2 out of 5

Someday, someone can explain to me the profitability of these photo books; they’re (generally) small mini-trades – 100 or so pages – composed of what amount to screengrabs from a TV show, with text lain atop, matching the script.  It’s a show-to-comic ‘adaptation.’  If this were pre-internet years, I would assume this was a way of reaching out to non-media-connected families.  We don’t have cable or whatever, so here’s the comic.  Perhaps the intention is still the same?  Or do we buy these for kids obsessed with a show and they’ll just read anything with the brand?  …But then why not buy them original material, like the actual comics?

I’m sure there’s a reason, because these things keep getting made, it’s just not clear to me.

We’ll try to set that aside.

This edition covers what I believe was the opening 2-part episode for the TV show.  I don’t admire Justin Eisinger’s job, as adapting an action-adventure CGI show into static images is probably a bummer, but at the same time, the lack of necessity of some of the narration panels (“And then so and so did this…” when the panel clearly shows that being done) doesn’t help make it any more exciting, it just dumbs it up.  The first season of TMNT was also a pretty dank affair – dim backgrounds, not a lot of detail – and so with the movement sucked out, that lack of “pop” makes for a not-so visually appealing book, whether or not we consider the stiffness of this format.

So I don’t get how these books make money, but I also can’t say I see the appeal of even reading this, unless you’re really just trying to keep up with the show and this is your only way.  Otherwise, the dry script (a lot of the jokes and action don’t land without the physical aspect) and bland imagery are a fairly boring read.