Chris Cooper reviews Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey & April #2…
“Casey and April are separated and both must face the Rat King’s maze alone. Clues to the Pantheon await just out of reach, but Casey and April may not be able to find them if they cannot find each other.”
I always try to remain positive. Maybe a story that starts off badly will turn things around by the end. Maybe there are some redeeming features such as the artwork or a cool action scene.
No. Three issues into this 4 issue mini-series, Casey and April has done nothing to make me think it’s been a worthwhile use of time. The novelty of the art has worn off and all we’re left with is a dull, nonsensical story that appears to be waiting for its fourth issue to actually do anything.
From a few pages touching upon the story of the labyrinth holding the Minotaur, to our heroes meeting doppelgangers, this issue is all over the place. Maybe it’s me, but I don’t get what they’re driving at. Throw enough ideas at the page and some will stick? I don’t know. Reading this issue I don’t feel it gets that much closer to a conclusion; it’s just crawling along waiting to finish.
My positivity levels have reached dangerously low levels, so let’s try a different tact. If I work through the story from the start it might come together for me.
Casey and April set off. They argue. They split up. They both have small epiphanies having bumped into strangers. Then they get themselves into trouble having been played by the Rat King. Meaning the Rat King is sat around musing with a stranger.
That hasn’t helped at all actually.
It’s all very cliché, with story beats we’ve seen a hundred times before. That would be OK if they were executed with some panache. But it’s utterly lacking. Considering issue #47 of the main series contained a fair bit of Casey, which I really enjoyed, it’s amazing that this does absolutely nothing for me. April can be an interesting character too, but the pair are not being treated well here.
Rating: 3/10
Chris Cooper is a Flickering Myth Staff Writer, and owner of the blog Super Duper Stuff. Follow him on Twitter @SDCCooper or visit the blog’s Facebook page.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=8k_v0cVxqEY
Originally published August 27, 2015. Updated November 7, 2019.
