Terrific Whatzit
{{Short description|Fictional animal character}}
{{Infobox comics character
|image = Terrific Whatzit.jpg
|image_size = 250
|caption = The Terrific Whatzit (left) and his "conscience" (right). From Funny Stuff #6 (Fall 1945).
Art by Martin Naydel.
|character_name = The Terrific Whatzit
|real_name = Merton McSnurtle
|publisher = DC Comics
|debut = Funny Stuff #1 (Summer 1944)
|creators = Martin Naydel
|alliances = Flash Family
Legion of Super-Pets
|aliases = McSnurtle the Turtle
|powers = Super-speed
Super-strength
Flight
"Automatic conscience"
}}
The Terrific Whatzit (real name Merton McSnurtle, also known as McSnurtle the Turtle) is a fictional superhero turtle appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. DC's first talking animal superhero, the Terrific Whatzit first appeared in Funny Stuff #1 (Summer 1944) and was created by writer-artist Martin Naydel.{{cite book |last1=Mitchell |first1=Kurt |last2=Thomas |first2=Roy |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944 |date=2019 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490892 |pages=276}}
Natasha Lyonne voices the character in the animated film DC League of Super-Pets (2022).
Fictional character biography
McSnurtle is a turtle and shopkeeper who lives in the town of Zooville and is famed for his honesty and laziness. Wishing to see how such a person would handle receiving superpowers, otherworldly entitles called Prince Highness and Prince Lowness grant him super-speed, among other abilities.{{cite book |last=Becattini |first=Alberto |title=American Funny Animal Comics in the 20th Century: Volume Two |date=2019 |publisher=Theme Park Press |isbn=978-1683902218 |chapter=Super-Animals}} Dubbing himself the "Terrific Whatzit",{{cite web |last=Markstein |first=Don |title=McSnurtle the Turtle: The Terrific Whatzit |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/mcsnurt.htm |access-date=2 April 2020 |website=Don Markstein's Toonopedia}}{{cite book |last=Rovin |first=Jeff |url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc00rovi/page/164/mode/2up/ |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cartoon Animals |date=1991 |publisher=Prentice Hall Press |isbn=0-13-275561-0 |pages=165–166 |author-link=Jeff Rovin |access-date=31 March 2020}} he would go on to aid the Allies during the "Second Weird War". Additionally, his nephew Timmy Joe Terrapin / Fastback would acquire similar powers and join the Zoo Crew.Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew #4 (June 1982)
Powers and abilities
McSnurtle possesses super-speed, super-strength,Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew #9 (November 1982) and the ability to fly. Additionally, he is haunted by a ghostly "automatic conscience" that berates him unless he takes action against danger and can remove his shell.Funny Stuff #1, Summer 1944{{cite book |last=Nevins |first=Jess |title=Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes |date=2013 |publisher=High Rock Press |isbn=978-1-61318-023-5 |page=268 |author-link=Jess Nevins}}
In other media
=Television=
- McSnurtle the Turtle appears in The Flash in two different forms. The first version appears in the episode "Revenge of the Rogues" as the childhood stuffed animal of Iris West. The second appears in the episode "Borrowing Problems from the Future" as a regular turtle that Harrison "HR" Wells gives to Barry Allen as a housewarming gift.
- The Terrific Whatzit appears in the DC Super Hero Girls episode "All Pets Are Off".
=Film=
Merton the Turtle / Terrific Whatzit appears in DC League of Super-Pets, voiced by Natasha Lyonne.{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/movies/dc-league-of-super-pets-first-look/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|title=Dwayne Johnson's Krypto assembles a team in DC League of Super-Pets first look|author=Agard, Chancellor|date=November 17, 2021|accessdate=November 18, 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://comics2film.com/dc-league-super-pets-meet-pets-natasha-lyonne-as-merton | title=DC League of Super-Pets | Meet the Pets: Natasha Lyonne as Merton}} This version is a non-anthropomorphic female turtle who acquires super-speed after being exposed to orange Kryptonite and goes on to become the Flash's pet and a founding member of the titular League of Super-Pets.
=Miscellaneous=
- An unnamed turtle wearing the original Terrific Whatzit costume appears in DC Super Friends #14 (June 2009) as the adopted pet of Wally West / Flash.
- The Terrific Whatzit appears in the DC Super-Pets children's book Salamander Smackdown. This version is the pet of Barry Allen / Flash who wears a similar costume as him.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.toonopedia.com/mcsnurt.htm Toonopedia entry on the Terrific Whatzit]
- [http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/fastback.html Biographical summaries on the Terrific Whatzit, Fastback and the Crash]
- [http://www.capstonepub.com/product/9781404864788 Capstone's DC Super-Pets book Salamander Smackdown]
{{Flash}}
{{GoldenAge}}
Category:Anthropomorphic turtles
Category:Comics about anthropomorphic turtles
Category:Golden Age superheroes
Category:Comics about talking animals
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1944
Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman strength
Category:DC Comics superheroes
Category:DC Comics male superheroes
Category:DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds