Jason Aaron began his run on IDW Publishing’s relaunched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series by sundering the bond between the Hamato Clan brothers and casting separating them, sending each to somewhere knew outside of New York City. The Turtles have since reunited and returned to New York, but their physical proximity to one another has not reforged their broken family bond. While familiar to many who grew up with siblings or raised multiple children, the constant sniping and pointless bickering between the brothers can feel like and opaque conflict for readers looking in from the outside, especially to since the series has yet to explain the nature of the event that led to the Turtles’ falling out.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #8 takes the perspective of one of the Turtles, Leonardo, to ground readers in one side of this four-way argument. This allows Aaron to leverage Leonardo’s inner thoughts to bring his interior struggle to the fore, depicting the traditional leader of the group as one still yearning for the peace he sought on the Ganges. But his mindfulness is challenged by one of his brothers. Could Leonardo’s mental remoteness be preventing him from following the best course of action for where he is now? And is focusing too much on the corrupt villain in a position of power lording over the city blinding Leonardo to opportunities to do good in the city right in front of him?
While Leonardo’s journey forms the backbone of the issue, Aaron does take a few detours to check in with other characters. D.A. Hale’s latest anti-mutant plot is a bit simplistic on its surface, but in an age of such willing consumption of misinformation, it isn’t implausible. Meanwhile, tensions rise within the Foot Clan, and April O’Neil stands on the precipice of a transformation that could redefine her role within the series.
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Juan Ferreyra’s artwork again elevates the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with the artist’s flair for inventive layouts and visceral motion on full display. The opening pages depicting a brawl between the Turtles and the Foot Clan is a showtopping set piece that incorporates the environment inot the narrative structure in clever ways.
Beyond action-focused layouts, Ferreyra made a name for himself with moodiness and a touch of horror, and he taps into that mode here. Donatello’s withered frame contrasts starkly with his brothers’ firmer builds, practically haunting any panel he appears in. Aaron has also begun to weave some otherworldly mystery into the plot. While it does feel like the Turtles should be quicker to pick up on some of the clues here, given what they learned long ago about their origin, it isn’t inconceivable that they’d see Donatello’s fractured state as a more straightforward explanation. However, this thread seems to be emerging from the background, and should it go where it appears to be going, it could stand to be a significant milestone moment for the series.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has settled into a solid groove. The Turtles are reunited, but the strife between the brothers continues to create emotional distance and drama, helping to drive up the tension as the narrative draws closer to a turning point moment. Inhabiting Leonardo’s perspective shows Aaron’s solid grasp on what makes each Turtle tick. After finishing the issue, I’m left wondering if Aaron plans to shift perspective to each of the other Turtles during the next few installments as they come together through breakthrough moments similar to what Leonardo experienced here, which would be a fitting conclusion to this arc considering where it began. Regardless, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #8 proves again that the series is in good hands.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Published by IDW Publishing
On April 16, 2025
Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Juan Ferreyra
Colors by Juan Ferreyra
Letters by Shawn Lee
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