The status quo continues to evolve for the Turtle's family and the inhabitants of Mutant Town in TMNT #116. The IDW series has been blurring the lines between good guys and bad guys for a long time. A Battle of the Bands might not seem like the obvious choice for a family of elite ninja warriors. But turning old foes and disenfranchised former humans into bandmates is exactly the sort of community building Splinter Clan must do to evade the dark future foretold by future Lita.

Despite my griping, TMNT #117 is a mostly good book. IDWs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been fun pretty consistently thus far. I look forward to what comes next given the developments of Litas arc.

It looks like the Turtles and friends are on track for a confrontation with Baxter Stockman. IDWs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #119 is scheduled for release July 14th.

Next: IDWs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #121 is scheduled for release September 22nd, 2021

It really seems like IDW has let things slip in the face of The Last Ronins success. Im surprised to find Tom Waltz credited with writing this. Tom Waltz is involved in writing The Last Ronin, which is basically the high water mark for contemporary TMNT stories. I hope the Armageddon Game can be saved but "The King's Gambit" doesnt inspire confidence.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin #1 is highly recommended for fans of the comic medium. Issue #2 is already out. #3 will be out at the end of May.

Like issue #1 before it, issue #2 of The Last Ronin has some genuinely surprising developments. Ive tried not to spoil any major plot points. I highly recommend going into issue #2 of The Last Ronin unspoiled. I look forward to issue #3 and the rest of the series.

I cant recommend The Last Ronin #3 or the rest of the series enough. I look forward to issue #4, scheduled for release August 11th, 2021.

So many characters have died. I dont know if anyone will be left standing at the end of the series. I look forward to seeing who survives the conclusion to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin in #5, which currently doesnt have a release date.