TMNT/Ghostbusters II #2 review: Dimension hopping from the Collectors
By Alex Widen
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Ghostbusters are fleeing the Collectors across dimensions. Yet can Egon and Donatello save them in time?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters II #2
Writers: Erik Burnham & Tom Waltz
Artists: Dan Schoening, Mark Torres, Pablo Tunica & Tadd Galusha
Colorist: Luis Antonio Delgado
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The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Ghostbusters once again cross paths. Unlike in their last alliance, this time they face villains from each of their galleries. The Collectors, demons who know the Ghostbusters well, have united with the vengeful spirit of Darius Dun. In order to defeat the Collectors, Egon Spengler and Donatello must pool their brain power. Yet in order to buy them time, the rest of their teams have to escape the Collectors through various parallel dimensions!
Image by IDW Publishing
While this proves successful in the long term, the Collectors won’t be fooled forever. Even worse, travel to these dimensions increases paranormal activity. As a result, our heroes find themselves immediately beset by ghosts or monsters the nanosecond they arrive! Raphael has paired with Ray Stanz, while Michelangelo hangs with Peter Venkman. Leonardo and Winston Zeddemore, who have worked well together in the past, once again find themselves fighting for their lives.
Image by IDW Publishing
Get Ready for Dimension Hopping Fun!
Longtime fans should find some of these parallel dimensions familiar. Leonardo and Winston, for instance, wind up in a world which looks like the 1987 TMNT animated series. The artistic style for each character matches that for their world. The pair even find themselves attacked by the ghost of Shibano Sama, the founder of the Foot Clan! He appeared in the third season of the 1987 series in the episode, “Blast from the Past.” Yet Shibano Sama is hardly the worst that Leo and Winston face!
Image by IDW Publishing
The dimension-hopping Ghostbusters and Ninja Turtles face an armada of threats! From space aliens to giant apes to even Dracula himself, it seems everything has it out for them! I could have used more of Ray and Raphael versus Dracula, to be honest. Regardless, the other worlds are similar references to previous material or images of the time. Two are references to animator Don Bluth, while another clearly takes place in the style of the 2012 Nickelodeon show that just ended.
Image by IDW Publishing
Meanwhile, back at the fire station, Egon and Donatello continue to wrack their brains over how to stop the Collectors. While Egon considers Donatello more of an expert on dimensional travel than Ray, Donnie is still trying to get a handle on everything. While Donnie’s notes helped Egon built their own transporter, those notes are gone. Since the Collectors can’t be destroyed, Egon is planning to transport them directly to their containment unit. Donnie just may have an idea!
Image by IDW Publishing
Who Knew Venkman Had a Heart?
Four artists are credited with this issue, and that’s because each dimension has its own style. Ray and Raphael wind up in a snow covered realm, fighting of ghost-ravens. While Ray is eager to over-explain every threat and phenomenon, Raph couldn’t care less. All he wants to do is go home. Yet Ray is impressed by the fact that Raph’s ninja skills allow him to detect ghosts. Unfortunately, neither of them prove able to handle a massive Viking warrior ghost within the forest!
Image by IDW Publishing
Michelangelo and Venkman wind up in yet another parallel New York. Seems like this one is populated by animal people! Suddenly Mikey blends in more than Venkman. Their sight seeing gets more complicated when Mikey bumps into a rat-man who reminds him of Splinter. While the rest of the Turtles turned against Splinter when he killed Darius Dun, Mikey left the moment he took over the Foot. Yet Mikey still misses his father, and vents his feelings onto Peter Venkman.
Image by IDW Publishing
While Venkman did get his psychology degree to aid in his womanizing and scams, he occasionally uses it for good. He proves an adept counselor for Michelangelo’s trauma. He tells Mikeyt that he needs to see Splinter as a full person, flaws and all, instead of the ideal of a perfect father. It’s a down to earth take despite their wacky origins. Unfortunately, it seems like on this world, the Ghostbusters are actually Turtle-men. They mistake Peter for a demon, and things get even freakier from then!
Image by IDW Publishing
Winston and Leonardo Remain a Stable Team!
Leonardo and Winston, meanwhile, wind up in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by evil robots. Thankfully, proton-packs work about as well against robots as they do against ghosts! Leonardo’s trusty katana swords aren’t too shabby against them either! While Winston doesn’t have a Ph.D. like the other Ghostbusters, he did serve in the military, and therefore has combat experience. Also a no-nonsense leader in a crisis amid wacky comrades, he often relates to the similar Leonardo.
