Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #36
Teenage Mutant Turtles #36
Written by Tom Waltz
Drawn by Mateus Santoluco
Colored by Ronda Pattison
Lettered by Shaun Lee
TMNT has felt very disparate these last few issues. Since returning to New York City, we’ve only seen the four turtles together once. The characters have all been focused on their own agendas, and this issue is no exception. Leonardo and Splinter are the stars, still continuing the debate of when and how to deal with The Foot Clan, at least until the new villain shows up and says a whole mess of cryptic stuff.
This issue introduces us to The Rat King, a guy with bad hair, no nose, the ability to control rats, and a slew of other psychic powers. He pits Leonardo and Splinter against each other in a psychic battle, echoing the brainwashed Leonardo story that worked so well last year. The Rat King also makes references to Kitsune being his sister, further trying to connect these issues of TMNT to “Cityfall.” I wasn’t into it.
The Rat King’s arrival was too forced. I realize perhaps a greater suspension of disbelief is required from a TMNT comic, but he shows up simply because he lives down the sewer from the Turtles. I’m sure future issues will have plenty of unnecessary exposition explaining why they just-so-happen to share a drainage, but who wants to read that? There’s another way around this problem. Make it less contrived.
TMNT should be all about making crazy writing decisions, not lazy ones. The lazy approach has worked for awhile, with the new origins mostly matter-of-fact, and the reincarnated warrior aspect mostly left to chance. Turtles are turtles, and the universe was built around them. Shredder, Krang, Baxter Stockman and more all became direct parts of the Ninja Turtles story, and honestly, things made sense because of it. The villains have all had interesting arcs and introductions, particularly the slow reveal of General Krang. I’m not saying I’m mad that the Rat King doesn’t seem like part of the grand Turtle mythology, I just think it’s bad for a character to appear via coincidence. Maybe they’re going for a suspenseful moment. Maybe The Rat King won’t show up again for another 30 issues. I don’t know. It’s not affecting to me.
The relationships between villains might be the most interesting part of the series, so at the very least, we can expect the Rat King to meet up with the rest of the rogues at some point.
Anyway, Leonardo and Splinter meet this guy. They defeat him because Leonardo’s improved his psychic defenses. The Rat King King erases their memories and sends them back the way they came, and they keep arguing about what to do. The issue ends with Leonardo openly declaring that he now knows what to do, and I hope everyone else goes with his plan, because I am sick to death of all this pointless chit-chat. Action isn’t necessary to tell a good superhero story, but the way Tom Waltz writes inaction leaves me hungry for a fight. It’s time for TMNT to stop beating around the bush. The writers have been worried so much about character’s emotional states, I can’t see the story. There’s been too much exposition lately, and a whole lot of indecisions on the character’s parts. Leonardo and Splinter argue about what to do. Casey and Hun argue about what to do. Donatello and Old Hob argue about what to do. Next issue, I think Shredder and Krang are going to argue about what to do. I’ve enjoyed a lot of these encounters, but man, they’re makin’ me antsy.
Get it together, Ninja Turtles. I know you have it in you. I called you “the best incarnation this series has ever had” when I started covering this book for Comics the Gathering. I’m already in this for the long haul. Don’t make me eat my words.
Written by Tom Waltz
Drawn by Mateus Santoluco
Colored by Ronda Pattison
Lettered by Shaun Lee
TMNT has felt very disparate these last few issues. Since returning to New York City, we’ve only seen the four turtles together once. The characters have all been focused on their own agendas, and this issue is no exception. Leonardo and Splinter are the stars, still continuing the debate of when and how to deal with The Foot Clan, at least until the new villain shows up and says a whole mess of cryptic stuff.
This issue introduces us to The Rat King, a guy with bad hair, no nose, the ability to control rats, and a slew of other psychic powers. He pits Leonardo and Splinter against each other in a psychic battle, echoing the brainwashed Leonardo story that worked so well last year. The Rat King also makes references to Kitsune being his sister, further trying to connect these issues of TMNT to “Cityfall.” I wasn’t into it.
The Rat King’s arrival was too forced. I realize perhaps a greater suspension of disbelief is required from a TMNT comic, but he shows up simply because he lives down the sewer from the Turtles. I’m sure future issues will have plenty of unnecessary exposition explaining why they just-so-happen to share a drainage, but who wants to read that? There’s another way around this problem. Make it less contrived.
TMNT should be all about making crazy writing decisions, not lazy ones. The lazy approach has worked for awhile, with the new origins mostly matter-of-fact, and the reincarnated warrior aspect mostly left to chance. Turtles are turtles, and the universe was built around them. Shredder, Krang, Baxter Stockman and more all became direct parts of the Ninja Turtles story, and honestly, things made sense because of it. The villains have all had interesting arcs and introductions, particularly the slow reveal of General Krang. I’m not saying I’m mad that the Rat King doesn’t seem like part of the grand Turtle mythology, I just think it’s bad for a character to appear via coincidence. Maybe they’re going for a suspenseful moment. Maybe The Rat King won’t show up again for another 30 issues. I don’t know. It’s not affecting to me.
The relationships between villains might be the most interesting part of the series, so at the very least, we can expect the Rat King to meet up with the rest of the rogues at some point.
Anyway, Leonardo and Splinter meet this guy. They defeat him because Leonardo’s improved his psychic defenses. The Rat King King erases their memories and sends them back the way they came, and they keep arguing about what to do. The issue ends with Leonardo openly declaring that he now knows what to do, and I hope everyone else goes with his plan, because I am sick to death of all this pointless chit-chat. Action isn’t necessary to tell a good superhero story, but the way Tom Waltz writes inaction leaves me hungry for a fight. It’s time for TMNT to stop beating around the bush. The writers have been worried so much about character’s emotional states, I can’t see the story. There’s been too much exposition lately, and a whole lot of indecisions on the character’s parts. Leonardo and Splinter argue about what to do. Casey and Hun argue about what to do. Donatello and Old Hob argue about what to do. Next issue, I think Shredder and Krang are going to argue about what to do. I’ve enjoyed a lot of these encounters, but man, they’re makin’ me antsy.
Get it together, Ninja Turtles. I know you have it in you. I called you “the best incarnation this series has ever had” when I started covering this book for Comics the Gathering. I’m already in this for the long haul. Don’t make me eat my words.
A Look Inside
