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Old 01-15-2016, 08:23 PM   #121
Bobby Curnow
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Originally Posted by neatoman View Post
I have a few questions about choices with the characters, this is a little long so please bear with me.

So I noticed how you guys at IDW and the Nick crew seem to pick roughly the same characters from the lore, is it coincidence or does Nickelodeon insist on certain characters?

As for characterization, how do you guys decide on what to change from earlier incarnations and what to keep the same? Some examples here, Bebop/Rocksteady are basically just more violent versions of the characters from the cartoon, Hun is similar to the original Hun but his dynamic with Casey is different and Angel as Nobody is pretty much only similar to the old Nobody in that she's a superhero. All have changes but they are quite different types of changes.

Finally, are there any things that were tempting to do with certain characters but you guys decided against in the end? For example, while I'm personally happy you didn't make April a newsreporter since I don't like the idea of her being a newsreporter, considering that News April is the version of the character many people have nostalgic feelings about, I imagine someone must have been tempted to make her a newreporter? I know some of the Nick crew really wanted to hint that their Teenage Alien Psychic Ninja version of April would somehow become a reporter, so it's not hard to imagine something similar might have gone down over there.
Nickelodeon doesn't dictate plot or characters at all. They are great in that regard. I think both we and the Nick toon are just pulling from a lot of different TMNT lore that's come before us, and there's a certain logic as to when to introduce increasingly obscure characters. I'm surprised they waited as long as they did to introduce Bebop and Rocksteady and Fugitoid. But i'm sure the same could be said for us and some of our characters.

In terms of characterization, I don't think I have a very satisfying answer for you. Mostly it's just seeing what aspects of a character fit for the overall world and story we are telling. Basically we just sort of feel it out and let our individual take come through. A lot of supporting characters are either from the cartoon, so aren't very deep, or are obscure to the casual fan. As a result there's a certain amount of freedom to play around with them. This is a better question for Tom, as he is really the one who develops character's personality (BTW, Tom, if you are reading this and have something to add, please chime in!!)


In terms of characterization we didn't go with... hmm, that's an interesting question. The only thing that comes to mind a bit is Casey. I kind of miss the completely nutso original Mirage Casey, but at the same time I don't know how much we personally could have done with that version of the character. Another creative team might have been able to make that Casey work. As for April, I think we always thought there was more to do with her if she was closer to the age of the Turtles and stuck to her science background from her original Mirage appearance... which is something we'll be exploring more soon.
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Old 01-15-2016, 11:07 PM   #122
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Originally Posted by Bobby Curnow View Post
We have not forgot about Zog or the Triceratons. They will play a big part, but don't expect anything this year.

I don't keep track of the video games or movies (I do watch the Nick Toon), so I wouldn't be any help even if I could talk!
Thanks for the response!

I'll be waiting to see what you do with them. "Utrom Empire" set up so many possibilities, and then there's Zog who I could easily see sliding into a Traximus-like role.

Bonus points if you find some way to incorporate Boss Zukko and his gang, as long as we're finding interesting ways to incorporate "Fast Forward" material~!
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Old 01-16-2016, 07:51 AM   #123
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Are there any plans to incorporate more LGBT+ characters in the story?
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Old 01-16-2016, 09:01 AM   #124
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Great thread so far, thanks for taking this on, Bobby!

1. Was Woody's namesake meant to be an homage to the Mikester's original Playmates toy packaging bio-card? I only just recently made the connection between his "origin" there & the pizza delivery boy he kicks it with in your series. If so, that's quite the clever reference. Took me this long to figure it out.

Spoiler:



(In case you're unable to view the image, Michelangelo's birthplace is said to be "Woody's Pet Shop".)

2. Do you have a preference between the two dominant TMNT aesthetics, one being more lean & basic (a'la their look in the beginning of the IDW series) & the other chunky & accessorized (the Nick inspired design that we often see now)? I know you let the artists do their own thing, & that it's fun to have variety, but which suits your tastes on a personal level?

3. If it had been solely your call, without crowd pleasing or sales in mind, would you have kept the red bandanas, or eventually gone/started out with their 4 "iconic" colors? & what of the Playmates/4kids inspired skin tones? Same question.

