Speaking of returning to an already established history, in TMNT: The Last Ronin Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird finally released one of the most anticipated comics of the year, and the colorful yet dark dystopian story definitely delivers. The Last Ronin works as both a jumping on point for new readers and a deep nostalgia dive for fans of the original comics or the cartoons they spawned. In a futuristic New York that is clearly inspired by the world of 2000AD – and even includes a nice visual nod to Eastman’s one-time collaborator and British comics icon Simon Bisley- one Turtle stands alone. There is no team, no three other loving brothers, just a single survivor who is on a brutal mission for vengeance. And he will stop at nothing to take down those who have hurt him.
Sprawling and serious, but with a sincere edge, The Last Ronin feels both like an ’80s throwback and entirely in line with the current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics at IDW. The art team of Escorza, Plata, and Bishop bring Eastman’s instantly recognizable layouts to life in vibrant fashion. Following the only surviving Turtle through the fantastical and fraught landscape is a rollercoaster ride, complete with fan favorite characters cast in entirely new roles. There’s a lot here to love. Even if you haven’t started it, yet this is the perfect TPB pick up.
11. Once and Future (BOOM! Studios)
Kieron Gillen (W), Dan Mora (A), Tamra Bonvillain (CA)
If this was 1991, people would be lining up outside comic shops to grab copies of Once and Future to save for their kids’ college funds. This sounds like a slam, but it’s not: this book is a blast, and Dan Mora being an art wizard who perfected the magic of McFarlane, Lee, and Liefeld is a huge part of it.
Mora spent this year of Once and Future designing new versions of the Knights of the Round Table, and the stylistic similarities to the Image Revolution guys are undeniable. The key differences here are two: instead of the infrequent nonsense that was often passed off as story in the old Image Revolution books, we’re getting a razor sharp story-about-stories from one of the masters of comic scripting, Kieron Gillen. And the second is that comic coloring technology has moved light years past what was possible in 1991, and that has led to a crew of utterly brilliant comic colorists in the game right now, a group that includes Tamra Bonvillain as one of the best. Once and Future is one of the best looking books every month, and it’s a ton of fun to read.
10. The Other History of the DC Universe (DC)
John Ridley (W), Giuseppe Camuncoli (A)