Shawn Lee. Main cover art (left) is by Federici.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #150 is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
Everything has been building to this double-size celebration! And here at the end, we’ll return to the start… Donatello has been searching for his future self to understand how he can fight Armaggon. Now, knowing where he is (or should we say “when he is”?) Donatello is racing to his past to convene with his future. Can he get there and learn what he needs to before Armaggon eats the TMNT out of the timeline? This epic finale from writer Sophie Campbell and a roster of all-star artists pays off on years of IDW storytelling, reckoning with the history of the Turtles while also setting the stage for the next mutation of must-read TMNT comics.
Review
The road to issue #150 ends here, as does the current incarnation of IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. The extra-sized issue also brings to an end the 50-issue story masterminded by the brilliant Sophie Campbell, rounding out a creatively fresh and exhilarating series after a whopping thirteen years in print.
Picking up right where we left off, we’re in the middle of Armaggon’s attack on Michelangelo’s apartment block. Donnie needs to keep moving and so the future Mikey is the one to take on the apocalyptic villain, allowing his brother time to escape to a very recognisable new time period. This is where Campbell really comes in to her own, ensuring that issue #150 both ties up ongoing plot threads whilst also honouring the 149 previous issues in the series.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is getting reflective as the sun sets on a groundbreaking run. Campbell instills a meta sensibility in to this final chapter as both the characters and the audience are forced to reflect on the idea of art versus artist and creative vision. It’s not unusual for creators to become reflective when things are coming to an end. But with the weight of thirteen years of storytelling to draw to a close it feels particularly earned in this issue. It hasn’t always been the most existential of series but every question posed by this final issue feels rightly placed to help sum up the feeling of grief as it comes to an end.
With Venus and Donnie finally coming face-to-face with Future Donnie they’re also introduced to his children. Creatures who the present day Donnie sees as works of art and something to be proud. But whose own experience of their father is the exact opposite. The reader would be short sighted not to think some of this is Campbell reflecting on her own work and wondering about its legacy and impact. Of course she need not worry, not only has her tenure on TMNT been well received, its also creatively some of the most thrilling to read.
Most importantly, despite everything which Campbell tries to pack in to this issue, there’s still a satisfying ending which closes the door on this chapter of storytelling. Whilst this incarnation of TMNT could easily continue, Campbell closes off enough plot threads if the book were to never return fans would be pleased with where it ends. It’s all typed up neatly in to answer one of the series biggest mysteries, something which feels intrinsically like the perfect way to act as both an end and a beginning.
Issue #150 features artwork from Vincenzo Federici, Fero Pe, original IDW TMNT artist Dan Duncan, and Campbell herself. The melting pot of artists all work together well to create a consistent and visually dynamic conclusion. Their varying style cosy up next to each other through various plot devices which smooth over any potential cracks. A dream sequence here, a flashback there etc. Campbells story makes it possible for the four artists to work together seamlessly.
Verdict
A fitting end to Sophie Campbell’s unforgettable run on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Whilst is has a lot of ground to cover the oversized issue never compromises completing its current arc for the sake of tying up thirteen years of continuity.
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