TMNT "partners" to shut up Steve "Murph" Murphy

[Jester]

http://the-5th-turtle.blogspot.com/2008/02/alas-poor-blog.html

Hello all. I know many of you know of Murph's 5th Turtle Blog. Well if you frequent it, or even just read it you'll know that ole' Steve has been given in essence a "cease and desist" order from several of Mirage's "partners" since he was giving spoilers and "sunk" 4Kids' plans to be the ones to release said "leaks." I, as well as other fans, find this to be a little much, considering that the average fan who reads Murph's blog is in their 20's far older than 4Kids obviously is looking to entertain. I guess I can understand the business eye seeing these leaks as bad, but we're like maybe 100 hardcore TMNT fans who are old school fans at best. What's the harm?

Discussion?

[Roseangelo]

I don't know that there's much to discuss on this. Everyone knows this is all a load of BS.

I'll repeat what I said at Mikey's:
I would say right now that everyone should be veryvery selective with their TMNT buying habits. Buy the NECA figures, but don't buy crappy Playmates figures. I would also say we should refrain from buying ANY other TMNT merchandise... t-shirts and crap like that. 4Kids is Mirage's licensor for the TMNT (the role that Surge Licensing used to play). Even if the product is not based on the 4Kids series, 4Kids is still getting a chunk of the change on EVERYTHING.

If there's something that you desperately need, try to find it on eBay. Buying there won't add to any sales figures that 4Kids can calculate on and earn money from.

[Jester]

Exactly why I posted this thread, why should the fans at Mikey's have all the fun...that and I've poeted there and on Muprh's blog too to express my distaste for this. It's essenially 4Kids and Playmates giving TMNT fans a huge finger.

[VaughnMichael]

I'll just repost what I had to say in the blog but yes this is a huge load of bullsh1t!
Pft screw Imagi their turtle movie wasn't even that good and they can bite me if they don't like my saying so.
In my honest opinion the people at 4kids have been a huge thorn in the side of the turtles since the damn show started.
You posted maybe 6 designs tops! I'd hardly call that everything.
You posted 3 images from playmates toys, & 3 from the new show which wernt even final versions of the characters!!
And it really just sounds to me like they want to whine about something, I mean really what all has 4kids done as of the last year or so besides screw with the turtles left and right.
I really find it hard to believe that they are going to carry out anything of the sort to be honest they and playmates both keep saying they are going to do this and that show things then they don't release them.
Yay you can post information we all already talk about on the technodrome yayyyy!!! *sarcasm*
Seriously excuse my language but this is complete bullsh1t!
Mirage needs to seriously grow a set and stop being such damned pussies, they own the turtles nor all these other friggin companies. The turtles are a huge property and any company would grasp at the opportunity to have them amongst their products.
Well why don;t you start posting whats going on around Mirage with the comics that can't hurt can it?
Or is Peter or some one gonna club you over the head now to?
These peoples actions are what hurt things I'm seriously pissed off and about ready to stop buying anything from them until they let up.
I think you need to work a deal with playmates at least I could honestly give 2 ***** less about the show it's going to bullcrap anyway.
Peace out Murph and you have a great weekend reguardless!

Folks I have a really good idea!
They're always looking for fan mail for tales of tmnt and peters return of volume 4.
What I propose is that we all send in what we had to say here and make it know how much we care about what murphy is doing and state your ages just to show what a huge number of us older fans there are. Hell I'm 28 and don't plan to stop being a tmnt fan any time soon.
But I'm not going to buy anything from plamates or 4kids as long as they treat Murphy and Mirage like this.

That's I have to say on this matter.

[Roseangelo]

I will most definitely be writing letters to Volume 4, but not until after there is a new book. I think any and all mail on this matter needs to be addressed to Volume 4 and/or just Peter in general. Since Dan is in charge of Tales I'm sure mail to him would be just preaching to the choir and he really wouldn't have any power to do anything about it.

