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.
