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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey Jones
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 27, 2026
An okay but not great book. I would have given it 3.5 stars bit not enough for a round up to 4 stars. The artwork is good, the story is okay, but the execution lets the book down. It felt like there was something missing. More than learning anythings new about Casey this book seemed to be more about introducing a couple of new villains to the new TMNT universe.
Casey Jones was shot and nearly killed. However if common sense and his friends are telling him he needs to recover, or take it slow, that is jyst not going to happen. Mutants are going missing, and a new drug is on the streets, Casey will not sit back and do nothing, but could thus take him down an ever darker path.
I think there was a lot more in Casey's recent past, his time in the new Foot clan among other things that could have been shown in this book. I can understand the decision to go with his stubborn side of wanting to get back into the action after being shot. The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.
Casey Jones was shot and nearly killed. However if common sense and his friends are telling him he needs to recover, or take it slow, that is jyst not going to happen. Mutants are going missing, and a new drug is on the streets, Casey will not sit back and do nothing, but could thus take him down an ever darker path.
I think there was a lot more in Casey's recent past, his time in the new Foot clan among other things that could have been shown in this book. I can understand the decision to go with his stubborn side of wanting to get back into the action after being shot. The book finishes with a variant cover gallery.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've been a fan of Casey Jones ever since I was a kid. The idea of this "ordinary" guy who was able to keep up with the turtles (and their enemies) using nothing but sports equipment was always such a fascinating decision to me. So, I was really excited to see Casey take center stage in this comic, complete with all of his familiar gear.
I really enjoyed this opportunity to see the person behind the hockey mask. His mannerisms, dialogue, and actions all work together to shed some light on the surprisingly complex character that is Casey Jones. We get to see him interact with the people (and mutants) of the city, see him in his downtime (or, lack thereof, due to his apparent inability to take any downtime), and get a glimpse into the thoughts going through his head, giving us a deeper look into Casey's sense of justice, compassion, and thrill of the fight.
The supporting characters introduced in this story were great as well, and I enjoyed getting to know a little of their backgrounds and stories rather than just being set dressing, or having the the villains only serve as obstacles for Casey.
The illustrations were colorful and well done, and I really enjoyed the artwork interspersed throughout the story. The illustrations fit the tone of the comic really well and made the story really shine. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more of Casey in the future. Thanks to NetGalley and IDW for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this opportunity to see the person behind the hockey mask. His mannerisms, dialogue, and actions all work together to shed some light on the surprisingly complex character that is Casey Jones. We get to see him interact with the people (and mutants) of the city, see him in his downtime (or, lack thereof, due to his apparent inability to take any downtime), and get a glimpse into the thoughts going through his head, giving us a deeper look into Casey's sense of justice, compassion, and thrill of the fight.
The supporting characters introduced in this story were great as well, and I enjoyed getting to know a little of their backgrounds and stories rather than just being set dressing, or having the the villains only serve as obstacles for Casey.
The illustrations were colorful and well done, and I really enjoyed the artwork interspersed throughout the story. The illustrations fit the tone of the comic really well and made the story really shine. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more of Casey in the future. Thanks to NetGalley and IDW for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What happens when a human hero falls behind in a world designed for mutants? This graphic novel answers that question with grit, heart and a surprising amount of emotional weight.
Casey Jones is forced to realise that he can no longer keep up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That premise alone establishes the tone for a story that is much more introspective than you would expect. Alex Paknadel's writing gets inside Casey's head, his doubts, his stubbornness, his loyalty, but still delivers the fast, punchy action TMNT fans love.
The world building is excellent, giving meaningful insight into Casey’s past and expanding the TMNT universe without overwhelming new readers. The balance between dialogue, action and character development is just right, making this a genuinely engaging read from start to finish.
Amancay Nahuelpan is a phenomenal artist, whose work is gritty, atmospheric and full of momentum. It raises every emotional beat and makes the action sequences unforgettable.
The ending is open-ended, but deliberately so, more an invitation than a cliff-hanger. This is a great solo story for Casey Jones and a good introduction for anyone curious about the TMNT graphic novels.
Thank you to IDW Publishing for this eARC. #NetGalley #TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesCaseyJones
Pub Date Sep 1 2026
Casey Jones is forced to realise that he can no longer keep up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That premise alone establishes the tone for a story that is much more introspective than you would expect. Alex Paknadel's writing gets inside Casey's head, his doubts, his stubbornness, his loyalty, but still delivers the fast, punchy action TMNT fans love.
