TMNT #150. Preview and discussion

[AlZarkovski]

First preview (https://www.looper.com/1549481/exclusive-preview-tmnt-150/).

[CyberCubed]

"A bloody end?'

We know they're not going to kill off any of the characters, as Jennika and the others are already in the relaunch issues. It's too bad they can't kill off Lita, Bob, Carmen, Jennika, etc. because we know they'll all still be around.

Armaggon is so boring in IDW I wish they never used him and instead just some other character with the same name. Archie Armaggon > Nick Armaggon >>>>> IDW Armaggon.

[TheLabRat]

The reboot is coming, so Campbell is very eager to fulfill her AU prophecy in #139, no matter how silly. Like I still don't understand why future Donnie is a mad wizard instead of a mad scientist?

[MikeandRaph87]

"A bloody end?'

We know they're not going to kill off any of the characters, as Jennika and the others are already in the relaunch issues. It's too bad they can't kill off Lita, Bob, Carmen, Jennika, etc. because we know they'll all still be around.

Armaggon is so boring in IDW I wish they never used him and instead just some other character with the same name. Archie Armaggon > Nick Armaggon >>>>> IDW Armaggon.

Same goes for The Punk Frogs, Razhar and Tokka, Groundchuck and Dirtbag.I could go on.

Agreed on the above as well. Let's just be rid of them!

[CyberCubed]

The Punk Frogs were handled alright, an improvement over the originals not that it matters. Groundchuck/Dirtbag was fun with the combined version too, it's not like they really serve much purpose besides being more mutant henchmen.

[Chaotix12345]

I actually really enjoyed IDW's take on Tokka and Rahzar. Took their basic DNA from SOTO only without the restrictions of a family-friendly movie forcing them to be mostly slapsticky foils with a lot of strength. Them downing Karai's transport and their tussle with both the Turtles and B&R really show off their potential to be actually really cool, dangerous threats when they're riled up. I just wish that they had been allowed to stick around with Karai's crew instead of being whisked to the future after four issues.

[neatoman]

I'm not sure why anyone cares about Tokka and Rahzar in the first place. They were basically created to replace Bebop and Rocksteady because they suck as characters, and yet somehow ended up being even worse.

[Andrew NDB]

I'm not sure why anyone cares about Tokka and Rahzar in the first place. They were basically created to replace Bebop and Rocksteady because they suck as characters, and yet somehow ended up being even worse.

It just proves that with enough time (certain) people get nostalgic for just about anything.

[TheLabRat]

I actually really enjoyed IDW's take on Tokka and Rahzar. Took their basic DNA from SOTO only without the restrictions of a family-friendly movie forcing them to be mostly slapsticky foils with a lot of strength. Them downing Karai's transport and their tussle with both the Turtles and B&R really show off their potential to be actually really cool, dangerous threats when they're riled up. I just wish that they had been allowed to stick around with Karai's crew instead of being whisked to the future after four issues.

They are still babies, which mean the turtles can't even hurt them. Even if they commit irreparable crimes, they may be easily forgiven because they are babies.

[ProphetofGanja]

It seems they're retconning the fact that the IDW Turtles were originally sea turtles (which, to be fair, was always a really weird choice to me)

[CyberCubed]

Honestly it's kinda sad that IDW TMNT reaching issue #150, which is an amazing milestone when you realize this comic started back in 2011, isn't really met with much excitement....but rather relief that Sophie Campbell's run is finally over.

This should be a huge milestone for the book and an epic story arc, but instead it's just meh, with people hoping it doesn't do much more damage to the narrative before it ends. When IDW TMNT first started none of us ever believed it could last this long, 150 issues over almost 14 years is an insane run, and instead we're just glad this portion of the series is over.

At the very least there's a chance for IDW TMNT to bounce back with Jason Aaron's run, and I'm glad they're not rebooting and sticking to the same universe after everything they built up. Let's just hope for better days ahead.

[ProphetofGanja]

I've been thinking a lot about the IDW run recently since I started making some custom MTG cards based on it and have been rereading it, and I have to say there is so much more good than bad, but yeah there has been a lot of forgettable (or stuff I WISH was forgettable) in the past couple years, but I think shaking things up with a new #1 and a new creative team is the right move at this time.

[TheLabRat]

Honestly it's kinda sad that IDW TMNT reaching issue #150, which is an amazing milestone when you realize this comic started back in 2011, isn't really met with much excitement....but rather relief that Sophie Campbell's run is finally over.

This should be a huge milestone for the book and an epic story arc, but instead it's just meh,

This is the main problem with Campbell and Waltz. They came out with some ideas that I like conceptually but go too big or don't give themselves time to explore them. Everything is rushed.

[Toxin45]

Hopefully Jason Aaron’s run on tmnt would put idw tmnt back on track. Like maybe adding lord dregg as the new big bad and forgotten plot lines for it.

[DexVcx]

Honestly it's kinda sad that IDW TMNT reaching issue #150, which is an amazing milestone when you realize this comic started back in 2011, isn't really met with much excitement....but rather relief that Sophie Campbell's run is finally over.

This should be a huge milestone for the book and an epic story arc, but instead it's just meh, with people hoping it doesn't do much more damage to the narrative before it ends. When IDW TMNT first started none of us ever believed it could last this long, 150 issues over almost 14 years is an insane run, and instead we're just glad this portion of the series is over.

At the very least there's a chance for IDW TMNT to bounce back with Jason Aaron's run, and I'm glad they're not rebooting and sticking to the same universe after everything they built up. Let's just hope for better days ahead.

Argee, i dont feel any excitement of this milestone because there is nothing to be excited just want it to be over and done with this garbage era. So jason aaron can atleast fix and salvage this series.

[TheLabRat]

IDW turtles have become so boring and unlikeable, they actually had no real character development. The writers clearly favor some villains and other characters.

[Ninjinister]

IDW turtles have become so boring and unlikeable, they actually had no real character development. The writers clearly favor some villains and other characters.

Sounds like someone doesn't read the comic :roll: How the **** could you say that otherwise?

