Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume 18: Trial of Krang

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2011) #18

by Kevin Eastman (Writer), Tom Waltz (Writer), Bobby Curnow (Writer)

The Turtles transport to the bizarre and dangerous Dimension X to put an end to the terror of Krang once and for all! TMNT has always been science fiction, but this time they're taking it to a whole new level! Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael face off against deadly new foes in a crazy space opera mash-up of classic martial arts and funky sci-fi action! But first, you are cordially invited to the centennial reunion of the Pantheon, the immortal family that influences the course of history. The main talking point: the fate of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

Collects: issues #71–75 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Free Comic Book Day 2017.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes, Science Fiction

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 27, 2018

About the author

Kevin B. Eastman is an American comic book artist, co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B+) 78% | Good
Notes: Out of its element, loses its way, stuck in the sidetracks with too much to say: monologue speeches and talking away.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

First we see the meeting of the full Pantheon. This actually kind of reminded me of something we might have seen in a Sandman comic or something of that nature. An immortal family of gods who meet for dinner once every 100 years. It was really good and different for TMNT. Then the Turtles head to Dimension X for the trial of Krang. Most of this story spins off into the Dimension X miniseries. The ending was very surprising!

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A celestial conference and a litigation hearing may not sound like the best story hooks, but the meeting of the Pantheon and the Trial Of Krang certainly do in this next volume of TMNT.

The two issue Pantheon story feels very Sandman, in that the Endless/Pantheon meet up to discuss what the hell's been going on, and in true Sandman fashion, it's all a bit obtuse aside from one or two reveals. The characters of the Pantheon really gel well together, and we get to see them in their natural habitats for a bit before the Turtles crash the party; there's a lot here that makes me want to see more of them, that's for sure. Dave Wachter takes the art job on these issues - the little gleeful faces that he gives the Rat King while he's causing chaos are delightful, as are the shock and disbelief on the Toad Baron.

Then it's Free Comic Book Day again as we get a recap of everything that's happened since the last FCBD issue, which is what it is. Then the Trial Of Krang gets underway; the first issue is more of a set-up for the Dimension X mini-series, although the reappearance of Leatherhead was nice. When we return post-Dimension X however, things really get going. I'm surprised at how action packed a trial can be made to be, and the events that end the story are shocking as well as a springboard for yet more Turtles madness. These issues are predominantly Cory Smith, with assistance from Mateus Santolouco and Chris Johnson in the extra-sized issue 75.

Don't let all the fluff surrounding the Trial Of Krang put you off - it's a tight storyline otherwise in true Turtles fashion that closes some doors and opens others, and it does it while looking great as well.

[Will Robinson Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been awhile since I jumped back into the Tom Waltz TMNT series. I feel like I missed a couple of events in this series because I was lost in a few issues. The art was a mixed bag on some issues as well or maybe it is because I am just a huge fan Mateus Santolouco when he is carrying the artwork for the book. Now I am not saying this volume of the series was boring because Waltz sets up alot of plot threads which are going to pay off down the line. I just felt like the trial of Krang just dragged the story down a bit. I mean you do not read TMNT to get a riveting court drama or political thriller. There is a sizable amount of action throughout the story. I found the introduction to the Mystical Pantheon of the TMNT universe was exciting and definitely has my interest in the story going forward. I haven't read Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe, Vol. 3: Karai's Path nor Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dimension X so there may be a few plot details I missed. This is what happens when you create side series to the main ongoing. I guess Kevin Eastman just wanted to jump in a write his own additions to this comic book mythos. For the most I am still a fan of this series its just with the ever growing amount of TMNT content IDW is publishing is making a bit hard to keep up. You kind of expect this from Marvel or DC comics. But I am still on board for what has continued to be one of the most consistently good superhero series around. Volume 18 was good it just could have been a bit better.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not the biggest fan of Dimension X or the Neutrinos generally speaking but colour me pleasantly surprised by the quality of this volume. Krang's war crimes trial was well written and the witness tampering subplot was a winner, and his final fate entirely deserved.



Once again, though, I find Leatherhead to be the surprise MVP. I never imagined a character I always saw as a 2 dimensional villain of the week on the original cartoon show could have such articulate pathos!

Oh yeah, the first issues were about those weirdos in The Pantheon. Pleasure loving Baron Toad might just be a new personal fave.

[Lucas Lima · Rating 4 out of 5]

The volume were we probably saw the last of Krang.

The first two chapters we learn more about the Phanteon, were they're having a meeting, and we leanr what is the possibly motivation for Kitsune to her plans. And in the other chapters, the Turtles return to Neutrino and Dimension X to help on Krang's trial.

