All good things come to an end, and this issue marks not only the end of The City That Never Dies arc, but also Gene Luen Yang’s run on TMNT. As the Hamato Clan fights off the undead hordes led by General Eight Thunders. Mikey, Raph, Casey, and their mother are fighting the hordes on the streets of NYC with some unlikely allies. Meanwhile, Donnie, Leo, and Splinter are in Yomi-No-Kuni going on a river voyage to save the tree of life. Can the Hamato’s conquer all the threats and restore the balance between the living and the dead?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #24 - 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 ***
WRITING:
This final issue really stuck the landing and brought an awesome ending to an equally as awesome run. Gene Luen Yang finished telling this beautiful story about a family reunited facing the consequences caused by the way they finally came together. The emotions run high as the Hamato family try to right the wrongs well still staying true to the family unit they are. The drama unfolds in such a beautiful manner and as the story and arc concludes your heart feels full. But Yang doesn’t only give us an emotional send off, he gives us an action packed one with a lot of twists as well. The surprise team-ups we get to see in this issue are both surprising and awesome in nature. Yang also takes care of setting the table for the next chapter in the TMNT universe as he passes the keys to the kingdom to Matthew Rosenberg.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this final issue of the arc matches the energy that this issue and run has brought. Fero Pe had a lot to cover with everything going on in this story, and not only did he meet those expectations, but he also exceeded them. The emotions and drama are captured perfectly in the artwork and tug at your heartstrings. Pe crushes the emotional content and really makes you feel what the story is conveying. At the same time, Pe draws some of the best action sequences of the entire run in this issue. The fight scenes feel dangerous and exciting. Luis Antonio Delgado makes the artwork pop with the color selections in this issue. The colors match the linework and really add to the flavor of the art. Shawn Lee’s lettering makes the story easy to follow, well also delivering some great action words. Together this art team, along with Freddie E. Williams II have delivered a phenomenal run on this series and deserve all the flowers they can get.
check out my review of teenage mutant ninja turtles #23
Final Thoughts:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #24 sticks the landing with a heartfelt, action-packed finale that celebrates the Hamato family and brings Gene Luen Yang’s run to a satisfying close. The emotional payoff, surprise team-ups, and outstanding work from the art team make this a send-off worth celebrating. It closes one chapter while leaving plenty of excitement for the next. If you’ve been following this run, don’t miss this finale. If you haven’t, now is the time to catch up! Pick up The City That Never Dies arc at your Local Comic Shop and see why this creative team deserves all the flowers.
FINAL GRADE: 9.6/10
Let me know your thoughts on TMNT #24 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
