ICYMI! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #142: Damage Done

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #142 continues the excellent ‘Damage Done’ arc at an expedited pace, which lessens the overall impact of many moments within this issue. However, even in its bizarre rush, the book still remains one of quality with great art, plot concepts, and promising seeds for the future that cement the second half of Sophie Campbell’s run as one that’s still got some major pep in its step.

The strongest parts of this issue are the same consistent positives you can find throughout Campbell’s time with the Turtles. There’s a ton of fantastic character work in this issue, specifically among the brothers as their bond continues to erode. There’s a new status quo building within the pages of this arc, one that sees the turtles evolving past their identity as a group in ways that are emotionally rich for each one of the brothers.

It’s definitely being executed in a soap-operatic kind of way, which may rub some readers the wrong way, but there’s an honest sense of development brewed up in the book’s more dramatic take on the brothers. The same quality of growth and change within the status quo can be seen within the side cast as well. Overall, Campbell continues to do great character work.

The art continues to be exceptional; this issue showcases some particularly well-done examples of how visuals and words can come together to tell a deeper story than any other mediums. Smith’s art for the Turtles is highly expressive and believable, but in its realism refuses to be rigid. There’s an impressive fluidity to his art, as well as a commitment to dynamic paneling and strong framing. Rhonda Pattinson’s colors help to elevate each panel, filling each scene with an amount of depth needed to truly fuse together Smith’s art and Campbell’s words into an exceptional comic.

While each of the beats in this issue are strong in their own right, many feel unearned because of how quick they jump to completion. It doesn’t kill the issue, but it is still disappointing when so much of what is occurring is top-notch. With some more breathing room, especially when it came time to delve a into this arc’s antagonist, it could’ve brought a solid comic like this up into something exceptional.