NB of the Week

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1
I, like many other children of the 80s, am a pretty big fan of the Ninja Turtles. I was getting the last batch of comics for a number of years but it never came out on time and was $4 an issue so it was one I dropped when I needed to crunch down. Today saw the start of another TMNT book and I was a little excited for it. I decided to give it a shot and see how it went. I was pleasantly surprised with what I read.

Book starts out with Splinter, Leonardo, Donatello and Michelangelo facing off against a cat-humanoid with an eye patch named Old Hob. As the four of them fight (and it was definitely cool seeing Splinter fight), they end up winning (surprise) and we find out that fourth brother, Raphael, has left and is on his own.
We then cut back to eighteen months in the past and we see Stock Gen Research and their new employee, April O'Neil (wait, what?). We then see her big boss man, Baxter Stockman (not a fly?) as he talks to a General Krang about their super-soldier mutagen and the animal test subjects (jigga what?). We then find out that, three months later, April is still testing their pet turtles and the one, friendly rat. Come to find that she has named the four turtles after renaissance painters...
We end the issue with Raphael searching for food and clothing as he is out on his own. While doing this, he stumbles upon a house with a lot of loud ruckus going on. As he gets closer, he comes across a man being physically abusive to his son. A young man named Casey. Raph busts down the door, ready to stop the father.

Turns out that this is a brand new, re-imagining of the Turtles mytho and I'm totally on board. Much as I love the Turtles, their comics have a long history that is very hard to follow unless you read through it all so this is perfect. I'm super psyched to see how old favorites may be reworked into this new version. Point me in the right direction and I'll be there. Great start.

Notable Mentions:
Punisher #2 - More Punisher mayhem and he has still not said a word. Great crime writing and worth every penny.
Uncanny X-Force #13 - After full fisticuffs with Apocalypse Wolverine in the AoA universe, Force gets back to find Archangel waiting for them. A big "A" across his waist. Looks like they're too late.