Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - General Discussion

[Blue_Collar_Nerd]

Well, things are finally getting interesting. It’s remarkable how things can move forward when you aren’t trying to fill out all the social justice checkmarks. And I knew the old black and white Mirage run was gritty but holy crap. Now I can’t stop reading Dr. Barlow’s dialogue in Jeffery Comb’s voice.

So who’s Barlow’s partner on the other end of the phone? I know that there is some chatter that it’s the Rat King because of the rat assistants and the upcoming Armageddon Games but that seems to be a little on the nose. Also the Rat King doesn’t seem like the kind of guy that would use Verizon Wireless.

I’m guessing that it’s someone with connections to the EPF and has access to the dragon’s remains. Could have Agent Bishop somehow have survived? He’d always seemed like the sort of person who would create doppelgängers of the turtles as part of a false flag event to go full blown Waco on Mutant Town.

Things aren’t looking good for Sheena. It’s a shame because she was starting to grow on me. Although, I admit I didn’t like her much at first because her people killed Mama Cass.

Barlow seems particularly interested in Donatello’s prosthetic shell. I wonder if it was his body that he wanted to experiment on after they were “separated.”

And as far as my earlier theory goes, notice how Barlow really caught Donnie’s attention when he proposed a procedure the would create a new skeletal structure that wouldn’t require a turtle carapace, suggesting that Donnie would have a somewhat more human looking appearance. Now, what would cause someone like Donatello consider something like that?

[thwhtGuardian]

Last Ronin started out really well...but the last issue felt so perfunctory. Because we never actually got any real characterization of Hiroto his fight with Mikey just felt flat and uninteresting and the end that both die felt like a done deal rather than a shocking twist.

[Captain Craig]

Last Ronin #5

It played out like it projected it would. The Last Ronin, aka Mikey, got the revenge for his family then went on to join them.
The other factors aside with April and daughter Casey continuing the good fight with the Rebels is this: Reincarnation

If Last Ronin is continuity with the main title we know our turtles are products of reincarnation via mystic ways from feudal Japan.
We saw a canister of TCRI Mutagen Ooze in the background and a terrarium of baby turtles. Could April be working on a way to bring them back into new bodies??

[thwhtGuardian]

Last Ronin #5

It played out like it projected it would. The Last Ronin, aka Mikey, got the revenge for his family then went on to join them.
The other factors aside with April and daughter Casey continuing the good fight with the Rebels is this: Reincarnation

If Last Ronin is continuity with the main title we know our turtles are products of reincarnation via mystic ways from feudal Japan.
We saw a canister of TCRI Mutagen Ooze in the background and a terrarium of baby turtles. Could April be working on a way to bring them back into new bodies??

It was never said outright what continuity it was tied to so as to appeal to more people but given that its based on a story they came up with in the late 80's I'd say it's closer to the mirage turtles so I don't think it's reincarnation, just a new family of turtles.

[thwhtGuardian]

Man, the art in this latest story is just pure garbage. The plot elements are interesting but I don't think I can take more of the art.

[Blue_Collar_Nerd]

Man, the art in this latest story is just pure garbage. The plot elements are interesting but I don't think I can take more of the art.

I had found the art to be serviceable for this type of story, except for the faces. Alopex’s muzzle looked especially knarly. But now in the last issue, the artwork across the board looks pretty bad. Did the last guy get sick or something?

Anyway…

I’ve recently came to the conclusion that one or both of the reasons is why Campbell was made and remains the writer of the ongoing are:

A) Her job is to basically keep the pilot light on while Waltz and Eastman work on other projects such as The Last Ronin and The Armageddon Game. Hence, why she was given so much free reign to create so much filler by starting up so many plot threads that go nowhere and introduce so many characters, some of whom come across as diversity check marks, that are promptly forgotten. She just has to produce something to sell until Waltz or someone else comes back in.

B) She remains on the book as a writer is because as I believe is the case with the likes of Alex Kurtzman, Kathleen Kennedy, and Chris Chibnall, is because the Powers That Be want to save face. They don’t want to admit that they might have given so much creative control over to the wrong person. Don’t be too surprised if at some point Campbell is “rewarded“ with her very own series after being replaced at some point.

And why is Ant-girl and Hungry Hungry Hippo here? Why not Angel Bridge? If she was writing a satellite title where she could introduce characters and expand the TMNT world like Universe did, I would be a lot more forgiving. I might of even looked forward to it. But she’s writing the core title. That means the focus should be on the core characters. And I’m not sure if I would count Jennika as one of them yet despite the big push.

To be fair Campbell is actually my favorite artist on the book. Some of the art she’s produced is quite beautiful and the Punk Frog story has been an improvement, but like James Cameron’s Avatar a.k.a. Dances with Smurfs, you can have something that’s visually pleasing but still have a very bleh plot.

Could I be wrong? Could all this stuff she’s been laying out for the past two and a half years eventually pay off? I hope so. I’ve noticed in the Punk Frogs arc that April has wearing what looks like the same sweater and stocking cap that Donatello was wearing when he reached out to her at the start of Campbell’s run. It might have something to do with why he would try to sneak off to visit Herbert West, especially after what went down between Casey and Jennika. But at this point I’m not holding my breath.

[Matt Rat]

IDW will launch a four issue "Saturday Morning Adventures" TMNT title featuring the cast of the Fred Wolf animated series.

https://www.gamesradar.com/the-teena...ew-idw-series/

[Captain Craig]

The Last Ronin is released in a collected hardcover today.
If I read these dimensions right in the Amazon listing this would be a Standard size Hardcover, yes?

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 0.82 x 11.25 inches

The individual issues themselves were oversized. This seems odd. Why not make the hardcover in the same dimensions as the original release?
If I'm right this will stop me from buying this.

[thwhtGuardian]

I'm still not terribly sold on the Armageddon Game and the art is still pretty bad but it was definitely better than the Punk Frog story.

[Jcogginsa]

[MozieQuill]

I'm very interested in IDW TMNT comics and TMNT comics in general. Any recommendations on where I should start?

[DanMad1977]

I'm very interested in IDW TMNT comics and TMNT comics in general. Any recommendations on where I should start?

Yes. IDW´s TMNT from the very first issue. I believe its collected in the classic collection line.

[Matt Rat]

Apparently a new animated series has been confirmed for 2024 and it'll be based off the new movie, I assume they'll be a comic line to accompany it and the rumoured spin-off movies that'll be on Paramount+

[K7P5V]

I'm very interested in IDW TMNT comics and TMNT comics in general. Any recommendations on where I should start?

Personally if we're speaking in general, then I'd start from the beginning with the '84 series from Mirage Studios.
But majority rules, so their suggestions should take precedence...

[DanMad1977]

Yes, you can also start with vol. 1. The Eastman and Laird stuff is really great, but other than that its just nostalgica. The IDW run is at least up to issue 100 through and through very good.