Read Godzilla: The New Heroes #1 for Free

 

 

Here is this week's free comic from Neon Ichiban. 

Godzilla: The New Heroes #1 is a 2025 Free Comic Book Day Special introducing three new series published by IDW: Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era), Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone, and Starship Godzilla. These were bold new series in the fabled franchise, and I reviewed two of them. If you haven't explored these series yet, here are links to those reviews:

 

 

Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #1

Writer: Tim Seeley

Artist: Nikola Čižmešija

Colorist: Francesco Segala & Gloria Martinelli

Letterer: Nathan Widick

Cover Artists: Nikola Čižmešija, Kade Byrand, Arthur Adams & Martin Simmonds

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: July 23, 2025

 

Some cities build walls to keep out the kaiju. Other beacons of civilization are now rubble. The G-Force USA team aims to prevent such destruction from recurring. Can Dr Rumi Chiba and Jacen Braid fit in with their more experienced teammates? And can the team determine the root cause of the constant kaiju attacks? Let’s armor up, leap into Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #1, and see!

For more, see my review of Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #1.

 

 

 

Godzilla: Escape The Deadzone #1

Writer: Ethan Parker & Griffin Sheridan

Artist: Pablo Tunica

Letterer & Design: Nathan Widick

Editor: Jake Williams

Cover Artists: Pablo Tunica, Rod Reis & Caspar Wijngaard

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 6, 2025

 

Once, people in the Pacific Northwest lived amid serene beauty. They enjoyed running water, electricity, readily available food, and comfortable homes. Then the kaiju came and took all that away.

 

Like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains, the giants tore across the land and made it their own. The US government declared Seattle uninhabitable. Those who remained among the rubble dubbed it the Deadzone. How do the inhabitants survive without Amazon, Microsoft, and Seattle's creative music scene? Let’s grab our survival kits, leap into Godzilla: Escape The Deadzone #1, and see!

 

For more, see my review for Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone #1.

Read Godzilla: The New Heroes #1 free at Neon Ichiban.

FCBD 2024: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Review

 

Here's an edited review that I originally published two years ago. The issue is free to purchase this week at Neon Ichiban.

 

FCBD 2024: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Review

Writers: Juni Ba, Paul Allor

Artists: Fero Pe, Andy Kuhn

Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado, Ronda Pattison

Letterer: Nathan Widick

Cover Artist: Juni Ba

Publisher: IDW

Price: Free

Release Date: May 4, 2024

 

A masked and armored figure stalks the night. Who will fall prey to his fury? And what does Splinter get up to when the Turtles are away? Let’s order a pizza, leap into the FCBD 2024: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles issue, and find out!

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Nightwatcher: Story

The Mutagen bomb changed everything. Humans are inherently clannish and often born with prejudices. They exclude others who don't belong. One person sees how people punish the victims of the tragedy. They will not allow Mankind to exploit these unfortunates who never asked to become mutants. So, this individual dons a mask and armor. While stalking the night, the self-made hero protects mutant interests and instills fear in the hearts of anyone who threatens them.

 

Writer Juni Ba puts you into the mind of the Nightwatcher in the FCBD 2024: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles issue. Letterer Nathan Widick places the vigilante’s thoughts into red narrative boxes. The Nightwatcher’s thoughts share panels with the thieves’ black dialogue in white balloons as these opportunists venture into a mutant neighborhood to rob a bank.

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Nightwatcher: Art

A full moon illuminates streets filled with uncollected trash. Scaffolding surrounds damaged buildings, while others await structural repairs. Three mutants approach a tall, thin structure sporting a grand, columned façade. But no goblins guard the treasures inside this bank. The mutants walk past counters filled with ransacked trays. Discarded documents cover the floor as they enter an open vault. Some of the safety deposit boxes hang open. Who knows what treasures the others might contain?

 

A figure awaits them in the darkness. Panels focus on the violence of the fight: a mailed fist punches a face, a hand grabs a gun from a canvas bag, and gunfire bounces off the Nightwatcher’s armor. And then, all too soon, flight follows.

