Why did they put Donatello on the back cover?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2012
IDW Publishing (October, 2012)
STORY/ART: Kevin Eastman SCRIPT: Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz LETTERERS: Robbie Robbins with Shawn Lee EDITOR: Bobby Curnow
Casey and Raphael are goofing around on the rooftops when Casey loses his bat, causing a comedy of errors over a case of diamonds. The diamonds are tribute by French “ninjas’ to the Foot, but crooked cops and some of the locals want the prize for themselves. Casey and Raph just want to end the madness and the Turtles just want to save their brother.
What they got right: Fans of the original series will be happy to see Eastman drawing the characters again, and in the classic black and white. The story itself is fun to read thanks to good guest characters and knowing where the limits of silliness are for this series.
What they got wrong: In the first half of the story, they keep dropping back a few minutes earlier which, while only mildly distracting, is still worth a mention. Also, the “suggested for mature readers” note is almost hidden on the back cover so if they really think that way (personally I didn’t see anything that concerning) they maybe should have put the note where parents could see it while picking it up. There’s a new cartoon and I’m sure parents would like to know that this version isn’t intended for the kiddies. (By the way, IDW, get on that.)
Recommendation: Fans of the original Mirage comics may find this a decent gateway into the new IDW continuity. Baring that, it’s a fun tale that is worth a read.
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