Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures #15 The Howling of Distant Shadows

Issue Description

April, the TMNT and Jagwar have spent several weeks rafting down the Pursus and Amazon rivers, living off the land and experiencing an all new and invigorating lifestyle. Jagwar teaches our heroes how to thrive in the jungle and they tell him tales of their adventures, much to the delight of everyone involved.

Eventually the group meets a local tribe known as the Coipacu. They are lead by an elderly woman who holds the title of Paleocha. The woman speaks the "forest language" (something Jagwar is well versed in) and invites our heroes to supper. Jagwar explains that it's fortunate that the Turtles are turtles, as the Coipacu believe that the world is an island borne on the back of the Great Turtle.

The locals bring the protagonists to a majestic tepui, and lead them through a a cave that reveals an unbelievable world within... populated by not only the Coipacu, but dinosaurs as well!

Later that evening, Jagwar translates the Paleocha's story about a new creature that has appeared in the tepui - a half man half wolf! Since discovering the wolfman, the tribe has set out a nightly offering of food forhim. Jagwar also relates that pirate-miners have discovered this paraidse and have begun to kidnap their young men and make them into slaves. The Paleocha seeks the help of the TMNT to stop the pirates and save her people.

Suddenly a howl erupts out of the jungle and everyone spots the wolfman, who has arrived to take his nightly offering. The beast quickly takes his food, noting in English, "That be good stuff, mon" before he zooms back into the jungle.

Later, the TMNT, Jagwar and April head out to investigate the pirate-miners camp at a nearby tepui. The spot hundreds of slaves being forced to dig, and are quickly discovered by an armed guard. Mikey dispatches the man and the heroes attack the pirates. The battle goes well, but Jagwar is surprised by a pirate and held at gunpoint. Before the man can force the Turtles to drop their weapons, something comes screaming out of the jungle at incredible speed and knocks out the villain. The rescuer is the speedy wolfman, who tells Jagwar, "You owe me, mon." Jagwar cheerfully agrees and the anthropomorphs work together to free the Coipachu slaves.

From a distance, we see a cowboy who calls himself The Kid watching our heroes through binoculars. He notes that the Turtles have been joined by a wolfman and that they've wrecked this operation. He also states that Mr. Null is going to be very unhappy with this news. The Kid calls Null and briefs him on what's happened - Null is upset and tells his henchmen to keep tracking the TMNT to see what motivates them.

The Turtles are welcomed back by the Paleocha and she gives Donatello a gift to thank the Turtles for saving her people. Don is honored to receive the present, which is the leader's ancient staff. The Paleocha than asks to know more of the wolfman, and he explains that his name is Dreadmon - but at this moment, he'd rather be eating than talking. Mikey backs up Dreadmon on this plan of action.

Later, Don practices with his new staff while the others bask in the beauty of the tepui.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures (1989)

Publisher

Archie Adventure Series

Volume Description

Published by Archie Comics, this comic was based on mainstream version of the turtles. It started out simply retelling episodes of the then popular animated series but with the fifth issue the book branched out into telling it's own stories. Primarily written by Dean Clarrain the stories would often have an underlying environmentalist themes, over time the storylines grew darker and more mature. The series drew negative press when a storyline saw the death of the turtle's allies The Mighty Mutanimals in a massacre.

The three part "Future Shark Trilogy" which saw the turtles, Splinter and their ally Ninjara come to the aid of the older turtles in dystopian future proved popular with fans and elements and characters from the story were revisited many times in the series. For five issues the comic was renamed Cyber Samurai Mutant Ninja Turtles in a storyline that was set soley in the aforementioned future. By now the turtles fad of the eighties and early nineties had faded which meant lagging sales. Mirage wanting to put out their own color TMNT book made the publishers nervous of competition leading them to consider cancellation. Growing frustration of darker storylines came to a head when Clarrain and co plotter and artist Chris Allen submitted a time travel story involving the the future turtles Archie was displeased. The covers for the seven part epic "Forever War" were made with the belief that this would be final storyline of the series. Clarrain and Allen were dropped from the book and it was cancelled two issues later with the final storyline focused on a present Splinter telling the story of how pre-teen turtles picked their weapons written by Steve Sullivan and drawn by Brian Thomas.

Years later Clarrain and Allen would work on the second volume of Tales of the TMNT writing the original turtles for Mirage. It has also been confirmed they are working on completing the final storyline of TMNT Adventures "Forever War" with Mirage publishing it as part of the TMNT's 25th anniversary in 2009.

Collected EditionsTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 1 (#1-4)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 2 (#5-8)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 3 (#9-12)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 4 (#13-16)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 5 (#17-20)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 6 (#21-22)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 7 (#23-27)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 8 (#28-31)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 9 (#38-40)

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