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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2011) #15
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Volume 15: Leatherhead
As the Turtles continue to get used to a world leading the Foot Clan post-Shredder, they return to the Technodrome to monitor the revival of the Utroms on Burnow Island. They are surprised to meet a new mutant–Leatherhead! Will the mysterious mutant be friend or foe?
Collects: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #56–60.
Collects: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #56–60.
120 pages, Paperback
First published October 18, 2016
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122 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Eastman
1,161 books358 followersKevin B. Eastman is an American comic book artist, co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 27, 2022
(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: Atmospheric, horror-movie tones, bloody bodies, skull and bones, exposition can be dry, but illustrations make it fly.
Notes: Atmospheric, horror-movie tones, bloody bodies, skull and bones, exposition can be dry, but illustrations make it fly.
December 28, 2021
Mateus Santolouco for the 3-part Leatherhead story. The Turtles return to Burnow Island to free the rest of the Ultroms where they meet a new mutant, Leatherhead. I like how his origin was entwined with Turtles in Time. I also liked how this was something of a murder mystery. Great stuff. Then Dave Wachter comes on board as artist for a 2-part story where Kitsune finally makes her move. I'm always surprised at how well this TMNT book is plotted out.
February 3, 2017
Another great volume for the. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Things have certainly changed for the Ninja Turtles. Shredder is dead, Krang has been sent back to Dimension X and Donatello once thought to be dead is now back in the land of the living. This book is split into two parts. The first half of this volume sees the turtles returning to the Technodrome to set the Utroms free. They soon discover the existence of another mutant name Leatherhead. Leatherhead is a mutant alligator and appears friendly at first but may be hiding some sinister secrets in his past. The latter half of the book sees Splinter having to face a surprise attack from the black magic witch, Kitsume. Tom Waltz and Kevin Eastman handle both stories well and the artwork by Mateus is always a treat to behold. Definitely a must read for TMNT fans.
May 2, 2020
A quick trip back to Burnow Island to check on the remaining Utroms soon turns deadly when a new mutant makes himself known - but is Leatherhead friend, or foe? And then, on their return to New York, the Turtles find betrayal from within as Kitsune and Alopex make their move!
Like the previous volume, this is a tale of two halves. Unlike last volume, the art holds up in both halves. We'll start with that - Mateus Santolouco returns for the Leatherhead three parter, with his trademark style and detail. Then Dave Wachter makes his TMNT debut, and I gotta say, I kinda like it. It's a little grittier than both Santolouco and Corey Smith, but it works pretty well - his style feels mature, but not to the point that it doesn't suit the insanity of the characters. I'm pretty sure he sticks around too, so I'm glad I like him!
Storywise, things are definitely moving again. Leatherhead was seeded back during Turtles In Time as well as the early issues of Vengeance, and I like that Tom Waltz managed to make him seem sympathetic to the point where I wasn't sure whether he'd be an antagonist or not. The Burnow Island situation definitely isn't over though, with the Utroms and the surprise returning characters still being up in the air while the Turtles go back to New York.
Kitsune and Alopex's plan feels a bit longer coming, despite being seeded about the same amount of time ago. The Pantheon and their machinations seem to be the next big thing that the Turtles are building towards, and these few issues move things along nicely. I'm still not entirely sold on this whole 'Splinter in charge of the Foot' thing, which has so many ways it can go wrong, but this story (and Splinter's relationship with Jennika) has brought me round a little.
Leatherhead gets top billing, but there's a lot more than just him going on in this volume. With a new artist joining the fray and more dominoes toppling over, the ride is just beginning, even 60 odd issues into the series.
Like the previous volume, this is a tale of two halves. Unlike last volume, the art holds up in both halves. We'll start with that - Mateus Santolouco returns for the Leatherhead three parter, with his trademark style and detail. Then Dave Wachter makes his TMNT debut, and I gotta say, I kinda like it. It's a little grittier than both Santolouco and Corey Smith, but it works pretty well - his style feels mature, but not to the point that it doesn't suit the insanity of the characters. I'm pretty sure he sticks around too, so I'm glad I like him!
Storywise, things are definitely moving again. Leatherhead was seeded back during Turtles In Time as well as the early issues of Vengeance, and I like that Tom Waltz managed to make him seem sympathetic to the point where I wasn't sure whether he'd be an antagonist or not. The Burnow Island situation definitely isn't over though, with the Utroms and the surprise returning characters still being up in the air while the Turtles go back to New York.
