TMNT #81 Preview and Discussion

[AlZarkovski]

Full preview coming soon. First look:

Spoiler:

[Utrommaniac]

This is all a very serious scene and all, but from the depiction of the music notes, all I can imagine is that one cover of My Heart Will Go On played badly on a recorder.



(Now...if someone actually would depict what that music sounds like, that would be a real treat . I guess anything would sound good after the situation that's just happened)

[ChosenOne]

I'm excited about this arc. For such an integral and celebrated part of the TMNT mythos, IDW Rat King - while nicely written and depicted - hasn't yet had his turn as a real villain in the comic, so this should be good. I hope he does something to mess with Splinter's head, too.

Those first few pages remind me of a similar story in one of those UK TMNT comics that used to be published as backup stories to Archie issues in my country when I was kid, I think it had something to do with the Pied Piper and he eventually mind-controlled Splinter. Ah, the memories!

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by ChosenOne

I'm excited about this arc. For such an integral and celebrated part of the TMNT mythos, IDW Rat King - while nicely written and depicted - hasn't yet had his turn as a real villain in the comic, so this should be good. I hope he does something to mess with Splinter's head, too.

I'll second that. He's been a villain in #36 (and sorta kinda barely in the April/Casey mini-series)... but other than that, he just sort of lurks. Time to shine, Rat King. Give us nightmares.

[Utrommaniac]

His lurking around and being cryptic makes me think of that one bit in Freakazoid.

"[Maniacal laugh] You want to see something strange and mystical?"
"NO!!!"

And now he's actually doing something.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

I don't begrudge him the lurking. I'm just eager to see him step up and wreak some real havoc.

His antics at the Pantheon reunion were quite entertaining. I wonder how his brand of chaos will work in the NYC rubble and aftermath...

[Utrommaniac]

Wow! Wow, a lot happened here a mile a minute here!

Spoiler:

New York citizens breaking into violence! Gangs getting their hands on alien weaponry! The Rat King just sending people to their doom for fun! Things going so topsy turvy that Casey and Hun are making amends a little bit! The Foot-EPF Truce continuing! Implications that when the EPF eventually attack Burnow Island, it will be for the Triceratons! The "jumping in front of the moon" frame!

Pretty cool issue all things considered; lots of ways to build from here.


Something just seems kind of weird about the potential that they'd go to Burnow for the Triceratons. I guess that means they're considering the Utroms "mostly harmless". Even though they have a giant golf ball of destruction that should obviously be the reason for the terraformed the air around the island, even without a lot of evidence for it. And created the Triceratons, which the EPF knows somehow.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Great issue. Loved the Hun/Casey stuff, the Stockman stuff...

The final page.

I still have some editorial/writing problems with a couple of things, though.

#1. I don't believe that Splinter would ever be okay with allying himself with Bishop, who has a mind-controlled mutant turtle in his thrall. And nothing in the writing has given any hint as to why Splinter would put up with this.

That's like wearing a shirt that says "I'm going to bed Bob's wife Lizzie" to Bob and Lizzie's anniversary party. At the very least, in very bad taste... and it's probably a good indication of what the guy is going to try to do very, very soon.

#2. Burnow Island. This still remains a thorn in my side. Why, oh why, is Burnow Island not higher up on the EPF's priority list? Okay, so Bishop doesn't actually know Krang was an alien. But did nobody get any surveillance images of the Technodrome being built? That surely doesn't look like Earth tech. Did nobody get any sensor readings of the terraforming incident?

I get not every story can be explored right now. But... this is the worst example of putting off an important task that I've ever seen. Bishop needs to write his doctoral thesis by the end of the week, and he's doing the laundry and weeding the garden and clipping the dog's nails. Sheesh.

[MikeandRaph87]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Great issue. Loved the Hun/Casey stuff, the Stockman stuff...

The final page.

I still have some editorial/writing problems with a couple of things, though.

#1. I don't believe that Splinter would ever be okay with allying himself with Bishop, who has a mind-controlled mutant turtle in his thrall. And nothing in the writing has given any hint as to why Splinter would put up with this.

That's like wearing a shirt that says "I'm going to bed Bob's wife Lizzie" to Bob and Lizzie's anniversary party. At the very least, in very bad taste... and it's probably a good indication of what the guy is going to try to do very, very soon.

#2. Burnow Island. This still remains a thorn in my side. Why, oh why, is Burnow Island not higher up on the EPF's priority list? Okay, so Bishop doesn't actually know Krang was an alien. But did nobody get any surveillance images of the Technodrome being built? That surely doesn't look like Earth tech. Did nobody get any sensor readings of the terraforming incident?

I get not every story can be explored right now. But... this is the worst example of putting off an important task that I've ever seen. Bishop needs to write his doctoral thesis by the end of the week, and he's doing the laundry and weeding the garden and clipping the dog's nails. Sheesh.

I see it like this as far as Splinter allying himself with Agent Bishop, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". That was the mentality that the U.S. had in regards to Stalin lead Soviet Union during World War II. Yes, Joseph Stalin is a threat who stands against our way of life and constitutional freedoms,but there is a greater threat that hurts both the U.S. and Soviet Union. Team up and remove the mutual threat then deal with each other right after. Splinter would recognize that Agent Bishop stands against the personal liberty that Splinter stands for with his mind control over Slash. Its just Splinter needed Agent Bishop just as the U.S. needed the Soviet Union who also had beef with Germany. Once the threat is removed as I said Splinter might immediately turn his attention to eliminating Agent Bishop's threat in a cold war. Perhaps the history comparison can help with Splinter's reasoning. History does repeat itself after all, just ask Hitler as he did it twice and did not learn from it. What Splinter does from this point its up to Kevin and Tom,but I can understand "why" up to the end of the Triceraton incident. I do hope Splinter calls Agent Bishop out for starting the whole invasion in the first place with his shoot first ask questions later method. That is a hot topic in current events today.

[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...

[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.