We begin in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #142 right where we left off in issue #141: Mushroom has been kidnapped by Leatherhead and it’s going to take the whole extended Turtle family to find her. Conflict has been simmering for several issues now, and things finally come to a head. Raphael and Alopex have a conversation and are able to get their feelings off their chest – even if it devolves into a screaming match. The same can be said for Leonardo and Donatello as Leo finally forces Donnie to talk about what he’s been obsessing over. Despite all of this conflict, the other big theme of the issue is reaching out for help.
SPOILERS AHEAD for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #142!
Credit: IDW
Raphael and Alopex haven’t talked in several issues, ever since Al found out that the Turtles were working with the Shredder. Ultimately, this was just too much for her and she’s been building her own Claw Clan with the Weasels. The only one she’s been in contact with from her old friend group is Angel. When Raph finally tracks down her hideout, Al is immediately upset and confrontational, blaming him for Mushroom’s kidnapping. Raph takes this opportunity to finally tell her how he’s been feeling and has been leaving her alone just like she wanted.
A similar situation plays out between Leonardo and Donatello in the lair. Don has been reclusive and distracted ever since the Armageddon Game ended, trying to puzzle out the journals he brought back from the future. He believes they hold the key to preventing the end of the world, and that has taken precedence over everything else going on. Donnie is trying to solve the puzzle before he tells the rest of the clan about any of this, and it’s caused a real strain between them, especially Leonardo. Their discussion quickly turns to blows when Leo demands answers. Raph tries to calm things down, but only makes things worse and more violent. Don finally decides to let Leo know what he’s been working on all this time.
Credit: IDW
Along with the conflict in this issue comes the realization made by some of the Hamato clan that they need to reach out to their allies rather than rely on themselves. Michelangelo is the first to make this realization with the help of April O’Neil. She convinces him that he should use his radio show to spread the word about Mushroom’s kidnapping and take advantage of the respect and good will he has garnered from his audience. Mikey has been struggling to find his place in this new version of New York City without realizing he has already been accepted and welcomed by fans of the show.
Donatello also realizes that he has friends he can reach out to in his time of trouble. He uses his psychic connection to reach out to Venus, Koya and Bludgeon. We get more details about Jasper Barlow and the root of his new experiments. If there’s anyone who can track him down, it’s Venus, who has a complex origin with the demented doctor. The issue ends on a cliffhanger, and the fate of Mushroom is hanging in the balance. With the Turtles finally working together as a family as well as enlisting the help of their allies there’s no doubt they’ll be able to stop the nefarious plans of Dr. Jasper Barlow.
Writer Sophie Campbell continues the excellent writing that this series has become known for. She does a great job at giving voice and reason to all of the characters and making us understand where they are coming from. Though a lot of the main characters spend the issue disagreeing with one another, we can see both sides of the story and can understand where everyone is coming from. Alopex has every right to be upset with Raph and the other Turtles and demand space, just as Raph is justified in being frustrated with Alopex for not accepting his help when he has the best interest of Mushroom in mind. The same goes for Donatello and Leonardo. We can understand why Donnie has been obsessing over these journals because he truly believes that they hold the key to preventing Armageddon, but we can also understand why Leo is upset he hasn’t been focusing on patrolling the city and other commitments. Oftentimes these types of arguments or disagreements in comics are simplified and boiled down to a black and white, right or wrong dichotomy when life is always more complicated.
Gavin Smith continues his excellent, realistic art style in this series. The facial expressions are all spot on and convey the feelings of anger, frustration, pain, shame and understanding that many of the characters experience in their confrontations and realizations. The scenes in Barlow’s lab are creepy and the character design for his experimental creatures are unsettling. Once again there are great electrical effects surrounding the red skull implants in his creatures. The creepy atmosphere makes us genuinely worried for the fate of Mushroom.
Ronda Pattison’s colors are a big part of that atmosphere. The yellow electrical fields created by Donatello when he’s reaching out to Venus are a nice juxtaposition to the red colors used for Barlow’s creations.
The tension that’s been building for several issues of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles finally erupts in a dramatic climax. As the Turtle family grapples with conflicts both internal and external, the power of communication and seeking help emerges as a central theme. As the issue draws to a close, the Turtles and their allies stand united against the sinister schemes of Dr. Jasper Barlow, setting the stage for an intense showdown. Campbell’s ability to delve into the complexity of relationships and emotions, paired with Smith’s evocative artwork, have me excited for the next issue.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.