TMNT Adventures #26 – November 1991

The Keeper

Credits: Dan Berger (plot/inks), Doug Brammer (script), Ken Mitchroney (pencils), Gary Fields (letters), Barry Grossman (colors)

This is a filler issue; the first one in the book’s run so far. The story opens with Splinter receiving a message from T’Pau, the Yeti, while meditating. T’Pau warns Splinter of an alien that’s targeting other rare creatures around the planet. T’Pau asks for the aid of the Ninja Turtles, and Splinter agrees. The Turtles are up for the task, except for Michelangelo, who wants to stay home, watch cartoons, and eat pizza.

Splinter guilts him into going along because the “code of the ninja” demands they help others. (I thought ninjas were the assassins and criminals and samurai were supposed to be the honorable warriors?) Somehow, Splinter and the Turtles suddenly disappear and rematerialize in Tibet. This is a bit of a copout, as Splinter earlier claimed that the Turtles were going to find some way to fly to Tibet. It’s soon revealed that the alien teleported them closer to his location, but I think seeing the Turtles trying to sneak their way on board a flight to Tibet would’ve been much more interesting.

Anyway, the Turtles enter T’Pau’s lair, and discover he’s the captive of the alien.

The alien blasts the Turtles with a ray and they disappear, leaving Michelangelo alone. He gives the alien a decent beating, but the alien manages to push a button on his glove that makes everyone disappear. Michelangelo wakes up in a cell with T’Pau. They fight some security guards and make their way to the alien’s command center. There, they learn that Splinter and the rest of the Turtles are fine.

The alien is named Boss Salvage, and now that his translator is working, he explains that he’s just taking rare animals, such as the Loch Ness Monster, to safety. Why? Because (oh, here it comes) our Earth is horribly polluted, we’re all fools, and the planet is doomed. T’Pau argues with Boss Salvage, saying that people are starting to pay attention and help the Earth (one of the useful activities shown to help the environment actually includes protesting a nuclear power plant). Boss Salvage realizes that we can all make a difference and sends everyone home, making this the bestest Earth Day ever.

Review in a Half-Shell: This reminds of the type of story the cartoon used to do, except for the overblown preachiness that’s tacked on to the end. It’s not a very strong story in the first place, and adding yet another heavy-handed environmental message to the end makes the creators seem monumentally self-unaware. At least Ken Mitchroney’s back, though.

Pizza References: Michelangelo is rewarded at the end, as the Turtles are returned home just as April O’Neil arrives with their pizzas.

Questions

Credits: Dean Clarrain (script), Garrett Ho (pencils), Gary Fields (letters), Allison Flood (inks), Barry Grossman (colors)

April O’Neil tracks down the men who kidnapped Fu Sheng and Chu Hsi, but she can’t find her friends. Splinter appears and tries to interrogate one of the kidnappers, but he’s afraid of his ninja employers. Suddenly, Storm Shadow a ninja in a white outfit dramatically enters.

Review in a Half-Shell: This is only five pages long, and the only plot advancement is Splinter’s sudden arrival. I suspect one reason why I didn’t care for these backups as a kid is the number of months it took for the story to go anywhere.