TMNT: The Last Ronin #2 begins to peel back the layers of the tragedy surrounding the story and paints a dark future for its titular heroes in the process. Rarely have I felt an emotional gut-punch with these "dark future" stories, but The Last Roninis the exception to the rule because it centers around the dissolution of a family. I can't wait to see more of this story, as it truly is shaping up to be a special entry in TMNT history. Read Full Review

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. Read Full Review

However, we're given so much to unpack; waiting longer than expected for the next chapter adds to the excitement of it all as Waltz and Eastman brilliantly use salvation and vengeance to produce an epic gift that keeps on giving. Read Full Review

As great as the action and colors of these scenes are, the ultimate scene is the black and white scene of Michaelangelo's despair in the face of the loss of so much of his family. It would be nice to spend some time with the villains of this book to gain their perspective and a deeper knowledge of who they are as Mikey rises to meet them and enact some punishment. Hopefully future installments not only continue to give us these layered heroes, but also take the time to do the same for our villains. Read Full Review

The Last Ronin #2 continues the great storytelling from the first issue. Despite a ridiculous amount of variant covers, the story is so good that it need not rely on gimmicks for readers to pick it up. Acting as a breather after an action-packed debut, Waltzs script is full of quality character moments that only add to readers engagement. Fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles should read this, but if youre a fan of great comics, you need to read this. Read Full Review

You still dont need to have read the current IDW run to understand The Last Ronin, but we highly recommend picking up the first issue before getting this one. This issue features enough story that you can get whats happening, but this is a story that deserves to be read from start to finish. Its still an amazing book and deserves to be read by anyone whos been a fan of the Turtles in their life. Read Full Review

Another issue with so much to unpack. Now that we know who The Last Ronin is, and we start to get a glimpse of his past, his emotions become our emotions. His pain is our pain. His battles are out battles. The Last Ronin #2 is another well-built story that hits all the wickets on what readers want and have come to expect from a TMNT story. Read Full Review

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN #2 simultaneously answers many of our questions from issue #1 while posing an onslaught of exciting new queries Read Full Review

An in-depth chapter at the purpose behind Michelangelo's journey. Read Full Review

TMNT: The Last Ronin #2 is a great second issue in this 5-issue mini-series. It is a little sad we had to wait this long, but it is well worth it. We get more into the head of Michelangelo in this issue and start to piece together what exactly happened. While some mysteries are solved, more are presented to keep you excited for the next issue. Read Full Review

The last ronin stands revealed as familiar and different allies emerge as the clocks turn back to showcase the tragic path that led to this dark future. Read Full Review

TMNT: The Last Ronin #3 (of 5) goes on sale May 12. For that and All the other Turtles comics on the horizon, check out Newsarama's constantly-updated list of new TMNT comics, graphic novels, and collections in 2021 and beyond. Read Full Review

TMNT- The Last Ronin #2 is an excellent follow-up to the groundbreaking first issue. Can Michaelangelo take down The Foot? What other mutations will he go through? What other characters from TMNT lore will make an appearance? Issue #3 cannot come soon enough. Read Full Review

Reading The Last Ronin is like watching a prophecy fulfill itself, and there's a particular pleasure there for those that understand the history. However, it's still a shame that it only briefly transcends its preordained path. Read Full Review

The first one was amazing, this one carries that one to a higher level. Looking forward to the next issue, and the entire adventure. You’re not going to want to miss out on this one. Read immediately, enjoy!!

TMNT: THE LAST RONIN #2

Publisher: IDW @idwpublishing
Writer: Kevin Eastman @kevineastmantmnt
Peter Laird @peterlaird1
Tom Waltz @tomwaltz1
Artist: Esau
Isaac Escorza
Ben Bishop @bishart
Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado @luis_the_colorist
Samuel Plata
Letterer: Shawn Lee @robutoid

April reminisces about the night of her engagement to Casey and how a joyous occasion was taken from her as the turtles are ambushed by the Foot Clan which leads to Splinters death, which in turn sets Raph to seek revenge, brutally killing members of the Foot until he makes his final stand against Karai. While in the present Michelangelo is introduced to April’s daughter Casey and shares that In order to restore his family’s honor, The Last Oroku must die.

This was a great second issue to a great series so far. Giving Raphael a proper send off which showcased his brutality and anger was heartbreaking yet fitting for his character. While Michelangelo’s flashback after his family’s demise was beautifully taken over and drawn by Eastman was a perfect touch to the storytelling. I’ve been more then impressed with the direction the creative team has taken this series and look forward to where they go from here.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
Reviewed by: @djflores00 of The Comic Book Club of Instagram
Follow: @the_comic_book_club on Instagram for more reviews! more

The Last Ronin was on my comic book pull list well before the first issue was released. That installment stuck with me on an emotional level long after putting it down. For that reason, I anticipated this issue but I also dreaded what was to come.

The story picks up some time after the last issue. Mikey (The Last Ronin) is recovering and in the care of an aged April O. Neil. We also learn that the young woman that assisted Mikey from the first issue is the daughter of April and Casey Jones.

The book cuts back and forth between past events and Mikey's life post-tragedy and we get a pretty awesome segment detailing this time drawn by Kevin Eastman, Co-creator of the Ninja Turtles. The big selling point of the issue and the series overall has been the mystery regarding which turtles die, when, and how.

I won't spoil any specifics about who dies in this review but I will say that what goes down is pretty brutal and still sad to see on the page. I also had an emotional reaction to this issue and it lingered with me as I tried to sleep last night. I'm not sure I've ever seen one of the turtles killed in any form of media and this one hit home. The book doesn't skimp on the violence and the book doesn't shy away from it at all. This is a bold comic and I appreciate the team for telling this story. I'm also 2 for 2 in calling the identity of the Ronin and who would be the first to fall.

As with the first issue, the oversized format of the issue works great and goes a long way in making the series feel special. The art isn't quite as polished in this issue. It's still good but when it comes to the main action sequence the fight is epic but the way they are staged it's hard to tell what's happening until you really get into the details. You basically get ****** crashing into a scene with intense dialogue before crashing into the next panel. I think the choreography could have been staged better, especially considering the stakes at hand.

Aside from the gripes about certain sequences. I didn't have any other complaints. The Last Ronin is a gem in the current comic book landscape and actually keeps a lot of the series indie roots. The book is a lot more violent than what we typically get out of IDW. The story is definitely more heartfelt than we typically get from a mainstream series. I have to say that this issue is a half step back from the first issue but that half step is better than most series on the shelves today.

9.5/10 more

+ Like • Comments (1)

• Likes (1)

• Hislight

Hislight - Mar 17, 2021

For me Eastman's segment felt like leftovers. Rarely did I feel like the art matched what was being said with his segment

Sign in to comment

As a TMNT fan, the last Ronin is a great concept that being developed right so far. Looking forward to the next issues.

Excellent book, good backstory on Raph's demise. Looking forward to Book 3. So far away though.....

I actually like this quiet reflective issue more than the high-octane first issue. TMNT for life dawg!