After the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles debuted almost four decades ago, creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird wanted to follow a darker course for their comic book characters. The duo created a 20-page outline for a TMNT plot set in a post-apocalyptic future. That draft finally sees the light of day in TMNT: The Last Ronin, a gruesome tale of sacrifice, honor, and revenge that spans decades. As the story rolls into its penultimate and fourth issue, all hell breaks loose with Michelangelo still reeling from survivor's guilt. Published by IDW and headed by the creative team of Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman, Esau & Isaac Escorza, and Ben Bishop, the latest issue sees the Ronin and master ninja preparing for his last stand.
Set in a cyberpunk future where New York is ruled by Shredder's grandson, Oroku Hiroto, TMNT: The Last Ronin #4 opens with the resistance launching an attack on Baxter Stockman's island. The story then cuts to a flashback where April's daughter, Cassie Marie, is being thrown around by Michelangelo in a sparring session. Cassie persuades Michelangelo into taking her under his tutelage, which he accepts. Happy that her daughter will get formal training, April asks Michelangelo about the fate of Splinter and Donatello, leading Ronin to narrate the tale of his journey to Japan and discovering the truth of the Foot Clan's deceit.
By his admission, Eastman updated his and Laird's story outline before handing it to Tom Waltz, and Waltz does an excellent job with the story overall. The series has been a wild ride from the get-go with spectacular, non-stop fight scenes, yet this penultimate issue finds a way to take amp up the action. As the story approaches its end, Waltz ties up loose ends by employing a multi-layered, non-linear narrative to paint a full picture of The Last Ronin saga. Even though it might seem tedious at times, TMNT: The Last Ronin #4's storytelling is held together by solemn moments of heart-to-hearts where characters find the necessary strength for upcoming battles with allies and themselves.
Artists Esau & Isaac Escorza capture the raw and gritty tone of the comic book splendidly. While they provide the artwork for the main storyline, Kevin Eastman contributes a few pages of ink depicting Michelangelo's journey of hardship. However, the most captivating and dynamic layouts come from artist Ben Bishop -- who lends his talents to create the riveting flashback sequence that narrates the demise of Donatello and Master Splinter. Colorist Luis Antonio Delgado uses muted colors and grey shades to render a war-torn New York ravaged by brightly colored explosions. However, for the showdown between the Splinter and Hiroto, Delgado uses warmer colors to symbolize the tranquility of the snow-laden mountainside of Japan, creating a beautiful aesthetic.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin #4 pushes against the boundaries of the one-man vengeance trope. The TMNT book is overloaded with exposition -- even more so than former issues -- but the narrative between sequences and its varying art styles makes it a refreshing read. Overall, the issue is an exhilarating ride with epic samurai showdowns and gory gunfights that sets the stage for the run's highly anticipated finale.
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