[TheLabRat]

Hopefully Jason Aaron’s run on tmnt would put idw tmnt back on track. Like maybe adding lord dregg as the new big bad and forgotten plot lines for it.
If the reboot get worse, it could be like Todd Howard/Bethesda trashed Black Isle/Obsidian New Vegas in the new Fallout TV show.

[DexVcx]

Its so confusing we dont even know when this issue comes out it says April 14 then the 24. There's nothing to build up to lmao.

[hypered1]

Its so confusing we dont even know when this issue comes out it says April 14 then the 24. There's nothing to build up to lmao.

It's was originally listed for April 10th and has been pushed back twice, first to the 17th and then to the 24th.

[Wentos]

I haven't collected the main IDW series in years, but I remember release dates getting pushed back was pretty common, particularly milestone issues. Issue #50 was delayed almost two months.
(It was worth it though. That issue is a masterpiece.)

[hypered1]

Issue #50 was delayed almost two months.

Issue #50 was delayed by one week. The only issues delayed by over a month were #105 - 107 and that was during Covid.

[CyberCubed]

I really don't know what to expect from this final issue but I guess it's a good things it's over.

[Stu_Padasso]

I just read #150 on Apple iBooks.

Ooo- kay… no spoilers here.

While I do believe that Campbell is a very talented artist and character designer, she doesn’t seem to know what to do with them. Characters are introduced or re-introduced from other iterations of the franchise only to be disposed of later on. While we do get an explanation about how the QNA resulted in the Turtles “resurrection,” the narrative is an incoherent mess that will probably leave all sorts of questions in regards to the continuity of previous events upon closer examination.

I just thank thank merciful baby Jebus that TMNT isn’t part of a massive shared universe like Marvel or DC that involved all sorts of tie-ins and crossovers that require f-cking flow charts involving titles and characters that you couldn’t give a crap about in order to follow the story. But, that’s the subject of another time.

And of course the premise of Mutant Town that I believe had a lot of potential was wasted.

And, dammit, I really liked little turtle Lita, even though I usually hate kid sidekicks.

It’s funny that some people here think that Campbell’s run should be retconned out of continuity, but the truth is that hardly anything really happened. Out of a 50 issue run, 30 or so could basically be ignored.

[neatoman]

I just read #150 on Apple iBooks.

Ooo- kay… no spoilers here.

While I do believe that Campbell is a very talented artist and character designer, she doesn’t seem to know what to do with them. Characters are introduced or re-introduced from other iterations of the franchise only to be disposed of later on. While we do get an explanation about how the QNA resulted in the Turtles “resurrection,” the narrative is an incoherent mess that will probably leave all sorts of questions in regards to the continuity of previous events upon closer examination.

I just thank thank merciful baby Jebus that TMNT isn’t part of a massive shared universe like Marvel or DC that involved all sorts of tie-ins and crossovers that require f-cking flow charts involving titles and characters that you couldn’t give a crap about in order to follow the story. But, that’s the subject of another time.

And of course the premise of Mutant Town that I believe had a lot of potential was wasted.

And, dammit, I really liked little turtle Lita, even though I usually hate kid sidekicks.

It’s funny that some people here think that Campbell’s run should be retconned out of continuity, but the truth is that hardly anything really happened. Out of a 50 issue run, 30 or so could basically be ignored.

You know, if you want to state spoilers you can just use the spoiler tags.

[TheLabRat]

All this pseudoscience crap about "magic gravity" really means nothing. They could even explained more simply in terms of theology things like reincarnation, fatalism.

[neatoman]

Alright, I've read it and all I can say is:
QUAItQmq-LU

It was stupid, really stupid and basically relied on hijacking moments from the Waltz run to fake any sort of impact, but at least it's over and reasonably irrelevant enough to be disregarded by future writers.

[TheLabRat]

What the hell? They "suddenly" stopped search for Donnie and all went on vacation and maybe having a snowball fights. The bonds of family? Pfff!

https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/029/433/holdup.jpg

[benea]

eh so basically theres no big important finish. ends like a damp turtle shell which is a bummer. the guys didnt even get the final page.

[BornAgain]

I haven’t read since early on in Campbell’s run and haven’t read consistently since like issue #50.

I checked this issue out because I’m looking forward to the reboot and thought it might be helpful to catch up. Pretty confusing, and not the clean slate ending I was expecting but I suppose that will be taken care of in “Alpha”. Overall I was very confused but that’s what I should expect when jumping in at the final issue.

Hardly recognized Dan Duncan when he popped up on art duties. His style seems to always change.

[CyberCubed]

This issue had a lot going on, I'm not sure I liked it but it was a vast improvement over the last few issues. So Venus is the reason the Turtles and Hamato Yoshi were reincarnated after they died, due to time travel shenanigans and transported the QNA from their human bodies to the Turtle eggs and rat at Stockman's lab. I actually like that and I guess that explains an old plot hole from Waltz run about the whole reincarnation thing rather than Splinter just wishing they had another chance in a new life before they died?

Venus' fate is ambiguous. Did she go into the afterlife with Yoshi and Tang Shen? Is she still alive? Who knows. Lita stays human which is a good thing. I guess her future self gets retconned as well?

Bob was a dumb, dumb character. Like I still don't get him. And what happened to future Don and the two magic Turtle drawings? Did they go to their own time?

All in all it was fine, better than Sophie's last few issues even if confusing. We basically went down to only 1 female Turtle, and Jennika and Sheena are probably going to be written off in a road trip somewhere soon. Or died on their way back to their home planet.

Also for a 150th issue it's weird that Donatello is the only Turtle for the whole issue and not the others.

[Wentos]

We basically went down to only 1 female Turtle, and Jennika and Sheena are probably going to be written off in a road trip somewhere soon. Or died on their way back to their home planet.
I thought the current speculation was that Jennika is IDW Nightwatcher? I personally don't really care, so long as she keeps her Scrappy Doo self out of the main title.

