Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird and Tom Waltz – Writers

Kevin Eastman – Layouts

Esau and Issac Escorza – Pencils/Inks

One of Fall’s most anticipated comic book miniseries was released last Wednesday and I was lucky enough to snag a copy at my local comic shop. Thank you, Phantom of the Attic, for putting one aside for me!

A lot of comic book readers, including my cousin, have praised the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ongoing series at IDW Publishing. Some feel it’s too late to jump into the action after reaching one hundred plus issues. I can tell you that if you are looking to start reading the Heroes in a Half Shell, The Last Ronin would be a great entry point.

Who is the Ronin? I don’t want to spoil which Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle is featured in this miniseries here but I can tell you that the answer is revealed by the end of the first issue.

Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird present the “last” Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles story and it’s only fitting that the creators of the ninja superheroes return to finish what they started. The Last Ronin is full of non-stop action from beginning to end. The pace of the story is frenetic and you might end up with a serious case of whiplash from all the twists and turns from start to finish.

We have seen glimpses of grim and gritty futures before in comic books, most notably in The Dark Knight Returns. If you need a refresher for TDKR, an older Batman comes out of retirement to quell the rising crime and lawlessness in his beloved Gotham City. It seems that this blueprint has been used and reused tirelessly to the point where it loses its uniqueness and borders on parody. Old Man Logan was able to separate itself from the pack and deliver a tale of Wolverine’s idyllic life torn asunder by the evil machinations of the Red Skull. Captain America’s long-time nemesis rules over the United States of America, which is divided among other supervillains. The Last Ronin deserves to be ranked among these two storylines. I know I am getting ahead of myself only after one issue but I like what I have read so far and I believe there are a few more surprises and gut punching revelations in store that The Last Ronin will earn its company along with its predecessors.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The Last Ronin #1 is in comic shops now. If you are unable to find a copy, the issue is available on Comixology. The second printing of The Last Ronin #1 will be released December 2, 2020. The Last Ronin #2 will be released on Wednesday December 16, 2020.

Next Issue – Secrets are revealed as we begin to discover what happened in the past to lead to this nightmarish future. The Ronin meets an unexpected new ally but the Foot Clan begins an exhaustive sweep of the Bottom to find the vengeful mutant. And what role does Baxter Stockman play?