As part of the 40th anniversary celebration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, IDW introduced several new series to keep turtle fans satisfied. Along with the soft reboot of the long-running TMNT series, now written by Jason Aaron, three other new books were announced for this year. The Black, White, and Green 4-issue anthology series wrapped up just a few weeks ago, while Nightwatcher’s second issue is releasing in a couple of weeks. The third and final new series to debut is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Nation. With all of these different Turtle books on the shelves, you might wonder if there’s a need for yet another series in the TMNT universe. Or, more importantly, is this series worth my hard-earned cash? For fans of the IDW run, I can assure you the answer to both questions is yes.
Over 150 issues, the Turtle universe has expanded to encompass dozens of characters that couldn’t possibly all get enough time to shine in a single ongoing. What this series does is provide space for stories that enhance and connect to the ongoing TMNT book as well as callback to the expansive IDW run.
Roadhouse Raphael Credit: IDW
The Story
Veteran TMNT series writer Tom Waltz takes the reigns on the main story, filling in events between issue #150 of TMNT and issue #1. Raphael is on a road trip, exploring the country and spending some time in Arizona as a bouncer for a biker bar. As soon as he’s saved up enough cash, he sets out for Las Vegas with his faithful pet dinosaur, Pepperoni. When Raphael is ambushed by an old familiar foe, Raph’s journey takes a wild turn and sets him on a new path to infiltrate Area 51. Waltz does an excellent job with Raphael’s inner monologue. Most of the issue is narrated by Raph, so we get to know exactly what he’s thinking as he’s cracking some troublemaking biker skulls. The story is well-paced, with a couple of action sequences broken up by quieter moments of exposition and a flashback to Christmas, the last time Raph saw all of his brothers. We get some insight into his thoughts on Donatello and his obsession with magic. The premise of infiltrating Area 51 seems a bit absurd on its face, but Waltz gives Raph a convincing reason to team up with an enemy, and his motivations are believable.
In the 10-page backup story, Erik Burnham takes over writing duties. Turtle fans will be familiar with his recent work in The Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan. This story serves as a direct continuation of that tale as we catch up with Cassey Jones and Oroku Karai. Some new readers may be surprised to learn that Casey works for Karai’s foot clan in Japan. It’s the same old Casey, though, cleaning up a couple of punk troublemakers in a fish market. Casey is on the phone with April back in New York and explains the situation he’s in with Karai. It’s a nice recap of what happened in the Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan, catching anyone up who isn’t familiar with that series. We also get some insight into Karai and her new magical powers. Having Casey essentially recaps the previous series as a phone call during a well-choreographed fight was a great way to keep the reader interested in the exposition while still including some great action.
We all know where this is going. Credit: IDW
The Art
Vincenzo Federici is no stranger to TMNT, having carried art duties on the final arc of Sophie Campbell’s legendary run on the title as well as The Armageddon Game series. We get more of the same we’ve come to expect from Federici. He includes great detail, whether it’s a parking lot full of motorcycles or a bar full of rowdy bikers. All of the characters that populate the bar are unique and seem like an actual crowd of individuals, not just the same person copied and pasted dozens of times. The action scenes are expertly crafted, and the background fades away to solid colors and speed lines to really focus our attention on the fight itself. Federici has become a master of facial expressions when it comes to the turtles. He easily portrays rage, shock, snark, and contemplation throughout the issue on Raphael’s face. Longtime colorist Ronda Pattison showcases exactly why she has been coloring the turtles for over 150 issues. There’s a great shot of a starry night sky to open the issue. The dingy bar contrasts nicely with the bright golden-yellow shades used during the fight scenes to really make them pop. She also adds an interesting purple tint to the flashbacks that focus on Donatello.
Mateus Santolouco is at the top of his game in this issue as well. Whether a bench in Central Park, a Tokyo fish market, or Karai’s swanky penthouse, the art is well executed and conveys the story effectively. The fight scene is well choreographed and uses some interesting “weapons.” Colorist Marco Lesko does a great job with the lighting in the fish market, capturing the neon yellow aura of a Tokyo street as well as interspersing some neon pink highlights.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Nation #1 is a solid addition to the TMNT universe and proves there’s still plenty of room for new stories within this beloved franchise. Tom Waltz’s storytelling is as sharp as ever, and he captures Raphael’s brooding yet introspective nature perfectly. At the same time, the backup story by Erik Burnham adds depth and continuity for long-time fans. With stellar art and vibrant colors from the creative team, this issue promises that Mutant Nation will be a fun and engaging ride for Turtle fans. If you’re invested in the IDW run or just looking for a well-crafted TMNT tale, this series is well worth the price of admission.
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