Ever since I was a kid, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been one of my favorite franchises. With unique characters, tons of awesome villains, and loads of humor mixed with heart-pounding ninja action, it’s hard not to see what makes it so enjoyable. While there’s been a lot of different takes on these characters’ histories, I feel one of the best comes from IDW Comics. It’s been one of my favorite ongoing series lately and I felt like sharing a few reasons why you should give it a chance. So sit back, and maybe grab a slice of pizza as we look at why you should be reading IDW’s TMNT comics.
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So Many Classic Characters!
They are WONDERFUL!
The Ninja Turtles have a really unique cast of characters, from their allies to their rouges gallery. By now, we’re used to the essentials like April O’Neil, Casey Jones, the Foot Clan and the Shredder, but there are so many more characters the turtles have met that should be accounted for. Luckily, this series brings a whole lot of our favorites and then some from TMNT lore, and it’s just amazing to see them all burst onto the page. From Bebop and Rocksteady, to the Fugitoid, Slash, and even Mondo Gecko, there are so many classic characters it’ll make your head spin! Thankfully, it seems IDW is not afraid to give a whole lot of old characters a fresh coat of paint for this comic. They all adapt perfectly in this new environment, which brings me to my next point.
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The Story Combines the Old with the New in a Unique Way.
There have been so many different versions of the turtle’s history, it’s almost hard to keep track. While everyone has their favorite, there’s no denying each version is different in how it tells its story, and these comics are no different. What’s great about this take on TMNT is that there are a lot of themes and ideas that the franchise has never tackled before, such as identity and science vs. mysticism (which is the most present throughout the series).  A lot of these themes make for some interesting situations for the turtles and, of course, amazing new characters. Some of my personal favorites include Alopex the ninja snow fox, Harold the grumpy scientist hermit, and a mutated cat called Old Hob. These characters and more add new layers to the story and blend in well with all the familiar faces. In addition to this, their interactions with the turtles are handled very well. All these elements make IDW’s TMNT not just a retelling of the Ninja Turtles’ story, but something special all by itself.
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Cool Crossovers!
It’s Batman! What? YES!
Who doesn’t love a good crossover, am I right? It’s always fun to see characters from different series meet and play off each other. Lucky for you, this version of Ninja Turtles has seen probably some of the most interesting and crazy crossovers in IDW. They’re pretty out there too, with the turtles meeting up with the Ghostbusters and even characters from The X-Files. The best by far, and my personal favorite, has got to be the Batman crossover. It’s incredible just to see something like this happen, and seeing the caped crusader teaming up with the heroes in a half-shell to fight the Foot Clan is just as awesome as it sounds! Needless to say, there have been some great team-ups and I’m sure with time, there’ll be more to come.
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It’s Not Afraid to Take Risks.
A lot of crazy things happen as the story for these comics continues; some of them are actually pretty shocking to see for TMNT. Without giving away any spoilers, there’s a particular moment where something happens to a well-known main character of the series; the fact that the writers were able to pull this off is a feat in and of itself. Giving us moments like that can be considered something of a risk; reader reaction can certainly turn abrasive if the risky story is handled poorly. Luckily, this Ninja Turtles’ comic handles elements that could have gone wrong with great care.
IDW has given us a comic with a tone referencing the original Mirage Comics while combining it with what the fans love from the franchise’s extensive history. This gives us a series that pays homage to past while not being afraid to be different and shake things up. This series could’ve gone south if it was in the wrong hands, but with strong writing, amazing throwbacks to the Ninja Turtles’ past, and new, unique ideas, it seems these turtles are indeed in the right hands. It’s for those reasons (and more) that you should be reading IDW’s TMNT comics.
