Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- Battle Nexus # 1

 By Mark Rodriguez

Multiverses are everywhere nowadays. While the concept has been around for a while, nowadays the multiverses are more about different versions of long-running franchises running into each other. Where before it might be case of Batman running into an evil Batman or a cyborg Batman, now it would be more like Micheal Keaton Batman meeting Adam West Batman. This time the IDW Turtles enter the Battle Nexus and run into characters from different versions of the TMNT franchise. Let's see what happens!

 

"Battle Nexus" opens in the Battle Nexus, a floating asteroid located outside of space and time that hosts the most celebrated fighting tournament in all realities. The tournament was once a bloody gladiator contest between warriors plucked from their universes unwillingly. Currently the tournament has become respected and celebrated across the multiverse. Elite champions are recruited by the Dimensional Council which is overseen by Lord Simultaneous from the 79th Dimension of Null-Time. The fighters join to test their skills making the tournament something noble and honorable... but that is about to change.

Currently in New York, the Turtles are facing off against Bebop and Rocksteady. The Turtles are tossed against a food cart, wrecking it. The owner complains and Bebop tells him he can just grab another cart. Rocksteady has the umbrella that used to be part of the cart and launches it towards the Turtles like a javelin. Leo slices it in half right out of the air with his sword.

 

Rocksteady stomps his foot on the ground, knocking the Turtles off their feet from the vibrations. Raphael tosses his sai at them, but it just bounces off Rocksteady's thick skin. The commentary explains the Turtles have been separated recently which have affected their confidence in battle. Leonardo says this is getting stupid and they don't really need this fight. 

Michaelangelo asks them what their problem is. Bebop says the Turtles were harassing them when they were just trying to get some food. Leonardo says they were just passing by. The food cart owner says they were collecting insurance from him. The Turtles realize they were running a protection racket and Raph asks them if Karai knows about their side hustle. As the Turtles talk about telling Karai, a portal opens up behind them as two voices bicker with each other. The portal sucks the Turtles within it and vanishes, leaving Bebop and Rocksteady behind. They think the Turtles ran off as cowards.

 

The Turtles arrive in a new location as they ponder the evil energy they felt within the wormhole. Donatello thinks he knows where they are but something seems to be really wrong. Just then a voice tells them drop their weapons willingly or they will be forced to. A ninja fox woman armed with a sword approaches them. Leonardo tells Raph she looks like his type. Raph says she won't be getting his weapons and he charges at her. The woman says he made the wrong choice, and she easily takes him down. She quickly defeats the other Turtles until a voice calls for her to stand down.

A demonic looking being calls the woman 'Ninjara' and says they don't want the Turtles to lose their life or limbs before the main event. Ninjara stands down. The Turtles are confused but Michaelangelo recognizes the demonic figure as Savanti Romero (even though he mispronounces his name as Savanti Sombrero). Donatello asks where's Renet. Savanti tells Ninjara that no matter which versions they encounter, the purple-masked Turtle is always the smartest one.

 

Savanti introduces a new and improved Battle Nexus Tournament. In his quest to become the Lord of Time, he was always run into three constants that get in his way. The first are a variation of the four Turtles. The second is the Dimensional Council led by his former mentor, Lord Simultaneous. Simultaneous tells him he fired him 40 years ago and he should get a job. Savanti continues to explain, adding that the third constant was Renet, and we see that she is chained up, just like the council members.

Savanti says they are three constants he summoned today so he can erase them from existence, with the help of his reigning champion. Savanti uses his scepter to summon him and the Turtles are surprised as they see who it is. The champion is Slash. Michaelangelo is confused since Slash died some time back in a nuclear blast. Savanti says it wasn't easy but it wasn't impossible to bring him here. Leonardo asks what he did to him. Savanti says that explanations can wait and it's time to start the party with the blue-masked leader of the crew.

 

Savanti zaps the other Turtles, telling them that the main event is one on one. The Turtles are chained up like the others. Donatello points out that the staff Savanti has is similar to Renet's, and Michaelangelo says it's like an evil version of it. Savanti tells Leonardo that the rules are simple, if he wins he goes free, and if he loses he suffers the fate of the others. Leonardo says he doesn't know about 'the others' but he won't fight his friend.

