Our mutated protagonists face a dire challenge, but should you even care?  Read on to find out.

The official description from IDW:

Everyone’s favorite hothead usually packs quite a punch, but after a dangerous Foot Clan ambush, Raphael will have to rely on his brothers to do the punching. With the clock ticking, will Leo, Mikey, and Don be able to overcome the odds against Shredder’s assassins?!

I’ll be honest, right from the first page to the final panel I was instantly engaged by this outstanding release. The creative team has crafted something worthwhile, that makes use of the components available while also drawing upon the franchise history to build something beyond its parts.  There were a couple sequences that came off a bit too wordy but nonetheless the forces behind this found a way to keep a striking balance in check.

Erik Burnham pens the script, while keeping in mind the most important question involved in this outing: what would Raph do?  That’s right my fellow fanboys and fangirls, with everyone’s favorite volatile member of the heroes in a half-shell benched his brothers are faced with situations that prove their cohesion as a unit.  They implement strategies that highlight their brother’s rage and despite some stumbles along the way the author, for the most part, nails the key items that keep this current iteration worthwhile.  In short: this was certainly a highly engrossing tale that’s just destined to please!

The art by Dario Brizuela matches the tempo of the script by birthing visuals that reach the quality of the ongoing series.  This is exactly how the computer generated characters look, as the talent brings them into a world full of still images.  Even though, as a comic, the kinetic energy is limited I found that the illustrations contained here kept a strong enough flow to not only uplift the text but further authenticate this adventure. To sum up: the renditions are good.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles New Animated Adventures #4 is a sterling addition to a re-imagined property that’s as much fun as you’d honestly want it to be. Recommended.

4/5