Image by IDW Publishing
Yet this time is different. Learning their enemy is Darius Dun dredges up old wounds within Leonardo. He assumes guilt for not only their foe being responsible for the current crisis, but for Dun’s assassination in general. As Splinter’s star pupil and second-in-command of his Foot Clan, it was his responsibility to advice Splinter from a dishonorable path. Yet when it counted, Leonardo wasn’t able to stand against his master until it was too late. It is a lot of pressure on a teenager.
Image by IDW Publishing
Much like Venkman, Winston is able to counsel the clearly distraught Turtle. While it isn’t through psychology techniques, it is through relating to him as a fellow soldier. What I like about Winston is how he never forgets that the Turtles are teenagers, and therefore kids. He realizes how tremendous the pressure is for people so young, and never lets the fact that they’re mutant turtles distract from that fact. Ray feels similar, but Winston’s bond with Leo feels more genuine.
Image by IDW Publishing
Donatello and Egon Can Build Anything!
Back at the fire station, the side effects of Egon’s scheme are starting to be felt. Since Donatello is “standing in” for Winston via a head-set, the pair are also sharing the same brainwaves. This translates into each of them briefly gaining each other’s brain patterns. While Egon sees this as a negative, it helps add clarity to Donatello. Having once inhabited the mechanical body of Fugitoid, Donnie has experience splitting his soul. He gets an image of the Collectors, and a bold new idea!
Image by IDW Publishing
Erik Burnham and Tom Waltz continue along with their fun and fast paced adventure. This issue focuses a little more on the interplay between the cast, and mixes things up a bit. Normally it’s Ray and Mikey who get along, as well as Peter and Raph. By switching those dynamics up, it keeps the interplay fresh and dynamic. Yet the writers also know to play up on genuine connections. Winston’s soulful heart to heart with Leonardo is a timely scene for the both of them.
Image by IDW Publishing
The fact that Donatello “does machines” has long been both a song lyric and a joke about him. Even the IDW series has poked some fun at it by having it be Donnie’s online handle. Yet if you look at his inventions across various incarnations, Donatello truly stands out as being utterly brilliant. He has the mind of a Mr. Fantastic only without much of the resources or opportunity. Having Egon recognize this and respect this even more so than with his teammates is also profound.
Image by IDW Publishing
Enjoy a Variety of Art!
Yet the real highlight is the varying artists and their styles from world to world. Dan Schoening in particular showcases some incredible range. He’s able to shift from his usual “Ghostbusters style” to a grittier pencil when Ray and Raph are fleeing a giant ape, to more cartoony styles akin to 1980s TV. It’s as if three different artists are drawing some of his pages, yet it’s all him. Such flexibility in artistic styles is rare within the industry, yet Dan Schoening displays it seamlessly.
Image by IDW Publishing
Mark Torres draws the “Raph and Ray in the snow” pages, and he also delivers some incredible pencils. He also has an illustrative style, which works well for both the setting and the action. Much like the other artists, he’s able to transition from light banter scenes to comedy to action and horror on a whim. This works well when Raphael is slimed by a ghost to when both of them are attacked by the Viking warrior!
Image by IDW Publishing
Pablo Tunica is quickly establishing himself as a veteran TMNT artist. He’s drawn TMNT: Dimension X #1 as well as two issues of TMNT Universe this year! His scenes here are fun, as he draws a terrific looking Peter Venkman. The writers give him a ton of creatures to draw, taking advantage of his talent, and he doesn’t disappoint. The four Ghostbuster Turtles have terrific and memorable designs as well!
Image by IDW Publishing
The References and Antics Are Larger Than a Giant Twinkie!
Tadd Galusha gets the Leo and Winston scenes, and his pencils match the war-world feel of the scenes. He gets the battle sequences well enough, yet also knows how to handle the more emotional beats as well. His body language with Leonardo is particularly well handled. Few artists have made Winston look cooler either! All three artists are flanked by the coloring of Luis A. Delgado, who manages to sync with all of their styles and keep the colors appropriate for each realm.
Image by IDW Publishing
Much like the previous issue, there are tons of fun shout-outs to other things. The Ghostbuster’s arm devices resemble the Nintendo Power-Glove circa 1989, and Nintendo tech was featured heavily in 1990’s Ghostbusters II. In addition, references to Don Bluth material include the 1983 Laserdisc video game Dragon’s Lair. Other references to 1980s material include one sequence where Winston and Leonardo are escaping the giant boulder from the first Indiana Jones flick!
Image by IDW Publishing
Next: See the course of all the mayhem in #1!
Janine Melnitz has a cameo in the end, yet I imagine she will play a larger role as the series continues. The weekly pace of these issues also contributes to the fast pace of the story. The angle of the cast crossing dimensions is a strong one, yet I hope also not one played out too long. The ultimate confrontation will be against Darius Dun and the Collectors, which should happen in the last two issues. So far this has been another triumph for IDW, as the two teams mesh better than ever!