Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Reborn, Vol. 1 – From the Ashes: A Shell-riffic Tale of Heartbreak and Rebirth

We have arrived at Sophie Campbell’s first collected run on TMNT and it is definitely some of the best in all of the turtle lore. PERIOD. There is no room to argue on this subject. The five issues are such a drastic turn for the turtles that we as readers can’t help but get sucked into the story itself and feel the turtles’ emotions and their inner struggles. Take a minute and think about your favorite turtle, now picture that turtle in these issues and tell you didn’t feel some sort of sympathy for what they have recently gone through. More than a few times when I was reading these books, I got emotional and a bit choked up. Being a 30-year fan I saw some of my favorite characters going through some of the roughest events they have ever been through and I was not prepared for what Sophie Campell had in store.

City at War is over and New York is so much different because of it. Lives have been greatly changed forever. The turtles that are before us are only recognizable by their names. Their demeanor and souls are not what we know them to be. Sophie Campbell does a hell of a job changing the dynamics of the turtles in such a way that is brilliant and unapologetic in one fell swoop. In these 5 issues following the fallout of Splinter’s death we not only see the transformation of Mutant Town but its residents as well. One of my favorite parts of the storyline is Alopex and her shelter. She turns out to be an unsung hero towards then end of the arc in her role in getting the family back together.

As the story progresses at different degrees and paces, we get a glimpse into the turtles like never before. Raph going rogue and spending time away from the group is just Raph being Raph. This time, however, it felt different this time around. We saw a version of Michaelangelo that we have never seen. He was distraught, lost in his thoughts, and was nowhere near finding a way out. Donny and Leo were trying to stay busy and keep their minds focused on going forward trying to heal and bring the family back together. Add Jennika’s struggle with not only be dealing with the loss of Splinter but trying to find footing in her new way of life. Sophie Campbell, Ronda Pattison, and Shawn Lee wrap this arc up with extraordinary attention to detail and explore feelings for the turtles that you may not have known existed. Campbell, Pattison, and Lee are extremely talented at what they do. They don’t hold back on their passion for their craft and it shows in these issues. There are very few creative teams that can challenge what Campbell, Pattison, and Lee have done and continue to do. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Vol 1. – From the Ashes is the perfect jumping-on point for new readers and returning readers alike.