The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have mastered two ever-present trends in comic books: the reboot and the crossover. In the case of the former, IDW Publishing relaunched the Heroes in a Half Shell’s ongoing comic book series in 2011 and managed to be the rare reboot that pleased everyone. Longtime TMNT fans, newcomers, and fans of the animated series alike gave praise to IDW’s Turtles run. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sourcebook #1 is the first attempt to chronicle the vast, sprawling history of this series as the current run nears its end.
It’s a task that writer Patrick Ehlers not only accepts, but accomplishes. Ehlers makes sure that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sourcebook #1 lives up to its name by breaking it into four comprehensive sections, each covering a different part of the IDW TMNT run. For this debut issue he’s chosen to cover the rivalry between Oroku Saki and Hamato Yoshi, which means covering the Turtles themselves, as well as their father Splinter, nemesis Shredder, and other assorted elements tied to the Saki/Yoshi feud. April O’Neil and Casey Jones have entries. The Foot Clan has entries. Even other mutants – including fan-favorite baddies Bebop and Rocksteady – have entries. Once you step back and look at the vast number of entries, you start to appreciate the work that creators like Tom Waltz, Sophie Campbell, and TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman put into this version of the Turtles.
The sprawling web of connections also means that the book clocks in at 100 pages, but it’s far from monotonous or impenetrable, constructed in a way that readers from all walks of Turtle fandom will enjoy. What spices things up are annotations from the Turtles’ various allies, most notably the time traveler Renet. “Renet’s Reverbrations” are witty, sometimes profound, and most importantly they make the Sourcebook feel personal – as if it were an actual document from the TMNT universe. The fact that it features artwork from nearly every artist who’s been on the main TMNT title is a plus as well; this is a visual chronicle of the Turtles’ life, and it goes to show how much both they and the title have evolved over the years.
The book is also constructed to be read in two ways, according to Elhers. One is a reference guide; if you need to look up a character’s history or refresh yourself, that’s what the Sourcebook is for. The other is a chronicle of Turtle history; after all, there are a hundred plus issues of the ongoing TMNT title so this is a great way to catch up on all that history. It also sets the book apart from series like The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe or Who’s Who in the DC Universe; while those were merely a way to keep track of their respective universes, this lets readers look at the TMNT in a whole new light.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sourcebook #1 condenses years of Turtle history into an accessible, entertaining read. Elhers rightfully points out that the series’ first arc, “Change Is Constant”, was a metaphor for the IDW TMNT run – and with Jason Aaron set to take over a brand new relaunch, it’s a motto that could apply to the Turtles as a whole. Thankfully, fans of the current series will have this Sourcebook to look back on.
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