[VaughnMichael]

I will most definitely be writing letters to Volume 4, but not until after there is a new book. I think any and all mail on this matter needs to be addressed to Volume 4 and/or just Peter in general. Since Dan is in charge of Tales I'm sure mail to him would be just preaching to the choir and he really wouldn't have any power to do anything about it.
Oh I agree 100% Rose.
I was very tempted lastnight to leave a comment on 4kids blog is u want to call it that but I sort of didn't know if it would even get noticed.
We really need to think of something we can do.
I go to murphys blog at least 3 times a day it's the only place that has any kind of tmnt news at all especially good news.
And all the stuff they're showing on the 4kids blog thing I've seen many other places before and not even on murphys site.

[Dragon Turtle]

I would say right now that everyone should be veryvery selective with their TMNT buying habits. Buy the NECA figures, but don't buy crappy Playmates figures.

Why is it ok to buy NECA figures and not Playmates, considering Playmates didn't complain about the "leaks" on Murphy's blog (they're the ones supplying the pictures), but NECA did? Lets not be too quick to lump them in with Imagi and 4kids.



I would also say we should refrain from buying ANY other TMNT merchandise... t-shirts and crap like that. 4Kids is Mirage's licensor for the TMNT (the role that Surge Licensing used to play). Even if the product is not based on the 4Kids series, 4Kids is still getting a chunk of the change on EVERYTHING.

If there's something that you desperately need, try to find it on eBay. Buying there won't add to any sales figures that 4Kids can calculate on and earn money from.

Doesn't Mirage make any money off their deal with 4kids?

[VaughnMichael]

Dragon Turtle Rose is saying that because 4kids is linked to playmates now or havn't you noticed all the 4kids stickers and logos on most of the toys box's?

[Roseangelo]

Why is it ok to buy NECA figures and not Playmates, considering Playmates didn't complain about the "leaks" on Murphy's blog (they're the ones supplying the pictures), but NECA did? Lets not be too quick to lump them in with Imagi and 4kids.

I don't think NECA ever complained. I think the magazine that was supposed to have the official "reveal" got a little miffed, but that was all. But either way, the NECA toys are aimed at adult collectors, so we want to show support for that market.

Doesn't Mirage make any money off their deal with 4kids?

Oh sure they do, which is exactly why Gary told Murphy to clamp down so as to keep 4Kids happy. If Mirage's bottom line starts to suffer, maybe they'll use the same guts they used concerning camouflage clothing to stand up to 4Kids' ridiculousness.

Dragon Turtle Rose is saying that because 4kids is linked to playmates now or havn't you noticed all the 4kids stickers and logos on most of the toys box's?

4Kids will still be earning money from the NECA toys, but at least money from those items will show 4Kids that the adult market exists and just might be worth listening to.

[Dragon Turtle]

Dragon Turtle Rose is saying that because 4kids is linked to playmates now or havn't you noticed all the 4kids stickers and logos on most of the toys box's?

Yes, I know 4kids are linked to Playmates (as they are to NECA), but I believe it's not fair to lump them in with 4kids and Imagi, in what's going on with Steve Murphy's Blog, since they're not telling Mirage to keep a lid on him.

[Scandia]

Why can't Steve Murphy, who is one of Mirage's head honchos, and who has contributed to A LOT of the TMNT comics, not be able to blog on the progress of the products based on HIS company?

[Roseangelo]

Yes, I know 4kids are linked to Playmates (as they are to NECA), but I believe it's not fair to lump them in with 4kids and Imagi, in what's going on with Steve Murphy's Blog, since they're not telling Mirage to keep a lid on him.

This is true. But Playmates still has a history of not giving a crap about what fans want. The Jagwar situation being the most obvious example. While not for exactly the same reasons, it's still important that we speak to Playmates with our wallets (or lack there of). I do intend on buying select Mini-Mutants figures, but certainly not all. And none of the upcoming regular figures are at all even tempting to me.

Why can't Steve Murphy, who is one of Mirage's head honchos, and who has contributed to A LOT of the TMNT comics, not be able to blog on the progress of the products based on HIS company?

Murphy is not a head honcho and Mirage is not his company.

[Scandia]

But he still works for Mirage. It's not like it was a customer who spied or some random person who just happened to work on the toys or cartoons.

[Mr._Mutant_Man]

Isn't any kind of spread of TMNT news good? I mean, I probably would have had no clue about the 25th Anniversary books if they hadn't been discussed on that blog.

I think people need to chill out and realize that anything that spreads news and creates hype can be beneficial. I mean, pics from that Spider-Man cartoon have been released, but have people put up a fuss about that (maybe they were and I wasn't paying attention)?

[thebrownranger]

I'll just repost what I had to say in the blog but yes this is a huge load of bullsh1t!
Pft screw Imagi their turtle movie wasn't even that good and they can bite me if they don't like my saying so.

I totally agree with you man. They could have done a whole lot better. Words can't explain how disappointing this story for the movie was.

And it really just sounds to me like they want to whine about something, I mean really what all has 4kids done as of the last year or so besides screw with the turtles left and right.

Again, I agree. As I posted before in another thread, Fast Forward was a moronic story arc that just sucked.

I think you need to work a deal with playmates at least I could honestly give 2 ***** less about the show it's going to bullcrap anyway.

True. This new way TMNT is going is pissing the hell outta me as well. I'm 18 and I too don't plan on stop being a turtles fan.

[Mr._Mutant_Man]

I haven't heard much about the new cartoon.

The new TMNT movie had it's good points and not so good points. I thought it was slow in the beginning, but once it picked up I thought it was great.

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

Poor Murphy-- you'd think keeping fans abreast of information wouldn't be such a hassle...

[CyberCubed]

I think the only "mistake" Murphy posted was the picture of Utrom Shredder as a toy. Now while that may just be for the toyline, there's also a chance that it has to do something with the upcoming season.

Murphy potentially spoiling the return of a major villain so soon would get 4kids upset, and I understand perfectly. Then again it could just be a toy, but who knows.

[VaughnMichael]

Again, I agree. As I posted before in another thread, Fast Forward was a moronic story arc that just sucked.
That's not what I ment and lets please not turn this into a FF bashing thread.
This is about 4Kids or $kids if you want and how they keep changing the show all the time, trying to make tmnt like all their other shows, and how they bully mirage into doing things.

[thebrownranger]

Oops. Sorry I misunderstood, I get a little carried away sometimes. :roll: Since you cleared it up, yeah they do try to change it the way other shows are and they do push Mirage around a little too much about the decisions they make. To put it in better words, 4kids(as you like to call $kids) is power/money hungry which does not help the show at all. Poor Murph:(

[Kendamu]

There seems to be a little confusion as to who to blame for what here. So, let's refer to the blog itself:

Two months or so ago the blog came to the attention of the executives at Imagi Studios, the animation company responsible for the most recent TMNT film, and the folks currently holding the rights to a sequel. For a few months prior to their discovery I had been blogging the process of that sequel, updating you on where things stand, sharing with you a bit of insight as to how the sequel meetings were progressing, giving you a sense of Mirage’s collective frustration and befuddlement at the glacial pace of the development. As you may be aware (I pointed this out in a comments section somewhere), the Imagi execs didn’t like what I was posting and asked the Mirage CEO “to tighten the lid” on me. Which he did. Hence the lack of Imagi updates (not that there’s much to report). Mind you, I only wrote about the process itself and did not discuss the various plots under consideration except in the broadest terms (“more a comedy with action than an action-adventure with comedy”).

Angry Company #1: Imagi

Last week a producer and friend of mine at 4Kids Productions – the folks who make the TMNT cartoon – told Mirage that my postings of Playmates Toys’ Fall 2008 action figure designs had “sunk” 4Kids’ plans to publicly release such designs over the course of the coming year - via a viral marketing campaign that they were planning to undertake - trickling and doling out the images and concepts on the tmnt.tv and ninjaturtles.com websites. To quote directly from his email: “One part of their [the marketing team’s] plan was to strategically ‘leak’ designs. Of course, by the end of the week they discovered that you guys had already posted EVERYTHING and their plans were sunk!” Hmmm, everything? Really?

Angry Company #2: 4Kids.

Clearly, my sharing information will have little to no impact on anyone’s marketing plans. Needless to say, the complaint went to my CEO, and although he and I are in agreement with regards to the value of this blog as well as to the relative absurdity of the 4Kids “sunk” claim, I have been told that I can no longer post unauthorized images, nor discuss story concepts or creative directions related to Playmates (even though they’ve never complained), 4Kids Productions and (for some reason) NECA.

So, apparently, NECA didn't really care all that much about what happened with Lee's exclusive reveal.

