Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #4 Review
Picking up directly after the events of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #8, the team splits up to find Splinter, but all Leonardo discovers is a mountain of Foot ninjas.
The Good:
This issue is nothing but pure action and Leo showcasing why he's one of the most talented ninjas among his brothers. There's quite literally only 2 pages of set up ("Let's split up and find Splinter!") before Leonardo comes face-to-face with a sea of blade wielding Foot ninjas. We get a look inside Leo's mind and it's nice to see he's every bit as determined and heroic as he acts on the exterior and you've got to respect his struggle to keep focused int he face of impossible odds. However, if you're not currently a big fan of Leo's, I sincerely doubt this is issue is going to sway your position. Oh, and then there's a little showdown with (a man I can only assume to be) The Shredder. That alone is worth the $3.99 price tag.
The Bad:
I've been more than vocal about my love and support for IDW's TMNT run so far, but this issue essentially boils down to nothing more than a fight sequence to serve as the first fight a Turtle has had with the Foot. This is hardly a criticism for many, but at the same rate, there's no development with the search for Splinter / overall plot, and, like previously stated, this is unlikely to create any new Leo fans. In his credit, though, the lead Turtle does fire a few decent quips during the battle. Ross Cambell's art is likely going to be hit or miss for many. It's cartoonish, not very detailed at times, and some of the proportions tend to feel odd. The combat feels stationary during some of the moments with the ninjas, but thankfully, you can really appreciate the motions and speed during his final encounter with Shredder. The strikes are appropriately brutal and easily the highlight of the comic.
The Verdict:
There's really no reason not to pick this one up if you're like me and over the moon about IDW's run so far. This latest Micro-Series issue doesn't bring any new developments to the table, but sometime it's alright to take a break from the plot and appreciate an issue packed with hand-to-hand combat from start to finish.