After April O’Neil, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles don’t have a better friend than Casey Jones. Armed with a golf bag full of sporting equipment and his trademark hockey mask, Casey has been helping the TMNT protect New York for years. However, after surviving a near-fatal injury, the vigilante is ready to head back into action in a new solo miniseries.
TMNT: Casey Jones #1 finds the titular hero in a restless mood. A massive heatwave is making things in New York tenser than usual. This pushes him to hit the streets looking for trouble. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t take him long to find it.
Soon, Casey is fighting an old enemy for the sake of a lost girl. This leads him to take up a mission of mercy that no one else will. However, there are sinister forces that could threaten all of Manhattan. And it will fall to Casey Jones to be the hero the city needs when the TMNT aren’t available.
TMNT: Casey Jones #1 hits it out of the park
Despite spinning out of the current IDW TMNT series, this Casey Jones special is immediately accessible to new readers. No previous experience with the franchise in any of its many incarnations is necessary. However, writer Alex Paknadel offers a number of nods to the classic comics. Chief among these is a brief dialogue between Raphael and Casey, which recognizes the close friendship between the two brawlers.
The artwork by artist Amancay Nahuelpa and colorist Luis Antonio simply sings. Nahuelpa captures the grit of TMNT’s Manhattan perfectly and draws one mean action scene. The colors pop on the page, and every panel is electric.
TMNT: Casey Jones #1 is another success story for the IDW TMNT line. Beyond being an excellent continuation of the current series, it is a great comic on its own merits. With amazing art and a solid story, this is sure to please fans of the franchise.
Grade: 10/10
TMNT: Casey Jones #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on September 10, 2025.