The world building is excellent, giving meaningful insight into Casey’s past and expanding the TMNT universe without overwhelming new readers. The balance between dialogue, action and character development is just right, making this a genuinely engaging read from start to finish.
Amancay Nahuelpan is a phenomenal artist, whose work is gritty, atmospheric and full of momentum. It raises every emotional beat and makes the action sequences unforgettable.
The ending is open-ended, but deliberately so, more an invitation than a cliff-hanger. This is a great solo story for Casey Jones and a good introduction for anyone curious about the TMNT graphic novels.
Thank you to IDW Publishing for this eARC. #NetGalley #TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesCaseyJones
Pub Date Sep 1 2026
September 7, 2026
3.5 rounded up though I really do wish there was a 3.5 option here.
Self hatred is at the core of this story. Everyone hates something about themselves and seeks / uses Nostrum, an ooze variant, as a miracle cure.
Ludovic is neat as a new villain though I'm sure a self-hating mutant isn't new. He has a bit of an angle in doing it to avoid regressing to an animal (something shown off pretty coolly at the end) and his vaguely Eastern European hitman vibe. Though I'm unsure how much he can exist outside of this Nostrum-specific story. Maybe as the more “half-human” deal when he's struggling with animal instincts.
I do have a bit of a nitpick that the NT are drawn a lot more normally here. This takes place either during or right after the Jason Aaron run iirc. They had drastically different designs in the Aaron run on purpose to show how off things were as people and as a group. I loved those designs so it's a shame they're just not here when they could've been.
Most of the art (issues 1-4) is by Nahuelpan who I know for the recentish Hawkgirl mini from DC. His backgrounds are solid and the main art is very consistent though oddities break through often. But I found his art normally isn't standout. It's just fine. Issue 5 is by Enid Balam and issue 6 is by Max Raynor. Balam's artstyle is slick and while Casey looks a bit odd with the mask he looks SO COOL with the mask on. Max Raynor is my favorite artist here. His work is impeccable and sells the finale. I wish he did the whole thing.
Self hatred is at the core of this story. Everyone hates something about themselves and seeks / uses Nostrum, an ooze variant, as a miracle cure.
Ludovic is neat as a new villain though I'm sure a self-hating mutant isn't new. He has a bit of an angle in doing it to avoid regressing to an animal (something shown off pretty coolly at the end) and his vaguely Eastern European hitman vibe. Though I'm unsure how much he can exist outside of this Nostrum-specific story. Maybe as the more “half-human” deal when he's struggling with animal instincts.
I do have a bit of a nitpick that the NT are drawn a lot more normally here. This takes place either during or right after the Jason Aaron run iirc. They had drastically different designs in the Aaron run on purpose to show how off things were as people and as a group. I loved those designs so it's a shame they're just not here when they could've been.
Most of the art (issues 1-4) is by Nahuelpan who I know for the recentish Hawkgirl mini from DC. His backgrounds are solid and the main art is very consistent though oddities break through often. But I found his art normally isn't standout. It's just fine. Issue 5 is by Enid Balam and issue 6 is by Max Raynor. Balam's artstyle is slick and while Casey looks a bit odd with the mask he looks SO COOL with the mask on. Max Raynor is my favorite artist here. His work is impeccable and sells the finale. I wish he did the whole thing.
September 6, 2026
Like with Shredder, I'm honestly surprised we haven't had more Casey Jones solo stuff at IDW before.
This 6 issue mini brings a lot of Casey's usually unplumbed issues to the fore, such as his father's legacy, the loss of his mother, and his inadequacies when comparing himself to the Turtles.
The villain plot isn't anything we haven't seen before - evil human wants to hunt mutants for sport - but the tragic tale of the other villain, a mutated snow leopard named Ludovic, is definitely unexpected, and kind of sad in parts too. Poor kitty just wanted breakfast.
The artwork's solid throughout, even if artist Amancay Nahuelpan departs after issue 4 to leave Max Raynor and Enid Balam to pick up an issue each at the end. It's a little more 90s than I expected, but it works for Casey's aesthetic.
This 6 issue mini brings a lot of Casey's usually unplumbed issues to the fore, such as his father's legacy, the loss of his mother, and his inadequacies when comparing himself to the Turtles.
The villain plot isn't anything we haven't seen before - evil human wants to hunt mutants for sport - but the tragic tale of the other villain, a mutated snow leopard named Ludovic, is definitely unexpected, and kind of sad in parts too. Poor kitty just wanted breakfast.
