What is the current friendship status of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird?
 

What is the current friendship status of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird? Kevin doesn't appear in any of the video interviews, and Peter recently changed the "Eastman and Laird" title to "Laird and Eastman" after something like 20 years.

Are they still friends? If not, when did this happen/why?

I haven't heard anything about a falling out between the two. I know that Eastman was too focused on Heavy Metal to pursue further TMNT projects and sold his half of the franchise to Laird.

Recently, they both provided voice cameos in the firs episode of the 2k3 series and Laird even drew Eastman (and himself) in TMNT Vol. 4 #11, attending Splinter's funeral.

I don't think they hate each other or anything, though that's really their business and not our's.

Shoot I know I heard this story once...I just know Kevin sold his half to Peter and went on to do other projects but I think they still converse here and there...Grrrr I must research so don't quote me on any of that

Peter said they don't really talk anymore but there's no bad blood between them at all.

Eastman simply lost interest in TMNT which is why he sold the rights to Peter. That's it.

Are you talking about those two NY cops to whom the Turtles throw the bag full of money? I knew they were designed with Peter and Kevin in mind, but did they actually voice those characters as well?

No, they're definitely not voiced by Kevin and/or Peter.

Huh.

I had heard that they were voiced by them in the first episode, but not in any subsequent appearances.

Guess that was just a rumor.

When did it become Laird and Eastman's TMNT? As far as I knew it was just TMNT and Tales of the TMNT. :|

It's not on the title of the comic, but whenever the two of them are listed next to each other as the creators, Peter's name now comes first instead of Kevin's. Check the movie credits, the TV credits, anything else...

Could be because Pete actually has a very definite hand in what happens. As far as I know, Kevin seems to word things up, give them his blessings and maybe some money. If someone had more input, I'd credit them first for sure.

Kevin doesn't have creative control at all.

This is one of those things that I really wish Mirage would make an official statement on (beyond just "Kevin isn't involved").

But he does have creative input, in that he helped shape the characters and their world.

Had creative input.

I'm hardly Mr. Behind-the-curtain-knowledge-man, but Eastman talked about being involved with the new toon and movie in a recent interview on Dee Snider's show. I know about him selling off his share of the property, but it seems as if he still has a little creative input here and there.... if not at least just keeping up with what's going on...

Good way of indicating his creative input. If he was not originally part of creating TMNT, we may have not gotten our fascination that we have now.

Woah woah woah, back up. Dee Snider has his own show? What is the world coming to? First he's in a horrible band where he looks like a transvestite football player, then he makes that awful Strange Land movie, and now he gets his own talk show? For shame...

You can read endless interviews that indicate that Peter is the only one creatively involved. Kevin's involvement with the new movie was simply putting Mirage in touch with Imagi so that two parties with mutual interests could create a movie. I'm not aware of Kevin having any input on the 2K3 toon (I even recall someone stating he has gotten irritated at cons when people have asked him to sign 2K3 stuff, because he had nothing to do with it).

Well... if a fanboy....err, girl... says it, it must be true. :roll: He seems to be keeping up with things quite well... and despite having sold his royalty rights and having "no involvement" with the franchise. ;) Unless I'm mistaken... and that's Pete Laird doing press for the film...
http://www.fangoriaradio.com/AudioCl...%20Eastman.mp3

...and when it comes down to the nitty gritty, involvement with the franchise and "friendship status" are two different things. None of us know how buddy buddy the creators are... and does it really matter? Borderline creepy...

He had his own morning show for years... he's currently on Sirius.

Despite the fact that Eastman tried to kill Laird twice in the past year... eh.. I'd say they still get along just fine.