IDW Publishing 2018
Written by Gary Carlson
Illustrated by Frank Fosco
Inked by Erik Larson & Chance Wolf
Coloured by Adam Guzowski
Lettered by Chris Eliopoulos
This is it, fans! You demanded it, and IDW Publishing listened! The entire Image Comics TMNT run (a.k.a TMNT Volume 3) reproduced for the first time ever in full, four-color glory! Join creators Gary Carlson and Frank Fosco as they take the Heroes in a Half-Shell on some of their most amazing and dangerous and bizarre adventures ever… culminating in three brand-new issues by Carlson and Fosco to properly close out this long-beloved storyline at last! In this premiere issue, the TMNT and Master Splinter are attacked in their lair by a group of cyborgs led by the female ninja called Pimiko. Before the attack is over, one family member will fall… and one will be lost!
Alright so I starting reading this today and I honestly had no idea it was a reprinting or reproduction of the Image books and I thought dag nabbit IDW is trying their hardest to make me a TMNT fan. Because I really like this there’s something about the way the interior artwork looks that captured my mind and imagination and the story itself and the dialogue were gosh darn perfect. Now with this newfound knowledge it’s easy to see why the Turtles have a solid and devoted fan base. I am in for this and I may just end up as one those hardcore fans.
The way that this book is structured is magnificent! First page and wham you in on the action and your eyes in shock and okay what the heck is going on here? It is the perfect example of what an opening splash should be. It is dramatic powerful and attention grabbing I wholeheartedly support the idea of the newer artists of today to check this and see what that first page is supposed to be. I like the idea of a first issue just jumping into the action without that much backstory just throw us into the mix and let it go.
The way the story progresses is incredibly well done as we see these Cyborgs attacking the Turtles. The dialogue and banter give us all we need to know about these folks personalities. I find it greatly ironic to hear a Cyborg call them Freaks considering what they’ve allowed themselves to become. Also not so ironically it still feels extremely relevant to what is happening in the world today. So not that surprising I thought initially this was a brand new run. That the writing can stand the test of time the way that it does is astonishing to me. You don’t see this level of work these days so that twenty years from now a book will still feel like it’s relevant today.
The interior artwork also stands the test of time. When people say it’s not what it used to be this is the kind of stuff they are referring to. Yes I realise that with new artists and perspective we get new styles but that doesn’t mean they should embraced for that and it’s up to the individual to have that final decision. For me the way the page layouts are utilised and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows such a great eye for storytelling. The attention to detail and the manipulation of the linework is beautiful stuff that may be 90’s influenced but it has a more streamlined and pleasing ascetic to it.
This is utterly sensational and it’s perfect for now, for new readers to find the franchise and fall in love with it. This is why we call certain books classics because regardless of when you read it it still holds relevancy.