“Yesterday’s” Comic> Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6 (Dreamwave)

Raphael went to the Wolverine school for bird-flipping.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6

Dreamwave Productions (November, 2003)

“Bend It Like Turtles”

WRITER: Peter David

PENCILER: Lesean

INKER: Erik Sander

COLORISTS: Shaun Curtis, Rob Ruffolo, Ramil Sunga, & Winter Bell

FLATS: Kenny Li

LETTERER: Matt Maylan

Dheeraj is a local boy who helps at April’s shop now and then. He also wants to impress a girl named Jaya and has been taking kung-fu. He quickly learns that there’s a difference between sparring and fighting. Taking pity on the boy, Leonardo helps him gain the confidence to protect his love interest from a smalltime gang. Leo thinks the boy won, but Splinter points out he only one THAT fight, and he’s right. The gang wants to recruit Dheeraj…whether the boy wants to join or not!

What they got right: My biggest rule for TV tie-in comics, even if the show was based on a different comic, is whether or not the story feels like it could have been an episode of the show while offering a perspective that wouldn’t have worked for the show’s pacing. This is one of those stories, even if it isn’t a perfect match. Dheeraj learning of the Turtles is easier than the family from last time due to the kid actually needing Leo helping him openly rather than Raphael last issue just wanting praise. And the story isn’t going to be wrapped up so easily, continuing next issue, so one fight isn’t a full victory, just the first part of Dheeraj’s true victory. Leshan’s art (though I don’t know what Sander changed in the inks) is closer to the look of the show while staying in his own style, and I can meet it halfway.

What they got wrong: I liked the Kung-Fu reference and the nod to Mirage Studios but David needs to be told these Turtles, like the original comic Turtles, are not as obsessed with pizza as the 80s cartoon and movie versions were. They have a more rounded diet. It would be nice if the covers reflected the stories, but that’s when this “comic covers that look like posters” nonsense was getting popular.

What I think overall: A good start to this storyline. It is improving now that it’s doing original stories rather than re-takes of episodes. The next issue was actually used in a Friday Night Fight so I’m interested in returning to it.