DrSpengler
01-25-2007, 11:28 PM
So my order from Mirage came in yesterday and filled in the last remaining gaps of my collection (well, the major stuff; I'm still missing a few of the fluff back-up stories in various obscure anthology books, but that's being picky).
So I've been going through them all in order, trying as best to place various Talves Vol 1 and 2 issues in their correct slots. Once I've gone through them all, I'll resurrect my "Mirage Continuity" thread that's been neglected and work a better, more educated continuity list.
Right now I've just finished Worms of Madness (following Return to New York, of course).
It's the first time I've read a lot of these stories. I mean, I've had them in my long boxes, but I didn't read them because I've been planning this "marathon" for over a year (took me a long time to get all the issues).
I have to say, the book doesn't read entrely cohesively from time to time. Many of the stories are stand-alone episodes. Laird and Eastman kinda gave up on "story arcs" after the TMNT returned from outer space and just started doing random stuff. There's just some stuff that bugs me. Like for the entire "North Hampton" era (after the TMNT's defeat by the Shredder) they're fighting alien politicians, crazy survivalists, nutty rat enthusiasts, Batman-wannabes, geriatric supervillains, Casey's punk cousin, golden cow thieves and on and on.
Then all of a sudden BAM! Raph gets pissed, beats Leo up and gos back to New York on his own. There's no tension between the two that leads to their confrontation it just suddenly happens.
Still, that's about my only qualm with this early Mirage stuff. As stand-alone-ish as they are, they're all (for the most part) great stories. The entire run of Tales Vol. 1 is landmark stuff in regards to the TMNT universe (I supposed that's why they adapted every issue into an episode for the New Toon). It contains most of the better North Hampton era stories. I'm sorry, but I just wasn't big on the People's Choice or (ugh!) the Unmentionables. Dome Doom wasn't so spectacular, either, and I can't say I dug Survivalists all that much, either.
I've been reading the stories in "Chunks". First I read the early stuff, issue 1 through 10 (with all the Micro series, back-up antohology stories and Tales issues in between). Then I read 11 through 21 (with the proper Tales vol. 1 and 2 issues to go with it).
Next up is the...er..."Post Return to New York/Worms of Madness/Pre City At War" stuff. At least, all the CANON stories, anyway. This should prove to be even more completely random and episodic than the other stuff, as most of the canon issues in that time period were written without any direction for the future or anything to eventually lead up to. Still, there's some good stuff in there, I'm sure. I'm particularly looking forward to reading The River, Sons of the Silent Age, that last story with Complete Carnage & Radical, Juleit's Revenge and that "Leatherhead Trilogy" (Vol. 1 #45, Tales Vol. 2 #8 and #24).
Then after that, City at War! I've never read ANY of those issues, so that should be a real treat.
So I've been going through them all in order, trying as best to place various Talves Vol 1 and 2 issues in their correct slots. Once I've gone through them all, I'll resurrect my "Mirage Continuity" thread that's been neglected and work a better, more educated continuity list.
Right now I've just finished Worms of Madness (following Return to New York, of course).
It's the first time I've read a lot of these stories. I mean, I've had them in my long boxes, but I didn't read them because I've been planning this "marathon" for over a year (took me a long time to get all the issues).
I have to say, the book doesn't read entrely cohesively from time to time. Many of the stories are stand-alone episodes. Laird and Eastman kinda gave up on "story arcs" after the TMNT returned from outer space and just started doing random stuff. There's just some stuff that bugs me. Like for the entire "North Hampton" era (after the TMNT's defeat by the Shredder) they're fighting alien politicians, crazy survivalists, nutty rat enthusiasts, Batman-wannabes, geriatric supervillains, Casey's punk cousin, golden cow thieves and on and on.
Then all of a sudden BAM! Raph gets pissed, beats Leo up and gos back to New York on his own. There's no tension between the two that leads to their confrontation it just suddenly happens.
Still, that's about my only qualm with this early Mirage stuff. As stand-alone-ish as they are, they're all (for the most part) great stories. The entire run of Tales Vol. 1 is landmark stuff in regards to the TMNT universe (I supposed that's why they adapted every issue into an episode for the New Toon). It contains most of the better North Hampton era stories. I'm sorry, but I just wasn't big on the People's Choice or (ugh!) the Unmentionables. Dome Doom wasn't so spectacular, either, and I can't say I dug Survivalists all that much, either.
I've been reading the stories in "Chunks". First I read the early stuff, issue 1 through 10 (with all the Micro series, back-up antohology stories and Tales issues in between). Then I read 11 through 21 (with the proper Tales vol. 1 and 2 issues to go with it).
Next up is the...er..."Post Return to New York/Worms of Madness/Pre City At War" stuff. At least, all the CANON stories, anyway. This should prove to be even more completely random and episodic than the other stuff, as most of the canon issues in that time period were written without any direction for the future or anything to eventually lead up to. Still, there's some good stuff in there, I'm sure. I'm particularly looking forward to reading The River, Sons of the Silent Age, that last story with Complete Carnage & Radical, Juleit's Revenge and that "Leatherhead Trilogy" (Vol. 1 #45, Tales Vol. 2 #8 and #24).
Then after that, City at War! I've never read ANY of those issues, so that should be a real treat.