The Top 10 comic books for 2017
By Alex Widen
Image by IDW Publishing
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #66-77
It has been another amazing year for IDW Publishing’s Ninja Turtles. Writers Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman, and Bobby Curnow (and colorist Ronda Pattison) earned a top honor. This year, TMNT officially became the longest running single volume of any Ninja Turtle comic in history! Furthermore, the series’ trademark long flowing subplots and storylines reached a fever pitch. Arcs included a showdown with Agent Bishop, the Pantheon, and the trial of Krang in Dimension X!
Artists for the year included Sophie Campbell, Mateus Santolouco, Dave Wachter, Cory Smith, and Damian Couceiro. Amid the high octane action and wide array of characters is some of the strongest writing of any serialized franchise comic book out there. Every subplot is followed up, and every action has a reaction. Character progression is key for an ever-expanding cast, and the situations are rarely black and white, nor easily overcome. As always, the series honors the past yet embraces the new.
The legacy of the kid-friendly cartoon may lead fans to dismiss this comic book. That is a shame because this is among the most consistent comic books that exist today. There is never a single issue which is underwhelming or disappointing. Those expecting a simple adventure often get far more. It is the model of how to handle a franchise comic book, both in terms of writing and editing, including weaving it alongside a sister title. It is everything about mainstream comic books done right.