“Yesterday’s” Comic> Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3

Wraparound cover, not a really long comic book. Apparently they couldn’t afford to color the cover.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3

Mirage Studios (March, 1985)

“The Great Chase” and “Epilogue”

WRITERS/ARTISTS: Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird

LETTERER: Kevin Eastman

April and the Turtles escape through the sewers but once the investigation begins the workers will be doing repairs and the cops looking for further evidence. Our heroes must leave their home for a while but they arrived to find smashed mousers and blood but no Master Splinter. In a rage, Raphael goes searching for him while the other continue to move out the essential stuff. Leo calls April to help find a play to stay but her van is mistaken for one just used in a robbery. April is forced to lead the cops through the city to protect her new friends, and just happen to stumble upon the van of the actual robbers, leading to the crooks getting caught and our heroes making it to safety. The guys pass out in her living room from their long day but will stay with her for the time being.

The epilogue tells us what happened to Splinter. The mousers that were being used as part of Baxter’s cover find Splinter and he’s forced to battle them alone until Baxter recalls them to fight the Turtles in the previous issue. Wounded, he’s found by sewer cleaners of the building above, TCRI. When he is able to request they not shoot him to death they take him to the infirmary but the recovered rat is worried about being caught and tries to escape…only to see little brain creatures coming out of the stomachs of three workers!

What they got right: For how early they are in their career the chase part is done well, and given that it’s most of the story it kind of has to. Having what happened to Splinter saved for an epilogue rather than open the story with it was a good move, keeping the reader in the dark with the Turtles but not waiting forever to show what happened, plus setting up later events.

What they got wrong: Having crooks using a van that’s a dead ringer for April’s is one doozy of a coincidence. Also worried that having the actual Volkswagen symbol on it could open them up to trouble if they found out. I checked IDW’s colored version (reviewed when it came out) and surprisingly they left it in. Also the story really benefited from the colors but that wasn’t an option for an indie comic in 1985. That’s kind of expensive, and even the covers aren’t in color yet.

What I think overall: It looks like they’re set to make an actual series out of this. I wonder how long it will last? 🙂