Kitsune and Alopex's plan feels a bit longer coming, despite being seeded about the same amount of time ago. The Pantheon and their machinations seem to be the next big thing that the Turtles are building towards, and these few issues move things along nicely. I'm still not entirely sold on this whole 'Splinter in charge of the Foot' thing, which has so many ways it can go wrong, but this story (and Splinter's relationship with Jennika) has brought me round a little.
Leatherhead gets top billing, but there's a lot more than just him going on in this volume. With a new artist joining the fray and more dominoes toppling over, the ride is just beginning, even 60 odd issues into the series.
April 11, 2022
Leatherhead makes his grand appearance!
Actually, not sure if this guy is old or new but he's pretty scary here. A calm and collective alligator with a vicious amount of brute strength. But he seems on the side of the turtles as they team up to find out what is happening in the sewer. Meanwhile master splinter has to deal with his first attack on his foot clan.
Overall a pretty fun volume. Felt like more of a set up one to show off new villains and plotlines. Nothing blew me away but having the turtles team up all together again, Leatherhead being a interesting villain/hero. And cute little brain guys all make it a very enjoyable volume.
A 4 out of 5.
Actually, not sure if this guy is old or new but he's pretty scary here. A calm and collective alligator with a vicious amount of brute strength. But he seems on the side of the turtles as they team up to find out what is happening in the sewer. Meanwhile master splinter has to deal with his first attack on his foot clan.
Overall a pretty fun volume. Felt like more of a set up one to show off new villains and plotlines. Nothing blew me away but having the turtles team up all together again, Leatherhead being a interesting villain/hero. And cute little brain guys all make it a very enjoyable volume.
A 4 out of 5.
January 16, 2017
Wow, a book featuring Krang's cousins and Leatherhead, I am thirty four years old, and I am eating it up. There is so much more to it than that, though. Like the IDW transformers comics, this has a deep mythology that asks you to respect all of the ancillary characters and connected to our favorite toys of the eighties. In one of my last reviews, I said I wanted to know more about Kitsune and Rat King and their immortal family. This trade delivers. 15 trades in, and still going strong
December 26, 2021
Hands down one of the best volumes so far. It's got everything you'd want in a Turtles comic...a little bit of emotion, a lot of action, gorgeous artwork...it wraps up some long standing plot points, pushes forward other plots, throwing back to a past spin-off series, and some interesting new threads. Leatherhead was an intriguing new character who I really think is gonna (eventually) add a cool dynamic.
Definitely one of my personal favorites so far just for the way it barrels through all this action!
Definitely one of my personal favorites so far just for the way it barrels through all this action!
May 14, 2022
Santolouco is back, on full beast mode, and this book was amazing.
The turtles are brought back by Fugitoid to Burnow Island, now terraformed by Krang, to try to save thr last of their kind, and gotta some help from this new mutant, Leatherhead. Great text, unbelievible artwork, with Leatherhead great and detailed scales. And on the other half of the book, Kitsune make her move to take the Foot Clan back. On to the next one!
The turtles are brought back by Fugitoid to Burnow Island, now terraformed by Krang, to try to save thr last of their kind, and gotta some help from this new mutant, Leatherhead. Great text, unbelievible artwork, with Leatherhead great and detailed scales. And on the other half of the book, Kitsune make her move to take the Foot Clan back. On to the next one!
October 18, 2017
3.5 Stars.
Another of the cartoon characters, Leatherhead, makes his appearance in the TMNT comic world. Having been converted by mutagen dumped by 19th century pirates (see TMNT: Turtles in Time), he's been surviving in the Burnow Island area until the recent island upheaval by Krang and the Technodrome. The Turtles head there to oversee the re-population of the island by the surviving Utroms, as the atmosphere there is only suitable for them. Leatherhead ends up turning on them, using his brute strength to force the Turtles to help him escape, the story ending with him swimming out into the NYC harbor.
The second half of the Volume revolves around Splinter (complete with the Foot Clan at his disposal) and his battle against an uprising led by Kitsune, a sorceress who had mind control abilities. She is defeated, but manages to escape with Shredder's helmet, despite wanting to take his whole skull too (still in Splinter's possession).
Another great outing from the Turtles. Recommend.