4. Is there a conscious effort made on part of your creative team not to do anything that may potentially be deemed controversial or too adult, whether it be not to upset the suits or feeling some sort of responsibility for stray kids getting a hold of the book? The recent beheading of Shredder, Casey being gutted by him, etc, there are things to suggest this is not a concern of yours, however the no-kill rule & certain other moral issues that play a part do paint that picture. Similarly, does the spiritual content ever cause complications for you guys? A handful of Archie issues aren't being reprinted due to sensitive material based around religious ideology, & even in that book's era, its writer was sent many an angry letter from parents who didn't like the mere inclusion of "zen" themes & meditation, let alone reincarnation or the introduction of "Gods" & other things of that nature.

5. Beyond the board/video games & specialty packages like IDW limited, will we ever have any IDW TMNT inspired merchandise? Collector figures, busts/statues, etc.? Has it been discussed at all? Funko is releasing a new series of 6" articulated figures based on licenses that as far as I can remember are all being published by y'all at present, the turtles included, leading some to believe that they may in fact be toys from your series. *fingers crossed* Any word on that?

I'd rather not attach my name, (Powder's fine, right?) but this is OK TO PRINT should you wish to use any of it for whatever reason, & I presently live in Lexington, SC, though I am originally a proud New Yorker.
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Old 01-16-2016, 09:19 AM   #125
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I've always been curious how you guys decide which artist is going to work on which story, obviously Santaclous has top pick, but how does that all boil down for you guys? And how can one be considered for such a task?
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Old 01-16-2016, 09:21 AM   #126
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So considering Mikey found a Silver Sentry comic, is he a fictional character this time around or was it some kind biography comic?
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Old 01-16-2016, 02:28 PM   #127
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Originally Posted by Powder View Post
Great thread so far, thanks for taking this on, Bobby!

1. Was Woody's namesake meant to be an homage to the Mikester's original Playmates toy packaging bio-card? I only just recently made the connection between his "origin" there & the pizza delivery boy he kicks it with in your series. If so, that's quite the clever reference. Took me this long to figure it out.



(In case you're unable to view the image, Michelangelo's birthplace is said to be "Woody's Pet Shop".)

2. Do you have a preference between the two dominant TMNT aesthetics, one being more lean & basic (a'la their look in the beginning of the IDW series) & the other chunky & accessorized (the Nick inspired design that we often see now)? I know you let the artists do their own thing, & that it's fun to have variety, but which suits your tastes on a personal level?

3. If it had been solely your call, without crowd pleasing or sales in mind, would you have kept the red bandanas, or eventually gone/started out with their 4 "iconic" colors? & what of the Playmates/4kids inspired skin tones? Same question.

4. Is there a conscious effort made on part of your creative team not to do anything that may potentially be deemed controversial or too adult, whether it be not to upset the suits or feeling some sort of responsibility for stray kids getting a hold of the book? The recent beheading of Shredder, Casey being gutted by him, etc, there are things to suggest this is not a concern of yours, however the no-kill rule & certain other moral issues that play a part do paint that picture. Similarly, does the spiritual content ever cause complications for you guys? A handful of Archie issues aren't being reprinted due to sensitive material based around religious ideology, & even in that book's era, its writer was sent many an angry letter from parents who didn't like the mere inclusion of "zen" themes & meditation, let alone reincarnation or the introduction of "Gods" & other things of that nature.

5. Beyond the board/video games & specialty packages like IDW limited, will we ever have any IDW TMNT inspired merchandise? Collector figures, busts/statues, etc.? Has it been discussed at all? Funko is releasing a new series of 6" articulated figures based on licenses that as far as I can remember are all being published by y'all at present, the turtles included, leading some to believe that they may in fact be toys from your series. *fingers crossed* Any word on that?


I'd rather not attach my name, (Powder's fine, right?) but this is OK TO PRINT should you wish to use any of it for whatever reason, & I presently live in Lexington, SC, though I am originally a proud New Yorker.

I would like to second #5. I would do a lot to get my hands on IDW-themed figured, especially if it were themed after the style of a favorite artist like Campbell or Santolouco. I mean, I'm making my own stuff ATM, but I'd love love love to support authentic merch.
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Old 01-16-2016, 03:06 PM   #128
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Greetings IDW Crew,
I am a life-long TMNT fan, since the impressionable age of 2 back in 1989. I loved Archie's ' TMNT Adventures comic as a kid. That brings me to ask a few questions. First of all, TMNTA is my first and my all-time favorite title. I strongly believe if you all have your own Future Shark Trilogy IDW's TMNT series will take that crown. Question 1, do you have any plans for Renet in the next year along with the time travel theme? If so could we see either of two time travel related villains from the franchise Savanti Romero (Mirage , 4Kids cartoon ) or the preferred Armaggon, the future shark( Archie)?

