Chris Cooper reviews Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dimension X #1…
The Turtles journey to find a reclusive and indestructible empath— only to find that the assassin Hakk-R has found him first… and convinced him that the Turtles are the enemy!
Filling in the gaps around the main title, Dimension X might end up being the nearest we’ll get to required reading for a mini-series based on what I’ve seen from the first issue. Comics, especially when several come out in quick succession, aren’t cheap. So is it worth making the extra effort to dive into this?
I’d say yes.
But first I need to get a thought off my chest. Do Pablo Tunica’s turtles looks like they’re from The Next Mutation? Their body shape, bandanna style and their shells are giving off that vibe pretty strongly to me. Fortunately, whilst the TV show was a complete train-wreck, Tunica’s art fits the tone of the story well, and what an interesting tale it is.
A lot of this can be attributed to the latest IDW villain, HAKK-R. I don’t know if they’re a he or a she, but they are very interesting. Aside from being a very cool looking creature, HAKK-R seems intent on not only doing terrible things but also improving, taking each day as a chance to learn something new. Actively thanking your enemies and targets for making you do things differently and forcing you to improve is commendable, even if you’re still a terrible alien. Overall HAKK-R seems to have a very ‘can do’ attitude that not only sets he/she apart but makes them someone I want to see more of.
The world that the story takes place on is one with ’emotion based physics’ It’s a new one on me (kudos Mr Allor), but I don’t think I need to give you too many guesses who that might help most.
This is a really fun issue. Next Mutation prejudices aside I’m a big fan of the writing and art. Can the other witnesses live up to this?
Rating: 8/10
Chris Cooper