THE LAST RONIN II RE-EVOLUTION
Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and Tom Waltz, 232 Pages
More than a decade after the Last Ronin defeated the Foot Clan, New York City finds itself in a state of steady decline. Now, the disparate gangs vie for economic and political control, and the ensuing chaos is taking its toll. It’s clear to Casey Marie that if something isn’t done soon, the city she knows and loves will be lost forever. So, whether they’re ready or not, she and her young pupils must raise a new coalition and lead the charge to keep the peace. Witness the rise of the next generation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as they fight to restore peace to the streets they live below!
Collecting The Last Ronin II Re-Evolution #1-5
THE LAST RONIN LOST YEARS
Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and Tom Waltz, 208 Pages
Secrets about the Last Ronin’s final battle come to light—while a new generation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes to life! In Lost Years, original miniseries writers Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz join artist Ben Bishop (TMNT: The Last Ronin) and SL Gallant (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero) to finally reveal what adventures the Last Ronin experienced during his vengeful journey. While in the present, a new master, Casey Marie Jones, prepares her young terrapin students to be the next generation of . . . Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
Collects The Last Ronin Lost Years #1-5, and The Last Day Special
In this optional book club, participating students will take a deep dive into character analysis by looking at the THE LAST RONIN, the only surviving Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, as he is on a quest for revenge in a dystopian future. Each student will read three TLR collections, in the following order: The Last Ronin (collecting the original five-issue mini series), The Last Ronin Lost Years (collecting the five-issue prequel/sequel series), and The Last Ronin II Re-evolution (collecting the five-issue sequel series). All three collections were conceptualized and written by the original TMNT creators, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laid, as well as Tom Waltz. The primary artists were Ben Bishop, and the Escorza brothers. We will spend ten days on each collection. Before reading, students are strongly encouraged to watch TMNT animated shows (Netflix), as well as read additional material from Mr. Tubach's personal collection. TURTLE POWER!
ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE PARENT/GUARDIAN PERMISSION TO PARTICIPATE, AND PURCHASE THEIR OWN COPIES OF ALL THREE COLLECTIONS.
After participating in this OPTIONAL book club, students will develop a thesis that answers one of the following questions: Is the last ronin suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Was the last ronin justified in seeking revenge? Was the last ronin actually able to communicate with his fallen brothers, or was he delusional? In a 1,000+ word essay, students will support their thesis with evidence from The Last Ronin stories. This essay will be in MLA format, and must include a works cited page with at least three sources. Critical thinking skills will be put to the test, as students must include a counter-argument and rebuttal in their essay. To accompany their essay, students will create an original art piece (various mediums are possible) that is DIRECTLY LINKED to their thesis.
THE LAST RONIN Essay and art
T E E N A G E M U T A N T N I N J A T U R T L E S
THE LAST RONIN
Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and Tom Waltz, 224 Pages
Who is the Last Ronin? In a future, battle-ravaged New York City, a lone surviving Turtle embarks on a seemingly hopeless mission seeking justice for the family he lost. From legendary TMNT co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, get ready for the final story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles three decades in the making!What terrible events destroyed his family and left New York a crumbling, post-apocalyptic nightmare? All will be revealed in this climactic Turtle tale that sees longtime friends becoming enemies and new allies emerging in the most unexpected places. Can the surviving Turtle triump?
Colelcts The Last Ronin #1-5.
OPTIONAL COMIC BOOK CLUB THAT MEETS AFTER SCHOOL ON T/TH
TIMELINE AND DETECTIVE BOARD
The Last Ronin is a complex story involving a gritty dystopian future, mutants, ninjas, and an ancient clan feud. There are flashbacks, flashforwards, and a multitude of enigmatic and colorful characters. Each student will work with a partner to take notes in two different ways. First, they will create a timeline of events. This can be on paper or digital. Second, they will create a detective board, which includes characters and their relationships, and how each character's fate plays out in the story. See the generic examples below to get a sense of the expectation.
As a primer for this book club, students are strongly encouraged to watch the 2012 animated series on Netflix, and consume as many other TMNT stories as possible. The original comic series, published by Mirage Comics in the 1980's, is dark and mature, with gritty black and white art. The more recent comic run, published by IDW, focused on connections to Feudal Japan and tells a slightly different origin story. Several movies and TV shows exist, and while they are all different in scope, they always focus on the relationships between the four brothers. See Mr. Tubach for more recommendations or help accessing this content.
The Last Ronin CHARACTERs