Question 2, we saw the Turtles travel to Europe in a side-season of TMNT(1987) and to Japan in the 4Kids cartoon and Archie's TMNT Adventures series which also saw other areas of Asia explored. Do you have plans for it or see the possibility of the Turtles going abroad? It would make for an interesting arc. Hint: To close out the Pantheon storyline, why not do so in Japan?

Question 3, way back in the April micro I recall two cages other than Slash's in StockGen Labs. Was that a dropped plot thread of two other mutant experiments aside from Splinter and the five turtles? I have hoped Groundchuck and Dirtbag get the opportunity to get dusted off and always hoped it would be them or have them appear somehow. My favorite allies, the Punk Frogs as well. I understand that it could be difficult to adapt the four frogs, but here is to hoping.

I want to use this opportunity to thank you all at IDW. I was hesitant when Peter Laird sold off the intellectual property as it was cared for by a select few who had deep ties to it. Then you all stepped up and had even more interaction with the fanbase than I could have hoped for especially the constant presence at Technodrome Forums. You are also using the entire property as your playground to make the best comic series and TMNT universe possible. That was something that Mirage Studios did not do which never sat well with me. Thanks again for hitting one grand slam after another.

MikeandRaph87
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Okay to print
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Old 01-16-2016, 03:55 PM   #129
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Are there any plans to incorporate more LGBT+ characters in the story?
Yes. Though with sexuality in general in the series, it won't play a large role in the story.
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Old 01-16-2016, 04:12 PM   #130
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Originally Posted by MikeandRaph87 View Post
Question 1, do you have any plans for Renet in the next year along with the time travel theme? If so could we see either of two time travel related villains from the franchise Savanti Romero (Mirage , 4Kids cartoon ) or the preferred Armaggon, the future shark( Archie)?

Question 3, way back in the April micro I recall two cages other than Slash's in StockGen Labs. Was that a dropped plot thread of two other mutant experiments aside from Splinter and the five turtles? I have hoped Groundchuck and Dirtbag get the opportunity to get dusted off and always hoped it would be them or have them appear somehow. My favorite allies, the Punk Frogs as well. I understand that it could be difficult to adapt the four frogs, but here is to hoping.
I curious as well about the other mutant tanks from the april micro and the possibility of Aragon or savant romero story lines involving Renet.
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Old 01-16-2016, 04:18 PM   #131
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Great thread so far, thanks for taking this on, Bobby!

1. Was...
Good questions, Powder. For space, edited my quoting of you here.

1. Ha, no on Woody, I had no clue about that action figure reference. Woody Dirkins is named after IDW head of marketing Dirk Wood! He is also drawn to resemble him.



2. I'd say my personal preference is probably somewhere in the middle, kind of what Ben Bates was doing in Turtles in Time #3. But I really do dig what all the different artists do, and like you note, it's important to me that artists can put their own spin on the characters.

3. I know I was in support of keeping them in red masks at the start. That being said, in retrospect I think having the multi-color is a smart move long term. Yes, you can tell who is who in Mirage, but there's lots of shots/angles/situations where it's just plain handy to have that color short-hand. My opinion at least. I don't think it's any less ridiculous for them to have multi-colored masks than for them to be wearing masks in the first place. Aesthetically though, I still really dig the all-red.

4. In regards to violence and making it too "adult", a little thought is minded there, but not a lot. I think had we been able to let the Turtles be more violent at the start, we would have done so. We would have explored the Turtles taking 'extreme measures' more. That being said, I think both Tom and I want this book to be accessible to a large range of readers, and having the book be too gory or violent would turn off some readers, regardless of age. I'm also a strong believer in less is more. Events like Don's beating and Saki's decapitation have a bigger impact because we don't have the Turtles and their enemies maiming each other every issue. But I think there are situations where we would have let loose a bit more than we do if the property wasn't owned by Nickelodeon. Overall though, it's not something that we think about very often.

In terms of other things being controversial, I wouldn't say we are interested in being controversial for controversial sake, and we have had very few complaints about storylines in that regard. So not really on our radar.

