The final issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones is upon us, and it doesn’t waste any time in setting the stakes. Locked in a man-made preserve where the rich and powerful hunt mutants for sport, Casey intends to rescue the goat-like mutant Solly and bring him back to his daughter Annabel. The only problem: Ludovic, the mutant snow leopard tasked with rounding up said mutants, has been thrown in the preserve. On top of that, Ludovic is suffering from withdrawal from Nostrum, the same drug that empowered Casey (and nearly drove him insane) last issue, making him a real threat.
Throughout Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones, Alex Paknadel has been drawing parallels between Casey and Ludovic, showcasing their similarities and differences. This comes to a head in this issue, especially with the choices the two make. Despite being in a dangerous situation, Casey works his hardest to save everyone in the preserve. He even tries to reason with Ludovic and also saves the man who made both of their lives a living hell. Ludovic, on the other hand, is driven mad by the twin forces of Nostrum and neglect by his employer, Jack Marlin. As a result, he’s hellbent on shedding as much human blood as he can.
The main difference that Paknadel draws between the two is the connection, or lack thereof, that they have to others. Ludovic yearned to be treated as an equal by Marlin, but was constantly denied that chance; it’s a large part of what sends him over the edge. Casey, on the other hand, has the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to lean on and April O’Neil for moral support. Even when he tried to push them away when he was in the throes of Nostrum, they still came to his aid. As he points out early in the story, he’s not the lone wolf people think he is.
IDW
Art-wise, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #6 doesn’t skimp on the action. Amancay Nahuelpan is joined by Max Raynor to deliver buckets of bloodshed as a feral Ludovic lashes out at his human tormentors. Entire pages are dedicated to showcasing his hulking form and the hatred that shines in his golden eyes. Casey also gets his fair share of hits: he’s slashed open, bleeding, and on top of that, he’s also suffering from Nostrum withdrawal. He still manages to get some good hits in, especially when he discovers some of Marlin’s sporting equipment. Because would you really expect a Casey Jones comic not to have him wielding some form of sports gear as a weapon?
The real secret weapon behind all this imagery remains Luis Antonio Delgado. Delgado’s color work makes all of the art pop, particularly a sequence where Marlin’s mansion is set on fire. Reddish-orange flames curl around every panel, looking like they’ll leap off the page at times, and provide a great background to Casey and Ludovic’s final fight. Delgado doesn’t skimp on the rest of the backgrounds either, whether they’re moonlit skies or sunny days.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #6 brings its story to a close, offering plenty of action and emotional reckonings along the way. I hope this isn’t the last time Casey gets to fly solo, especially as the ending is ripe for a sequel.
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