Advanced Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin #1

Let me deduce the reason why you are here. You love mystery and anime. I can conclude that you love a combination of the two. Well, who does not? Who knew that an animated series that found so much early success as in its Ninja Mutant Turtles Action Gaiden would find be such a franchise success as a Whodunnit ala the “Clue”“ type mystery? Even before it came out the boards have been alive with speculation.

Here is the thing, years from now I guarantee, that most of us will not remember what happened in this series.Â We will remember how it makes us feel.Â This maybe the darkest TMNT story I have ever read.Â In fact, it is very Reminiscent of the 2005 TMNT Episode “Same As It Never Was”“.

Final verdict, it is too early to tell whether this is going to be a perfect series. I feel it is good enough to make it to the top 10 TMNT stories of all time. I love the delivery of the final twist.Â The last Turtle standing is “ the butler did it”“ avatar.Â The most unlikely suspect that turns out to be guilty because you can see it coming a mile away, making it, for modern readers, The Un-Twist. Ironically, because this trope is so well known, when an actual butler is involved, he rarely “did it”, or, when he did, it is often a parody and Played for Laughs.Â I Guarantee no one will laughing here.

Featuring some terrific visuals, fluid panels, and a cast of interesting characters, highlighted by a terrifying background.Â Â The Last Ronin would have been can be called a gem in the rough, if only it did not have so much hype around it. If does not waste any time trying to build momentum preferring to dive in on the action, and world build at the same time.

TMNT THE LAST RONIN #1 (OF 5) CVR A EASTMAN ESCORZA; 1:10 COPY INCV EASTMAN; 1:25 COPY INCV SANTOLOUCO.Â There also is a 2^nd printing already planned to be released on 12/2/2020. Initial collectors interest seems to keep an eye out for the The Last Ronin Ashcan. There’s also high interest in the The Last Ronin Peach Momoko Sketch Ltd 250. The thing that I have doubts on the staying power is the Bartling “Metal edition”“ LTD to 300.

SCORE: 5/5

Authors: Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Peter Laird
Art: Esau Escorza and Isaac Escorza
Colors: Louis Antonio Delgaldo
Letters: Â Shawn Lee
Publisher: Â IDW