Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time #1-4 (Comic Series Review)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time is a new comic mini-series from IDW Publishing that sees the four mutant brothers heading to all sorts of dimensions and time periods to do battle with a wide variety of strange foes. The series is based around an upcoming storyline in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual for 2014 in which the turtles meet up with a friendly inter-dimensional time traveler named Renet. The series has several unique qualities that set it apart from any other Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, but there are still plenty of laughs and action packed battles to satisfy longtime fans of the franchise contained within each issue.


The narrative of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time is unique in that each issue takes readers to a different time period or dimension. This allows the authors to create a wide range of storylines not typically seen from the series. The first issue follows the turtles on a foreign planet inhabited by dinosaurs, but things get even worse when little pink creatures from Dimension X shows up to find and capture intelligent life forms from the planet. The new mini-series is currently four issues in, and the turtles have already fought dinosaurs, battled against ancient samurais, set the ocean blue as pirates and landed in an alternate dimension where the world's population has been mutated. Readers will enjoy the different tales, and each issue is a new chance for the turtles to explore a new area with all new characters.

Another interesting concept for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time series is the changing of author and artist teams with each issue. The comics change teams with each consecutive issue, so no book is written and drawn in the exact same fashion. For example, the first issue in the series has a less serious tone full of jokes and cartoon, while the next issue is full of dialogue that touches on darker issues and has an art style that reflects the comic's writing.

Every reader might not enjoy every issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, but there is sure to be story or two that fans of the series will love already in publication. The new mini-series does a good job of mixing up storylines, settings and writing style. The books come with different covers for single issues and subscriptions, and each issue has different content in the back pages of the comic including concept art in the first issue. Look for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time from IDW Publishing out now!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time is now available from IDW and issues can be purchased for $3.99 each. For more information on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, check out the official IDW website.

Book Information:

• Authors: Various Authors include Paul Allor & Erik Burnham
• Artists: Various Artists include Ross Campbell, Charles Paul Wilson III, Ben Bates & Dan Duncan
• Publisher: IDW Publishing
• Paperback
• First Release: June 25, 2014

Score: 8 out of 10