Originally published in: TMNT Magazine (Panini) #15
Publication date: May 29 – June 25, 2014
Script: Landry Walker
Art: Lee Carey
Colours: J. Cardy and K. Nicholson
Colour assist: James Stayte
Letters: Alex Foot
“Sleepwalking Sensei”
Summary:
In the dojo, Master Splinter informs his sons that he has
completed his five days of sleep deprivation to increase his endurance. He tells his sons not to wake him under any
circumstances, as he’s looking forward to a restful night’s sleep.
A few minutes later, the Turtles are shocked to see their
sensei sleepwalking through the lair.
And then leaving the lair. The
Turtles follow him, fearful of being punished if they wake him.
As Splinter sleepwalks across the rooftops, he is
ambushed by a unit of Footbots. The
Turtles prepare to intervene, but find that Splinter can fight just as well
asleep as he can awake. For the
remainder of the night, they follow Splinter around as he has further
misadventures with the Kraang and Fishface.
Eventually, come the dawn, Splinter sleepwalks back to
the lair and the Turtles are ready to get some sleep of their own. As Mikey eats a potato chip, the crunch
awakens Splinter who is furious at being disturbed. He tells his sons that they will now be
punished with the same five days of sleep deprivation that he endured, but all
the Turtles promptly faint from exhaustion.
Splinter growls that they were probably up all night partying.
Turtle Tips:
*This story is continued from TMNT Magazine (Panini) #14. The story continues in “Meet the Dream King”.
Review:
This one was kind of a corny standby cartoon/kiddy comic
plot. I mean, wasn’t this, like, every
episode of Mr. Magoo ever animated? The
whole “character unaware of their surroundings wanders into dangerous
environments while other characters keep them safe without them knowing it” cliché. There’s got to be a better trope name than
that, but you know what I’m talking about.
I’m just shocked Splinter didn’t wander onto a
construction site for the ultimate in hackneyed scripting.
Well, cliché as it is, it does the scenario justice and
the reason for Splinter’s sleepwalking was interesting (sleep deprivation to
improve endurance apparently results in fighting crime while snoozing).
Not really a fan of this one, but at least it was one of
the shorter length strips.
Grade: D+ (as in, “Didn’t care much for it, no, but I DID
like Carey’s drawing of Splinter skittering across the telephone lines on Page
8”.)
