TMNT #60 preview and discussion

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by TomWaltz

Spoiler:

She sent Alopex after Jennika, thinking the mutant fox would finish her. Even when she didn't, Kitsune still sees Jennika as nothing more than a failed assassin -- a common Foot soldier unworthy of her attention and energy, all the while underestimating the bond the TMNT and Splinter are building with the troubled young woman. That being said, had the battle continued, Kitsune may have had to mind control Jennika -- but Aka via April made sure that never came about.

Talk soon...

Tom W.

Exactly how I saw it!

[Panda_Kahn_fan]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Oh shut up. We KNOW it's the main overarching story.

sheesh, I was just being funny. ..

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Panda_Kahn_fan

sheesh, I was just being funny. ..

Sorry, man, it didn't come off that way. You griped pretty hard at those of us impatient with the non-answers regarding the Pantheon last issue, so it came across as more of the same.

Don't go Cubed on us, Panda.

[Panda_Kahn_fan]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Sorry, man, it didn't come off that way. You griped pretty hard at those of us impatient with the non-answers regarding the Pantheon last issue, so it came across as more of the same.

Don't go Cubed on us, Panda.

No way I could do that, I'm not obsessed enough with turtle nostrils.

I guess I just get frustrated with how impatient some people seem to get with IDW's storytelling pace. I like the idea of thew Pantheon being a big mystery behind EVERYTHING in the entire series, and that it might now be resolved until the IDW series's end years from now.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Panda_Kahn_fan

No way I could do that, I'm not obsessed enough with turtle nostrils.

I guess I just get frustrated with how impatient some people seem to get with IDW's storytelling pace. I like the idea of thew Pantheon being a big mystery behind EVERYTHING in the entire series, and that it might now be resolved until the IDW series's end years from now.

To reiterate, I think most of us fully expect the Pantheon to remain the main overarching story, the crux and main antagonist of this entire series for however long it lasts. We don't want it resolved.

But at some point, the teasing has to develop into actual facts.

Consider, we knew the basics of Krang's motivations and his goals within two years; the same for Shredder and Baxter and Alopex and Karai. Old Hob's motives were introduced early on, and then when his character evolved, that was explained over the course of about two years.

Kitsune's been around for 3-4 ("Secret History of the Foot Clan" came out Jan-Apr 2013) years and we still know jack about what she's even doing.

Or the Rat King; he came out in July 2014's #36. Over two years later, we still know hardly anything about what he wants or does or is.

So basically, compared to every other major threat and antagonist, members of the Pantheon progress at a much more glacial pace. Our questions aren't getting answered with more questions or new development... it's just snailing along.

THAT'S why we're frustrated.

[Ninjinister]

I don't have a problem with a slow burn story... planting seeds way in advance so that the fruit borne is more ripe and full.

Speaking of which, with the events of this issue I've got to wonder if Rat King isn't more "tough love mentor" than an out-and-out a-hole.

[ChosenOne]

For someone like me, who grew up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, I get the similarities between the Pantheon plot and what Jasmine was to those two shows. The big overarching plot, the Big Bad who pulled all the strings from behind the scenes to set the board in their favor, etc. Thing is, I'd rather it wasn't the endgame of the series in the case of TMNT. Even in Angel, there was life after Jasmine, and what a life it was! Season 5 and After the Fall were brilliant IMHO. Even after the dust settles with the family of immortals, IDW TMNT has been so brilliant in its world-building that there's still a lot of ways for the story to keep writing itself, I feel.

Of course, except for the Rat King and other possible adaptations of old-school characters down the line, this whole Pantheon saga is where IDW makes it or breaks it. It's a completely original plot, completely original characters and completely original situations, and I fully understand the lure of making their mark in the history of the franchise in such a big way. As I am sure this will all pay off beautifully in the end because I trust in the IDW folks, but the waiting and the slow burn is sheer agony.

It might be unfair of me to speculate that even they might be pulling a GRRM/Toriyama/Jack Sparrow (pick one according to your preference) and making it up as they go along, not fully aware of where the Pantheon plot will end up but keeping several steps aheads of the readers. I say it's unfair to make such a suggestion, but hey, every single element of this comic had to be decided at some point and we're all still here holding our breath to see how it ends...

Bottom line: everyone better strap in for the long haul, there's no way I can see the Pantheon plot being resolved in #100 without feeling like all bark, no bite after so much setup. It's not that I (we?) doubt the quality of the outcome, it's the journey to get there that's been excruciatingly slow.

Hey, thank Zod for two ongoing titles starting next month!

[Ninjinister]

I feel like the writers and such might have an endgame for the Pantheon Saga but maybe not all the pieces to get there yet. They might have the big ones in place, but they'll carve out the stepping stones to those as they come to them.