 

Luis Antonio Delgado provides appealing color to Fero Pe’s art in the FCBD 2024: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles issue. Delgado conveys the darkness of the street and the abandoned bank. Yet everything is visible, illuminated by a flashlight or the rays of moonlight that find their way inside. Much is gray as the Nightwatcher hides or hurtles like a shadow through the night. Yet light reflects off his mailed arms and shoulders, even in the darkness. And then, there are his glowing eyes.

 

Splinter's Day Off: Story

On a rare night off, Michelangelo plays video games, Rafael pounds on his punching bag, Donatello tinkers with a robot, and Leonardo hones his pizza-making skills. Yet errant dough initiates mutant mayhem, dispelling Splinter's attempts at meditation. Splinter chastises the Turtles for their behavior and sends them out on patrol. While this displeases the Turtles, Splinter realizes he doesn't have to maintain his aura of dignity. He’s got a night off from being a role model. He can have fun like his children!

 

Paul Allor’s tale in the FCBD 2024: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles issue reminds us that adults don't have to grow up. Parents can enjoy play as much as their children. Nathan Widick’s large dialogue allows adults to share this comic tale with their children and hopefully instill a lifelong love of reading.

 

Splinter's Day Off: Art

Kuhn's art conveys the Turtles' camaraderie, emotions, and personalities. We see how they function as a team. Backgrounds convey depth and reality, and fight scenes between the turtles and others convey violence and energy. Inset snapshots pepper pages with closeups amid larger panels. Yet Splinter’s humorous exploits are what linger.

 

Brown dominates the turtles’ domicile in the FCBD 2024: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles issue. The turtles add a fleeting touch of green as they leap between roofs against a blue night sky. Blue stars reveal impacts as the Turtles exchange blows, yellow stars blaze as they fight the Foot Clan, and white and blue stars accompany the robot’s antics. Ronda Pattison adds interest by coloring inset panels with contrasting colors, while Nathan Widick’s sound effects help us hear Splinter's fright and delight in Splinter's Day Off. Thanks to IDW and Neon Ichiban for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

An antihero rises to haunt the mutant neighborhoods, while Splinter takes a leaf from his children's book in the FCBD 2024: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles issue.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

Read FCBD 2024: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles free this week at Neon Ichiban.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Art of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Preview

 

How do you top a beloved TV series? You move beyond what you've done an explore new horizons. That's what Ant Ward and Andy Suriano did when preparing their new series. The likeminded animation and TMNT veterans drew inspiration from movies like Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy and John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China, and Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières' Valérian and Laureline comics. 

The result wowed author Colin Stein, who writes in his introduction, "After 35 years of Turtles, I knew what I wanted from TMNT, but Rise had what I needed." How will this new book, sharing all the love the creators poured into the series, meet your TMNT needs? And when can you snap it up, along with a slice of steaming hot pepperoni pizza and a glass of Todd's sunlight-lemonade?

Here's all the info from IDW Publishing: 

 

IDW Gives Rise to the Art of TMNT with The Art of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles In Stores April 14, Preorder Available Now

The ultimate keepsake and coffee table book for fans of the animated series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is about to hit stores this April with the release of The Art of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! 320 glorious pages of everything from preproduction sketches to final episode designs, this book offers fans an inside look at the creative process that brought Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to life. Discover concept art, character development, and background designs that capture the series’ distinct style. Featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes commentary from the cast and crew, and the evolution of iconic characters like Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and April, this collection celebrates the innovation that made the show a standout in the franchise.   “This project is a dream come true! As a lifelong TMNT fan, I never thought I'd get to be a part of the franchise myself,” says writer Colin Stein. “To go from fan to contributor and create the official art book for Rise is my greatest honor. I'm so proud of the book and thrilled to share this celebration of the series that means so much to me.”

 Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

The Art of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be available wherever books are sold, as a full-color hardcover (ISBN: 979-8-887-24364-1) on April 14, 2026, for a list price of $39.99. For more information please visit the IDW Publishing web site.

Thanks to IDW Publishing for sharing this preview with us.

 

About the Author
Colin Stein is an Emmy Award–winning VFX artist based in Oklahoma City with over a decade of experience in marketing and design. Stein is a longtime fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and his deep appreciation and knowledge of the franchise led him to create The Art of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. His background in visual effects has fueled his passion for design and animation.

 

About IDW Publishing

IDW (NYSE AMERICAN: IDW) is a leading media company providing uniquely compelling stories and characters in various genres for global audiences across all entertainment platforms. The award-winning IDW Publishing and IDW Entertainment divisions holistically evaluate and acquire IP for franchise development across comics and graphic novels, television, theatrical, merchandise, and other entertainment platforms, in addition to bringing world-renowned storytelling to life with our creative partners.

 

 

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #3 Review

 

Writer: Alex Paknadel

Artist: Amancay Nahuelpan

Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado

Letterer: Darran Robinson

Cover Artists: Amancay Nahuelpan & Max Dunbar

Editor: Dave Wielgosz

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: December 17, 2025

 

Casey Jones wants to keep moving toward something that matters. So he seeks to prove that people still need him. Everyone in his life wants him to sit still. But as Raphael told April, that means his memories can catch up with him.

 

April thinks Casey needs to remember that he almost died when Hieronymous Hale shot him. Raphael believes Casey can't exercise sound judgment until the doctor gives him a clean bill of health. Is Casey seeking suicide by defending Mutant children and searching for Annabel's father? And can he still discern heroes from villains? Let's grab our masks and clubs, leap into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #3, and see!

 

Story

Ludovic is a snow leopard. His specialty is breaking opponents’ ribs. He works hard to earn his employer’s respect. But unlike Casey, Jack Marlin knows where to draw the line. Humans stand atop the evolutionary pyramid. Mutants and animals can never be his equal.

 

April and Raphael don't see eye to eye with Casey. Still, they want to help him. So after April shares her concerns, Raphael agrees to seek out his friend. When Raphael finds him, Casey is working with one of Leo Ban's enforcers. Just as Annabel lost her father, some of the underworld boss's underlings have gone missing. But when Ludovic attacks Casey, Raphael defends him, while Leo Ban's people flee.

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #3 takes us into the heart of a dark operation. We see who Jack Marlin works with and the market niche he targets. Alex Paknadel draws on folklore motifs and HG Wells' classic novel about the evolution of the species as he contemplates what it means to be Human. Yet his story compares a man who believes he is superior to Mutants with a vigilante who knows his reptilian friends will always be his superiors.

 

Art

As Geena Gets sits before a lighted mirror, she erases crow’s feet with an applicator pad. Shimmering in her black sequin dress, Geena studies her reflection as Jack Marlin studies her in his suit and broad-brimmed hat. Amancay Nahuelpan shows Jack’s weathered hand placing a container of moisturizer next to her empty one. An inset panel shows his pearly whites gleaming beneath his black handlebar mustache. As a talk show host's face swells beyond the TV screen, Geena's smiling face shrinks into the lens of a video camera in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #3.

 

Heaven weeps as Ludovic picks up a fallen mutant and heaves him atop his shoulder. Luis Antonio Delgado paints the night red, orange, and pink as Casey and Ludovic fight. Yet the rainy night turns scarlet when Ludovic attacks Casey in a way that belies his self-image. Then pink-edged lightning bolts fill the sky, highlighting Raphael's muscular development. White, glowing eyes showcase his determination.

 

Darran Robinson fills white dialogue balloons with uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation and shrink for lowered voices. Colored narrative boxes reveal thoughts and offscreen dialogue. Raised voices swell letters and make balloons spiky. Sound effects help us hear fighting on a dark and stormy night, a talk show guest’s ire, and a master rebuking his subordinate in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #3. Thanks to IDW and Comic Book Dispatch for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Skills and physical size make a difference. But Casey knows that determination matters most. So, he throws everything he has into his fights, never backing down despite the odds against him. As villains step on the weak as they climb toward godhood, Casey's having none of it in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #3.

