Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #109
Story by Sophie Campbell
Art by Jodie Nishijima
Published by IDW
Released September 9th, 2020
A stand-alone story that delves deeper into the denizens of Mutant Town! Life has changed forever for this part of NYC, but life somehow finds a way to move forward. Follow three interconnected stories as the TMNT immerse themselves in their new home.
“That lady didn’t even ask your name…”
As I mentioned in my past few reviews, I feel the TMNT universe is simply idling right now. Campbell and company had the daunting job of moving forward after a reality shattering issue 100. We’ve dealt with loss, reconciliation, and the idea of moving forward. Stories have been simplified and harken back to the “old” arcs of TMNT…but without many of the characters we know.
The idea of Mutant Town is an interesting one as it creates an entirely new “playground” for TMNT stories going forward. It can’t be permanent, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be interesting. Issue 109 takes a different approach that the series needs. It’s a stand alone story delving into the new reality of Mutant Town and the previously mentioned new characters we’re getting accustomed to. It’s a welcome change of pace and a refreshing issue in all.
The issue opens with some familiarity if you’ve been paying attention to the news for the past few months: misinformation, ignorance, and bias. Mutant Town and its inhabitants are misunderstood and being seen as a lost cause. A journalist sneaks in and interviews Mikey but it goes nowhere. Mikey deciding to start his own radio show to get the “truth” out there is an interesting concept I look forward to playing out…especially since Hobb is listening. Don and Mona flirting and opening a school is a great direction for both their characters. Jennika struggling with her anger issues while simply trying to start a band makes her parallels to Raph deeper.
Getting a glimpse into the inhabitants of Mutant Town was a welcome direction. Nishijima’s artwork looks clean and confident while Campbell’s writing is swift and emotional. Their combined powers made for a great chapter in modern TMNT lore. This issue is being marketed as a “stand alone” story but I wouldn’t mind if we went back to this formula every few issues. It really makes the environment surrounding our characters feel much alive and personal. And, therefore, makes your stories better. I look forward to the next issue. And, more importantly, what the heck that octopus face is up to. You know what I mean.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #109 is now available wherever comics are sold!
