Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles No. 90 review: Funeral for a mutant turtle
By Alex Widen
The biggest mutant turtle of all is gone! Yet, is this only the tip of the iceberg?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles No. 90
Writers: Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman & Bobby Curnow
Artist: Michael Dialynas
Colorist: Ronda Pattison
This volume of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been historic for a variety of reasons. The sheer consistent quality and depth of its ever-expanding cast and storylines alone should be reason enough to laud it. Yet there are other measuring sticks, such as it being the longest running single volume of any Ninja Turtle comic book ever. As IDW Publishing celebrates its 20th year, this series will soon celebrate its 100th issue. And barring any last-minute changes, it will have been with the same writing and coloring team since its first issue. It’s a tremendous achievement and a point worth noting as the year begins. If this issue is any indicator, the road ahead will be intense.
Image by IDW Publishing
Unfortunately, wars are a part of history, and with them come death. 2018 saw the conflict between the Ninja Turtles and Agent Bishop of the Earth Protection Force reach critical mass. While they may have defeated his overall efforts, Bishop’s wrath against the mutant population has been felt. He manipulated a war between Earth and the Triceratons, which wrecked NYC, and allied with Splinter! His kidnapped and nearly destroyed Raphael, and invaded Burnow Island. In this latter effort, their ally, Slash, made the ultimate sacrifice to spare them all from a nuclear blast!
Image by IDW Publishing
Funeral for a Turtle! A Very Big Turtle!
The loss of Slash wasn’t just for shock value or a moment for an editorial checklist. It symbolized the tragedy of not only the character, but the fates of all mutants on this strange world. Michelangelo begins the eulogy for Slash’s service in the abandoned church, which serves as the Turtles’ home. He offers things from his perspective; as someone who has literally experienced reincarnation, or the warm embrace of the spirit of his mother, who literally died centuries ago.
Image by IDW Publishing
Yet to Old Hob, the death of Slash symbolizes everything he created his “Mutanimals” team to fight. Hob’s path has been complicated; he was mutated by the same ooze that mutated Splinter and the Turtles and began as their enemy. For as much as Hob railed against humans, he still dabbled in organized crime now and then. But as he explains it, the fate of Slash was a watershed moment. Wearing white with Slash’s face mask as an armband, Old Hob makes a chilling speech.
Image by IDW Publishing
As Hob accurately describes, Bishop wasn’t the only human who has sought to kill or control mutants. The Shredder, Baxtor Stockman, and even the alien Krang all sought to use or abuse them. Slash began as an experimental weapon for Stockman, at the service of Krang. Hob eventually helped liberate Slash from such a mindless fate, only for Bishop to kidnap him and force him back into that monstrous role. Yet when given half a chance to think for himself, Slash was a noble and intellectual soul who enjoyed both his friends and candy bars. Mikey’s original act of kindness had ultimately redeemed him.
Image by IDW Publishing
What Have the Humans in Their Lives Been up To?
While Michelangelo talks of deeper feelings and tragedy, Hob sees this as the latest in their long-term war against those who would destroy them. Considering there are some humans among their allies, Hob reluctantly acknowledges them — while also seeing that not only humans have been their foes. Baxtor Stockman once used and abused Hob, but he himself was commanded by Krang. To Old Hob, the death of Slash acts as motivation and a rallying cry to be more offensive.
Image by IDW Publishing
As a mutant funeral is underway, the other figures in the Turtles’ orbit continue on their own path. The Turtles’ oldest human allies get some moments to shine, even if briefly. April O’Neill drives her parents back to their antique shop after they’d helped her move into her own apartment. Her current job working for Baxtor Stockman — and acting as a spy within his lab for the Turtles and their allies — has left her little of a social life. Yet as a figure who has literally survived alliances with both Shredder and Krang, how long will it be before Baxtor learns the truth?
Image by IDW Publishing
Mr. and Mrs. O’Neill note that neither April nor her ex Casey Jones have a need for the spare room in the shop. In the case of the latter, that may be because he’s spending more time with Jennika. A former Foot Clan assassin for the Shredder, she’s since become Splinter’s second in command and adopted a calmer mindset. Part of this is Splinter allowing her more of a social life, such as a date with Casey. The new Purple Dragons leader has busted out his dad’s old motorcycle for a joyride!
Image by IDW Publishing
Agent Bishop Is Teaming up with Who!?
But what of the cause of the latest misery? Agent Bishop has retreated back to his EPF base, where Dr. Shevlin is working hard to repair his robotic body. As the previous arc revealed, Bishop is essentially the end result of a premature birth given a prolonged life due to alien technology gleamed from Area 51. The man who hates aliens and monsters, ironically, owes his existence to their secrets. Yet his home base is under attack once again, and this time it isn’t by mutants!
Image by IDW Publishing
This issue makes an effort to follow up upon all of the chapters of the “macro-series” and their effects on the cast. For the most part, this is established by the emotional reactions of Michelangelo and Raphael, yet Bishop experiences it in a more tangible way. Metalhead 2.0, still possessing a copy of Donatello’s mind, bursts onto the scene! Having established that the “real” Donatello will always be his foe, and, still seeking a challenge, he proposes an unholy alliance!
Image by IDW Publishing
With Slash’s funeral ending on a conflicted note, the Turtles (and Pepperoni, their pet dinosaur) move further into their lair to lick their emotional wounds and plan their next steps. Donatello’s focused on the slow building crisis at Burnow Island, now that Krang’s zealous general Ch’Rell has been awakened. While he was an ally of convenience against Bishop, his warmongering nature and merciless demeanor may quickly develop into a worse threat than Krang ever was!
