TMNT V4 Peter Laird

[Bircher]

In a recent comment on his blog, Peter responded to a question about whether or not a campaign to get him to come back to vol 4 would work or not he was non committal, meaning it might help.

I'd like to suggest as many of us that are interested in seeing v4 continue (at least to finish the arch), write him a letter and/or email.

Mirage Studios
P.O. Box 486
Northampton, MA
01061
dan@miragelicensing.com is the email on the site. He will forward emails to Peter.

[Powder]

"Nothing has changed for me vis a vis Volume 4 since I last discussed it. I can't really say that a petition or letter-writing campaign would or wouldn't have any effect, though my guess would lean toward "little to no effect"."

He straight up says it wouldn't make a difference. Leave him & Dan alone.

[Peter Palmer]

I get the sense that if people would stop asking Pete to finish volume 4 for a while, he'd actually get around to working on it.

From what I've noticed, Pete seems to like to draw when he's feeling inspired and hates to draw when he's not. I think continually asking him when he's going to finish volume 4 to him makes working on volume 4 feel like work, complete with deadlines, status updates, etc.

Would I love to see a conclusion to volume 4? Of course! I'll recommend just being patient. We don't want a forced ending in any case. Let the inspiration come to him and perhaps he'll finish it someday.

[ToTheNines]

Yeah, I know your heart is in the right place Bircher, and we all wanna see Pete finish the story, but I really hope no one pesters him over this.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

The more we the fans push for a conclusion, the more Pete's apathy for TMNT pushes back.

Would think it'd be obvious.

[DrSpengler]

Harassing somebody is the worst way to try and get them to do what you want. And Laird is definitely the personality type that doesn't respond well to coercion tactics; he'll refuse as a matter of principle.

And let's be real, folks. Haven't we all moved on, by now? Made our peace with it?

If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. Vol. 4 is just one of MANY Mirage storylines that we'll never get closure on (lest we forget the three or four Tales Vol. 2 story arcs that were left hanging). Time to let go.

[***First of Two Latin Kings***]

Since Andrew NDB has already done writing illustrated by Lawson makes more sense that Andrew just do a Kickstarter to raise the money for Lawson to illustrate an unofficial conclusion written by him.

I'd like to see it as the conclusion Peter realistically might have given it, not necessarily the conclusion fans would like it to be.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by ***First of Two Latin Kings***

Since Andrew NDB has already done writing illustrated by Lawson makes more sense that Andrew just do a Kickstarter to raise the money for Lawson to illustrate an unofficial conclusion written by him.

After "Origin." After "The Shredder." Then we'll see where things are at.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

After "Origin." After "The Shredder." Then we'll see where things are at.

Um, what's "The Shredder"? Is that a revamp of that old Shredder trilogy from TMNT-Empire?

Also, is your current plan "TMNT: Predator", "Origin", "The Shredder", we'll see?

[DestronMirage22]

Yeah, people should just leave the guy alone. If he doesn't wanna do it, he just won't do it. Better to just appreciate the material we have than complain and hope for more.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Um, what's "The Shredder"? Is that a revamp of that old Shredder trilogy from TMNT-Empire?

It'll be a lot different from that, but probably some similarities will arise. Post-V4, Shredder round 3, equal parts Oroku Saki prequel and Oroku Saki sequel.

Also, is your current plan "TMNT: Predator", "Origin", "The Shredder", we'll see?

"TMNT vs. Predator" will likely be inside Origin. So you'll get those two all at once. It makes sense, for a variety of reasons.

[***First of Two Latin Kings***]

Sorry if it seemed tasteless to volunteer you like that, but I think you and I actually discussed this years ago or maybe it was even discussed publicly here.

I am not one to bother with harrassing Laird to finish Volume 4 even though I want to see it finished as much as anyone. It does seem in poor taste to just not be bothered with it when it is so close to the end anyway. How much work could it be for him really, with Lawson doing the illustration? What would it really demand from him to finish it?

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

The last time Pete was interested in TMNT, he was steering the ship and had creative control. The 4Kids cartoon, the Imagi movie, Volume 4 and Tales Volume 2...

Nowadays, he ain't even ON the ship. And I think now that he's grown older and wiser, Pete has no interest in riding on a ship that he's not steering. Nick, Platinum Dunes, IDW... for good or bad, the ship sailed without him and with his blessing.

I don't see him ever returning.

[***First of Two Latin Kings***]

Why negotiate for rights to publish a certain number of books per year and then just not publish any?

Why not finish a comic series nearly 35 years in the making when you could do it in another two or three issues?

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by ***First of Two Latin Kings***

Why negotiate for rights to publish a certain number of books per year and then just not publish any?