So, Imagi and 4Kids can go sit in a septic tank. NECA and Mirage are getting my money through figures and comics. My attitude will change when their attitudes change.

This makes it really hard for me to justify buying Season 2 Part 1 of 2k3 now.

[Roseangelo]

Angry Company #2: Playmates

Actually, this is wrong. Read again. 4Kids was mad because Murphy posted pics of the Playmates toys. The toys tie into the TV show, and 4Kids wanted to use the toys to promote the TV show (beyond the simple existence of the toys, as promotion is the sole reason they exist anyways). Playmates didn't do the complaining on this, it was just 4Kids. But as I've said, Playmates is far from innocent in the overall situation.

[VaughnMichael]

Angry Company #2: Playmates
Um Goonga Wrong Angry Company #2 if you read is 4kids.

[Kendamu]

Sorry. It's fixed.

[ToTheNines]

I love ignorant, corporate greed.

[Mr._Mutant_Man]

I don't think this'll really alter my buying habits. I mostly just get comics anyway, anything figure related is only when I see it for really cheap. I did start getting the 2003 series, and I'll continue to do so possibly because other companies have done worse in the overreaction category. I remember Marvel trying to sue City of Heroes a few years back.

[Drtooth]

That's not what I ment and lets please not turn this into a FF bashing thread.
This is about 4Kids or $kids if you want and how they keep changing the show all the time, trying to make tmnt like all their other shows, and how they bully mirage into doing things.

Exactly what I was thinking. I can understand the Neca thing, as the toy company made a deal with a toy magazine so people would actually go out and buy them (as print media keeps creeping towards the edge. and who wants to see 2 month old sculpts that were leaked already anyway?). But 4Kids and Playmates are being pretty greedy here. Nothing except the barest thread of a plot was leaked. And action figure designs- designs- were leaked. And other than that, we've been getting nothing but mouthwatering samples. It's not like this guy posted all the episodes of the new series on Youtube and said "Here you go, I'm willfully trying to steal from these companies." He's basically saying, "this is a small bit of what you can expect."

This reminds me of a case where Hasbro bullied a Transformers board for leaking a prototype, and having every member that asked to see it banned or something. That was a story I heard years ago, and this is sort of the case here.

I really wish Laird would come out to vouche for Murphy here, saying, "By leaking small amounts of info, we're just wetting their appitites."

[VaughnMichael]

Exactly what I was thinking. I can understand the Neca thing, as the toy company made a deal with a toy magazine so people would actually go out and buy them (as print media keeps creeping towards the edge. and who wants to see 2 month old sculpts that were leaked already anyway?). But 4Kids and Playmates are being pretty greedy here. Nothing except the barest thread of a plot was leaked. And action figure designs- designs- were leaked. And other than that, we've been getting nothing but mouthwatering samples. It's not like this guy posted all the episodes of the new series on Youtube and said "Here you go, I'm willfully trying to steal from these companies." He's basically saying, "this is a small bit of what you can expect."

This reminds me of a case where Hasbro bullied a Transformers board for leaking a prototype, and having every member that asked to see it banned or something. That was a story I heard years ago, and this is sort of the case here.

I really wish Laird would come out to vouche for Murphy here, saying, "By leaking small amounts of info, we're just wetting their appitites."
Not only that by showing us these items we can give our opinions on them before they are released, helping them make it into an even better product.
Just think where the NECA TMNT would be if it wasn't for the fans saying things or a billion other things for that matter..some good some bad, in my opinion.
They just need to shut the hell up and keep letting him do what he was doing, and to be honest I can't wait till the new series finally ends and hopefully Mirage will be done with those pricks @ 4kids 4good.

[Janus Prospero]

I can't fathom how anything Steve has posted has hurt Imagi or 4Kids in any shape or form.

I'm just very disapointed in the turn this has taken. The ones who really get hurt here are of course the fans striving to stay informed about their fandom.

I feel keeping good fan relations is something every franchise leader should strive for. Unfortunately the extent of 4Kid's fan interaction is, "Shut up, watch our show, and buy whatever crap we put out."

One could argue that we're not in their "market," so why should they care about our opinions/involvement. But then what's the big deal if Murph feeds us info? grr... :x

[Raphael_]

OH THE DRAMA
http://home.earthlink.net/~fireflyst/images/krang-cry.jpg