essie_'s review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jexjthomas's review against another edition
4.0
The comics collected here aren't prefect, not by a long shot - - the writing is clunky, and the art amateurish - - but this is a fun read (or re-read, as it were, since I read most of this run when I was a kid). Eastman and Laird continued to improve on their TMNT, and the most recent reboot has the combination of great art and sharp storytelling that's somewhat lacking here - - but they weren't off to a bad start. Definitely recommended, whether you're reading for the first time or looking for a stroll down memory lane.
j_eagan's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jroberts3456's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
justinsdrown's review against another edition
4.0
I’m using volume 01 to rate the entire series. Read through comixology. I thoroughly enjoy the commentary pages. TMNT is a nostalgic favorite of mine. I grew up on the movies, cartoons, and video games. Consider my rating biased. The black and white art pops. Love the DIY brilliance of Eastman and Laird. They grew an empire out of their living room!
jesse_post's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
twilliamson's review against another edition
4.0
High literature this ain't, but I don't think that really matters, and it's all part of the fun. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of those concepts that is just stupid enough to work, and the comics collected here of the Turtles' early years are admittedly one of the better representations of what indie comics from the '80s have to offer.
There's plenty of action here, with more than just a little bit of science fiction, and the fact that the comic doesn't take itself too seriously works in its favor. In fact, the stories collected here work as an excellent parody of comic books themselves; without losing its own sense of identity, the comic traverses multiple genres, from interstellar science fiction to gladitorial combat, from the martial arts craze of the late '70s to the stories of industrial wastelands and radioactive mutagens. It's a really weird hodgepodge of different ideas and conventional plots with unconventional eccentricities, but it all feels tonally consistent and well-executed.
Indeed, the execution is all of the book's charm. The gritty, black-and-white illustrations fit well with the spirit of '80s teenage angst and mirror a lot of the similar development going on in mainstream comics at the time. The book itself, though, is clearly trend-setting, and I think the art and general visual direction for the book's storytelling is ahead of the grade of mainstream offerings.
All in all, this particular collection might lack some of the visual acuity of previous printings, but the story itself as collected in these early issues is pretty interesting, and definitely worth reading for the first time.
There's plenty of action here, with more than just a little bit of science fiction, and the fact that the comic doesn't take itself too seriously works in its favor. In fact, the stories collected here work as an excellent parody of comic books themselves; without losing its own sense of identity, the comic traverses multiple genres, from interstellar science fiction to gladitorial combat, from the martial arts craze of the late '70s to the stories of industrial wastelands and radioactive mutagens. It's a really weird hodgepodge of different ideas and conventional plots with unconventional eccentricities, but it all feels tonally consistent and well-executed.
Indeed, the execution is all of the book's charm. The gritty, black-and-white illustrations fit well with the spirit of '80s teenage angst and mirror a lot of the similar development going on in mainstream comics at the time. The book itself, though, is clearly trend-setting, and I think the art and general visual direction for the book's storytelling is ahead of the grade of mainstream offerings.
All in all, this particular collection might lack some of the visual acuity of previous printings, but the story itself as collected in these early issues is pretty interesting, and definitely worth reading for the first time.
terrorkobra's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
The OG TMNT comics they're great, well written, well drawn and nicely paced so far
I'm happy I finally got around to it
Makes me appreciate the 2003 show even more
It was a great show and reading these comics makes me appreciate how faithful the show is to the source material
I'm happy I finally got around to it
Makes me appreciate the 2003 show even more
It was a great show and reading these comics makes me appreciate how faithful the show is to the source material