The Top 10 comic books for 2017
By Alex Widen
Image by IDW Publishing
10. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2 #1-5
Two Ninja Turtle comic books on the same list? Is this a cheat? Maybe, but this series couldn’t be ignored. It is the second team-up between the Green Machine and the proton-pack carriers, and this time they face mutual enemies. The demonic Collectors, who have chased the Ghostbusters, have been summoned by the ghost of the Turtles’ enemy Darius Dun. While Donatello and Egon work on a technical solution, the rest of their teams have adventures in other dimensions!
The series was written by Erik Burnham and Tom Waltz. In addition, it featured art by Dan Schoening, Pablo Tunica, Charles Paul Wilson III, Mark Torres, and Tadd Galusha. While it was great seeing Dun again, the major focus was on interaction. Highlights include Ray and Raph having an out-of-body experience, Venkman giving Mikey therapy, and Winston and Leo fighting Punk Frogs. It all leads to a proton-weapon showdown in — where else — Central Park!
Yet while I am being honest, this series is on this list for one reason. The last issue has a scene in which the Turtles are reunited with the ghost of their mother, Tang Shen. As the first woman of the TMNT franchise, she carries a lot of weight. It is a scene so utterly tender and memorable that it instantly makes the series stronger for it. It stands among the best TMNT scenes in all history, and cannot be ignored by any fan. The fact that the rest of the series is a hoot is the icing on the cake!