Saying goodbye can be a difficult thing to do. With this final issue of the Robotanimals miniseries, fans must say goodbye to the comics based on the 2012 animated series, which itself is winding down over the next few weeks.
Comic Review: TMNT Amazing Adventures Robotanimals #3 (of 3)
(W) Caleb Goellner, Chad Thomas (A&C)
I’ll admit, I haven’t been the biggest fan of the Amazing Adventures (as evidenced by the reviews on this site). However, I’ve always appreciated the role it played as a young-reader title. Despite its prevalence in pop culture, comic books themselves still face the stigma of being “just for kids” even though very few are actually appropriate for kids. That’s where TMNT Amazing Adventures comes in. It’s a gateway comic that can hook younger readers, which makes it going away an unfortunate moment. But with that said, Caleb Goellner and Chad Thomas give the series a solid send-off with this concluding issue.
Even though this issue marks a landmark conclusion, the creative team wisely chooses to focus on the story at hand, bringing the Robotanimals miniseries to a natural end. Even though the miniseries resorts to tired tropes (e.g. April needing to be rescued, Donnie as a Deus Ex Machina), the sight of the Turtles and Mutanimals teaming up to take on cyborg versions of their arch enemies is a wonderful sight. This issue’s solicitations promised a fun, popcorn-action romp, and that’s exactly what we get.
Bright and colorful with an underlying theme of cooperation, Robotanimals #3 delivers almost everything readers could want from an all-ages Turtles tale. However, that does not excuse it for being too light on actual story. I was able to read this within 5 minutes, and a kid could certainly read this in under 10 minutes. This speaks to a flaw pervasive not just in the Amazing Adventures series, but most all-ages comics: the stories are too simplified. Kids are capable of enjoying and understanding plots that are more advanced.
Inherent limitations aside, the end of the Robotanimals is a satisfying romp. The Amazing Adventures series filled a niche that sadly will be empty for the foreseeable future. On the plus side, there’s that Usagi Yojimbo series that you can always had your young reader.
