Keith Aiken did the inking for many of the TMNT Mirage comics.

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“City at War” Part 13
Continued from TMNT #61.

Casey, Shadow and April are at the farmhouse in Northampton, Massachusetts. Jones came back to pick up some items that he wants, and the pair set about cleaning up a little. April heats a bottle for Shadow and finds one of Casey’s favorite mugs. Later that evening, after dinner the two reflect on their past.

“Y’know, it seems funny eating dinner at this table,” Casey observes, “Just like old times… it’s like we never left!”

“Well, there is one difference.” April notes as she gets up and walks over to Casey.

“What’s that?” Jones asks. April then plants a kiss on his surprised lips.

“I’ll do the dishes!” Casey beams.

“Great! Then when Shadow falls asleep,” April replies coyly, “You can tell me a bedtime story!”

Jones starts washing up and finds one of Leo’s Aikuchi knives. He shows the blade to April.

“I wonder where they are now…” Casey ponders.

The next morning, April is swimming in the lake. As she treads water, something pulls her under. Casey springs into action, but before he dives in, April is pushed out of the water by 3 sets of green hands. Leo, Mike and Raph emerge from the lake with April in tow, Mikey lending an arm to her as the group makes its way to land.

“You guys!” April gasps, “Scare me half to death!”

Casey gives everyone a hug, except Raph, who he throws a punch at (much to Raph’s delight).

The group relaxes on the grass and catch up with everything that’s transpired over the previous months. April announces that she’s definitely buying Casey’s mom’s apartment building and she’ll be sharing it with Casey and Shadow. Mikey hits it off with Shadow. April asks where Donatello is and Leo explains that he’s with Master Splinter. The friends hike out to the woods and find Master Splinter and Don in a cave. Stories are exchanged.

“So April and Casey have to be back in New York tomorrow and we were going to hitch a ride with them,” Leo explains to Don and Splinter, “You feel up to it?”

“No,” Don announces, “I’ve thought about it, and I’m going to stay here with Splinter.”

“Huh?” Casey blurts out.

“You’re sure about this, Don?” Leo inquires.

“Yeah… I need some time to… reflect on everything’s that happened… my mind and body need recuperative time… and Splinter has agreed to help me.” explains Donatello.

“Well, I…” Leo begins.

“Donatello’s decision… he has made it.” Splinter states.

“Yes, Master Splinter… as you wish.” Leonardo bows.

April tells Don and Splinter to stay at Casey’s farmhouse, something the mutants are hesitant to do, for fear of being discovered. As the group prepares to leave the cave, April pauses to say goodbye to Splinter, but he’s gone.

“Please don’t think ill of him,” Donatello says, “He… while we were gone, something happened to him… something that he’s been unwilling to talk about.”

April and Casey are visibly disappointed with this explanation, but they ask Donatello to tell Splinter goodbye for them. Then April, Casey and Shadow depart with Mike, Leo and Raph. As they reach the edge of the farm and leave the forest behind, April pauses once again.

“Casey… can I have a few minutes alone?” she asks.

“Sure, babe.” Casey assures her and walks off, leaving her at the edge of the woods.

“I don’t know if you’re there, Splinter… if you hear me. If you can… I want you to know… my father died recently. My Dad — he raised me, taught me a lot about life, how to be a good person. I loved him. I still do. He’s gone now, but… the last few years, I’ve felt that I’ve had two fathers and… and… I’ve loved them both. Goodbye, Splinter.” April reveals through tears.

From the depths of the forest, Splinter emerges and walks over to the crying woman.

“April,” he begins, and as he stands before her, he holds out his arms, “Daughter.”

The two embrace as the rest of the family watches.

Mr. Buscheyev is being taken by a cab to his new home. A man is accompanying him and carries his suitcase up the steps of the apartment building to his unit. The younger fellow opens the door and escorts Mr. Buscheyev inside, pointing out the various features and rooms.

“Got any questions?” the young man asks.

“No… thank you.” Mr. Buscheyev says.

“The director, Mrs. Broderick, will come by today to introduce herself and to acquaint you with the facilities. I’ll be by next week to check up on you. Good luck, Mr. Buscheyev.” the young man explains as he exits the tidy apartment.