[Cowabung-Gal]

It’s done. The abomination that was once IDW TMNT has finally been put out of its misery.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/541648fde4b0f910e312cd76/1434405955441-LZ0JPQAAKDGHYA4UF114/image-asset.jpeg?format=2500w

[Andrew NDB]

This issue had a lot going on, I'm not sure I liked it but it was a vast improvement over the last few issues. So Venus is the reason the Turtles and Hamato Yoshi were reincarnated after they died, due to time travel shenanigans and transported the QNA from their human bodies to the Turtle eggs and rat at Stockman's lab.

They actually did an origin story to explain some reincarnations? :roll:

[Jeff]

i thought it was a nice way to wrap up volume 5. a lot of it was mumbo jumbo exposition, but its comics, and i love it! its a happy, bittersweet ending of this chapter and i can't wait to read what happens next! Nightwatcher FCBD issue was a nice tease, too.

[Andrew NDB]

i thought it was a nice way to wrap up volume 5

Volume what?

[oldmanwinters]

Volume what?

Heh, yeah, it's funny when people refer to the IDW series as that. At least Image's run attempted to be a continuation of Mirage continuity until "Volume" said it wasn't.

[Andrew NDB]

It's just always struck me as a dumb thing to push. What, is Dreamwave actually the real Volume 4, then? It's IDW TMNT Vol. 1. When it comes back with a new #1 then that'll be IDW TMNT Vol. 2.

[CyberCubed]

The reincarnation thing never had a real reason to happen under Waltz run. Hamato Yoshi just wished upon it to get another chance for him and his sons and they get killed by Shredder, but it never got explained why they wound up in baby turtles and a rat in Stockman's lab in the year 2011.

I guess now we know. Venus through time travel shenanigans absorbed their QNA from their dead human bodies in ancient Japan and kept it with her till she and Don teleported to 2011 and she magically infused them with it in the lab before the Turtles were hatched and when the Splinter rat was just a regular rat. In a way it makes sense, as opposed to Yoshi just wishing upon a star to get reincarnated like Pinnocchio.

[shinycloudkid]

The reincarnation thing never had a real reason to happen under Waltz run. Hamato Yoshi just wished upon it to get another chance for him and his sons and they get killed by Shredder, but it never got explained why they wound up in baby turtles and a rat in Stockman's lab in the year 2011.

I guess now we know. Venus through time travel shenanigans absorbed their QNA from their dead human bodies in ancient Japan and kept it with her till she and Don teleported to 2011 and she magically infused them with it in the lab before the Turtles were hatched and when the Splinter rat was just a regular rat. In a way it makes sense, as opposed to Yoshi just wishing upon a star to get reincarnated like Pinnocchio.

Yeah, surprisingly I thought this all fit pretty well "lore"-wise. Like it was nice that after all of the unfortunate Sophie Campbell... Meandering... That it kind of... Got to the point?

If anyone is familiar with Anime, the best explanation of a lot of the last 50 issues is what is commonly referred to as "filler". The main story takes a pause while the plot just... stagnates? Goes elsewhere? Which is a totally viable thing when it comes to a TV show airing once a week, but when its a comic? Once a month? I'm honestly surprised that they kept the subscription numbers up enough to keep the series going.

Now, I don't want to dogpile on her as it seems like the internet has already done that enough. (Just googled her name to make sure I had the spelling right and the top google search is literally "Sophie Campbell ruined TMNT")

I will say that a lot of the characters that were brought in with the last 50 issues were some of my old school favorites, even though the utilization seems a bit divisive in this thread. (mutant frogs, venus, dirtbag, groundchuck, tokka razar etc) But from time to time, it was a good bit of fun. I'm glad I took a break and read in chunks. Because I feel like reading issue to issue would have been infuriating.

But I feel like the direction the series is about to go in to sounds interesting, like a spinoff for each fan type. Like if you actually liked the last 50 issues? (According to the letters in the back of the issues, there is an audience somewhere) Well good news, you get mutant town.

You like the "anti-heroes"? boom foot clan nonsense.

You like vigilantes? We got a book for you too.

Standard turtles? Got you

Future Mirage Turtles? Great news!

TLDR? Its a great day to be a fan. Happy 40th y'all

Last thing I'll say in spoiler territory.
I'm glad that Armaggon the entity ended as it did, because as a huge fan of the Archie series, I always loved Peter Lairds original design on the cover of some of the issues. It seems like eventually we got pretty close to that visually. Kind of opens up the possibility of that becoming a legit IDW villain at some point down the road. (Despite the current "stone?" result he ended up in)

[Wentos]

I guess now we know. Venus through time travel shenanigans absorbed their QNA from their dead human bodies in ancient Japan and kept it with her till she and Don teleported to 2011 and she magically infused them with it in the lab before the Turtles were hatched and when the Splinter rat was just a regular rat. In a way it makes sense, as opposed to Yoshi just wishing upon a star to get reincarnated like Pinnocchio.
Oh my God, that is so dumb. I feel like I'm the only one that remembers this page at the very end of issue #50:
https://iili.io/JSZbhiu.md.jpg
The entire explanation is right there. It even explains why Krang would hold onto the samples as long as he did. Once he brokered a truce with Saki and started working with him again, he remembered his old insurance policy and integrated it into his mutagenic experiments. There's no great mystery, we knew already.

[Fenryr]

Well. That was certainly 80 issues about how the TMNT wouldn't exist without one of a dozen heavy-handed self-insert allegories traveling back in time to imbue them with random ******** that never once made any ****ing sense while continuously making the TMNT themselves more and more superfluous to their own book. Good riddance.

[neatoman]

And once again, let's just point out while this comic tries to convince us that Lita specifically becoming a mutant is what she enjoyed, even though literally anyone with a functioning brain can tell that it's actually no longer being homeless and having people around who care is what matters, which is not dependent on her staying a mutant.

The fact that: "Lita... Her mutation... actually gave her something. Things got better for her, and... She ... Loves being a mutant?" Is an exact quote from this dumb comic really irritates me. Maybe it's just clumsily written, considering we see her still living with the turtles at the end but considering they still mope about it, I have trouble giving the benefit of doubt here. It's just so obnoxious that the circumstances that led to improvement are conflated with the improved status itself.

