Will Tupper's "Practical Jokes" (Michelangelo backup comic)

*Andrew NDB* · 08-31-2010, 07:09 PM

Written by "Tales of the TMNT" writer Will Tupper this Mikey backup was sold and set to be published by Mirage as a backup in Tales of the TMNT Vol. 2 but never saw print. The plan is to include this into the Image TMNT finisher in one of the issues.

It's illustrated by Donna "GreenWillow" Omo and lettered by Adam O. Pruett, who is also lettering the main Image finisher.

I hope you enjoy.

You can download a .PDF of it in HQ here.

*DrSpengler* · 08-31-2010, 07:18 PM

That was really great. A bummer Mirage didn't print it, but still a wonderful insight into Mikey. Outside of a few one-shots like "The Burning Man", Image's Volume 3 was the only time I cared for Mikey because the whole struggling novelist angle really gave him something deeper to latch onto. I always appreciate it when that side of him is revisited in any fashion.

It shows that there's an intelligence behind his goofishness that helps flesh him out from "mascot" to a well-rounded character you can identify with and appreciate.

Looking forward to seeing this in the Image finale!

*Powder* · 08-31-2010, 07:44 PM

F*cking excellent. It really bums me out that Will never had the nerve to pitch a full story. His work is friggin' amazing. It always has such depth and feels so right for the turtles, kinda like he'd always been writing for them. He reminds me of Murphy but with less preach & more point.

Oh! & Donna's art is great too!

*Master Splinter* · 08-31-2010, 07:47 PM

This is great. Thanks for sharing!

-ms

*plastroncafe* · 08-31-2010, 07:56 PM

That was glorious!

*Andrew NDB* · 08-31-2010, 08:05 PM

It always bothered me, personally, that Will got Leo, Raph, and Don backups in print... but we never got to see his Mike backup. Even to the very end of Tales Vol. 2 I think there was this lingering hope that we would -- after all, the Mike backup was sold -- and that one day, poof, it would appear in the back of a random issues of Tales, but it never quite did.

Put all of these together, you literally get like a new Michael Dooney "Challenges" graphic novel.

willtupper · 08-31-2010, 09:23 PM

Andrew: I just Emailed you my thanks, but will gladly say it here again. Deep gratitude to you for helping give my little series of Turtle stories a proper conclusion. Although FWIW, it was a Casey back-up, and not Splinter, that sold and made it into print. Splinter was going to be my next project

.

DrSpengler: Thank you, dude. I kind of always saw Mikey as a "goofy revolutionary," changing the world quietly by making people happy

.

plastroncafe: Thanks!

Master Splinter: Thank you!

Powder: Much thanks for your kind words, brother. I just never had the stones to pitch a full-length story. In the back of my mind I had kind of planned for that a little later, after I had told back-ups for all the major characters. So it goes, I suppose.

Donna totally knocked the art out of the park, didn't she? It turned out better than I could have ever imagined

.

*oldmanwinters* · 08-31-2010, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willtupper

Donna totally knocked the art out of the park, didn't she? It turned out better than I could have ever imagined

.

Yeah! "GreenWillow" rocks some great pencils and inks!

*Andrew NDB* · 08-31-2010, 09:28 PM

Let's be honest, though... that bottle of "Old Lawson" on the shelf scares the hell out of me.

**Venom** · 08-31-2010, 09:52 PM

Spoken like the true Michelangelo. This little story falls perfectly in line with how I always felt about Mike. Thanks, Will, for tapping into the essence of Michelangelo and bringing forth this tiny nugget of insight;

too bad few will see it, lest it see true print form, but even then the world at large would probably refuse to accept Mike as he truly is. His comedic facade has been so good that he's practically shot himself in the foot in regards to people taking him *gasp* seriously.

Oh, and I got a kick out of the dancing cowboys in page 4, panel 6!

*Raph's Girl* · 08-31-2010, 09:59 PM

GreenWillow · 08-31-2010, 10:25 PM

Thanks you guys for the positive comments!

Will, thank you so much. That really means a lot to me.

Venom, I totally agree with your and with Will's take on Mikey. I've always seen him as the classic "Family Mascot": the kid who makes a joke or a pratfall when things get too tense and the family desperately needs a distraction from the grim realities they deal with.

Given how "tense" these guys lives can be, playing the light-hearted, air-head, goofball has got to be pretty much a full-time job. Mikey does his job very well. He's even got half the fans fooled.

**Machias Banshee** · 08-31-2010, 10:43 PM

Aw, I like that a Lot. the 'Family Mascot' role is just the perfect way to describe Mike..

*CyberCubed* · 08-31-2010, 11:23 PM

I'm going to assume in the original version of this comic, the Turtles obviously didn't look like they did in Image, right?