Mr. Buscheyev turns on the TV on heads over to a window and looks out dejectedly, as the camera pans away from him.

The End.

First Printing: August, 1993

Number of Story Pages: 22

Cover: A. C. Farley

Story: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

Script: Peter Laird and Jim Lawson

Pencils: Jim Lawson

Inks: Keith Aiken

Tones: Eric Talbot

Letters: Mary Kelleher

“City at War” Part 11
Continued from TMNT #59.

Five Elite Guard face off against the TMNT, Karai and her Foot Soldiers. Seizing the opportunity to confuse and deceive, the disguised Karai screams at the Elite.

“Traitors! I trained you to be steel tigers… not mad dogs! You dishonor me… and you dishonor the Foot Clan. All of you — commit seppuku! NOW!!!”

One of the Elite falls for the trick and commits ritual suicide, but the others are not so easily deceived and demand to see “Shredder’s” face. Karai removes the helmet and throws it at the Guard.

“I will show you my face! Look well, fools… gaze upon the face of vengeance… and see your doom!!!”

The Elite are taken aback and the Turtles use their pause to launch an attack.

Casey arrives at his mother’s apartment building with his baby.

“Oh Arnold,” Casey’s Mom admonishes, “What did you do… go and get some girl pregnant?”

“Not exactly…” Casey states, “Can I come in, Ma?”

“Sure! Moving back in, are you?” Mrs’ Jones asks.

“Well… maybe for a little bit,” admits Casey, “Until I get us our own place…”

“Don’t be silly, Arnold. I got an empty three-room in the basement.”

“Thanks, Ma…” Casey smiles.

“So…who do we have here? Oh what a cutie-pie!” Mrs. Jones beams.

“That’s Shadow… my… um… daughter.” announces Casey.

“Shadow? Jeez… let me guess… you named her, right?”

“Sure did!” exclaims Casey.

“Is she yours?” Casey’s mom asks.

“Well… legally, yeah… but biologically, no.”

“So,” Mrs. Jones wonders, “Where’s the mother?”

“Ma,” Casey begins, “Don’t call me Arnold.”

The Turtles and the Elite are battling furiously. Foot Soldiers are armed with submachine guns and firing at will, but most of them are being killed by the Guard.

April is seated at a restaurant. She’s circled an item on the Real Estate page.

The old man is peering out of the window of the hospital. He walks away from it, needing no assistance, and sits on the bed.

Leonardo takes out one of the Elite, but another has cornered Karai. Raph has his hands full with one of the Guard who’s utilizing a chain, but the Turtle defeats his opponent. Karai leaps onto a lighting fixture to escape her foe, but it pulls out of the ceiling and sends her careening to floor – the Elite dives after her but is slain when Karai uses a lamp post to impale him. Outside on the roof, Donatello is searching for his quarry. The Elite sneaks up on the Turtle and kicks him to the floor, breaks his leg and then kicks the injured terrapin off of the roof!

Karai has her hands full as another Elite attacks her.

“You profane the image of our Master, the Shredder,” the Elite Guard growls as he punches Karai in the face, knocking her to the ground where he’s able to get the advantage on her, “And for that.. you must DIE!”

Continued in TMNT #61.

First Printing: June, 1993

Number of Story Pages: 24

Cover: A. C. Farley

Story: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

Script: Peter Laird and Jim Lawson

Pencils: Jim Lawson

Inks: Keith Aiken

Tones: Eric Talbot

Letters: Mary Kelleher

“City at War” Part 10
Continued from TMNT #58.

The TMNT are working on some sort of mechanical project as Karai leads a troop of her Foot Soldiers on patrol. An Elite spies Karai and her band and is shocked, because he thinks he’s seen his Master, the Shredder (in reality it is only Karai wearing Shredder’s armor).

The old man is standing in the hospital watching the TV news, and once again it features stories of political strife. The man leaves the room with the assistance of his walker.

Casey is at the diner where he had worked with Gabby, depressively nursing a cup of coffee. Suddenly a car screeches into the parking lot – it’s Jones’ Chevy! The cook asks Casey if he should call the cops, but Jones tells him he’ll take care of it. Casey goes out to the parking lot and beats up the two thieves and retrieves his car.

