As a kid I loved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. My mom tells a story that all she had to do to get me to be quiet on a Saturday morning was put on a Turtles video. I confess I never read any of the comics, so when I had the opportunity to write an advance review of Infestation 2: TMNT I jumped all over it in the hopes of reconnecting somewhat to my youth. Well, these Turtles are a little different from the cartoons I grew up on. But, aside from that, how was this comic?
From the first page I was hooked. I loved the slow introduction into what I would describe as a mystery plot. New York City has been suffering from a rash of unexplained disappearances that may be linked to, as Donatello put it, “some…thing.” This of course has Donnie worried about how it will affect his family so he is researching anything that may have connections with the current events. Being the smart turtle that he is, Donatello finds a possible link and after an encounter with one of the “things,” the turtles head off into the sewers find out what’s really going on.
The story Tristan Jones weaves is, in one word, captivating. I was engrossed in the book until the last page, and since that left off in a cliffhanger I anxiously await the next issue. As I suspect with any TMNT related comic, characters make or break the story. With Infestation I am happy to report that the characters seem in tune with the personalities of the Turtles we all know. Donatello is still the resident Einstein, Michelangelo cracks wise, Leonardo is ever the fearless leader, and Raphael is still the sarcastic one. Even though Splinter doesn’t have a lot of face time in this issue, it’s apparent he’s still the master and has a plan.
I can’t say I am a fan of Mark Torres‘ art. It works in this book and I like all the little touches that were added into the background, especially in Donatello’s workshop. But, the way the turtles are drawn just look odd to me. Now, his art on the creatures looks good because they’re supposed to look wonky, but it just doesn’t translate overall.
Being that this is the first comic about our ‘heroes in a half shell’ that I have ever read I was extremely pleased. I am eager to read the next chapter in this adventure. While I didn’t really care for the art, it does mostly work in a book like this, so I can give it a pass. I would recommend this book, especially if you like TMNT.
Art: 5/10
Script: 9/10
Parental Concern: All ages
Infestation 2: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles #1 is in stores March 7th
Hey Jason!
Thanks for the kind review! I feel both honored and anxious about popping your TMNT cherry, but I’m glad you dug the story nonetheless. It was a tough write, but hopefully you’ll like #2 as much!