Buffy · 08-31-2010, 11:25 PM

Cool little backup comic! Mike always brings a smile to my face.

*Andrew NDB* · 08-31-2010, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

I'm going to assume in the original version of this comic, the Turtles obviously didn't look like they did in Image, right?

The script doesn't say what era the Turtles in the present are or physical appearance is on page 6. But no, of course Will and Murphy/Mirage didn't ever intend for this to be in the Vol. 3 era. That it is now is only on his blessing, which he gave graciously.

I would venture, though, that Mike being in that particular point in time gives the joke/story that much more depth given their state of being then.

**Venom** · 09-01-2010, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

I would venture, though, that Mike being in that particular point in time gives the joke/story that much more depth given their state of being then.

True that! I'm glad this became part of the Volume 3 era because it was Mike's shining spot in the entire Turtles' saga, so plunking this story right along there when the guys have been through hell and uncertain of many things in their lives is perfect!

Gyt Kaliba · 09-01-2010, 09:14 AM

This was an awesome little read. I've always thought of Mikey as this, as the guy who makes the jokes so that it's not always just death and combat around them. He's not an idiot, he just chooses to act like one sometimes because the others can't. To see a story reflect as such, I love it.

*discordiatookie* · 09-01-2010, 02:04 PM

Yet another awesome Will Tupper story. Hard to believe that its the same crazy maniac that kicks around these here forums, making us all laugh our faces off with his mental topics. But yeah, that was brilliant. Great art also - for some reason, reminds me a bit on the dream like quality of Zulli's work. Brilliant job, GW!

I gotta ask - who be this Adam O. Pruett fella? He a regular in here, or is ha an actual letterer? Or even both? Anyhoo, I like the cut of his jib.

Nelson · 09-02-2010, 06:23 AM

Very nice story, and the art is very charismatic.

And I agree that the story works a LOT better taking place during the volume 3 days.
Although it begs the question: would Mike still be the man (turtle) with the jokes if he had lost an arm, or an eye, or half his body?

08-31-2010, 07:09 PM	#1
Andrew NDB Weed Whacker Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 29,279	Will Tupper's "Practical Jokes" (Michelangelo backup comic) Written by "Tales of the TMNT" writer Will Tupper this Mikey backup was sold and set to be published by Mirage as a backup in Tales of the TMNT Vol. 2 but never saw print. The plan is to include this into the Image TMNT finisher in one of the issues. It's illustrated by Donna "GreenWillow" Omo and lettered by Adam O. Pruett, who is also lettering the main Image finisher. I hope you enjoy. You can download a .PDF of it in HQ here. __________________ [ ODYSSEY \| ORIGIN \| THE IMAGE/VOL. 3 CONCLUSION \| THE SHELLSHOCKED PODCAST \| ON FACEBOOK ] Last edited by Andrew NDB; 09-10-2010 at 09:13 PM.

08-31-2010, 07:44 PM	#3
Powder So tired of this place Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Shell Ri La Posts: 26,809	F*cking excellent. It really bums me out that Will never had the nerve to pitch a full story. His work is friggin' amazing. It always has such depth and feels so right for the turtles, kinda like he'd always been writing for them. He reminds me of Murphy but with less preach & more point. Oh! & Donna's art is great too! __________________ I'm convinced that none of you have ever experienced joy

08-31-2010, 08:05 PM	#6
Andrew NDB Weed Whacker Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 29,279	It always bothered me, personally, that Will got Leo, Raph, and Don backups in print... but we never got to see his Mike backup. Even to the very end of Tales Vol. 2 I think there was this lingering hope that we would -- after all, the Mike backup was sold -- and that one day, poof, it would appear in the back of a random issues of Tales, but it never quite did. Put all of these together, you literally get like a new Michael Dooney "Challenges" graphic novel. __________________ [ ODYSSEY \| ORIGIN \| THE IMAGE/VOL. 3 CONCLUSION \| THE SHELLSHOCKED PODCAST \| ON FACEBOOK ] Last edited by Andrew NDB; 08-31-2010 at 09:27 PM.

