Sophie Campbell (Author, Artist, Cover Artist), Kevin Eastman (Author), Tom Waltz (Author), Ronda Pattison (Colorist) Shawn Lee (Letterer)
Thanks to IDW Publishing for the review copy!
Sally Pride is a character I’ve never really gotten into. As a feline mutant, she looks too similar to Old Hob and she hasn’t been given much to do for a while. At the end of the last issue, she finally stood up to Old Hob. She still pales compared to Jenny and the turtles, but at least it’s an improvement. Interestingly, after picking up where issue 103 left off, this issue quickly moves from that Sally, along with that storyline.
This issue lacks some of the action and drama we’ve seen in other issues, instead focusing on the relationships between the characters. As was the case in the last issue, this issue has a turtle reunion with some emotional heft. Raph has been hard for me to figure out in the past few issues, but in a few panels, the writers deftly explain where he’s coming from. And once again, we get an adorable mini pink dinosaur in a winter coat. Interestingly, the turtles are largely shown without their identifying bandanas. This can lead to a little confusion about who is who, but the dialogue generally provides enough clues to figure it out.
Even without an antagonist or a crisis, this issue repositions the series in a new direction. In some ways, the shift is a bit jarring given the slow build of the last arc, but readers who are invested in the characters and have been reading since issue 101 will likely find the emotional payoffs in this issue satisfying. This issue primarily sets the table for a new direction, but sets up some interesting possibilities for the future.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #104 is now available.
Check back soon for my thoughts on TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #105
Have you read the issue? What are your thoughts? Feel free to chat with me on Twitter or leave a comment below!
