TMNT #100 Preview and Discussion

[AlZarkovski]

First teaser:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EHbNdZ3VAAAHq7c?format=png&name=900x900

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

First teaser:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EHbNdZ3VAAAHq7c?format=png&name=900x900

The image link is broken, sir.

[ChosenOne]

HOLY F***! :o

[Igglet]

In light of recent failed speculation on my part, it brings me great joy to finally say...

...I told you so.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Help a brother out, guys... I can't see it...

[AlZarkovski]

Help a brother out, guys... I can't see it...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17hZ1lu3aSf54dRp6EscJxURkts_4afd1/view?usp=sharing

[hypered1]

I'm confused, all I see is a rough sketch of a dragon?
Clarification? Context? Anything? Please?:tconfuse:

[AlZarkovski]

What? You thought we lied when we said there'd be a dragon in #CityAtWar? O, ye of little faith! #TMNT 100 is officially underway!

https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1186361460114386944

[CyberCubed]

OK, that's definitely a sketch of a dragon.

[sdp]

Dragonlord joining IDW?

[Andrew NDB]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iuO1cg3NuZc/TiOV9SyOe0I/AAAAAAAAGZg/B2tWlhbTwgA/s1600/Slash05.jpg

No?

[AquaParade]

Not super into the idea of dragons, but you can obviously make anything work, with the right amount of creativity.
I guess it just brings to mind a typical, bombastic, finale, which I suppose this book needs to be. That's what issue #100's are supposed to be, right? Oh well, I'm sure there will be a lot to love in this issue whether the dragon thing works for me or not.

[Utrommaniac]

<deep breath>
<SCREAM>

Oh BOI here we go! Oh (dragon) lawd he coming!

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Shame Mateus couldn't finish Shredder in Hell BEFORE #100.

Ah well. I'm sure the hardbacks will collect it in the proper order.

[Utrommaniac]

I mean, with time seeming non-linear in Shredder in Hell, it will probably work out.

[CyberCubed]

Given issue 101 seems like a somewhat clean slate with the chaos ended, I am still kinda sitting here baffled how they're going to wrap this all up in another 2 issues, even double length. Besides Bishop and Karai, (and Old Hob), the whole Rat King and Pantheon coming into play too...and we got 2 issues for this.

[ChosenOne]

Given issue 101 seems like a somewhat clean slate with the chaos ended, I am still kinda sitting here baffled how they're going to wrap this all up in another 2 issues, even double length. Besides Bishop and Karai, (and Old Hob), the whole Rat King and Pantheon coming into play too...and we got 2 issues for this.

You're forgetting Leatherhead. And Bebop and Rocksteady. So, yeah, no way #101 is a completely clean slate. It'll be a breather arc, or several arcs, but the other conflicts will still be ongoing. The only threats the Turtles are pretty much guaranteed to take out until then are Bishop/Metalhead and Karai's Foot Clan.

[CyberCubed]

You're forgetting Leatherhead. And Bebop and Rocksteady. So, yeah, no way #101 is a completely clean slate. It'll be a breather arc, or several arcs, but the other conflicts will still be ongoing. The only threats the Turtles are pretty much guaranteed to take out until then are Bishop/Metalhead and Karai's Foot Clan.

Seems to be somewhat of a breather though, as you said, so most likely Karai and the Foot are being resolved either way. Bishop will probably just "retreat" again like he did after Burnow Island, but I still wonder how they'll handle Hun or Metalhead.

[ChosenOne]

Seems to be somewhat of a breather though, as you said, so most likely Karai and the Foot are being resolved either way. Bishop will probably just "retreat" again like he did after Burnow Island, but I still wonder how they'll handle Hun or Metalhead.

I see Bishop going to jail after the very public stunt he pulls on the mutated civilians in #99 and being inevitably exposed for who he really is inside that suit. Metalhead will likely be destroyed. Hun probably dies, there's not much more that can be done with the character and a war needs casualties.

[ChosenOne]

Three more panels from #100! (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1186455315023200258)

[Utrommaniac]

Tom is being kind and cruel to us.

[ChosenOne]

Tom is being kind and cruel to us.

One could even say he's being cruel to be kind, in the right measure. It's a very good sign.

:tcool:

[Igglet]

Three more panels from #100! (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1186455315023200258)

Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal.

[AquaParade]

Why did I think Mateus was coming back for #100? Did I make that up?

[MikeandRaph87]

Is the Pantheon's father really called Dragon Lord or is that something Technodrome Forums gave him? Also, has it ever been asked, "who's the mother?"

[ChosenOne]

Is the Pantheon's father really called Dragon Lord or is that something Technodrome Forums gave him? Also, has it ever been asked, "who's the mother?"

I do believe Kitsune and the others only ever talked about him as the Dragon and/or Dragon Warrior. Not sure if the latter is the same per se, or if it only applies to the Dragon's spirit in Saki's body. The Dreamer is said to be the Dragon's opposite number, so maybe that somehow makes it the "mother"? Not sure. For all we know, neither of them needs a counterpart to generate their spawn.

[daggio]

Is the Pantheon's father really called Dragon Lord or is that something Technodrome Forums gave him? Also, has it ever been asked, "who's the mother?"

I actually posed that question to Bobby Curnow over on the ask the editor thread some months ago. That was before the latest SiH issue.

[TomWaltz]

I actually posed that question to Bobby Curnow over on the ask the editor thread some months ago. That was before the latest SiH issue.

The answer can be found beautifully in Mateus Santolouco's SHREDDER IN HELL #4.

Talk soon...

Tom W.

[daggio]

Three more panels from #100! (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1186455315023200258)

I guess Bludgeon was right back in Karai's Path when he sensed that Ocho was gonna cause pain

[Utrommaniac]

Is the Pantheon's father really called Dragon Lord or is that something Technodrome Forums gave him? Also, has it ever been asked, "who's the mother?"

It was confirmed in like, issue 66 when Kitsune told the siblings she wanted to revive the Dragon Lord.

Also, named/confirmed alive mothers of antagonists? In this series? Surely you jest :P .

[Ninjinister]

Wachter's name is spelled wrong on the "all creators" cover

https://static2.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IMG-5572.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=738&h=1113

[AquaParade]

Wachter's name is spelled wrong on the "all creators" cover

https://static2.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IMG-5572.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=738&h=1113

... "D'oh!"

[Utrommaniac]

I mean, to be fair, there's a lot going into that layout, as awesome as it is.

[Rooish]

Wow where did that cover come from? Did Ciero draw it? How the hell did they decide how big to make everyone's name? Jim Lawson's name should probably be like 3rd or 4th biggest .

[ChosenOne]

I guess this (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1187443595076222977) is from #100 too?

[MikeandRaph87]

I find it interesting that not all of the Mirage Dudes are the same size of caption. Also, that Jack Kirby gets the second biggest caption being the mutual inspiration. Did he actually do anything related to TMNT directly?

[spookycookies]

I find it interesting that not all of the Mirage Dudes are the same size of caption. Also, that Jack Kirby gets the second biggest caption being the mutual inspiration. Did he actually do anything related to TMNT directly?

I know of 2 pin ups he did. Beyond that I can’t say.

[Sophie Campbell]

Wachter's name is spelled wrong on the "all creators" cover

A bunch of people's names are misspelled, it's embarrassing. :tgrumble: Also they have S-Bis and Kaori Matsuo (misspelled Matuso, to boot) but they're the same person, S-Bis is Kaori's pseudonym. Also they have some people who just did one or two retailer covers but then they left people off who have a body of TMNT work like Brittany Peer?? What a mess.

[Utrommaniac]

And your name is tiny for someone who's about to have their first issue as a head writer released! It took me quite a bit to find you in there.

[Mayhem]

A bunch of people's names are misspelled, it's embarrassing. :tgrumble: Also they have S-Bis and Kaori Matsuo (misspelled Matuso, to boot) but they're the same person, S-Bis is Kaori's pseudonym. Also they have some people who just did one or two retailer covers but then they left people off who have a body of TMNT work like Brittany Peer?? What a mess.
I believe the cover originally posted is the first draft, and a bunch of corrections have been made to it before going to print. Thankfully!

[Rooish]

Walt Simonson? Stan Sakai? These are certainly not people who deserve as much credit but their names are huge. Your name should be bigger, Sophie! Chris Allan and Ronda Pattison and Bobby Curnow and Frank Fosco's names are criminally small. I'm sure I'm missing people. A lot of the important ones are microscopic. It's a bit wacky.

[MikeandRaph87]

I would rather have seen sections like the co-creators then Mirage Dudes, the few Image creators, IDW, other creators and contributors. That would have been the fairest way to do it.

[Sophie Campbell]

I believe the cover originally posted is the first draft, and a bunch of corrections have been made to it before going to print. Thankfully!

Oh that's good to hear!

[ChosenOne]

Yet another glimpse of #100! (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1188893937143934976)

[Redrumh2o]

Also a cool #100 Variant...pic from Rich's site.

https://tmnt-ninjaturtles.com/assets/TMNT-100_Cover-RE-The-Fellowship-Turtlemania-GOLD-full_rich.jpg

[Mayhem]

Also a cool #100 Variant...pic from Rich's site.

https://tmnt-ninjaturtles.com/assets/TMNT-100_Cover-RE-The-Fellowship-Turtlemania-GOLD-full_rich.jpg
Oh you have no idea what happened because of that variant...! :o

[Redrumh2o]

Oh you have no idea what happened because of that variant...! :o

What happened?

[ChosenOne]

The Dragon is coming! (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1189953351678484480)

[Cloudrunner]

The Dragon is coming! (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1189953351678484480)

Something bad's gonna happen to Alopex. Nothing good ever happens to the first responders when it comes to giant monsters.

[Mayhem]

What happened?
As there were only ten copies IN TOTAL, and 40-50 rabid collectors, there was a lot of vitriol from those who missed out. And the lunacy of having such a limited variant.

[ProphetofGanja]

The Dragon is coming! (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1189953351678484480)

Wow, a giant dragon in the middle of New York. That’s really scratching my kaiju itch!

[CyberCubed]

Anyone notice almost the entire same villain cast from issue 50 is still there, in issue 100? (sans Shredder, but hell, he may be coming back too)

In issue 50 the villains were (besides Shredder), Karai, Koya, Bludgeon, Bebop, Rocksteady, Hun, Baxter, Rat King and Kitsune, with Old Hob on the side as an ambiguous ally.

Now we're at issue 100, and all the same villains are still here, with Bishop being the only major new one. I think that's kind of why I think a change of status quo is good, in another 50 issues...we still have pretty much the same villain cast. Bishop (and Metalhead) were the only new major threats, and Null/Ch'rell are still off on the side until they get any proper showcasing.

[AlZarkovski]

New covers:

https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/CatalogImage/STL135592
https://previewsworld.com/SiteImage/CatalogImage/STL135591

[ChosenOne]

I really, really, really wish we could've got the same concept as that Eastman cover, only drawn by Santolouco. I also guess this proves that Leatherhead has no actual role in City at War, given his absence from the character line-up... Though Hun is missing as well, and he's fairly involved.

And that Santolouco cover? With the mourning mood? Yeah, Splinter's a goner in #100.

[Shargor]

So, it's by Wachter and Dyalinas instead of Santolouco now.

That's good, they've been main artists since 86 and it's logical for them to share this final issue.

[ChosenOne]

Not directly related to the issue itself but this (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1195509175142379525) looks really cool!

[CyberCubed]

I do wonder what Leatherhead's purpose in that 1 panel was if he wasn't going to appear this arc. It's kinda strange because it didn't feel like it was building up to anything either, and they said they had "big plans" for Leatherhead that haven't materialized yet.

Leatherhead has really been underused, I guess we can hope for him to get a bigger role in the near future.

[80gmrp]

I do wonder what Leatherhead's purpose in that 1 panel was if he wasn't going to appear this arc. It's kinda strange because it didn't feel like it was building up to anything either, and they said they had "big plans" for Leatherhead that haven't materialized yet.

Leatherhead has really been underused, I guess we can hope for him to get a bigger role in the near future.

As 4Kids/2003 LH put it, “my sentiments exactly.” It’s especially puzzling given I remember it being said at Comic Con earlier this year that they weren’t finished with him in this arc.

Then again, knowing his portrayal so far, I personally am not complaining that much.

[CyberCubed]

I guess they just ran out of time to fit him in, or couldn't find a place for him. He should have a big role with the whole mutant town stuff happening next arc.

[ChosenOne]

Probably doesn't help that there's a significant overlap between Leatherhead's traditional role in other iterations of the franchise and Slash's in this comic.

I expect we'll also see him fairly involved with alien/cosmic side of things, maybe as a nemesis of sorts for Ch'rell.

[ProphetofGanja]

I guess they just ran out of time to fit him in, or couldn't find a place for him. He should have a big role with the whole mutant town stuff happening next arc.

I’m still expecting him to show up in this last issue, he’s definitely going to take notice of a massive population boom of mutants on live television

[Utrommaniac]

Yeah, I could easily see a situation where Hob tries to convince LH to his side, only to get smacked around.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Yeah, I could easily see a situation where Hob tries to convince LH to his side, only to get smacked around.

In fact, it already happened. Universe #5. :tlol:

[Mutant Ninja Anole]

My own guess is that Leatherhead takes in the distressed humans who feel they are abominations and works as a party that opposes Hob, Null and the EPF, wishing to protect mutants while also stopping any further damage to earth’s ecosystem with alien mutagen.

[Utrommaniac]

In fact, it already happened. Universe #5. :tlol:

Smacked around MORE :evilgrin: !

[Ninjinister]

I really, really, really wish we could've got the same concept as that Eastman cover, only drawn by Santolouco. I also guess this proves that Leatherhead has no actual role in City at War, given his absence from the character line-up... Though Hun is missing as well, and he's fairly involved.

And that Santolouco cover? With the mourning mood? Yeah, Splinter's a goner in #100.

As much as I normally love Eastman's work, that is a really messy-looking cover. I gotta stare at some of the characters for a bit to realize who they were. Until I realized there was glass over Seymour's head, I thought he was Rise's Foot Lieutenant!

[80gmrp]

My own guess is that Leatherhead takes in the distressed humans who feel they are abominations and works as a party that opposes Hob, Null and the EPF, wishing to protect mutants while also stopping any further damage to earth’s ecosystem with alien mutagen.

Personally I hope such a scenario happens when it comes to the EPF. The part of protecting the ecosystem certainly is plausible knowing what we have established of Leatherhead's character in this era.

[ProphetofGanja]

I’m so curious as to how much light Shredder in Hell #5 is going to shed on what is going to happen in the big finale

[daggio]

I’m so curious as to how much light Shredder in Hell #5 is going to shed on what is going to happen in the big finale

I'm willing to bet a big role, maybe they'll even be a crossover point, i.e. we see the Dragon resurrecting in the mortal realm in 100 while at the end of #5 we see the Dragon leaving Hell and a caption at the bottom saying to be continued in 100.

[ProphetofGanja]

That would be pretty cool

[CyberCubed]

Issue 100 feels like an epic season finale you’re watching of your favorite show, I am pretty excited.

[ChosenOne]

Issue 100 feels like an epic season finale you’re watching of your favorite show, I am pretty excited.

I would go so far as to say that we've had a few season finales before, this time it feels more like a series finale.

[CyberCubed]

I guess it feels like one of those game changing season finales where the show goes in a new direction in the next one. Which is true given we know what’s next.

[ProphetofGanja]

Yes exactly. Some season finales maintain the status quo, some completely upend it. This definitely feels like the latter.

[Mutant Ninja Anole]

Just a guess: The Dragon returns, but only with the “Tatsuo” half of the soul. Saki will actually return human, rejecting the dragon part of his destiny and will help the Hamato Clan post issue 100.

[AlZarkovski]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EJxx4MzU8AA3uU1?format=jpg&name=mediumhttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/EJxx4M5UwAATWe0?format=jpg&name=medium

[Utrommaniac]

Wow that is a VERY well preserved corpse

[Cloudrunner]

Wow that is a VERY well preserved corpse

Well it was basting in preservatives for a couple hundred years.

[ChosenOne]

Kitsune: All those with eyes to see...
Bludgeon: Harsh. :lol:

So... What was the point of Splinter bothering to keep the head if Kitsune can just go ahead (ugh...) and do it anyway?

[Mutant Ninja Anole]

Kitsune: All those with eyes to see...
Bludgeon: Harsh. :lol:

So... What was the point of Splinter bothering to keep the head if Kitsune can just go ahead (ugh...) and do it anyway?

I'm guessing she wouldn't have needed the sword if she had the head?

Edit: Wait, if the skull is elsewhere, and Saki and Tatsuo are indeed splitting in the Shredder in Hell series, perhaps the head and body are what brings back two "Shredders."

[Utrommaniac]

Well it was basting in preservatives for a couple hundred years.

So was his head, but look at the shape that was in the last time we saw it.

[TomWaltz]

Kitsune: All those with eyes to see...
Bludgeon: Harsh. :lol:

So... What was the point of Splinter bothering to keep the head if Kitsune can just go ahead (ugh...) and do it anyway?

Great question! Someone in the know should answer that.

See you in a month!

Talk soon...

Tom W.

[Cloudrunner]

So was his head, but look at the shape that was in the last time we saw it.

Splinter was hungry.

[ChosenOne]

Great question! Someone in the know should answer that.

See you in a month!
Talk soon...

Tom W.

Don't remind me that it's still that far off... :cry:

Splinter was hungry.

I guess he should've saved some for his incarceration.

[AlZarkovski]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EJ2UzgcUEAAldtP?format=jpg&name=large

[Donnie]

It'd be way cooler if that "Turtlemania" #100 variant cover was Michelangelo.

[ChosenOne]

Is it me or does "Meanwhile, inside the Foot Clan HQ." feel a little jarring? Doesn't seem like the comic's usual style, we usually get much smoother transitions.

[daggio]

Is it me or does "Meanwhile, inside the Foot Clan HQ." feel a little jarring? Doesn't seem like the comic's usual style, we usually get much smoother transitions.

I agree, but I guess this isn't gonna be a normal occurrence.

Looks like Wachter is handling exterior shots and Dialynias is handling interior shots.

[spookycookies]

Is it me or does "Meanwhile, inside the Foot Clan HQ." feel a little jarring? Doesn't seem like the comic's usual style, we usually get much smoother transitions.

"Meanwhile in the Hall of Doom!" is the vibe I get. But yeah usually the top caption in a transition is the last line of dialogue from someone speaking on the panel of the last page. Look at the second page and you'll see that character in the last panel end their sentence in "..." It will very likely finish on the next page.

I see you Tom Waltz! I'm going to miss this little writing flair after #100 I've grown used to it as part of my TMNT read. Enjoy your rest you deserve it!

[CyberCubed]

So any predictions on major character deaths? A lot still say Splinter, and it might happen if he is dead in Shredder in Hell already, but I dunno maybe he will still live on.

I’m also predicting Hun will die here. His story arc with Casey seems to be coming to a close, and there’s not much else to take him now besides being a henchmen. I guess we’ll see. I hope there’s at least some game changer character fates here, and not just Karai/Koya/Bludgeon retreating to Japan again like after issue 50. It’d be too much of the same.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

So any predictions on major character deaths? A lot still say Splinter, and it might happen if he is dead in Shredder in Hell already, but I dunno maybe he will still live on.

I’m also predicting Hun will die here. His story arc with Casey seems to be coming to a close, and there’s not much else to take him now besides being a henchmen. I guess we’ll see. I hope there’s at least some game changer character fates here, and not just Karai/Koya/Bludgeon retreating to Japan again like after issue 50. It’d be too much of the same.

We all thought Hun would die in "Vengeance", too, if I remember... dude's still kicking.

At this point, I really don't expect any characters to die EXCEPT once in a blue moon for huge story reasons. So far the only bodycount that matters is 3: Shredder, Krang, Slash. I expect Splinter to die, maybe, but that'll be it.

IDW prefers keeping their players on the shelf for awhile instead of taking them off the board entirely, as Tom and Bobby have told us.

[CyberCubed]

True, but given this is the big issue 100, a change in status quo would be nice. Especially since we’ve more or less had the same villain cast since the beginning of the series. Bishop is really the only post issue 50 villain introduced here, everyone else we’ve seen for a long time. Let alone characters on the sidelines still like Null, Ch’rell, etc. who are still waiting their “turn” to be in the spotlight.

I guess it would feel like a good chance to wrap up some characters. They seemed to do that with Metalhead. Hopefully Don dismantles him completely when he gets some free time.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

True, but given this is the big issue 100, a change in status quo would be nice. Especially since we’ve more or less had the same villain cast since the beginning of the series. Bishop is really the only post issue 50 villain introduced here, everyone else we’ve seen for a long time. Let alone characters on the sidelines still like Null, Ch’rell, etc. who are still waiting their “turn” to be in the spotlight.

I guess it would feel like a good chance to wrap up some characters. They seemed to do that with Metalhead. Hopefully Don dismantles him completely when he gets some free time.

Oh, dang, I forgot Metalhead was dead now. Maybe. Until they revive him, which will probably happen. :tlol:

I really think only Splinter will die. Killing Karai would be a big waste of future potential, and yet it could happen. Sending her back to Japan for another hiatus would be all kinds of dumb. :trazz:

[MikeandRaph87]

Dragon Rising: Characters will live, Characters will die, Nothing will ever be the same again!

[Cloudrunner]

So any predictions on major character deaths? A lot still say Splinter, and it might happen if he is dead in Shredder in Hell already, but I dunno maybe he will still live on.

I have a lingering worry that Alopex will die due to her going in alone in those previews.

[CyberCubed]

I have a lingering worry that Alopex will die due to her going in alone in those previews.

Come to think of it have we seen any mention of Alopex in issues 101 onward yet?

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

I have a lingering worry that Alopex will die due to her going in alone in those previews.

Sophie is taking over writing post #100, and Alopex is her baby.

That snow fox ain't going anywhere.

[daggio]

My only prediction is Splinter dying, and that's a big maybe with no guarantee.

As far as other characters, tough to call. Maybe Hun gets mutated just like in Turtles Forever and becomes the thing he hates. Metalhead is deactivated, but that's just it. He didn't get destroyed, so his body can still be used for other purposes.....maybe if something happens to Bishop, his mind gets transferred into Metalhead. Cuz of the one scene from the Don Macro, I'm kinda thinking the Foot becomes some sort of security team for Baxter, hopefully with Karai. I can't see her getting killed, though maybe Ocho.

Of the solicitations that have come out, the only characters from right now that we know are gonna be around post 100 are the TMNT, Hob, and Jennika, that's it. So, outside of those 6, its anyone's guess. On the other hand, if we take into account all of the previous issues which had scenes from THE FUTURE, we can deduce maybe a few others surviving like Null and Baxter.

[ChosenOne]

Here's not one (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1201975551956680710) but two (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1202400730176315392) more sneak peeks of #100!

Gotta say, that first one is epic as all f*ck! Looks like the Dragon is bringing demons out to play...

[Utrommaniac]

Everyone on Burnow's probably going to catch wind of this somehow and just...

https://media.tenor.com/images/6f07a66324d8108f53e30a8b1fa751b2/tenor.gif

[ChosenOne]

Everyone on Burnow's probably going to catch wind of this somehow and just...

https://media.tenor.com/images/6f07a66324d8108f53e30a8b1fa751b2/tenor.gif

They're probably too busy catching wind of something even worse to care about a measly dragon going all bell-happy on Manhattan, though.

[Cloudrunner]

Here's not one (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1201975551956680710) but two (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1202400730176315392) more sneak peeks of #100!

Gotta say, that first one is epic as all f*ck! Looks like the Dragon is bringing demons out to play...

I dunno, I don't see Alopex in that big group charge. Could be that something bad happened to her...

[CyberCubed]

Interesting thing to notice, although maybe the artist just didn’t have room to fit her.

I do hope we might get some major deaths this issue so the arc has weight, but I don’t think Alopex is going anywhere. Still betting on Hun biting the bullet most of all, but I guess we’ll see.

[daggio]

Looks like some of those winged demons followed the Dragon onto the Earth. :o

I agree with someone or some people are gonna bite the dust, but just like with yesterday, we may get caught off guard on who dies.

[MikeandRaph87]

Here's not one (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1201975551956680710) but two (https://twitter.com/TomWaltz/status/1202400730176315392) more sneak peeks of #100!

Gotta say, that first one is epic as all f*ck! Looks like the Dragon is bringing demons out to play...

YeEbtiruH2Q

[ChosenOne]

YeEbtiruH2Q

A_IS93GTyX4?t=39

[AlZarkovski]

Full preview: https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2019/12/comic-book-preview-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-100/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[martinitolove]

TomWaltz has changed his avatar to Splinter...

[Igglet]

F in the chat, fellas.

[MikeandRaph87]

Just to straight this out. Saki had a choice to be the vessel thanks to Kitsune, right? So if he chose not to then the dragon god would not have been revived or would it be another vessel be accessible? We know that Shredder will fight the Dragon for control.

[CyberCubed]

I wonder if Hun will be lunch for pepperoni.

[ChosenOne]

Bebop and Rocksteady are full-on anti-heroes at this point. I'm (we're?) actually rooting for them to win here.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Bebop and Rocksteady are full-on anti-heroes at this point. I'm (we're?) actually rooting for them to win here.

https://nerdsonearth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/death-of-donatello-2-copy.jpg

Never forget.

[ChosenOne]

https://nerdsonearth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/death-of-donatello-2-copy.jpg

Never forget.

Hence the "anti-" bit. And it still doesn't make them worse than Bishop.

[AlZarkovski]

Ok.
The old hypothesis was confirmed
Are you sure?
Ok i warned you
Splinter is death.
This is not a 100% reliable source, but I don’t think he will lie.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/TEENAGE-MUTANT-NINJA-TURTLES-100-A-B-WACHTER-EASTMAN-VARIANT-SET-NM-DEATH-OF/223789774970?hash=item341ae8f87a:g:NUIAAOSwKtBd79a B

[ChosenOne]

Ok.
The old hypothesis was confirmed
Are you sure?
Ok i warned you
Splinter is death.
This is not a 100% reliable source, but I don’t think he will lie.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/TEENAGE-MUTANT-NINJA-TURTLES-100-A-B-WACHTER-EASTMAN-VARIANT-SET-NM-DEATH-OF/223789774970?hash=item341ae8f87a:g:NUIAAOSwKtBd79a B

Not so much an hypothesis as a given at this point.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Not so much an hypothesis as a given at this point.

The plot twist would be if it DIDN'T happen. Which could, of course, turn out to be the case.

But c'mon. It's Issue #100. We all placed our bets long ago. :tlol:

[Cloudrunner]

The plot twist is that all the turtles die and Splinter is now the main character.

[ChosenOne]

The real plot twist would be Leatherhead getting some actual panel time.

[MikeandRaph87]

The real plot twist would be Leatherhead getting some actual panel time.

Your wish was granted.
http://www.sideshow.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/marvel-venom-premium-format-figure-feature-300456-2.jpg

[ChosenOne]

Your wish was granted.
http://www.sideshow.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/marvel-venom-premium-format-figure-feature-300456-2.jpg

I KNOOOW! :D (giggles like a schoolgirl) So damn excited! Haven't even read #100 yet and I'm already daydreaming about the next 50 issues.

[Utrommaniac]

Do...Utroms even know that about themselves since they were freaking out so much about Krang being dead?????????

THIS IS NOT WHAT I WAS MEANT, WANTED, OR EXPECTED WHEN I SPECULATED KRANG RESURRECTION

Splinter: I am shocked! SHOCKED
Hun and Bishop: Goodbye, I suppose???
Slash: Welcome back???
Shreder and Krang: He-ey, he-ey...WHAT???

[Ninjinister]

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/1/10/Leatherkrang.png/revision/latest?cb=20191211073037

[Utrommaniac]

Me, local Krang enthusiast who's been betting on something like that for a while now:
jtKkPhzF2cU

[AlZarkovski]

https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/3705b283-ec55-461b-b1e5-55a27da401d8/Screenshot_20191210-160952_Messenger.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:100%25/rs=w:1280
https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/3705b283-ec55-461b-b1e5-55a27da401d8/Screenshot_20191210-161020_Messenger.jpg/:/rs=w:1280

[Cloudrunner]

I felt like the climax could have used another page or two, particularly from how fast Kitsune seemed to turn around on her plan. But all in all pretty good. Bishop was expected, though it was nice to see him go out the way that he did. I don't think Slash is actually back though, that's probably just some lingering dregs of him and that clone body is probably done. Hun I was 50/50 on dying so I'm not entirely surprised, but I guess he at least did something right at the end. Mah gurl Alopex not only didn't die, she got a chance to slap Kitsune around a little bit! Good stuff. And that last page was certainly a surprising teaser, but I don't think we'll see that storyline progress for a while.

[Igglet]

I haven't read the issue yet but seeing everything be tagged as a spoiler is pretty entertaining and tbh it's getting me kind of excited for some reason. Not gonna fool myself and click on the 'show' button, not again.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

The hiding place for Shredder's head was very well done. Sneak Level 100, as it were. :tgrin:

Huh. So Slash killed Bishop. That's underwhelming. I guess I'll never get a 100% normal human Bishop in IDW. That sucks. Maybe he has a clone lying around somewhere? Probably not. Sigh.

Finally Hun is dead. Kinda nice, I guess, how he went out?

Kinda rushed. But Yoshi sacrificing his life for Saki was something I've been hoping for, and that, at least, did not disappoint.

But I'll tell you what I do NOT fvcking like. Parasitic Krang burrowing out of Leatherhead. Seeing him die was awesome, and retconning his death is really rubbing me the wrong way.

[ChosenOne]

I need a moment, or several, to process the events of this issue. For now, all I'll say is: BRAVO, IDW!

[TomWaltz]

Do...Utroms even know that about themselves since they were freaking out so much about Krang being dead?????????

THIS IS NOT WHAT I WAS MEANT, WANTED, OR EXPECTED WHEN I SPECULATED KRANG RESURRECTION

Splinter: I am shocked! SHOCKED
Hun and Bishop: Goodbye, I suppose???
Slash: Welcome back???
Shreder and Krang: He-ey, he-ey...WHAT???


But WERE the Utroms surprised, my friend? We've been planning this moment since TMNT #75 (Bobby's fantastic idea, by the way!) and Kleve and Montuoro knew full well the implications (potentially to their advantage) of letting Leatherhead escape unimpeded after he gulped down their boss. Just a matter of time, they figured. Check out the proof below...

Talk soon...

Tom W.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

But WERE the Utroms surprised, my friend? We've been planning this moment since TMNT #75 (Bobby's fantastic idea, by the way!) and Kleve and Montuoro knew full well the implications (potentially to their advantage) of letting Leatherhead escape unimpeded after he gulped down their boss. Just a matter of time, they figured. Check out the proof below...

Talk soon...

Tom W.

You sneaky writers and editors. :tlol:

I don't like it, although the Alien chestburster thing cracks me up. But I'll wait and see where it goes.

[ChosenOne]

The only reason I have for feeling somewhat hesitant about this new development is that I don't know where this'll leave Leatherhead if/when it's sorted out. Feels a lot like Slash being modified into a weapon by the EPF, which led directly to his death, only here we've barely got any mileage out of Leatherhead yet.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

The only reason I have for feeling somewhat hesitant about this new development is that I don't know where this'll leave Leatherhead if/when it's sorted out. Feels a lot like Slash being modified into a weapon by the EPF, which led directly to his death, only here we've barely got any mileage out of Leatherhead yet.

He needs a Krangectomy.

[ChosenOne]

He needs a Krangectomy.

Looks like he's gonna need a whole bunch of other surgical interventions after that, too...

On the other hand, this is probably the best case of "eating something that didn't agree with him" I've ever seen.

(Oooh! Oooh! I wonder if we'll get a nod to that infamous Archie moment now that Saki's back?)

[PApagreg]

Anyone else got Watchman flashbacks when they saw the dragon's corpse

[80gmrp]

The only reason I have for feeling somewhat hesitant about this new development is that I don't know where this'll leave Leatherhead if/when it's sorted out. Feels a lot like Slash being modified into a weapon by the EPF, which led directly to his death, only here we've barely got any mileage out of Leatherhead yet.

This, not to mention it looks pretty gross...

[ChosenOne]

This, not to mention it looks pretty gross...

I really, really hope this isn't the beginning of the end for IDW Leatherhead.

There's still so much that could be done with him, given his philosophical sensibilities and unique perspective on mutants, that turning the character into a mindless husk so soon (he's only been in what, three arcs?) seems like a tremendous waste. Especially now that Mutant Town is about to be a thing.

[Igglet]

I'm kind of sad. There's so much good stuff in this, but there's just as much stuff that I didn't really enjoy. The tone and the focus were way off, to the point where I found it hard to care about the main conflict. All the separate story arcs didn't really feel like they all led into one climax as they should in this type of story and instead felt like they were battling for the spotlight. A lot of the character work was rushed, or was smothered by other things going on. I very much like the concept of what the team tried to pull off here, but I'm not a fan of the execution in a lot of ways. Saki coming back is exciting, the idea of Splinter sacrificing himself is absolutely awesome, Raph versus Bishop and Leo's part in all of that... I really like all of those things in concept, and I very much enjoyed reading them, but for one reason or another, they lacked in execution. Bishop absolutely should've died in Battle Lines, not like this. Hun's sacrifice felt hollow. Angel, Alopex and worst of all, Jennika felt like she genuinely didn't belong in the story, and the witty remarks about the fact that the world is ending made it feel like even the writers stopped taking the Dragon thing seriously.

Congratulations to IDW for reaching this milestone. Despite some of the criticism I've been voicing recently (some of which, in retrospect, wasn't well-founded, namely the Rat King's part in #99), I really appreciate all the team's done in this run and it's absolutely one of my favorite comics, period.

[neatoman]

So did Bebop and Rocksteady forget who Hun was? They met him in issue 28, in issue 33 they explicitly took orders from him, in issue 39 they refer to him by name and were last shown on panel together in issue 41. The fact that they just call him "Wrestler guy" in issue 100, as if they never met him, is strange.

[ChosenOne]

So did Bebop and Rocksteady forget who Hun was? They met him in issue 28, in issue 33 they explicitly took orders from him, in issue 39 they refer to him by name and were last shown on panel together in issue 41. The fact that they just call him "Wrestler guy" in issue 100, as if they never met him, is strange.

It's been such a long time since they last saw him, they probably just forgot. They're that dumb. It would probably take Hun kicking their asses in record time and almost shoving a sword down Rocksteady's throat for them to commit his name to memory.

[80gmrp]

I really, really hope this isn't the beginning of the end for IDW Leatherhead.

There's still so much that could be done with him, given his philosophical sensibilities and unique perspective on mutants, that turning the character into a mindless husk so soon (he's only been in what, three arcs?) seems like a tremendous waste. Especially now that Mutant Town is about to be a thing.

Fully agreed...sadly, I’m not holding my breath that this isn’t the end for him...even if his body is capable of controlling itself when Krang’s gone, it will be even more trauma for him than he’s already had...

[hypered1]

Well, that was epic! Especially the call back to issue 1 with the storm analogy.:tgrin:

[Toxin45]

So what happened to Karai again?

[Cloudrunner]

So what happened to Karai again?

Alopex saved her, for whatever reason. So I think she's fine.

[ChosenOne]

Alopex saved her, for whatever reason. So I think she's fine.

Kitsune sacrificing Karai would have completed the ritual and fully unleashed the Dragon. Sounds like a damn good reason.

[CyberCubed]

I wonder if Karai will make amends now. I mean she lost everything and has no reason to even hate the Turtles and now Splinter isn’t even an issue anymore. I imagine they’ll also probably say the sword drove her hatred and without it she won’t be as evil as she was before.

Also anyone really surprised what happened to Ocho? I really liked that and it was completely unexpected.

Seems they completely forgot about what’s her name, the bald tattoo lady who is Karai’s friend. Good because I forgot about her too. :lol:

I guess Koya and Bludgeon are still alive, since they made it obvious they were groaning. As I said I would have preferred those two get killed off as it feels like they’ve been exhausted story wise and do nothing but fight the Turtles every time. I’m done with them and don’t really want to see them anymore.

Overall great issue and it left me guessing what would happen, the part with the demons and headless Shredder was a sight to behold. Little mixed on some characters fates but we’ll see where that goes. Also I don’t think Kitsune deserves a happy ending after what she did, or Shredder for that matter, I was hoping Alopex would kill Kitsune.

[Toxin45]

I wonder if Karai will make amends now. I mean she lost everything and has no reason to even hate the Turtles and now Splinter isn’t even an issue anymore. I imagine they’ll also probably say the sword drove her hatred and without it she won’t be as evil as she was before.

Also anyone really surprised what happened to Ocho? I really liked that and it was completely unexpected.

Seems they completely forgot about what’s her name, the bald tattoo lady who is Karai’s friend. Good because I forgot about her too. :lol:

I guess Koya and Bludgeon are still alive, since they made it obvious they were groaning. As I said I would have preferred those two get killed off as it feels like they’ve been exhausted story wise and do nothing but fight the Turtles every time. I’m done with them and don’t really want to see them anymore.

Overall great issue and it left me guessing what would happen, the part with the demons and headless Shredder was a sight to behold. Little mixed on some characters fates but we’ll see where that goes. Also I don’t think Kitsune deserves a happy ending after what she did, or Shredder for that matter, I was hoping Alopex would kill Kitsune.
Also krang is back and bishop is dead

[ChosenOne]

I wonder if Karai will make amends now. I mean she lost everything and has no reason to even hate the Turtles and now Splinter isn’t even an issue anymore. I imagine they’ll also probably say the sword drove her hatred and without it she won’t be as evil as she was before.

If I had to guess, Karai will probably run the Foot unimpeded now (with Koya, Bludgeon and Natsu as her henchmen) and leave the Turtles to their own devices. Not only does she not have a reason for disputing leadership or the sword to control her actions, but the Turtles (well, Alopex, but still) saved her life. And there are bigger fish to fry in the horizon anyway. In retrospect, while this issue is certainly the end of an era, it also feels much more like a stepping stone to greater things than #50 did. Back then, there were much fewer players on the board that haven't been touched on yet. Mayor Stockman, Mutant Town, Hob's plans going forward (I wonder if his new recruits and the mutants that end up in a ghetto are two different sets?), Leatherhead's little "condition", Ch'rell taking kindly or otherwise to the other Utroms' schemes, Null's dealings with whatever is coming, the repercussions of having Saki back as a potential ally, the fallout of Splinter's death, Jennika taking the time to deal with her mutation, etc, etc... This issue definitely wasn't the product of a team who feels their days at the helm of the franchise are numbered. If anything, this issue was the product of a team who is confident they'll be around for 100 more.

[daggio]

I don't mind saying....I got a little teary-eyed when Splinter died. At least his death was much more different (and eventful) compared to his death in Mirage.

Hun's death, to me, was unexpected. At the least, he died heroically, saving Casey's life.

Bishop's death, for me, was much more unexpected. I kinda thought he'd survive and become mutated in an ironic twist.

Ocho's death was, I think, expected and probably the best that could be expected for anyone in this story.

Idk if Leatherhead is dead or what. It's possible he did survive Krang bursting out of him since apparently Leatherhead can regenerate parts of his body. But that one page gave us so many answers to lingering questions. NOW, we know how LH could mysteriously breath in Burnow Island's terraformed atmosphere as he wondered in Dangerous Waters. NOW, we know why Kleve and Montuoro weren't as angry as one might expect at the conclusion of the trial. And it appears Krang can now survive on Earth's atmosphere. NOW, we know what spooked Honeycutt at the beginning of this arc. I'm guessing LH in that one page in part 2 was just to remind us the audience that hes still around. And that brings us to the possibility of seeing that one scene I'm waiting to see......Krand and Ch'rell interacting. I'm hoping Honeycutt is planning on telling the TMNT about this development.

So, just as I thought....Shredder is back and as an ally no less. I can't wait to see how that dynamic is gonna play out with the TMNT and others. Same with Kitsune, who may become an ally as well. I guess RK doing the honors at the end was an OK touch.

I doubt Slash is technically back, but I'm guessing maybe the clone just had a slight connection with Slash's memories. With that said, it'll be interesting to see what becomes of the clones and, for that matter, Team Rock Bopster.

I'm presuming that Karai will continue to lead the Foot with Koya, Bludgeon, and Natsu, for now. Natsu didn't play any role here which kinda surprised me.

With all that said, Baxter, Null, and the Mutanimals, I guess, will have their time to shine next since they all have interesting stories to tell.

[Filespit]

I have thoroughly enjoyed this comic and this issue was stunning, a great ending to an amazing story covering 100 issues. I can't wait to see where this goes.

[Utrommaniac]

But WERE the Utroms surprised, my friend? We've been planning this moment since TMNT #75 (Bobby's fantastic idea, by the way!) and Kleve and Montuoro knew full well the implications (potentially to their advantage) of letting Leatherhead escape unimpeded after he gulped down their boss. Just a matter of time, they figured. Check out the proof below...

Talk soon...

Tom W.

I mean, I had initially assumed that they (or at least Kleve) held back because they wanted Ch'rell completely in power and wanted to have as much happening to wind him up as possible.
Kill his "beloved leader", kill his sister, get an easy to manipulate tank.
Though, it would explain why Ch'rell didn't have as much "extreme displeasure" as I thought he would.

Especially when Ma'riell especially seems sure that he's "actually" dead, when she especially should know about this...new development.

BUT HEY, I don't have to rely on seeing Krang and Ch'rell only interact in flashback!

(Agreeing with Cylons that it does rub me the wrong way though)

At the VERY LEAST, it sure explains why Utroms have their suits built the way they do (besides the chest and stomach being logical vantage points for viewing). Even if they're not always from a biological source.

[daggio]

I guess this will be Mayor Stockman's first big test......removing the giant dragon carcass from the city:lol:

[CyberCubed]

I also love the fact that the finale wasn't really against an immortal dragon Shredder, but the "fight" was mainly about Splinter and his morals, which was development since he took over the Foot Clan and turned cold to his sons for awhile.

Still I feel Kitsune should have had a worse fate? She killed Aka, almost killed Karai, brainwashed Alopex, pretty much set everything in motion to bring back Shredder/her father for like a 1000 years, and was going to wipe them all out eventually. Seeing Kitsune get a "happy ending" doesn't feel earned, not for her. As I said above, I was fully expecting her to be killed and vanquished.

[Cloudrunner]

I also love the fact that the finale wasn't really against an immortal dragon Shredder, but the "fight" was mainly about Splinter and his morals, which was development since he took over the Foot Clan and turned cold to his sons for awhile.

Still I feel Kitsune should have had a worse fate? She killed Aka, almost killed Karai, brainwashed Alopex, pretty much set everything in motion to bring back Shredder/her father for like a 1000 years, and was going to wipe them all out eventually. Seeing Kitsune get a "happy ending" doesn't feel earned, not for her. As I said above, I was fully expecting her to be killed and vanquished.

Agreed. I kinda wanted that scene of her and Shredder to end with Alopex coming from behind and punching her in the back of the head and then she and Karai kicking her around. Least for a little bit. Maybe let Leo have a kick or two. He went through some **** too.

[Utrommaniac]

Yeah, I think that was my biggest disappointment overall was Kitsune's ending

[ChosenOne]

The funniest thing about this issue, in a meta way, is that no matter how emotional and well executed Splinter's death was, not to mention all the other deaths, we got Shredder, Krang and Slash (after a fashion) back in the very same issue. I expect Bishop at least will eventually find his way back to the world of the living. But unlike the villains, it would greatly diminish Splinter's big sacrifice if he ever returns as more than a spiritual guide or the like.

[Utrommaniac]

Okay, but now that I think about it, even KRANG thought he was a goner when Leatherhead came at him.

But considering that it didn't seem to be common knowledge that Utroms were "parasitic" (I'm?????), I think it would have made more sense if it was a behavior that got lost to history.

[ChosenOne]

Okay, but now that I think about it, even KRANG thought he was a goner when Leatherhead came at him.

But considering that it didn't seem to be common knowledge that Utroms were "parasitic" (I'm?????), I think it would have made more sense if it was a behavior that got lost to history.

Yep. It's probably something that's not common knowledge among Utroms but still survived in their collective consciousness enough that they model their battle suits after it. Though there's a chance that Krang knew (going off his micro) and just didn't think he would survive being chomped by Leatherhead.

[CyberCubed]

Speaking of that did the second Slash clone die too? In the last panel where Hun is lying on the ground, we do see a slash clone lying on the floor. So I guess it fell over? Bebop/Rocksteady clearly broke the neck of the first one.

Re-reading the issue, I like that Splinter said goodbye to April too. At the beginning I didn't think of it much, but now this is probably the last time they'll see each other, so I'm glad they didn't ignore that. Especially given in IDW, April was the one who named the Turtles, and I nearly forgot that too.

Likewise, I guess that scene of Fugitoid/Neutrinos from the start of City at War was just Donatello calling him in case they needed to hide the children from Karai? I thought that had something to do with Maligna but I guess it makes more sense to be for this.

And here we come to a stalemate, who is the leader of the Foot Clan now? Splinter is gone, and if Karai just becomes leader, well, she's gets what she wanted to do before. I guess the children are safe from being trained by her, but otherwise, seems kinda odd. Karai was on the verge of killing Splinter and the Turtles so I dunno if they'll have a truce or what. And again, I do think it would have been better if Koya/Bludgeon died in the rubble. So tired of them being used as fodder for fights over and over for what is now like 70 issues or whatever.

Besides that very happy with this issue, wrapped up more storylines than I thought they would.

[ChosenOne]

Speaking of that did the second Slash clone die too? In the last panel where Hun is lying on the ground, we do see a slash clone lying on the floor. So I guess it fell over? Bebop/Rocksteady clearly broke the neck of the first one.

(...)

And here we come to a stalemate, who is the leader of the Foot Clan now? Splinter is gone, and if Karai just becomes leader, well, she's gets what she wanted to do before. I guess the children are safe from being trained by her, but otherwise, seems kinda odd. Karai was on the verge of killing Splinter and the Turtles so I dunno if they'll have a truce or what. And again, I do think it would have been better if Koya/Bludgeon died in the rubble. So tired of them being used as fodder for fights over and over for what is now like 70 issues or whatever.

Besides that very happy with this issue, wrapped up more storylines than I thought they would.

The taller of the two Slash clones survived but is probably on standby right now, with no one to control it. Maybe it'll be deprogrammed, maybe the EPF takes it back, maybe it even gets a shot of the psychotropic serum and completes Slash's resurrection. Who knows. I hope it's not the last we see of it/him.

I expect Karai will take over the Foot Clan, with Koya, Bludgeon and Natsu as her henchmen, but pose no further threat to the Turtles.

After rereading the issue for the third time, and looking back on the IDW run as a whole so far, I get the sense that it told the story of Hamato Yoshi/Splinter even more than that of his four sons. That cycle is now complete and a new one can begin, and it sure was a bittersweet ending.

[Utrommaniac]

Yep. It's probably something that's not common knowledge among Utroms but still survived in their collective consciousness enough that they model their battle suits after it. Though there's a chance that Krang knew (going off his micro) and just didn't think he would survive being chomped by Leatherhead.

Even in his micro, Krang felt like he might not survive Morbus in any circumstances. There probably has to be very, very particular criteria in order to "regenerate", but even that's questionable when we've seen Utroms with prosthetic limbs when the new information could suggest that they could easily just grow lost body parts back (much like Leatherhead)

[ChosenOne]

Even in his micro, Krang felt like he might not survive Morbus in any circumstances. There probably has to be very, very particular criteria in order to "regenerate", but even that's questionable when we've seen Utroms with prosthetic limbs when the new information could suggest that they could easily just grow lost body parts back (much like Leatherhead)

Oh, no, I meant when he made a point of taking his enemy's body to wear as a trophy, and intended to do the same to Saki in #37. That should immediately strike anyone as odd right off the bat. No other creatures IRL or otherwise (that we know of) can do that. Wouldn't an organic "shell" eventually decompose? What process did he use or think to use to preserve their bodies? And how would he even retain control over their motor functions?

In hindsight, and even if it wasn't intended as such, it sure is a major hint now.

[Utrommaniac]

Well yeah, but the two seem very different situations. But it sure is an explanation for how it happened culturally (even if that isn't where all of their suits come from, and even then, probably have to be replaced with something completely mechanical eventually)

[ChosenOne]

Well yeah, but the two seem very different situations. But it sure is an explanation for how it happened culturally (even if that isn't where all of their suits come from, and even then, probably have to be replaced with something completely mechanical eventually)

Well, obviously. Can't make ****ing mac and cheese with a rotting zombie corpse. :D

[MikeandRaph87]

Okay so...
Shredder returns to life trades for Splinter stopping the dragon.

Krang returns to life play symbiote with Leatherhead.

Slash returns within his remaining clone.

Splinter dies trading places with Shredder to prevent the complete revival of the dragon.

Hun dies saving Casey from a blast from Bishop.

Agent Bishop is beat to death by Slash.

I would have liked Hun to understand Casey's loyalty to end Hun's story. Left something desired there though the character is no loss.

Agent Bishop can like Slash return in a new body. This is how it should have been to begin with.

[ChosenOne]

Okay so...
Shredder returns to life trades for Splinter stopping the dragon.

Krang returns to life play symbiote with Leatherhead.

Slash returns within his remaining clone.

Splinter dies trading places with Shredder to prevent the complete revival of the dragon.

Hun dies saving Casey from a blast from Bishop.

Agent Bishop is beat to death by Slash.

I would have liked Hun to understand Casey's loyalty to end Hun's story. Left something desired there though the character is no loss.

Agent Bishop can like Slash return in a new body. This is how it should have been to begin with.


Perhaps you have already observed that in Manhattan, human and mutant life is cheap. :tcool:

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Okay so...
Shredder returns to life trades for Splinter stopping the dragon.

Krang returns to life play symbiote with Leatherhead.

Slash returns within his remaining clone.

Splinter dies trading places with Shredder to prevent the complete revival of the dragon.

Hun dies saving Casey from a blast from Bishop.

Agent Bishop is beat to death by Slash.

I would have liked Hun to understand Casey's loyalty to end Hun's story. Left something desired there though the character is no loss.

Agent Bishop can like Slash return in a new body. This is how it should have been to begin with.


The fact that three different deaths were undone by this issue really robs me of any belief in the finality of any future character deaths. I understand Saki (we all saw it coming), but the other ones (especially the parasite) kinda irritate me. Let dead be dead, please.

[Utrommaniac]

Not to mention it undos a lot of the impact of a lot of the bigger ones.

But ESPECIALLY Krang. Even if there was plans to resurrect him, I would have liked to see Ch'rell on his own for at least a little bit, and Battle Lines doesn't count.

[ChosenOne]

Y'know, I just noticed: Raph compares Bishop's resiliency to that of a cockroach. And what's the surest way to kill a cockroach...? Exactly.

[PApagreg]

I'm kind of sad. There's so much good stuff in this, but there's just as much stuff that I didn't really enjoy. The tone and the focus were way off, to the point where I found it hard to care about the main conflict. All the separate story arcs didn't really feel like they all led into one climax as they should in this type of story and instead felt like they were battling for the spotlight. A lot of the character work was rushed, or was smothered by other things going on. I very much like the concept of what the team tried to pull off here, but I'm not a fan of the execution in a lot of ways. Saki coming back is exciting, the idea of Splinter sacrificing himself is absolutely awesome, Raph versus Bishop and Leo's part in all of that... I really like all of those things in concept, and I very much enjoyed reading them, but for one reason or another, they lacked in execution. Bishop absolutely should've died in Battle Lines, not like this. Hun's sacrifice felt hollow. Angel, Alopex and worst of all, Jennika felt like she genuinely didn't belong in the story, and the witty remarks about the fact that the world is ending made it feel like even the writers stopped taking the Dragon thing seriously.

100% agree with this, everything that would sound interesting was executed like a horribly and reading this issue felt so hollow and may be completely apathetic towards Splinter deaths. Honestly I' m just tired with this book, I don't like Jennika, this incarnation of Bishop is horrible, the Karai subplot was super dumb, and everything felt rush in the end. Gotta be honest literally the only reason why I'm going to read is because I like Mona Lisa's design

[daggio]

On the artist front, Mateus got the least it seems. All the scenes done by him were recycled from previous issues. In fact that first page was all recycled scenes. Obviously Wachter and Dialynas got the lions share while Dan Duncan, Adam Gorham and Cory Smith got one page each. I was surprised in the sense that there wasn't that usual "one artist handles such and such while the other handles this and that". Dan Duncan handled the Mutanimals page while Cory Smith handled the epilogue. But everything else seemed kinda random. There did seem to be a method to the madness, like Dialynas handling most, but not all of the interior Foot Clan fight scenes while Wachter handled everything else with the exception of the scene where Splinter appears on the roof and calls everyone, telepathically, up to the roof. That scene was handled by Gorham. In my view, Adam Gorham's involvement was kinda outta no where. Mateus, Dan Duncan and Cory Smith seemed like obvious choices to be involved. Adam Gorham, on the other hand, doesn't hit me as a IDW TMNT associated artist, like the other three. If Metalhead was involved, I'd say I can see his involvement. But Metalhead has been temporarily disabled........maybe to be used by Bishop, somehow:lol:

[AlZarkovski]

I know this is just a coincidence, but it is an interesting coincidence.

The idea of ​​parasitic utroms that live in real bodies was already in my comics Illusions. Part 3: Reality (http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showpost.php?p=1787363&postcount=50). I released this comic in May 2018, but this idea appeared in 2017, along with the idea of ​​Bobby and Tom. :tlol:

[Utrommaniac]

Oh yeah! You did have that!

[Ninjinister]

I'm excited to see what's next for Saki/Kitsune/Karai/The Foot.

[MikeandRaph87]

The fact that three different deaths were undone by this issue really robs me of any belief in the finality of any future character deaths. I understand Saki (we all saw it coming), but the other ones (especially the parasite) kinda irritate me. Let dead be dead, please.

I admit to not liking Slash's death at all. It felt that having him mind controlled for two dozen issues as soon as he was on his own wasting a possible angle. Yet I am over it.


What can be done with Shredder now though? It seems like his story is complete.

Hun needed understand of Casey's view before dying. A character who I expected to like Splinter die some time ago, but not resolving the issue that divided father and son was poor.

[Igglet]

I admit to not liking Slash's death at all. It felt that having him mind controlled for two dozen issues as soon as he was on his own wasting a possible angle. Yet I am over it.


What can be done with Shredder now though? It seems like his story is complete.

Hun needed understand of Casey's view before dying. A character who I expected to like Splinter die some time ago, but not resolving the issue that divided father and son was poor.

I didn't really mind that Slash died so soon after being freed. I do mind how rushed it felt, however. That's honestly been my greatest problem with the run ever since Invasion of Triceratons - pacing. A lot of the time, they'll build up this really big conflict, and then not give themselves nearly enough time to resolve it. It all just flies by so quickly. Slash had a grand total of 5 pages between finding out he's going to die and actually dying. Even in this issue, despite its length, such a large portion of it is filled with pointless things that steal space from the good stuff. #50 was so much smaller in scope, and yet that made it so much better.

I like the idea of Saki coming back. I feel like his character development in SiH has been rushed a LOT, and the fact that Kitsune's still around is something I'm not looking forward to reading about at all, but the idea of his reappearance is something that excites me very much. If the writers play this well, as well as they played Splinter becoming the new master of the Foot Clan, we might get a really good story out of this.

I don't mind the concept of Hun dying without understanding Casey's point of view. Despite being an all-around bad person and there being so much conflict between him and his son, he still died for him. I like that... in concept. Again, however, just as with all of the other things mentioned in this reply, it's just executed so poorly, smothered by the trillion underdeveloped things we're supposed to care about.

[CyberCubed]

I don’t think Slash is living on through the clone. As said it was probably just lingering memories, the clone will probably either die if it didn’t already or just be an empty husk of a shell since nobody is around to control it.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

I don’t think Slash is living on through the clone. As said it was probably just lingering memories, the clone will probably either die if it didn’t already or just be an empty husk of a shell since nobody is around to control it.

I hope not, but... comics, after all. Jason Todd, Uncle Ben, Gwen Stacy. :trolleye:

[Toxin45]

I hope not, but... comics, after all. Jason Todd, Uncle Ben, Gwen Stacy. :trolleye:

Also Bucky barns

Anyways I wonder what a Spawn and TMNT crossover would look like?

[CyberCubed]

In the last panel with Hun you can see the Slash clone lying face forward on the floor. That was assumingly the same one who just stomped on Bishop. It fell over, look at that page.

[ChosenOne]

My joy at seeing (almost!)Slash back aside, one thing I always dislike in fiction is when clones have the exact same memories as the original. Cloning doesn't work that way! You get a genetic replica but the likelihood of both having the exact same personality, let alone their memories, is infinitely small to the point of being non-existant. Even IRL. For things to work as we usually see them depicted, you'd need three separate, equally tricky to master technologies: cloning, memory transfer, and some form of accelerated growth that can be calibrated to the exact age the original is or was when they died, instead of going on until the cloned organism falls apart in a short amount of time. In other words, never gonna happen. I now, suspension of disbelief and all that, but yeesh...

[TomWaltz]

My joy at seeing (almost!)Slash back aside, one thing I always dislike in fiction is when clones have the exact same memories as the original. Cloning doesn't work that way! You get a genetic replica but the likelihood of both having the exact same personality, let alone their memories, is infinitely small to the point of being non-existant. Even IRL. For things to work as we usually see them depicted, you'd need three separate, equally tricky to master technologies: cloning, memory transfer, and some form of accelerated growth that can be calibrated to the exact age the original is or was when they died, instead of going on until the cloned organism falls apart in a short amount of time. In other words, never gonna happen. I now, suspension of disbelief and all that, but yeesh...

Hate to break it to ya, but the Slash Clone's connection to the real Slash came in his final act. Bishop blasted him pretty good before he got Slash's long overdue revenge. "Bad little man..." were his dying words. He's lying dead next to Hun in the next panel. A good death... and just desserts for Bishop.

Talk soon...

Tom W.

[CyberCubed]

Heh, so I was right about that.

So where was Natsu in this issue? Feels like everyone just forgot she existed.

[ChosenOne]

Hate to break it to ya, but the Slash Clone's connection to the real Slash came in his final act. Bishop blasted him pretty good before he got Slash's long overdue revenge. "Bad little man..." were his dying words. He's lying dead next to Hun in the next panel. A good death... and just desserts for Bishop.

Talk soon...

Tom W.

Ah. I did wonder if those weren't his final words, but wasn't sure. Bishop's death was tremendously poetic and well deserved, for sure!

So don't worry, those aren't necessarily bad news. As long as you don't have any reason to be the bearer of actual bad news vis a vis Leatherhead in the next few years... :o I'm really scared for the big guy. :(

[MikeandRaph87]

Thanks for the clarification, Tom. There was x number of Slash clones it was hard to tell.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Hate to break it to ya, but the Slash Clone's connection to the real Slash came in his final act. Bishop blasted him pretty good before he got Slash's long overdue revenge. "Bad little man..." were his dying words. He's lying dead next to Hun in the next panel. A good death... and just desserts for Bishop.

Talk soon...

Tom W.

This pleases me, and assuages one of my dislikes about the issue.

Still would have preferred finality as opposed to chestburster, but I'm willing to wait and see where it goes. Also, ick.

[daggio]

Hate to break it to ya, but the Slash Clone's connection to the real Slash came in his final act. Bishop blasted him pretty good before he got Slash's long overdue revenge. "Bad little man..." were his dying words. He's lying dead next to Hun in the next panel. A good death... and just desserts for Bishop.

Talk soon...

Tom W.

Dang, I was hoping the two clones would survive and become part of Team Rock Bopster :ohwell::D

[CyberCubed]

For clarification, Koya and Bludgeon are still alive, right? I mean the heavy roof beams and rubble did fall on them but they were groaning.

[phillytmnt]

Hey Tom,

I was also asking Bobby in another thread, what do you mean when Kitsune says she made the Shredder more than a mere mortal? Did Shredder sleeping in the ooze make him an immortal and strengthen his overall physical limitations in order to be a vessel? I don't believe that it was ever made clear what Kitsune has done to Saki? Also, I'm curious why you gave kitsune a happy ending after all of her evil acts?

Thanks for the great work you've done on the comics!

[Mutant Ninja Anole]

Finally had a chance to read to read this, some very quick thoughts:

So, several months after pretty much the biggest event in modern and perhaps all human history with the invasion of New York by an alien species (I mean...think about that for a moment), a bunch of people are mutated into animal people on national TV, and then, on the same night, on national TV as well, a giant mystic dragon emerges out of a portal in the middle of the city, then immediately dies in a weird explosion with no understood cause. Again, all caught on TV and broadcast around the world.

The chaos surrounding this, the upheaval and societal impact, religious and philosophical implications, this one night, combined with the invasion, would completely change human society forever. Good luck getting people to believe the dragon and the mutant bomb aren’t more than tangentially connected BTW. Oh, and the head of the EPF just got killed in the middle of it.

Okay, that out of the way, holy crap. I’m not sure what to make of this 50 plot line demolition derby from a technical storytelling point of view, but it was a ride.

Splinter dying and speaking as of it in terms as a bit of an act of atonement does bug me a little, just because I felt like many of his actions that got people up in arms were fine, given the circumstances. But I won’t bemoan that point. What’s most interesting is that we get a redeemed Shredder now apparently taking his place. Saki’s redemption felt earned after the Shredder in Hell mini, Kitsune...hmmm, that seemed a bit easy. Regardless, A true, for real good guy Shredder? Has that ever happened in a TMNT story for any length of time? I’d be very interested in what happens next.

Small prediction: Our Turtles split again, be more amicably. Leo might stay with Shredder and Karai and try, yet again, to forge a kinder, gentler Foot. Given the chaos inside New York, I still think there’s something there. Others might disagree with that route as been there, done that. Alopex still has no desire to hang around Kitsune, and so Raph and her go down the vigilante route, with Nobody, possibly Casey and Jennika. Donny joins with April (still with Stockman? Will he be employing Null to keep security in New York?), and Harold, possibly the Fugitoid and the other alien friends to counteract Krang’s return, and Mikey joins Sally’s breakoff Mutanimals to oppose Hob.

Okay that was more than a small prediction.

Finally, Krang...I really only hope Leatherhead can be saved. I think I was the only guy who actually thought the whole self loathing mutant hoping to protect earth from abominations like himself was an interesting and even sympathetic motivation, and post mutagen bomb he could have even gotten into the business of recruiting people.

[ChosenOne]

Finally, Krang...I really only hope Leatherhead can be saved. I think I was the only guy who actually thought the whole self loathing mutant hoping to protect earth from abominations like himself was an interesting and even sympathetic motivation, and post mutagen bomb he could have even gotten into the business of recruiting people.

You definitely weren't the only one. I hope he can get back to his old self eventually.

Also, I loved your thoughts on the big picture repercussions of this whole thing. Too bad that (probably) won't be explored in depth.

[CyberCubed]

Surprised nobody mentioned how Karai will react to Shredder being alive again, especially if Shredder is redeemed.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

You definitely weren't the only one. I hope he can get back to his old self eventually.

Also, I loved your thoughts on the big picture repercussions of this whole thing. Too bad that (probably) won't be explored in depth.

I was thinking those things, too. They'll probably explain the giant fvcking dragon as one hell of a mutant created by the blast... nobody's going to believe the Pantheon stuff.

And yeah, EPF is gonna come back with a vengeance.

[ChosenOne]

Surprised nobody mentioned how Karai will react to Shredder being alive again, especially if Shredder is redeemed.

Just one of those little things we'll have to wait to find out about because the issue ran out of space, I guess. Much like the fate of various characters after the events #50 that we later saw as a quick flashback.

I was thinking those things, too. They'll probably explain the giant fvcking dragon as one hell of a mutant created by the blast... nobody's going to believe the Pantheon stuff.

And yeah, EPF is gonna come back with a vengeance.

I still wish Bishop Jr.'s deformity and extremist actions had become public knowledge.

[MikeandRaph87]

Okay, so Tom says the Slash clone tapped into Slash with his dying breath, but Bobby leaves the door open. Could it be that the particular Slash clone is dead and a tease of Slash 2.0 some time later? Some, myself included speculate it as a tease for Agent Bishop becoming a consciousness transferred into cloned bodies as well. Wish it had started that way.

I wanted to go back and see the panel where Leatherhead was seen which issue was that? Also, which was it Fugitoid saw the Leatherhead/Krang image? Same or different issue. I can see this drag on a little while. We may get no further touches until #104.

[CyberCubed]

Slash is done.

Bishop could go either way, since they basically left a backdoor open in case they want to bring him back. Normally I’d say no but Bishop’s character is all about surviving and transferring his conscience is what the 4kids version was known for. So who knows. Ravenwood will probably lead the EPF for awhile.

[Mutant Ninja Anole]

Without Bishop, and with such a disaster in New York and the alien invasion (Stockman got the credit for defeating the Triceratons), I feel the EPF may actually be done for awhile. Stockman is mayor now, and was shown negotiating with Null. I really think Null moves in as a knight in shining armor of sorts, they can even provide their own mutants for security in the mutant heavy sections of New York. They were already planning to make mutants for soldiers, workers in hard conditions like deep sea mining etc, they can portray themselves as helping new, distraught mutants.

[daggio]

I wanted to go back and see the panel where Leatherhead was seen which issue was that? Also, which was it Fugitoid saw the Leatherhead/Krang image? Same or different issue. I can see this drag on a little while. We may get no further touches until #104.

Leatherhead appeared in one and a half panels in city at War part 2 which, I believe, is 94. It's right after Splinter and the Elite take out Lupo and his gang. Honeycutt getting spooked by something on the screen with Leatherhead/Krang was from part 1, #93 I think. That's literally the first page. I guess that's suppose to ironic. City at War starts with something Neutrino/Utrom related and ends on the same. And yet Dimension X and it's related inhabitants play no role in the arc.

[shredder orokusaki]

I took my revenge against this Splinter too! MUAHAHA That the second Splinter i kill!! Next target is the Rise of TMNT Splinter!

[Igglet]

I took my revenge against this Splinter too! MUAHAHA That the second Splinter i kill!! Next target is the Rise of TMNT Splinter!

https://i.imgur.com/OTvHii0.png

[daggio]

I took my revenge against this Splinter too! MUAHAHA That the second Splinter i kill!! Next target is the Rise of TMNT Splinter!

But you're a good guy now. You have to be a father figure to the TMNT now :lol::D

[CyberCubed]

How do you guys feel about the way villains get almost redeemed despite committing horrific acts?

- I mean Shredder literally killed Splinter, the Turtles, Tang Shen and countless others, yet Splinter seems so interested in giving Saki a second chance and forgiving him.

- Karai stabbed Jennika through the chest with the intent to kill her with no remorse. If Leonardo starts acting buddy-buddy with Karai in the future, even with Jennika saved, it would seem odd. Not to mention Karai was going to let Splinter starve to death in his cell. The only way they can redeem Karai is if they say the sword was feeding her anger and making her do things she wouldn't too the extreme.

- Bludgeon and Koya were going to kill the children, Koya keeps talking about feasting on the Turtles flesh :lol: . I swear the Turtles need to never forgive that bird.

- Leatherhead killed some Utroms earlier in the series, it was weird to see the other Utroms so lenient with him at Krang's trial. Even letting him escape without tracking him down after he ate Krang and we thought he died.

- Old Hob just mutated a bunch of innocent people in cold blood, the Turtles should never forgive him for this.


I feel like Hun is the only one who was legitimately redeemed for what he did, and his final act of saving his son was on point.

[ChosenOne]

How do you guys feel about the way villains get almost redeemed despite committing horrific acts?

- I mean Shredder literally killed Splinter, the Turtles, Tang Shen and countless others, yet Splinter seems so interested in giving Saki a second chance and forgiving him.

The whole story has been pretty clear that revenge begets revenge, violence begets violence. Splinter decided to turn his back on that endless cycle and try a different path: forgiveness. He gave Saki an honorable death before, and now gave him a chance to atone for his past crimes. I feel like you sometimes but when we come right down to it, this is probably the most mature and wholesome development for both characters. If only everyone IRL were that good...

[Mutant Ninja Anole]

I mean, Shredder did literally ‘do his time’ in the IDW equivalent of hell and came out the other side so...I suppose by the cosmological rules of the given universe we have to accept him as redeemed.

Other guys? Yeah, there is a bit of a problem here. I mean revenge, no, but you don’t have to be buddies. Probably a reason the turtles go their own separate ways.

[CyberCubed]

I want to see Jennika confront Karai about nearly killing her, not even counting the mutation.

[ChosenOne]

This might sound odd, but in the context of the story and the goal he was aiming for, I actually don't see what's so wrong about Hob mutating those people. He didn't kill them. Some or most are even physically enhanced now. And whatever happens next will only prove his point about mutants, one way or another.

Leatherhead is another tricky situation. If a concentration camp prisoner broke out before the end of the war and decided to kill a bunch of random Germans, including some of the people who helped keep Mengele's experiments going without necessarily knowing about them, would it be that unjustified? He was a victim of abuse and torture. He lashed out at his captors. Perfectly understandable. It's not like he would've done it if they had just let him be on Burnow.

(Of course, Leatherhead is too far gone and will lash out at anyone, but that's the whole fun...)

[daggio]

I mean, Shredder did literally ‘do his time’ in the IDW equivalent of hell and came out the other side so...I suppose by the cosmological rules of the given universe we have to accept him as redeemed.

We gotta keep the future aspects in mind, i.e. Shredder may take over Manhattan and mutant everybody. I realize that those future aspects we've seen don't necessarily have to occur, but some of the events are in place and occurring albeit on a smaller scale.

[ChosenOne]

We gotta keep the future aspects in mind, i.e. Shredder may take over Manhattan and mutant everybody. I realize that those future aspects we've seen don't necessarily have to occur, but some of the events are in place and occurring albeit on a smaller scale.

I don't think those will come to pass anymore. Splinter's vision of his sons turning against him was pretty much these 50 issues' equivalent of Turtles in Time #4, and we now know there's no way that can happen, so... Both of those dark futures were averted for good. They might be true in another timeline, but not in the "main" one that the comic follows.

[Mutant Ninja Anole]

Ah yes that future, plus his vision of leading an army of mutants and conquering the world. A twist would be a version of that future but with Shredder as a heroic figure defending the mutants of New York against Krang and other threats.

[daggio]

Ah yes that future, plus his vision of leading an army of mutants and conquering the world. A twist would be a version of that future but with Shredder as a heroic figure defending the mutants of New York against Krang and other threats.

Remember tho, if what we saw Turtles in Time 4 and B&R Destroy Everything is gonna happen (probably not, but for the sake of this post, let's pretend it is gonna happen :lol:) Krang and the Utroms are gonna take over Eurasia and Africa. Baxter will be left with Australasia.

[CyberCubed]

Yeah it was always obvious all these future glimpses we saw in all the variations issues were all what-if's and alternate timelines, not necessarily what the main timeline is heading toward. And now after issue #100, it's near impossible for some of those futures to happen.

[Wentos]

From reading a bit of this thread I don't think I'm going to say anything new or unique but I know the creative team lurks so I figure I at least owe them feedback.

IDW TMNT has always been a bit of a mess. There's always at least three or four separate things happening in any given issue, and usually many more on the backburner waiting to be brought out later. Waltz, Eastman and Curnow did an admirable job of keeping all the characters and plot threads coherent, and in many cases compelling, for the first 50 issues or so. But more and more the IDW comic has become a case of good concepts executed haphazardly at best.

Put simply, this book has too much stuff in it. Because the book has so many characters, characterization takes a back seat. And because so many things are happening so quickly, nothing has time to land with any impact or gravitas. The mutagen bomb should have been a huge inflection point for the entire series, yet it was dropped in the middle of the Dragon/Foot coup storyline, on the doorstep of issue 100's climax. Why? Why did that have to happen now? All it did was confuse and distract from the central narrative leading up to issue 100, Splinter and Shredder's shared redemption arc.

I don't know if the writers are burnt out or they're finally feeling the crushing weight of their own bloated writing style, but Campbell's run couldn't have come at a better time. This book has needed a breather for a long time. But even more than that, it needs to narrow its focus and stop trying to do a million things at once.

Make it about the damn Ninja Turtles again.

[80gmrp]

From reading a bit of this thread I don't think I'm going to say anything new or unique but I know the creative team lurks so I figure I at least owe them feedback.

IDW TMNT has always been a bit of a mess. There's always at least three or four separate things happening in any given issue, and usually many more on the backburner waiting to be brought out later. Waltz, Eastman and Curnow did an admirable job of keeping all the characters and plot threads coherent, and in many cases compelling, for the first 50 issues or so. But more and more the IDW comic has become a case of good concepts executed haphazardly at best.

Put simply, this book has too much stuff in it. Because the book has so many characters, characterization takes a back seat. And because so many things are happening so quickly, nothing has time to land with any impact or gravitas. The mutagen bomb should have been a huge inflection point for the entire series, yet it was dropped in the middle of the Dragon/Foot coup storyline, on the doorstep of issue 100's climax. Why? Why did that have to happen now? All it did was confuse and distract from the central narrative leading up to issue 100, Splinter and Shredder's shared redemption arc.

I don't know if the writers are burnt out or they're finally feeling the crushing weight of their own bloated writing style, but Campbell's run couldn't have come at a better time. This book has needed a breather for a long time. But even more than that, it needs to narrow its focus and stop trying to do a million things at once.

Make it about the damn Ninja Turtles again.

I can agree with most of this (the exception, Campbell's direction, is hard for me to give an opinion over just yet). Add to it that there's so much that still needs to be either explained or resolved, which we won't be able to see for at least a few months judging from what I saw of the next issues, one good example of this being Leatherhead apparently becoming a mindless slave to Krang...

[CyberCubed]

I originally thought they killed off Krang so Ch'rell can become the new big and important evil Utrom, and that seemed to be the direction they were going in. But if Krang is still alive, it demotes Ch'rell back to #2 again, making him feel kind of redundant. So now I kinda feel like Ch'rell in this series is unnecessary, and they could have just had that other Utrom Kleve or whatever his name was cause some minor chaos until Krang returned.

Having two evil Utroms at the same time feels kinda crowded, and I would have prefered Krang to just be killed off so Ch'rell's character could have room to breathe in this series. As it is, Ch'rell was introduced way back in the early 50's issues...and we're 50 issues later and he hasn't really done much of anything. I'm not sure what they have planned for him but I kinda feel like his role in this series is not really needed, he can't become the new Shredder either, so he's just kinda there.

Besides that, I do think Kitsune should have died here. Now that we know the Pantheon can be killed, after what Kitsune did to Aka and almost to Karai, it would have been fitting if she met her end here, her character arc feels complete. Now the whole Pantheon stuff seems kinda at a close, besides whatever chaos Rat King still does, because the rest of the Patheon weren't interested in world domination.

[ChosenOne]

I originally thought they killed off Krang so Ch'rell can become the new big and important evil Utrom, and that seemed to be the direction they were going in. But if Krang is still alive, it demotes Ch'rell back to #2 again, making him feel kind of redundant. So now I kinda feel like Ch'rell in this series is unnecessary, and they could have just had that other Utrom Kleve or whatever his name was cause some minor chaos until Krang returned.

Having two evil Utroms at the same time feels kinda crowded, and I would have prefered Krang to just be killed off so Ch'rell's character could have room to breathe in this series. As it is, Ch'rell was introduced way back in the early 50's issues...and we're 50 issues later and he hasn't really done much of anything. I'm not sure what they have planned for him but I kinda feel like his role in this series is not really needed, he can't become the new Shredder either, so he's just kinda there.

Unless Ch'rell's purpose isn't to be just another evil Utrom... And who says there can't be other Shredders in the future? Food for thought.

[lonewarrior20]

I enjoyed it. Even though it's a year away, I hope they do a holiday special issue next year now that 100 is done.

[MikeandRaph87]

What role will Oroku Saki have going forward? If he is supposedly reformed he would pick up where Splinter left off with a peaceful vigilante clan?

[ChosenOne]

What role will Oroku Saki have going forward? If he is supposedly reformed he would pick up where Splinter left off with a peaceful vigilante clan?

I don't think he'll want to have anything more to do with the Foot. He's been down that road before with bad intentions and saw where it got him, and he knows what came of Splinter doing it with good intentions.

Saki will now either stay out of everyone's affairs completely or just become a mentor for the Turtles. The latter possibility sounds extremely intriguing.

[MikeandRaph87]

I don't think he'll want to have anything more to do with the Foot. He's been down that road before with bad intentions and saw where it got him, and he knows what came of Splinter doing it with good intentions.

Saki will now either stay out of everyone's affairs completely or just become a mentor for the Turtles. The latter possibility sounds extremely intriguing.

It reminds me of Magneto leading the X-Men for a time with Xavier sidelined. Saki and the TMNT bond with each other over Splinter and he advises them? Its a plotpoint dangling that we have not really had any tease for yet as its just developing. I am hoping despite #101-#103 focusing on Mutant Town and the mole people that we get an idea where it might go.

[ChosenOne]

It reminds me of Magneto leading the X-Men for a time with Xavier sidelined.

Me too. Not to mention the more recent example of Negan on The Walking Dead (moreso the show than the comic). It's a pretty awesome development that's never been tried before, which makes it right up IDW's alley. The possibilities are endless.

[MikeandRaph87]

If we have a tentative 50 issue plan, it seems like the Turtles start off on their own paths, but one might be more inclined to follow Saki than the others like an inverse of Mike not wanting to follow Splinter into the Foot and then eventually they break away while remaining in touch but this case they all eventually fall under Saki's guidance when he leads them into the next big battle. Perhaps an event will occur that makes the Turtles more inclined to honor Splinter by being advised by Saki( which is weird since he did slaughter them all in their first life).

[ChosenOne]

If we have a tentative 50 issue plan, it seems like the Turtles start off on their own paths, but one might be more inclined to follow Saki than the others like an inverse of Mike not wanting to follow Splinter into the Foot and then eventually they break away while remaining in touch but this case they all eventually fall under Saki's guidance when he leads them into the next big battle. Perhaps an event will occur that makes the Turtles more inclined to honor Splinter by being advised by Saki( which is weird since he did slaughter them all in their first life).

Well, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the big threat for the next 50 issues is probably whatever Null (and Maligna?) is cooking up. Mutants are now public knowledge, that whole issue should be coming to the forefront, Stockman is Mayor, Hob is a potential wanted terrorist... Just like the Pantheon was teased in the first 50 issues, so too was Null built up in these last 50. The Krang/Leatherhead thing might be up there too but it shouldn't be as long term as we assume right now.

I totally agree with your assessment and can't wait until we see Saki leading/joining the Turtles in battle. If Bishop ever comes back and the two fight, which is something I've wanted to see since the 2003 cartoon, I'll be even more hyped!

[Igglet]

Saki being the new father figure for the Turtles is a plot point that can work extremely well if executed properly, but can backfire spectacularly if not. Honestly, after City at War, I'm sort of hoping they go for something safer.

[CyberCubed]

Splinter leading the Foot Clan worked well, it's kinda sad it's over already. Like most it was odd he was so cold to his sons at first but after he gradually moved on from that it was too late as Karai came barging in and now he's dead. So all the fears of Splinter turning evil, going against his sons, it's all over now.

A lot of other things were also oddly short-lived when you think of it:

- Bishop and Metalhead working together. Metalhead wanted to see Area 51, but he's been shut down and Bishop is dead, lol

- Hun and Bishop working together, again, both are dead now.

- Karai having Splinter imprisoned, would have liked that to last a little longer.

- Ocho's whole role in the series in general. Really surprised he was killed off already as he didn't really have much focus. But he served his purpose I guess.

- Raph working with Old Hob, obviously it's done for now after the mutagen bomb, but Raph working with Old Hob had a lot of story potential that's already pretty much over.

- April working with Aka, obviously that can't happen anymore.

- Karai and Splinter's feud is now over already, there's nobody to fight for control of the Foot Clan, and all of Splinter's soldiers are now under command of Karai.

- Splinter's Elite Guard are all dead.

- Bishop and Ravenwood's potential rivalry with the EPF probably won't be explored now.


Besides that I wonder if Karai will just continue to lead the Foot. I also wonder if Bebop/Rocksteady will stay with her or just go off on their own again. Koya/Bludgeon probably should have been killed off too, as they're just redundant muscle at this point.

I also hope Old Hob has more of a falling out with the other Mutanimals, rather than them just saying what he did was wrong.

[ChosenOne]

Splinter leading the Foot Clan worked well, it's kinda sad it's over already. Like most it was odd he was so cold to his sons at first but after he gradually moved on from that it was too late as Karai came barging in and now he's dead. So all the fears of Splinter turning evil, going against his sons, it's all over now.

A lot of other things were also oddly short-lived when you think of it:

(...)

I understand it's hardly an excuse and I do agree with some of your points, but as they say... Change is constant.

[Mutant Ninja Anole]

So...

Who’s going to clean up that dragon?

Like, seriously, its body was left and was large enough to drape over buildings. The logistics of moving something like that are a nightmare. Will ordinary human tools even harm his hide if they try to cut him up? Would the outpouring of blood and other fluids fill the streets? What if he starts to rot?

I know, I’m asking the really important questions here.

[ChosenOne]

So...

Who’s going to clean up that dragon?

Like, seriously, its body was left and was large enough to drape over buildings. The logistics of moving something like that are a nightmare. Will ordinary human tools even harm his hide if they try to cut him up? Would the outpouring of blood and other fluids fill the streets? What if he starts to rot?

I know, I’m asking the really important questions here.

Mousers. Another chance for Stockman to show off his genius.

[TomWaltz]

From reading a bit of this thread I don't think I'm going to say anything new or unique but I know the creative team lurks so I figure I at least owe them feedback.

IDW TMNT has always been a bit of a mess. There's always at least three or four separate things happening in any given issue, and usually many more on the backburner waiting to be brought out later. Waltz, Eastman and Curnow did an admirable job of keeping all the characters and plot threads coherent, and in many cases compelling, for the first 50 issues or so. But more and more the IDW comic has become a case of good concepts executed haphazardly at best.

Put simply, this book has too much stuff in it. Because the book has so many characters, characterization takes a back seat. And because so many things are happening so quickly, nothing has time to land with any impact or gravitas. The mutagen bomb should have been a huge inflection point for the entire series, yet it was dropped in the middle of the Dragon/Foot coup storyline, on the doorstep of issue 100's climax. Why? Why did that have to happen now? All it did was confuse and distract from the central narrative leading up to issue 100, Splinter and Shredder's shared redemption arc.

I don't know if the writers are burnt out or they're finally feeling the crushing weight of their own bloated writing style, but Campbell's run couldn't have come at a better time. This book has needed a breather for a long time. But even more than that, it needs to narrow its focus and stop trying to do a million things at once.

Make it about the damn Ninja Turtles again.

Come on... tell us how you really feel.

:twink:

Well, despite our long-running "mess", the good news is that 100 was only the end of my run, Wentos -- not the end of the series (something some folks seem to be forgetting). A lot of your concerns will be addressed ably and awesomely by Sophie Campbell starting with issue #101 (the first two pages of which are a gut punch of the highest order). Now that the war is over and the dust has settled, the mutagen bomb and its after effects will be high on the list of things our heroes must now deal with.

Keep reading... the series is in great hands!

Talk soon...

Tom W.

[Mayhem]

A lot of your concerns will be addressed ably and awesomely by Sophie Campbell starting with issue #101 (the first two pages of which are a gut punch of the highest order).
Cliffhanger hype, much? ;)

[Igglet]

Come on... tell us how you really feel.

