Mutating Into Something New: Reviewing ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Alpha’ #1

Once upon a time, four turtle brothers and their rat father went on adventures and saved the world. Things change.

Following the events of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #150, the ninja brothers have taken different paths. Their family is scattered and the first glimpses of what is to come have been revealed in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Alpha #1. This prelude of things to come features a main story from Jason Aaron, Chris Burnham, and Brian Reber followed by a second story courtesy of Tom Waltz, Gavin Smith, and Ronda Pattison. Nathan Widick provides lettering for both stories.

Truth be told, I wasn’t fully sure what to expect when this issue (and the comics to come) were first announced.

I’ve spoken long about how much I loved everything that was happening in the recently concluded series, led by Sophie Campbell. Seeing the Turtles with a growing community — a society they were fighting for — was really fun to witness. So much great development and character growth to be found. Hearing Aaron speak of a return to grittier stories, akin to the Mirage comics of old, made me go “Hmm” quite a bit.

I’m happy to report, I’m intrigued to read more.

What the first story did with Donatello begs a lot of questions. It gave us glimpses of the Donnie we know but one that has been through the wringer (off panel) and in a dire spot. Just a bit of a tease that comes with solid action and rougher aspects. It’s the kind of smooth transition from one run to another that fans really want to see.

The fact that, apparently, there is an in-universe, one-year gap between the runs definitely helps.

Pairing it with the second story — a straight up horror story — helps too.

There we see Waltz continue to build off the previous run with Old Hob’s new island, and pick up threads from his own and Campbell’s runs. It shows that while the main title is ‘changing’ some, the overall world is still very much in place and all that happened still matters. Relaunches and reboots can be tough in comics sometimes, because often they come in the form of overwriting or ignoring what came before.

Not here.

In fact, what we’re seeing in the works is the growth of the universe as it stands. While much is still unknown about the announced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Nation book, it has been said to be one that focuses on the wider world of the Turtles. Meaning characters like Old Hob, Sally Pride, Angel Bridge, Jennika, and other characters we saw in this story will keep showing up. This particular story shows that Hob’s attempts to build something aren’t as easy as he presumed, when the one human he trusted makes a grave horrific mistake.

I like that tonally, the stories that Waltz and Aaron are telling follow similar threads. Characters in rough spots, dealing with traumas, making tough choices.

Burnham is the artist that will draw the fourth issue of the series, which will return to Donatello (each of the main series first issues has a different artist and POV character). So here we get a nice little taste of what his art will bring to this character and his world. It’s a style that inherently can hit the rough bits needed for the story while also creating a lot of depth, feeling, and range on the page. Even though all of the story happens within the one enclosed space, keen paneling choices allow it to feel bigger in scale and scope.

If there is anyone that brings some of that old Mirage energy visually, it would be Burnham.

In the second story, Smith brings a lot of the same energy to the page. Just the right amount of rough textures, with a sharpness, the right emotional depth, and tons of details. It really leans into the body and just overall horror of this story. Those scenes with Mutanimal ally Lindsey Baker in her mutant spider form are gross and terrifying, as they should be. Smith gives things a sort of grounded feeling that allows the realistic and fantasy to stand together smoothly.

We get the fantastic work of two colorists here, as Reber joins the universe and Pattison continues her stunning run of working on TMNT related books. Both balance the line of darker, more ominous tonal colors with the lighter, colorful beats that should come with these stories. I’ve been in awe of how easily Pattison shifts gears to allow her work to match and enhance whatever style of art happens to be on the page (though she’s worked with Smith on previous TMNT issues). Reber hits those same highs and really helps bring a heaviness into play.

I’m not familiar with Widick’s work, but it brings all the feeling I’ve come to expect with lettering in this universe. Personality and emotions ring out of every word, as the bubbles and fonts shift to bring some weight, visual distinctiveness, and power to every bit of dialogue. Throwing in some colors and other modifiers for that extra bit of something.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Alpha #1 is now available from IDW Publishing.