Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #118
Story by Sophie Campbell
Art by Nelson Daniel
Published by IDW
Released June 23rd, 2021
The Shredder returns! Oroku Saki has been to Hell and back, but will he now come to the Turtles as friend or foe? Meanwhile, April makes a stand against Baxter Stockman– with dangerous consequences.
APRIL O’NEIL: WANTED WOMAN?!
After the disappointing bookend that was TMNT #117, I was happy to find out that #118 released the same month. Hoping to be a palette cleanser of sorts, I jumped into this issue hopeful and excited. And I’m pleased to say TMNT #118 puts us back on track for a new exciting story focusing on the familiar faces of Oroku Saki and April O’Neil.
Saki is back at it again, but not in the way you’d think. The Shredder is dead after all, and Saki’s soul has been redeemed and put on a brighter path. In this issue, Saki has gone full Spectre as we’re shown his various small (yet integral) good deeds he’s been doing to help The Splinter Clan and their allies. It’s a refreshing and interesting role for “The Shredder” that adds more dimension to his character overall. On the other hand, April is back to her old ways of getting herself in trouble (shocker!) when she stumbles upon Stockman’s plan of unleashing mutant eel’s into Mutant Town for nefarious reasons. I’m glad to see an April-heavy issue as I’ve missed her presence in the series. She reaches the Splinter clan just in time, albeit a bit battered, although Stockman has alerted his people that she must be stopped as she knows too much.
Campbell’s writing this issue around is welcoming. It’s setting up a new arc, so the issue moves at a brisk and interesting pace. Campbell seems to get problematic when it comes to realizing lasting impact and consequences, so I’m hoping that this arc has some effects rather than simply fluff. Nelson Daniel’s artwork is clean with a very nice sense of movement and alluring color. It’s a great first issue to kick you into a new TMNT adventure.
I’m eager to see where Oroku Saki being TMNT’s “guardian angel” goes exactly, and I love the idea of April being public enemy number one in Stockman’s scheme. I hope this is the start of some great ninja action, humor, and heart that the TMNT is known for. Cowabunga!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #118 is now available wherever comics are sold!