I suppose one of the reasons why I picked up this volume of the reboot Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series is for the nostalgia factor. I can still hum the tune and sing the lyrics to the 80s TV series theme song (don't laugh, it's catchy. The series was pretty cool, including the fact that Uncle Phil - James Avery - from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air did the voice of Shredder). And I've seen all of the live action movies of the 90s. Take of that what you will, but suffice to say the franchise was a staple of my childhood.In any case, "Change is Constant" is the first in a series of comics designed to tell the Turtles' and Splinter's story from the very beginning. The comic flips between the present day (during a tense confrontation) and some months before the Turtles' conversion when they were subjects in a research lab. A very curious April O'Neal is introduced during the flashback, and gives the turtles their respective names and picks their personalities up right off the bat. The cast of characters is small, probably not enough information to give much insight about them yet, but enough to give an idea of a potential conflict and momentum towards something greater. The comic ends on a harrowing moment that sets up for the next comic, but I have to say I was kind of disappointed it wasn't a bit longer read. I enjoyed it very much and liked the structuring of the story. The art style mimics more gritty adaptations of the Turtles franchise, and I liked the character design and coloring of the comic. I think it'll be appealing for those who are collectors of the franchise and a good intro for those of a younger generation just getting to know the Turtles.Overall score: 3.5/5Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher IDW Publishing.
