I love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I have done since I was a kid. I saw the film when it came out, the 80's cartoon and even the noughties cartoon (as a bigger kid). I even had the toys
Therefore, when I saw a former which celebrated the latter in the form of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Black, White and Green on the shelf of my LCS, I knew I had to pick it up. Coupled with the long list a fantastic creators including Jock, Patrick Gleason and Pauline Ganucheau who had worked on the contents, showing us the many sides of the heroes in a half shell, it really became a no-brainer (so the opposite of Krang).
After reading it, I found Black, White and Green was very much a mixed bag for me in terms of the storytelling. Some tales, such as the Book of Splinter and Green Means Go, I really enjoyed as they provided an action packed adventure while also focusing on the notion of family or providing a level of nostalgia.
However, while there were good reads enclosed, there was also an equal number of stories which struggled to vibe with me, giving the whole book a feeling sluggishness and making it difficult to focus on.
The artwork, on the other hand, I felt much more positive about (albeit after a nights sleep and some reflection). While many of the stories maybe didn't resonate with me, the art styles which accompanied them seemed to perfectly imbue the genre and context behind the Clan Hamato's adventures.
No more is this shown than in "The Brutal Sword of Leonardo" which, while not being a great story (from my perspective), was a phenomenal visual treat, with a style which really resonated the series' samurai roots.
Of course, there were other highlights to me beyond this. These included the aforementioned Green Means Go and Book of Splinter as well as Sin Sewer, Identity Theft and lastly Shredder Gets Caught on Things, which might have been my favourite story with its cartoon style and nostalgic look back at incarnations of the past.
The TMNT have and will always hold a special place in my heart. They were my first superheroes and this book doesn't nothing to sully that viewpoint. From my subjective perspective, this isn't a perfect book, but it is a good one that is enjoyable and visually stunning (albeit appreciated after a step back).
I've always thought anthologies could offer something to everyone and I'm glad this trade continued to prove me right.
The artwork, on the other hand, I felt much more positive about (albeit after a nights sleep and some reflection). While many of the stories maybe didn't resonate with me, the art styles which accompanied them seemed to perfectly imbue the genre and context behind the Clan Hamato's adventures.
No more is this shown than in "The Brutal Sword of Leonardo" which, while not being a great story (from my perspective), was a phenomenal visual treat, with a style which really resonated the series' samurai roots.
Of course, there were other highlights to me beyond this. These included the aforementioned Green Means Go and Book of Splinter as well as Sin Sewer, Identity Theft and lastly Shredder Gets Caught on Things, which might have been my favourite story with its cartoon style and nostalgic look back at incarnations of the past.
The TMNT have and will always hold a special place in my heart. They were my first superheroes and this book doesn't nothing to sully that viewpoint. From my subjective perspective, this isn't a perfect book, but it is a good one that is enjoyable and visually stunning (albeit appreciated after a step back).
I've always thought anthologies could offer something to everyone and I'm glad this trade continued to prove me right.
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