TMNT Saturday Morning Adventures Continued # 3

 By Mark Rodriguez

The Turtles defeated the Rat King, who temporarily had control over them instead of rats. Even though they won that battle, the Shredder got away with some sort of stone he stole from TCRI. The Turtles still have to find out what exactly that was.

The issue starts with the Turtles piloting a sub underwater. Michealangelo explains that after they returned the stuff they stole from TCRI (under the Rat King's influence), Professor McGuffin asks them for a favor. He had sent a probe to inspect some abnormal activity on the ocean floor but it never returned. Leonardo offers to help and when they return he can answer more questions about something else that was stolen. 

Donatello explains he is also curious as to what they'll find. Just then something large bumps into them. The sub has external sensors and it seems what hit them was a giant mechanical squid. With the navigation equipment damaged, Donatello can't tell where they are and where they're going. Michealangelo points towards an underwater city encased in a giant dome.

The sub manages to enter the city where several fish men rush over to investigate. A few minutes later, the Turtles are welcomed to Turtlantis and meet King Lodrom and Queen Kallista. Leonardo asks if there's a connection to Atlantis. The King rants against Atlantis and their King Alim before the Queen hushes him up. The King gets back on track and asks the Turtles where they come from.

Leonardo introduces himself and the others and explains they come from a city on the surface and they're looking for a missing scientific probe. The Queen says they found the probe and left the mechanosquid out to see if anyone would come for it. She also mentioned that the signal is blocked while they have it. The King is glad the search party turned out to be more turtles. He determines they're warriors based on their weapons. The King would be happy to return the probe but first he needs their help.

Later on, Raphael asks Leonardo why he accepted to help the King as gladiators. Leonardo says not to worry since they only have one champion to defeat. Raphael says pitting four against one makes this champion seem more dangerous. Leonardo is confident they can take him down with their ninja skills. Michealangelo gets dressed in a very particular outfit and Raphael says he won't go out there until he changes that outfit.

The turtles are finally armed and ready and head out to the arena. The King introduces the new challengers to the audience. He then calls out for the champion who will not leave until he's defeated in battle. The Turtles are surprised to see that the champion is none other than Slash.

Donatello asks Slash how he got to Turtlantis and Raphael says they don't have space for another flashback. Slash explains he was hiding out in a barge when he saw something shiny in the water. It was the mechanosquid which brought him to the guards and to the arena. He explains that Turtlantis has laws where their champion is even higher than the King. He says he's never leaving and they can't make him. 

Donatello says Slash is too strong for them to take down, but his story gave him an idea. He says he'll go talk to the King and Queen while the rest distract him. Michealangelo gets Slash's attention and he swings his giant mallet at him. Leonardo comes in to slice the hammer's head off saying he can't hit them without it. Slash then smacks Leonardo into a wall with the hammer's handle.

Donatello uses the spear he grabbed as his gladiator weapon to spring himself upwards towards the King and Queen. He asks the King that since his guards grabbed Slash above ground, if this meant they they're amphibious. The King confirms that he is. Donatello says he has an idea to make Slash leave on his own, but he'd have to destroy the dome over the city. The Queen suggests to open the vents at the entrance gate and let the water flow in but asks how that will help. Donatello says to leave the city underwater for a few weeks and they'll see.

Slash tosses Leonardo into his brothers. Donatello runs in and says they need to head back to the sub now. Leonardo says they can't just run now. Donatello tells them to trust him since he has a plan. Michealangelo gets on all fours and Leonardo and Raphael shove Slash back, making him trip over him. 

The Turtles run towards the sub with Slash in pursuit, telling them he can still beat them up outside of the arena. They make it to the sub and Donatello shuts down some metal doors to keep Slash out, though it won't hold him for long. Donatello finds the vent controls and open them for the entire city.

Slash breaks through the metal doors and the Turtles get into the sub. As the sub leaves the city, Slash grabs onto it and is still along for the ride. The Turtles see Slash trying to punch his way into the sub and Donatello tells everyone to hang on tight. 

Donatello makes the sub spin and Slash loses his grip and is knocked back. Raphael tells Donatello to stop the spinning since Slash is gone. Michealangelo thanks Donnie, which surprises his brother with calling him that. Michealangelo says it takes up less space and Donatello likes the nickname. Leonardo asks if they think Slash will return to Turtlantis. Donatello says he told the King and Queen to leave the city flooded for a while since Slash can't hold his breath underwater forever. Donatello just realizes that they forgot the probe.

Raphael asks if they can just go back to get it. Donatello explains the probe's signal is still blocked and the sub's tracking equipment was damaged by the mechanosquid earlier. They won't be able to find the city again. Leonardo asks if they're stuck at sea. Donatello says they just have to head west until they hit the coast and they can use the sun to guide them. Donatello feels bad they have nothing to show for this whole mess. Leonardo says they still have the armor from a lost civilization that McGuffin can study. They do wonder where Slash ended up.

Slash washed up on a small island with a big palm tree. Slash swears to crush the Turtles someday but now he's happy with his palm tree, which reminds him of his binky.

My Thoughts- 

The first thing I'm sure most of you noticed was the fact that the art looks exactly the way it did in the old cartoon. It's so amazing that when the artist showed a preview of a panel a month or so ago, I thought it was some scene from the show from one of the few episodes that I missed. 

The story was interesting and sorta random. While the ongoing plot thread of Shredder's plan continues, this adventure in itself is a single issue story so it's kinda rushed. The Turtles pretty much arrive to Turtlantis, get thrown around by Slash for a page or two and then head out to escape the city rather quickly. It could have been longer or another 2-parter. It also didn't help that besides showing off all the variant covers, they also added a 5-page preview of some new IDW series called The Hunger and the Dusk. I'd rather see more of the Turtles fighting with Slash and maybe a page or two of the Turtles checking out Turtlantis.

Either way, it was cool to see Slash again, even if the 80's cartoon version isn't as insane as the original action figure concept. I still never get why they went with that weird metal bandana thing rather than just giving him the black bandana from the action figure. 

Slash only had three appearances in the old show. His first episode explained how Bebop and Rocksteady mutated the former's pet turtle in hopes of having him do their chores for them. They kept him in line with Slash's 'binky', his palm tree from when he was a regular turtle. Bebop lost it and Slash went nuts. He was stuck in a rocket ship in Dimension X, and his return episode "Donatello Trashes Slash" ends with him returning to said rocket ship. His final appearance was in "Night of the Rogues" alongside other villains and that episode ended up with everyone getting away. With Slash back on Earth it kinda makes sense he would end up in Turtlantis, so it works.

The comic had a lot of interesting references and the by-now expected 4th wall breaking humor. Michelangelo gets to call Donatello 'Donnie', a nickname that we're so used to hearing in other versions but was never used in the 80's cartoon. The funny part is the 90's live action movies also used their nicknames and somehow it didn't feel weird, despite the show still using their full names all the time.

Of course the most random reference was Michealangelo dressing up like The Last Ronin, which is in fact, Michealangelo in a much darker setting. Out of all the references, I was never expecting that one.

We'll see what happens next issue as this cartoon-accurate art style continues. I can't wait!