Chris Cooper reviews Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #10…
“Toad Baron’s Ball” Part 2! There’s seemingly no escape from Toad Baron’s reveries but Alopex and Nobody must find a way before the next guests arrive… Toad Baron’s immortal and deadly family!
Parties can be tricky affairs. Differing personalities, close confines, and a desire for things to go well can lead to an uncomfortable time. TMNT Universe #10 takes all of that and cranks it right up in a well written and overall very pretty issue.
I say overall because much like last month I find Angel looking really weird. The art style looks great when it’s applied to Alopex and Toad Baron, so I’m assuming it’s a human thing. I really like consistency, so to see her swing from looking lithe and beautiful to pulling some off gurning faces is rather jarring. On the other hand I can’t be more glowing about Apolex. Whisper it, but this is probably now my favourite version of her style wise. The facial expressions in particular really strike a chord with me.
The story itself is relatively straight-forward. That’s not a criticism; in fact it’s nice to see. Things don’t need to be made more than they need to be, especially when they can lead to big things in upcoming issues. This is still the best Pantheon related story I’ve read in TMNT. Maybe Sophie Campbell will be given more to write in the future?
Be careful not to overlook the dialogue. There’s a lot of relationships building between Alopex and Angel, which seems very much like Campell’s work; it’s very natural. Be careful not to overlook what else is said though. The Toad Baron in particular is hilarious if you properly read half the things he’s saying. He’s like a demented Willy Wonka with the things he employs to keep his guests entertained. You’d be doing yourself and the issue a disservice not to read it all over a second time.
Then there’s the backup story. I often wonder what’s going on in my cats heads. They go from sleeping to tearing around the house in a flash and I wish I could get a look inside sometimes. At least now we get to see what Pepperoni thinks about in a very short tale that is gorgeous to look at and very sweet.
Rating: 8/10
Chris Cooper
Originally published May 24, 2017. Updated April 15, 2018.
