Writer: Erik Burnham
Artist: Dan Schoening
Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Cover Artists: Dan Schoening & Luis Antonio Delgado; Felipe Cunha
Publisher: IDW
Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 17, 2024
The Turtles defeated Ogg The Magnificent and returned to Earth. (Or, more accurately, the comic's creative team overruled the puny porcelain partaker, but who's complaining?) No sooner do the Turtles resume their neighborhood night watch than a portal opens atop a New York City high-rise, and three musicians from a Martian Shakespearian band appear. (Remember, you’ve never heard Sonnet 18 until you’ve heard it in the original Martian!) Can the Turtles wrap up these Martian minstrels before Perry’s Pizza closes for the evening? Let's tune into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #15 and find out!
Story
In Erik Burnham's previous issue, Ogg pitted the Turtles against their most remarkable Saturday Morning foes from the past, present, and future. The magnificent munchkin didn't consider that future enemies might not know the Turtles now. Consider the Rat Queen, who repulsed the Rat King's advances before Ogg whisked her back to the Citadel and promised to flay the IDW marketing department for not expanding the comics’ brand to the Pantheon’s pocket dimension.
Ogg’s no Metron, but he allowed the intergalactic crime syndicate to watch the Rat Queen’s brief adventure in Dimension Z. Drako, Aka, Manmoth, the Rat Queen, and Golgotha discuss the Turtles’ merits in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #15, but their leader is the gangster with a plan. They're living the good life in the Citadel, and he doesn't want to move their cozy castle. He suggests they relocate their business activities to some backwater planet to avoid notice by the intergalactic authorities. Then, they can chill in the Citadel and not risk discovery by smuggling illegal goods in and out of their pocket dimension.
Of all Earth’s heroes, the Pantheon’s leader worries most about the Turtles. The half-shell heroes have a penchant for rooting out extraterrestrial visitors to their planet. What better way to occupy the Turtles' than with a diversion? Enter the Troubladours, who have a way with wind and string instruments and an appetite for destruction.
While the Pantheon assesses Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo’s strengths and weaknesses in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #15, they make the same mistake as previous enemies. Michaelangelo has a rocky history. Sometimes, his uncomplicated worldview allows him to see the solution without getting lost in overthinking. At others, his easygoing attitude lets enemies lull him into a false sense of security. As in the first two rounds of the odious Ogg’s three-part contest, Michaelangelo will play the crucial role. Yes, he may be a doof. But as the Pantheon perceives, that doesn’t mean he can’t inspire his brothers.
Art
Energy rises from the center of a round table to summon four virtual screens showcasing Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo. A dragon clicks his talons and clutches his wine glass as he cranes his head with his long neck. An owl strokes her face and flutters her long eyelashes. An elephant with wrapped forearms squeezes grip strengtheners while the Rat Queen gives one of her charges a nut. An octopus in a hooded cloak smiles as it sharpens a knife and pours red wine into a glass. Old Hob slams his furry hand against the green baize, knocking over his wine glass. Like Emilio Largo in Thunderball, staining his white suit seems the least of his concerns.
Luis Antonio Delgado lavishes a loaded palette on Dan Schoening’s fanciful characters in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #15. The brightly colored good guys and gangsters stand out amid a lavender briefing room, a purple New York night, and a blue dance floor that reflects balloons and streamers. While Raphael is Stayin’ Alive in his white leather jacket, a red, purple, and black DJ spins the tunes for a vast cast of Jive Talkin' villains before a light blue haze descends, and the boogie baddies engulf Michelangelo.
Ed Dukeshire's uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons will please mirrorball lovers of any age. Words rarely shrink and embolden for inflection, while they swell and change color for raised voices. Colored block letters introduce characters and time/space changes. Energetic and colorful sound effects help us hear portals open to allow interdimensional travel, discharge energy weapons, and forcefields repel attackers. Thanks to my compadres at IDW for providing a copy of this cowabunga issue for review.
Final Thoughts
When an intergalactic crime syndicate needs a new base of operations, the villains pose as heroes to divert the Turtles’ annoying instincts for heroism in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #15.
Rating 9.8/10
To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
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