Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #64 Review: Darius Dun Is Done

A great rift is formed within the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles family! Splinter reveals how far he’s willing to go. Is it too far for his sons and their allies?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #64

Writers: Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman & Bobby Curnow

Artist: Dave Wachter

Colorist: Ronda Pattison

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The finale of the latest arc brings many things to an end. Splinter leads the Foot Clan against their main competition in organized crime. His strategy is precise with little margin for error, and goes off without a hitch. Yet this victory may be the final wedge between he and his teenage mutant ninja sons. No amount of mutagen can heal a broken heart, after all. However, is even this outcome a part of Hamato Yoshi’s master plan? Was there no better way?

Image by IDW Publishing

As the issue starts, readers can see all of Splinter’s threads come together. Casey Jones has arrived with the Purple Dragons as cavalry. Yet not even Raph can enjoy the reunion with his old pal as they pummel Lupo’s minions. The Turtles weren’t aware of Splinter’s plans to reorganize the Purple Dragons street gang under his tutelage. As the battle progresses, the four Turtles learn of even more things Splinter kept from them. It seems for the first time ever, Michelangelo was right.

Image by IDW Publishing

Is This Ninja Turtles or Divorce Court?

Their inventor friend Harol Lilja was used as bait for Darius Dun, leader of the Street Phantoms. The group has sought to fill the gap left by the fall of the Shredder for the past year’s worth of stories. A brute with an eye for mastering technology, Dun had recruited Lilja’s ex-partner (and ex-wife) Libby Meitner. Having kidnapped Lilja due to Splinter leaking his whereabouts, Dun was caught off guard by the siege. However, since he’s the size of a house, Dun thinks he can handle it.

Image by IDW Publishing

Meanwhile, Libby has been pursuing the fleeing Lilja in an attempt to reforge their alliance. Not only does she miss collaborating with him, she misses Harold, period. Harold’s slow to trust his ex wife again, considering her leaving him (and selling some of their work) an ultimate betrayal. The fact that she’s pursuing him in a mechanical suit that Ellen Ripley would be proud of doesn’t help. However, Libby’s appeals eventually wear down even the cynical Lilja’s cynicism.

Image by IDW Publishing

The Street Phantoms themselves stage a final defensive attack to kill all intruders and traitors. Libby fares the worst of it before the Ninja Turtles (and Angel, in her “Nobody” armor) have a rematch with them. Thanks to Lilja’s technology, the Turtles are able to prevail, although Lilja himself sees the night’s events as a last straw to his friendship with them. Dun also stages a last stand in his office, and while he can bulldoze past a dozen Foot ninjas, he’s no match for Splinter.

Splinter Is Too Radical a Rat for the Turtles!

Splinter originally took over the Foot Clan from Shredder in the name of protecting his sons. The chaos which would have hit the streets without the Foot controlling crime would have hurt them. To this end, he’s held the Foot together even despite a betrayal from within. Yet now, the Turtles see that Splinter relishes the general operation of the Foot almost too well. He may not be as petty or revenge oriented as the Shredder, but Splinter turns out to be nearly as ruthless.

Image by IDW Publishing

One by one, the Turtles draw a line in the sand and leave, with Leonardo being the last. In a heart breaking scene, Splinter reveals that even this was all part of his plan. Having proven unable to protect his sons in two lifetimes, Splinter considers his very association with them a danger. His ruthlessness was intended to not only squash an enemy, but to drive the Turtles into forging a path away from him. It may be up to Leonardo to lead his brothers without Splinter’s input.

Image by IDW Publishing

As always, Waltz (alongside co-creator Eastman and editor Curnow) provides a deep and riveting script. Every action has a reaction throughout the series, and no character arc seems to be resolved easily. Having Splinter and the Turtles take over the Foot Clan alone was controversial, as was having Michelangelo mostly leave the group over it. The “party dude” was being true to himself. Now all four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles see that they have to grow past their father.

Image by IDW Publishing

Tom Waltz and Company Draw Inspiration from Everywhere!

Darius Dun was originally created for the sixth season of the 2003 era TMNT cartoon which originally aired on 4Kids TV. That season was dubbed “Fast Forward” and took place in the far future. For IDW’s comic series, Eastman and Waltz recreated him as a crime boss akin to Wilson Fisk from Marvel Comics. He acts and dresses like a sophisticated businessman, but beneath that exterior is a violent brute who can shrug off many injuries. It was a great revision for the series.

Image by IDW Publishing

Even a supporting character like Casey Jones is being taken to new places. He began the series as the enemy of the Purple Dragons gang, pummeling them alongside Raphael or Angel. His alcoholic father Hun (who is at the peak of vitality thanks to mutagen) used to run the gang. Now due to Splinter’s request, Casey Jones himself is running them. It remains to be seen whether he takes it seriously, or just considers them as canon fodder in his zeal to protect the streets from crime.

Image by IDW Publishing

Even the notion of “crime-fighting” is one with many approaches. Simply appearing to stop a robbery or incident, or attack a particular enemy, is reactionary. Splinter and the Turtles initially engaged this way, but it proved ineffective in the long term against Shredder. Controlling organized crime from within allows for better influence, but it comes at the cost of the soul. Perhaps it is this burden that Splinter seeks to protect his sons from.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Makes Excellence Look Effortless!

Dave Wachter’s art remains as pulse-pounding and detailed as ever. This issue has plenty of action for him, and he plays it to the hilt. Mutant ninjas, armored fighters, rat masters, and wrestler-sized mobsters all flow together in one cohesive style. The final battle between the Turtles and the Phantoms, as well as Dun’s two page duel with Splinter and the Foot, are highlights of the issue. There are many panels per page, as if to cram a lot in, but Wachter and Pattison make it look great.

Image by IDW Publishing

Next: Check out how radical a rat Splinter was in the last issue!

I seem to say this at the end of every review of this series, but it bares repeating. What IDW Publishing and it’s writing team have done with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is incredible. It has recreated the series utilizing elements from the original comics as well as decades of animation and film as inspiration. It’s remade the franchise in a way which pays homage to the past and forges ahead for the future. It continues to be one of the best serialized comics out there.