Master Splinter is finally healed and exploring the bottom of the huge silo that he’s trapped in. As he searches for a way out, he comes upon the skeletal remains of the Rat King.

“Ah… once more the universe allows a glimpse… of its myriad wonders… its imponderable mysteries!” the Sensei declares, “Yet, it is ever so… from Life, Death… and from Death… Life!”

Invigorated, Master Splinter uses his ninja skills to climb the sheer brick wall of the silo, ultimately achieving his freedom.

Casey Jones is driving east in his Chevy, his baby daughter named Shadow nestled in her baby carrier beside him.

Robyn and April are visiting the burned out remains of their father’s antique shop in New York City. Robyn is distraught to see this place filled with so many wonderful childhood memories reduced to a shambles.

“I hate seeing it like this!” Robyn exclaims, “Growing up – there was so much life here!”

“I know,” April agrees, “Now it just looks like… death.”

“Maybe it’s better that it’ll be torn down… I mean, everything passes, huh April?” queries Robyn.

“Yeah…” April muses, “Seems like nothing’s… permanent.”

Robyn asks April what she plans to do, but April isn’t sure. With that the sisters part ways, as Robyn has a flight to catch to California.

Before she leaves, April hears a noise from within the decrepit structure, but sees nothing.

“Hmm… probably the wind or a rat… a rat…” she sighs, and hails a cab to take her away.

Inside the building, Mike is watching April drive off. The Turtles are meeting with Karai and her Soldiers. Raph demands to know why Karai has called them here, and the Clan leader tells him that she was curious to see the place, as it holds so much significance to the events that lead them all to their current destiny.

Mike and Raph don’t like being in the building, especially since it was the Foot who burned it down. Leo bends down and finds a photograph of April and Casey, in happier times. He folds the photograph in half and puts it in his belt for safe keeping.

“Enough reminiscing,” the Turtle’s leader announces, “We have a job to do.”

“And scores to settle. Let’s move on.” Karai states.

Just then a crack appears in the ceiling and a group of Elite drop through the roof.

Continued in TMNT #60.

First Printing: May, 1993

Number of Story Pages: 24

Cover: A. C. Farley

Story: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

Script: Peter Laird and Jim Lawson

Pencils: Jim Lawson

Inks: Keith Aiken

Tones: Eric Talbot

Letters: Mary Kelleher

“City at War” Part 8
Continued from TMNT #56.

Mike, Don and Raph are on the rooftops overlooking some buildings. Don uses a payphone to contact Karai and is given a rendezvous point. Raph wonders if it’s a trap, but Mike thinks that they can trust Karai.

“What choice do we have?” he muses.

Leonardo is bound at the feet of Karai and a cadre of Foot Soldiers in an abandoned warehouse. Karai orders her henchmen away and she cuts Leo’s ropes, freeing him.

Just then the other three Turtles arrive. Karai explains that she is the leader of the Foot in Japan and that she’s come to New York to restore order. Ever since Leo killed the Shredder (TMNT #21), the Foot faction in NYC has been in chaos, with different groups warring with one another for ultimate control… save for Shredder’s Elite, who have been carrying out seemingly motiveless attacks on the other factions. Karai offers the TMNT a deal, if the Turtles kill the Elite and remove this unpredictable thorn from her side, she will offer them a truce with the Foot Clan.

Raph is angry and unwilling to partner with Karai, but she tells them to think about it and leaves.

By now, Gabby is quite pregnant. Casey is working in the diner with her and the two are thinking about moving out of their trailer and renting a house, since the baby will arrive soon and they’ll need more space.

April and Robyn attend their father’s funeral. April tells Robyn that she’s moving back to New York, as it’s time for her to stop running from her problems and deal with them.

Master Splinter is beset upon by a monstrous Rat king, now in the guise of a huge, bipedal rat. Rat King commands Splinter to bow to his rule, but the Sensei refuses… causing the giant rat-beast to attack, screaming “You shall DIE!!!”