[CyberCubed]

I'm honestly surprised how much this wrapped up, they got rid of two female Turtles in one swell swoop (granted we don't know if future Lita is still a Turtle as she didn't appear this issue, but I guess it doesn't really matter?), they wrapped up the whole QNA/reincarnation/magic pencil/mystic training stuff stuff as well. I thought they would forget about the Turtles training with Shredder for all that mystic stuff but it had some form of payoff here. And Armaggon is turned to stone, and looks a lot like Archie Armaggon, so if they ever want to use him again they can as an actual character now in the future.

Future Bob is useless and present-day Bob is just there with Carmen I guess. It seems the Turtles will be taking care of human Lita for now, unless they ship her off somewhere. And judging by the next run, Jennika/Sheena will probably be written off-screen somewhere, or at least away from the main 4 Turtles even if they appear in other mini-series or specials.

Yeah mutant town still exists and all those mutants are still there, but I guess it's just going to remain in the background for awhile.

[Cowabung-Gal]

Now, I don't want to dogpile on her as it seems like the internet has already done that enough. (Just googled her name to make sure I had the spelling right and the top google search is literally "Sophie Campbell ruined TMNT")


A reputation well-earned.

Congrats, Campbell.

https://i0.wp.com/media3.giphy.com/media/OCvcnbMctsUpy/giphy.gif

[DexVcx]

After 4 long dreadful years of sophie cambell run on the book its finally over. Its like a weight that finally lifted after it being carried for so long.
As for 150 it was eh venus being the whole reason that the tmnt even exist was just eh. I really want to see how this Mutant nation run gets cancelled early or fast lol. But anyhow im happy that june is a bringing a better more greater era.

[BornAgain]

I was interested to see those two Utrom-type figures back in feudal Japan. I remember that seed being planted years and years ago, and thought it might lead to something interesting like the idea that the turtles were never truly resurrected, or something of that nature.

Sort of confused how it ended up working out.

[GameCobra]

I thought it was pretty good. The twists were actually pleasantly surprising and I enjoyed the ending.

Still find it odd they are treating Lita's transformation like it's a horrible thing. Though it doesn't look like it's bothering her much. She just seems more bummed she's not a turtle anymore. However, I'm letting it side on the belief they want this to be a slow process.

[Zog The Magnificent]

The reincarnation thing never had a real reason to happen under Waltz run. Hamato Yoshi just wished upon it to get another chance for him and his sons and they get killed by Shredder, but it never got explained why they wound up in baby turtles and a rat in Stockman's lab in the year 2011.

I guess now we know. Venus through time travel shenanigans absorbed their QNA from their dead human bodies in ancient Japan and kept it with her till she and Don teleported to 2011 and she magically infused them with it in the lab before the Turtles were hatched and when the Splinter rat was just a regular rat. In a way it makes sense, as opposed to Yoshi just wishing upon a star to get reincarnated like Pinnocchio.

I would say, this didn't NEED an explanation. Reincarnation as a concept is already established and understood. The "reason" they reincarnated is that they reincarnated. Once you establish that reincarnation is a thing in this world, then that's it. That's the explanation. It's magic. Adding a stupid sci-fi explanation is stupid. You may as well use time travel to explain why the sky is blue. If reincarnation is a thing in this universe, then it's just an objective fact in the same way that falling due to gravity is the expectation.

As for "why in 2011 in Stockman's lab?" Because that's where the story happened. If they had reincarnated anywhere else with anyone else, then that's what the story would have been about. But it happened here, and the only reason we know about it is because it happened in the first place. All stories are contrived in this way. The only reason it's a story, that it's an event worth hearing about, is because it happens the way it does. It's the Anthropic Principle.

Anyways, I've been thinking about that Frodo clip for a long time, and I would have posted that in response to this issue, but neatoman already beat me to it. On top of that, I couldn't find a picture or video that was just of Master Chief saying "It's finished", which was my other top choice.

[TheLabRat]

I really didn't like what Campbell did with other characters. I expect there will be some touching moments like: Leo decided to use his astral power to keep that portal open and support April. Mikey and the others become the gatekeepers. This process may have taken a very long time, but they all did this to wait for Donnie to come back. But now it seems that I am still too optimistic.

[MikeandRaph87]

Please tell me Mutant Town and it's population is gone? Jennika is shelved? Not more trans allegory that does not fit TMNT. I'm tempted to look through it when I pick up Saturday Morning Adventures#12, Detective Comics and Flash tomorrow.

[Andrew NDB]

I would say, this didn't NEED an explanation. Reincarnation as a concept is already established and understood. The "reason" they reincarnated is that they reincarnated. Once you establish that reincarnation is a thing in this world, then that's it. That's the explanation. It's magic. Adding a stupid sci-fi explanation is stupid. You may as well use time travel to explain why the sky is blue. If reincarnation is a thing in this universe, then it's just an objective fact in the same way that falling due to gravity is the expectation.

Exactly that. And now there is apparently TWO different (and conflicting) retcons to give origin stories to the reincarnations?

[TheLabRat]

Please tell me Mutant Town and it's population is gone? Jennika is shelved? Not more trans allegory that does not fit TMNT. I'm tempted to look through it when I pick up Saturday Morning Adventures#12, Detective Comics and Flash tomorrow.

No, Jennika or Mutant Town are gently pushed to the side, but not removed. We will see them in any side-comics.

[BornAgain]

I agree that the reincarnation didn’t need a heavy explanation. That said, I think they gave up the mystery way too early in the run anyway. Idk if we ever needed it explicitly confirmed that they were reincarnated. There was a lot of room to play with the differing opinions and perspectives on the matter. One brother believing they are reincarnated and one being more skeptical is interesting to me.

Or the brothers believing it but Shredder refusing it. Idk I just like the potential of the mystery, but either way it’s a cool concept.

[IndigoErth]

The fact that: Is an exact quote from this dumb comic really irritates me.

I can kinda forgive it from the stance of the fact that she's a young child so her sense if identity, understanding of life, etc would still be rather simple. Becoming someone different was a part of erasing the "bad" life and who she was and the unfortunate self blame a kid is likely to have for all the reasons she thinks her prior situation might have been her fault, not the fault of the adults who failed her. Even if turning human again can help her learn that being who she was, was never the problem, at her present age it probably isn't going to click yet. At least not until it really sets in that these people around her still love her no matter what she looks like.

