What is it that makes the Turtles work?

[zbowen]

I was introduced to the Turtles in the early 90s through the Fred Wolf cartoon. Due to ridiculous comic prices, I don't really buy a lot if comics anymore, it's simply too much of an investment. I only pick up a few, and one of those is TMNT. I also find myself watching the new cartoon, something that's target demographic is about 20 years younger than I am, and I watch no other show like it.

Why after over 20 years am I still so invested in this francise? There are plenty of others I'm interested in, but nothing as odd as Ninja Turtles. Everything else has a stronger footing in reality, at least more than talking turtles.

Is it the characters, is it the art, the plots, the fact that the stories in the comics can appeal to me as an adult while the stories the cartoon could appeal to me as a kid, or just this francise is good escapism because it's so off the wall weird? What is it about Ninja Turtles that has kept me interested or so long?