Splinter wakes from the dream, screaming himself. He quickly grabs a nearby rat and eats it.

“Yesss… good…” the Rat King observes, “Be happy little man-rat… rejoice! For with this step… the shattering of this taboo… your path is clear – your destiny… manifest!”

Meanwhile, we see a Foot Soldier near the destroyed water tower the Turtles had been living in. He is ambushed and killed by two Elite.

The pair then kick down the door of the room that was being used to spy on the Turtles and kill the remaining Foot Soldier.

The old man is in the hospital, getting physical therapy on his leg.

The Elite examine some photos of the TMNT, and realize that they’ve arrived too late. The leader crumples the picture and the deadly duo depart.

Continued in TMNT #58.

First Printing: March, 1993

Number of Story Pages: 24

Cover: A. C. Farley

Story: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

Script: Peter Laird and Jim Lawson

Pencils: Jim Lawson

Inks: Keith Aiken

Letters: Mary Kelleher

“City at War” Part 7
Continued from TMNT #55.

April is finding her new job as a computer programmer to be tedious and pointless, and she’s not getting along with her boss.

Casey and Gabby get married at the local Justice of the Peace and return to their trailer. Since the couple has no money to go on a honeymoon, Casey has decorated the place to look like a tropical island.

Master Splinter continues his dialog with the Rat King. Rat King insists that the Sensei must eat the rats in the silo, otherwise Splinter will die of starvation and in turn, be eaten by the rodents. Splinter refuses to “surrender to the darkness of brute necessity.”

“Then your quest ends here… ends now,” Rat King states, “Poor man-beast… you truly believe that your animal nature blocks you from your goal of pure, perfect thought… tell me… when you reach that exalted plane… what do you expect to find there?”

“I… I don’t know…” answers Splinter.

“What if it is… the rat?” Rat King asks, “The animal… the pragmatic scavenger… the survivor?”

April gets back to Robyn’s apartment after work and the sisters have another argument over the messy state of the dwelling.

“You come here all screwed up from some weird relationship you can’t even talk about… I open my house to you, give you a shoulder to cry on and all you do is criticize me and my life?!!” Robyn exclaims.

“Chill out, Robyn,” April begins, “I just said -”

“I heard what you said… and I’m sick of hearing it! Mom’s dead… and you’re not Dad!” with this Robyn storms out of the room.

Master Splinter captures a rat, and looks into its eyes. The rodent bites the Sensei on the hand.

“I… cannot…” Splinter decides as he lets the creature go.

“To deny the inner beast… means your death.” Rat King tells him.

“Better then… to die…” concludes the Master.

Meanwhile, the Turtles remain in their water tower headquarters, maintaining a lethargic watch. Karai arrives at an apartment that has been set up by her agents to spy on the TMNT. She checks out the scene through a telescope and orders an assault on the Turtles.

The Foot blow up the floor of the tower and the TMNT fall through to the rooftop below. A fight ensues, the Turtles facing off against Karai’s Foot Soldiers.

We see a shot of the old man, sleeping in his hospital bed.

Karai is unhappy with how quickly the fight has escalated into loud gunfire and orders her assistant, Yanura, to bring out the taser guns. Leonardo is caught by surprise and shocked into submission. Donatello concludes that the remaining three must escape, but Mike refuses to leave. However, facing impossible odds, the three remaining brothers make their escape. As they flee, Karai shoots an arrow near them that contains a message: “555-4290 Call me”

April gets a phone call, when Robyn comes into the room to see who it was, April announces that their father died that morning.

Continued in TMNT #57.

First Printing: February, 1993

Number of Story Pages: 24

Cover: A. C. Farley

Story: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

Script: Peter Laird and Jim Lawson

Pencils: Jim Lawson

Inks: Keith Aiken

Letters: Mary Kelleher

“City at War” Part 6
Continued from TMNT #54.

Karai’s plane has arrived in the United States, and she boards a helicopter that takes her to Foot headquarters, an imposing skyscraper in New york City.

Casey and Gabby are watching a romantic sunset. Gabrielle announces that she’s getting hungry and wants to head for home, but before Casey starts their Jeep, he produces a ring and proposes. Gabby accepts Casey’s proposal and the two are engaged.