Of course now there is the plot hole of older Lita existing and being re-mutated at some point...?

[neatoman]

I can kinda forgive it from the stance of the fact that she's a young child so her sense if identity, understanding of life, etc would still be rather simple. Becoming someone different was a part of erasing the "bad" life and who she was and the unfortunate self blame a kid is likely to have for all the reasons she thinks her prior situation might have been her fault, not the fault of the adults who failed her. Even if turning human again can help her learn that being who she was, was never the problem, at her present age it probably isn't going to click yet. At least not until it really sets in that these people around her still love her no matter what she looks like.

Of course now there is the plot hole of older Lita existing and being re-mutated at some point...?

I'm just going to assume it's a split timeline and hope nobody writing going forward even remembers it...

[TheLabRat]

I agree that the reincarnation didn’t need a heavy explanation. That said, I think they gave up the mystery way too early in the run anyway. Idk if we ever needed it explicitly confirmed that they were reincarnated. There was a lot of room to play with the differing opinions and perspectives on the matter. One brother believing they are reincarnated and one being more skeptical is interesting to me.

Or the brothers believing it but Shredder refusing it. Idk I just like the potential of the mystery, but either way it’s a cool concept.

Agreed, this also makes the causal relationship between Yoshi and Saki weaker or even meaningless. I wonder how do they use it to explain gods, spirit world, demons, hell and others?

[CyberCubed]

There are way too many split timelines. So there's an evil/disgruntled Donatello, a Michelangelo that became a famous social media influencer, a Raphael living in the woods (from the last annual), and Jennika was a cyborg living in mutant town. And then there's the other really far off future where all the Turtles, Jennika, Venus, etc. were all living in a Mad Maxx wasteland looking area, this is where they brought Rahzar/Tokka too...I don't know what the hell that was.

I guess we can all agree these are just random future timelines and none are canon.


Please tell me Mutant Town and it's population is gone? Jennika is shelved? Not more trans allegory that does not fit TMNT. I'm tempted to look through it when I pick up Saturday Morning Adventures#12, Detective Comics and Flash tomorrow.

Nothing happened with mutant town, so I don't know why you would think it would be gone. Jennika is probably going to be in the mini-series/specials going forward but the new #1 just has the 4 brother so that's why I imagine she and Sheena are going to go traveling somewhere like Alopex did away from the main group.

Venus was more of a trans allegory than anyone else in this series, not sure why you would think that of the other character.s

[Fenryr]

You could make an argument that Lita being forcibly unmutated after she's come to terms with being a turtle and found a family is a rejection of her chosen identity, if you squint, but it's messy at best. Same with Mona (remember her?) lamenting to Donatello about talking to her parents. There's something there that, unfortunately, doesn't ever really get explored in a satisfying way, which is... all of Mutant Town in a prosthetic turtle shell.

[neatoman]

Right, forgotten plots and too much ambiguity... Not exactly signs of good storytelling, are they?

Anyway, how much can actually be ignored in the future without the need of explicit retcons? I suppose Jennika, Lita, Sheena and most of the other mutant bloat can just sort of vanish to another dimension or something and be ignored. That nonsense about "temporal gravity" and "soul DNA" can most likely just go unmentioned.

[CyberCubed]

Most of the future timeline stuff can all be branded as alternate futures, they already all contradict each other anyway, so it doesn't make too much a difference.

Mutant Town is still going to be around, I think one of the upcoming mini's is already set in it, but Jason Aaron's main run might avoid setting the plot there. Jennika doesn't appear to be with the main Turtles in Aaron's either, but she's probably going to appear in the mini-series just away from the main cast. I don't know what they can do with Lita, put her in an orphanage or something? Have April and Casey adopt her? Who knows.

I also hope present day Bob and Carmen just vanish into the ether. Talk about the most "nothing" characters IDW ever introduced, and considering some of the other characters we had, that's saying a lot. I'm sure the rest of the mutant town characters won't appear too much, besides maybe Mona Lisa and Sally (who is already a classic character).

[TigerClaw]

Here's a beautiful fan art in honor of the release of 150.
https://twitter.com/SweetScribbler/status/1783119720767504840

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GL7p76LXUAERn-B?format=jpg&name=medium

[neatoman]

Here's a beautiful fan art in honor of the release of 150.
https://twitter.com/SweetScribbler/status/1783119720767504840

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GL7p76LXUAERn-B?format=jpg&name=medium

Well, too bad for the artist that one of these characters in the bottom row is now "dead" and another one was """violated""" into looking completely different.

[CyberCubed]

If Venus' run in IDW TMNT is over (at least for now, I'm sure she'll show up again), I'm kinda surprised it was so short. She only really showed up halfway into Sophie's run after the Punk Frogs were introduced, then she was off-screen for several issues training with Bludgeon after Don rescued her from Dr. Barlow, and then just returned for this arc.

Considering how long Jennika has been around for, Venus only got maybe 20ish issues.

[Coola Yagami]

So I read the issue, kinda confused on the greater scope of it, but got most of it based on the previews of the last few issues and threads on the Drome.

Kinda odd the 'last big issue' was mostly Donatello and Venus jumping around, even facing an alternate evil Donatello and whatnot. They should have found some way to make it about all four of them. Kinda like how they conveniently brought Donatello back to life in time for issue 50, they should have contrived some way to have all four of them have 'one last adventure' before the big reboot.

I get all the callbacks to the first few issues and whatnot, and also how everyone wanted to draw some pages since it was the 'grand finale' but still, it felt pretty empty wrapping up the series as pretty much a Donatello/Venus solo story.

[Fenryr]

We were lucky to get Donatello at all.

[Andrew NDB]

Seems pretty cruel towards Sophie. I don't think she did any more or less than exactly what the particular PTB at IDW were wanting her to do at any given time.

*edit: Well, there WAS a video above this post. Now there isn't.

[Cowabung-Gal]

I went to our local comic store yesterday to pick up the latest Saturday Morning Adventures issue. Not a single variant of #150 had been sold yet, not even the metallic one, and it was already 3:30 pm.

Oh, yeah. People were really excited about this “amazing” issue.

[neatoman]

Seems pretty cruel towards Sophie. I don't think she did any more or less than exactly what the particular PTB at IDW were wanting her to do at any given time.

*edit: Well, there WAS a video above this post. Now there isn't.

What was the video called?

I went to our local comic store yesterday to pick up the latest Saturday Morning Adventures issue. Not a single variant of #150 had been sold yet, not even the metallic one, and it was already 3:30 pm.

Oh, yeah. People were really excited about this “amazing” issue.

Not really surprised. Starting over at a new #1 is not a sign the book has been selling well, why would anyone be surprised the last issue of the run is just sitting on the rack?

[Stu_Padasso]

Here's a beautiful fan art in honor of the release of 150.
https://twitter.com/SweetScribbler/status/1783119720767504840

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GL7p76LXUAERn-B?format=jpg&name=medium

Wow . That’s some amazing fan art

It’s too bad the recent run was still a narrative mess with 50 or so plot threads that never reached any sort of satisfying conclusion.

Campbell, if you’re lurking around here, I’m willing to hear you out. I want to know the “inside baseball” of what’s going on. I’m just an idiot. Your run started with these small, lovely moments that just never went anywhere. What happened with the Mutant Town arc? Was it the pandemic or something else? Did it become a hot potato that no one wanted to touch like when they basically shelved the miniseries of Stephen King’s The Stand when science fiction became reality? Just speculation on my part.

There is just so much of a lack of transparency. Yes, spoilers are a concern, but still…

“Jen and The Holograms.” I hate myself because that’s the same stupid joke that I would make.

[CyberCubed]

I remember issue #100 had a huge sales bump and sold the highest any IDW comic sold in years. If #150 doesn't have the huge sales bump issue #100 had even with all the cover variants they put out, that's pretty telling.

[Coola Yagami]

They just chose a horrible and boring story to end on. Issues 50 and 100 had major epic Foot/Technodrome/City at War related battles and events and all four of our buddies were heavily involved. This time travel 'our Turtles are barely in it' story is boring.

It reminds me of the original ending to the Kenshin anime. It felt like the end of that arc, but not the end of the series.

I get this really wasn't the end, since we're getting IDW Vol 2, but it just didn't feel like a proper ending to all of Vol 1, even with all the first storyarc callbacks.

[Cloudrunner]

Campbell, if you’re lurking around here, I’m willing to hear you out. I want to know the “inside baseball” of what’s going on. I’m just an idiot. Your run started with these small, lovely moments that just never went anywhere. What happened with the Mutant Town arc? Was it the pandemic or something else? Did it become a hot potato that no one wanted to touch like when they basically shelved the miniseries of Stephen King’s The Stand when science fiction became reality? Just speculation on my part.


I mean she still utterly obliterated my favorite new character. First by turning her into a valley girl sidepiece to Raph, then an emotional wreck over Shredder. And then into a ****ing idiot who nearly got a bunch of kids killed in some utterly moronic attempt to form a "clan" of her own. And then wrote her off into the sunset.

I'm still mad about the Shredder moment. Whatever happened to the proud bitter warrior who said "I'm gonna kill the bear"? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wanted to see Alopex dealing with unfinished business with Shredder. But having the conclusion to that being her just crying and screaming to the turtles about him rather than even once addressing him directly? God, how ****ing embarassing.

But I mean that's Sophie's run in a nutshell for me. Forget Mutant Town and all the worthless side stories. Her legacy is going to be just ruining character after character with stupid drama that goes nowhere and feels so... out of character from what they originally were. The exact kind of writing an amateur who likes to self-insert OCs does. At no point has her writing on this book ever surpassed "fanfiction" level to me.

[Coola Yagami]

I mean she still utterly obliterated my favorite new character. First by turning her into a valley girl sidepiece to Raph, then an emotional wreck over Shredder. And then into a ****ing idiot who nearly got a bunch of kids killed in some utterly moronic attempt to form a "clan" of her own. And then wrote her off into the sunset.

I'm still mad about the Shredder moment. Whatever happened to the proud bitter warrior who said "I'm gonna kill the bear"? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wanted to see Alopex dealing with unfinished business with Shredder. But having the conclusion to that being her just crying and screaming to the turtles about him rather than even once addressing him directly? God, how ****ing embarassing.

But I mean that's Sophie's run in a nutshell for me. Forget Mutant Town and all the worthless side stories. Her legacy is going to be just ruining character after character with stupid drama that goes nowhere and feels so... out of character from what they originally were. The exact kind of writing an amateur who likes to self-insert OCs does. At no point has her writing on this book ever surpassed "fanfiction" level to me.

That is true. We needed an issue where Alopex tried to kill Shredder in a sneak attack. If Sophie wants to write drama, imagine the drama and conflict of Raphael being forced to actually defend Shredder from Alopex.

[Cloudrunner]

That is true. We needed an issue where Alopex tried to kill Shredder in a sneak attack. If Sophie wants to write drama, imagine the drama and conflict of Raphael being forced to actually defend Shredder from Alopex.

That would certainly have added actual emotional weight to their breakup.

[Coola Yagami]

That would certainly have added actual emotional weight to their breakup.

True, but instead we got nonsense like Bebop and Rocksteady just saying 'welp, we lost. Bye' when they full well know they can take out all of Mutant Town by themselves.

[liugeaux]

Well, I read 150 and while I like where the story ended up I feel like too many pages were wasted explaining the sciencey magic stuff. Magic and tech inventions have always been short-cut plot devices to keep stories moving. Insert problem, oh I've got a gadget/spell for that, problem-solved. Over-explaining them doesn't make them less of a plot device, and defeats the purpose of them being a short-cut in the first place.

This arc and this issue specifically buried itself in the weeds QNA, which led to a frustratingly Donetello-centric story. Had the writing team been more willing to let the reader interpret the specificities of QNA, I think more time could have been spent with some of the 5 dozen or so characters this series has accumulated. I'm glad what we're getting with the new #1 is a soft reboot and not a full reboot.

[shinycloudkid]

I mean she still utterly obliterated my favorite new character. First by turning her into a valley girl sidepiece to Raph, then an emotional wreck over Shredder. And then into a ****ing idiot who nearly got a bunch of kids killed in some utterly moronic attempt to form a "clan" of her own. And then wrote her off into the sunset.

I'm still mad about the Shredder moment. Whatever happened to the proud bitter warrior who said "I'm gonna kill the bear"? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wanted to see Alopex dealing with unfinished business with Shredder. But having the conclusion to that being her just crying and screaming to the turtles about him rather than even once addressing him directly? God, how ****ing embarassing.

But I mean that's Sophie's run in a nutshell for me. Forget Mutant Town and all the worthless side stories. Her legacy is going to be just ruining character after character with stupid drama that goes nowhere and feels so... out of character from what they originally were. The exact kind of writing an amateur who likes to self-insert OCs does. At no point has her writing on this book ever surpassed "fanfiction" level to me.

Agree so much with all of this. The line about "fanfiction" rings especially true. And a lot of the original characters just made me cringe. And you are deeeefinitely right about Alopex, one of my favorite characters that was just plot butchered.

That is true. We needed an issue where Alopex tried to kill Shredder in a sneak attack. If Sophie wants to write drama, imagine the drama and conflict of Raphael being forced to actually defend Shredder from Alopex.

This would have helped the overall plot alot,

That would certainly have added actual emotional weight to their breakup.

Such yes

[TheLabRat]

That is true. We needed an issue where Alopex tried to kill Shredder in a sneak attack. If Sophie wants to write drama, imagine the drama and conflict of Raphael being forced to actually defend Shredder from Alopex.

I really don't like the way they handled the resurrected Shredder. He basically just become a fairy godmother, and he doesn't have to face any consequences of his past mistakes. Not just Alopex, I think Leo actually had a reason no to forgive Shredder, and even refused his help because he was brainwashed by Shredder and Kitsune.

I really hope after #100. IDW Leo will actullay become hot-headed just like 2003 Leo in 2003 TMNT Season 4, perhaps become a hermit who constantly practiced martial arts and astral skills. He begins to question that the training he had done was not paying off well because he still can't save his father. He couldn't accept Shredder's resurrection and that nonscene so-called "cosmic balance". Splinter's death and anger at this injustice actually set him on a darker and more radical path. This is better than locking himself in a greenhouse.

[CyberCubed]

Come to think of it I don't really care for a single OC character Sophie introduced. Lita, the 3 weasels, Sheena, IDW's Bob and Carmen, Jay that dart frog, those other Mutant town mutants,etc.

Dr. Barlow was alright but I think he debuted before Sophie's run so I can't really count him. And Venus was better than she had any right to be given the original version of the character.

[Mayhem]

I remember issue #100 had a huge sales bump and sold the highest any IDW comic sold in years. If #150 doesn't have the huge sales bump issue #100 had even with all the cover variants they put out, that's pretty telling.
Issue #150 only has half the variants that #100 did.

[hypered1]

Come to think of it I don't really care for a single OC character Sophie introduced. Lita, the 3 weasels, Sheena, IDW's Bob and Carmen, Jay that dart frog, those other Mutant town mutants,etc.

Dr. Barlow was alright but I think he debuted before Sophie's run so I can't really count him. And Venus was better than she had any right to be given the original version of the character.

Barlow debuted at the same time as Venus

[neatoman]

Barlow debuted at the same time as Venus

I think he might be confusing him for that RPG character he's based on?

[CyberCubed]

Didn't Dr. Barlow debut in an annual? The one where he was still working on removing Krang from Leatherhead's body, or am I remembering wrong.

[Jeff]

It's just always struck me as a dumb thing to push. What, is Dreamwave actually the real Volume 4, then? It's IDW TMNT Vol. 1. When it comes back with a new #1 then that'll be IDW TMNT Vol. 2.

whatever you want, it's all unofficial. tmnt-ninjaturtles.com blog refers to the IDW run as Vol. V and the new launch as Vol. VI, and I since 2011 I agree.

[Jeff]

Come to think of it I don't really care for a single OC character Sophie introduced. Lita, the 3 weasels, Sheena, IDW's Bob and Carmen, Jay that dart frog, those other Mutant town mutants,etc.

Dr. Barlow was alright but I think he debuted before Sophie's run so I can't really count him. And Venus was better than she had any right to be given the original version of the character.

Lita and Seri were great characters, and how dare you speak ill of Mushroom! Jay was cool for a small background character - cool design, Rogue-ish side effect. And yeah, Venus kicks ass in this run!

[hypered1]

Didn't Dr. Barlow debut in an annual? The one where he was still working on removing Krang from Leatherhead's body, or am I remembering wrong.

That was part of the Armageddon Game arc which was later.

[Bahamut810]

Finally got around to reading it. I guess it was pretty ok. I completely agree that it just was not up to the hype of prior milestones. I do think that the very very end of it was good as the last issue of a comic that was ending. Not sure how I feel about it being the last issue of a comic just going through a soft reboot.

Very disappointed that Jennika didn't get de-mutated and we lost Venus and Alopex was no where to be seen. We got Sheena, who has a mid popularity at best, but not Alopex who was huge parts of the plot? If you are bringing in Casey (who is with the foot right now) why not Alopex?

Donnie is a wizard now so...is there anything to stop him from removing the QNA from everyone who doesn't want to be a mutant anymore?

I have to admit I like the idea of Wizard Donnie.

Donnie's Kids seem like wasted potential. I wish they were introduced at the start of all this.

I guess that no one cared to try to get Lita back to her parents or other relatives? She is human again so she can reintegrate back into human society.

While I am glad that he is there conceptually for the end, why is Casey there? He should be with the Foot. I guess he is taking lessons from Wolverene.