 

Rating 9.6/10

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13 Review

 

Writer: Gene Luen Yang

Artist: Freddie E Williams II

Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse

Letterer: Shawn Lee

Cover Artists: Freddie E Williams II & Andrew Dalhouse; Ben Bishop; Jared Cullum; Clayton Crain; Daniel Warren Johnson; Dustin Nguyen; David Nakayama; Blind Bag

Designers: Nathan Widick & Ben Bates

Editors: Jake Thomas & Tommy Stella

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: December 10, 2025

 

The Turtles have experienced highs and lows. They’ve fought separately and together. Master Splinter may no longer be with them. Still, they’re together again, protecting Humans and Mutants alike. As they honor their master’s memory, the Turtles also enjoy newfound popularity after defeating Hieronymous Hale. But life is ever in flux, transitioning from one state to another. What new danger will arise to threaten New York? And can the Turtles hang together as they combat it? Let's grab our weapons, leap into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13, and see!

 

Story

On a dark and stormy night, Mr Brinkman visits the White Lily Tea Room. When he meets with Madame Xiang Fei Tong, he paints a glorious picture of their partnership. Thanks to his employer's support, Madam Xiang's Ghost Boys enjoy an unprecedented era of success. He suggests that, perhaps, she might consider demonstrating her gratitude by extending unprecedented generosity to his employer.

 

While Madam Xiang agreed to this meeting as a show of respect, the triad leader takes umbrage at Mr Brinkman’s suggestion in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13. As the negotiator courts disaster, another player appears. He calls himself Ujigami. And instead of repeating Losira’s catchphrase, “I am for you,” the mysterious stranger says, “I am your death.”

 

Ujigami’s attack has profound consequences in Gene Luen Yang’s story. The death of a triad leader spreads violence across New York, as factions within the Ghost Boys battle for supremacy. While taking steps to quell the violence, the Turtles realize they must discover who murdered Madam Xiang. As for “Mr Brinkman,” he may need the Turtles' protection.

 

April O’Neil has fought alongside the Turtles since Hieronymous Hale put Casey Jones out of action. Now, she assists them with their investigation. Even though they are together, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello prove reluctant to acknowledge that Leonardo is the head of their family in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13. But no one questions that Donatello is the heart. He grieves Splinter’s death more openly than his brothers and takes comfort in anyone who acknowledges their responsibility to their family.

 

Art

The red paper lanterns suspended above Chinatown's streets sway in the wind and rain. Inside the tea shop, Mr Brinkman and Madam Xiang perch on barrels. As more paper lanterns illuminate their discussion, lighting flashes across the skylight above them. An open briefcase rests between them as Madam Xiang sips from a porcelain cup. When Mr Brinkman produces a gun, the triad leader reveals that she has more than a card up her sleeve. Then Ujigami enters, covered in sculpted, ornamental armor. He holds a knife in each hand, and his mask evokes a ferocious bull.

 

Andrew Dalhouse adorns Freddie E Williams II’s art with a vibrant palette in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13. As in a Western movie, the Turtles form tiny silhouettes as they bound atop a suspension bridge before the ebbing sun. The brothers gaze down at the white-clad Ghost Boys battling around an orange school bus. As they descend to join the fight, the yellow-orange air fills with purple, bronze, and brown. Attacks summon white pinpoints of light and yellow splatter. As Leo enters his brother’s room, an image of white-and-red-clad Splinter comforting Donatello overlays a closeup of Donatello’s green-and-purple face. Donatello places his brother’s gift next to a photograph of the brothers and their father on a cobwebbed floating shelf.