08-31-2010, 09:28 PM	#9
Andrew NDB Weed Whacker Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 29,279	Let's be honest, though... that bottle of "Old Lawson" on the shelf scares the hell out of me. __________________ [ ODYSSEY \| ORIGIN \| THE IMAGE/VOL. 3 CONCLUSION \| THE SHELLSHOCKED PODCAST \| ON FACEBOOK ]

08-31-2010, 09:52 PM	#10
Venom Space Knight Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,635	Spoken like the true Michelangelo. This little story falls perfectly in line with how I always felt about Mike. Thanks, Will, for tapping into the essence of Michelangelo and bringing forth this tiny nugget of insight; too bad few will see it, lest it see true print form, but even then the world at large would probably refuse to accept Mike as he truly is. His comedic facade has been so good that he's practically shot himself in the foot in regards to people taking him gasp seriously. Oh, and I got a kick out of the dancing cowboys in page 4, panel 6! __________________

08-31-2010, 07:18 PM	#2
DrSpengler Foot Elite Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,830	That was really great. A bummer Mirage didn't print it, but still a wonderful insight into Mikey. Outside of a few one-shots like "The Burning Man", Image's Volume 3 was the only time I cared for Mikey because the whole struggling novelist angle really gave him something deeper to latch onto. I always appreciate it when that side of him is revisited in any fashion. It shows that there's an intelligence behind his goofishness that helps flesh him out from "mascot" to a well-rounded character you can identify with and appreciate. Looking forward to seeing this in the Image finale!

08-31-2010, 07:47 PM	#4
Master Splinter 幸 - 愛 - 思う Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: St. Louis Posts: 2,824	This is great. Thanks for sharing! -ms

08-31-2010, 09:23 PM	#7
willtupper Official TMNT Staff/Cast Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 322	Andrew: I just Emailed you my thanks, but will gladly say it here again. Deep gratitude to you for helping give my little series of Turtle stories a proper conclusion. Although FWIW, it was a Casey back-up, and not Splinter, that sold and made it into print. Splinter was going to be my next project . DrSpengler: Thank you, dude. I kind of always saw Mikey as a "goofy revolutionary," changing the world quietly by making people happy . plastroncafe: Thanks! Master Splinter: Thank you! Powder: Much thanks for your kind words, brother. I just never had the stones to pitch a full-length story. In the back of my mind I had kind of planned for that a little later, after I had told back-ups for all the major characters. So it goes, I suppose. Donna totally knocked the art out of the park, didn't she? It turned out better than I could have ever imagined .

08-31-2010, 09:59 PM	#11
Raph's Girl Dierna Soul, Reporter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Jakku Posts: 10,831	__________________

08-31-2010, 10:25 PM	#12
GreenWillow Hench Mutant Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: The Mountains Posts: 425	Thanks you guys for the positive comments! Will, thank you so much. That really means a lot to me. Venom, I totally agree with your and with Will's take on Mikey. I've always seen him as the classic "Family Mascot": the kid who makes a joke or a pratfall when things get too tense and the family desperately needs a distraction from the grim realities they deal with. Given how "tense" these guys lives can be, playing the light-hearted, air-head, goofball has got to be pretty much a full-time job. Mikey does his job very well. He's even got half the fans fooled. __________________ Hugs, kisses, GreenFaerieDust(tm) and a small vial of Belladonna. Life is good.

08-31-2010, 10:43 PM	#13
Machias Banshee Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 17,163	Aw, I like that a Lot. the 'Family Mascot' role is just the perfect way to describe Mike..

08-31-2010, 11:23 PM	#14
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 41,057	I'm going to assume in the original version of this comic, the Turtles obviously didn't look like they did in Image, right?

08-31-2010, 11:25 PM	#15
Buffy Mad Scientist Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: where am I? Posts: 1,472	Cool little backup comic! Mike always brings a smile to my face. __________________ Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza.

09-01-2010, 09:14 AM	#18
Gyt Kaliba Stone Warrior Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 770	This was an awesome little read. I've always thought of Mikey as this, as the guy who makes the jokes so that it's not always just death and combat around them. He's not an idiot, he just chooses to act like one sometimes because the others can't. To see a story reflect as such, I love it. __________________ My FanFiction

09-01-2010, 02:04 PM	#19
discordiatookie facehugger Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Aberdeen, Scotland Posts: 2,817	Yet another awesome Will Tupper story. Hard to believe that its the same crazy maniac that kicks around these here forums, making us all laugh our faces off with his mental topics. But yeah, that was brilliant. Great art also - for some reason, reminds me a bit on the dream like quality of Zulli's work. Brilliant job, GW! I gotta ask - who be this Adam O. Pruett fella? He a regular in here, or is ha an actual letterer? Or even both? Anyhoo, I like the cut of his jib. __________________ Oh Discordia! Charyou Tree! Come, Reap! Don't tell us to grow up and out of it I got my cloak and dagger in a bar room brawl You actually trying to read this tiny text? Damn, you're dedicated! This is all just for effect you know... original TMNT art collection

09-02-2010, 06:23 AM	#20
Nelson Stone Warrior Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 673	Very nice story, and the art is very charismatic. And I agree that the story works a LOT better taking place during the volume 3 days. Although it begs the question: would Mike still be the man (turtle) with the jokes if he had lost an arm, or an eye, or half his body?