Invasion of the Punk Frogs is a story in the TMHT Annual 1990 publication. It is a comic adaptation of the Fred Wolf TMNT cartoon episode with the same title.
Characters[]
- April O'Neil
- Bebop
- Donatello
- Irma
- Krang
- Leonardo
- Michaelangelo
- Punk Frogs
- Raphael
- Rocksteady
- Shredder
- Splinter
Locations[]
- Dimension X
- Earth
- Florida
- New York City
- Mallory Chemical Works
- Sewers of New York City
- Times Square
- Turtle Lair
Vehicles and gadgets[]
- Hologram device
- Technodrome
Objects[]
Summary[]
Using his communicator, Shredder reaches out to Krang, who is in the Technodrome in Dimension X. Shredder has come up with a plan to defeat the Turtles and tells Krang that he needs mutagen. His intension is to make more mutants, enough so that the Turtles are outnumbered.
After Krang reminds him that mutagen is rare and expensive, he also says that the Technodrome is being bombarded by an ion storm which could interfere with the inter-dimensional portal. Shredder begs him, though he hated to do so, and Krang gives in.
Unfortunately, Krang was right about the interference and the mutagen canister goes awry, ending up in the Okefenoke Swamp in Florida. Worse yet, it burst open upon impact with the water and almost instantly mutated four frogs to human size. When Krang informs Shredder of the problem, the latter becomes angry, but realizes he’ll have to go to Florida.
Bebop and Rocksteady get excited because they think they’re going with him, but Shredder tells them he’s going alone. He uses a hologram device to disguise himself so that he appears to be a normal man. He instructs his two henchmen to continue making things hot for the Turtles while he’s gone.
Meanwhile, in her office at Channel 6 Television, April answers a question from her friend Irma, admitting that she does know the Turtles. Spotting a news report over the wire, April excuses herself and heads straight for the lair to tell the Turtles that giant frogs have been reported down in the Florida swamps.
Splinter thinks on it a moment and then says that perhaps they should investigate. Michaelangelo is excited at the idea of going to Florida, but Leonardo says it might not be a good time to leave. A newsflash on television announces that two vandals are trying to smash up Times Square, and that they are wearing rhinoceros and warthog outfits. Leonardo says that they have to stop the pair, and April tags along with the Turtles, determined not to miss out on the story.
In the meantime, Shredder had reached Florida and located the mutagen canister. He was not happy to see that all of its contents had leaked out, but moments later he came upon the mutated frogs and figured out what had happened. Shredder promptly spun a tale about being the friend to all living creatures and then recruited them to help him fight the evil ones known as the Turtles. The Frogs immediately piled into Shredder’s boat and he used a device to clothe them, which made them believe he was their friend.
Back in New York City, Bebop and Rocksteady are ripping up Times Square and having the time of their lives. The Turtles arrive and the two groups start to fight. It wasn’t long though before Rocksteady’s communicator buzzed and he stopped fighting to answer. Shredder ordered his henchmen back to base. Rocksteady started to whine about having to stop their fun, but Shredder snapped at him to move it.
Back at their base, Rocksteady and Bebop freaked out upon seeing the new recruits. Bebop insisted that the Turtles will mop the floor with the Frogs. A smiling Shredder tells Napoleon to show him and the Frog uncoiled a long whip. Cracking it through the air, he caught Rocksteady around the neck and with a sharp tug sent the mutant spinning dizzily to the ground. Bebop then changes his mind and thinks the Frogs might work out after all.
In the lair, Splinter has grown anxious because they hadn’t heard anything about Shredder for quite a while. Just then, April calls their attention to a news report about the city’s largest bank being robbed “by a bunch of green creatures like giant turtles”. Donatello exclaims that they’ve been framed and Splinter figures Shredder is behind it all. Next came an interview with the Mayor who states that he’s organized a special anti-Turtle squad and that Captain Hoffman is in charge.
At his headquarters, Shredder congratulates the Frogs and a blushing Genghis asks if they’re ready to take over the whole city. Shredder says that they still need more help and reaches out to Krang for more mutagen. Krang tells him there is no more, but gives him the recipe to make it.
