Chris Cooper reviews Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #65…
Michelangelo is determined to lift everyone’s spirits with a holiday party. When some unexpected guests show up, the party threatens to grow out of control… and blow the Turtles’ cover!
Epic is an overused word nowadays. But I feel this review brings about an occasion of epic proportions.
TMNT #65 is the 50th issue of the main series that I’ve reviewed. Starting back on TMNT #15, we’ve travelled across New York, space, and time together. We’ve seen the rise and fall of villains, the growth of the turtles themselves, death and resurrection, and the creation of a tremendous universe containing all the best aspects of the TMNT from across the ages. I’m going to take this moment to say thank you to Flickering Myth for providing me with the opportunity, and to all of you for reading each month. I really appreciate it. Now onto the review!
IDW have planned things rather well. With the last arc just closing on quite the dour note, it’s the perfect time to not only bring Mateus Santolouco back into the fold on art duties but also to provide us with a Christmas themed one-shot that uses the excellent roster that IDW have created to great effect.
With the TMNT on their own for the first time in their lives it’s up to them how they move forward. Back at the church lair the brothers take on one of their biggest ever challenges. Can they organise themselves and keep things together whilst also keeping it on the down-low?
Have a guess.
This is a really quite stunning way to celebrate both the time of year and the level the IDW universe has reached. Santolouco’s designs are the standard by which all other TMNT artists are judged and it feels as though he’s taken another step up here. Bar a couple of odd panels where some characters appear to float in a disembodied state it’s a gorgeous comic. From Mikey’s faith to Leo’s frustration, each turtle would be instantly recognisable without their masks and in black and white.
Despite there being no deep story this is a very well written issue. It’s a tale of moments and interactions. With so many characters involved this isn’t the time for any level of introspection, it’s purely really cool to see everyone together.
Then there’s the ending. It could easily have become melancholy but instead makes fantastic use of the current situation to highlight what Christmas means.
Merry Christmas!
Rating: 8/10
Chris Cooper
Originally published December 14, 2016. Updated April 16, 2018.
