Reviewer: ODBJBG
Story title: The River

Written by: Rick Veitch
Art by: Rick Veitch
Lettered by: Steve Lavigne & Gary Fields
Publisher: Mirage Comics
Issue #: 24, 25, 26 Date: Aug. - Oct. 1989

One of the things I can't stand about websites that review comics is that they never review old comics. It seems if a website has a comic section, it is only current issues they review. Old movies are reviewed, but never old comics. On top of that, you never see third party comics reviewed. If it isn't DC or Marvel, its rare to catch a review. The lack of TMNT comics reviewed on some sites is astonishing, considering the popularity of the comic and the heroes themselves. Mirage and the TMNT have been around since the early eighties, and no one comic creation was bigger then the Ninja Turtles during that time. With the Turtles all the craze again, it only seems fitting to review some of their old work. I'm re-reading all my old TMNT comics, but alas I'm already 24 books in so you'll just have to bare with me and realize I've already passed some of the best TMNT early works. With that I present my retro-reviews of a 3 part series in the Ninja Turtle history.

In the current arc we are quickly introduced to our four turtles, (you know their names by now) as they are out in the fields training their minds with Master Splinter. This comic just picks up at some random time, shortly after the Return to New York saga. The few comics between then and now, were mostly guest writers and were comedy comics with no connection to the current storylines. We quickly find the green machine is amazed at finding some baby turtles at the edge of the river. Once there they ponder what it was like to be just a "pet store" turtle, without being mutated by alien mutagen.

The story is a slow one, and doesn't see any major action for several pages. Master Splinter is training the Turtles. The Sensei is attempting to broaden their spiritual scope, but their warrior's hearts are still too strong to grasp the subtleties of their lessons. The Sensei probes each Turtle, to discern their strengths, weaknesses and phobias. Splinter senses that there is a weak link in their chain, and as he releases them from their training, each student bows before the master... save for Raphael, who has bound off to go swimming. Quickly the action does pick up though, as Raphael encounters a leech that creeps him out. He tosses the leech back into the river, and later goes for a swim where he encounters a giant leech, while his brother's don't notice his struggle under the water.

This creates a interesting question, if a blood sucking creature like a leech were to sample some of the turtles blood would it mutate too? The answer is obviously yes, as the leech that was thrown into the water as a normal leech, is mutated and now about 3 foot long. It attacks and sucks Raph nearly dry, causing him to revert to a baby turtle. The giant leech swims off before the other turtles can stop it. Eventually the leech becomes known as "Bloodsucker" a giant leech man, who walks and talks and even dresses as a park ranger (presumably one he ate).

From there we are introduced to the meat of the story which is the turtles chase after this leech-man, in hopes of saving Raphael. We get several side stories along the way as the April-Casey relationship begins to flourish, as well as we find out the river is inhabited by one last Indian from the glory days of the river banks. We also meet some evil townsmen who have been dumping waste in the river, the turtles eventually get wrapped up in helping the Indian fight off the town, in hopes that he can help them save Raphael. Besides the fact that Bloodsucker has made his way up the river, to the Indian's land.

The story goes well for the first two comics, but by the third and final issue "Old Man River" the story gets entirely too twisted. Now we find out some ancient being lives in the river and is absorbing knowledge such as things about the turtles and he is the one who sent the leech after Raph in the first place. The story takes a nose dive here, as I liked the idea of a common leech creating such a trouble for our mutated teens. I can even get into the Indian side plot, but once we encounter this "father time" type river dweller, it just gets lame.

The art in this comic is really great. The turtles are drawn a bit differently than they were in most of the Mirage series, but they retain a great look to them. B&W comics never look as good as they do in Mirage, and that continues in this series. The covers are also very neat, always of the 4 turtles engaging in battle but never showing who they are fighting. Bloodsucker is also well drawn, as seeing a giant leech man in a park ranger outfit has to be seen to be believed. It's well drawn and creepy.

Final Thoughts .::. In the end "The River" is a fun mini-series with the Turtles, that would have perhaps been better with one less side plot. That being Old Man River himself. History, Nature and Modern life clash well enough without having to add in a spiritual being to be the ultimate badguy. Overall though a solid TMNT series, that takes a nice break from the same old song and dance, yet remains in the timelime as a great sidestory.

Final Score: 7.5

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