TMNT The Last Ronin and Last Ronin The Lost Years

 

Back what was it 3 years ago  ,might be longer,rumors started that Eastman and Laird were working on a new TMNT comic. Supposedly the final story. Having heard rumors of them working on something for decades now I just figuered nothing would come out of it.

Then months back I saw the hardcover collection of this series was out. Did some reasearch and learned a pile. Eastman does some art in this series. But Laird is just credited cause they are using like 4 pages of notes Eastman and Laird came up with back in 87. Yea what 3 years into the Mirage run. 

In the near future NYC is now controlled by Shredder's Grandson. And one lone Turtle is trying to kill this grandson. Appearing to be equipped with all 4 of the Turtles signature weapons. Then near the end of issue one we learn that not only is April O'Neil still alive but this lone surviving turtle is

SPOILERS BELOW

Michaelangelo. And with his brothers and father dead,and he thought Casey and April too,he is on a mission to finish the war between Master Splinter's clan and Shredder's.

After hearing this comic compared to a pile I love I went in very hesitant. Expecting to hate it. By the end of the first issue I was hooked. 

Most nights after dinner I clean the kitchen then try ,if I have the time, to sit at my bar and read for at least an hour. The night I started Last Ronin my plan was read an issue or two. 

Almost 3 hours passed and when I finished the book I hadn't realized that much time had passed. 

So the rest of the hardcover is Mikey telling us the story. How each of the other Turtles are gone. How he was sure April and Casey were dead,just Casey passed. Plus we see how he is constantly haunted by the ghosts  of his brothers.

Then that last issue..... Mikey manages to complete his mission. Got a bit dusty in the room right then folks. 

And I am thinking  ok this is over. It is all wrapped up. Nope we go back to the Turtle lair,where April and her daughter Casey Marie Jones live. Seems Casey Marie has used mutagen and is working on raising the next 4 Turtles. And as his final gift Mikey has left her Master Splinter's teaching manual.

Of course this series being a huge seller we were getting more.

And then we get the prequel/sequel series Last Ronin the Lost Years. The above is the version I got with a Walmart Exclusive cover,that spoils who the Last ROnin is.

Laird had nothing to do with this series. Eastman handles some art.

This show us what Mikey did after he lost his family. For a bit he just went into the wildness trying to die. Finally he goes on his hero's journey. And the one goofy fun loving silly Mikey becomes a force of nature. Even going blind,and that was wild,doesn't slow him down. 

And in the sequel parts we get to see the next generation of Turtles training and learning how to work as a team. One neat feature is this time each of them has a name that means ONE.

Lost Years is almost as good as the first series. And it like the first one was one were one night after dinner I planned on reading an issue and read the entire thing.

Saw that a new Ronin series is coming out. My plan is wait till it hits hardcover and grab that.