IDW TMNT Issue #150 ends current run with Questions for the future! IDW TMNT Issue 150 review
Story Consultant: Kevin Eastman and Story by Sophie Campbell, with artwork by Vincenzo Federici, Fero Pe, Dan Duncan and Sophie Campbell.
The story thus far, a giant pre-historic Shark named Armaggon is coming for the Turtles. He is an unstoppable foe who has been traveling through the timestream bent on revenge against Donatello for creating him. His only hope to stop his insatiable hunger for “QNA” (Quantanucleic Acid), is to absorb it from the Turtles and their friends.
Traveling through a Portal to an alternate Timeline, Donatello, Venus, and Mutant Baboon Bob, have traveled to a future where Michelangelo has become a famous Influencer. Arriving with Armaggon the Evil Bob from the future sends his past self into Armaggon’s mouth and sets future events in motion to create himself AKA “Evil Bob” who was helping Armaggon to get close enough to absorb the Turtle’s QNA, and then undo all existence as we know it.
We pick up this issue where issue # 149 left off, and the arrival of Armaggon, the betrayal of Bob and then the arrival of another figure from a Dark “Future Donatello”.
Venus, and Donatello pursue Future Donnie through a time portal. Let’s leave the plot at that and talk about the impact on the characters since Armageddon game. The characters are desperate, and with time running out there are fewer places to turn for help. It’s going to take some pain and sacrifice to save the world, and that’s exactly the type of story that issue # 150 brings us.
It’s fitting that Donatello, the smartest Turtle, as he would humbly call himself; would be the one to set in motion the very mechanism of his own downfall, and one that would keep him trapped in a perpetual chase until the end of time. We have seen him make mistakes, and he has definitely been the most tragic of the four brothers throughout the series ( see issue # 44) as well as an ardent critic of the Turtles meta-physical origins themself.
Though this story is not about just wrapping up a plotline with a bow, or closing a loop, it takes us back to the beginning of the journey some 13 years ago, and reminds us who this character is and what has made him into the strong character that he has become post Armageddon game. This issue shows a deeply conflicted character who is racked with he guilt of his actions, and the path he could choose to show him a glimpse of his future self. A very Dickensian tale reminiscent of “A Christmas Carol”, yet the main character was a talking turtle.
As the story progresses and changes the main artist in the interiors of the book, and shifts from current artist Vincenzo Federici, to Series original artist Dan Duncan, then previous series regular artist Fero Pe, and finally writer of the issue and former artist Sophie Campbell. Each of these artist tell a different story that changes with the era of time they represent. There is some true pathos shown from Donatello as his friendships and family bonds are tested and he discovers that he is really unhappy with his current path in life.
We as the readers, witness the missing scene from the turtles and Splinter’s history that then ties both science and magic to the Turtles souls. It’s a pretty important revelation for Donatello, and to say the least an emotionally gripping moment that provides our hero with the confidence he needs as well as the materials to take on Armaggon once and for all.
Issue 150 is the culmination of years of layers upon layers of storytelling that began with Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz’s reintroduction of the Turtle’s with their new origin. That of a family from Feudal Japan, who’s souls were reincarnated 100 years later and then mutated in a freak event only to return to avenge themselves to the Immortal Ninja Warlord The Shredder and save the Galaxy numerous times.
The story ends on the very premise that makes the book such a relatable story, with family. Without spoiling any of the details, we learn that the essence of a good Teenage mutant Ninja Turtles story is a story about family at it’s core. Be that found family, or blood, or reincarnated, they are the truest strengths of these characters.
The Turtles are not defined solely by their deeds, or their villains, but by their relationships with one another. Perhaps this is a fitting end to the IDW regular series since we have seen everything pulling these brothers and their sister apart after the death of their Father Master Splinter in issue 100. In the end it’s time for each of the characters to find their ways on their own.
Sophie Campbell wraps up the last 50 issues of the series with this story, which sets us upon a path towards the future. The issue has a strong plot that is well paced, and with the different art styles for each time period, has a great flow and is visually exciting at each turn. If you have been a fan of this series from the start or if you jumped on at any various point, the way this particular issue ties back the the early years of the book and even the homage to the Mirage Donatello Micro-series, serves as a worthy ending to a series that has honored it’s roots and remained culturally relevant throughout the last decade.
I highly enjoyed this issue, and think that it works as an ending to the series in a very fitting way. With emotional moments, surprises that made me rethink what I already knew about the characters, and then the validation that Donatello has been searching for, I personally cannot wait to see what comes next down the line after this one.
With the closing of this chapter the IDW TMNT series will spring several new titles to follow the story of these characters will continue, but this marks the longest single run of TMNT comics in a single series spanning 150 original issues, numerous crossovers, miniseries, micro-series and one shots.