Chris Cooper reviews Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #3…
Cornered and injured, the Turtles have no escape from the forces aligned against them! Raphael must learn to compromise with his enemy if any are to survive!
We’re already at the end of the first arc in TMNT Universe. Boooo. But it’s been well-written, fantastically drawn, and has contained great amounts of action and emotion. If the main series hadn’t recently went all in on my feels this month. building on story threads that have been running for over a year, Universe would be ahead of it.
Speaking of the main series, it’s still very much in the shadow of a death that took place over a year ago. Shredder is the apex TMNT villain. He had total belief in what he was doing plus an ego and hatred that would take him further than most. No one has stepped into the hole that he has left. Universe has immediately started with an interesting baddie. Bishop (who originally appeared in the 2003 animated series), is an extremely driven and powerful individual. His EPF subordinates may question him at times (proving to me they are intelligent) but they all appear to have a real belief in what they’re doing. Belief is a powerful thing!
Bringing in some more ‘normal’ characters is a good move too. The EPF and Detective Lewis are something we’ve not really seen before. It all goes towards adding a different dimension to the story.
I generally love to crow about Mikey and how he’s the emotional core of the TMNT. Well, he is here too and I continue to be impressed by him. What I’m more impressed by is how other members of this ninja fighting team come to the fore and show their emotional side too. Damn self imposed spoiler rule…I’d love to share more with you but you really should read it yourself.
I do have a question. Is this title really about the TMNT Universe? Or will be it really be another platform for the turtles? I’m not complaining if it is. I just wonder about these things. Keep in mind I don’t read the solicitations so I rarely know what’s coming.
One arc down and TMNT Universe has proven it’s a fantastic addition to the IDW library, and a brilliant sister title to TMNT. Art, pacing, dialogue, a rubbish Eastman story, emotion and interesting things to come. It has it all!
Rating: 9/10
Chris Cooper
Originally published December 2, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