5. Not that I am aware of, no. No one talks to us about that stuff. No one would love IDW figures more than us. The impact and reach of comics don't really get felt in other mediums until a ways down the line. I'm hopeful that one day we'll get some figures, but I'd be surprised if it was soon.
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Old 01-16-2016, 04:23 PM   #132
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I've always been curious how you guys decide which artist is going to work on which story, obviously Santaclous has top pick, but how does that all boil down for you guys? And how can one be considered for such a task?
Hmm, that's a good question, but also difficult for me to answer. It's a mix of gut feeling who would be best suited for the story, and who is available. For instance, with TMNT #51-54: Cory Smith was meant to do that entire storyline, but he gave me a good heads up when Marvel came calling for him to do Nova. So, looking at artists that I admired, I started to see who might be interested and available. I thought Ken Garing could handle something relatively somber and dark and with lots of ninja action. Meanwhile, I thought Michael Dialynas would be good fit for the many mutants, some of them goofy, of the subsequent storyline.

Best way to get on my radar is to do some kick ass art in some comic books I come across! I don't hire anyone without a good deal of established professional experience, so step one is to get some books published!
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Old 01-16-2016, 04:26 PM   #133
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Greetings IDW Crew...
1) Yes, there are plans for Renet in 2016. That's about all I can really say in regards to that question.

2) I'd like to do this one day, but there are no plans at the moment.

3) Ha, we have not forgot about those two other cages, and in fact they have been discussed in just the past few weeks.

Thank YOU guys for reading and supporting us. Means a lot.
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Old 01-16-2016, 04:33 PM   #134
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Was the decision to make April a red-head done for the same reason the Nick cartoon went in that direction?

In the 80's and 90's April was always known for being a brunette or having dark black hair. In Mirage she had black curly hair, then in the original cartoon, Archie comics, and the live-action 90's movies she was a brunette.

It was the 2003 cartoon that made April a red-head for the first time, and that seemed to stick with both the Nick cartoon and IDW comic. I find it rather interesting that April's standard hair color changed from brown in the 80's/90's to a red-head across all media in the 2000's.
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Old 01-16-2016, 04:39 PM   #135
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Originally Posted by Bobby Curnow View Post
1) Yes, there are plans for Renet in 2016. That's about all I can really say in regards to that question.

2) I'd like to do this one day, but there are no plans at the moment.

3) Ha, we have not forgot about those two other cages, and in fact they have been discussed in just the past few weeks.

Thank YOU guys for reading and supporting us. Means a lot.
Wow! Thanks, Mr. Curnow. I was thinking your reply may appear in the letters pages in the late #50s'.

I thought I figured out something you all may have forgotten about/dropped in reference to the two other empty cages in StockGen labs. How about a fan poll to help you at IDW decide whether it be in the letters pages of an upcoming issue you ask us to tell you in a letter or a thread here?
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Old 01-16-2016, 04:53 PM   #136
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First off, thanks for this thread!

Second, this might be somewhere in the forums, but I didn't find it when searching. Has the full combined Vengeance cover image been released in a large digital form and wasn't there some scuttlebutt about a poster being made?
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Old 01-16-2016, 05:00 PM   #137
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Was the decision to make April a red-head done for the same reason the Nick cartoon went in that direction?

In the 80's and 90's April was always known for being a brunette or having dark black hair. In Mirage she had black curly hair, then in the original cartoon, Archie comics, and the live-action 90's movies she was a brunette.

It was the 2003 cartoon that made April a red-head for the first time, and that seemed to stick with both the Nick cartoon and IDW comic. I find it rather interesting that April's standard hair color changed from brown in the 80's/90's to a red-head across all media in the 2000's.
She's a red head in the original cartoon, right? Red-ish. I think that was just considered the default by Ronda. I don't think there was any real discussion about it, at least not that I remember.
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Old 01-16-2016, 05:01 PM   #138
Bobby Curnow
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How about a fan poll to help you at IDW decide whether it be in the letters pages of an upcoming issue you ask us to tell you in a letter or a thread here?
I'm afraid I don't understand the question here.
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Old 01-16-2016, 05:02 PM   #139
Bobby Curnow
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First off, thanks for this thread!

Second, this might be somewhere in the forums, but I didn't find it when searching. Has the full combined Vengeance cover image been released in a large digital form and wasn't there some scuttlebutt about a poster being made?
It was made into a print, yes! We sold it at conventions last year from SDCC forward. Maybe check or write the IDW store from our website? Might be able to get one shipped to you there, i'm not sure.
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Old 01-16-2016, 05:17 PM   #140
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I'm afraid I don't understand the question here.
I was referring to submitting it for a letter in the back of the ongoing. I was expected an answer if it was chosen to appear instead of answering here. That is all.
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