Another of the cartoon characters, Leatherhead, makes his appearance in the TMNT comic world. Having been converted by mutagen dumped by 19th century pirates (see TMNT: Turtles in Time), he's been surviving in the Burnow Island area until the recent island upheaval by Krang and the Technodrome. The Turtles head there to oversee the re-population of the island by the surviving Utroms, as the atmosphere there is only suitable for them. Leatherhead ends up turning on them, using his brute strength to force the Turtles to help him escape, the story ending with him swimming out into the NYC harbor.
The second half of the Volume revolves around Splinter (complete with the Foot Clan at his disposal) and his battle against an uprising led by Kitsune, a sorceress who had mind control abilities. She is defeated, but manages to escape with Shredder's helmet, despite wanting to take his whole skull too (still in Splinter's possession).
Another great outing from the Turtles. Recommend.
May 14, 2018
It is unfortunate that this volume is split into two stories, the first about the titular Leatherhead (4 stars) and the second dealing with Splinter and the Foot Clan (2 stars). I really liked the Leatherhead half. If these two volumes are to be the new standards of the second phase of TMNT, then the side plots like Leatherhead and last volume's Mutanimals story are quickly becoming more interesting and enjoyable than the standstill chessmatch of the gods that is the main story.
May 17, 2021
This volume takes a breather from the larger story as our boys detour to Burnow Island for a fun whodunnit. A bunch of Utroms, freshly revived by Fugitoid, are found murdered in the wreckage of the Technodrome. Who is the culprit? Could it be Fugitoid's new colleague, the super sketchy mutant crocodile, Leatherhead, who shows up out of nowhere with ambiguous motives? Hmm, maybe!
Leatherhead is a lot of fun. He looks cool and I love the way he speaks (in what I imagine is the voice of a classically trained British actor). The Turtles, who recognize immediately that something ain't right about the guy but who are understandably intimidated, have some pretty funny reactions among themselves to his soliloquies.
The surviving Krangs-- sorry, Utroms -- are a lot of fun too as they help the Turtles piece together the mystery of their fellow Utroms' murders. They all have unique looks and personalities. Props to Waltz and Santolouco for doing a lot to distinguish characters who are just, well, pink brains.
A framing storyline in this volume was just so-so for me, particularly because it shows Splinter being incapacitated by an enemy. Given that Splinter has just established himself as a warrior superior to the Shredder -- the biggest, baddest bad -- it felt wrong to have him laid low so soon by a side villain, albeit a supernatural one, and albeit only briefly. I feel it undermined his character a bit. The rest of that fight was cool, though. Fun to see Splinter disarm his own hypnotized sons. The students are still the students and the master is still the master.
Leatherhead is a lot of fun. He looks cool and I love the way he speaks (in what I imagine is the voice of a classically trained British actor). The Turtles, who recognize immediately that something ain't right about the guy but who are understandably intimidated, have some pretty funny reactions among themselves to his soliloquies.
The surviving Krangs-- sorry, Utroms -- are a lot of fun too as they help the Turtles piece together the mystery of their fellow Utroms' murders. They all have unique looks and personalities. Props to Waltz and Santolouco for doing a lot to distinguish characters who are just, well, pink brains.
A framing storyline in this volume was just so-so for me, particularly because it shows Splinter being incapacitated by an enemy. Given that Splinter has just established himself as a warrior superior to the Shredder -- the biggest, baddest bad -- it felt wrong to have him laid low so soon by a side villain, albeit a supernatural one, and albeit only briefly. I feel it undermined his character a bit. The rest of that fight was cool, though. Fun to see Splinter disarm his own hypnotized sons. The students are still the students and the master is still the master.
April 12, 2023
Volume 15.
The Turtles are called to Burnow Island to help revive the Utroms in stasis there and meet a new ally in the form of the mutant alligator Leatherhead. Meanwhile, Kitsune puts her plans into motion and attempts to overthrow and murder Splinter using her mind-controlling powers.
This book sees the long-overdue introduction of another classic Turtles character and I 'gah-ron-tee' that it won't disappoint.
Here Leatherhead is given a new backstory and a surprising amount of complexity to his character. In fact, although I know all along that he'd end up being an antagonist, part of me wished that his alliance with the Turtles could genuinely continue and blossom. He's certainly compelling enough to want to see more of.
The second half of the book focuses on the machinations of Kitsune as the discovery of her immortal heritage forces her to reveal her true colours.
