TMNT Universe #5 Review: A Christmas Battle Between Cat And Gator
By Alex Widen
This latest TMNT Universe issue has a real monster mash! Old Hob and Leatherhead meet for the first time during the Christmas rush! Will either of them survive?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #5
Writers: Chris Mowry; Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman & Bobby Curnow (back up strip)
Artists: Michael Dialynas; Bill Sienkiewicz & Kevin Eastman (back up strip)
Colorist: Tomi Varga
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IDW Publishing ends the year with a double dose of Christmas based stories for their merry mutants. While Michelangelo held a much needed party for the main cast elsewhere, there is plenty of other action elsewhere. TMNT Universe was intended to embellish upon the main TMNT series’ extended cast, and this one-shot story doesn’t disappoint. A writer best known for writing giant monster sagas has Hob and Leatherhead meet for the first time!
Image by IDW Publishing
Leatherhead was created by Ryan Brown in 1988’s Tales of the TMNT #6. Universe essentially is IDW’s version of Tales, which serves the same purpose. He has appeared in every incarnation and adaptation of Ninja Turtles from animation to comics, and usually fluctuates between enemy and ally. In IDW’s version, Leatherhead may have been responsible in saving Donatello’s life, but only as an act of self interest. Tied to the Utrom aliens origins, he’s a self loathing loner with a temper.
Meet Characters Old and New!
Image by IDW Publishing
Hob (or “Old Hob”) is a newer creation who is exclusive to IDW’s incarnation circa 2011. In interviews leading up to the relaunch, Kevin Eastman talked Hob up heavily. This indicates that he may be one of the biggest editions by the Turtles’ co-creator to this incarnation. A stray cat who was Splinter’s enemy before they were mutated, they actually both were exposed to the ooze together. He later formed his own street gang, and then his own mutant gang, the Mutanimals.
Image by IDW Publishing
Its Christmas in Manhattan and through manipulation and a transport device, Leatherhead has made it there. Believing that mutants such as he are abominations of nature, he keeps to himself in the sewers, only peeking out at the world above. Snow fascinates him, and later on he sees two thugs dragging a dog to an illegal pit fighting operation. The cruelty to the animal urges even the isolationist Leatherhead to action, and he quickly barges into Hun’s latest criminal scheme!
Image by IDW Publishing
Hob winds up crashing the dog fight as well, but for his own reasons. He and Hun have been working together, and he sees Hun’s betrayal as an insult. Hob talks a big game about mobilizing mutants against the humans who mistreat them, and he often has a fair point. Unfortunately, his own greedy desires to control the underworld by working with many human criminals usually undermines it. Hob’s attempt to recruit Leatherhead, or at least manipulate him, utterly fail.
Image by IDW Publishing
The Fur Really Flies In This One!
Hob was actually the Ninja Turtles’ first enemy in the initial arc by Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman, and Dan Duncan. In fighting his street gang, the Turtles and Splinter were reunited with Raphael (who had been separated from them for years). Initially I disliked him, considering him too simplistic (as a cat who was the foe of a rat). Later arcs saw him become mistreated by Baxtor Stockman and form his militant mutant group, and has since become a more nuanced and memorable character.
Image by IDW Publishing
Hun is another immigrant from the 2003 era animated series produced by 4Kids Entertainment. In both the IDW comic and that series, he was the original leader of the Purple Dragons gang, and the enemy of Casey Jones. The wrinkle in the IDW incarnation is he’s actually Casey’s abusive dad, who has used mutagen to boost his strength and vitality. He used to work with the Foot Clan, and his involvement with mutants is referenced heavily. Hun continues to be a minor foil in this tale.
Image by IDW Publishing
Chris Mowry writes Godzilla: Rulers Of Earth for IDW and continues his flair for monster brawls. With the aid of terrific art by Michael Dialynas and Tomi Varga, Mowry compares and contrasts the two. Leatherhead and Hob are both loners, but for different reasons and motivations. Leatherhead is willingly solitary, and finds peace in it. Hob, meanwhile, is alone because his own actions have pushed away those he wanted to ally with. It is something which clearly bothers him.
Image by IDW Publishing
Great Art All Around!
Dialynas’ art works well with Mowry’s action-packed story. Leatherhead plows through scores of gun toting thugs. Being less powerful, Hob has to rely on agility and his own gun play to survive. Leatherhead shows off what a beast he is, easily on par with more powerful mutants like Bebop, Rocksteady, and Slash. Yet the script has plenty of other somber and quieter scenes that Dialynas utterly nails as well. The result is a Christmas themed monster brawl you never knew you wanted.
Image by IDW Publishing
In addition, the long running backup strip Inside Out reaches its mind bending conclusion. Leonardo finds himself back in New York squaring off with Casey Jones. It turns out his true enemy is himself—or at least, the Foot-brainwashed-version of himself. Shredder’s attempt to use magic and psychology to turn Leonardo into his ultimate warrior ninja was one of the best arcs for the character throughout the run. Finally, Leonardo’s meditative journey ends, and April O’Neil is there.
Image by IDW Publishing
This is easily the best installment of the strip so far. A reappearance by Tang Shen (Splinter’s wife and mother of the Turtles) always has an air of importance to it. I always wonder when or if she will ever be reincarnated, as Hamato Yoshi and their sons have been. The main draw continues to be the artistic collaboration of Kevin Eastman and Bill Sienkiewicz. Eastman draws most of the last page himself, which is always a treat from the TMNT co-creator.
Image by IDW Publishing
Next: Check Out How the last Mutant the Turtles Met from issue #4!
Come for the Freaks, Stay for the Action!
Next month sees the debut of another monster story by ComixTribe horror master John Lees (Sink). December 2016 ends for the TMNT the same as January 2016 did. IDW is making all of the right moves with this franchise, with the arrival of TMNT Universe being another one. It has offered riveting stories exploring the extended cast of the series in new and exciting ways. A yuletide smack down between a cat and a gator is a most noteworthy highlight for the season.