 

Shawn Lee places small, faint black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons. The words grow bold for intonation, and change color for enthusiasm. White letters in blue boxes locate us in time and space, while Donatello’s thoughts appear in purple boxes. Sound effects accompany the fighting as Ujigami's attacks send his victims fleeing. Thanks to IDW for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When loved ones depart this life, their spirits linger if we remember them. As the Turtles mourn their sensei’s passing, a more tangible spirit rises to protect them. Unlike them, Ujigami has a stricter method of punishing the guilty. His code of justice could shake the brothers' unity and overturn their newfound popularity in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more cover options see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #2 Review

 

Writer: Alex Paknadel

Artist: Amancay Nahuelpan

Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado

Letterer: Darran Robinson

Cover Artists: Amancay Nahuelpan & Louis Antonio Delgado; Nikola Čižmešija; Jared Cullum

Editor: Dave Wielgosz

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 19, 2025

 

Casey Jones is tired of being coddled. So what if he nearly died? He wants to resume his patrols, protect people, and combat crime. But April O’Neil won’t let him. So, one hot night, while she sleeps on his couch, Casey slips his shirt over his bandaged waist and heads out to prove he still has what it takes. Unfortunately, when Casey runs into Link and Chun from the Purple Dragons, he needs his friends to rescue him.

 

Like April, Raphael worries that Casey is trying to run before he can walk. And when Casey asks little Annabel why Chun and Link attacked her, he shouts and demands. How will April react to his defiance? And can Casey find Annabel's father? Let's grab our masks and clubs, leap into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #2, and see!

 

Story

When April awakens, she follows a trail of blood to the bathroom. There she finds her worst fear realized. Casey is stitching up his side. He is so traumatized by the shooting that he is going out and finishing the job that District Attorney Hieronymus Hale started. Casey begs for her to understand he needs this. But April can’t face another vigil in the ICU, let alone a worse eventuality.

 

Unfortunately, walking out of his life frees Casey to pursue his investigation. When Casey doesn't return her calls, April turns to Raphael. Casey gave the Turtle a piece of his mind when Raph tried to help him see sense. Perhaps more than April, Raphael understands the powerlessness Casey feels, and his desperation to reclaim his self-confidence.

 

As Casey searches for Annabel’s father, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #2 explains events surrounding the night hunt at Bear Mountain State Park. While revealing the fate of Annabel's father, it also shows how Becky and Yuri fare following their abduction. Alex Paknadel’s story reinforces April and the Turtles’ belief that Casey is trying too hard. But Casey senses a greater danger underlying the missing mutants. And after Chun used a new drug to slam him into a tree, Casey knows that such wonders come with a heavy price.

 

Art

April’s eyes widen when she finds Casey on the blood-splattered tile floor. The cotton balls near a bottle of isopropyl alcohol evoke dislodged eyeballs. Electricity surges through Yuri as the Avian Mutant gets the forked end of his captor’s cattle prod. The metal enclosure in the larger warehouse reinforces how their abductor views his captives. A three-piece suit and wide-brimmed hat complete the image of a gentleman hunter.

 

Luis Antonio Delgado lavishes a nuanced palette on Amancay Nahuelpan’s art in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #2. Casey’s orange sleeveless hoodie links him with April’s yellow-orange hair. A yellow glow fills the background as Casey searches for answers, while sepia spectators cheer him on. The red sky over an abandoned church presages the red soda can and pepperoni pizza as green fingers clutch a red mask. While a white informant with rainbow hair responds to Casey's questions, another furry white Mutant preys on his community to gain the acceptance of his Human peers.

 

Darran Robinson fills white balloons and colored narrative boxes with uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation and shrink for lowered voices. Raised voices swell letters and make balloons spiky. Sound effects highlight April’s concern, Casey giving as good as he gets, and a Mutant crushing his master’s gift in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #2. Thanks to IDW for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When police fail to protect endangered Mutants, the lines between right and wrong blur. Raphael believes he knows where to stand. But Casey senses a danger threatening the community he strives to protect. So, he ignores conventional boundaries and aligns himself with specters of his past in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #2.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

 

For how this series began see my review of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #1.