I liked how we see Kitsune unleashed, revealing her immense and terrible power, but I also enjoyed seeing her shock at discovering that some of these mere mortals are immune to her manipulations. I particularly liked that Leonardo was unaffected by her powers, having fought his way clear of her mind control the hard way in 'City Fall'.
Definitely one of the more impactful books of the series, featuring two of the most complex and interesting antagonists.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
The Turtles are called to Burnow Island to help revive the Utroms in stasis there and meet a new ally in the form of the mutant alligator Leatherhead. Meanwhile, Kitsune puts her plans into motion and attempts to overthrow and murder Splinter using her mind-controlling powers.
This book sees the long-overdue introduction of another classic Turtles character and I 'gah-ron-tee' that it won't disappoint.
Here Leatherhead is given a new backstory and a surprising amount of complexity to his character. In fact, although I know all along that he'd end up being an antagonist, part of me wished that his alliance with the Turtles could genuinely continue and blossom. He's certainly compelling enough to want to see more of.
The second half of the book focuses on the machinations of Kitsune as the discovery of her immortal heritage forces her to reveal her true colours.
I liked how we see Kitsune unleashed, revealing her immense and terrible power, but I also enjoyed seeing her shock at discovering that some of these mere mortals are immune to her manipulations. I particularly liked that Leonardo was unaffected by her powers, having fought his way clear of her mind control the hard way in 'City Fall'.
Definitely one of the more impactful books of the series, featuring two of the most complex and interesting antagonists.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
September 16, 2020
This was another weird in-between book of sorts as the first half of the story brings in Leatherhead into the contemporary timeline and the second half has Kitsune springing her big move and April O'Neil saving the day with a surprising bit of White Magic.
They've really been hyping up these big mythical beasts of magic that include the likes of Kitsune and strangely enough the Rat King. You know it's going to lead up to the next big story arc (think Technodrome levels), but I'm not entirely sure where this is ultimately going just yet.
They've really been hyping up these big mythical beasts of magic that include the likes of Kitsune and strangely enough the Rat King. You know it's going to lead up to the next big story arc (think Technodrome levels), but I'm not entirely sure where this is ultimately going just yet.
January 1, 2018
I'm slowly getting back into reading this series. Seems like about once a year there's a big sale on ComiXology and I stock up.
I can remember just enough of what's going on that things aren't too frustrating. I enjoyed both of the artists in this volume even though their styles were quite different.
It's interesting to see the split in the core set of protagonists (even though I'm sure it'll all come back to normal at some point).
I can remember just enough of what's going on that things aren't too frustrating. I enjoyed both of the artists in this volume even though their styles were quite different.
It's interesting to see the split in the core set of protagonists (even though I'm sure it'll all come back to normal at some point).
January 14, 2021
Continues to be good. Lots of characters to play with.
May 14, 2022
I just am not pulled in by this arc. Characters make me continue. Art is still good.
July 23, 2022
Good story, good art.
January 10, 2025
An eventful arc with Burnow Island Leatherhead v Utroms and Foot HQ Kitsune v Splinter events. Really made this book hard to put down.
4.25 stars
4.25 stars
April 13, 2025
Another great volume with some twists and turns, a lot darker than the cartoon I recall though
June 24, 2024
Volume 15 of IDW's TMNT includes two main story lines and my favorite art from the series (drawn by Santolouco and Wachter.
The first few issues introduce Leatherhead, his origin, and his relationship with the Utroms. The mystery is rather weak.
What makes this volume worthy of 4 stars is the Kitsune story. I'm still enjoying the Pantheon of characters. Splinter shines again as he visits Kitsune, Jennika, and other characters from the series.
Overall, I like how the series keeps multiple plot-lines moving with plenty of character building, exposition, and action.
The first few issues introduce Leatherhead, his origin, and his relationship with the Utroms. The mystery is rather weak.
What makes this volume worthy of 4 stars is the Kitsune story. I'm still enjoying the Pantheon of characters. Splinter shines again as he visits Kitsune, Jennika, and other characters from the series.
Overall, I like how the series keeps multiple plot-lines moving with plenty of character building, exposition, and action.
September 13, 2016
There's a distinct impression of treading water, this late in the series, and the scripts start to tell rather than show, with overfilled speech balloons as characters reiterate the scant plot to each other.
September 6, 2022
well played indeed
here I am once again
here I am once again
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews