(For those of you with short attentions spans, please read the special rule in boldface mid-way down this post before selecting a cover this month)

It is not a rhetorical question. While the Ancient and Honorable Order of Turtles (aka International Association of Turtles) began as a casual way to get free drinks from buddies way back during WWII, The loose organization still exists, with many famous and historically significant people counted among its membership, including astronauts, presidents, authors, actors, and people from all walks of life. Membership is free, but by tradition you generally have to be initiated by an existing member or members. Being a Turtle is not about accomplishments, success or money, so much as it is about a personal mindset.

Yes, there are even membership cards, certificates, pins and other ephemera that go along with it. An example is the membership card of Walt Cunningham, one of the astronauts from Apollo 7:

I've been a Turtle since 1984, and have given the required counter-reply consistently when asked "Are You a Turtle?" However, I have had to buy drinks on at least two occasions, when giving the counter-reply was not in good taste in the situation at the time.

I know this may sound cryptic, but if you're a Turtle, you'll understand.

So, Are You A Turtle? You bet your sweet ass I am.

So the master list of contest topics reveals that we have done snakes, frogs and toads, crocodiles etc. but we have not touched on the subject of the order Testudines-- aka the Turtles and Tortoises.

This week, post a cover containing a turtle, tortoise, or turtle-oid creature. Ah, but there is one stipulation--

NO Ninja Turtles permitted. At all. Period. 

Covers featuring Ninja Turtles or any Eastman-Laird created Turtles are disqualified from competing, mainly because you can't swing a dead turtle without hitting one.

(I can't make it too easy!)

The rest of the standard rules apply--

Post one, and only one, classic cover that fits the theme of the contest.

- Cover must be from a published comic book or collected volume published before November 2013.

- Please include the title and the issue number of the comic, preferably in bold (e.g. Brother Power the Geek #2, DC 1968), in case some posters cannot see your image.

- Covers must be posted before voting begins.

- Voting takes place on Tuesday, 31 October 2023, beginning at 12:01 am PST and ending at 11:59 am PST.

- Vote by posting the name of the poster whose cover best fits the theme or that you simply like the most in bold.

- The winner of the contest is the entrant with the most votes after the voting period ends.

- The winner chooses the theme for the next week's contest.

- If you don't think the cover fits the theme, don't vote for it; please don't post disparaging remarks about it.

- If a cover is more recent than the classic time frame, kindly point it out to the poster, who may then choose an alternate before voting begins.

Here's my example cover for the week--