With just four issues left in the Armageddon Game crossover event, the disparate threads are finally coming together and resolving. If you’re caught up on the event, read on!
SPOILERS AHEAD for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #138!
This issue picks up right where The Armageddon Game #6 and issue #137 left off. After going their separate ways and accomplishing their missions, all five of the Turtles are reunited and fighting together in Mutant Town. In a heated battle, it’s mutants vs. E.P.F. vs. Utrom invaders and when Sally arrives with reinforcements including students from the Splinter Dojo, the tide of battle begins to turn. It’s great to see Mikey and Leo complimenting the students, naturally falling back into their sensei roles. It shows that even in the most dangerous situations, they still have their minds on their students and protecting them.
We quickly switch focus to Seri and the Nova Posse on Burnow Island. They have come to challenge Ch’rell and end the hostilities between the Utroms and Triceratons once and for all. When Seri is successful in her mission, she convinces the Utrom forces to retreat, leaving the mutants with just the E.P.F. to tangle with. Jennika is able to use her new training from Shredder and performs a Kuji-Kiri gesture, exposing the lies and misinformation of the Rat King, along with his cronies, Madam Null and Baxter Stockman. In the final act of the issue, Man Ray, Old Hob and the Weasels are able to blow a giant hole in the wall separating Mutant Town from the rest of New York City, but it is not without loss. The Weasels attack and kill Man Ray and end up in the blast zone. Hob believes them to be dead, but in the final pages of the issue, we see Alopex rescuing them from the rubble, intent to start her own clan. And finally, Leonardo does what he does best: makes a plan and assigns his brothers and others tasks to finally put an end to the Rat King’s chaotic machinations once and for all.
Credit: IDW Publishing
The writing by Sophie Campbell is top notch as usual. She’s been writing these characters for years and it truly shows. She is able to give them all distinct voices. Though the issue has a lot of action, there are still plenty of meaningful emotional beats. Hob mourning the “death” of the weasels and Seri confronting Ch’rell are just two examples. It’s impressive how Campbell along with the rest of the writers on the Alliance and Armageddon Game main book have been able to craft a seamless tale between the three books. With one more issue of the Alliance, two more issues of the event book and one more tie in to the main series, I’m excited to see how the Turtles will ultimately defeat the Rat King and his Terrible Trio. It’s safe to say, the Rat King still has some dastardly tricks up his sleeve. And will the rest of the pantheon finally join the game?
Credit: IDW Publishing
The art by Fero Pe is stunning as usual. Action sequences are kinetic without being chaotic and are easy to understand. He even manages to make a baby Utrom look adorable, which is no easy feat. The magical effects of the Kuji-Kiri are rendered beautifully in Jennika’s signature yellow. The colors by Ronda Pattinson are also stellar. The contrasting backgrounds during action sequences, some a fiery orange, and others a cool turquoise allow the reader to focus on the characters without getting distracted by overloaded backgrounds. There’s one panel in particular where three factions fighting in Mutant Town are highlighted in different colors. The E.P.F is colored red, the mutants colored yellow, and the Turtles, caught in the middle of the fight, are turquoise, showing once again they’re caught between a rock and a hard place. Small choices like this add a nice variety to the issue and give important visual cues to the reader.
With all of the various pieces on the board, and the Armageddon Game coming to a close, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #138 begins to deliver on the months of setup and tie-ins. With fantastic writing and art, this is a must read issue for those following the event.
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