Street Sharks #2 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Williams

Artist: Ariel Medel

Colorist: Valentina Pinto

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Phil Murphy, Mateus Santolouco & Elizabeth Beals

Designer: Sandy Tanaka

Editor: Nicolas Niño

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 12, 2025

 

Big Slammu, Ripster, Streex, and Jab want to keep Fission City safe. Amid their skirmishes with the Seaviates, the scientist who turned the athletes into sharks works toward his goal of transforming everyone into sea creatures. Will Dr Paradigm realize his vision of helping his entire city evolve? Or will the Street Sharks shut down his gene-slamming operation? Let’s grab a burger with extra metal shavings, dive into Street Sharks #2, and see!

 

Story

Reporter Danielle Lafond weighs the Street Sharks’ crimefighting exploits against the property damage that endangers Fission City’s inhabitants. Today, she broadcasts from Seashell Park, where the Magnificent Marvels Circus promises to deliver the show of the century. Despite appearing overnight, the city says it's legit. Danielle hopes it will lift people's spirits after all the destruction the Street Sharks have caused.

 

Street Sharks #2 follows the team’s investigation into the mysterious circus. Jab, Streex, Ripster, and Slammu discover the circus's origins and assess the dangers of opening night. Back at their headquarters beneath the university ice rink, Lena Mack, their person in a chair, formulates a plan. Tech wiz Bends builds gear to assist them. With their Human university students advising them from HQ, the sharks attend the show, hoping to foil the nefarious plan endangering the attendees.

 

Stephanie Williams fills her story with engaging characters and high-flying action. All this takes place within Dr Luthor Paradigm's ongoing plan to upgrade Humanity. In his zeal to improve the species, he preys on desperate people. The scientist promises to make everyone better. Even though they frustrate his plans, Dr Paradigm calls Jab, Streex, Ripster, and Slammu rejects. But then, they don't follow his orders like Slobster, Slash, and Killamari.

 

Art

Ariel Medel imbues Street Sharks #2 with a cartoony vibe. Big Slammu is a brown-and-beige bodybuilder. Ripster is smaller and dark blue. Pink stripes help Streex’s light blue skin shine. Jab is a beige-and-brown Hammerhead. Their underground lair includes a motorcycle and a pool table. They watch Danielle's reports on a tube TV, while the university students work at computers from a similar era. Danielle’s concerns are well-founded as she reports in her maroon suit outside the beige-and-maroon big top. But despite a father’s concern at a poster filled with fish people, the mother smiles at her son’s delight.

 

Valentina Pinto paints Street Sharks #2 with a loaded palette. Backgrounds shine, and highlights and shadows are beautifully colored. The street sharks swim beneath the street, their fins cracking and tearing the brown-and-gray asphalt until they stand and resume walking. An orange clownfish performs acrobatics while red lobsters juggle torches. As Marina flies overhead in her green suit before the glowing gold background, a walrus addresses the crowd in his maroon coat, white slacks, and black top hat.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills white dialogue balloons with large, black uppercase letters. Yellow narrative boxes denote time and space and introduce characters. The letters grow bold for intonation as the sharks investigate and attend the opening evening in disguise. Sound effects enhance a little brotherly competition, and the sharks trying to avert a tragedy. Thanks to IDW for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Big Slammu, Ripster, Streex, and Jab may have to live beneath the city. Yet they do themselves credit when they emerge from the ground to protect people's right to choose how they live. When you thought it was safe to go back to the circus, Street Sharks #2 reminds you that whatever your situation, use it to help others be Finomenally Fintastic.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #3 Review

 

Writer: Tim Seeley

Artist: Nikola Čižmešija

Colorists: Francesco Segala & Gloria Martinelli

Letterer: Nathan Widick

Editor: Jake Williams

Cover Artists: Nikola Čižmešija, Kade Byrand, Arthur Adams & Martin Simmonds

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 8, 2025

 

Dr Rumi Chiba sensed Anguirus' anger at being drained of its Kai-Sei energy. She rescued Jacen Braid when hungry mouths rose from the seabed to drag the Kai-Sei wielder beneath the surface. But Dr Chiba couldn’t protect Jacen from the Human pirates that attacked Team G-Force USA off the coast of Bermuda. Can she shield him against the sea leeches attacking their captured vessel? And where will Godzilla strike next? Let’s armor up, leap into Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #3, and see!

