TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #19 (IDW Publishing)
After all the drama and conflict that went down in the Ujigami Saga, the Hamato family deserves a break and some fun. As the Turtles and Splinter take Shen out and show her New York. Will this be enough to make her feel at home in this new time and city?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #19 - Written By Gene Luen Yang – Art By Fero Pe - Colors By Luis Antonio Delgado - Letters By Shawn Lee - Edited By Jake Thomas - Published By IDW Publishing
Credit: IDW Publishing
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
STORY OVERVIEW:
Shen feels out of place in this new city and time, and even though she is happy to be with her family, it isn’t enough to make her feel like she’s at home. Noticing her discontent, the Turtles and Splinter decide to take her around New York and show her the sights of the city. As they visit the Statue of Liberty, a Pizza Shop, and then Coney Island, she opens up and is having fun. However, Papa Beng and the Ghost Boys try and rain on their parade. Even though the Turtles and friends squash the threat, Shen is still unsure of this new place and wants to go back to Yomi-No-Kuni. Unfortunately for her that may not be an option, and bigger problems are on the horizon.
WRITING:
This is a really fun and slightly subdued follow up to what was an intense and incredible arc. Gene Luen Yang follows up the incredible Ujigami Saga with a nice little pallet cleanser to kick off where we are going next. For most of the issue he just focuses on the Hamato’s family trip and mixes in a good fight scene for some action. This makes the story feel refreshing and different from the intense arc we just came out of. But than Yang switches gears at the end of the issue and sets the table for the next arc, and the huge 300th issue that drops next month. This two prong approach to the story really makes it feel special and gives the reader an emotional break, before bringing them right back into the more serious set up at the end.
ARTWORK:
This issue’s artwork captures the different parts of the story impeccably and makes each section feel like it has its own identity. Fero Pe shows the families’ past and their present with a lot of detail and heart. You can feel the apprehension of Shen at first, then that is replaced by joy as the family outing kicks in. The feelings that Pe’s artwork fosters really make for an enjoyable read. The fight scene is filled with action and brings yet another dynamic to the artwork. But Pe really hits a homerun with the final pages of this story. Setting up for the next chapter and showing off some new characters to this story and run.
check out my review of teenage mutant ninja turtles #18
Final Thoughts:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #19 switches up and delivers a more fun and relaxed issue compared to the intense story that just rapped up. This allows the reader to breathe a bit and enjoy the world before jumping back into the deep end. With issue 300 right around the corner, this was a wise decision that really pays off. With that being said, the last pages of the issue set up the next serious story arc, while not feeling too heavy. This is the start of a new arc and is a perfect jumping on point for readers that may not have been reading the series already.
FINAL GRADE: 9/10
Let me know your thoughts on TMNT #19 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
