Scan barcode
A review by stephen_arvidson
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Volume 2 by Dean Clarrain, Ryan Brown
4.0
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, Volume 2, collecting Issues #5-8 of the Archie series, marks a welcome departure from its original source material: the late-80s TV show. Up until this point, readers have been treated to bland retreads of cartoon episodes from the first two seasons. Thankfully, the torch hath been henceforth passed into the capable hands of Dean Clarrain (actually Steve Murphy in disguise) and Ryan Brown, who together decided that the series could be far more compelling, both conceptually and tonally, serving up original stories, sympathetic characters, and riveting arcs, often with a socially-conscious message. Several mainstay villains would later be abandoned—‘cuz let’s face it, how many times can readers be enthralled by the Shredder and Krang’s bumbling attempts at global domination, or Rocksteady and Bebop’s ham-fisted buffoonery?
TMNT Adventures, Volume 2 introduces new allies—Man Ray, Leatherhead, Wingnut and Screwloose (who would later form the Mighty Mutanimals)—and such otherworldly concepts as the disembodied transdimensional cow’s head christened Cudley the Cowlick. Readers also catch a first glimpse of Stump Asteroid and the Intergalactic Wrestling Federation, the Turtles' gaudy wrestling costumes, and the polluted Earth of the grim future. If you’re a bleeding-heart liberal like me, then you won’t be bothered by the series’ recurrent nods to environmentalist themes and animal-rights morals. If you’re not, then brace yourself for some heavy-handed info-dumps warning you about how unchecked pollution will either destroy the Earth or incur Mother Nature's wrath.
“Something Fishy Goes Down”, Volume 2's inaugural issue, is a rather run-of-the-mill escapade with no discernible twists or turns, a stand-alone story with an anodyne plot worthy of the cartoon series. An eccentric aquarium employee with a hard-on for mantas and a limp tumescence for toxic pollution is accidentally exposed to yet another wayward container of the Shredder’s trademark mutagen, transforming him into a large mutant ray. Man Ray aids the Turtles in foiling Shredder’s terrorist plot against Our Lady Liberty. The storyline is solid yet much too convenient for my tastes, and the ineffectual torpedo that merely ricochets off the Shredder’s submarine is enough to put Michael Bay to tears. On the other hand, this issue is more stirring than any of the previous installments, though it's the weakest of the four stories contained in Volume 2. To Clarrain and Brown’s credit, it’s their first foray of the series, and they really do hit their stride with the next tale.
“Of Turtles and Stones and Mary Bones” not only introduces the character of Leatherhead, but sets up an impending story arc that will culminate in a galactic battle several issues down the road. Jess Hartley, a desperate thief from the bayou swipes a mysterious crystal ball from a swamp witch named Mary Bones. As punishment for stealing the Turnstone, the sorceress uses the powerful orb to transform Harley into an alligator-man. Seizing the opportunity, Shredder fools the gullible gator into ambushing the Turtles. Although Leatherhead’s convenient fall into Shredder’s hideout felt overly contrived, his origin story is satisfying enough, particularly when the witch’s true intentions are eventually made clear.
Artist staffer Jim Lawson briefly stands in for Ken Mitchroney to pencil Issue #7, “Intergalactic Wrestling”, though his bloated and angular depictions of the characters stand in stark contrast to Mitchroney’s more whimsical portrayals. Lawson also employs more exaggerated facial expressions and inflated features, which surprisingly works in this case given the story's drastic change in scenery—from the sewers of New York City to the far-out arenas of Stump Asteroid, where the reluctant Turtles are recruited by aliens in the form of money-loving flora to fight in a cosmic wrestling match. Most of these newly introduced characters are gimmicky—and what the heck's up with the body-building man-duck sporting a banana-hammock?! Issue #7 adds substantively to this TMNT universe, distancing itself even further from the cartoon show, and forging its own continuity with characters exclusive to this series.
Volume 2’s final issue, “Wild Things”, is set amidst a torrential downpour as the Turtles, fresh from their return from Stump Asteroid, are accosted by a humanoid bat-creature named Wingnut and an oversized mosquito named Screwloose. Despite the heavy rains, this flying duo seemingly gets their kicks from hurling rocks at Manhattan skylights. The Turtles make quick work of the alien vandals, but Mr. Stump has big plans for the pair. As Screwloose divulges, Wingnut’s alien race was violently brought to extinction during Krang’s invasion of the planet Huanu. Wingnut’s back-story is surprisingly deep, yet regrettably it’s given only a cursory exam when the potential clearly existed for more expansive arcs. Still, within the confines of this issue, it works perfectly as a motivational factor for the two characters and firmly establishes Krang as a more ruthless threat beyond that of a hackneyed supervillain.