Image by IDW Publishing
Are the Turtles Coming Together, or Apart?
Michelangelo, on the other hand, is more conflicted than ever. Slash had looked up to him, and Mikey’s act of kindness was one of the first steps Slash took towards recovering. Now he’s dead, and their relationships with their friends and family are more strained than ever. Splinter’s leadership of the Foot Clan is gradually corrupting him, and even Casey is running a street gang now. Old Hob, especially, has switched between enemy and ally many times. Unable to easily trust so many “frenemies,” he wants to focus on training the orphaned kids that Rat King nearly killed.
Image by IDW Publishing
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Raphael, still traumatized by his experience as Bishop’s “Target R,” wants time to recover. The notion of the Turtle who seemingly loves to fight wanting to back away from it may seem out of character, but by this stage, Raph is weary of violence and knows he’s liable to snap. He rightly points out that when Leonardo was similarly kidnapped and brainwashed by the Shredder years earlier, their whole family went to Northampton for a stretch so he could emotionally recover. Why should Raph’s mental health be seen as less of a priority than Leo’s?
Image by IDW Publishing
Yet as usual, any attempt by a Ninja Turtle to avoid violence doesn’t take into account outside circumstances. Leonardo is playing a dangerous game of alliances as well, which is about to come to a head. As revealed in his own macro-series, he’s arranged a deal to aid Karai in “negotiating” a seamless transition of power over leadership of the Foot Clan. His brothers are united in believing that running it is ruining their father, and Karai at least seems far more honorable than Shredder or Kitsune were. Yet will she and her own mutants honor their pledge?
Image by IDW Publishing
Truly a Yeoman Effort Worthy of Respect!
Tom Waltz, alongside co-storytellers Kevin Eastman and Bobby Curnow, continues to deliver on crafting what may be the most consistently compelling run on a licensed comic book within the decade. A war veteran and a creative soul, his TMNT isn’t a story of jokey one-liners or shallow action, nor it is a run in which anything old is new again, or vice versa. It is a run which honors the past while forging ahead, and fully embraces the complexities of life and the cast within it.
Image by IDW Publishing
Rarely is this a story about black or white, but about the shades of grey. Old Hob’s speech may be militant, but it is easy to see how his worldview has been shaped by his experiences. Even Bishop isn’t entirely wrong in his belief that mutants and aliens can be dangerous and might destroy the world if left unchecked. Splinter deciding to run the Foot Clan wasn’t the best solution, but neither was allowing the Foot Clan (and the underworld) to exist within a power vacuum.
Image by IDW Publishing
For better or worse, every issue of TMNT is packed to the gills. Even with side-series or mini-series, there are hardly enough pages to contain all of the interwoven plot threads. This may make some readers impatient — especially when the Turtles themselves can seem like guests in their own series — but over the long haul, patience is rewarded. The scene between the four around the couch is a clear sign of how things have changed for their family and that none are the same.
Image by IDW Publishing
He Isn’t Quite a Party Dude at the Moment!
Michelangelo, especially, has been shaped by his experiences. He’s always been the “runt” of the litter, the one with the best sense of humor and the most optimistic attitude. Yet as time has gone on, his perspective has changed drastically. Mikey’s speech about life existing beyond death, despite some of his awkward delivery, was very tender considering his meetings with Tang Shen. Yet he also was the first to realize Splinter running the Foot was a bad idea, and was willing to take their father on to defend children. Through him, readers experience the shifts in the status quo. The fact that even Raphael wants to take a breather shows how rough things have gotten.
Image by IDW Publishing
Agent Bishop, recreated from the 2003 cartoon, has quickly evolved into becoming one of the primary villains of this run. The Shredder filled that role until issue fifty, and then Krang took over until issue 75. While Baxtor’s longevity as an antagonist cannot be underestimated, Bishop’s anti-mutant zeal is quickly mounting up heavy casualties. From killing Slash to nearly destroying NYC in a politically motivated coup, there is no telling how an alliance with Metalhead will further aid him. The robot turtle, ultimately, is an example of the human ingenuity that Bishop tries to embody.
Image by IDW Publishing
The Art Is Worthy of Highest Honors!
Michael Dialynas returns on art, much like he did in the previous issue. By now between issues of TMNT Universe, TMNT: Dimension X and the macro-series, he’s positioned himself as a semi-regular Turtle artist. David Wachter needs some time to gear up for his next arc, and Dialynas, as usual, knocks it out of the park. He does well juggling the entire cast and getting plenty of emotions out of humans, mutants, and aliens. Ronda Pattisons color work, as always, rocks, and the drastic change in Old Hob’s outfit helped symbolize his increasingly extremist positions.
Image by IDW Publishing
Next. Splinter Has a Perplexing Pantheon X-Mas in No. 89!. dark
Barring any shipping mishaps, TMNT No. 100 should ship in October. And if this issue is any indication, it isn’t an honor which this creative team is taking for granted. The series remains just as nuanced and suspenseful as it ever was, if not more so. The stakes for our heroes have never been greater, nor their solutions ever less clear cut. When one treat or challenge ends, another replaces it, and all the whole the Turtles must focus on remaining who they are. In many ways, it is very much like life, which is why this run continues to be among the best monthly comics out there.