-
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #4
- Writer:
- Erik Burnham
- Artist:
- Tim Lattie
- Letterer:
- Nathan Widick
- Cover Artist:
- Tim Lattie
- Publisher:
- IDW Publishing
- Price:
- 3.99
- Release Date:
- 2023-01-25
- Colorist:
- Sarah Myer
The adventures of the classic 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon continue in IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Avengers #4. Written by Erik Burnham, with art by Tim Lattie, colors by Sarah Myer, and letters by Nathan Widick, this issue is a faithful and fun all-ages throwback. It would be easy for a series like this to fall into parody or a cynical commentary. Instead, Burnham captures the spirit and sense of humor of the original cartoon to tell new stories that feel at home alongside those old VHS tapes. Long-time fans will find themselves hearing the original cast as they read through the dialogue. Tim Lattie and Sarah Myer's art is bold and bright, bringing the classic character designs into the modern day with sharp colors and clear, exciting layouts. It's the perfect comic book to share with young readers. This done-in-one sci-fi story is a radical, pizza-fueled trip back in time.
Master Splinter has been attacked by a mysterious gas while out in the sewers with Michelangelo. When Donatello discovers that their sensei has been infected with microscopic, self-replicating Mousers, the Ninja Turtles spring into action. With the help of Donny's technology, they shrink down for a journey to the center of Master Splinter. Inside their sensei, they'll have to contend with the dangerous Mousers and Master Splinter's immune system.
Burnham and Lattie have crafted a practically perfect single-issue story that balances fun character interactions with snappy, high-concept action scenes. While the mainline IDW series continues in dramatic fashion in the Armageddon Game, a classic family-friendly Turtles comic has been missing from shelves. Saturday Morning Adventures fills that gap expertly. There is not much story or character development to speak of, but that is in keeping with the book's source material. Instead, the focus is on the adventure.
Lattie and Myer's art transports readers into a colorful world where threats are all around, but the stakes never feel insurmountable. Lattie's comedic sensibilities are especially notable, masterfully pacing-out gags with silent panels or punctuating a sarcastic comment with a look directly at the reader. The page layouts are especially easy to follow left-to-right for readers who may not be as familiar with the construction of a comics page. Throughout the issue, key dramatic moments are given extra breathing room to unfold over half a page or as the backdrop to several insert panels. Readers are invited to stop and appreciate these key moments by the size they take up in relation to other images on the page. Those moments also give Sarah Myer a chance to get creative and abstract with the colors and set the mood. The artists also pepper in background Easter Eggs that die-hard TMNT fans are sure to appreciate.
Despite there being no real moral or thematic message in this book, the characters are all distinct and well-defined. Donatello spends the issue explaining his scientific expertise, Leonardo is the no-nonsense leader, Michelangelo coasts along and enjoys the ride, while Raphael gives sarcastic running commentary. If there is a drawback to the issue, though, it lies in the amount of dialogue between these four that runs throughout the entire issue.
As clearly defined as each of the characters' dialogue is, it can be overwhelming on the page. There are very few panels without a word balloon. It is faithful to the cartoon, which had constant patter between the heroes and villains, but it does not translate as well from screen to page from a visual standpoint. Letterer Nathan Widick handles all the back and forth well, however. He works within Lattie's spacious panel layouts and smart character placement to provide a clear reading order, and the dialogue never obscures the art. Taken as a whole, the issue looks great and is beautifully packaged.
TMNT: Saturday Morning Adventures #4 is a pure delight from start to finish. The visuals and action can be appreciated by any fan, new or established. It's a perfect comic to share with a young reader and will entertain even the most cynical comic reader with its genuinely funny dialogue and entertaining, low-stakes plot.