Another great volume, with Dave Wachter and Cory Smith killing it in the art. And what about the last issue? Leatherhead stole the show, in a way that i didin't see it coming. For sure, he was the best addition in the last volumes of this book.

And, please, as we see on Marvel and DC, the tie-ins of this run are not my concern. I know that you always see some things on the books that you'll would learn on them, but nah, you usually understand about it reading the normal run. On to the next one!

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mixed bag for sure but in the end I really enjoyed it! It did take awhile to get to the titular trial, but once it did I was super invested. What a twist with Leatherhead too!! Great to see this group come together and finall close out this long standing arc. Not without it's crumbs for re-exploration, however.

[Tim Rooney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easily the weakest volume of the entire IDW run so far. 2 issues of story here really stretched out.

[James DeSantis · Rating 2 out of 5]

First legit bad TMNT volume. The first issue was strong, seeing the different animal gods. After that was just kind of lacking and the space stuff sucked.

[Seth Grindstaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 18 of IDW's TMNT collects issue 71-75 and a FCBD issue. It involves two ongoing storylines, the first being about the pantheon (which I think a fun sort of strange) and the second being the "Trial of Krang" as the title suggests. For me, Krang being put on trial is more interesting than Krang physically fighting.

As in previous volumes, I enjoy how each volume of this series is not really written to be a "stand alone" story or "written for the trade." The five issues included in volume 18 continue story arcs from previous volumes while also creating new storylines, as one problem quickly leads into the next for the turtles.

Volume 18 reintroduces characters that have been weak points for me in IDW's TMNT story: Krang and the Neutrinos. In previous arcs I usually don't enjoy Krang's character because of how one-dimensionally he is usually written, but in this volume his character is much more interesting because of how he defends himself at the trial. I'm not sure why I found the Neutrino characters to be more interesting this time around. Perhaps because they are support characters instead of main focal points, which makes their lack of characterization go unnoticed.

I continue to enjoy Leatherhead's character. This volume does his character more justice than the last arc, where he is put him at the center of a mystery. Instead, Leatherhead's strengths and weaknesses are fully on display. I also like meeting the extended pantheon family. I feel like the two issues that focus on them are entertaining and interesting, although they do feel a bit off the beaten path.

Many readers might find this volume to be dialogue heavy. There is a lot of exposition in both the pantheon story and the trial storylines which slows down the pace of the story. Some readers might also think that the trial itself lasts too long, but it kept my attention.

The only aspect I did not enjoy is during the middle of the trial the reader would have to pick up another mini-series about the turtles going to dimension x in order to fill in the gaps between issues. Although the mini-series is a side adventure, it brings in a handful of characters that are important to the trial. I also noticed that this volume is missing some of the heart and internal friction that other volumes have had. The Neutrino king taps into it for a moment during the trial, but the main characters don't have the inner battles that I enjoy from previous arcs, instead they move from plot point to plot point.

I enjoy the art all around. Although the artists continue to swap around, the style of the series remains consistent.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.
- A pantheon of gods (Toad Baron, Rat King, Jagwar, Aka, Kitsune, Gothano, and Manmoth (Chi-You is missing, which will probably factor in a later Volume...)) are having a meeting to discuss the rise of mutantkind and how they will control them. The Turtles invade the meeting, solely for information gathering and barely escape. Having had dealings with a few of them before, I'm sure the information will come in handy after the trial...
- The Turtles hilariously are testing the new lair security. They need to beef up before they go to Dimension X for Krang's trial. Good thing... because they get attacked by HAKK-R, an assassin from Dimension X! They are able to drive him off, knowing that they'll see him again.
- Upon arrival in the Neutrino Kingdom, the Turtles are given medals and honored as heroes during the war (see previous Volumes). The witnesses are being gathered to testify against Krang, but when the prosecutor dies (attack from HAKK-R), the boys need to step in and help.
- The trial begins, and things look bleak for Krang... so he has the judge murdered too! The Neutrino King steps in to cover and the rest of the witnesses testify (including very harsh testimony from Leatherhead!). Verdict: Life imprisonment!..... or would have been, if Leatherhead had not decided to take justice into his own hands, eating Krang whole!
- While the trial raged on, Planet Neutrino was being invaded by Queen Maligna and her bug forces. Assisting the regular Neutrino army is the fleet of Triceratons, who have negotiated a return to their homeworld upon victory. When Maligna is defeated, we find out that Earth is the Triceratons original homeworld, so they streak off to begin to reclaim their land.
What will this mean for the Turtles and peoples of Earth? Bring on the next Volume!

Recommend.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The eighteenth book of the series see the Turtles confronting the powerful immortals known as The Pantheon and then travelling to Dimension X to aid in the prosecution of General Krang for war crimes.

