Let's get ready to rumbllllllleeeeee!!!
Mother of pearl! I just finished reading the annual and putting some thought into how I felt about it and I have to say, I friggin' loved it! Why am I all exclamation marks? Well, let's find out.
First of all the story. According to the book it was written by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz, usually listed the other way round in the issues of the regular series so I'm guessing that Waltz assisted Eastman for once. The story is great. Without giving too much away the Turtles find themselves transported to another world where there is a gladiatorial contest. It's a neat concept that leads to the Turtles fighting it out with a lot of enemies and helping in a revolt. Fantastic concept.
As for the art, well, it's Kevin Eastman. His art isn't the prettiest but as always he delivers a style that fits what the story is trying to do here. Eastman`s style is definitely his own and it is such a good marriage to the tone of the book. I love it and any oldschool Turtles fan will love the classic look. Also, Ronda Pattison`s coloring is fantastic. It's amazing to see how well she picks colors matching Eastman`s style. It works very well.
All-in-all the only complaint I have is that the book is a bit pricey. It comes in at $8.00 which is a bit steep but honestly, I felt I got my money`s worth. I don't know if new fans will enjoy it as much as it feels very much like an 80's issue of Mirage, but it is a seriously fun read and I suggest if you're a Turtles fan to give a try. Probably my book of the year, so far. Buy and cherish it.