April is having dinner with a slick weasel with a ponytail. The man brags about his programming prowess and then grabs April by the knee. O’Neil throws her coffee on the fellow and storms out. As she walks home, April reflects on how much she dislikes California.

Master Splinter is awoken by a voice, insisting that the old rat must eat if he’s to survive. The Sensei tells the voice that he has nothing to subsist on.

“Help me…” Splinter implores.

“The help you seek,” the Voice replies, “Is your own.”

“There is little nourishment in riddles, shadow.” states Splinter.

“The riddle is yours… that which can sustain you is within your reach… but not yet within your grasp.” the Voice notes.

“I’m hungry… cold… in pain… and yet you torment me. You are death.” concludes the Sensei.

“I am not,” the Voice states, “But I know death.”

Leonardo encourages his brothers to go on a training run. Raphael is not interested, but after some cajoling, he agrees to go along.

The old man is sitting up at the hospital, gazing longingly at the shuttered window.

As the Turtles jump from rooftop to rooftop, Raphael steps in some dog dung. This enrages Raph and he angrily stalks off towards home. As Raph makes hi sway back, he’s ambushed by one of Shredder’s Elite Guard. Raph is badly cut on the face, but he manages to severely wound the Elite by stabbing him in the side with a sai, thus taking the Elite out of action. Leo, Mike and Don arrive just as the fighting ends. The Elite gazes up at Leonardo.

“Y-you… you are the kappa… that killed my Master… Oroku Saki!” he stammers.

“Yes.” replies Leonardo.

“I am… duty bound… to slay you… to… avenge my Master…” the man croaks.

“I think your avengin’ days are over, pal.” notes Raph.

“Perhaps… in the next life…” notes the Elite.

“Perhaps.” answers Leo.

With this, the Elite Guard commits seppuku.

Master Splinter continues arguing with the Voice.

“Who are you!!?” Splinter demands.

“I have had several names,” comes the answer, “But considering the circumstances, perhaps none is more appropriate than this… you may call me… the Rat King.” Rat King first appeared in Tales of the TMNT #4.

Continued in TMNT #56.

First Printing: January, 1993

Number of Story Pages: 24

Cover: A. C. Farley

Story: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

Script: Peter Laird and Jim Lawson

Pencils: Jim Lawson

Inks: Keith Aiken

Letters: Mary Kelleher

“City at War” Part 5
Continued from TMNT #53.

Casey has taken a job as a grocery bagger, but he messes up by putting the bread on the bottom of the bag, which enrages his boss. The angry older man gets in Jones’ face and reads him the riot act and insults Jones. Casey gets angry and puts a bag over the man’s head and punches him in the face, sending him flying. Jones then storms out, but as soon as he’s outside he realizes that he needs the job and goes back inside. Casey apologizes for the incident and asks for his job back. The man makes Jones get on his knees and beg for the work, but then screams “NO!” in Casey’s face. So Space Case lets another punch fly and heads out.

Master Splinter is exploring the abandoned factory, getting a sense of loneliness. The rat arrives at the precipice of an old silo and peers into its depths. Suddenly the bricks give way and the Sensei plummets into the maw of darkness.

April is working a new job as a computer programmer. Her boss hits on her, leaving April feeling even more doubtful about California.

Master Splinter awakes at the bottom of the chimney with a broken leg. The Sensei takes a piece of wood and makes a splint to insure that the bone will heal properly. When Splinter tightens the cloth to hold it tight, the pain causes him to blackout.

Robyn and her baby pick April up from work. April is trying to be upbeat about the job. Robyn complains about her ex-husband and the three go off in search for a Christmas tree.

The TMNT are in their water tower base as a snow storm rages outside. Mikey gets back from patrol as the TV reports on the street violence caused by the Foot as well as other international horror stories. Leo is still brooding , not knowing what to do. Raph suggests that they should ask Splinter, and Leo replies that it’s time for them to grow up and leave this life behind.

“Leave?” Mike gasps, “But… but what about duty? What about… honor?”

