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 YOU'RE NOT ON 
 NICKTOONS 
 ANYMORE! 

Some TMNT stuff really isn't for little kids.

Solicit[]

Batman and the Turtles grapple with the laws of Krang’s combined universe, desperate to return their two worlds to their original states. But there are some who do not want things set right. In this reality, the Laughing Man runs the Smile Clan, the most dangerous criminal organization ever to strike New Gotham City—and that’s how he wants things to stay! He’ll kill anyone who gets in his way...even the Shredder!

Appearing in Crisis in a Half Shell, part 4[]

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Summary[]

A Smile Soldier hangs upside down and in chains in front of a large target as throwing knives whizz past his head. He stammers that he came to deliver a message about a problem. In the last few hours, three of their weapon depot warehouses have gone offline, and they’re empty and burning. Pan out to the Smile Clan headquarters. Laughing Man has killed a number of the Smile Soldiers with the knives and now wields a sword. He approaches the hanging soldier, who is held up by Clayface and Killer Croc. Laughing Man curses the Bat and his damned Turtles, then the soldier tells him it didn’t seem to be them. There was a message that said the Foot is rising. It said the Shredder has returned. Laughing Man wants to know who the Shredder is.

As a warehouse burns nearby, Shredder stands on a building’s ledge looking out over a group of former Smile Soldiers, who have discarded their smile masks. Now garbed as Foot Soldiers, they kneel before him. Scores of additional Foot Soldiers stand in the streets below. He demands to know if the new group remember who they serve and they say yes. He tells them to join the others because they aren’t close to finished. Shredder then turns his head to speak to the Turtles, who he sees in the shadows. He makes certain they know he is simply rebuilding what was taken from him and is upholding the rules of their arrangement. No one has died by his hand, but for them not to test their alliance.

The Turtles and Batman step out of the shadows. Raphael tells him that every member of the Foot Clan he brings back to their core selves weakens Krang's hold on this world, but some people outweigh others. Batman says they need to draw the Laughing Man out of the shadows and make him remember who he really is. Shredder states that he won’t draw him out, he’ll go to him in the night and slit his throat in order to take back what is rightfully his. As he starts to walk away, the others follow. The Turtles wonder if they should knock him out and forget everything, but Batman reminds them their work isn’t finished. Leonardo steps in front of Shredder and reminds him that they have to put their broken world back together, which means no killing Laughing Man. Shredder turns to Batman to state that as his nemesis, how many of his allies has Laughing Man destroyed. Batman still can’t remember everything, but knows how dangerous he is in either form. Shredder wants to know if he’s ready to loose that danger back into the world. Batman says he knows it needs to be done and he knows where it needs to happen.

Standing atop a tall building, Laughing Man shouts for Krang into an angry red sky, demanding to know what he will get from their bargain, since it seems he’s losing control of the city. Krang cautions him on his tone, reminding him he’s disposable. Laughing Man says to either dispose of him, or give him what he needs. In response, Krang delivers to him a Mother Box, which he explains will open a gateway to the Ultra-Technodrome and unleash his forces upon the world – when the time is right. Krang tells Laughing Man that there is something he needs to do first. That is to murder all of the players who are capable of tipping the scales back toward the original worlds, something he now believes he should have done before this all began.

Cut to the New Gotham Police Department. Commissioner Gordon learns of another burning warehouse and receives a report that more of Laughing Man’s stash is gone. His subordinate, a man named Bullock, marks off the warehouse on a map of the city and says the Smile Clan gets weaker and they get more of a chance. Gordon isn’t thrilled at the idea of trading one devil for another, since they don’t know exactly what is going on. He turns to Casey Jones and orders him to the site of the burning warehouses, but before he can continue those orders, April O'Neil enters the room. She asks to steal Casey for a minute, but Gordon asks if she should be there. A smiling April says definitely not, but she’ll only be a second.

Casey escorts her to a staircase, explaining that the whole floor is restricted. April tells him her name and that she has something to give him before “they” get here. A nearby sound startles the pair and April shoves the golf club bag she’s carrying into Casey’s arms, cursing that someone is there earlier than expected. April races down the stairs and a confused Casey opens the bag to find it filled with sports equipment.

In another area of the police station, Laughing Man is murdering officers with his throwing knives. He tells them he admires their restraint in not joining up with his clan, but he’ll give them one last chance to live. All he needs is the location of an officer named Casey Jones. His massacre is interrupted by the Turtles, now back in their signature gear. They attack, telling him they know he’s working with Krang. Donatello tries to make Laughing Man understand that whatever promises Krang has given him, they are lies. Laughing Man counters that they’ve no idea what he’s been promised, but he can’t imagine whoever he was before wanting anything more. He manages to get the drop on Mikey, wrapping an arm around his neck and threatening to kill him if the others don’t deliver Casey.

From behind him, Casey announces his presence and then strikes Laughing Man across the head with his hockey stick. This frees Mikey, who joins his brothers in standing next to Casey, who is now wearing his hockey mask and has the bag strapped to his back. He asks the Turtles if this is going to make sense to him on the other end and Raphael says “sorta”, which is good enough for Casey. Angered, Laughing Man attacks, but the Turtles taunt him, saying he’s not the top ninja in town and has a rival for the throne. Laughing Man says he’ll kill them, but Don tells him they used to think he was scary, but he clearly hasn’t watched the news. He uses a remote to activate one of the TV’s mounted on the wall. Standing center screen in the Shredder and all around him are his Foot Clan. Shredder informs Gotham that the city belongs to the Foot Clan and they will bring those who do not heed his call to their knees. Enraged, Laughing Man throws a smoke pellet on the floor and makes his escape.

After he’s gone, the Turtles turn to Commissioner Gordon, who demands they get away from him. Donatello brings out a device which displays a hologram of Batman, who calls his friend Jim and tells him something big is about to happen. He needs Gordon to keep the people safe. This interaction awakens Gordon’s memory, who asks where Batman is trying to lure Laughing Man. Batman tells him A.C.E. Chemical.

At the A.C.E. Chemical plant, Splinter and Batman wait. Splinter can sense something still troubling Batman, who says there is some key to everything that he doesn’t remember. Alfred informs them that the Laughing Man is approaching. When Laughing Man reaches the plant, he kicks open a wall and sees that Clayface, Killer Croc, Deadshot and Harley Quinn have been captured by the Shredder. Harley shouts that it’s a trap, that Shredder is working with Batman, but Laughing Man doesn’t care, he’s determined to kill Shredder. On a walkway above the vats filled with chemicals, Shredder taunts Laughing Man, calling him a clown. In a vehicle outside, Alfred and April watch the action on a video monitor. Shredder tells them to keep the line clear because it’s time. Laughing Man charges towards Shredder, but suddenly Batman leaps onto the platform. He addresses his foe as Joker and says to take his hand so he can remember who he is, but Laughing Man backs away, screaming for Batman not to touch him.

Laughing Man throws an explosive onto the walkway, ripping it in half. Batman clings to a support, but his adversary begins to fall towards a vat of green liquid. Batman reaches out and catches his arm, telling the man who has started to remember to take his hand. Joker doesn’t want to remember, though he admits he hears laughter. Batman tells him to listen to the laughter, but Joker uses one of his throwing knives to slash Batman’s arm, forcing him to let go. Joker plumets into the vat just before a loud explosion sounds from outside. Splinter, Casey and the Turtles race into the building. Batman approaches Harley and asks if she remembers who she is, touching her shoulder. Her memory comes back and the first thing she asks is about Mister J.

Hysterical laughter echoes through the building and they all look up to see Joker standing on a tall vat. He tosses the Laughing Man mask on the ground in front of Batman and says chaos offer opportunity. Joker lifts the Mother Box overhead. The gateway opens and dozens of Krang’s robots pour into the building from overhead. Still laughing, Joker asks “you didn’t really think I was going to help, did you?”

To Be Continued…

See also[]

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