TMNT v3 Reaction

[Shred87]

I've recently aquired the complete TMNT v3 series... I'm making my way through them and currently have read the first 13 issues. This is the first time I'm reading them and wanted to post my reactions and see where the community stood with this series as well as post a few questions I've come across.

Overall I'd have to rate this series in the C+ B- range. Some things about the series I absolutely love and others I really hate. I really dig the overall tone of the series.. I love the edginess, the grit, the toughness of the series in general. I LOVE the Raph foot clan connection and I can't wait to see where the series goes with him being the Shredder. I think Mikey has been strong in the series. I'd say he's def the softest turtle but he shows his worth to the group like when he rescue's Shadow from the mob. I feel thus far Leo has not really been showcased enough. I dont remember seeing anything that would make me believe that he is the most skilled fighter.

I really hate what is going on with Donatello.. At first I was ok with the cyborg thing but now I really feel its all over the place... first he could control it.. then the computer can take over at times..then Donnie's lifeform is killed and it's just the robot taking over Donnie's body?? I feel this is very poorly written on top of it..We're given the explanation that the mutagen altered the cyborg? I'm just not buying it..how could it alter a machine? Then when the turtles find out that Donnie's lifeform is dead they simply shrug it off and say "Donnie has to be out there somewhere" "we're not worried this happens all the time." Those may not be exact quotes but they're close... To me this really took away from the series how non-chalant the turtles are made out to be about everything... Even when half of Raphs face is burnt off..he just shrugs it off? Why wasn't this made to be a big deal? Then you come to Splinter...where on earth is this bat thing going? Why a bat? For what reason? I havn't come to the conclusion of that arc but come on.. for a comic about 4 walking turtles thats really out there for me.

The tone of the series throws me off sometimes... one page you have mikey writing poems or playing with shadow..the next page ralph is murdering the mob in cold blood going crazy.. then the next page cyborg donnie is fighting an alien in some science fiction combat.. I think I would have liked it more if the tone was a little more focused at least issue to issue.

Few questions I had which i think I know the answer..Mikey moved out the sewer has his own place with Casey and April?? Shadow is neither Casey or Aprils kid?? At first I thought it was just Caseys. Did we ever see Gabriella is another series? One last little complaint... When Ralph sticks his head out at Foot HQ he's surrounded in seconds by the foot... how are we to believe that a group of italian mobsters are able to surprise the foot by kicking the doors down and firing??

[Powder]

Oh boy... I could have a field day with this. I'll just wait for AndrewNDB to come in and proverbially tear you a new asshole hahaha.

[Slap-Happy]

Lucky for getting the whole run. The biggest shop here has no tmnt books.

[discordiatookie]

Shadow is neither Casey or Aprils kid?? At first I thought it was just Caseys. Did we ever see Gabriella is another series?

This was established in the City At War arc in volume 1, in which Casey meets Gabrielle, falls in love, finds out she's pregnant from before he came along. She dies in childbirth, and Casey adopts Shadow as his own.


Ralph

It's Raph. Or Raphael.

As for the rest of what you said, I was quite similar in thinking first time I read it - a bit WTF? This is mental! Some parts I dug, others I thought were crazy. Not the exact same ones as yourself, but some. But after leaving it awhile and reading it again, I definitely enjoyed it more second time around - its an absolutely nuts ride, and it takes the turtles into places the Eastman & Laird may not have ever dared. Raphael as the Shredder? Amazing. I love Casey Jones probably the best in this volume.

[Shred87]

This was established in the City At War arc in volume 1, in which Casey meets Gabrielle, falls in love, finds out she's pregnant from before he came along. She dies in childbirth, and Casey adopts Shadow as his own.



It's Raph. Or Raphael.

As for the rest of what you said, I was quite similar in thinking first time I read it - a bit WTF? This is mental! Some parts I dug, others I thought were crazy. Not the exact same ones as yourself, but some. But after leaving it awhile and reading it again, I definitely enjoyed it more second time around - its an absolutely nuts ride, and it takes the turtles into places the Eastman & Laird may not have ever dared. Raphael as the Shredder? Amazing. I love Casey Jones probably the best in this volume.

hahaha I keep calling him Ralph huh... typing Raph just doesn't feelright lol

ok Thats right with Gabrielle.. I havn't read the first volume in quite a loong time and maybe I should take a quick refresher course

Yea def a fun ride though... I'm only halfway through and despite having some gripes with certain things at the end of an issue I'm looking foward to the next issue to see what happens.

**This may be a bit off topic but I didnt want to start a whole new thread..I remember seeing a timeline/ chronological order of TMNT comics with the tales issues in order to when you should read them... I tried to locate it in the form but I can't find it..if someone happens to know what I'm talking about could you post a link? I've clearly forgotten some stuff from the other series and I kinda miss reading TMNT comics..was going to read the whole series in order.

[Shred87]

Just read up to issue 16... Within 3 issues I must say.. I've really warmed up to to Splinter - bat arc.... I am confused a little on the asterial plane and what it is exactly... I understand it's an out of body experience but why was only Donnie sent there when he was attacked by Deathwatch? Why weren't his other victims sent there... I mean I guess thats the part that irks me... Every other victim of Deathwatch is murdered except Donnie...why?

And then in regards to the asterial plane the line is used if you die here you die for real... I was under the impression that this was similar to pergatory... Ralph and Donnie are both discussing whether or not they are dead?? If you can be dead and be there how can you die while you're there?? See what I mean?

Also can somone please explain to me how Donnie ends up back in his body and under control of the cyborg... I really dont get it... the cyborg says donnie is dead.. then the cyborg is killed but Donnie's body is still alive? WOuldnt the cyborg know Donnie was still alive... lol this is giving me a headache trying to explain what I dont understand

[Venom]

**This may be a bit off topic but I didnt want to start a whole new thread..I remember seeing a timeline/ chronological order of TMNT comics with the tales issues in order to when you should read them... I tried to locate it in the form but I can't find it..if someone happens to know what I'm talking about could you post a link? I've clearly forgotten some stuff from the other series and I kinda miss reading TMNT comics..was going to read the whole series in order.

You're looking for Speng's topic, which is stickied right on the front page of the Comic Section. Here's the link to his blog:
http://tmntentity.blogspot.com/2010/01/mirage-comics-continuity-timeline.html

[Venom]

Just read up to issue 16... Within 3 issues I must say.. I've really warmed up to to Splinter - bat arc.... I am confused a little on the asterial plane and what it is exactly... I understand it's an out of body experience but why was only Donnie sent there when he was attacked by Deathwatch? Why weren't his other victims sent there... I mean I guess thats the part that irks me... Every other victim of Deathwatch is murdered except Donnie...why?

Because Splinter trained the Turtles in the arcane arts of meditiation and accessing the astral plane in order to seek wisdom and guidance, which also gave their consciousness a means of escape from harm when their bodies came under extreme times of duress ie. death.


And then in regards to the asterial plane the line is used if you die here you die for real... I was under the impression that this was similar to pergatory... Ralph and Donnie are both discussing whether or not they are dead?? If you can be dead and be there how can you die while you're there?? See what I mean?

Astral projection is when one's consciousness, or soul, one's own core essence, leaves the physical body. If you die in the plane you are essentially brain dead in the physical realm.

Also can somone please explain to me how Donnie ends up back in his body and under control of the cyborg... I really dont get it... the cyborg says donnie is dead.. then the cyborg is killed but Donnie's body is still alive? WOuldnt the cyborg know Donnie was still alive... lol this is giving me a headache trying to explain what I dont understand

With Don's consciousness being in the astral plane, the computer would perceive a person to be by and large dead. It was pretty cocky about the fact that it was the reason Don was alive and didn't know about the mutagen's healing effect so it would have thought since Don's consciousness was no longer present in his body that he was "dead".

[Powder]

the next page ralph is murdering the mob in cold blood going crazy..??

hahaha I keep calling him Ralph huh... typing Raph just doesn't feelright lol


Ralph and Donnie are both discussing whether or not they are dead??

http://i27.tinypic.com/ndpw8g.jpg

[Venom]

Hehe, I wondered how long it'd take someone to post that! :D:P

[Andrew NDB]

and currently have read the first 13 issues.

You know, there's a kick-ass art piece in the letters column of #13.

I feel thus far Leo has not really been showcased enough. I dont remember seeing anything that would make me believe that he is the most skilled fighter.

Leo gets a bit of a spotlight shortly afterward.

I really hate what is going on with Donatello.. At first I was ok with the cyborg thing but now I really feel its all over the place... first he could control it.. then the computer can take over at times..then Donnie's lifeform is killed and it's just the robot taking over Donnie's body?? I feel this is very poorly written on top of it..We're given the explanation that the mutagen altered the cyborg? I'm just not buying it..how could it alter a machine?

Given that we have no idea of the nature of how Komodo's cyborg mercs' A.I. functions I'm more than willing to shrug that kind of stuff off. In any case, you may more or less find an adequate answer in #15.

Then when the turtles find out that Donnie's lifeform is dead they simply shrug it off and say "Donnie has to be out there somewhere" "we're not worried this happens all the time." Those may not be exact quotes but they're close... To me this really took away from the series how non-chalant the turtles are made out to be about everything... Even when half of Raphs face is burnt off..he just shrugs it off? Why wasn't this made to be a big deal?

I'm not saying I wouldn't have liked to have seen an issue pretty much spotlighting "X Turtle deals with what's just happened to them," but the nature of the book (the "it's moving in real time" aspect) and the 20 page limit kind of forces an abbreviation of certain things.

Then you come to Splinter...where on earth is this bat thing going? Why a bat? For what reason?

There's a thread dedicated to just that right now.

I havn't come to the conclusion of that arc but come on.. for a comic about 4 walking turtles thats really out there for me.

I'm not sure that's a good argument.

The tone of the series throws me off sometimes... one page you have mikey writing poems or playing with shadow..the next page ralph is murdering the mob in cold blood going crazy.. then the next page cyborg donnie is fighting an alien in some science fiction combat..

And even in any case, even Shakespeare would intercut from some pretty dark, morbid sh*t to some very light, humorous stuff, right back to the dark, morbid sh*t.

It's called juxtaposition. Done effectively, in most cases, I found.

Few questions I had which i think I know the answer..Mikey moved out the sewer has his own place with Casey and April??

I don't think Mikey's move to April's was ever official, but none of the Turtles stayed in the sewers after getting compromised in #1.

Shadow is neither Casey or Aprils kid??

She's Casey's in every way that matters. Not biological, though. See Vol. 1.

Did we ever see Gabriella is another series?

Yeah. The first.

One last little complaint... When Ralph sticks his head out at Foot HQ he's surrounded in seconds by the foot... how are we to believe that a group of italian mobsters are able to surprise the foot by kicking the doors down and firing??

He was holding their attention. Or maybe they took care of the sentries before making their entrance. You're picking at nits now.

[Shred87]

Just finished off the series... all in all I'm very disappointed......that it didnt get finished. I may not have been in love with some of the over the top mutilations particularly with Donnie...and I wish Leo's was a little more glorious than what it was. But I have to say that I really enjoyed the series. It's a little different but thats what the series is all about. It was really pushing the envelope and I'd say was trying to push the franchise away from the OT brand.

I really feel RAPH'S rise into the footclan is an awesome angle and should 100% be brought into main stream canon at some point (most likely through a cartoon ep). Andrew NDP I know you are working on an ending to the series and I can now say that I am 10000% behind you you and I hope that I get to see what you guys come up with.. Good luck to you and add my name to the distribution list...

Now who is Lady Shredder? Is it the obvious choice of Karai?'

And in issue 21 if I'm not mistaking.. DOnnie calls April and has her check downstairs she runs down and find splinter tied up in the phone cord... maybe I'm missing something but I dont think this goes anywhere? How does this happen? (Answer may be obvious but its very late at the moment and I can barely keep my eyes open)

[Andrew NDB]

Andrew NDP I know you are working on an ending to the series and I can now say that I am 10000% behind you you and I hope that I get to see what you guys come up with.

Shouldn't be long now.

Now who is Lady Shredder? Is it the obvious choice of Karai?

You'll find out in #24. Though you've seen her before if you've kept up with Tales of the TMNT.

And in issue 21 if I'm not mistaking.. DOnnie calls April and has her check downstairs she runs down and find splinter tied up in the phone cord... maybe I'm missing something but I dont think this goes anywhere? How does this happen? (Answer may be obvious but its very late at the moment and I can barely keep my eyes open)

That was just Pimiko escaping, wasn't it?

[Shred87]

Shouldn't be long now.



You'll find out in #24. Though you've seen her before if you've kept up with Tales of the TMNT.



That was just Pimiko escaping, wasn't it?

I don't believe so.. earlier Pimiko escaped through the sewer.. i dont believe its the same instance

[DrSpengler]

When I first started reading the series, I didn't particularly like it for reasons I articulated in my reviews for the early issues on my site.

But once the first arc was finished, the series really took a u-turn in quality and became very, very good. The three issue arc involving Shadow, the mobsters and the Foot Clan was excellent and one of my favorite arcs from any TMNT comic. The series kept more or less on track in terms of quality for the remainder of its run, and while there were aspects of the writing I didn't entirely appreciate, it never slumped back down to where it was when it started

It's a good series when taken on the whole with a lot of really interesting ideas, most of them implemented very well. I'm looking forward to seeing it get the proper conclusion it deserves.

[CyberCubed]

To be honest I wasn't fond of the superhero team-ups in the middle.

I liked Savage Dragon, but I had no clue who Vanguard was, who the Nightwatchman is, and those other superheroes at the time. But that's because I don't read other Image series.

That's the problem with crossovers. It expects TMNT fans to suddenly care about these characters from other series that you have no idea who they are. And if that was an attempt to get me to pick up other Image series titles, well, I never did that.

The only reason that story works is because Mirage had established that superheroes co-exist in the Mirage universe. So its safe to say many Image series superheroes exist, or else that would have been a continuity-breaking plothole.