It seems like every week brings a new issue of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic, but it’s not surprising given that it’s their 40th anniversary. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 40th Anniversary Comics Celebration takes things to the next level, as it contains a wealth of stories set in various eras of TMNT history. There are 11 stories in total:
- “Mirage 1 Story” features artwork from TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman, accompanying the poem “Alone” from Edgar Allan Poe.
- “Monsters” is written, illustrated, and lettered by Jim Lawson.
- “Gang Wars” is written by Tristan Jones and illustrated by Paul Harmon.
- “Downtime” takes place in the Urban Legends era, with Gary Carlson writing, Frank Fosco illustrating, and Adam Guzowksi illustrating.
- “The Man Behind The Mask” is set in the TMNT Adventures era, with story and artwork by Chris Allan.
- “What About Tomorrow?” goes to the TMNT: Saturday Morning Adventures comic, with Erik Burnham writing, Sarah Myer writing, and Luis Antonio Delgado coloring.
- “Splinter Forever” takes place during the 2003 animated series, with Lloyd Goldfine writing, Khary Randolph illustrating, and Emilio Lopez coloring.
- Ciro Nieli writes and illustrates “Kraang Among Us”, which takes place during the 2012 animated series.
- Andy Suriano writes and illustrates “Farewell”, which explores the last days of the Rise of the TMNT series.
- Finally, “Father’s Day” is written by Tom Waltz and illustrated by Michael Dialynas, while “Teen Spirit” is written by Ronda Pattinson and illustrated by Pablo Tunica.
There’s not an era of TMNT that goes untouched in the 40th Anniversary Comics Collection. If you got into the Turtles via any of the cartoons, they’re represented here. The original Mirage comics from Eastman and Peter Laird get a shout-out. Even the current IDW continuity gets a chance to shine. 40 years means that there has been a version of the Turtles for everyone, and IDW has gathered together some top notch talent to do it – including people who actually worked on the animated series.
If I had to pick some standout stories, it would be “Splinter Forever” (as the 2003 series remains my favorite incarnation of the Turtles), “Farewell” (which rivals The Last Ronin in terms of heart-wrenching moments) and “Father’s Day” (which would shatter even the hardest of hearts). “Mirage 1 Story” remains the right story to kick this collection off with, as within four pages Eastman captures the history of the Turtles. As if the collection of stories wasn’t enough, the 40th Anniversary Comics Collection also features a variety of stunning pinups by artists who’ve brought the Turtles to life, including Freddie E. Williams and Stan Sakai. This comic truly has something for everyone, no matter what version of the Turtles you grew up with.
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