Archie – TMNT Adventures Number 22 (Rat Trap)

“Rat Trap”
The Shredder makes his escape with the disc containing Vid Vicious and Donatello, leaving Master Splinter, Leonardo, Michaelangelo and April to look for clues. The Sensei notes that the best clue is the remains of the defeated Foot robots themselves. Noting that they’ve recently encountered another robotic Foot foe, the foursome heads to Chinatown to investigate the building that had housed the giant Foot robot from issue 20.

Upon investigating the abandoned structure, our heroes find a matchbook from Acme Traps. Splinter notes that the Shredder is leaving them obvious clues and thus they are probably walking into an obvious trap – but they must save Donatello, so the protaganists head to the headquarters for Acme Traps.

Meanwhile, the Shredder opens the disc containing Vid and Don. Vicious escapes by flying out of a window, and Donatello uses the distraction to attack Shredhead. Unfortunately the ticked off turtle is no match for Saki and his robot minions, and is quickly subdued.

The door to the Acme Traps building is unlocked, allowing easy access for Leo, Splinter, Mike and Splinterm, who proceed warily. They quickly discover that Don has been tied up and hung from the ceiling of the high room. There are three doors on the ground floor, and Leonardo, Michaelangelo and April head off to investigate them. Splinter sits and ponders why Shredder has only left three doorways for four foes, when he spots another route. Meanwhile, Mikey runs into some Foot robots and defeats them with ease while Leo and April discover that their doorways connected them to a circular hallway.

After climbing a ladder and walking a scaffold, Splinter soon runs into Shredder and the two begin to fight. The Sensei leaps through a broken window to the structure’s rooftop, with Shredder close behind him. The two old enemies exchange blows, but Shredhead wins the battle when Splinter’s coat gets entagled with Acme Traps’ billboard.

Shredder moves in to deal the killing blow, but a mysterious stranger arrives in a red cloak and kicks Saki’s butt. Leo, Mike and April arrive on the roof and help Splinter down – and as they wonder who their rescuer might be, the red cloaked fighter reveals himself to be none other than Raphael!

As everyone greets the fiery mutant, Shredder makes his escape.

Cover: Gene Colon and Steve Lavigne

Writer: Dean Clarrain

Pencils: Gene Colon

Inks: Gene Colon

Colors: Barry Grossman

Letters: Gary Fields

First Printing: July, 1991

Number of story pages: 26

Master Splinter

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