TMNT #81 Preview and Discussion

[Utrommaniac]

Bobby Curnow did explain it somewhat, but I'm not sure how entirely helpful it is.

Basically, from what very little information he can gather, Burnow Island is basically like a sovereign nation and can't attack quite yet.


I'm just wondering how he knew about the Utroms, but my guess is that he sent a drone through the atmosphere. Which probably would have been shot down promptly.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

Bobby Curnow did explain it somewhat, but I'm not sure how entirely helpful it is.

Basically, from what very little information he can gather, Burnow Island is basically like a sovereign nation and can't attack quite yet.

I'm just wondering how he knew about the Utroms, but my guess is that he sent a drone through the atmosphere. Which probably would have been shot down promptly.

Yeah, I remember him explaining it somewhat. It still kinda sticks in my craw, though.

But ignoring those two points, I loved this issue. Loved it a lot!

[Utrommaniac]

It does feel like they could probably pull off multiple character storylines at once for the rest of the arch. Even with there being a lot going on between the Turtles, the Rat King, Bishop and Splinter, and Casey, Hun, and Jennika.

[TomWaltz]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Yeah, I remember him explaining it somewhat. It still kinda sticks in my craw, though.

But ignoring those two points, I loved this issue. Loved it a lot!

Agent Bishop's a determined and patient man. Sometimes the spirit is willing to act but the resources are not available to see it through properly. Bishop follows the Powell Doctrine -- overwhelming military strength backed by unwavering public support (even if that support has been established through less-than-honest means). He's never lost sight of the Utroms on Burnow Island. He's just been biding his time and building his army... and learning from his mistakes. He underestimated the Triceratons when he attacked them -- he thought he had them outgunned and outmanned and that would be enough to beat them. He knows that was an incorrect assessment now. He'll adjust his strategy moving forward. That makes him dangerous and unpredictable.

Nor is Splinter oblivious to the unstable and potentially treacherous nature of his alliance with Bishop. The hints are there, my friends...

[neatoman]

Any ideas of who could run for mayor?

[CyberCubed]

This was a pretty solid issue that mainly set the status quo for everyone:

- Baxter and Hun are now allies (at least for now, it could change), and working with Casey or the Turtles/April.

- Jennika is still a friend of the main cast and Splinter, and the Foot for now are still patrolling the city.

- Bishop and the EPF are also still in occupation of New York, but so far are in a truce with Splinter (which won't last)

- Old Hob seen in the previous issue is still doing the same thing as always, looking for more mutants. But the Mutanimals are still obvious allies of the Turtles.


And with the Triceraton invasion over, and Shredder/Krang dead, it's time for the Patheon like Rat King and the others to take center stage.


Honestly it seems like almost all the villains are either dead or become allies of the Turtles. The Triceratons and Utroms are also allies, bar when Ch'rell wakes up, and will probably be resolved.

The only wild card is whenever Karai returns to New York with Koya/Bludgeon, and when Bishop eventually turns on everyone, but that's all for now.

[ChosenOne]

Stockman is probably gonna come out of all this on top, possibly as Mayor of New York City, and become a huge thorn on everyone's side in the near future. That's my take on his scenes.

I was surprised by the ending, didn't expect it to happen in this issue. The story is moving along at a nice pace and got plenty of important developments in just a few pages. Hopefully that will be the norm in this arc.

But seriously, though, how effective can Alberto and his two sidekicks be?

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by ChosenOne

But seriously, though, how effective can Alberto and his two sidekicks be?

Not effective at all!

Seriously, not a cliffhanger at all. Just a good chuckle.

[Utrommaniac]

And with a pushbroom, an umbrella, and bananas tied to a string for that matter

Next issue's prediction:

Spoiler:

[CyberCubed]

It really feels like all the characters are where they need to be leading up to issue 100. The Patheon and Bishop causing chaos will likely be the main two plots from this point onward.

Everyone else is either an ally or resolved. Again the only wildcard is when Karai returns to NY with her mutants because we don't know what she'll do.

[ChosenOne]

The only faction that's still lagging a bit behind the rest on the road to #100 is the Mutanimals. I wouldn't be surprised if the next arc focuses on Hob's mutant army and/or their ongoing conflict with the EPF to rescue Slash.

That toadie (ha!) with the banana nunchucks was definitely something else!

I'd make it even more outrageous and have the next issue open on the Turtles already sitting down to an unfriendly chat with the Toad Baron while Alberto and the others clean the place up with bandaged heads and limbs, but that's just me.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by ChosenOne

That toadie (ha!) with the banana nunchucks was definitely something else!

I'd make it even more outrageous and have the next issue open on the Turtles already sitting down to an unfriendly chat with the Toad Baron while Alberto and the others clean the place up with bandaged heads and limbs, but that's just me.

Definitely my favorite part of the issue.

And that's exactly how I expect the next issue to open, too!

[ChosenOne]

Now that he'll have the chance for a less hectic visit, I don't expect Mikey to leave the Toad Baron's dwelling without either commenting on how awesome it all looks (the food should definitely tempt him) or making fast friends with the toadies. Or both.

[CyberCubed]

The thing is with Hob's mutanimals, they're all good guys. Old Hub building an army isn't really something that's going to pose a threat to the Turtles because they're all portrayed as good and friendly mutants. Outside of Hob himself, the Mutanimals could have used another ambiguous or evil mutant.

They'll likely just all team up with the Turtles as usual against whatever comes.

[Utrommaniac]

Yeah, Hob definitely seems to be more on the "dark side" of things. It even seems like a few of them could get tired of his shenanigans as Slash had

[ChosenOne]

I dunno, I see Herman and Ray in particular as being very likely to side with Hob over the others if he takes an even more militant approach to things. They seem ambiguous enough, and we've yet to see how the loss of his pincher will affect Herman psychologically.

[Utrommaniac]

Herman? Absolutely. But I definitely don't know about Ray. He didn't take Hob's sh*t on previous occasions.

[ChosenOne]

I know Herman was with Hob when they broke Hun out on his way to prison, but there was one other instance (besides the ending to #80) I can't recall where it was just the two of them talking and Ray seemed pretty committed to the whole war-on-humans thing.

Ray strikes me as Hob's second-in-command so they should be pretty much on the same page.

Edited to add: Also, now that I'm going through past issues to see if I can find the one I mean, back in #54 Ray and Herman were the only ones who already knew about Hob's gun scheme with Hun and acted shifty when confronted. They're definitely 100% on board with whatever it is Hob's planning.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

Herman? Absolutely. But I definitely don't know about Ray. He didn't take Hob's sh*t on previous occasions.

Originally Posted by ChosenOne

I know Herman was with Hob when they broke Hun out on his way to prison, but there was one other instance (besides the ending to #80) I can't recall where it was just the two of them talking and Ray seemed pretty committed to the whole war-on-humans thing.

Ray strikes me as Hob's second-in-command so they should be pretty much on the same page.

Edited to add: Also, now that I'm going through past issues to see if I can find the one I mean, back in #54 Ray and Herman were the only ones who already knew about Hob's gun scheme with Hun and acted shifty when confronted. They're definitely 100% on board with whatever it is Hob's planning.

Yeah, Ray has never butted heads or disagreed with Hob. Sally has. But even then, it wasn't a disagreement over his tactics but offense that she hadn't been involved in making the decision.

[Utrommaniac]

Hm...I must have misremembered something from when Michelangelo lived with them for a little while.