TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #111, available in stores on Wednesday, November 11th, turns the tables on the Mutanimals. After weeks of infiltration attempts into the Turtles’ home, our heroes decided to set traps to stop them in their tracks. What unfolds is much like the tale of Kevin McAllister in Home Alone: someone defending their home from intruders with humiliating pranks.
Story
Sophie Campbell dives right into the high-paced narrative from the opening pages, showing the Turtles and their allies debate the merits of allowing spies to enter their home. This gives readers information they need from the get-go, which allows for character development. And what better opportunity for character development than the unexpected arrival of a familiar face (and not the intruders they were expecting)?
Seeing the downtrodden look on Sally’s face speaks volumes. Raphael’s rejection of her wish to help appears to have broken something in their relationship. This introduces the theme of rejection into the issue, which continues when Mona Lisa faces a difficult conversation with her parents.
The tension builds between the Turtles and their adversaries, but relationships seem to be suffering in midst of it all. Readers will find out what costs each character is willing to pay to achieve their goals.
Artwork
Jodi Nishijima’s penciling and ink work, Ronda Pattison’s coloring, and Shawn Lee’s lettering craft scenes that fit perfectly for this stealth-themed issue. The Turtles and their allies’ forms are drawn with sleek borders that allow them to mesh well with their surroundings. These panels contain darker shades to allow our heroes to mask themselves in shadows as their adversaries advance.
It was also great seeing the lettering capture the speech volume of each character. The smaller text for those speaking more quietly was particularly effective.
Conclusion
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #111’s characters express the emotions, reactions, and experiences that reflect the real world with stunning clarity. We were engaged from the beginning to the end.
What do you think the Mutanimals’ goal is? Let us know in the comments below!
