5 out of 5

While these issues are essentially interim stuff, just sweeping some pieces into place for the next big arc, Waltz and crew by no means skimped on the storytelling, and the non-big scale scope actually helped to sharpen the tales without making them seem trite.  The same is true for Santolouco’s artwork: he no longer has to worry about bringing the tragedy with Cityfall, and the freedom brings some energy and freshness back to his style.

Ish #33 is probably the most ongoing-plot heavy of this batch, with most of the book following up on Hun having to figure out how to deal with Casey.  Waltz (who handles the scripting on the series, with story by the others mentioned) has dipped into the pool of comic book schmaltz throughout this volume, plucking at the common TMNT theme of family and running it through the usual ups and downs of yer everyday serial, but he finds some good nuances in this issue, paralleling Angel’s father with Casey’s, and how each of their notions of protecting their own differs.  The “let’s flash back to dialogue from a page ago” is a little much, but Waltz only uses it in a couple of spots.  Otherwise, Hun’s flip-flopping between his two “families” – Shredder and Casey – is well-handled, and the final panels are pitch perfect without overselling things.  (Though it’s funny how Hun is ripped and menacing in one panel and slumped and approachable the next, to symbolize which side he’s on.)

Book #34 is where we start to have fun.  What I liked about these issues is that our plotting team didn’t just finish Northampton and shift to the next arc – they’re taking the time to properly align the Shredder and Krang angles, and thus Donnie and April go see Professor Harold (from the Donnie micro) to get some insight on the teleporter plans Fugitoid sent over.  Harold’s as difficult as ever – but written as a realistic curmudgeon, in my opinion – and more importantly provides us with the IDW incarnation of Metalhead.  …Which is similar in concept and size to the Nick cartoon version (he’s a lil’ un), but obvs not created by Donnie.  Sure, it’s the same plot as always – Metalhead’s controller breaks and he goes haywire – but the action scenes are a hoot and I don’t care if the line that introduces Nobody into the book was forced or not… as a longtime fan, it definitely made me smile.

#35: more goodness.  Raph and Mikey go to see Hob about his mutant army and find themselves in a pickle with a kidnapped Stockgen scientist… and freaking Pigeon Pete.  Whom I can’t quite remember being introduced in the IDW book, but whatever.  I read lots of Turtles stuff.  Elsewhere, Hun has made up his mind about siding with Shredder and tries to take Casey out… only to be stopped by Nobody – or Angel wearing some battle armor designed by Harold.  In the past, when Waltz has jumped between storylines in a book, it always feels stuttering and unnecessarily connected (last panel on page A must make a reference to whatever’s going on in first panel on page B); he does the connections bit still, but lets each half of the story play out in full before switching, and awesome colors by Ronda Pattison highlight the humor and danger in each portion.

Issue #36: Rat King!  Weeee…  The King himself is, hm, a little boring looking, like a vampire, but I love that they connected him to the folk tale of the man who lured rats and children alike out of town with his flute.  It was also an interesting backdoor introduction that didn’t just take the “I control Splinter angle;”  the King seems to have mental powers that can control rat or turtle (…and presumably people), and thus he drops Leo and Splinter into nightmare town, wherein the latter faces the guilt of ‘failing’ his family, and Leo gets to show that he’s fully recovered from his brain-washing by Kitsune… as he recognizes the tricks being pulled, with it apparently hinted that RK is Kitsune’s brother…?  As has been the case with both this series and the Nick show, a totally original take on a classic character.

The IDW ongoing has been some ups and down, but it’s definitely been facing those ups and downs on an upward slope… meaning that overall, things have been shaping up impressively.  Our writers and creators are now comfortable enough in the world where we can take a break between arcs and not have it feel over-stuffed with setup; some of these issues could’ve just been delivered as one-shots, but there was a clear effort to weave them into ongoing events so you feel like we’re moving forward.  And we are, excitingly so.