Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dimension X #2 review: Eye of Anemon
By Alex Widen
The Turtles’ quest through Dimension X continues! Will all the pizza in the world allow them to out-wrestle Anemon?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dimension X #2
Writers: Ulises Farinas & Erick Freitas
Artist & Colorist: Michael Dialynas
Cover Artist: Nick Pitarra
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While the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were willing and able to save Earth and Neutrino from Krang, they hadn’t counted on an intergalactic court. Yet that’s exactly what they’re in the middle of. Tasked by King Zenter to gather witnesses for Krang’s trial, the foursome traverse Dimension X with Zak and Kala. They’re in a race against the techno-organic Hakk-R to find witnesses and convince them to testify against Krang. The latest is the green alien sumo wrestler Anemon.
Image by IDW Publishing
However, the pressure and close confines are getting on Raphael’s nerves. He and Leonardo are in the thick of an argument when Zak brings them to their latest planet. Donatello is fascinated by the planet, while Michelangelo is the first to notice its apex predator. It’s a world of farmland and mountains, but also giant, flying Anglerfish! It leads to a rough landing for their spaceship and a quicker meeting for Anemon than they had for B’een. Is Anemon more than he appears to be?
Image by IDW Publishing
This Sumo Has a Story!
As a former warrior for Krang’s regime, Anemon has personal experience with his atrocities. Anemon had been a loyal soldier, literally capturing people to feed to one of Krang’s pets. Still, the Utrom warlord didn’t trust him, and forced Anemon to choose between Krang or his homeworld’s food supply. While Anemon was willing to lie to Krang to save his people, it was moot as Krang had already killed them! Anemon’s service had been to try to spare his people, but now they are slain!
Image by IDW Publishing
Like Krang coldly jokes, Anemon went “from soldier to prisoner.” Anemon manages to fight past Krang’s guards and escape, which is a battle that cost him his eyes. Landing on another planet, the blinded and near helpless Anemon manages to encounter a smaller eye-shaped creature named Eymo. The pair form a symbiotic relationship thereafter. Eymo acts as Anemon’s eyes, while Anemon acts as Eymo’s body, doing heavy labor and fighting off the giant fish especially.
Image by IDW Publishing
By the time the Turtles find him, Anemon believes in survival of the fittest. He sees no point in testifying against Krang, feeling that only might makes right. To this end, Leonardo tests his pride by issuing a challenge. If Anemon can defeat three of them in wrestling matches, the Turtles will leave him alone forever. If any of the Turtles can defeat Anemon, he’ll testify for Krang’s trial. However, Leonardo’s plan involves more than simple combat, it involves trickery and stalling for time!
Image by IDW Publishing
Fresh Creators Provide a Unique Finale!
Michelangelo has what is arguably the most important task of the challenge. Since each bout symbolizes a meal of the day, it’s up to Mikey to provide the feasts! In particular, his “special pizzas” to get Anemon full and groggy the longer the bouts continue. And these meals almost work, albeit in another way. The food from other planets amazes Anemon, almost convincing him to visit planet Neutrino just for the food. Unfortunately, the rest of Leonardo’s plan goes south.
Image by IDW Publishing
Trained as a sumo, Anemon is used to fighting after overeating. He quickly overwhelms both Raphael and Donatello, forcing Leonardo to resort to underhanded tactics to prevail. Yet that’s not even his final secret! As a result of falling off a cliff, the Turtles learn that the relationship between Eymo and Anemon isn’t as symbiotic as they thought. It’s actually Eymo in control, as the guilt ridden Anemon has lost all will to live. They all must pull together to survive another fish!
Image by IDW Publishing
Ulises Farinas and Erick Freitas are frequent collaborators, currently producing Judge Dredd and Amazing Forest for IDW as well as working on Regular Show for BOOM! Studios. The pair have also worked on other IDW-licensed books such as Transformers and Godzilla. Aside for Farinas’ variant cover for TMNT #39, this is their first work for the Ninja Turtles. Their result is a simple yet effective story about misconceptions and redemption, and that it is okay to seek others’ help.
Image by IDW Publishing
Leonardo’s Leadership Is Well-Depicted!
While Michelangelo’s love of pizza is put to good use here, Raphael and Leonardo get the most focus. Raphael’s cynicism regarding Dimension X and the Turtles’ role in defending the realm is put to the test. Yet his turnaround is telegraphed very heavily. I found myself more interested by Leonardo’s tactics here. He’s been learning how to lead without Splinter for a while and does an excellent job here. Leonardo relies on his wits and intelligence, not martial prowess, to prevail.
Image by IDW Publishing
Despite some misgivings about Anemon from Donatello, Leonardo remained focused on their task. When Anemon gave him an opening, Leo wisely played on both his ego and gut to issue the challenge. And even when this plan fell apart, Leonardo knew the greater good was more important than winning a sumo match fairly, and utilized his brothers for team tactics. The path to victory does not have to be a straight line, and Leo showcases flexibility, imagination and guile.
Image by IDW Publishing
Michael Dialynas has provided artwork for TMNT before, having drawn issues #53–55 last year. It’s great seeing him again, providing both art and colors for this tale. Dialynas handles the lush alien world very well, and utterly goes to town on the flying Anglerfish. As always, his Turtles look great and excel at action sequences. Yet Anemon may be where he triumphs most. A sumo with his face on his torso, he provides a wide range of emotions with both him and Eymo later on.
Image by IDW Publishing
A Great Romp on Another Planet!
In fact, the only character who doesn’t show up is Hakk-R. The reoccurring villain for this series only has a cameo in the end. This doesn’t give Dialynas much time to draw him, but he certainly offers a great rendition. It may be for the best that Farinas and Freitas don’t rely on Hakk-R. If all five issues involved him directly opposing the Turtles in every encounter, it would get old fast. Now that there has been a break between conflicts, it will appear more fresh when it happens next.
Image by IDW Publishing
As a final word, it may be a little bizarre to get a sumo wrestler in IDW’s TMNT who isn’t Tattoo. He originally got an action figure in 1991 and subsequent appearances in the animated series and Archie’s TMNT Adventures. Stick-on tattoos were the main gimmick of the toy, and only the TMNT Adventures version came close to having a personality. The version in the 1987 cartoon was a mutated hamster! Likely feeling he was too stereotypical, Anemon makes for a fine replacement.
Image by IDW Publishing
Next: See how the Turtles got past Hakk-R in #1!
Much like with TMNT Universe, TMNT Dimension X is allowing a variety of talent to tell canonical stories within the universe as edited by Bobby Curnow. The end result is seeing many different voices handle the characters who all have a part in a larger tapestry. Much like Mirage Studios did, IDW is allowing a healthy variety of talent to work on an iconic franchise without derailing their core direction. Instead, they all become as one, as this miniseries continues to be entertaining.