Meanwhile, the Turtles are out searching for Shredder. Unfortunately, having been framed for bank robbery makes them wanted throughout the city, and police were everywhere. Purely by accident, the Turtles end up at Mallory Chemical Works, the same place that Shredder sent the Frogs to steal the chemicals needed to make mutagen. Just as the Frogs find the chemicals they need they are confronted by the Turtles. As the Turtles draw their weapons, Rasputin uses his bow to shoot an explosive arrow into the ceiling. The Turtles are blinded by a dazzling display of brilliant white light and by the time their vision returns, the Frogs are gone.
Racing outside, the Turtles don’t see the Frogs anywhere. Donatello tells them that the stolen chemicals can be used to make mutagen. He also says they need one more ingredient called Niotrinoline and that it’s very rare. Leonardo calls April at her office and asks her to check the database for a supply of the chemical. She looks it up and discovers a shipment is about to arrive by armored truck at the Argus Chemical Supply Warehouse.
Shredder has started mixing the chemicals, following the instructions that Krang is giving him. When Krang says to add the Niotrinoline, Shredder snaps that he never said anything about that ingredient. Krang then tells him where to find the chemical and the Frogs head out. At the same time, April is interviewing Captain Hoffman, who climbs into a big icer-gun tank which he says tunes in to the Turtles’ biorhythms. In their Blimp, the Turtles fly over the city and Raphael spots the armored vehicle. As they are watching, the Frogs blast a huge hole in the road ahead of the vehicle and ambush it. Detaching the control pod from the Blimp, the Turtles glide down to the scene and confront the Frogs.
Before either side could make a move, Captain Hoffman’s tank arrived. For a moment, he tries to decide which side to blast and settles on the Frogs to start with. A blast of the gun freezes all four of the Frogs into triangles of pure ice. Then Michaelangelo calls out a warning that they are about to be frozen next. Donatello responds by flinging one of his daggers straight at the tank. The force sent the tank’s muzzle upwards so that the next shot hits a building above and behind. Coated the ice, chunks began to fall off the buildings and soon swamped the tank. It also blocked the hatch so that Captain Hoffman is stuck inside.
Donatello urges the others to make tracks, but Leonardo says they have to take the Frogs with them. Michaelangelo says that they aren’t on the same side, but Leo insists that they are mutants too and maybe once they are unfrozen, they can talk to them. They take the Frogs to the lair and set them free. The Frogs immediately want to fight, but Splinter intervenes, saying there will be no violence. Genghis admits to being confused because they’d been told the other mutants were evil.
Splinter patiently explains the entire situation and the Frogs realize they’ve been duped. Attila asks what happens now. Leonardo says he has an idea how they can work together against Shredder and explains his plan.
Soon the Frogs head back to Shredder and apologize for losing the Niotrinoline. Shredder is angry, but then Genghis says he overheard the Turtles saying that they were going to hide the chemical in the old, disused island prison called Stonewall. When Shredder, Bebop, Rocksteady and the Frogs break into the old jail, they find the Turtles waiting for them.
Shredder rants about being set up by the Frogs. Before the battle can begin, Captain Hoffman’s anti-Turtle squad helicopter lands on the roof. Gloating, Shredder uses his hologram device to make himself and his two henchmen look like members of Hoffman’s police.
Racing through the corridors, the Turtles and Frogs try to outrun Hoffman and his goons. Using projectile guns, the police lay down a barrage of anti-mutant gas, which sends the mutants senses reeling. Fighting to stay ahead, they reach the prison laundry room and Raphael says there must be a soakway beneath the floor. Mikey suggests that Rasputin use his exploding arrows and the Frog does so, causing the floor to fall in. Jumping down, the group uses the sewers that connect to the mainland to make their escape.
Splinter welcomed them all back as they returned to safety. He then gives the Frogs clear instructions for getting back to their home in Florida. Genghis is happy because he says the big city doesn’t suit them. Mikey comes in bearing a steaming pizza and says they should eat before they leave. However, the Frogs don’t actually like pizza, though they thank him for the thought. After the Frogs leave, Mikey looks at the pizza and then up at the others. Shaking his head, he expresses mystification at the fact that the Frogs don’t like pizza. He says that some mutants are just plain weird.