The volume’s key setback for me, though, is the self-containing formula in which new characters are introduced at the onset of each issue but then conveniently tossed aside at the conclusion, thus typecasting these stories as one-offs. But where Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, Volume 2 lacks in functionality it makes up for in gnarly world-building that largely succeeds in distinguishing this series from that of the cartoon. At a glance, the stories are juvenile and the characterizations superficial—perfect for younger audiences—but a deeper analysis reveals some underlying themes and hidden details that adult readers are likely to appreciate.
TMNT Adventures, Volume 2 introduces new allies—Man Ray, Leatherhead, Wingnut and Screwloose (who would later form the Mighty Mutanimals)—and such otherworldly concepts as the disembodied transdimensional cow’s head christened Cudley the Cowlick. Readers also catch a first glimpse of Stump Asteroid and the Intergalactic Wrestling Federation, the Turtles' gaudy wrestling costumes, and the polluted Earth of the grim future. If you’re a bleeding-heart liberal like me, then you won’t be bothered by the series’ recurrent nods to environmentalist themes and animal-rights morals. If you’re not, then brace yourself for some heavy-handed info-dumps warning you about how unchecked pollution will either destroy the Earth or incur Mother Nature's wrath.
“Something Fishy Goes Down”, Volume 2's inaugural issue, is a rather run-of-the-mill escapade with no discernible twists or turns, a stand-alone story with an anodyne plot worthy of the cartoon series. An eccentric aquarium employee with a hard-on for mantas and a limp tumescence for toxic pollution is accidentally exposed to yet another wayward container of the Shredder’s trademark mutagen, transforming him into a large mutant ray. Man Ray aids the Turtles in foiling Shredder’s terrorist plot against Our Lady Liberty. The storyline is solid yet much too convenient for my tastes, and the ineffectual torpedo that merely ricochets off the Shredder’s submarine is enough to put Michael Bay to tears. On the other hand, this issue is more stirring than any of the previous installments, though it's the weakest of the four stories contained in Volume 2. To Clarrain and Brown’s credit, it’s their first foray of the series, and they really do hit their stride with the next tale.
“Of Turtles and Stones and Mary Bones” not only introduces the character of Leatherhead, but sets up an impending story arc that will culminate in a galactic battle several issues down the road. Jess Hartley, a desperate thief from the bayou swipes a mysterious crystal ball from a swamp witch named Mary Bones. As punishment for stealing the Turnstone, the sorceress uses the powerful orb to transform Harley into an alligator-man. Seizing the opportunity, Shredder fools the gullible gator into ambushing the Turtles. Although Leatherhead’s convenient fall into Shredder’s hideout felt overly contrived, his origin story is satisfying enough, particularly when the witch’s true intentions are eventually made clear.
Artist staffer Jim Lawson briefly stands in for Ken Mitchroney to pencil Issue #7, “Intergalactic Wrestling”, though his bloated and angular depictions of the characters stand in stark contrast to Mitchroney’s more whimsical portrayals. Lawson also employs more exaggerated facial expressions and inflated features, which surprisingly works in this case given the story's drastic change in scenery—from the sewers of New York City to the far-out arenas of Stump Asteroid, where the reluctant Turtles are recruited by aliens in the form of money-loving flora to fight in a cosmic wrestling match. Most of these newly introduced characters are gimmicky—and what the heck's up with the body-building man-duck sporting a banana-hammock?! Issue #7 adds substantively to this TMNT universe, distancing itself even further from the cartoon show, and forging its own continuity with characters exclusive to this series.
Volume 2’s final issue, “Wild Things”, is set amidst a torrential downpour as the Turtles, fresh from their return from Stump Asteroid, are accosted by a humanoid bat-creature named Wingnut and an oversized mosquito named Screwloose. Despite the heavy rains, this flying duo seemingly gets their kicks from hurling rocks at Manhattan skylights. The Turtles make quick work of the alien vandals, but Mr. Stump has big plans for the pair. As Screwloose divulges, Wingnut’s alien race was violently brought to extinction during Krang’s invasion of the planet Huanu. Wingnut’s back-story is surprisingly deep, yet regrettably it’s given only a cursory exam when the potential clearly existed for more expansive arcs. Still, within the confines of this issue, it works perfectly as a motivational factor for the two characters and firmly establishes Krang as a more ruthless threat beyond that of a hackneyed supervillain.
The volume’s key setback for me, though, is the self-containing formula in which new characters are introduced at the onset of each issue but then conveniently tossed aside at the conclusion, thus typecasting these stories as one-offs. But where Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, Volume 2 lacks in functionality it makes up for in gnarly world-building that largely succeeds in distinguishing this series from that of the cartoon. At a glance, the stories are juvenile and the characterizations superficial—perfect for younger audiences—but a deeper analysis reveals some underlying themes and hidden details that adult readers are likely to appreciate.