Sympathy runs high in this latest installment of the turtle brothers’ adventures, as we see the invading Triceratons- the highly evolved ancestors of the ancient Triceratops- viciously assaulted for what is essentially a long last return to their homeworld. The four mutant amphibians have arrived too late to help, but immediately know that something is amiss. Stakes continue to heighten as the ninja brethren realize that, at least for the present, the news media is being regulated along untrustworthy paths. They need a friend on the inside.

Adding insult to injury, Agent Bishop – lead government operative in charge of “protecting” America and the countries around the world from outside forces – finds his ruthless assault on the peaceful Triceratons subverted by arguably the most legendary character in the entire saga.

Master Splinter. Who is also leading the Foot clan!

One of the things I’m frequently concerned about when a story is so good, is that the dialogue won’t measure up. I was immensely relieved to find that wasn’t the case here at all. There is so much to keep up with in this issue, but the organic tones of every development keep it seductive rather than teetering over into the red zone of being overwhelming. You can sense all of these pieces shimmering and hovering all around you, but you’re not quite sure how they’ll click into place. Eagerness drove me with relentless curiosity headfirst into every bubble and caption.

The artwork jumped out at me in a different way this time and I actually found it rather tantalizing. As most readers know, the TMNT story takes place along the grooving artistic sprawl that is New York City. Each stroke, every panel, showed exactly what needed to be shown and seemed imbued with this hidden vibrant energy. No wasted lines or motion. But I also noticed this almost graffiti quality to it all. Every page felt like something you would actually see strolling along the streets of New York.

That’s the word for it. The artwork rang with the culture of its environment and I felt it. Continuing to love this story arc.