Suddenly something hit Leonardo, knocking him back. The voice tells him that Slash won't be his opponent. Leonardo is surprised to see that he'll be facing off against the Mirage version of The Shredder!!

 

Back Up Story- 

Mr. Ogg introduces himself and is holding his own Battle Nexus separate from what Savanti is doing. While the Battle Nexus can work any warriors, the Turtles usually do well at the merch stand. Mr. Ogg walks past several versions of Raphael, including the Nightwatcher, the Mirage version and even the Coming Out Of Their Shells tour version. The Last Ronin version of Mikey grabs Ogg and demands to know why he's there. Ogg says he's incredibly marketable. 

 

Ogg explains he will make different versions of the Turtles go up against each other for his own amusement. The Half-Shell Heroes version of Raph says he'll bet '50 clams' on the Last Ronin winning it all and Ogg shoos him away.

My Thoughts- 

So this is pretty much the starter issue to explain the overall premise so we can hop into the action next issue. The comic is pretty cut and dry but pretty much Savanti is running a tournament to wipe out his enemies. Based on how he mentions different versions of Donatello and Leonardo, it seems he's taking down different versions of the Turtles one (or rather four) at a time, and now he's after the IDW versions. The Bebop and Rocksteady kinda/sorta fight in the beginning was clearly there to pad out the comic and have at least a little action in an issue mostly meant to explain everything.

It's not much of a spoiler by now that Savanti's crew is going to consist of Mirage Shredder, IDW Slash, 2012 version of Metalhead and Ninjara. I'm wondering why not just use Archie Ninjara instead of giving her a new IDW design. One possible reason is there's more leeway with a new version to be working with Savanti so you avoid the 'why is Archie Ninjara a bad guy now' question. And yes, I realize she was first introduced as a bad guy working under Chien Khan, but her being a good guy is a much more popular take for the Archie fans.

 

I do like the double shout out when Leo teased Raph about Ninjara. On one side, Raph was involved with Alopex, a fellow fox woman. On the other side it's a reference to the Archie versions of Raph and Ninjara being a couple for a while as well. It seems Raph goes for the fox women but he has trouble keeping them. 

Overall the selection is a bit odd and underwhelming. Considering this a multiverse event, two of these opponents are Slash from the same universe as the Turtles, and a missed opportunity of not using the Archie version. Then we have the 2012 version of Metalhead... which is also odd since he was never a bad guy in the cartoon. I guess he was reprogrammed somehow? Honestly the most interesting character is Mirage Shredder. He looks like the original issue 1 version rather than the worm clone from later on. I wonder if he's aware that he was meant to die that one night against the Turtles and he's been given a chance at a longer life for the time being. I'm assuming at the end he'll be whisked back to his own time without any memory of all this, or else he's gonna be 10 times more prepared to face the Turtles this time around.

I seen complaints about Mirage Shredder being portrayed as literally black and white to represent the black and white Mirage comics, but they're being doing that since Turtles Forever. I'm sure it's just a reference 'for our benefit' rather than the character being black and white in-universe. So far none of the visiting characters have ever called out the Mirage characters or overall Mirage universe as being black and white. 

 

Each issue will have a back up story where Mr. Ogg pits different versions of the Turtles against each other. The 90's Movie Turtles VS the Mutant Mayhem Turtles, the 80's Turtles VS the Archie Turtles, the Mirage Turtles VS the Rise Turtles and the 2003 Turtles VS the 2012 Turtles. To be honest, this story sounds more interesting and more 'multiversey' than the main story.

We'll see what happens next issue as this will be a 5 issue mini-series. I seen complaints about not much happening in this issue, but this was the set up issue. The next 4 issues will be focused on one Turtle going up against their designated opponents. Hopefully there'll be more multiverse cameos, but that remains to be seen. 

Another thing that came to mind is that with Savanti calling this 'the main event', this might be a situation where the IDW Turtles are the end of the line. If they lose, it might be all over.