End Of Watch — Reviewing ‘TMNT: Nightwatcher’ #7

Endings are an unpredictable, inescapable, and inevitable part of any endeavor in this sphere that we call existence. Along with a beginning and a middle, all things must have that ending.

Stories are built this way. Whether something lasts longer or shorter does not rob it of the power it brought with its existence. While Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Nightwatcher might be sadly ending with its seventh issue, its impact will remain.

Juni Ba, Fero Pe, Luis Antonio Delgado, and Nathan Widick told a complete and powerful story. It gave Jennika and the Nightwatcher entity golem the emotional story they deserved. We hope that this story will continue in some capacity. This duo is too important to fade away, but we celebrate what we were able to have.

Jennika and the sentient armor duke it out, debating promises and the choice denied to one of them. Jennika used the sentient armor to hide herself, to avoid the issues she was facing. This led to a montage, understanding, and an eye toward the larger issues at hand.

Ba crafts a character-rich well deserved conclusion here. The story doesn’t end overall, but this chapter has come to an end. It sets up the various characters for a potential future and more stories. This accomplishes the kind of finale that works well with many stories, letting the characters continue to live while we the audience just aren’t privy to what comes next.

Like the silent observers we are, we slip away quietly. The subjects of our observations are none the wiser to our presence.

Powerful messages are delivered, from the idea of choice and promises, to finding better ways to deal with issues. Putting the violence and force aside, tackling things larger than ourselves with tenacity. Together our duo stands against the forces of adversity with a new focus and determination.

Pe and Delgado have given us such a lush world to visit.

There is such dynamic, swift, but grounded energy being felt everywhere. Multiple layers of depth are found everywhere. Pe makes characters feel life-like and weighty at every turn. Their presence takes up space within this dense world. Hitting the right beats of whimsical and more grounded at the same time.

Action scenes are fluid. This really delivers on how these figures would be moving in their world. All of it feels as if it could bounce off the page before our very eyes. Emotional range is captured within the facial expressions and flowing movement of their bodies. Every panel speaks to us, beyond the dialogue and captions found on the page.

All of the color palette choices build on this foundation, as Delgado pulls in a lot of very natural almost neutral color choices to really give the world that touch of familiarity. Grays and browns build elements alongside the whites of areas. It’s then filled in with shadowy darker tones and swirls of lighter striking vibrant tones.

This is a story cloaked in personal darkness and we feel it here, as the night feels accurate in the lighting aspects. It’s ominous, oppressive, and even confining in various aspects. All of it turns around as the day and brighter times arrive, filled with greens, red, yellows, and other softer colors.

This keeps things flashy as a hero book is expected without sacrificing the firm nature.

Passion is born from every aspect of the story creation. We feel it and see it on the page as the characters emote and thrive. Then we hear it as the dialogue really hones in on the right tones and volume.

Widick delivers the lettering with such precision. He allows it all to flow smoothly and loudly. We feel and hear it as the armor bellows about its own freedom and choice, hitting us right in the heart as the voice rings through our brains. He takes what the script has given and gives it the final push that it needs upon delivery.

What a tremendous run that this has been. It was not meant to be on a longer scale, unfortunately, but what we did receive has been beyond words. No matter what I’ve written here across these reviews, they can’t convey the true majesty on the pages.

Like all things of this nature, it must be experienced by the individuals. My words are but a guide to lead you to desire to take the journey.

Hopefully you do. Because it’s worth every single moment.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Nightwatcher #7 is now available from IDW Publishing.