Tales of the TMNT #36 sequel
 

Hey guys and gals, if anyone's interested in checking out what might have been, head over to my blog to check out the sequel I pitched for #36. Unfortunately, it was turned down, but I'd received a bunch of emails asking about it, so I decided to put it up for you to look at.

Peace!

This is the kind of continuing TMNT series I would like to see.

I'll bet this project will become the Mirage equivalent of the ill-fated Archie Forever-War in the eyes of most Turtles fans. If there's hope for FW, then maybe it isn't too much to hope for this to one day see the light of day.

I love Paul Harmon's renderings of the new villians, by the way.

I wouldn't quite compare the two. The Forever War was actually supposed to be printed, with only the title's cancellation getting in the way. Tristan's story didn't even receive approval to be given a shot at getting published.

I would call FW's fate bad timing, whereas the fate of this sequel is just a bad choice.

Fair enough, I was just thinking of the comparisons from the perspective of a fan's anticipation. Reading Tristan's rejected proposal gave me nostalgic feelings of seeing that Forever War preview in the Archie books. Every time I see that promo of Shredder holding Future Donatello, I realize how much I still want to see that story in print. Tales #36 is now one of my favorite Turtles stories, so the disappointment that it may not be further developed gives me a similar wishfulness. At least at this point, each of these stories represent Turtles lore that may be forever lost from ever seeing public eye.

But, fortunately, Forever War is still a possibility. So I won't give up hoping for a Serve and Protect sequel either.

Gotta say, I adored Tales #36. It's the only issue I bothered to order rather than have it be a happy find in a comic book store (as I'm only a casual collector). The look is loose, dark, and gorgeous, and I'm disappointed that the story won't be followed up on. But a big hats-off to Tristan for at least giving us a peek. Thanks, dude.

Thanks for the glimpse, Tristan. As I've said, your #36 is one of the few things TMNT of late that has truly gotten me riled up again about TMNT. I hope we'll see the conclusion of your storyline eventually.

Why... was... this turned down? I don't understand. :( Actually I do, but.... God, that's so depressing. I'd love to see this out on the shelves. You know I'd buy it and I'd force others to buy it as well. ;)

I'll tell you why, because it wasn't Laird's idea.

Yes, I know. I know. However, I chose not to say spell it out 1) because it's understood, 2) more importantly, because I know the more it gets brought up, the lower our chances become of ever seeing this get published.

Two more up.

Daaaaammmmn it all ... those ideas would have been awesome in comic book form. Please keep pushing. ;)

Can't Rooish, all I can do is keep submitting until I get the Greenlight on a story, and until we know what's happening regarding us freelancers and Tales, that could be a very long time off, if it happens at all.

I understand; it's just so upsetting. I think comics like Tales #36 were not only really exciting and appealing to TMNT die-hard fans, but they also could bring the Turtles a larger adult audience. I understand if the powers-that-be want to keep the Turtles a certain way, but it could be the doom of the TMNT. :(

I fully believe this is what's happening. Because the Turtles that TPTB seem to want to develop have absolutely no appeal to me (and many others, it would seem).

"Thicker Than Water" is definatley something that would fit in the animated TMNT universe as far as scale goes, and it's something they really should have been approved..of course not only would that prove to be impossible now, you'd also have to come up with veichles for everyone involved. :lol:

I actually can tell why it was rejected, though you might have the official explanation. I kind of like Karai distanced from The Shredder, in any form he may be in, in the comics canon

If they had approved these ideas, like they have with others more fortunate, I dont think anything would change. Such is the danger of the fans current hostility towards their benefactor, they make "heroes" out of the people who might be lost in the typical publishing shuffle to the point they proclaim anything that isnt a rejected pitch to be the "death" of the franchise. It's pathetic.

But if the reason for rejection was something so trivial as that, couldn't the story simply be reworked so that it would be able to be approved? Certainly not everything in a pitch such as this is expected to be set in stone?

Actually, I don't recall being given a clear reason as to it's rejection, just that Peter didn't like it. I think it has something to do with a want to take the TMNT in different directions, in that the whole Foot Clan/ninja thing was done pretty well in Volume 1 (anything revolving around the Shredder). There's a noticable contrast between Vol.1,2 and 4, and even in Tales thematically. I've got plenty of stories in mind, as do all the other writers involved, these were just the first ones I pitched after Serve and Protect. I'm still waiting to hear back on a couple from a while back that blend the fantasy and sci-fi elements of many of the current Tales stories with the gritty, noir aspects you guys all seem to dig (plenty of action in there too). The reason I put them up on my blog is so those that dug #36 could see where I had planned on taking it, and who knows, eventually (with a little luck) something might come of these, but for now, they're just something I thought you guys might find interesting in some way.

And you're right too Rose, the problem with pitching for me is knowing what details to leave in and what to leave out. I feel that "trigger" events should be left in, even if they seem somewhat out of place at first. If I were to write out EXACTLY what was going to happen in the story, pitches would be treatments and editors wouldn't give them the time of day (no editor has the time to sit and read a page-by-page synopsis detailing every single little piece of the story... unless solicited of course). And stories evolve from their first phases too. Murph has said a number of times in his editorials that his stories have developed over the art phase and so forth, so every comic is a very quickly evolving monster.

Totally out of curiosity, is that why you think it was rejected Zarius? The Karai link to the Shredder mutant? In my mind, she wants an end to the warring factions (just as she was appointed in CAW), but the Saki loyalists want her taken down. Karai herself would have been totally unaware of the clones/mutants until the moment she lays eyes on them.

Oh yeah, I forgot, TMNT can't be ninjas anymore. They have too be middle aged mutant sci-fi turtles. Good job though Tristan. #36 is probably one of my favorite if not my favorite Tales Vol 2 issue, and it would have been cool to see the sequel happen.