Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #8 Review

 

Writer: Erik Burnham

Artist: Sarah Myer

Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Cover Artists: Sarah Myer; Travis Hymel; Esau & Isaac Escorza

Publisher: IDW

Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 27, 2023

 

Wingnut and Screwloose once used a mind-altering device to turn people into zombies and unleashed a robot cockroach on New York City. How will they try to take over the world this time? Let's order a pizza, tune into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #8, and find out!

 

Story

April discovers Screwloose and Wingnut assembling a strange device. When the turtles rush to her aid, their alien foes activate the device. At least they try to. Sadly, the kit they ordered didn’t come with all the parts!

 

Watching the battle from Dimension Z, Mr. Ogg is unhappy with what he sees. The cosmic imp takes issue not with Screwloose and Wingnut's nefarious scheme but with the turtles' banter. As a master of illusion, Ogg particularly objects to how they continually break the fourth wall. He takes them to court, acting as judge, defense counsel, prosecutor, and jury.

 

In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #8, Leonardo gets overwhelmed by The Magnificent Ogg’s machinations. While Raffael doesn't attempt to deal rationally with an irrational opponent, he's no happier to be drawn into court proceedings than your average juror. Donatello seems more interested in how Mr. Ogg transported them and populated his courtroom than why the imp’s doing all this. That leaves Michaelangelo to ask the zillion-dollar question. The imp-dude has cosmic powers. Wouldn't he rather chew up some old porcelain instead?

 

 

Erik Burnham’s story riffs on two animated classics: Zach And the Alien Invaders and Mr. Ogg Goes To Town. Despite its silly nature, the story forces the turtles to use brainpower rather than rely on their ninja skills. It reminds us that having everything we want won’t necessarily make us happy. If the proposed solution to Ogg’s ills can't provide lasting happiness, it may help the imp to discover what he needs.

 

Art

From a high-tech computer console in a brick warehouse utilizing interior columns to a historic wooden courtroom with a symbolic portrait of Ogg on the wall, and finally, to an organic space platform that evokes a sea creature, Sarah Myer adds visual interest to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #8. While Wingnut and Screwloose lack menace, Myer gives the latter an impressive 3D effect on the first page. Pointy ears, a long nose, and extravagant costumes suggest that, despite Ogg’s magnificent powers, he’s got a lot of growing up to do. Caught between a Triple Ogg argument, Leonardo, Raffael, Donatello, and Michaelangelo’s expressions and mannerisms reveal how out of depth they are.

 

 

Luis Antonio Delgado’s vibrant colors make every panel pop in Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #8. Ed Dukeshire’s black and colored dialogue in white balloons is easy to read, and his sound effects help us hear teleportation, malfunctioning computerized machines, and a banging gavel. Thanks to my compadres at IDW for providing a copy of this cowabunga issue for review.

 

Final Thoughts

While tackling an all-too-familiar malaise, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #8 reminds us to look inward to find solutions to our problems rather than look for others to blame.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.