The Importance of Joy: Celebrating Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #101-150

My life is very linked to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I don’t know that I consider it connected to my identity but there are people in my life that the only thing they know about me is I like Ninja Turtles. As a kid I liked it so much that my grandparents painted their silver trash can lids green and wore them as part of their halloween costumes one year. For an event where kids were not present! I like to imagine my grandmother having to explain their costumes to everyone present.

After a few years away, I returned to this franchise amongst the incredible hype around Sophie Campbell taking over the main IDW book. And honestly, that first trade brought me so much joy, and I felt seen. The past couple of years have been tough, and this one is proving no different. It may even prove to be tougher. But there was one thing that I could count on and that was reading these stories that Campbell wrote in this silly franchise that I love so much.

I’ve interviewed some of the people that have contributed to this run and the plan was to interview more, but things have gotten in the way. And for months I’ve been trying to find a way to not only celebrate the work across these 50 issues, but also express all my feelings about it. But it’s been difficult.

The plan was to work my way up to interviewing Campbell, but how can I ask “proper questions” when I just want to hug this wonderful person that has made these comics about weird mutants that mean so much to me? I don’t think there are questions I could ask that would be valuable. Somehow it feels as though it would lessen the stories, and I don’t want to do that because these comics made my life better.

I read most of the run in trade, and there was nothing quite like getting the next volume in. Each one felt like an event. Absorbing the cover and the brilliant design work by Shawn Lee. After the initial storyline was drawn by Campbell, the artists rotated and each new volume brought with it a new look all while keeping tone (much of this due to the work of colorist Ronda Pattison and expert casting by editorial). Mutant Town is a real place as far as I’m concerned. When the walls came down and the Turtles and all the other mutants were part of the rest of the city, it was overwhelming. It is one of my favorite parts, the transition from the more cartoony look of the book to Gavin Smith’s gritty yet gorgeous realistic artwork. Not to mention, the utter horror that is depicted in that arc.

It all made me feel like a kid again. And now that my trades are almost all busting at the seams, it reminds me of how many times my mom superglued my April O’Neil figure back together. I’m still that kid who loves these things too hard.

It’s been such a joy to watch Lita and to experience the story through her eyes. I love her so much, and I’m terrified about what’s going to happen. Joy is so hard to come by that it’s clear to me that I’ve held so tight onto these stories and specifically that first volume which is written and drawn by Campbell. It means so much to me because I’ve never known what to do with my own feelings. Part of that is growing up in the toxic masculinity of the 1990’s (real men don’t have feelings, etc). It’s still there even now, though I’m in my mid-30s, so when I read that volume, where the whole thing is led by emotions, I was beyond moved and impressed. The driving force behind every single action in that book is a character having a feeling. It’s such a unique approach in Western comics that is often dominated by hollow action and hollower plot.

When I read this book, it feels like Campbell is reaching down and putting a hand on my shoulder saying, “It’s okay. We all feel.” And I don’t have to talk about how the past four years have been or how valuable it’s been to have a story telling me: “It’s gonna be okay.” So yeah, I could interview Sophie Campbell and ask her questions about the choices she made in this book, but I think I’d rather just tell her that she made my life better.

I’m writing this one week away from Campbell’s final issue, the oversized #150, and I can’t believe it’s over. I can’t wrap my head around it, or my heart. I’m not sure I want to. This comic has consistently felt like a hug and has brought me so much joy. All I have to do is look at the books on the shelf and the feeling returns.

Often when fans talk about their favorite comics or favorite runs, it’s past tense. This was great until it was changed by this other team. But that’s not true. The books exist, and they can’t be taken away. Nothing can erase the joy I’ve felt reading these stories about Mutant Town. About how so many people lived through a horrible time and made the most of it. It’s forever. The work the creators put in, as well as the editors, the designers, the marketing folks, and everyone else. It’s all important, and it’s all forever. And I’m just so happy to have experienced it.

Thank you!

And all that’s left is to paraphrase one of my all time favorite lines: Gosh, I love being a turtle!

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Be sure to pick up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #150 by Sophie Campbell, Dan Duncan, Vincenzo Federici, Fero Peniche, Ronda Pattison, and Shawn Lee this week from your favorite local comic book store!