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Brahm Revel, Ronda Pattison and Jodi NishiJima’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Jennika II is a fun, action-packed, emotionally resonant set of stories
Since her first appearance in IDW’s 2015 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #51 by Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow, Tom Waltz, and Ken Garing – Jennika has been an endearing and enduring force in the TMNT universe. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Jennika II collects the entirety of her second solo miniseries by Brahm Revel, Ronda Pattison, Jodi Nishijima, and Shawn Li to tell two riveting stories starring the fifth ninja turtle.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Jennika II tells two stories. The first of which is titled “Monsters” and follows Jennika as she attempts to keep the peace in an increasingly polarized Mutant Town. The appearance of a gigantic monster is making things worse for the already tense community and is a potential public relations nightmare. Jennika does her best to keep her neighbors safe and subdue the monster, but when more ferocious creatures start terrorizing the mutants, she and her friend Ivan head into the sewers in search of answers. The second story, “Redemption,” forces Jennika to reconcile her violent past with the turtle she wants to be. She helps a new mutant, Lucia Rosetti, the widow of mobster “Big Tony” Rosetti, stay in touch with her son — but Lucia has some nefarious tricks up her sleeves.
Brahm Revel, who has drawn the turtles before, writes and draws “Monsters.” His writing tends to explore the overall climate of Mutant Town rather than any individual character. By focusing on the mood of the entire mutant community he is able to hammer home the comparison between mutants and real-life disenfranchised people: a metaphor that ends up being equal parts heart-wrenching and hopeful. While Revel’s writing tends to look toward the big picture, his art zeroes in on small moments and subtle gestures. Every punch and kick is rendered in his singular style and he often lets the backgrounds slip out of focus as needed. Revel’s action sequences are excellently paced and excitingly highlight Jennika’s abilities.
Ronda Pattison writes and colors “Redemption” and is joined by artist Jodi Nishijima. Where Revel’s work gives readers a broader view of Mutant Town, Pattison takes a closer look at Jennika and her past. She forces the hero and the audience to take a good, hard look at the consequences of Jennika’s time working as an assassin for the Foot — actions that seem all the more brutal when contrasted with modern-day Jennika’s kind-hearted disposition. Her friendship with the son of a mobster is particularly touching and serves as a perfect illustration of her efforts to become a better person. Nishijima’s art brilliantly captures the emotional tone that Pattison’s writing establishes. And, much like Revel, her work truly shines during the action sequences where Jennika’s acrobatic fighting style is sure to mesmerize fans.
“Monsters” and “Redemption” complement each other nicely. One story builds the world while the other dives into the hero’s inner life and both stories deliver plenty of action. Rather than clashing with each other, the different visual styles illustrate just how versatile of a character Jennika is. Both creative teams have put together exciting stories that prove Jennika is just as entertaining as the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
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