New Tales V1 TPB frontispieces?

[Andrew NDB]

I mean the Tales of the TMNT TPB that collects Tales of the TMNT Vol. 1 #1-7.

I've had the old one forever, and actually just got the new one on order, but can anyone tell me about the new frontispieces?

I don't want scans. Can someone just give me a brief rundown of all 7?

[DrSpengler]

#1: Old Don sits in a library, reminiscing about the events of this issue.

#2: Old Don sits on top of a building in Springfield, Massachussttes, observing the city.

#3: Old Don and Old Leo are at Casey's grave as Casy appears to be popping out of the ground, zombie-style.

#4: Old Don, Old Leo and Old Mike are in the sewer with Frankenstein's monster lurking behind them.

#5: Old Don, Old Leo, Old Mike and Old Raph are in some sort of lab, watching Complete Carnage who is being held in a suspended animation tube.

#6: Old Don, Old Leo, Old Mike and Old Raph are fishing in a swamp full of gators.

#7: Old Don, Old Leo, Old Mike, Old Raph and an older Renet are in prehistoric times, riding a triceratops.

"Spinal Tapped": (no frontispiece but instead an epilogue to all the others) Old Don asks his computer to end the simulation, causing all his brothers to vanish. The only one who remains is Renet, though Don doesn't seem to be aware of her (looks like he's blind). Don goes to bed, asking the computer to play his favorite album on repeat until he falls asleep. Renet begins to cry, then travels back in time to "the good ole days" with April, Casey, the Turtles and Splinter at a picnic.

[Andrew NDB]

Any idea when "Spinal Tapped" is set? And how does it intersect with "Old Times" in Plastron Cafe?

Thank you.

[DrSpengler]

"Spinal Tapped" takes place right after Tales Vol. 1 #7, or rather, in-between the time they defeat Savanti and when they find Renet's time sceptor in the fish (they did a couple other stories over the years that take place during this period).

The frontispieces and epilogue seem to be waaaaayyyy the hell at the end of the timeline, likely well after "Old Times". Don is very old and the Old Leo seen in the simulation has the techno-katana Don gave him for his hundredth birthday, so it has to be sometime after *that*.

As with "Old Times", it seems to hint pretty fiercely that Don is the last Turtle.

[Andrew NDB]

Does he call the computer "Chet" again?

[DrSpengler]

No, unfortunately. Just "Computer".

Kinda wish he'd used "Chet", since that woulda been a nice smidgen of continuity.

[Andrew NDB]

Last question... does Renet appear to be in her younger mode, in her midway mode (like at Splinter's funeral, or with April in the Kirby revelation issue), or older?

[DrSpengler]

It's kind of hard to say, really.

She doesn't look as young as her teenage version or as old as the version seen in Vol. 4 #22. Maybe somewhere in the middle but leaning closer to her older version.