Issue #147

[BornAgain]

Old Hob is a strange addition to the franchise. I like him but often forget he exists. It seemed so jarring at the time to have him there right from the start at issue #1, in comparison to what we were used to. I thought it meant he’d play a bigger role but it seems he was more or less a bit player.

[ProphetofGanja]

I still love Hob a lot and he was definitely one of the core cast for the first good chunk of the series; at least up til around #100 or something (idk exactly it's been a while since I read the early issues).

I do hope he comes back to the spotlight in the future, I'd like to see his story continue.

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by ProphetofGanja

I still love Hob a lot and he was definitely one of the core cast for the first good chunk of the series; at least up til around #100 or something (idk exactly it's been a while since I read the early issues).

I do hope he comes back to the spotlight in the future, I'd like to see his story continue.

Old Hob was a compelling character in the comics, He's to IDW what Tiger Claw is to the Nickelodeon 2012 series.

[CyberCubed]

Old Hob was used for his rivalry with Raphael and to explain why Raph was a loner being separated from his brothers for 1 year when they got mutated. Also being used to work with Baxter at the start and then of course go off on his own and form the Mutanimals. But yeah shortly after that he kind of got lost in the shuffle despite being used to help fight the villains in a few arcs.

I'm more confused why they kept Baxter around all this time. IDW's Baxter has kind of run his course, and they confirmed he would never be mutated or turned into a cyborg so he's just kinda there. Being the mayor didn't really go anywhere and I'm surprised he wasn't just arrested at the end of the Armaggeddon game arc. They should of wrapped his character up.

[TheLabRat]

Especially they tried to make him some kind of mastermind but never let him do anything important. Other characters have similar problem, like Null. Even in City Fall arc, Dark Leo was just a guy with an edgy name who never did anything dirty.

[TigerClaw]

Future Lita did not send Donnie and Venus to some random point in time, I believe she sent them to her own future timeline where she's from for there safety, Given how casually Future Jennika greeted them, I think Future Lita may have talked to the future versions about her adventures through time.

[staypuftweepel]

I may be the only one, but I have never really cared for the Turtles to be romantically involved with anyone. I think it’s been ok in the Nick comic with Don pining over April, Mikey in volume 3 and 4 with his two ladies, and in Archie putting Raph and Ninjara together but in all honesty it’s not something I’ve ever desired to see more of in Turtles comics. I guess it can be done well, Raph and Alopex was fine, I think their relationship evolved naturally, but I think Donnie ending up with Venus is just lazy writing. It just seems like “well we have these two characters so they gotta be together.” Donnie seems like the type of character who would be so into his work that he wouldn’t even notice a girl if she was directly coming on to him. Maybe it could happen naturally, but I bet this new phase with Jason Aaron ignores a lot of this drama or story points. I also think Leo ending up with Koya seems like the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. It just seems like awful fanfic shipping. Koya is a character with no redeemable qualities. Why would Leo be into her? I don’t even want to know who they’re going to try and make Mikey date. (If they said I don’t remember)

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by staypuftweepel

I may be the only one, but I have never really cared for the Turtles to be romantically involved with anyone. I think it’s been ok in the Nick comic with Don pining over April, Mikey in volume 3 and 4 with his two ladies, and in Archie putting Raph and Ninjara together but in all honesty it’s not something I’ve ever desired to see more of in Turtles comics. I guess it can be done well, Raph and Alopex was fine, I think their relationship evolved naturally, but I think Donnie ending up with Venus is just lazy writing. It just seems like “well we have these two characters so they gotta be together.” Donnie seems like the type of character who would be so into his work that he wouldn’t even notice a girl if she was directly coming on to him. Maybe it could happen naturally, but I bet this new phase with Jason Aaron ignores a lot of this drama or story points. I also think Leo ending up with Koya seems like the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. It just seems like awful fanfic shipping. Koya is a character with no redeemable qualities. Why would Leo be into her? I don’t even want to know who they’re going to try and make Mikey date. (If they said I don’t remember)

Its quite possible that in the relaunch, Raph and Umeko will get involved romantically, You see how Raph just continues to blurt out Umeko's name at Venus, She's somebody very important, and she will make an appearance during the relaunch, If you remember a couple of months ago Sophie Campbell tweeted out the concept art for Umeko, She won't be featured in the issues leading up to 150, But will appear after.

Umeko is a character who is near and dear to many of us TMNT fans who read the archie comics, and I can't wait what the IDW version of her is going to be like.

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by staypuftweepel

I may be the only one, but I have never really cared for the Turtles to be romantically involved with anyone. I think it’s been ok in the Nick comic with Don pining over April, Mikey in volume 3 and 4 with his two ladies, and in Archie putting Raph and Ninjara together but in all honesty it’s not something I’ve ever desired to see more of in Turtles comics. I guess it can be done well, Raph and Alopex was fine, I think their relationship evolved naturally, but I think Donnie ending up with Venus is just lazy writing. It just seems like “well we have these two characters so they gotta be together.” Donnie seems like the type of character who would be so into his work that he wouldn’t even notice a girl if she was directly coming on to him. Maybe it could happen naturally, but I bet this new phase with Jason Aaron ignores a lot of this drama or story points. I also think Leo ending up with Koya seems like the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. It just seems like awful fanfic shipping. Koya is a character with no redeemable qualities. Why would Leo be into her? I don’t even want to know who they’re going to try and make Mikey date. (If they said I don’t remember)

What do you expect from a writer who approached writing official work as, if it was their personal fanfic?

The most appalling thing in this whole mess is that editors didn't do a thing to stop it. But on the other hand, such style of writing was mandated from higher ups in the first place, most likely to pander to the lowest common denominator in the fanbase and so called "progressives". Gladly it had failed.

[Sabacooza]

Originally Posted by Sumac

What do you expect from a writer who approached writing official work as, if it was their personal fanfic?

The most appalling thing in this whole mess is that editors didn't do a thing to stop it. But on the other hand, such style of writing was mandated from higher ups in the first place, most likely to pander to the lowest common denominator in the fanbase and so called "progressives". Gladly it had failed.

Yes it failed but much like the Star Wars sequel trilogy and everything else that's been perverted over the years, you really can't go back. That nonsense is etched in our minds.

[Powder]

Originally Posted by staypuftweepel

I may be the only one, but I have never really cared for the Turtles to be romantically involved with anyone. I think it’s been ok in the Nick comic with Don pining over April, Mikey in volume 3 and 4 with his two ladies, and in Archie putting Raph and Ninjara together but in all honesty it’s not something I’ve ever desired to see more of in Turtles comics. I guess it can be done well, Raph and Alopex was fine, I think their relationship evolved naturally, but I think Donnie ending up with Venus is just lazy writing. It just seems like “well we have these two characters so they gotta be together.” Donnie seems like the type of character who would be so into his work that he wouldn’t even notice a girl if she was directly coming on to him. Maybe it could happen naturally, but I bet this new phase with Jason Aaron ignores a lot of this drama or story points. I also think Leo ending up with Koya seems like the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. It just seems like awful fanfic shipping. Koya is a character with no redeemable qualities. Why would Leo be into her? I don’t even want to know who they’re going to try and make Mikey date. (If they said I don’t remember)

You are far from the only one. I hate all of it but for the same exceptions you yourself listed.

So too did Pete, which is why he always veoted doing this kind of stuff. People can say what they want about his harshness or being a stick in the mud/stickler about certain things, but the TMNT brand desperately needs someone like that who can say "No, that's stupid." on an official level.

[Cloudrunner]

I agree on the relationship front. Alopex and Raph was something built up over the course of the comics, so it was fine on paper. It probably would have gone over a lot better if they had stayed in the setting of "lone ninjas stalking the city at night", but having it culminate in Mutant Town combined with Sophie's rather stereotypical writing when it comes to female characters (at least the non-gay ones) combined into an utter destruction of Alopex's character. I still maintain it COULD have worked with a better writer... but for the sake of argument here I would have rather it not happened at all.

And of course all the other romances, given that non of them have even had remotely as long to brew, feel forced and awkward. And they don't really add anything to the characters. It seems like after Raph and Alopex, Sophie decided to do the cliche thing where each hero had to get paired up with someone... and not a single one of them really works.

[Sumac]

Yup, fanfic-tier writing: "pair the spares", "everyone get a love interest (no matter how improbable it is)" and so on.

One would expect less adherence to the fanfic tropes from someone who is defined as "professional writer" in the industry, but I guess, this stuff if what considered to be "professional" this days.

Originally Posted by Sabacooza

Yes it failed but much like the Star Wars sequel trilogy and everything else that's been perverted over the years, you really can't go back. That nonsense is etched in our minds.

It still can be salvaged.
Star Wars was not defined by a Holiday Special, so does TMNT can be saved from this fate.

[CyberCubed]

The difference with something like Star Wars is there's only one timeline and it affects the whole franchise. With something like TMNT, every time we get a new version it's essentially a reboot, so if something happens in one version of TMNT it does not affect the other versions.

For example people who don't like Rise of the TMNT or Mutant Mayhem, can just ignore those versions, what happens in them doesn't affect the other cartoons, comics, etc. IDW TMNT has hit a slump under Sophie but I believe it can bounce back, and even then there were still some good stories there after the first 20ish issues.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Sumac

The most appalling thing in this whole mess is that editors didn't do a thing to stop it. But on the other hand, such style of writing was mandated from higher ups in the first place, most likely to pander to the lowest common denominator in the fanbase and so called "progressives".

It sounds like that's exactly what happened. Sophie's run was supposed to end way, way, WAY earlier but the higher-ups liked what she was doing and encouraged her to double-down. In the midst of all of this, Bobby resigning, lol... maybe a coincidence, maybe not.

[IndigoErth]

So... is Raph's state going to be cured within the very few remaining issues, after Lita said there is no cure, or is he just going to remain an invalid in the relaunch and we see stories, that already took place, of where he was when he went off on his own... Including his other girlfriend.

Unless they really do screw with time, as they seem opposed to doing, how are they going to retcon his condition (and age?).

[Sabacooza]

Originally Posted by Sumac

It still can be salvaged.
Star Wars was not defined by a Holiday Special, so does TMNT can be saved from this fate.

The Star Wars special was not connected to the main story. It's easy to ignore.

The Sophie era is a huge chunk. That's not something you can just discard and hope that Aaron does things in a way that will make this series work even if you don't read Sophie's run. I still don't think there's any way to salvage this mess.

[DexVcx]

And again where are these relationship pairings even coming from venus and Donnie Really.. ? A lot of these relationship are very half baked Or comes outta nowhere. Leo and koya had a chance to be good with the marco issue but it was very underdeveloped. Seeing future Jennika at the end... man really hoping that aaron writes her out. (Which doesn't seem likely) and again with useless characters here from no reason like carmen and bob. I have hope jason do salvage this mess

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

The difference with something like Star Wars is there's only one timeline and it affects the whole franchise. With something like TMNT, every time we get a new version it's essentially a reboot, so if something happens in one version of TMNT it does not affect the other versions.

For example people who don't like Rise of the TMNT or Mutant Mayhem, can just ignore those versions, what happens in them doesn't affect the other cartoons, comics, etc. IDW TMNT has hit a slump under Sophie but I believe it can bounce back, and even then there were still some good stories there after the first 20ish issues.

Yes and no.

Yes, people can ignore versions of TMNT they don't like.

No, those version will effect other version of TMNT, effectively "infecting" them to be more like themselves. I.E. FW basically "infected" all other branches of the franchise, save for a select few, and this is how Rise and Mutant Mayhem have become possible.

Also, yes, we can ignore stuff we don't like, but it is hard to do when THIS IS THE ONLY stuff in the franchise. Like, if there was recently released adult movie about TMNT, in vein of 1990 movie, most people wouldn't rise a stink about Mutant Mayhem. But there is no alternative and it is unknown, if there's one on a horizon. So, naturally people are displeased with a direction of the franchise.

Originally Posted by Sabacooza

The Star Wars special was not connected to the main story. It's easy to ignore.

It is still was the first work in the series, after A New Hope and, if stars aligned differently, it could have been a template, what people would have expected from the series going forward.

Gladly it was so bizarre and dumb, that it didn't happen, but this possibility shouldn't be discarded.

If this example doesn't fit, I think, Batman can be used as a template. It took few decades to get away from an Adam West version, to make people think of Batman as a serious character, but it was achieved in the end.

This is more or less, what I would love TMNT to be in the future. Multibranch franchise with everything for everyone. As of now, it is basically an unbalanced bush, where one half of it is overgrown, another is mostly lifeless.

[TheLabRat]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

So... is Raph's state going to be cured within the very few remaining issues, after Lita said there is no cure, or is he just going to remain an invalid in the relaunch and we see stories, that already took place, of where he was when he went off on his own... Including his other girlfriend.

Unless they really do screw with time, as they seem opposed to doing, how are they going to retcon his condition (and age?).

Remind me of Mirage Raph gone feral like a wild animal in the future timeline.