Today’s Comic> Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Color Classics V2 #4

“Maybe if you paid your electric bill…”

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Color Classics Vol. 2 #4

IDW Publishing (February, 2014)

originally published in black & white in #17 by Mirage Studios (November, 1988)

In feudal Japan and separated from his brothers, Michelangelo comes across travelers escaping an evil daimyo who want to take control of the old man’s kingdom by forcing their children to wed. The old man’s daughter refuses, but the daimyo’s son arrives and takes her anyway, with Mikey in pursuit.

What they got right: This was an interesting story, and something different for Michelangelo. The fight scenes were well done and Talbot’s art is rather close to Eastman’s usual style.

What they got wrong: SPOILER FOR THE END OF THE ISSUE! I think the story would have been better served keeping the original black and white until the reveal that it was just Mikey writing a story. I’ve seen a few pages of the original printing and I kind of liked it that way better. I also kind of wish they continued it with the other Turtles. At least the reveal made it easier to understand why nobody noticed he was a giant turtle.

Recommendation: A good standalone story set in feudal Japan. Even if your not usually a TMNT fan but do enjoy stories of samurai and ninjas in ye ol’ Japan you might enjoy this issue.