Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution shares a lot in common with its predecessor, The Last Ronin. There’s a new take on the Heroes in a Half-Shell that veers close to the grittier aspects of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s original vision. There’s a final battle for the heart and soul of New York City, often involving the Turtles’ allies. And there’s an immensely tragic moment that reminds you no one is safe. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution #5 hits all those notes and more.
That final battle looks stunning thanks to Issac and Esau Escorza. The Escorza brothers don’t hold back on the apocalyptic nature of these battles: fires burst in the background, blood is shed, and there’s plenty of ninja action to fill 48 pages. I also have to give the Escorzas credit for how they make each character feel distinct, especially the Turtles. Odyn, Uno, Yi and Moja look like you’d expect a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle to look, but their physical attributes and coloring make them just as unique as their predecessors. The same courtesy is extended to the gangs: the Crusader Knights wear red and white outfits adorned with chainmail, similar to their names, while the Purple Dragons are easy to pick out thanks to their violet tattoos.
The issue has a perfect interlude where Casey Marie Jones, on the verge of death, flashes back to the lessons she took from her sensei, Michelangelo. It’s a beautiful looking page thanks to Ben Bishop’s artwork, but it’s also a beautiful lesson on how keeping your family close to you can help in the toughest of times. Bishop’s artwork is bathed in a warm glow thanks to Luis Antonio Delgado, which adds to the dreamlike quality of the scene; it’s a far cry from the darker tones Delgado uses throughout the rest of the book.
IDW
When it comes to the more tragic moments, Eastman and co-writer Tom Waltz deliver said moments with the force of a lightning bolt – both in the sudden bursts of unexpected violence, and in the emotional heft of having to say goodbye to a loved one. I won’t say anything else, but like its predecessor, Re-Evolution #5 proves that nothing is off the table when it comes to the Roninverse. There’s also a major surprise in the back half that bodes well for future installments.
The one stumbling block is the ending, which more or less sets the stage for a third installment of The Last Ronin. On the one hand, it’s not surprising: the first Ronin was a critically-acclaimed bestseller to the point where it’s not only still topping the charts but led to a video game and movie adaptation in the works. But on the other hand, it told a complete story that stood on its own. In Re-Evolution #5, the ending feels more like setup than payoff.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution #5 closes out the latest chapter of the Roninverse in the same vein as its predecessor, delivering action and emotion in equal measure. If you loved The Last Ronin or you want something different from the usual “Old Man Superhero” books that seem to flood the market, this is definitely worth picking up.
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