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by Ninjinister

I feel like the writers and such might have an endgame for the Pantheon Saga but maybe not all the pieces to get there yet. They might have the big ones in place, but they'll carve out the stepping stones to those as they come to them.

If that is the case, I hope the Turtles are able to turn the tables on the opposing members of the Pantheon near the end and show themselves capable of more agency than just being pushed around like chess pieces. Sort of like what they did in the build-up to Attack on Technodrome, where they pitted Shredder against Krang. One look at #37 would make it seem that the Turtles were mere pawns, inconsequential nuisances even, in the power struggle between these two great warlords... And then they pulled a fast one and stuck it to them both, and it was an immensely satisfying read. I'd like to see something like that again with the Pantheon.

Also, not sure how I feel about Aka's intervention not exempting the Turtles, Splinter, April, Alopex and Jennika from Kitsune's mind control for good. Once was cute, but if they're going to be fighting among themselves every time they go up against her in the future...

[Utrommaniac]

Considering that it didn't work on Leonardo because he was able to resist her, I think that the others would too. Her mind control is sort of like chicken pox. Get it once, get resistance.

[CyberCubed]

For all we know Null could be a member of the Pantheon too. She already fits the part of being a mystical being, she looks like a devil, has powers, etc.

Connecting Null to the Pantheon would also be a nice way to tie her into the main story.

[Anima Gemini]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

For all we know Null could be a member of the Pantheon too. She already fits the part of being a mystical being, she looks like a devil, has powers, etc.

Connecting Null to the Pantheon would also be a nice way to tie her into the main story.

What if Null used to be a member of the Pantheon, but they kicked her out for not playing by the rules or something? Now she's like a fallen angel, if you will.

And on another note:

Spoiler:

These current goings-on sort of bring a whole new meaning to the phrase "Old Shred Head," amirite? *ba-dum ching*

[Ninjinister]

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

Considering that it didn't work on Leonardo because he was able to resist her, I think that the others would too. Her mind control is sort of like chicken pox. Get it once, get resistance.

I don't think it was being controlled before that gave him the resistance. This is what I meant about Rat King up above... his little stint when he met Splinter and Leo is what I think gave them their resistance. And maybe April and Casey, too from the C&A mini-series.

[ToTheNines]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

For all we know Null could be a member of the Pantheon too. She already fits the part of being a mystical being, she looks like a devil, has powers, etc.

Connecting Null to the Pantheon would also be a nice way to tie her into the main story.

Null is from Dimension X.

[The Happy One]

Originally Posted by Ninjinister

I don't think it was being controlled before that gave him the resistance. This is what I meant about Rat King up above... his little stint when he met Splinter and Leo is what I think gave them their resistance. And maybe April and Casey, too from the C&A mini-series.

That's what I was thinking...rather than it being Leo already had been controlled, I think a large factor was the Rat King. If I'm not mistaken, don't these dudes have pawns, almost like selected 'characters' who they move around and whatnot?

Maybe that's why Kitsune couldn't take control over Leo anymore- because he's already a pawn for Rat King?? I'm just taking guesses here. But I wondered the same thing.

[Allio]

Leo and splinter already in control of the rat King is kind of the obvious

[ChosenOne]

If Leo and Splinter are off-limits to her for whatever reason, and I agree that they are, and if her attempts to resurrect Saki continue to be thwarted... Maybe Kitsune could improvise a new Shredder as a figurehead for the Foot Clan under her control. Like, say, Karai? Or even Raph? If she's so determined to acquire one of the Turtles as her pawn and effectively deal a crippling blow to their cohesion as an opposing force, it could work. /daydream

[The Happy One]

Originally Posted by ChosenOne

If Leo and Splinter are off-limits to her for whatever reason, and I agree that they are, and if her attempts to resurrect Saki continue to be thwarted... Maybe Kitsune could improvise a new Shredder as a figurehead for the Foot Clan under her control. Like, say, Karai? Or even Raph? If she's so determined to acquire one of the Turtles as her pawn and effectively deal a crippling blow to their cohesion as an opposing force, it could work. /daydream

Oh yeah, that's very plausible. She could use one of those two- Raph specifically. I don't see her using Mikey as one or Don. But ot would flow right if it was Raph, and Karai is even more likely. I like this idea!

[Weapons@theready]

So Kitsune us now in possession

Spoiler:

of Shredder's body without a head...

I wonder...

Spoiler:

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by Weapons@theready

So Kitsune us now in possession

Spoiler:

of Shredder's body without a head...

I wonder...

Spoiler:

http://miragelicensing.com/comics/archie/24/2404.jpg

I like the way you think!

It'd be even better if the Utrom in question were Ch'rell, that way it could work as a double shout-out to both Archie and the 2003 cartoon.