:twink:

Well, despite our long-running "mess", the good news is that 100 was only the end of my run, Wentos -- not the end of the series (something some folks seem to be forgetting). A lot of your concerns will be addressed ably and awesomely by Sophie Campbell starting with issue #101 (the first two pages of which are a gut punch of the highest order). Now that the war is over and the dust has settled, the mutagen bomb and its after effects will be high on the list of things our heroes must now deal with.

Keep reading... the series is in great hands!

Talk soon...

Tom W.

I think you might be misunderstanding some of the criticism, Tom. Yeah, the fact that the mutagen bomb plot hasn't been resolved in City at War doesn't mean it won't be resolved post-#100. Quite the contrary, we know that it'll be the focus from the solicitations. However, that's not really the point.

The mutagen bomb explosion was treated as an extremely big deal that will define the run going forward. It also happened during the big, final arc of the last 50 issues (+ all the side stuff). The fact that you had it happen in the middle of this big finale and then said "We'll come back to it later" significantly lessens its impact as it's given no time to set in before being pulled out of the story, but it also lessens the impact of the core conflict as it not only takes the spotlight away from it, it also makes the entire story feel unfocused and, as Wentos said, messy.

Very excited for Sophie's run, I do genuinely mean well with all of my criticism, even though it might not sound that way.

[martinitolove]

Dear Tom, Kevin and Bobby!

After a week soaking in the 100-th issue, I would like to thank you for a great peace of literature! I was very worried that you'd kill off Splinter, like in most other TMNT-series. But finaly reading the book I was relieved. You've shown yourself as grandmasters, with putting pieces on and off the board as much at the comic medium allows. And you do it in very clever ways, work forward it, then execute the coup! Krang is in the game, Bishop out, for the moment, and Shredder you've exchanged with Splinter. For a moment, I'm sure - and in Shredder in Hell we see how it developes in the world behind for Splinter (love your loops, like in B&R). I really enjoy your game! Your finesse is something to aspire for. Please, don't be upset by the critics - there will allways be those - but continue the highest level intelectual comic on the market now! You've got a great creative team with Sophie and Mattheus and others. Thank you for captivating my mind and thoughts, thank you for making me be a child again, thank you for making me dream!!!

[AquaParade]

Congratulations to the team on reaching issue #100 - a great feat- and keeping the TMNT relevant in the comicbook space. This run of TMNT has made a huge mark on the franchise that we will likely be seeing the fruits of for a long time. The book doesn't necessarily cater to my tastes, but I do find elements to love, and it has proven itself critically and in sales. Great stuff.

[Utrommaniac]

I originally thought they killed off Krang so Ch'rell can become the new big and important evil Utrom, and that seemed to be the direction they were going in. But if Krang is still alive, it demotes Ch'rell back to #2 again, making him feel kind of redundant. So now I kinda feel like Ch'rell in this series is unnecessary, and they could have just had that other Utrom Kleve or whatever his name was cause some minor chaos until Krang returned.

Having two evil Utroms at the same time feels kinda crowded, and I would have prefered Krang to just be killed off so Ch'rell's character could have room to breathe in this series. As it is, Ch'rell was introduced way back in the early 50's issues...and we're 50 issues later and he hasn't really done much of anything. I'm not sure what they have planned for him but I kinda feel like his role in this series is not really needed, he can't become the new Shredder either, so he's just kinda there.

Besides that, I do think Kitsune should have died here. Now that we know the Pantheon can be killed, after what Kitsune did to Aka and almost to Karai, it would have been fitting if she met her end here, her character arc feels complete. Now the whole Pantheon stuff seems kinda at a close, besides whatever chaos Rat King still does, because the rest of the Patheon weren't interested in world domination.

I pretty much agree with everything here. Especially with Ch'rell. Like, at least give the guy some time to make his own impact before he and Krang join forces again.

[ChosenOne]

I pretty much agree with everything here. Especially with Ch'rell. Like, at least give the guy some time to make his own impact before he and Krang join forces again.

https://www.meme-arsenal.com/memes/ded796780a1392da89ab0fc4b4277cad.jpg

[CyberCubed]

I honestly feel like we need a whole mini-series outside the main ongoing just to cover all the Utrom/Triceraton stuff. It's weird they're all just chilling on Burnow Island together while the Turtles were facing Karai, Bishop, the Pantheon and now have to deal with a new mutant town.

You can only put stuff "on the shelf" for so long before it gets lost in the jumble of everything. Like are the Utroms and Triceratons making tea together in all this time?

[Igglet]

I honestly feel like we need a whole mini-series outside the main ongoing just to cover all the Utrom/Triceraton stuff. It's weird they're all just chilling on Burnow Island together while the Turtles were facing Karai, Bishop, the Pantheon and now have to deal with a new mutant town.

You can only put stuff "on the shelf" for so long before it gets lost in the jumble of everything. Like are the Utroms and Triceratons making tea together in all this time?

Honestly, I feel like a few lines referencing what's going on there would be enough. The Utrom/Triceraton stuff is sure to come to the forefront soon enough, so I don't think there's need for a mini-series (though a one-shot could work really well perhaps). However, as you said, we should at least find out what's going on.

[Andrew NDB]

I was very worried that you'd kill off Splinter, like in most other TMNT-series.

2 out of like 10 is hardly that.

[CyberCubed]

They should really delve into the psychological trauma of these humans becoming mutants. Obviously a human to mutant is a bigger deal than an animal gaining intelligence and becoming a mutant.

Imagine you're just a normal human and then turn into a walking animal for the rest of your life. You got to be more freaked out when you turn into a duck man, or walking flamingo, than anything else.

[ChosenOne]

They should really delve into the psychological trauma of these humans becoming mutants. Obviously a human to mutant is a bigger deal than an animal gaining intelligence and becoming a mutant.

Imagine you're just a normal human and then turn into a walking animal for the rest of your life. You got to be more freaked out when you turn into a duck man, or walking flamingo, than anything else.

Humans are animals. Depending on the species, that would be cool as f***. And they're all physically enhanced, aren't they? If even something as sluggish and unassuming as a turtle can get a boost from the mutation, imagine what it does for a human? (Rhetorical question, we know what it does for humans.)

[AquaParade]

They should really delve into the psychological trauma of these humans becoming mutants. Obviously a human to mutant is a bigger deal than an animal gaining intelligence and becoming a mutant.

Imagine you're just a normal human and then turn into a walking animal for the rest of your life. You got to be more freaked out when you turn into a duck man, or walking flamingo, than anything else.

I essentially agree. It depends on the type of tone you've established but it's hard to ignore how easily characters like Jennika seem to have transitioned. May sound crass but I'd be freaking out over my sexual organs and digestive system, for one thing.
On one hand, you could argue it doesn't matter to the story, but to me, it's difficult to accept so easily.

[Cloudrunner]

I essentially agree. It depends on the type of tone you've established but it's hard to ignore how easily characters like Jennika seem to have transitioned. May sound crass but I'd be freaking out over my sexual organs and digestive system, for one thing.
On one hand, you could argue it doesn't matter to the story, but to me, it's difficult to accept so easily.

Well apparently the Jennika mini is exploring that aspect... after the fact. I think that's just an issue of the fast pace of the comic's main story not having enough time to develop those parts of a character, so they get relegated to minis (or the Universe books). I remember Alopex had a similar issue, where she was apparently still recovering from the shock of freeing herself from Kitsune's mind control, even though at the end of the issue where Angel and Raph rescued her, she seemed perfectly fine. But they devoted 2 Universe issues to her "recovery" (even though that quickly switched to a story about Toad Baron). I guess the point is you'll have to just... ignore continuity a bit in favor of character growth. They are exploring the psychological effects of her mutation... just well after it happened.

[CyberCubed]

Remember these are normal people changed into mutants. Jennika is at least a well trained ninja interacting with mutants all the time and her personality can adapt to change quickly. And it's not like Bebop/Rocksteady who WANTED to be mutants.

It's normal people transformed into animals. I don't know about you but if I woke up one day and discovered I became a goat man or a talking giraffe and I lost my entire human identity with a entirely different form and animal instinct, I'd have a mental breakdown.

[ChosenOne]

Remember these are normal people changed into mutants. Jennika is at least a well trained ninja interacting with mutants all the time and her personality can adapt to change quickly. And it's not like Bebop/Rocksteady who WANTED to be mutants.

It's normal people transformed into animals. I don't know about you but if I woke up one day and discovered I became a goat man or a talking giraffe and I lost my entire human identity with a entirely different form and animal instinct, I'd have a mental breakdown.

That's the thing, their identity and personality are still the same. Only their bodies change, not their minds. Sure, there might be some trauma there from the transformation, but all things considered, Hob actually improved on them. Pretty much the only advantage we humans have over other animals is our intellect, and the people who were mutated retain that on top of their bodies' new animal traits and a general physical enhancement (strength, etc, as we've seen all mutants have over humans) to boot! Goats, for instance, are excellent climbers, something we humans often struggle to accomplish without the assistance of specialized tools and/or other humans. Gaining that skill and retaining one's intellect? Doesn't sound that bad to me.

[Andrew NDB]

That's the thing, their identity and personality are still the same. Only their bodies change, not their minds.

If you really get down to it, not exactly. If I got exposed to some ooze and became Otter Man, my memories would be intact, sure... but my brain would've changed in the mutation, too. There would be different brain chemicals, different hormones, different everything. I would still be "in there," but I would be thinking at least a good bit differently.

[AquaParade]

That's the thing, their identity and personality are still the same. Only their bodies change, not their minds. Sure, there might be some trauma there from the transformation, but all things considered, Hob actually improved on them. Pretty much the only advantage we humans have over other animals is our intellect, and the people who were mutated retain that on top of their bodies' new animal traits and a general physical enhancement (strength, etc, as we've seen all mutants have over humans) to boot! Goats, for instance, are excellent climbers, something we humans often struggle to accomplish without the assistance of specialized tools and/or other humans. Gaining that skill and retaining one's intellect? Doesn't sound that bad to me.

Lol I love you for taking this route but good luck convincing that to someone who has a mutant ass and can't get a date Saturday night.

[neatoman]

If you really get down to it, not exactly. If I got exposed to some ooze and became Otter Man, my memories would be intact, sure... but my brain would've changed in the mutation, too. There would be different brain chemicals, different hormones, different everything. I would still be "in there," but I would be thinking at least a good bit differently.

Exactly, think of it like how going through puberty, getting old or taking drugs can make radical changes to your brain.

[ChosenOne]

If you really get down to it, not exactly. If I got exposed to some ooze and became Otter Man, my memories would be intact, sure... but my brain would've changed in the mutation, too. There would be different brain chemicals, different hormones, different everything. I would still be "in there," but I would be thinking at least a good bit differently.

Well, Bebop and Rocksteady are still the same. Sure, there wasn't much brain there to speak of in the first place, but their personalities remained intact. They just leveled up. Same with Dreadmon.

Lol I love you for taking this route but good luck convincing that to someone who has a mutant ass and can't get a date Saturday night.

Well, that's what Mutant Town is for! :D They're no longer alone. If a turtle and a fox can make it work...

Exactly, think of it like how going through puberty, getting old or taking drugs can make radical changes to your brain.

We haven't seen the mutagen to have an addictive effect, so the drugs comparison is (IMHO) off the table. And puberty... Don't people usually come out the other side of that a lot better than they started, in every possible way?

[ProphetofGanja]

We haven't seen the mutagen to have an addictive effect, so the drugs comparison is (IMHO) off the table. And puberty... Don't people usually come out the other side of that a lot better than they started, in every possible way?

I don’t think neatoman was saying mutagen is addictive; merely that it likely affects one’s brain chemistry rather significantly, like long term hardcore drug use could

[ChosenOne]

I don’t think neatoman was saying mutagen is addictive; merely that it likely affects one’s brain chemistry rather significantly, like long term hardcore drug use could

I realized that after I replied, but decided not to edit it because more often than not, the addiction itself is just as much a cause of changes in an addict's personality as the physical effects of the drugs. And we haven't seen any negative side effects of the mutagen on mutated individuals' minds either.

[neatoman]

And puberty... Don't people usually come out the other side of that a lot better than they started, in every possible way?

I'm not refering to a degenerative change there, just a change in general.