 

Story

Nadine Nuki has a dour look on life. She pushes away others and warns Jacen that most new members on Team G-Force USA don't last long. Despite Incense's interest, Nuki also keeps the glamorous pyrotechnics influencer at arm’s length. But the past binds Nuki to Jacen. While the heavy munitions expert helped protect the Deadzone, Jacen lost his mother there. After the government transported Jacen across the country to New York, Godzilla plowed through the city walls to attack him at Gravesend Charter Academy. When the sea leeches attack, and Jacen can’t use his power to save them, Nuki risks her life to protect the newcomer.

 

But Commander Riviera has more to worry about than his team, let alone his latest recruit, in Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #3. The leader of Team G-Force USA wears his patriotism on his armored shoulder. He knows that America awakened Godzilla by testing nuclear weapons. Still, after empowering the kaiju with "weird energy," Riviera wants to kill them or trap them below the surface. But the kaiju keep rising from the sea and attacking the good old USA. So when Riviera finds a target, he doesn't want anyone getting in his way of taking down the kaiju. And that includes voices of reason like Dr Rumi Chiba.

 

Tim Seeley's story hurtles along, powered by the clash of personalities, loyalties, and ideas. Yet it takes time to ponder how our actions affect others. American cities have barricaded themselves behind walls, and the country has retreated from the international community. Yet whether people like Richard Riviera want to admit it or not, America needs help resolving the kaiju crisis. Not just to target the aggressive monsters, but to forge a more peaceful relationship with them.

 

Art

As a woman eats a pink donut while navigating a traffic-choked freeway, the car's green interior glows. The vehicles momentarily lose color as gray fills the air. Then green tongues of fire leap off a gray beast with glowing yellow eyes, as it erupts through the concrete lanes in Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #3. Francesco Segala & Gloria Martinelli paint Godzilla's rampage through Chicago in grays, greens, and blues. Orange, yellow, and red surround Riviera's team and Captain Corroñero's pirates as they battle the sea leeches in Bermudan waters. Colors shift slowly amid frenetic action, creating auras around battling giants.

 

Nikola Čižmešija conveys Nuki’s concern for Jacen as she blasts the leeches leaping toward them. Dr Rumi Chiba cuts a graceful swath through the melee with her sword. Incense displays his confidence as he summons fire and pauses for a selfie to share with his followers. Commander Riviera moves like a bull, creating carnage and destruction wherever he goes. Captain Corroñero resembles a broken man, even while wearing a monstrous jaw with long, sharp incisors on his shoulders. Jet Jaguar may not feel emotions. But the smile fixed upon his metal face suggests otherwise.

 

Nathan Widick places black uppercase letters in dialogue balloons that are anything but oval. Yet they link together in a pleasing, organic manner in Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #3. An Atlanta DJ and Marco Petithomme, Jacen’s new roommate, fill beige balloons with off-camera dialogue. Jet Jaguar's beige balloons include music notes. Balloons adopt a hallucinatory feel as a newcomer makes a bold entrance. Sound effects make the ground shake with gunfire, jet flybys, kaiju screams, and the power of advertising. Thanks to IDW for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

While Dr Rumi Chiba may dislike Commander Riviera's American term, Kai-Sei energy links Jacen with the kaiju and those anxious to exploit the new power source. Godzilla’s attack on Atlanta opens a new era for Humanity in Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #3. The kaiju are no longer limited to coastal cities. Now, they can tunnel underground and emerge hundreds of miles inside the continental United States.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #1 Review

