CBCC 88: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- The Last Ronin

2023-02-01

We bring our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series to a close with the final Turtle story as envisioned thirty years ago by the original TMNT creators, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. In The Last Ronin, we find the last living Ninja Turtle marching into a Foot Clan-occupied New York City, determined to end the fight that consumed his family. He's beaten, bruised, and maybe a little deluded. After all, the spirits of his three dead brothers haunt his waking world. As discussed in our Martian Manhunter episode, grief builds a monument in our hearts. His brothers are gone, but their lives...

We bring our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series to a close with the final Turtle story as envisioned thirty years ago by the original TMNT creators, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. In The Last Ronin, we find the last living Ninja Turtle marching into a Foot Clan-occupied New York City, determined to end the fight that consumed his family. He's beaten, bruised, and maybe a little deluded. After all, the spirits of his three dead brothers haunt his waking world.

As discussed in our Martian Manhunter episode, grief builds a monument in our hearts. His brothers are gone, but their lives still influence the remaining turtle's path. For better and for worse. The Last Ronin exposes a darkness fueling the family's mission and allows us to discuss aspects of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that our previous episodes denied.

Helping us understand the TMNT familial dynamics is Dawn Huebner, Ph.D., and her book "The Sibling Survival Guide: Surefire Ways to Solve Conflicts, Reduce Rivalry, and Have More Fun with Your Brothers and Sisters, illustrated by Kara McHale.

Comic issues covered in this episode: The Last Ronin 1 - 5, produced by IDW Publishing from October 2020 to April 2022. It's based on a story by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and Tom Waltz, with scripts written by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz. The comic is illustrated by Esau Escorza, Isaac Escorza, Ben Bishop, and Kevin Eastman. Layouts by Kevin Eastman. Colors by Luis Antonio Delgado with color assists by Samuel Plata and Ronda Pattison. Letters and design by Shawn Lee.

Previous CBCC TMNT Episodes: