TMNT #105 Preview and Discussion

[neatoman]

I would not exactly qualify Romance as "being for women" (although I think it's fair to say women constitute the majority of the audience of romance). Ultimately there is always debate to be had over how well the romance is being handled. Since I don't familiarise myself with the genre that much, I don't think I'm much of an authority on the subject and won't comment on it.

What I will say though is that it seems more productive to argue on the quality of these elements, rather than who they are meant for or not.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by AlessandraDC

Hey! Guess what? The book isn't just for boys and men! There are a lot of different fans reading this, and I for one, am glad that they finally established what the heck is going on with Raph and Alopex. And if there's a sprinkling of romance here and there? It's totally fine with me! It makes the characters feel more fleshed out and not so one-dimensional. Just my opinion

I didn't care for it, but I don't like Alopex in general, and I love that you stated your opinion. Good for you! Stand up for what you like!

[Utrommaniac]

Okay, but Ray hanging out with that octopus dude at the bar??? I want to know more about that guy, or at least that situation.

Has Ray made his own group made up of sea creatures or something, or at least made friends with some?

[ChosenOne]

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

Okay, but Ray hanging out with that octopus dude at the bar??? I want to know more about that guy, or at least that situation.

Has Ray made his own group made up of sea creatures or something, or at least made friends with some?

Plot twist: that's what Gothano looks like under his hood, and he and Ray are now an item!

[Powder]

Sophie’s art is always stellar but everything else is absolutely abhorrent. Deviantart tier fanfic at best. It’s just shipping & OC’s & Gurl Power, completely running this book into the ground.

[AquaParade]

Art is gorgeous, for sure.

I actually appreciate the focus on characters and the relatively slow pacing in comparison to the last 100 issues. But I'm not sure all the story choices and characters are up my alley right now. Still interested to see where things go, as of now.

[Utrommaniac]

It does kinda feel like this is just putting a a wrap on relationship stuff just to get it out of the way of more important story lines and doesn't have to get the rest stuck in the "will they/won't they".

[CyberCubed]

There's only 3 reviews here but this issue is being rated 9-10's by a lot of comic sites:

https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-b...ja-turtles/105

Seems a lot like the new direction.

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by Powder

Sophie?s art is always stellar but everything else is absolutely abhorrent. Deviantart tier fanfic at best. It?s just shipping & OC?s & Gurl Power, completely running this book into the ground.

I got that feeling too.... But a lot of this issue was world building, creating the setting. I don't know why Koya and Bludgeon were even in the issue honestly.... I am intrigued by the last page though. Is that Lita and could this have something to do with TMNT in time #4????

[Cloudrunner]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

There's only 3 reviews here but this issue is being rated 9-10's by a lot of comic sites:

https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-b...ja-turtles/105

Seems a lot like the new direction.

The comic industry is very incestuous, even more so than the games industry. I just straight up don't trust review sites, as they rarely if ever reflect the opinions of the actual reader base. The only real indication of whether or not the new direction is a success will be the sales numbers.

[MekaGojira3k]

Despite what's being said I kind of love this arc? I think a reprieve from the Issue 100 finale is nice and worth exploring. As for the relationships going on, I'm a dude and love character moments like that as much as the fighting. The ending has me really excited for what's coming.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by Cloudrunner

The comic industry is very incestuous, even more so than the games industry. I just straight up don't trust review sites, as they rarely if ever reflect the opinions of the actual reader base. The only real indication of whether or not the new direction is a success will be the sales numbers.

That's a very interesting point. When I was younger and not on the internet often, I picked up a lot of comics based on Wizard's most glowing recommendations. Some of them were good, others not, but boy was I shocked to find out that a very, very large number of people - sometimes even a majority - would flat-out HATE a lot of those books that were getting all this glowing praise. It was confusing until I stopped to consider that maaaaybe things weren't always on the up-and-up, and that maybe people were "pushing" stuff that their friends worked on or whatever. I mean it happens.

In skimming/perusing recent developments, I have to say that this book in recent times is sure feeling very... "effeminate", I guess would be apt, for a TMNT comic. Like, the story focus, the "softer" art style... I won't be as flat-out mean as some people are about it but I definitely, definitely know what they're getting at. And I get why it rankles some. Like yeah, it's "for everyone", but it's always predominantly been a property aimed at boys/guys and so it's... strange seeing it essentially re-centered as kinda like a glimpse at what TMNT MIGHT have turned out to be if it had been created by "Kristen and Patty" instead of "Kevin and Peter", if that makes any sense.

It's just interesting and I can say I empathize with some who'd find it a questionable approach, given that literally everything about TMNT was based on stuff that once upon a time was 100% "wish fulfillment for Little Boys", and if girls like it that was okay too, but let's face it... how many little girls were reading "Daredevil" or "Ronin" back in the early-80s, like, ten? How many girls were staying up late and watching bad martial arts movies on cable? A few, sure, maybe, but a lot? Nah. The things that are in the TMNT brand's "DNA" are predominantly male-centric. And when women do fall into it, let's be honest, they tend to find the appeal in the more "softer", kid-friendly side of the brand, the stuff most other TMNT fans lean away from. So obviously when the focus shifts, and you take something that, in a vacuum, is Male-Centric and put it through more of a female "lens", not everyone is going to acquiesce to that because the priority is no longer aimed at their sensibilities. And asking whether or not such a dramatic shift in focus is really necessary, when it really promises only to please about 20% of your audience at the risk of alienating the rest, well... those aren't unfair questions to ask.

I don't really follow the book, obviously, so these are just observations and things I notice.

But, if people who pay a lot more attention than I do wanna go full-hog and dismiss it as low-tier fanfic quality, well, I can only say I get what they're driving at, certainly. All I can say is, I do have a few earlier issues, and when I skim them, some parts are new and "foreign" but it still feels kinda familiar as "TMNT". The newer stuff, rather, feels like what TMNT would be like if it were being created Right Now, by someone attending Smith College or UMass or something and who's working on their Liberal Arts degree on the side. Like if you told me a 19-year old girl wrote it and made all the Important Decisions, I'd believe you. If that makes any sense. It very much has that sensibility and priorities.

"Slice of life" is fine, but I think some people simply bristle at how far the focus has shifted. I tried to come up with a way to describe the look and feel and for whatever reason "more effeminate" was the best I could do. Not that "effeminate" = "Bad" by default, but again, it's generally a brand with a little more of an "edge" to it and I think a lot of people prefer that not be lost in the name of broadening the audience.

Again, just Observe and Report stuff.

[PApagreg]

Not going to lie but I'm sort of mixed when it comes to this arc. Its not bad but it sort of has the opposite problem issues 50-100 had, in that the mentioned had so many things happening at once with too many characters while in 101-105 not enough of the supporting cast(seriously can we at least get a cameo of Casey) appears and not a lot of things are going on. Don't get me wrong I do like the idea of an "aftermath" arc with the turtles sort of absorbing what happened in the previous arc but I feel as if it should be about them and this is coming from a guy who loves when TMNT episodes have focus on different characters. Don't get me wrong is not all bad I like the Raph and Alopex subplot, Jennika is warming up to me and I like her "Rock Girl" personality, I like the designs for some of the mutants(the pig girl can get it) and I just like the turtles having slice of life plots. So yeah its not bad but I kinda see why some people are getting bored and I wouldn't mind a bit of action and story in the next issue

[Shinigami]

Anyone else find it impossible to get a print copy? I got 104, 106, and 107, but the shop never got 105 and it?s not in stock online.

Edit: got from IDW website haha. eBay was $20! And out if stock for mycomicshop.

[Jazzfox]

Gaaaaaaah, being offline for so long makes me feel very far removed from everyone's feelings and thoughts on the issue, so I guess this is just gonna be my own thoughts and then maybe see about reading back some more and talking...

105 is a kind of a mix for me, I do love some of the character moments that come out of the issue, and there are so many of them that it's hard to choose which ones were my favorite!

...and at the same time, that may be where the issue falls down a little.

On looking back at 101-105, I feel that it was the kind of story needed after issue 100 to let the air settle and see where everyone stands, but, reading it over makes me wonder if from afar that's how it looks, just a collection of these character moments

And because of that, I wonder if you could have removed some of these scenes and it could have fit the arc into four issues instead of five to tighten it all up and get to the next step for the turtles

Because THAT is the big attraction, just the whole direction of the Turtles is wonderful and amazing and feels so natural that I can't believe this is the first time we're seeing this

I love the dojo and getting to see it's not just self defense, but so many other things like calligraphy and floral arrangement and not just punch-punch, kick-kick, but showing the Hamato-way as a way of life more than just fighting

(Also, yes, any excuse to see Bea there is just wonderful, best opossum lady!)

And on the clan topic... Alopex being made honorary member! I dig it, I reaaaaallly do just because it feels like something that just kind of makes it all official how she's been accepted into the fold and I love making her mask green to make her effectively an honorary turtle!

(Personally? Never can imagine the mask replacing her own badass God-slicing markings, buuuuut, I can dig it in small doses or using it as a belt/tie as the turtles have been using their own masks of late!)

And on the turtles/clothes front? Since a lot of comments I see on that one at least... I can dig the clothes, it reminds me a little of their outfits they had in the Nick 2k12 Vision Quest arc which struck me as really awesome looking, and yes, I recall vividly how nearly every excuse was made to let the turtles show off costumes there to make toys, buuuuuut, sue me, I got a fave there, lol

On smaller note of that topic though... I do wonder if the turtles took up clothes not just for the townsfolk, but for Jennika? Like, just as a show of solidarity if she's a human-turned-turtle she still wants to wear clothing, they pick up some threads to show unity alongside her and make her feel more one of them?

Also?

I freaking love the mutant town inhabitants as a whole so far, I FEEL the gothic grunge energy feeding off that bat sitting at the bar after the show, lol, I wanna know these characters stories, like, just point and click, sadly too many to explore

(Also got a nice dig from Bandit and his boyfriend, nice to see they didn't end up as just dumb thugs, whether or not they get to appear again, seeing them bury the hatchet over a love of music was nice)

(The shipping fuel in general here was off the scale and I kinda loved that, guess we'll see who follows up with who in issues to come! And speaking of future issues, future Lita? I feel like maybe Lita could have used a little more prominence maybe to sell the payoff of badass buff Lita in the future, but that's a minor thing)

Soooo yeah, it's a weird mix for me, I feel the story could have been shortened, but at the same time I want MORE, like lots more of what we get to see going on

This is definitely a title that feels tailored to my tastes, but I can see why folks similarly may be cool to it at present

I hope we hear how the issue performed soon alongside the other issues of the ark, if only to cross fingers and hope that it performed well as the first arc of this brave new world!