TMNT: MUTANT NATION (2024-) #1 Review

TMNT: Mutant Nation #1 features stories by Tom Waltz and Erik Burnham. Artwork on “Ambush at Area 51!” is by Vincenzo Federici and colours by Ronda Pattison. Artwork for “Casey Jones: Agent of the Foot Clan” is by Mateus Santolouco with colours by Marco Lesko. The book is lettered by Rus Wooton and published by IDW Publishing.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Nation #1 will be available, in print and on digital platforms from September 18, 2024. Pre-order your physical copy in the UK from Forbidden Planet right here.

Synopsis

Part 1 of the Raphael flashback adventure arc ‘Attack on Area 51’! After the events of ‘The Armageddon Game,’ the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles found themselves at a crossroads, attempting to keep their family united while individually feeling the need to break away and explore life in a world that knows about mutants. 

To clear his head, Raphael jumps on his motorcycle and heads west on a solo road trip with the wind at his back and no destination in minduntil a dormant enemy out for revenge on the Turtles engineers a dangerous detour to Area 51. 

When Raphael is held hostage with some unexpected old friends, his soul-searching quest mutates into a crisis as he brawls in the desert to keep the E.P.F.’s cache of coveted technology out of the wrong hands. Will Raphael find his new purpose away from his brothersor just more trouble than he can handle alone? 

Tom Waltz, the TMNT mastermind and co-writer of TMNT: The Last Ronin, returns to tell brand-new stories about everyone’s favorite anthropomorphic misfits with artist Vincenzo Federici. Plus, writer Erik Burnham presents a four-issue bonus backup: after the events of The Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan, can Casey Jones tolerate Karai’s descent into ruthlessness, or will he turn his back on the Foot? The answer ripples into the upcoming action in Jason Aaron’s TMNT! 

Each arc of Mutant Nation will feature two stories exploring different corners of the TMNT universe, easily accessible to casual fans but with ties connecting the ongoing series and Nightwatcher. Expect old favorites and new surprises!

Review

IDW continues its expansion of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe in September with the debut of a brand new, world-expanding book, Mutant Nation. This new book will feature two stories each month from creators across the TMNT brand, expanding on previously unseen moments across the series record 150-issue run which recently came to an end.

This first issue is broken up in to a main story, “Ambush at Area 51!” from writer Tom Waltz and a shorter back-up story, “Casey Jones: Agent of the Foot Clan” which comes from Erik Burnham. The two stories work well in tandem as a mission statement of what fans can expect as the series continues. Whilst neither story requires the reader to have read every issue of TMNT those with added context will find Mutant Nation a great way to uncover more.

It feels right that a new series in the TMNT world starts with a story about at least one of the turtles themselves. Here its Raph, travelling the country with Pepperoni following the events of “The Armageddon Game”. Waltz’s story doesn’t feel a million miles away from the recent TMNT #1 with Raph seeking the chance to work through his anger. Only rather than winding up in prison, here we find him working in an Arizona dive bar. What starts out as a mutant road trip quickly becomes something else when Metalhead arrives on the scene.

Whilst effortlessly slipping back in to the TMNT world, Waltz also takes cues from the classic Roadhouse (the Swayze version) film in designing an environment for Raph to inhabit. The beauty of a book like Mutant Nation is it gives a legitimate space to tell stories which don’t fit within the main narrative. Whilst “Ambush at Area 51!” feels like a side quest set whilst our heroes were seeking to establish themselves as individuals. Here its given the treatment it deserves to become a story worth our time.

With Vincenzo Federici and Ronda Pattison providing the visuals, “Ambush at Area 51!” really feels like a forgotten chapter from the TMNT book as it was. The style comes right from that world, adding its flavour to the Arizona setting. The story gives a good mix of indoor and outdoor scenes which task the artists with some cool background settings which aren’t typical to a TMNT book. When Metalhead arrives and throws down with Raph in the middle of the freeway it feels unique in its bright, daytime setting but still never breaks with TMNT’s traditional style.

“Casey Jones: Agent of the Foot Clan” switches up the time periods taking us to the aftermath of the “The Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan” storyline. Taking a slightly more character-centric stance, the story features the same balance of action but flips to examine the relationship between April and Casey. It’s only a subtle change in the approach which gives this second story a totally different impact. Again this snapshot of life in the TMNT universe offers up a glimpse at moments otherwise not necessary. But they’re moments which fans can really dig in it and immerse themselves in as it expands and rounds out an already incredibly well established continuity.

Mateus Santolouco’s artwork is dynamic, picking up on the anguish in April’s facial expressions but never missing the fluidity and chaos of the action swirling around Casey in Japan. The art style in this story separates it from “Attack on Area 51!” and the main TMNT continuity. Carefully placing us in a new location with a new style. But it works, particularly in those Tokyo set scenes where the bulk of the story takes place.

Verdict

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Nation #1 is a brilliant introduction to a new format of storytelling within this world. Both stories open up new horizons and new angles for established characters. Neither feels like a repeat of anything which has come before and both feel like stories worthy of the legendary characters within them.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