Chris Cooper reviews Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #15…
Jumping straight in this week! Be prepared, I’m going to be talking about the art a lot.
I expect gorgeous art from Campbell but she has outdone herself with some of the panels. Brittany Peer’s use of colour, or not in some cases makes them even more striking, whilst it appears series regular Shawn Lee was really let off the leash when it came to the lettering. Words straining against and bursting out of their ragged boxes gives the dialogue an edge, especially in the violent scenes they help depict. This arc has a great style that reaches a crescendo here.
Have I mentioned how cool Karai’s hair is? A minor thing to most perhaps. but she’s got a few looks here that always fit the occasion. I don’t mean that to sound at all ‘girls should have nice hair’, but Sophie has clearly made a choices which I’ve not only picked up on but appreciate.
I also picked up on the Asian film influences pervading the second half of the issue. I don’t know exactly which films have been referenced but I do know that they are very cool. Ocho in particular comes into her own here and I hope to see more of her. Her, Bludgeon and Koya are going to be quite the opponents for the brothers when it inevitably happens.
The artwork is damn powerful and I had to dive into it, but it serves a story that has grown as it has progressed. TMNT Universe #14 closes off the Karai arc with one of the best issues of Universe so far, as the ex-leader of The Foot and her growing team not only complete their task but set themselves on a trajectory that will be sure to make huge waves further down the line. Maybe it would have been better as a whole and not in pieces, but it’s been another strong arc that more than justifies the existence of a second TMNT title.
Rating: 8/10
Chris Cooper