The artwork's solid throughout, even if artist Amancay Nahuelpan departs after issue 4 to leave Max Raynor and Enid Balam to pick up an issue each at the end. It's a little more 90s than I expected, but it works for Casey's aesthetic.
Review of advance copy
(Early rating and review from reading the monthly single issues)
For being a miniseries focused on Casey Jones, this story does a pretty good job of showing how and why a normal human vigilante might feel lost and left behind in a world of mutant ninjas and brawlers.
The ending falls extremely flat, though, in that nothing is resolved and major characters are left in the wind. No narrative closure, but instead an open-ended story that, one assumes, is gambling on its loose threads eventually being resolved in the main TMNT ongoing, or another miniseries, or who even knows.
You ask me, it fell flat on its face.
For being a miniseries focused on Casey Jones, this story does a pretty good job of showing how and why a normal human vigilante might feel lost and left behind in a world of mutant ninjas and brawlers.
The ending falls extremely flat, though, in that nothing is resolved and major characters are left in the wind. No narrative closure, but instead an open-ended story that, one assumes, is gambling on its loose threads eventually being resolved in the main TMNT ongoing, or another miniseries, or who even knows.
You ask me, it fell flat on its face.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A pretty good entry point for new readers in my opinion! I enjoyed all of the characters and the villains seemed pretty fleshed out for a one-off series. Casey was written well as a normal human in a world of mutants. As part of that, the author did a good job making sure that this book was set in the universe of the turtles while not revolving the story around them.
I think the ending was somewhat open ended, but not in a was that was unsatisfying. It was more left open as a way to entice readers to continue to read the new stories, which is the exact effect it had on me.
Thank you netgalley for an ARC of this book!
I think the ending was somewhat open ended, but not in a was that was unsatisfying. It was more left open as a way to entice readers to continue to read the new stories, which is the exact effect it had on me.
Thank you netgalley for an ARC of this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As an original TMNT fan, I wasn't sure what to expect from a rebooted version of the franchise, but I was willing to start with Casey Jones because he really felt like a character who could be fleshed out without impinging on my memories. And, it worked for me.
These are not the 90's Turtles, but this new mutagenic-full NYC is an interesting setting in and of itself. Casey's character is fully realized here while the Turtles are background characters in this particular story.
The art here feels most evocative of a grown-up version of the 90's aesthetic, with a lovely amount of over-saturation.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC.
These are not the 90's Turtles, but this new mutagenic-full NYC is an interesting setting in and of itself. Casey's character is fully realized here while the Turtles are background characters in this particular story.
The art here feels most evocative of a grown-up version of the 90's aesthetic, with a lovely amount of over-saturation.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Read it as a TPB but reviewed individual issues. But here's the total summary of the whole solo series:
This is a great solo series for Casey Jones. I really enjoyed the ride. The emotional and psychological of Jones was explored here. What makes Casey Jones, well-, Casey Jones. Lot's of action without the Turtles hogging the book. After all, it's Casey Jones story. The plot and the antagonist are amazing. You'll get drawn to this story. Too bad, this is not a stand alone arc but the cliffhanger is well done. Highly recommended.
This is a great solo series for Casey Jones. I really enjoyed the ride. The emotional and psychological of Jones was explored here. What makes Casey Jones, well-, Casey Jones. Lot's of action without the Turtles hogging the book. After all, it's Casey Jones story. The plot and the antagonist are amazing. You'll get drawn to this story. Too bad, this is not a stand alone arc but the cliffhanger is well done. Highly recommended.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was genuinely surprised at how much I liked this. I loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles growing up, but I honestly don't remember much about Casey Jones. This series really looked at why Casey Jones is the way he is, although I do think some background knowledge is needed to get the full effect. Either way, I loved the art, it was gritty just like the original Turtles comics and I felt that the creators really tried to honor the history of the comics. Overall, I give this a 4/5 stars. Definitely fun.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sigh, this wasn't bad, but it just didn't have the same vibe I love from graphic novels like Last Ronin. It felt a little less edgy and missed a trick by not including more Turtle action.
Turns out Casey works really well as a supporting character in TMNT, but it doesn't quite work the other way around.
Turns out Casey works really well as a supporting character in TMNT, but it doesn't quite work the other way around.
Review of advance copy
There’s nothing particularly wrong with it, it’s just rather pedestrian and run of the mill both writing and art
Just yer bog standard average licensed comic
Just yer bog standard average licensed comic
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews