Steve Murphy on "The Forever War"
 

My question:

Will "The Forever War" be completed?


His answer today:

Hi. We're still trying to figure that out but my guess right now is "no." Should know by week's end... and then I'll make sure Dan posts the final word.

My second question:

That's terrible news. What has been the challenges in getting it made?

His second answer:

Too many to mention. Writer (me) missing a few deadlines. Artist is no longer a full-time artist, so making time to draw after a full-time day job and two kids to raise has been difficult. And now Mirage no longer owns the TMNT and our comic book rights may not extend outside the "Mirage universe."

Not a surprise at all at this point, but I'll keep my fingers crossed, anyway.

No, not a surprise at all.

If anything, this is positive... because (at least until the end of the week) there apparently is still some modicum of a chance it gets made. From my understanding of things it didn't even sound like there was this until now.

But can't it still be released under Mirage's "18 comics a year" rule?

Only 5 issues of Tales come out in 2010, and that's it. Why can't 3 issues of "The Forever War" come out then as well?

My impression has been that the only thing holding back "The Forever War" from getting published is simply it getting completed. I'd assume that's still the case now.

I'm glad we're going to get a definitive answer, though.

Exactly... 5 issues of Tales of the TMNT, and maybe 1 or 2 of Vol 4.... heck they could easily expand Forever War to more than 3 issues....Problem is they wouldn't be able to do a TPB....ah well

You can always do what Andrew suggested to me: buy extra copies, hole punch, and throw 'em in a binder for your own collected "reader copies."

I doubt any issues of Volume 4 come out next year. Peter Laird said he was going to step away for awhile before deciding whether or not to continue with Vol. 4.

I think the potential problem with "The Forever War" is that it does not take place in the "Mirage continuity" and so it may not meet the conditions of Mirage's agreement with Viacom.

Oh, I seriously doubt "But the 18 issues must take place in the established Mirage Universe!" is in the contractual caveat.

The problem is that Mirage can still make 18 issues a year, but they don't want to. Regardless of wether or not Nick bought them, they were still gonna end Tales next year when they don't have to. I'm saying this cause some of the guy that had more ideas with Hun and King Cobra and was wondering if he was gonna have the time to finish it or not. Then Laird is burnt out and might never return to Volume 4. Ths Source book is cancelled. Forever War might take Forever to be released....


So it doesn't matter wether or not Mirage can make 18 comics a year or not.... they just don't want to. What in the god damned hell is holding them back, really????

I was under the impression that while Mirage closes as an employer by the end of this year, it'll still function as a company at least until May 2010.

After all, it has to so they can print copies of the 5 Tales issues coming out next year. So if they still have the printers and all the materials, Murphy could theoretically have them come out after May, assuming that they all don't disband immediately after May.

Its not like they're selling off the building or all their materials or anything.

Ugh, I give up with you people.

I wonder what the outcome will be. At least we will know for sure so we don't have to keep speculating.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I posted this elsewhere:

"The Forever War has been teased, hinted, previewed, then outright advertised over the span of the last 7 or 8 years. We bought the Future Tense reprint/lead-in hoping that those dollars would translate into a delivery on the promise of TFW. While we can't assume it won't happen, we've hung onto every word from you (PL), Murphy, Dan, and those preview write-ups for Future Tense. Please, please don't snatch it away again."

Sounds a bit desperate, I know. But from a basic "fulfill your word" point of view, it got to the point of being marketed by the Future Tense TPB, and being announced as a long-anticipated project. The sale aside, Steve Murphy's overall negative attitude about it, even making money off it by selling his Forever War preview prints on eBay, and now possibly closing it again is a very big slap in the face.

More from Steve.

My second question:

That's terrible news. What has been the challenges in getting it made?

His second answer:

Too many to mention. Writer (me) missing a few deadlines. Artist is no longer a full-time artist, so making time to draw after a full-time day job and two kids to raise has been difficult. And now Mirage no longer owns the TMNT and our comic book rights may not extend outside the "Mirage universe."

Wow, interesting about the "Mirage Universe". Also, seemingly valid points all around. Quite a shame though. Any chance you could ask him if he would, if all else fails, be willing to post his thoughts on how he would have ended it to possibly close the story in our imagination?

Well, if we can get Dark Horse or someone to pick it up maybe he can publish it there. That doesn't help with all the other problems holding it back, though.

If Mirage IS actually barred from the TMNTA universe, wouldn't Nick own it?

That's the stupidest thing I ever heard. Why would Mirage be prevented from releasing comics outside the "Mirage universe?"

Does Nick even know what the hell is part of the Mirage universe or not? If Mirage decided to re-print some old Image issues, would they be stopped from doing that?

Well there's always hope that Archie does it... or maybe even IDW (who are producing several Archie TPB's in 2010)... Who knows... I just hope that SOMEDAY it'll be released.

I am lost... just tell me when it comes out..

HA! I was right. Wish I wasn't though.

If a company like Nick were going to acquire the rights to a property, you can likely bet they did their homework on the history of the TMNT, including past incarnations, current contracts, and future (or in-progress) projects. Its a pretty basic part of the business.

Is there any word on which parts of the series will be produced in TPB?

IDW has a deal to make Archie reprints of Archie comics stuff (their old, old stuff from 1940's onward) if I'm not mistaken, not TMNTA. I think Raph's Girl meant the potential connection of IDW and Archie comics (and IDW's with Paramount/Nicko on Star Trek, Transformers & GI Joe movies) could lead to such possible reprints of the Archie TMNTA stuff. I can't see Archie having the rights to still do TMNTA reprints after the TMNT ownership change until they get the license/rights from Nicko to do such stuff.

He did say that, but(and i doubt this'll actually happen) there is a possibility of one Vol. 4 issue next year. From what i recall Peter and Jim were about half way done or so i think on the next issue, he made mention of it on his blog few months back. But how much got done, theres no clue, if anything else needs to be written by Laird for it, then i doubt it would, but if all that really needs to be done is Jim and Eric's work(And Mike's cover) then i would says it possible, very slim, but plausible.

As for Forever War, i hope they do(and can) go on with it. But this long after i won't be too disappointed if they don't, have had time since the original tease and all for my excitement on it to drop slightly. Will still suck though, but atleast the long delay will give a shrug and "eh, what can you do"

Oh, I see. I thought by "Archie TPBs" it was in the context of "TMNTA TPBs." Well, I guess I'll still have to hunt down issues of the series.

My biggest thing is... virtually none of the 25th anniversary things related to the comic books -- the only part of the franchise that is actually celebrating 25 years this year -- that were promised have been delivered on.

It's just been one great big sloppy, cross-country blow*** for the original cartoon... which Laird doesn't even like. It's puzzling, really.

We did get that Vol. 1 TPB, but besides the Forever War I forgot what exactly was promised i nthe first place.

The TMNT Universe book also. And while it wasn't exactly promised, there was the Imagi direct-to-DVD, panel-for-panel adaption of TMNT Vol. 1 #1 that Gary talked Peter into abandoning altogether in favor of "Turtles Forever" (which, though it does include a minor nod to the Mirage TMNT, is 95% a Fred Wolf/4Kids appreciation film).

Not much of anything was promised, really. A lot of hype for a lot of nothing.

And people got all mad at me for being "negative" by calling 'em out on it. :roll:

As for why we only saw (a bad reflection of) the old cartoon and not comic book stuff, I'd guess the most simple answer is money.

Well, Rose, you did kinda come off at the time as, "The Turtles are dead! F*cking dead!!!! They will not survive the year and we'll never see anything out of them again!!! F*cking dead!!!!" So, of course people are gonna get all mad at you.

Gary talked Peter into abandoning that project? I thought it was some sort of money issue... But if they were able to produce Turtles Forever then I guess they did have the money for it.

Yep. The deal was in place, Peter was ponying up the money from his own pocket.

Alas, I was never trying to be extreme, just realistic.

I wasn't being literal, Rose. That's just me balling all the instances of doom and gloom up into one sentence as kind of a joke. It's not like you were the only one running around with "The end is nigh!" signs waiting for nightfall so you could go pull your black-and-white face mask out of a pile of garbage and then go break into your friend's house and eat his beans.

Wait. What was I talking about again?

Oh, right! Well, that whole thing about the Vol. 1 #1 becoming Turtles Forever and then Turtles Forever turning into something that's eluding us even after completion just kinda pisses me off now!

I remember when I had the "doom and gloom" crown when the fourth movie dropped and I was the only one here saying it was crap.

Ah, the good 'ole days.

Well they are re-releasing issue #1 for the billionth time in full color in November. I assume that's still coming.

If it weren't for the bookplate from P2P that's coming with the full-color, I probably wouldn't have gotten it considering how many copies of #1 there are around my apartment.

The exact same one that's been printed 3 times before. If they wanted to do something cool they'd have collected other issues that fans have been begging for in a trade.

Hmm I wonder what story arc is one of the most important in the turtles history and spans enough issues to warrant a big trade paper back?

Well the Forever War got sliced up. Aside from us never getting it, it was originally planned to be 5 issues and Murph decided to only do 3. If I remember correctly it was supposed to be out at the end of the year. Let's not forget the Mirage figures. We might still be getting the turtles but the rest are canceled. Also the second wave of NECA figures got canned. Andrew pretty much nailed the rest of the stuff. Kinda sad really. The whole reason turtles is 25 gets shoved aside.

Yeah... Still never got that CaW trade. S'the only thing I regret.

Well, I wanted Wave 2 of NECA also, but apparently they don't have the money for that... even though they have the money for those weird little things and those bobble heads.