Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Revisiting my childhood with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in their original form of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's comic book run through the 5 volume ultimate collection was a lot of fun! 

Having only ever known the turtles during the peak of their popularity as an animated children's program and later films in the 1990s it was very exciting to see that the source material was not so much for kids. The comic stories are violent and action packed as the teenage heroes take on Shredder, the foot and a whole host of other weird and wonderful foes.

Stylistically, being a black and white independent comic allowed its creators some liberties to try and execute some wonderful things artistically. The premise itself, of four mutated turtles whose Japanese master/father rat teaches them Ninjutsu in order avenge his own master is so wonderfully ludicrous that it probably would never have been published by a large studio.

The spreads are filled with equally ambitions artwork such as full page highly detailed cityscapes to simple line drawing close-ups, through to large action packed double page spreads just because they felt like it. One frame I recall shows a speech bubble on an angle to demonstrate that their vehicle was rocking. This all adds to a unique style which makes the comic books so interesting.

Well worth the read for anyone who grew up loving the Ninja Turtles but missed this original comic book run and what's something that hold up a little more for adults.