TMNT Entity: my new site for Comic reviews and guides

[DrSpengler]

http://tmntentity.blogspot.com/

And if you want to just look at the reviews issue-by-issue instead of scrolling back through updates, check out the Archie Directory (http://tmntentity.blogspot.com/2008/06/archie-comics.html).

So since I finally completed my Archie collection, and I own practically every other TMNT comic in existence in one form or another, I figured I'd put my resources to good use and put together a comic guide with individual reviews for each issue.

What I hope to do that'll eventually set it apart from the guide at the official site is to have a hell of a lot of cross-referencing. That way, if you're wondering how one event connects to a previous or future one, or when a certain character appears again, it'll all be handilly located in the "Turtle Tips" section.

I figured I'd start with the Archie series, since I haven't read most of those issues, particularly after #25. What I also hope to accomplish is fit all the specials and minis in-between the issues of the main title where they belong, ordering a coherent timeline much in the vein of my Mirage Continuity Timeline. But that'll have to wait until I get to those issues.

I also intend to add scans of selected pages and panels later on to add some *oomph*, but that'll have to wait since scanning is time-consuming.

For now, I've completed the first TMNT Adventures Miniseries and the first 13 issues of the on-going.

Let me know what you think.

[Andrew NDB]

Brilliant.

[DrSpengler]

Thanks!

I'm hoping to have all the Archies done by the time Forever War comes out. I've got about six months.

I'm kind of dreading the other publishers, though. Mirage, Image, Darkhorse, Fantographics and tons of weird-o little publishers with a jillion comics, minicomics, anthology specials and the same material reprinted across multiple publishers...

It's gonna be a hassle.

Save for the Ninjara story being published by Antarctic Press and Radio Comix in Furrlough (which I simply stuck under the Archie banner since that's the only place it matters) and Mirage publishing the upcoming Forever War, the Archie stuff is the easiest to list and work out, it seems.

[Andrew NDB]

Wanted to do the same thing, but lack the time. You're as scholarly as you are thorough.

[tOkKa]

-->> Deff' wanna look into this !!

Thanks for posting this !! :D
.. i'll make the time to check ..

f7ck i'll do it now. >v<

[tOkKa]

-->> MARK .. YOU GOTTA KICK A55 GHOSTBUSTERS BLOG AS WELL !!


SH7T !!

>v<

[tOkKa]

-->> ** Went and added it to my news round-up on Mikey's (http://www.mikeystmnt.com/)

..>v<

[DrSpengler]

Thanks!

That reminds me, I really haven't been paying much attention to my Ghostbusters site. Between the horror movie site, the TMNT site, manga translations and the Godzilla site I'm working on, I forgot all about it.

[jignat]

So is this site dead?

There hasn't been any update in roughly 1 year.
It was one of the few sites that had info on mirage, Archie, and Image.

Dr. Spengler, any news?

[FrederikWolferson]

I think he's been busy with writing comics of his own. I do miss the blog,thou.

[CyberCubed]

He probably lost interest and/or got too busy with real life work. And he helps write comics.

Besides that I remember him saying he was robbed and had to move apartments around his last update, granted that was probably 3-4 years ago now.

[Coola Yagami]

Interesting thing is the site keeps updating to add all the new IDW comics, they're just not clickable because he hasn't covered them yet. Like I'm surprised he'd even doing that, I don't know how or when he'll find the time to go back, read and review nearly 100 comics.

[The Turtle Terminator]

Interesting thing is the site keeps updating to add all the new IDW comics, they're just not clickable because he hasn't covered them yet. Like I'm surprised he'd even doing that, I don't know how or when he'll find the time to go back, read and review nearly 100 comics.

100 issues? How many issues are there in total of IDW (including all the offshoots/side comics)?

I really miss reading the 2003 reviews on TMNTEntity. Going back to read them as I rewatch the show currently, very funny and well written reviews

[hypered1]

100 issues? How many issues are there in total of IDW (including all the offshoots/side comics)?

