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Some TMNT stuff really isn't for little kids. |
Demodogs have overrun the city! New Yorkers are being rounded up like cattle! The only hope of salvation? Four talking Turtles and six schoolchildren on a class field trip. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Hawkins kids convene on Times Square to send the Upside Down back to the Upside Down! But can they face something this big and walk away? Don’t miss the conclusion to this year’s strangest crossover!
Appearing in Bright Lights[]
Major characters[]
- April O'Neil (debut)
- Casey Jones (debut)
- Donatello
- Dustin Henderson
- Eleven
- Leonardo
- Lucas Charles Sinclair
- Maxine Mayfield
- Michael Wheeler
- Michelangelo
- The Mind Flayer
- Raphael
- William Byers
Minor characters[]
Species[]
Locations[]
- New York City
- 12 Lavigne Street
- Subway
- Times Square
- The Upside Down
Objects and vehicles[]
Summary[]
Dustin continues trying to reach Leonardo and his group over the walkie-talkie to warn them that they are heading into a trap. He communicates that the Demodogs that are in New York are not there because of them or Eleven. Dustin says it’s aliens – and not the cuddly E.T. kind. Unfortunately, all he hears back is static. Max grabs the walkie-talkie and tries changing channels. She suddenly tunes in to a police channel. Officer Lawson is reporting to dispatch that they are getting weird electrical issues and it seems to be moving towards Times Square. The officer says that the lights are flickering like crazy.
Donatello asks if they’re confident the others are at Times Square. Dustin tells him that flickering lights are a classic sign someone’s in The Upside Down. Stockman says that the creatures are all over the city by now and that they are too late. Max suggests using Stockman’s Demomousers to lure the real Demodogs back to The Upside Down. Donatello thinks that idea is brilliant, but Max also reminds him that they don’t actually know how to do what she suggested. Eleven walks up with the Demomouser control device and calls Max’s attention to it. Dustin is happy that now they can control the Demomousers, but wants to know how they’ll get to Times Square. Raphael says that luckily, they have friends for that. The group is soon riding in April's van, with April O'Neil at the wheel and Casey Jones next to her.
In The Upside Down, the Turtles assure the Utrom that they don’t mean it any harm, they just want to know what happened. Upon learning that the Turtles are familiar with its kind, the Utrom says that they must also know that its kind wasn’t meant to stay on Earth forever. At TCRI, different teams were exploring further means of interdimensional travel, pushing the boundaries of various technological possibilities. It and its partner were successful with their creation, but not in the way they hoped.
Though their portal was only open for a moment, it was long enough to them to be ensnared by wisps of a great shadow. Both Lucas and Mike identify it as The Mind Flayer. The Utrom goes on to explain that the rest of its kind left Earth, using their teleporter technology. It and its partner were left behind, and The Mind Flayer took control of them and their machine. Its role was to open a gate in the subway, but it fears that its partner is being used for something far bigger. A panel shows its partner atop a tall building, working on their interdimensional travel machine, while The Mind Flayer looks on.
April brings the van to a screeching stop in Times Square and the group piles out. The streets are crowded with cars and the sidewalks packed with pedestrians, but the lights are flickering. Raph tells April to do whatever it takes to get the people out of there and she sets out to do that. Dustin asks to borrow a bat from Casey, telling him that they do work on the Demodogs. Casey replies that in his experience they always work. Meanwhile, pedestrians are being attacked by Demodogs. Max uses the control device to direct the Demomousers to call to the Demodogs, while Don uses his bō to knock the creatures aside. Raph tells Eleven that he doesn’t know what monstrosities are waiting for them, but after all they’ve gone through, he knows her. He hands her a red bandana and says that he thinks she earned it. Eleven ties on the bandana and the group readies for the fight.
Meantime, in The Upside Down, Leonardo and Will go to the top of the subway stairs and see The Mind Flayer clinging to a building. Will confirms to Leo that it’s what they’re dealing with. They come back down and hear Mikey asking the Utrom that assuming the creature still controls its partner, what does the creature want it to do. The Utrom explains that their machine is designed to open a portal wide enough to transport entire spacecraft. Mikey exclaims that opening that in the middle of Times Square is not good. Lucas then realizes that the Demodogs were released not to hunt, their mission is to round up as many people as possible to bring them to The Upside Down.
Leo says they will make their way to the top and Mike adds that they’ll turn off the machine before it can be used. Will tells the Utrom that when they get up there, they’ll save its friend. The Utrom is surprised that they don’t blame it for what’s happened. Will assures it that he understands they were just trying to get home. With the Utrom perched on his shoulder, Will and the others climb up the stairs to the surface. Once they reach street level, Leo hands Mike a sword and Mikey gives Lucas one of his nunchucks and they head out.
In Times Square, Raph’s group prepares to head up. Dustin tells them that if there’s an opening to The Upside Down in the building, they’ll find far worse than Demodogs waiting for them. Raph is happy to be able to pick on something his own size. The two groups, each in their respective dimensions, begin battling their way to the top of the building, fighting Demodogs along the way. In The Upside Down, there is also The Mind Flayer to fight past.
At the top of the building they find the opening and the two groups see each other. The Earth side group begins helping their friends through the gate and out of The Upside Down. The Max calls out for everyone to lookout as her Demomousers lead the Demodogs into the gate to their own dimension. The Utroms partner comes through as well, having been released by The Mind Flayer. Then Dustin asks Raph if he can have a swing at the Utrom’s machine and together, they throw a bat and a sai at the device.
The machine is destroyed, closing the gate at the top of the building and the one in the subway car. The Utroms thank the team for all their help, but then wonder what is to become of them. Leo tells them that it’s a big city and if they give it a chance, he thinks they can call it home. Will says that what matters most is who you are with.
In front of the Hotel Mirage, the Turtles climb into April’s van and say their goodbyes to the kids from Hawkins. Mike tells them that if they ever need a break from the city, they should visit Indiana. Lucas adds that the summers aren’t too bad and Dustin says there’s a new mall opening soon that’ll be like the Times Square of Hawkins. Leo assures them they’ll keep that in mind. As the van pulls away, Mikey leans through the window and shouts for the kids to enjoy the rest of their time in the greatest city in the world.
The kids rejoin their tour group and explain to Mr. Clarke how they got lost because there were just too many people. Dustin chimes in that being small-town Midwesterners, they had trouble navigating the subway system. Mr. Clarke says he’s glad they are okay and that they stuck to the buddy system. As the tour group proceeds on its way, Mikey turns to wave to Eleven, who is watching from an alley. Mr. Clarke tells the group that they can still salvage the field trip and though Times Square is off the agenda, there’s still plenty to see. Max turns to Dustin and tells him she thinks he was right, the coolest thing they found was in the sewers.
The End
See also[]
Trivia[]
- Officer Lawson is a nod to Mirage artist Jim Lawson.
- When the team led by Donatello and Raphael reach Times Square, various digital screens and monitors display names such as "Dooney", "Lawson", "Beacham", "Sakai", "Niño", "Chittock", "Murphy", "Talbot", "FeroP", "Santo", "Lavigne" and "Dodgson", all people who have been part of the production staff for the TMNT comic books.
- At the end of the comic, April O'Neil picks up the Turtles and Casey in front of "Hotel Mirage".