First complete read through of Mirage

[biganimefan]

So a few months ago, I decided to start my multiverse Turtle marathon a year earlier than I had planned to. I have just barely finished the Mirage timeline(as compiled by Mark Pellegrini) and was able to read most of the issues and back stories. I also included Andrew's Odyssey story at the very end(extremely well done by the way).

It's disappointing that volume 4 is incomplete and will likely remain that way, but I do understand. Besides, devoting 30 years of your life to the TMNT in that regard is remarkable and more than acceptable to move on from that. Right now, I'd say that Mirage is in competition with IDW as my favorite incarnation of the TMNT. Now to start my marathon of Fred Wolf....Not really expecting much except to still enjoy it(with some annoyance).

By the way Andrew, any idea whether or not Eastman and/or Laird have read your story and if so have they given at least an unofficial "seal of approval" as far as ending the Mirage Turtles is concerned?

[darthsmozers]

Curious to know if you've read the Archie run or not.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by biganimefan

By the way Andrew, any idea whether or not Eastman and/or Laird have read your story and if so have they given at least an unofficial "seal of approval" as far as ending the Mirage Turtles is concerned?

I'd sent Laird a copy of Odyssey and asked him what he thought on his blog. No response was given. He did remark earlier that he was aware of Odyssey and happy to see new stuff from Jim, and dug the trailer for it. He seemed... supportive? But that's where the line ended, and that's more than I could hope for.

I asked if he'd like to be involved in Origin and if I ever do anything else, I'll ask him again.

Never really talked to Kevin about Odyssey though I would expect as involved as he is at IDW... even asking him much about Odyssey would sort of put him in an awkward position, which I don't want to do.

[mrfld]

I am just finishing the main stories of vol 1. I haven't read the one offs and I'm halfway through City at War.

Spoilers
I have one big question: Why did Splinter and the Turtles separate?

I don't know if I missed a comic. My reading went from everyone on the farm to the turtles in the city and Splinter meditating in the wilderness.

[DrSpengler]

Originally Posted by mrfld

I am just finishing the main stories of vol 1. I haven't read the one offs and I'm halfway through City at War.

Spoilers
I have one big question: Why did Splinter and the Turtles separate?

I don't know if I missed a comic. My reading went from everyone on the farm to the turtles in the city and Splinter meditating in the wilderness.

It's more inferred than outright stated, but by that point in time the Turtles had moved on and no longer directly request permission for anything from Master Splinter. They went back to face the Shredder in RTNY without discussing it with him and they went back to deal with the Foot Clan civil war in CAW again without discussing it with him. Part of Splinter's story arc during CAW is his dealing with the feeling of obsolescence and getting his ego adjusted.

[mrfld]

Ah thanks. Interesting given adolescence will do that to you but I never really saw the turtles as ones to walk away from Splinter.

[DrSpengler]

Originally Posted by mrfld

Ah thanks. Interesting given adolescence will do that to you but I never really saw the turtles as ones to walk away from Splinter.

Yeah, there was an element to the arc not just about a master losing his apprentices, but a father losing his sons to adulthood. The Turtles were now mature enough and skilled enough to make these sorts of decisions on their own, and so Splinter was going through the sort of situation any father goes through when their kids grow up.

There's also the thematic matter of the Turtles inheriting Hamato Yoshi's blood debt, which was passed down to them by Splinter. Splinter gets something of a humbling throughout CAW; he's cut out of the picture and the Turtles are left to clean up a mess he passed on to them.

One of the reasons CAW is such a great arc is because it feels like a legitimate culmination of years of storytelling and escalation, both for the Foot Clan/TMNT narrative but also for each individual's character arc and journey.

[Andrew NDB]

Come to think of it, Splinter's complete absence in "Return to New York" has always been a little strange. Not even a cameo. I guess I kind of like that.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Come to think of it, Splinter's complete absence in "Return to New York" has always been a little strange. Not even a cameo. I guess I kind of like that.

Well, Raph stormed off, pissed from his encounter with Leo.

The other three probably told Splinter offscreen, who sighed and told them "Go get your brother."

[newfan]

Okay, sorry to ask this here but I'm also going to explore some of Mirage also, is it worth ordering the Ultimate collections by volume on Amazon? Stupid question I know but I'm not used to the comic world so I just figured start at the beginning and buy in bulk collections.

[Mewzard]

Originally Posted by newfan

Okay, sorry to ask this here but I'm also going to explore some of Mirage also, is it worth ordering the Ultimate collections by volume on Amazon? Stupid question I know but I'm not used to the comic world so I just figured start at the beginning and buy in bulk collections.

That's what I did, and I enjoyed reading them.