 

Writer: Alex Paknadel

Artist: Amancay Nahuelpan

Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado

Letterer: Darran Robinson

Cover Artists: Amancay Nahuelpan & Louis Antonio Delgado; Danny Earls & Jão Canola; Mike Henderson & Adam Guzowski

Editors: Andy Khouri & Dave Wielgosz

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 10, 2025

 

As the moon shines down on Bear Mountain State Park, a man whistles, and his dogs charge. Each dog races to reach their target first. But when they find it and sink their teeth into its scaly hide, another whistle calls them off. The dogs move aside as their masters approach. As he instructs Simon to kill their quarry, the man assures the boy that there's nothing wrong with ending another person's life. What does this man have against mutants? And why does he equate murder with mercy? Let's grab our masks and clubs, leap into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #1, and see!

 

Story

Every time Casey goes to sleep, the nightmare returns. District Attorney Hieronymus Hale smiles as he shoots him. Tonight, Casey awakens in a sweat. But it’s not just the recurring dream. The temperature has risen in the city. Even at night, it doesn’t cool down. And as temperatures rise, tempers fray. The heat wave gives Casey the determination to do what he’s yearned to do for the last few weeks. His city needs him. So, Casey grabs his gear and heads out to protect people from aggressors in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #1.

 

Alex Paknadel switches perspectives amid scenes as he relates his story about a “merciful” hunter. But like the full moon, the spotlight shines on Casey through most of the debut issue. Members of Casey's former gang recognize his mask. Casey feels good enough to patrol. But he hasn’t recovered physically or psychologically from being shot. Now, as Casey seeks to protect a mutant from members of the Purple Dragons, he must also deal with their anger for abandoning them.

 

While Casey fights to protect a young mutant from the gang, he must once again decide where he belongs. Casey has found a new family with the Turtles and April O'Neil. But April has been mothering him while he recovers. He only escaped her clutches because she had fallen asleep on his couch. Casey wants to be with Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael. But he doesn't want his friends to limit him. Hieronymus Hale's attack has wounded and traumatized him. In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #1, Casey needs to prove to himself that he can get past that and resume the life he loves.

 

Art

Spindly, scaly fingers stretch for the shore amid white streaks. Silhouettes of hounds watch with glowing white eyes beneath the stars in the green night sky. The hounds bare their teeth as they race toward their muzzled prey.

 

When Amancay Nahuelpan transports us to an apartment, pigeons scatter outside as Casey rises. A grid of pink squares behind Casey suggests a skylight. Buildings glow yellow beyond his window. Casey clutches the white tape circling his torso as he perches on the edge of his bed. He eyes his clubs and mask leaning against the grey-blue wall. Then, Casey switches off a TV reporter interviewing a woman in a black dress attending a red-carpet premiere.

 

Luis Antonio Delgado shows Casey battling villains in the green and blue park beneath a starry black sky. Yellow, orange, and red overtake panels as weapons slash and crash, and Casey delivers flying kicks. Lights glow behind Casey as he kneels before a young mutant. She has large yellow eyes like the mutant hunted in Bear Mountain State Park. Her jaw opens wide, and her ears stand erect, as a villain delivers a savage blow that creates an orange starburst in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #1.

 

Darran Robinson fills balloons and colored narrative boxes with uppercase letters of varying sizes. Sound effects heighten every moment of the chase, Casey’s awakening, his battle in the park, and weapons hooking chains and spilling blood. Yet the repeated scene of Hieronimus Hale smiling and pointing a pistol between Casey's gloved, upraised hands requires no words to communicate its intent. Thanks to IDW for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Casey Jones has taken a beating. But he wants to prove that he's not broken. As Casey attempts a comeback by promising to help a young mutant, he faces gangs with enhanced abilities, and The Most Dangerous Game: Mutant Edition in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones #1.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.