“Honor? Heh… I’m beginning to think there’s no place for honor in this world,” Leo replies, “Greed… hatred… violence… the lust for vengeance. These are the primary motivators.”

“What motivates you, Leo?” asks Raph.

“Lately… I don’t have a clue.” Leonardo answers.

The Japanese business woman is on a personal jet on her way to New York. We finally learn her name: Karai. Her assistant brings another video tape, this one clearly capturing Donatello in the frame. Karai is pleased to see this.

Splinter wakes and tries to stand, but the pain is too severe. The Sensei begins to worry for his life, with winter arriving, no food to eat and a bum leg that will prevent him from leaving the silo.

Casey and Gabby are decorating a very modest tree. Gabby is feeling self conscious about her weight from the pregnancy. Casey gives his girlfriend an early present, some sexy lingerie. This makes Gabrielle cry, and Casey consuls her. Not a master tactician, our man Casey.

We see the old man in the hospital, taking his first steps with the help of a nurse.

A Foot headquarters is attacked by one of Shredder’s Elite. The ninja kills everyone inside and then blows up the building.

Mike and his brothers are listening to the news and trying to keep warm in the water tower. The report is about the recent bombing.

“The police department suggests that this blaze is linked to the recent wave of destructive incidents in the City… leaving this reporter to wonder: when will this violence stop?”

Continued in TMNT #55.

First Printing: December, 1992

Number of Story Pages: 26

Cover: A. C. Farley

Story: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

Script: Peter Laird and Jim Lawson

Pencils: Jim Lawson

Inks: Keith Aiken

Letters: Mary Kelleher

“City at War” Part 3
Continued from TMNT #51.

Casey wakes up in Gabby’s trailer, too injured to eat. Gabrielle tells Jones that he can stay there and rest up if he wants to, and Casey says that he might. Jones then dials the local police to report the incident, but when the operator answers he just hangs up. He grabs a drink and heads outside to take a walk.

April is reading about the Foot violence in the New York Times. The story sparks her memories of the Foot burning down her antique store. Robyn interrupts her sister’s thoughts and the two head out to do some shopping.

Gabby gets an hour off so she heads home and is surprised to find Casey still there. Jones has cleaned up the trailer and made lunch that they share.

Master Splinter is in the woods of Northampton, Massachusetts, attempting to meditate, but something is on his mind and he cannot concentrate.

Casey and Gabby are talking about the family that Jones left behind in New York.

“You miss your family, huh Casey?” Gabby asks.

“Yeah, I guess…” Casey mumbles, “Yeah…”

Gabrielle takes Casey’s hand and tells him, “I just want you to know… when you’re ready… if you’re ready… to tell me… I’ll be here. Until then… I’d like you to stay.”

With that out in the open, Gabby kisses Casey.

In New York City, an Asian businessman is riding on a bus. He opens his briefcase and connects a cordless phone to his laptop computer, using it to hack into the power company’s computers. He flags an account as seven months overdue. The power company discovers this odd glitch and wonders how it got past them for so long without anyone noticing, but rather than investigate further, they simply shut off the electricity in a building – one that the Foot Soldiers are using as a headquarters.

In Tokyo, Japan we see a conference with numerous business people gathered around a table. A man notes that their software has almost completed beta test phase and that it is a pity that they allowed the New York factions to go to war for so long. A woman notes that it was to their advantage to wait.

“In chaos there is weakness.” she states.

Back in New York City, the Turtles prevent a woman from being mugged by three men. Raphael is tired of being a street vigilante and wants to find the Foot.

We see the old man in the hospital, sitting up for the first time with assistance from his nurse.

Leonardo tells Raphael that they just need to wait, and that in time their path will be revealed.

“Could ya keep the Zen crap to yourself for now, Leo?” Raph sneers, “We don’t all have your freakin’ Buddha nature, ya know… some of us actually enjoy linear thought! Like me… if I can’t figure out whose butt I’m supposed to kick soon, I’m just gonna – -”

With that, Raph sees a strange robot emerging from out of a van driven by Foot Soldiers.

“–bust–” Raphael concludes, “Oboy. ALL RIGHT!”