[MikeandRaph87]

Donatello should have immediately worked in a retro-mutagen to allow the victims to carry on with their lives like any other iteration. It seems like it was never in the cards to undo Mutant Town. It's as if these humans did not choose to be mutants as in trans/homo and found they are happier as mutants as in trans/homo. The Turtles don't try to undo the situation and are devastated when Lita is cured. It's as if my confusion over this is supposed to make me feel bad. They are humans and need to be cured adding nothing but a dragged to death plot line.

Donatello accidentally mutated a megaloadon who is a leech sucking the DNA off all living things? I don't get that either. I got so frustrated with politics I disagree with I just don't know if I can jump back in with the renumbering burnt out from the little I see in 150.

[CyberCubed]

It's as if these humans did not choose to be mutants as in trans/homo and found they are happier as mutants as in trans/homo.

I got so frustrated with politics I disagree with I just don't know if I can jump back in with the renumbering burnt out from the little I see in 150.

I don't think every mutant is some trans/homo (?) correlation, lol. I also don't think they had the ability to de-mutate everyone in mutant town before, but now that Don can possibly control QNA he might be able to reverse some mutations like Bob did to Lita. I guess we'll see what the next run does.

Also I've been meaning to ask this for a while, are you homophobic? You seem to be very against gay people in general and call it all politics. We're in 2024 not 2004.

[Coola Yagami]

Also I've been meaning to ask this for a while, are you homophobic? You seem to be very against gay people in general and call it all politics. We're in 2024 not 2004.

CyberCubed asking the hard questions.

[TheLabRat]

Before Evil Bob and Armaggon event, we have Doctor Barlowe and Null in Jennika mini. Both are about how there might be a cure, but the result is that there isn't. I wonder why they are so insistent on "no curing or no retro-mutagen"? Every time the idea of curing someone comes up in this comic, it's seen as screwed up and the wrong thing to do.

[Zog The Magnificent]

Before Evil Bob and Armaggon event, we have Doctor Barlowe and Null in Jennika mini. Both are about how there might be a cure, but the result is that there isn't. I wonder why they are so insistent on "no curing or no retro-mutagen"? Every time the idea of curing someone comes up in this comic, it's seen as screwed up and the wrong thing to do.

It's because it's all a very laboured and in your face alphabet allegory, therefore curing them would be "hateful."

It's stupid and doesn't make any sense at all, but I never said it was a GOOD allegory. Just one written by "professionals."

[Bahamut810]

CyberCubed asking the hard questions.

Well, at least making the useless points. What year you are in has no correlation to anything. You could just as easily respond with "because its 2024, not 2022" with the increased amount of pushback. It means nothing.

[CyberCubed]

In 2004, something like Britney Spears and Madonna kissing in the MTV music awards was considered controversial. If something like that happened today (just with today's modern pop stars), most people wouldn't care. The early 2000's was very homophobic, gays could not get married and people would call everything "gay" as an insult. Also watch old movies or TV shows from that era, gay people were made fun of casually all the time, you don't see that in shows anymore.

[Coola Yagami]

In 2004, something like Britney Spears and Madonna kissing in the MTV music awards was considered controversial. If something like that happened today (just with today's modern pop stars), most people wouldn't care.
Wouldn't mind seeing Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish making out, though you now they'd be a lot more handsy with each other to draw contraversy and make headlines since just kissing doesn't cut it anymore.

[TheLabRat]

Venus is dead, but Campbell still make Donnie a wizard who can time travel, which also make Leos spiritual training in vain.

[Drose18]

I like Donnie and Venus being responsible for the re-incarnation. This makes a lot more sense to me than "Krang stealing their QNA and just happens to have Baxter use that exact batch of QNA-infused mutagen on the turtles and splinter when experimenting on them pre-mutation" (technology being used for successful resurrection is a bit of a stretch for me, I'd rather leave resurrection to the magic side of things)

As expected, this issue felt rushed and some plot points went unexplained there such as why/how Tang Shen was speaking to Donnie when they were at the time of Yoshi and the boys' execution

I guess we could see some of this explained more in the Alpha #1 issue if it picks up with Don and his two kids finding a way back.

[CJStyles]

Oh my God, that is so dumb. I feel like I'm the only one that remembers this page at the very end of issue #50:
https://iili.io/JSZbhiu.md.jpg
The entire explanation is right there. It even explains why Krang would hold onto the samples as long as he did. Once he brokered a truce with Saki and started working with him again, he remembered his old insurance policy and integrated it into his mutagenic experiments. There's no great mystery, we knew already.

Thank you. It seems the previous poster and Sophie Campbell forgot. In Sophie's case, she may not care cause she wants her self insert story to be important. Honestly, I don't see what Campbell's run is any different than the popular fan fics we've seen of the turtles.

[ToTheNines]

Oh my God, that is so dumb. I feel like I'm the only one that remembers this page at the very end of issue #50:
https://iili.io/JSZbhiu.md.jpg
The entire explanation is right there. It even explains why Krang would hold onto the samples as long as he did. Once he brokered a truce with Saki and started working with him again, he remembered his old insurance policy and integrated it into his mutagenic experiments. There's no great mystery, we knew already.

Damn, that is nuts. Why dig up a 9 year old plot thread only to contradict/retcon it?

[SwiftNinjaFox]

Finally caught up reading up to 150 and figured I'd return to the forums for the first time in forever to say......

I seriously hate time travel stories that amount to the efforts to stop the thing you wanted to stop is what created the thing you were trying to stop to begin with.

All in all, I agree it's a pretty ho hum finale to IDW Vol 1

[AwakeTea]

Finally caught up reading up to 150 and figured I'd return to the forums for the first time in forever to say......
Welcome back.

[TheLabRat]

Finally caught up reading up to 150 and figured I'd return to the forums for the first time in forever to say......

I seriously hate time travel stories that amount to the efforts to stop the thing you wanted to stop is what created the thing you were trying to stop to begin with.

All in all, I agree it's a pretty ho hum finale to IDW Vol 1

Especially You can see what hypocrite these writer are. Leo and Donnie try to change their fate, but the result are bad. Future Lita can fix the future without facing any bad consequences.

[TigerClaw]

Here's a complete breakdown of how the IDW comic ended in 150

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