Bend It Like Turtles is the sixth issue of the Dreamwave comics.
Solicit[]
Has everything the Turtles believed about themselves been a lie? Forget what you knew thought you knew about Leo, Raph, Mike, and Don, as a terrible secret threatens to tear the team apart in this issue of the runaway hit series. Hold onto your shuriken, as the TMNT's entire world is turned upside down!
Appearing in Bend It Like Turtles[]
Major characters[]
Minor characters[]
- Michelangelo
- Mr. Chen (debut)
- Raphael
- Splinter
Species[]
Synopsis[]
Young martial artist Dheeraj witnesses the object of his affection, Jaya being accosted by the street gang known as the "Thoogs". He springs into action and beats the punks senseless, but it turns out it's all a dream as he's wakened by his boss, April O'Neil. Dheeraj has been helping her in the antique store and seems to have worked himself into exhaustion in the New York heat. April tells him he can go for the day, and she is startled by the sudden appearance of Leonardo, who pops up as soon as the lad leaves.
The two discuss Dheeraj in his absence. April talks about how he's a black belt in kung fu and a smart lad, who's just trying to make enough money to take Jaya out. Leonardo seems convinced that this is usually the kind of well-meaning life that usually leads to a tragic undoing.
Outside, Dheeraj sees Jaya being hassled by the Thoogs, just like in his dream. Only instead of wrecking their faces, he freezes up and gets the heck beat out of him instead. Jaya tries to help him, but he declines, and Dheeraj hobbles his way back to the antique store and falls in front of April, continuing to decline help as she offers him assistance to the hospital.
Instead, she takes him up to her apartment to apply as much first aid as she can. She also introduces Dheeraj to Leo, who gives him some helpful pointers for combat, including the fact that an actual fight is nothing like the sanctioned, sanitized environment of sparring that he is used to.
Later, as Jaya is picking up some produce from Mr. Chen, the Thoogs appear and hassle both of them. Using the confidence and lessons he got from Leo, he finally subdues the attackers and forces them to flee.
Down in the Lair, Leo and his brothers Raphael and Michelangelo, who had apparently watched all this, describe the scene to Splinter. Splinter commends Leo on teaching Dheeraj how to overcome his obstacle instead of doing it himself, but warns him that there is no way the battle is over.
Meanwhile, the Thoogs discuss inviting Dheeraj to join, with the ultimatum of killing him if he doesn't.
Trivia[]
- The issue's title is a play on the 2002 movie Bend It Like Beckham.
- When Dheeraj first spots Jaya outside of his dream, he walks past a poster to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 film).
- The comic's solicit is absolutely unrelated to the issue, with no "terrible secret" threatening the Turtles' way of life and Donatello not even making an appearance.