The 20th issue of IDW Publishing’s latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles volume also marks Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #300 for the franchise overall. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the most iconic pop culture franchises around. From comics to TV shows to movies, toys, and everything in between, TMNT has been going strong for over 40 years. Reaching the 300th legacy issue mark is a big deal.
On the main story side, this celebration issue kicks off “The City That Never Dies” event from the current creative team of Gene Luen Yang and Freddie E. Williams II. IDW also brings in Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz, along with a big-time lineup of artists, for a backup story that celebrates the franchise’s history. We had the chance to check out an early copy of the milestone issue. Find out how it turned out in our review of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #300.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writers: Gene Luen Yang, Kevin Eastman, and Tom Waltz
Artists: Freddie E. Williams II, Chris Allen, Ben Bates, Dan Duncan, Frank Fosco, Jim Lawson, and Eric Talbot
Colorists: Andrew Dalhouse, Luis Antonio Delgado, and Ronda Pattison
Letterers: Shawn Lee
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #300 SOLICITATION
“Forty-one years and 300 issues have led to this, one of the biggest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stories yet. ‘The City That Never Dies’ begins here!
Mutating the comics industry since their first issue debut in 1984, we are proud to shellebrate 300 issues of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mainline series. It all began with four brothers and their master, alone against the world. A lot has changed, but the bond of Clan Hamato is, if anything, stronger than ever. They will need that strength to fight what is coming. A threat unlike anything they have ever faced before threatens to destroy the worlds of the living and the dead alike.
Also in this issue: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles creator Kevin Eastman and superstar scribe Tom Waltz take timestress Renet through a tour of TMNT past with classic Turtles artists Ben Bates, Eric Talbot, Chris Allan, Frank Fosco, Jim Lawon, and Dan Duncan!” – IDW Publishing
REVIEW
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #300 does exactly what it needed to do. It celebrates the iconic franchise by presenting the start of a big new storyline that has a big event feel to it. While it is heavy on continuity Gene Luen Yang and Freddie E. Williams II make sure readers have all the information they need to understand “The City That Never Dies” if this is your jumping on point. That transitions well into how Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz celebration spotlights what has made the TMNT franchise so special.
There is no going around the fact that “The City That Never Dies” is a continuity heavy event. This is a storyline that is happening because there are true consequences to how both Splinter and Tang Shen returned. Playing with resurrection comes with a price and that is made very clear at the very beginning as a reminder this is still Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #20.
For as continuity heavy as the set-up is, credit to Yang and Williams to make sure to provide the reader all the information they need to know about why things are happening. It could have been easy to make this as forced information dump because of what this issue is. They balance giving as much information as possible by making sure the characters presenting the details continue the narrative of this volume of the franchise.
This is accomplished by the ones that give Tang Shen and Splinter a specific mission to show there are serious ramifications to their return. They can’t just simply have a happy ending life with their sons. If they are going to be around, then they will have to deal with what the impact of their return is on the world. They along with the Ninja Turtles opened a door that will be hard to close.
That door that is opened is something that doesn’t just simply impact the Clan Hamato. It is shown throughout Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #20 that the entire cast of this series will be impacted in some way. This includes an intriguing sub-plot that is introduced that directly impacts Casey Jones. Casey’s role in how “The City That Never Dies” opens is adds to how this opening chapter hooks you into what this story can potentially be.
At the same time, the set-up does a lot to help further build-up Karai and the Foot Clan. This is something that was needed given that they were recently defeated by the Ninja Turtles. The one defeat does not mean they lost the war between the Clan Hamato and Foot Clan. Though the way they are brought in makes them feel like given bigger wild cards to the mystical event that is taking place.
As great as the start of “The City That Never Dies” is, it is the back-up story by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz that hits on what makes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #300 a celebratory issue. They hit on all of the nostalgic notes that this type of celebratory comic book should be. The way they honor the iconic versions that made the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles a franchise that has endured for over 40 years was fantastic. It both honored what’s made this franchise special and a reminder of why what IDW’s two volumes has done has lived up to that legacy.
The celebratory nature of the back-up is also thanks to the art team Eastman and Waltz work with. Chris Allen, Ben Bates, Dan Duncan, Frank Fosco, Jim Lawson, and Eric Talbot capture the spirit of the unique art styles the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have had over the years. Every art style the franchise has been presented is iconic in its own way. It helps to drive home how the franchise has adapted over the years while always having a distinct style compared to other comic books franchises.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #300 is a phenomenal celebration of what has made the series special. The way “The City That Never Dies” kicks off drives home how the franchise can deliver big event level stories. It is done in a way that continues the narrative of this volume of the series and invites new readers to stay. The back-up story that follows is an excellent reminder of why the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been an iconic pop culture franchise for over 40 years.
Story Rating: 10 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 9.5 Night Girls out of 10
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