Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Exposed! [Paperback]

Joan Hake Robie (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 78 pages
• Publisher: Starburst Publishers (March 25, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0914984314
• ISBN-13: 978-0914984313
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 1.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,056,065 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Like cures like, April 29, 2000

By 

Alex (College Park, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Exposed! (Paperback)

I will defeat Joan Hakes Robie with what she uses so extensively in this book of hers. Right here, pages 47 and 48, where she gives her reasoning and summarizes the evils of TMNT. And I quote, word for word:

"Savior - Splinter (god-like figure, mentor, religious leader) is a giant-sized rat that is said to have rescued the Turtles from radiation and educated them into the Ninja Arts. This giant rat also acts as a father to the turtles in the cartoons, comic books, etc. Should a giant-sized rat become like God? Isn't this blasphemy?" Why is a father figure god? Splinter is Turtles' mentor and guardian, not a religious leader.

"Crime - The Shredder, is said to be ruthless and vengeful and has a brilliant criminal mind. Should we teach our children that crime pays?" But crime does pay! Why else would people commit it!

"Eastern Religions - Krang is the spiritual leader of Shredder. Krang speaks from his middle (stomach) where a demonic-like figure is visible." Now here's an insult! Krang is a slug-like alien who moves by the means of a robotic humanoid suit. Krang's control hub is located in the suit's mid-section. This character was not intended as a perverse religion, but as a most unlikely and cliche alien possible.

"Sex - in the Archie comics April O'Neal is seen as a voluptuous and sexy female. In the movie O'Neal's skirts are so short (or she is wearing shorts) that they reveal her legs almost to the top of the thigh. Should our children see women only as sex images?" I doubt that prepubescent children can comprehend the concept of a sex image. Moreover, a skirt that reveals the top of the thigh is a geometric impossibility. Thirdly, I have seen the film and know the above claims to be entirely false. O'Neal is merely wearing the clothes that were in vogue at the time.

"Darkness - The movie (which is rated PG and recommended for 4 to 12 year-olds) takes place in darkness where "night action" occurs. Children are prone to be afraid of the dark. Many evil deeds are done in darkness. The Bible says...men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil (John 3:19)." Children are afraid of the dark because it deprives them of sensory input, and, therefore, their link to the safe world around them. Obviously, for children who are watching the film in a well-lit room the darkness is not much trouble. Moreover, the film was recommended for children from 7 to 13 years of age.

"Weapons - names of ninja (lethal) weapons, their description and use are incorporated into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series." Note that only one of the Turtles' weapons is edged. All others are lethal only in the hands of a professional. Also, for some reason the author obscesses with the ninja axe, the bisento. None of the characters use it.

"Meditation - The Ninja uses meditation to obtain physical power and "inner strength." Meditation is a religion that does not accept Jesus Christ, the Messiah as the one true God." Meditation is not a religion. It is merely a method of relaxation and concentration.

Furthermore, Joan Hakes Robie uses piteous and disturbingly implicit drawings of the Turtles to prove her point. Come on, this series was created for teenagers as a spoof of all others! It hasn't a hint of great violence!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Wow, it's just a really terrible, terrible book., May 7, 2002

By 

Dre (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Exposed! (Paperback)

I cannot begin to explain how single, close-minded this book is. In my opinion, I believe this author wrote this book back in the early 90's to make some fast cash. The author, Joan Hake Robie, relates the Ninja Turtles to everything that is evil and wrong. She over-indulges the book with ludicrous overstatements and actually encourages parents to distract children from this form of entertainment.

Throughout the years, we've come across the Power Rangers, Simpsons, Pokemon which all induce violence in some form or another, making the Turtles look like innocent children skipping through a flowery field. The book does appear to be a Christian book as she relates the Turtles franchise as Satan's work, but being a Christian myself, this is [wrong]. Throughout the entire book she's been ridiculing this comic/cartoon/movie, and in return she's being ridiculed herself. I encourage you NOT to read this book. It is a waste of time because her ideals of philosophy, psychology, and what should be morally accepted is very, very, incorrect. What a shame.

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars One star is too good for this book., December 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Exposed! (Paperback)

Unlike Joan Robie would have you believe, Eastman and Laird didn't create characters designed to turn your children into violent criminals. Instead, they created a wonderful spoof of the comic book genre that went from a cult hit amongst adults in it's B&W comic book format to a worldwide phenomenom among children. Unfortunately the author spent too much time with her blinders on to see either the humor or the positive teachings within the Turtles universe (and martial arts in general). The world could use a lot more of Mike, Raph, Leo and Don and lot less books like this one.