(Courtesy of IDW Publishing)
Outrageous and stunning, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bodycount (IDW Publishing) delivers a darkly pulse-pounding crime drama with nonstop over-the-top action. A bloodthirsty take, Kevin Eastman and Simon Bisley’s bullet-ridden masterpiece is definitely a rare treat for TMNT fans!
In gritty 1990s New York, our boys Raphael and Casey are swept up into an international murder/revenge/assassination plot, complete with gangsters, thugs, cops, cyborgs, machine guns, and (of course) hockey sticks.
Here are 5 reasons why you should get Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bodycount:
5) The History Behind Bodycount!
#PREVIEWSworld sat down with #KevinEastman to discuss @IDWPublishing‘s “TMNT Bodycount!” In this interview, he explains what went on behind the curtain, and how the book has been revered for so long that it pushed to release! https://t.co/ex6jDKyP9m #stopatacomicshop pic.twitter.com/Zfi5NhR4sC
— PREVIEWSworld (@PREVIEWSworld) July 26, 2018
Bodycount has been out of print for many years. The grindhouse-styled classic made its official debut back in 1996. Very different from its ‘80s gritty feels, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became the much-loved cartoon series on television. Reminiscent of Urban Legends, Bodycount turned the TMNT franchise into an R-rated movie.
4) Casey Jones and Raphael!
Providing the layouts as well, writer Kevin Eastman presents Casey Jones and Raphael as two anti-heroes caught in an ultra-violent narrative. Casey cannot turn away from danger from the femme fatale known as Midnight. Though Raphael thinks of Casey like a brother, he refuses to admit Jones is one. Thanks to the lettering by Steve Lavigne, the witty banter and sibling rivalry between Raphael and Casey stands out as much as bloody action.
3) The Artwork!
Artist Simon Bisley demonstrates his love for Heavy Metal magazine and John Woo movies with his hyper-stylish illustrations. In the opening pages, Casey kicks off the story with a bar fight. As a brawler, Jones can take a beating, with his face soaked in blood and swollen from bruises. In Bisley’s provocative inks, Midnight has that puffy ‘80s hairstyle and her boobs keep popping out of her shirt.
2) The Colors!
Because the collection has been long out of print, Eastman has added all-new colors. A lot of attention went into the palette by Lavigne and Altered Earth Arts. The green and red hues from Raphael really pop out when he starts blasting away. When Raphael starts shooting down gangsters, it’s an memorable and intense image that you will never forget!
1) A Gritty Classic!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bebop & Rocksteady #1 are in stores now! Take a ride with everyone’s favorite mutated masters of mayhem, #BebopandRocksteady as they hit the road! Head over to your local comic shop and pick up your copy today! ?️ ?️ ? #TMNT pic.twitter.com/PiHbzJjjUn
— IDW Publishing (@IDWPublishing) August 1, 2018
If you have never read this before, I highly recommend picking up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bodycount. It’s an interesting R-rated take on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! I applaud Kevin Eastman and Simon Bisley for taking such a wild and risky experiment way back when!
Rating:
Four out of Four Emojis
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bodycount arrives in stores on August 1st, 2018.