This is very much a book of two halves, except it's more a book of 1/4 and 3/4 and only the first quarter is any good.
That first quarter is brilliant though, as we get to see a centennial meeting of The Pantheon, which the Turtles infiltrate to learn more about their enemy. I've always enjoyed the psuedo-mystical aspects of this series, so it was really interesting to meet the complete Pantheon and see how they interact with each other. Honestly, the mixture of familial connection and rivalry reminded me greatly of the Endless from 'The Sandman' and just to be mentioned in the same sentence as Neil Gaiman's masterpiece is noteworthy.

Unfortunately, the back 3/4 of this book take us once again to Dimension X.
I found much of the actual trial storyline to be pretty tedious and, honestly, with Triceratons, swarms of alien insects, cyborg bounty hunters, ace-pilot ducks (no, really) it feels like everything was thrown at the wall to see what would stick. The answer is; very little.
It doesn't help that large parts of the Turtles' adventures in Dimension X are told in other books, so there are big gaps in the story. This series has always referenced its various associated miniseries, but this was the first time I felt like I genuinely didn't have enough story detail due to not having read them.
The only redeeming feature for this part of the book for me was Leatherhead, who continues to be a complex and engaging antagonist.

* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two-part story time!

The first part tried to expand our coverage of the rather mystical pantheon that seems to be behind a lot of the events of the TMNT stories in this universe. It's a classic gathering of supernatural beings with old jokes and back stories repeated and it all ended with...accidental Turtle discovery. Really, for ninjas, they haven't been very good with their stealth missions. But this 2 issue arc didnt't really go anywhere significant apart from getting Baxter Stockman to take greater involvement in things.

The second half kind of excited me since it was meant to be the Trial of Krang, but the actual story structure was odd given Krang had an assassin killing members of the court and the turtles heading out to gather witnesses but that part of the story took place in a wholly different mini-series. So we aren't left with a lot of meat int this book, and that really diminished things.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although heavy with exposition and a bit wordy in places, this is a very enjoyable intergalactic adventure of our favorite mutant teens.

We can all hope that we will be getting an Ace Duck miniseries sooner rather than later. Writer Tom Waltz excels at giving us secondary characters who are almost as compelling as the titular Turtles themselves and Ace is just the latest example.

[David the Ñoldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved that conclusion! Leatherhead don't mess around.

[Jeremiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

That ending was NUTS!!!!!

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part of this one's a blast, and I'll be looking forward to more of the Pantheon. The trial itself is a bit nonsensical and slow, but it does have its moments.

[Andres Pasten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leatherhead se roba la película, en un tomo algo irregular.

[Rickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love a good trial that ends with unexpected outcomes and sets up future issues.

[NerdyReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much talkey.

[Cyril · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 71 toad dimension episode was as awful as ever, the rest were good enough
3.5 stars

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume is tough to review because the quality is up and down. It starts off very up. I remember thinking, after the first two chapters, that the rest could be blank and it would still get five stars.

It starts with a once-in-century dinner party / strategy meeting of the Pantheon (Kistune, Rat King, et al.) in Toad Baron's Den of Delights, which looks and reads a little like The Wind in the Willows on acid. The art by Dave Wachter is crisp and detailed and bonkers; you can tell he was having a blast with this. As was Waltz, the writer, who must've pulled out his goofy-thesaurus for the dialogue. The Turtles don't show up until the last page of chapter 1, but the rest is such a joy I forgot to miss them. They were there to spy on the Pantheon, see, but their cover gets blown, and chapter 2 encompasses their dramatic, action-packed escape. Five stars.

Unfortunately, that Pantheon storyline is then dropped completely, as the Turtles head to Dimension X for the trial of Krang, or, rather, The Trial Of Krang. This must've been an *event*, along the lines of City Fall and Vengeance, but unlike those, it's bad. A big chunk of the action (what was probably the best part) was spun-off into an outside miniseries and is not included in this volume. What is here suffers from boring writing (monologues aplenty) and art that looks extremely rushed; you can see where they were cutting corners to save time (e.g., too many panels have backgrounds of plain gradients instead of any kind of detail). So I couldn't honestly give five stars to this volume, despite how much fun the beginning was.

It ends on a high note, though, with Leatherhead. Leatherhead is the alligator version of Chekhov's gun: once he's in a scene you know he's eventually gonna go off.

Btw, there's no April in this volume either. If you were reading this series as a monthly release, you would've gone at least a year without seeing April O'Neil in a TMNT comic. To me that just doesn't seem right.

[brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

welp, that happened

second read: how did i read this all in one day before

[Austin Shirey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The series definitely feels like it’s been steadily losing steam since issue #50, with this volume easily the worst of the bunch.