Ninja Turtles Short Film By Jhonen Vasquez

San Diego Comic-Con has begun in earnest and for the next few days we can expect to be buried under a mountain of cool stuff coming out the pop-culture-palooza. Already the bar has been set pretty high by “Invader Zim” creator Jhonen Vasquez’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” animated short film. 

The short, titled simply “TMNT: Don Vs Raph” showcases the two titular turtles in a contest to determine which of them is the best warrior. Raph represents the side of physical prowess and training, while Donnie puts his trust in his intellect and technological innovations, laying down the framework for the ultimate contest of brain vs brawn. 

As should be expected from a creator such as Vasquez, the battle quickly devolves into increasing levels of wackiness as both turtles refuse to concede, concocting increasingly elaborate contests to determine an ultimate winner. While the whole thing runs at only six minutes, it’s jam-packed with fun and funny, combining the best elements of both the TMNT and Vasquez’s unique perspective. Check it out.