Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shines When The Turtles Are At Their Most Divided, But Who Is Right? (Review)

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles already have a number of challenges to overcome thanks to the schemes and plots of their enemies, which is why many expected the return of Splinter to help them balance the scales. Instead, what they got was their mentor looking to correct the future as the lethal Ujigami, and as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #15 shows, that transformation has brought out some truly unexpected complexity and nuance from our four favorite Heroes in a Half-Shell.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles writer Gene Luen Yang has already taken Splinter’s return in a very different direction than initially assumed, and in issue #15, that story takes another compelling turn. Yang doesn’t wait for the mystery to lose its sizzle, and in revealing Splinter’s identity to the rest of the Turtles, the central conflict actually becomes 10 times more interesting. Instead of feeling rushed, it feels like a natural progression in the story, and it allows us to get the next surprise story hook much sooner.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

One of the more impressive aspects of that revelation is that Yang utilizes that to build out what actually may be the superseding story moving forward. The final page hook is fantastic, but there’s more than just shock factor behind it. The history in Splinter’s time away from the world of the living gives that reveal the necessary weight so that you not only empathize with Splinter, but also understand why the Trutles are so split and where each is coming from.

In fact, the best parts of the issue are when the Turtles are simply discussing Splinter’s actions amongst themselves, and it’s interesting to see where each Turtle lands on that issue. There are some genuine surprises in that regard, especially with Michelangelo and Raphael, who end up on either extreme of the issue as opposed to Leonardo or Donatello. That discussion was so good I would have easily read that debate for 10 more pages.

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One element of the issue that deserves immense praise is the stylish artwork of Freddie E. Williams II and Andrew Dalhouse, who shift from rugged eye-patch-wearing Raphael in one scene to contemplative Fate-Watching Splinter in another, and then hit the pedal hard to deliver vivid swaths of color and big action with the arrival of Shinigami. By the way, Shinigami is made to be an absolute beast, and fans of her from the animated series should be immensely happy with the spotlight she’s already received thus far.

Then there’s the discussion amongst the brothers, and while the dialogue hits all the right notes, you can get so much of that conveyed visually just by looking at their vibrant expressions over the course of the conversation. That said, while the Turtles shine every time they are on screen, the scenes with Splinter and especially Ujigami completely steal the show, and there’s one towards the end of the issue that simply demands to be a poster on any TMNT fan’s wall.

I would have loved to see an appearance from April O’Neal, though with Casey being central to this particular story, I get it’s not a priority. There was also one aspect of Splinter’s words to Shen that didn’t ring as convincing, and it’s mostly tied to her expression when he asks about protecting their sons. I would have loved a bit more time with Shen in Yomi-No-Kuni overall, but there’s plenty of time for that in the future.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #15 is another outstanding entry in one of comics’ best ongoing series, and its ability to subvert expectations and take things in interesting directions will appeal to longtime franchise fans and newcomers alike.

• Published By: IDW Publishing
• Written By: Gene Luen Yang
• Art By: Freddie E. Williams II
• Colors By: Andrew Dalhouse
• Letters By: Shawn Lee

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #15 is in comic stores now.

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