Ninja Turtles is one of those franchises that I’ll always enjoy despite all the goofiness of the premise. I grew up with the 2003 cartoon series and it was a big inspiration for me to start training in martial arts at a young age. Even though I’ve seen almost all the movies and cartoons, I haven’t read much of the original comic series apart from the first issue, which was released in 1984 and was created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

The original run was the main inspiration behind the aesthetic and tone of my beloved 2003 cartoon series. As a result, I knew exactly the kind of story I could expect going into this tale. The Last Ronin is a five-issue story written by Eastman and Laird and features artwork from Esau and Isaac Escorza. The series is published by IDW who have also published over 100 issues of the most recent Turtles comic series.

If you’ve ever read Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, then you will recognize many recurring narrative elements within the story of The Last Ronin. In the distant future, New York is ruled over by the Foot Ninja Clan led by Oroku Hiroto, the grandson of the original Shredder. The Turtles and their rat sensei Master Splinter have all been wiped out save for one lone survivor. He has returned to seek vengeance for his family in one final battle against the Foot.

Though the premise may not be wholly original, it works extremely well within the universe. I’ve always enjoyed it when the Turtles are pushed to the brink of defeat and this story certainly doesn’t pull any punches. The Ronin is so driven by his goal that he flickers on the brink of insanity as he is consumed by the grief over the loss of his family. Nonetheless, I still found this tale to be slightly more hopeful than something by Frank Miller and thus I enjoyed it more.

The strongest aspect of the tale is easily The Ronin’s character. I won’t spoil which turtle it is here but just know that what Eastman and Laird do with the character is nothing short of excellent. The artwork and scene composition throughout this story is fantastic as well. I love how Escorzas utilize color to create harsh contrasts and enhance the weight of specific narrative moments.

I also enjoyed the creative use of the original black-and-white penciled style during flashback scenes. It’s a nice touch and callback for longtime fans. The action here is brutal and much more grounded in reality than most Turtles content. Some may find this aspect especially jarring if you don’t know much about the turtles’ origins, but I liked it.

Despite my general positive thoughts on the story as a whole, there are a few weaknesses. A few subplots surrounding side characters don’t always land especially well. Additionally, the large-scale conflict The Ronin becomes embroiled in takes away from the more personal character-driven action scenes which comprise the core of this narrative. Fortunately, it all comes together in the end and manages to end on a powerful note with a truly touching final scene that emphasizes the core themes of family and friendship.

The Last Ronin is certainly a special comic book story. For longtime Turtles fans, this is a must-read. While newcomers might find slightly less to enjoy here I still think you may still find yourself intrigued enough to read through to the end.

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The Last Ronin

29.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Great art
• Ronin's characterization
• Touching story
• Grounded, brutal action

Cons

• A few subplots aren't quite interesting
• Villain is somewhat flat