Why not finish a comic series nearly 35 years in the making when you could do it in another two or three issues?

Well, when you're talking creative control and rights, always leave yourself an in or a back door.

As for not finishing... at this point, I've seen far too many series (comic, book, TV, podio) fade away without ever finishing. Audiences get left hanging.

That's what fan fiction (and Andrew) is for.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

The last time Pete was interested in TMNT, he was steering the ship and had creative control. The 4Kids cartoon, the Imagi movie, Volume 4 and Tales Volume 2...

Nowadays, he ain't even ON the ship.

Well, technically he kind of sailed away on a captain's yacht that was tucked inside the ship (his 18 comics a year clause).

Originally Posted by ***First of Two Latin Kings***

Why negotiate for rights to publish a certain number of books per year and then just not publish any?

Why not finish a comic series nearly 35 years in the making when you could do it in another two or three issues?

I don't like to speculate on Laird personally, but one thing that's occurred to me is that leaving V4 where it is, unfinished and as close to its end as it was, it all leaves things in a "neat" place for him. i.e., this thing in the corner of his peripheral vision taunting him, saying, "finish me!" but he can recognize the strength in himself by internally -- and continually -- saying "No," for the good of his marriage, his social life, what-have-you. For him to actually go and finish it, that both removes the test of will and, possibly, his last great creative work from the table. If he finishes that, what's left, creatively? I mean, sure, he could make some new characters and stories non-TMNT related... but since 2009 he really hasn't shown any inclination to do that. And then there might be the whole thing that if he goes and finishes V4, he knows he might be too tempted to do more, and then get all sucked in again.

Kind of like recovering alcoholics. If there's a quarter-full bottle of vodka sitting there in their cupboard staring at them and they still don't drink it, that's a way stronger test of will than those who don't have any bottles at all... they'd be way more likely to just make a justification to get a brand new bottle than the ones staring the enemy in the face on a daily basis.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

I don't like to speculate on Laird personally, but one thing that's occurred to me is that leaving V4 where it is, unfinished and as close to its end as it was, it all leaves things in a "neat" place for him. i.e., this thing in the corner of his peripheral vision taunting him, saying, "finish me!" but he can recognize the strength in himself by internally -- and continually -- saying "No," for the good of his marriage, his social life, what-have-you. For him to actually go and finish it, that both removes the test of will and, possibly, his last great creative work from the table. If he finishes that, what's left, creatively? I mean, sure, he could make some new characters and stories non-TMNT related... but since 2009 he really hasn't shown any inclination to do that. And then there might be the whole thing that if he goes and finishes V4, he knows he might be too tempted to do more, and then get all sucked in again.

Kind of like recovering alcoholics. If there's a quarter-full bottle of vodka sitting there in their cupboard staring at them and they still don't drink it, that's a way stronger test of will than those who don't have any bottles at all... they'd be way more likely to just make a justification to get a brand new bottle than the ones staring the enemy in the face on a daily basis.

That is not flattering to TMNT at all. At all!

[Tetsu Deinonychus]

I imagine it's more like he just likes to know he has the freedom to work again on the characters he co-created. Whether or not he ever feels like using that freedom, he knows that if TMNT inspiration ever strikes again he can make more TMNT comics without having to obtain legal permission from Viacom, and if it doesn't, it doesn't. Or, so I would imagine.

Anyway, I think harassing him with letters and petitions is a horrible idea. If you really want do do something to encourage PL to finish Vol. 4, do something nice for him. Send him a gift basket or something.

Or, you know, just leave the guy alone.

Originally Posted by Peter Palmer

I get the sense that if people would stop asking Pete to finish volume 4 for a while, he'd actually get around to working on it.

From what I've noticed, Pete seems to like to draw when he's feeling inspired and hates to draw when he's not. I think continually asking him when he's going to finish volume 4 to him makes working on volume 4 feel like work, complete with deadlines, status updates, etc.

Would I love to see a conclusion to volume 4? Of course! I'll recommend just being patient. We don't want a forced ending in any case. Let the inspiration come to him and perhaps he'll finish it someday.

I think that makes sense too.

[pferreira]

Peter Laird is to Turtles what Bill Murray is to Ghostbusters. Fans of Ghostbusters will get what I mean by that.

[tilallr1]

Originally Posted by pferreira

Peter Laird is to Turtles what Bill Murray is to Ghostbusters. Fans of Ghostbusters will get what I mean by that.

At least Laird never taunted us:



And then we got this instead:



Damn you Bill Murray ... damn you ... if only we could have gotten Venkman as a ghost ... now that would have been priceless: