L'ora dei mostri, (Monsters hour), is a story in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic published by Rizzoli. It appeared in issue 13, 1993, of the Italian children's magazine "Corriere dei Piccoli".
Appearing in L’ora dei mostri[]
Major characters[]
Minor characters[]
- April O'Neil
- Bebop
- Krang
- Receptionist
- Rocksteady
- Shredder
- Splinter
Species[]
- Disembodied brain
- Human
- Mutant rat
- Mutant rhinoceros
- Mutant turtle
- Mutant warthog
Objects and vehicles[]
Locations[]
- New York City
- Tecnodromo
- Turtle Lair
- TV studio
Summary[]
Like many other kids, our ninja friends are TV fanatics. Michelangelo is in the lair’s kitchen pouring snacks into bowls. Raffaello shouts for him to hurry or he’ll miss the start of the show. Michelangelo calls out that he’s coming and then rushes into the living room where his brothers and Splinter are waiting. Their favorite show begins, “Monster Hour: The Hour of the Slobbering, Slobbering Monsters!” The show that makes you lose your appetite! Michelangelo says he doubts that, so he brought some appetizers. Leonardo tells him that’s good, because they were needed. Splinter makes an unapproving sound and says that too much TV and junk does not help their training. Michelangelo asks if he’s talking about his pretzels. Leonardo tells him no; he is referring to Monster Hour. Donatello tells his master that he knows he doesn’t approve of this show. Leonardo doesn’t understand why, because everyone loves it.
Not everyone. The show is playing on a monitor in the Tecnodromo. Krang says the show gives him a pain. He calls attention to the monsters, saying that they look like complete fools. Off to one side, Bebop and Rocksteady snicker. In a whisper, Bebop asks his partner if the monsters on TV remind him of someone. Rocksteady tells him to keep it down. As the show draws to a close, one of the TV monsters announces this week’s winners of their “Why I Like Monsters” contest. Krang starts to turn if off, saying he didn’t enter anyway. The monster announces the winners are Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raffaello. Shredder quickly stops Krang from turning the show off. The monster reads the letter from the Turtles which says that the show makes them laugh because the characters seem to be a photocopy of an acquaintance by the name of Krang. Bebop and Rocksteady laugh and Krang yells at them to be silent. The TV monster congratulates the winners and says their prize is waiting for them at the studio. Shredder finds that to be very interesting to learn that the Turtles follow the show.
Later, Bebop and Rocksteady, the latter carrying a gift-wrapped box, enter the TV studio. Rocksteady asks the receptionist at the desk if this is where you collect your prizes. She tells him yes and then asks if he won something. He says no, she did and Bebop adds that it’s the grand prize that rewards the award winners. The thrilled receptionist takes the box and opens it, only to be hit in the face by a puff of smoke that knocks her out. Rocksteady leaps over the counter and says that when she wakes up, she’ll not remember anything. He soon appears behind the desk wearing a red jacket and blond wig. Rocksteady asks how he looks and Bebop tells him he’s delicious as he runs to go into hiding.
Shortly after, the Turtles enter the studio. They are excited to see what they’ve won and approach the “receptionist”. Donatello says that they are the monster contest winners. Rocksteady says congratulations and hands over a wrapped package. He tells Donatello that it’s a special 3D screen for professional viewers. As they leave the studio, Donatello comments that the clerk is pretty horrible. Michelangelo says that it’s obvious they keep the pretty ones aside as showgirls.
Back at the lair, Donatello gets the special screen installed just in time so that they can see “Monster Hour” in 3D. The program begins and creatures bound through the screen. Leonardo jumps up and asks if it looks like they are really coming out. Michelangelo pulls his nunchaku and says that they have it in for them. As Leonardo pushes a pair of monsters, he yells for someone to turn the TV off. Raffaello says that won’t be easy, as the beasts won’t give him back his remote control and they can even disconnect the power or the cable because the beasts are protecting both. Leonardo says all that’s left is to fight. Michelangelo tells him they are, but there are just so many of them.
April O'Neil approaches the door to the lair and is sure the boys will be happy to see her. She enters and calls out that she was passing by. Leonardo suddenly shoves her down, just as a flying monster tries to chomp her. April asks what’s going on and Leonardo tells her that their favorite show has invaded the living room. Michelangelo is certain that it’s a Shreddy prank. Raffaello says that’s why the receptionist looked like Rocksteady. Donatello reaches for April’s mini-camera and tells her that it’s their last hope. He opens the camera and tells his brothers to keep the monsters away while he adjusts it. April asks him to take it easy because it belongs to Canale 6. Leonardo urges Donatello to hurry.
Donatello soon announces it’s done and lifts the camera. He turns it on and it begins pulling the monsters towards the lens. Donatello says that it’s as he imagined, the squiggles are high-density television projections. Michelangelo notes that a video recording system can suck them in. April asks if this means they are in here camera now. Trapped in magnetic tape, Donatello says, so she doesn’t need to worry. Michelangelo has an idea and say to give it to them because he really wants to show it to someone.
The next day, at the Tecnodromo, Bebop brings a package to Shredder and says it was at the post office for him. Shredder says that’s strange because he wasn’t expecting anything. He opens the package and finds a video cassette and a letter. He begins reading “Dear Tin Face, in 3D we liked “Monster Hour” even more…” Bebop takes the video cassette to the viewer and says he hopes they are cartoons. Rocksteady tells him to insert it into the player. Shredder finishes reading the letter, “… so we recorded it for you, so you can enjoy it too! Your very affectionate ninjas.” Monsters begin leaping out of the screen and Bebop says that maybe they shouldn’t have shown the tape on the giant screen.