Cowabunga Christmas: Merry Mutants Big Golden Book

OOZING WITH HOLIDAY SPIRIT

Christmas stories are the best stories. The holidays create the perfect setting in movies, books, and music. Although The Godfather might be a superior film, I've watched Home Alone dozens more times because of its holiday DNA. Christmas stories are a tradition, a yearly ritual that I look forward to. Each year I shuffle through a bevy of favorites, but I'm always on the look out for new classics. This season, TMNT enters the arena with a new Big Golden Book entitled Merry Mutants.

NAUGHTY OR NICE?

The book is aimed at kids. I knew that going in, but was still eager for a fun holiday story. The festive formula is simple for TMNT - put mutants in Santa hats and keep the narrative silly. That's it. Follow this simple blueprint and success is guaranteed. In a shocking twist of events, Merry Mutants somehow screws that up. No Santa hats. No silly narrative. The cover is purely a tease. The pages within the book tell a tale of the Turtles snowboarding throughout New York City while Leo is in a grumpy mood. The pages are a visual charming winter wonderland, but don't set your yule log ablaze.

The saving grace is one lonely Christmas tree lurking in the background. It's not hidden, but it's a Where's Waldo-like adventure searching for any holiday visuals in Merry Mutants.

COWABUNGA CONCLUSION

Merry Mutants is misleading. While the cover paints a very Christmas feel, the pages within are nothing but a winter tale that plays it too safe. The festive fun has been stripped away, an effort to steer clear of offending non-Christmas celebrating folks. But then why bother releasing a book entitled, Merry Mutants that features the Turtles in Santa hats on the cover? There's an indecisiveness that plagues what could've been a classic.

Maybe this book is suppose to be for kids or something.

Check back for more holiday hijinks all month during The Sewer Den's Cowabunga Christmas!