I really miss reading the 2003 reviews on TMNTEntity. Going back to read them as I rewatch the show currently, very funny and well written reviews

Including Urban Legends and the comic series tied to the 2012 and Rise cartoons, there's about 330 - 350 individual issues published by IDW thus far and Dr Spengler hasn't added any new reviews since the Macro issues back in late 2018, so he probably does have about 100 issues to catch up on.

[neatoman]

100 issues? How many issues are there in total of IDW (including all the offshoots/side comics)?

I really miss reading the 2003 reviews on TMNTEntity. Going back to read them as I rewatch the show currently, very funny and well written reviews

Let's see here:

Main series is 114 right now.
Universe is 25.
16 Micros in total.
Utrom Empire is 3.
Dimension X 5.
Secret History 4.
Ghostbusters 1 has 4.
Casey and April has 4.
Mutanimals have 4.
Destroy everything has 5.
Ghostbusters 2 has 5.
Hit the Road has 5.
4 Macros.
2020 has 1.
Shredder in Hell has 5.
Jennika 1 has 3.
Jennika II has 4 so far.
Infestation (Just the Turtles part) has 2.
Three annuals.
Deviations (Just Turtles) has 1.
Usagi crossover has 1 (but I think Dark Horse published it).
And the 35th anniversary issue features an IDW story.


That should be about 219 so far. The Batman crossovers, the Power Rangers crossovers and the Last Ronin are clearly different continuities, only vaguely connected at best.

[hypered1]

Let's see here:

Main series is 114 right now.
Universe is 25.
16 Micros in total.
Utrom Empire is 3.
Dimension X 5.
Secret History 4.
Ghostbusters 1 has 4.
Casey and April has 4.
Mutanimals have 4.
Destroy everything has 5.
Ghostbusters 2 has 5.
Hit the Road has 5.
4 Macros.
2020 has 1.
Shredder in Hell has 5.
Jennika 1 has 3.
Jennika II has 4 so far.
Infestation (Just the Turtles part) has 2.
Three annuals.
Deviations (Just Turtles) has 1.
Usagi crossover has 1 (but I think Dark Horse published it).
And the 35th anniversary issue features an IDW story.


That should be about 219 so far. The Batman crossovers, the Power Rangers crossovers and the Last Ronin are clearly different continuities, only vaguely connected at best.

You've missed Turtles in Time (4 issues), 3x FCBD issues and the non-canon X-files crossover (1 issue), so 227 related to the main IDW continuity and yes the Usagi crossover was published by IDW.

[DrSpengler]

So is this site dead?

There hasn't been any update in roughly 1 year.
It was one of the few sites that had info on mirage, Archie, and Image.

Dr. Spengler, any news?

Yo!

TMNT Entity is on a Volume 4-style "hiatus". :cry:

Between my dayjob and my writing career, I haven't had the chance to keep up with reviews, anymore. I've tried to maintain the catalog of issues as some folks pointed out, since I still buy everything and read it, but that's the most I've been able to do. IDW has picked up the slack and begun maintaining and publishing a reading order, so my Continuity Timeline isn't as vital now as it used to be back in the day.

I kept it going on a regular basis for 10 solid years, so it had a good run. I think even in hiatus it still offers a functional resources to the runs I cataloged, summarized and reviewed completely, such as Mirage and Archie. I turned off the comments because they were getting spammed and I couldn't keep up with approving and publishing them.

I learned a lot while working on that site and had a great time doing it! I'm happy other folks enjoyed it, too! Thanks!

[oldmanwinters]

Yo!

TMNT Entity is on a Volume 4-style "hiatus". :cry:



Hah, that's a fitting way to put it!

[Zog The Magnificent]

Yo!

TMNT Entity is on a Volume 4-style "hiatus". :cry:

That makes me sad. I totally get it, but that still makes me sad. TMNT Entity is one of my favorite sites. I was especially looking forward to the reviews of the 2012 series, but I guess they, like whatever the heck Laird was planning for Volume 4, will never come to pass. Anyways good luck on your actual career! If there were a medal of honor for TMNT fans you'd have earned it by now.

[frank_one]

I think even in hiatus it still offers a functional resources to the runs I cataloged, summarized and reviewed completely, such as Mirage and Archie.It's very useful indeed, whenever I need to know the content of an issue I check your site (or the "back issue bins" section on the Mirage site). Good luck for your career!

[CyberCubed]

As they say, "All good things come to an end."

Most of us are 30+ year olds now and no longer have the free time we had in our 20's. All fandom stuff is moved on from eventually.

[oldmanwinters]

Most of us are 30+ year olds now and no longer have the free time we had in our 20's. All fandom stuff is moved on from eventually.

I dunno, Cubed, you're still here! :twink:

[Coola Yagami]

I dunno, Cubed, you're still here! :twink:

He did say 'all good things come to and end'. Cybercubed will never end.

[frank_one]

He plans to live forever, he cannot end.

[2K3]

Yo!

TMNT Entity is on a Volume 4-style "hiatus". :cry:

Between my dayjob and my writing career, I haven't had the chance to keep up with reviews, anymore. I've tried to maintain the catalog of issues as some folks pointed out, since I still buy everything and read it, but that's the most I've been able to do. IDW has picked up the slack and begun maintaining and publishing a reading order, so my Continuity Timeline isn't as vital now as it used to be back in the day.

I kept it going on a regular basis for 10 solid years, so it had a good run. I think even in hiatus it still offers a functional resources to the runs I cataloged, summarized and reviewed completely, such as Mirage and Archie. I turned off the comments because they were getting spammed and I couldn't keep up with approving and publishing them.

I learned a lot while working on that site and had a great time doing it! I'm happy other folks enjoyed it, too! Thanks!

Understandable buddy; I will say this. You're the reason I got into the IDW TMNT comics, and for that, you have my sincere gratitude.

[Rooish]

I loved this site and its reviews, but it's totally understandable that Spengler had to move on.

[Busta Uppa]

I found the blog while watching through the Fred Wolf DVDs a while back. Heck I'm pretty sure my use of "Fred Wolf" as a term here is entirely due to DrSpengler's informative articles.

And after reading through the (relatively) recent Archie trade paperbacks I'd always head over to TMNT Entity to read the back catalog of recaps. Always enjoyed reading the site and posting a comment here and there... thanks for all the great material!!!

[Nortock Diab]

My time to praise TMNTentity too :).
From my early TMNT collecting, I thoroughly used this ressource to learn more about the comic books, choose back-issues based on their grade and later track any appearances of the Turtles.
I also read multiple times articles such as the Mirage Future Era or Whatever happened to the Forever War.
Thanks Mark for this great job! If you wish to get back to writing reviews and articles, I'll be there.

[DrSpengler]

I don't deserve you nice people. :(

I sometimes look back over the older articles on my site (2008 was 13 years ag, oh no) and I cringe. I was REALLY mean to a lot of creators who were all doing their best. Now that I'm a comic creator and getting some harsh criticism from time to time, I know how it feels and it isn't great. But I also know that if I dished it out then, I have to be man enough to take it now, so turnabout is fair play etc. etc.

I'll never go back and delete my old reviews, ignorant and mean spirited as they sometimes were, since I supposed I meant them at the time I wrote them. I won't always be proud of them, but there they are.

Thanks again, folks! :)

[jignat]

Sorry to go a bit off topic, but I also liked your G1 Transformers episode reviews on tfarchive site from way back.

IIRC, you did the first and second seasons and FFOD.

http://tfarchive.com/cartoons/

[DrSpengler]

Sorry to go a bit off topic, but I also liked your G1 Transformers episode reviews on tfarchive site from way back.

IIRC, you did the first and second seasons and FFOD.

http://tfarchive.com/cartoons/

Holy cow, I did those a million years ago. Like, around 2002, maybe, when I was still in high school. Can't believe they're even still out there on the internet!

[oldmanwinters]

My time to praise TMNTentity too :).
From my early TMNT collecting, I thoroughly used this ressource to learn more about the comic books, choose back-issues based on their grade and later track any appearances of the Turtles.
I also read multiple times articles such as the Mirage Future Era or Whatever happened to the Forever War.
Thanks Mark for this great job! If you wish to get back to writing reviews and articles, I'll be there.

His other blog "PelleCreepy" was how my interest in classic monster movies was re-kindled!

[CyberCubed]

I might have missed this, but is there any story behind why you just stopped reviewing the TMNT comics? I assume real life jobs/work just got too time consuming?

[DrSpengler]

I've always had a full time job, but was able to maintain the site in my spare time. But a few years ago, I started writing and producing my own comics and novels, and making money from it, so I had to start using my spare time to write. So currently between my full time job and my side job writing, I don't have time to keep the site up to date anymore.

[Coola Yagami]

I've always had a full time job, but was able to maintain the site in my spare time. But a few years ago, I started writing and producing my own comics and novels, and making money from it, so I had to start using my spare time to write. So currently between my full time job and my side job writing, I don't have time to keep the site up to date anymore.

What comics and novels are these?

Also, I always felt honored whenever you'd post and respond to my comments. Thanks!

[DrSpengler]

What comics and novels are these?

Also, I always felt honored whenever you'd post and respond to my comments. Thanks!

I won't spam the thread with links, but my comics have been doing really well in the indie circuit: Kamen America, and Black Hops. The last 2 volumes of Kamen America have passed $100k in preorders (I take home a fraction of that after fulfillment, hence while I still have a dayjob lol) and Black Hops has been growing, too. A lot of fun to finally write comics instead of just review them!

Admittedly, my horror novels are a labor of love and not as profitable as my comics work, but the reviews I've gotten have been encouraging. I'm on Amazon!

[Leo656]

Well, hopefully your Amazon novels sell better than such self-published literary classics as "Taken By The Tyrannosaurus" and "Ravished By The Velociraptor". :lol: That's how you KNOW you've Made It!

Jokes aside, Good For You, buddy.

[DrSpengler]

Well, hopefully your Amazon novels sell better than such self-published literary classics as "Taken By The Tyrannosaurus" and "Ravished By The Velociraptor". :lol: That's how you KNOW you've Made It!

Jokes aside, Good For You, buddy.

For that sort of writing, I use a pen name.

[Coola Yagami]

Well, hopefully your Amazon novels sell better than such self-published literary classics as "Taken By The Tyrannosaurus" and "Ravished By The Velociraptor". :lol: That's how you KNOW you've Made It!

Jokes aside, Good For You, buddy.

Hey, Ravished By the Velociraptor is a classic and it got me past many lonely nights!

[Leo656]

For that sort of writing, I use a pen name.

:lol: You're alright, You.

[Coola Yagami]

:lol: You're alright, You.

May I recommend "And The Maid Comes Twice" as read by Dr Spengler audio books? It's real hot stuff, and if you're a TMNT fan you'd know what characters are supposed to be who but changed for legal reasons.

[CyberCubed]

I remember him, "not being an anime guy" back in the day since like a lot of us 80's kids we grew up before the big anime wave hit the U.S. in the late 90's.

Now I see big-titty anime girl comic is being written. I guess there's some sense of irony here. :lol:

[Sharman]

I kept it going on a regular basis for 10 solid years, so it had a good run. I think even in hiatus it still offers a functional resources to the runs I cataloged, summarized and reviewed completely, such as Mirage and Archie. I turned off the comments because they were getting spammed and I couldn't keep up with approving and publishing them.

I learned a lot while working on that site and had a great time doing it! I'm happy other folks enjoyed it, too! Thanks!

I just hope it doesn't vanish - it has come in rather handy for me on several occasions!