TMNT: Bebop and Rocksteady Destroy Everything #5
Written by: Dustin Weaver and Ben Bates
Illustrated by: Ryan Browne, Sophie Campbell, Dustin Weaver, and Ben Bates
Publisher: IDW
The mini-series ends with it's fifth issue. While there was no review for the 4th issue, it seemed like the most fun of all the parts because Bebop and Rocksteady actually destroyed everything. Now's the time to see where the momentum takes the story, for better or for worse.
The writing for this ultimate issue feels, all in all, underwhelming, to say the least. Like the last couple of issues, most of the dialogue is exposition, explaining the various time based mechanics used in the story, and by the point, it feels old and unnecessary. It doesn't help that a time travelling plot that is so convoluted feels like it gets wrapped up too nicely and too swiftly for anything to feel like there's any oomph to what transpired in the past. For instance, in issue #3 I remarked certain events (Splinter being killed and April O'Neil getting infected by the mutagens) should lead to some interesting outcomes later in the story, but it's unfortunate to see it didn't really amount to much more than a swift punchline.
I never commented on it much, but Renet, the time master, is quite annoying, and it feels more pronounced and egregious in this last issue.
The climactic moment, which should be an epic, honestly profound event, just ends up feeling like not a big deal. Even when you think something incredibly disastrous happened as a result of Bebop and Rocksteady's shenanigans, Renet lets the audience know that it isn't really a problem compared to what it could have been. Donatello himself says something to acknowledge this let down, but that doesn't make it much better: "A million and a half is not bad?" The final conflict lasts not even four pages, and everything afterward is just a slow release to wrap up the plot in a bow. It's not really as pleasant as it sounds.
The series' best aspect was its art, but now more than ever the art feels so inconsistent in part to the various artists. The art itself, despite the differing styles, is pretty good on its own, but it shifts so often that it's hard to appreciate the drawings and colors. It's distracting, ultimately.
Also, I guess it makes sense this would be a series centered around Bebop and Rocksteady, but with the Turtles' presence, I feel like the book couldn't really decide which group gets what amount of page real estate. The Turtles didn't get to do a whole lot, and, until last issue, the eponymous villains didn't do much either. This muddled element of the series reflects the quality of the book itself, really.
Honestly, I am disappointed this didn't grab me as much as it did. There are so many moving parts, where I am not really sure where I'd begin to make the series better as a whole. Even after the 3rd issue picked up the pace a little bit, it's just a shame it didn't last until the very end. Maybe it was too late anyway.
Illustrated by: Ryan Browne, Sophie Campbell, Dustin Weaver, and Ben Bates
Publisher: IDW
The mini-series ends with it's fifth issue. While there was no review for the 4th issue, it seemed like the most fun of all the parts because Bebop and Rocksteady actually destroyed everything. Now's the time to see where the momentum takes the story, for better or for worse.
The writing for this ultimate issue feels, all in all, underwhelming, to say the least. Like the last couple of issues, most of the dialogue is exposition, explaining the various time based mechanics used in the story, and by the point, it feels old and unnecessary. It doesn't help that a time travelling plot that is so convoluted feels like it gets wrapped up too nicely and too swiftly for anything to feel like there's any oomph to what transpired in the past. For instance, in issue #3 I remarked certain events (Splinter being killed and April O'Neil getting infected by the mutagens) should lead to some interesting outcomes later in the story, but it's unfortunate to see it didn't really amount to much more than a swift punchline.
I never commented on it much, but Renet, the time master, is quite annoying, and it feels more pronounced and egregious in this last issue.
The climactic moment, which should be an epic, honestly profound event, just ends up feeling like not a big deal. Even when you think something incredibly disastrous happened as a result of Bebop and Rocksteady's shenanigans, Renet lets the audience know that it isn't really a problem compared to what it could have been. Donatello himself says something to acknowledge this let down, but that doesn't make it much better: "A million and a half is not bad?" The final conflict lasts not even four pages, and everything afterward is just a slow release to wrap up the plot in a bow. It's not really as pleasant as it sounds.
The series' best aspect was its art, but now more than ever the art feels so inconsistent in part to the various artists. The art itself, despite the differing styles, is pretty good on its own, but it shifts so often that it's hard to appreciate the drawings and colors. It's distracting, ultimately.
Also, I guess it makes sense this would be a series centered around Bebop and Rocksteady, but with the Turtles' presence, I feel like the book couldn't really decide which group gets what amount of page real estate. The Turtles didn't get to do a whole lot, and, until last issue, the eponymous villains didn't do much either. This muddled element of the series reflects the quality of the book itself, really.
Honestly, I am disappointed this didn't grab me as much as it did. There are so many moving parts, where I am not really sure where I'd begin to make the series better as a whole. Even after the 3rd issue picked up the pace a little bit, it's just a shame it didn't last until the very end. Maybe it was too late anyway.
A Look Inside
