Tell me wholeheartedly in front of a police station. Do you like teenagers? If so, before you get put in jail, I highly recommend reading The Last Ronin by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, Tom Waltz, Ben Bishop Esau & Isaac Escora.
Summary
The Hamato and Foot Clan war has ravaged the world from the shadows for centuries. That is, until the Foot's current head, Hiroto Saki, grandson of the shredder, finally led an attack that severely injured the clan and slayed Master Splinter and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
In a polluted cyberpunk New York, decades later, Hiroto lies on an iron throne uncontested. That is until a ghost from his past rears his ugly head again. The last of the Turtles, the last of the Hamato, a broken ronin who has trained for years driven by one singular purpose: Revenge. And he's going to get it, no matter what it takes.
Characters
Ronin: Broken by the deaths of his father, brothers, and everyone whom he holds dear, Ronin is an incredibly sour, closed-off, and scarred individual. Survivor's guilt eats away at his mind and body, haunted by several ghosts as they push his violent crusade. It's only through meeting up with some old friends that Ronin can learn to fight for the past and present.
April O'Neil: Serving as the ever-faithful ally to the Turtles since Day 1, April is the only survivor from the old war. As a leader of the resistance and carrying mother to daughter Casey, she's a kindhearted, brave, and strong-willed soul.
Casey: The daughter of April and Casey Jones, Casey Marie has spent her entire life hearing about the Turtles in stories and anecdotes. Due to this, she's developed both admiration and fascination with them as she tries desperately to get the Ronin to take her underneath her wing. Too bad her reckless and aggressive attitude can get underneath her skin at times.
Overview
I've never gotten the chance to say this, but I fucking love Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I've been a fan ever since I was six while watching TMNT 2003: Fast Forward, and I love almost every version of the Heroes in the Halfshell, and 9/10 times, you're going to get a solid understanding of them. That all being said, Last Ronin is not a series I recommend if you're only accustomed to the cartoon or you only know this series for the jokes.
Last Ronin has been a passionate project from Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman for decades, and you can tell. Backing tons of inspiration from their original Mirage Comics roots, this is a hardcore yet somber story of a broken man trying to right his family's wrongs.
Everything about the futuristic New York is ugly, psychedelic, and neo-noir in all the right ways, presenting a closed-off and totalitarian empire ruled by mutagenic and cybernetic foot soldiers. Making it all the more fun when we see them get taken down. Esau & Isaac Escora combined their art with Luis Antonio Rodriguez's colors to help make this comic a five-issue-long adrenaline rush for the soul.
Dispute the glorified action fest, though we get loads of flashbacks to help ease us into the world a little easier. While I won't spoil who the last Ronin is, mainly because it gets revealed in the first issue, these flashbacks are genuinely fantastic. Special shoutouts to Kevin Eastman for lending his pen in some of the flashback segments as well, which helps to add to the comic's dark tone.
Beyond the copious amounts of action, though, there is still a beating heart beneath the blood and guts. Survivor's guilt, intergenerational trauma, and acceptance all pepper the story, showing just how dangerous the cycle of violence can be and the hope the next generation represents.
Epilogue
Overall, it's no wonder The Last Ronin got so popular. It's a dark and intriguing tale with a lot of melancholy. A couple of spinoff books look into this particular version of the TMNT, which tells how longstanding and versatile the brand has become. Who knows, though, with the franchise 40th on the way, we could add a little more green to the spotlight next year. Either way, with this cluster now done, it's time to decide who'll end up in the spotlight next.
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Webtoon Spotlight
CasualeJust a simple person is trying to shine a little light on the beautiful world of webtoon. With a splash of sarcasm, narration, and spitfire along the way. And who knows I might have other segments just for the hell of it.