The robot starts destroying a nearby bus, the one that contains the businessman who had earlier hacked into the power company’s computers. The Turtles attack the robot and an army of Foot Soldiers appear from nowhere. Chaos ensues. Raph manages to destroy the robot, and the guys regroup, only to find themselves surrounded by Foot Soldiers and two more robots.

“What a revoltin’ development this is.” Raph notes as the Foot close in.

Well, look at it this way, Raph,” Mike states, “It can’t get much worse!”

In the final panel we see one of Shredder’s Elite poised on top of a building.

Continued in TMNT #53.

First Printing: October, 1992

Number of Story Pages: 28

Cover: A. C. Farley

Story: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

Script: Peter Laird and Jim Lawson

Pencils: Jim Lawson

Inks: Keith Aiken

Letters: Mary Kelleher

“City at War” Part 2
Continued from TMNT #50.

The Turtles have taken up residence in a large, empty water tower on top of an old New York City building. The guys are restless and directionless without Splinter to guide them, upset by the news reports of escalating street violence between the fractured factions of the Foot Clan. Violence that the TMNT feel responsible for, as it was their actions that lead to the splintering of the Foot. Raph wants to take the fight to the Clan and finish what they began when Leo killed Saki, but Leonardo isn’t sure that they need to continue fighting Splinter’s blood feud with the Foot for the rest of their lives.

Casey is still driving out west in his Chevy and falling asleep at the wheel. As he startles himself awake, he remembers how he had tried to begin a relationship with April by holding her hand, but she said to him, “Oh, um… Casey… don’t” and walked off. Jones felt bad about his advance and later returned to the farmhouse with flowers to patch things up, only to find that O’Neil had packed her things and left. This enraged Casey, and he picked up a dresser and threw it through a window. As Casey reflects on his recent past, he’s once again startled to his senses when he almost has a head-on collision with a truck. Jones decides that he needs some coffee and food, and so he stops at a diner in Goat Head, Colorado. The place is deserted except for the waitress/cook named Gabrielle, who Casey hits it off with. Gabby asks Casey if he’s headed out west to become a movie star, as she’s seen her share of people passing through with that goal.

“Yep, good ol’ Goat Head – gateway to broken dreams.” Gabby remarks.

“Yeah,” Casey replies, “I know about dreams.”

April is in Los Angeles with her sister Robyn, hanging out in a night club. Robyn tries to get April to cheer up and they discuss Casey and the “guys” that April left behind in NYC. Robyn wonders why April has been so secretive about all of them and why she’s so unhappy lately.

Back in NYC, the TMNT are investigating the porn shop that was destroyed by the Foot bombing. We see a shot of the old man who lived above the store, lying in critical condition in the hospital. Donatello surmises that they’ll find no clues on this site, so they head to the bridge where the Foot Soldiers were slaughtered.

Casey finishes up his coffee and heads out of the diner when he’s accosted by two thugs. The men attack Jones and eventually knock him out by smashing his skull with a gasoline can, and then they steal his car! Gabby rushes out and helps Casey inside.

The Turtles check out the bridge site and find no clues. Feeling vulnerable, they decide to head back to their base.

Robyn and April get back to Robyn’s messy apartment. Robyn asks April what she wants to do and April says they should clean the apartment.

“Ha ha.” Robyn states, “I meant something fun.”

The sisters decide that they’ll go to the beach and then embrace, happy to finally be spending some time together again.

The Turtles are running along the rooftops when they hear some noise in an alley. They cautiously investigate, only to find some boys kicking a garbage can around. The guys get antsy and are obviously on edge.

“This really sucks,” Don gripes, “How long are we going to wander around hoping to run into the Foot when we don’t even have a plan for what to do when it happens?”

“Plus 30 seconds ago, we were ready to jump all over some kids playing with garbage cans… what the Hell are we doing?” queries Mike.

“Let’s face it guys,” Raph quips, “We’ve been reduced to the neighborhood watch!”

Continued in TMNT #52.

First Printing: September, 1992

Number of Story Pages: 24

Cover: A. C. Farley

Story: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

Script: Peter Laird and Jim Lawson

Pencils: Jim Lawson

Inks: Keith Aiken

Letters: Mary Kelleher