We join the Turtles right where we left off last month: Leo, “Evil” Bob and Carmen are fighting off miniature Armaggon creatures while April attempts to make sense of all the science surrounding the portal. Meanwhile in another timeline, Donatello, Venus and “Good” Bob have just been rescued by the unlikely trio of Renet, an adult Lita and a much older Raphael.
Credit: IDW
The initial scenes with Leonardo and April don’t do much to progress the overall plot. April is still bewildered by the equipment, but she hops on a Zoom call with Harold, Fugitoid and Mona Lisa to see if they can sort things out. It was nice to see Harold and Fugitoid make an appearance, as it’s been nearly 50 issues since we’ve seen them in the series. They don’t know much yet, but at the very least the wormhole that Donatello and company went through is collapsing. After “Evil” bob makes an advanced maneuver on Leonardo during training, he finally gets suspicious and asks Bob what’s going on. We’ll have to wait until next issue to see if “Evil” Bob maintains the charade or finally reveals his true identity.
Credit: IDW
The more interesting and main thrust of the issue takes place in the 79th dimension of Null-Time where Renet, Lita and Raphael have taken Don, Venus and “Good” Bob for safe keeping while they devise some kind of plan to help them. Directly interfering with the time stream is out of the question due to the disastrous unforeseen consequences that could be created. As predicted, Armaggon attacks the temple and our trio of time travelers are once again sent to a new timeline and meet another future version of a close friend.
Credit: IDW
Sophie Campbell once again tackles some emotional subjects very deftly. April is lacking self esteem and hard on herself for not being able to figure out all of the science stuff, but Leo and Carmen reassure her that she’s doing a great job and her best is all they can ask of her. Similarly, Lita treats Bob’s question about reversing his mutation with kindness and compassion. Mutation in the series has long been a metaphor for people who don’t feel comfortable in their own skin. Lita also talks with Renet about growing up and how so many end up becoming like their parents, or just more adult and uptight in general. The sympathy and understanding shown to Raphael is also touching. Like Donatello says, he appears to be going senile, talking to a hockey mask as if it were Casey Jones as well as mistaking the identities of the Turtles. Everyone treats Raphael like an actual person, and not just an inconvenient dotard.
Vincenzo Federici’s art is firing on all cylinders. We get some great action sequences as well as effective facial expressions. Federici is able to convey so much emotion with the turtle’s eyes, mouths and bandanas. The coloring by Ronda Pattison is excellent as always. The light blue shades used for Renet and Lita’s time magic is a nice contrast to the light brown temple interior. The purple and pink shades of the 79th null dimension are a great contrast in the panels where Armaggon is attacking the temple.
This issue of TMNT seamlessly weaves between different timelines and characters, keeping readers engaged. While the scenes with Leonardo and April provide some insights into the collapsing wormhole, the main plot revolves around the 79th dimension of Null-Time. The emotional depth explored by Sophie Campbell adds a layer of humanity, addressing themes of self-esteem, identity, and growing up. The artistic brilliance of Vincenzo Federici, coupled with Ronda Pattison’s vibrant coloring, enhances the overall visual experience. As the plot thickens and characters face new challenges, the stage is set for an exciting continuation in the next issue on the road to #150.
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