Has anyone else lost interest with the IDW series?

[Tazi]

I feel the opposite on the reincernation, it's the most important element that sets IDW apart from other TMNT versions, and it also has a lot of potential in storytelling, because you can always introduce new things from the past, which ones gonna shape the present, and due to the reincernation thing it won't feel that detached or out of the blue.
Like how it happened with Kitsune. Her inclusion was probably not planned since day one, but still, her role in Shredder's past doesn't feels like a cheap and forced retcon they had to do to advance the story.

Plus, one thing I always liked about the reincernation, is that it still keeps the origin story as kinda "ridicolous". With Splinter and the turtles reborn, and remembering the past, remembering the martial arts, that makes it more logical, but at the same time they are "reincernated feudal ninjas in anthropromorph mutant animal form, and they fights against a feudal ninja lord, who wants to take over New York, and made immortal using a technology by interdimensional aliens". So the backstory is still a lot a madness.

[CyberCubed]

I think a problem is we still don't know these Turtles that well. We really only like them based on their previous incarnations, but if this was the first Turtle universe ever...they really haven't delved into their personalities and individual quirks that much.

That's why we really need another round of micros for each Turtle. The first ones did wonders.

[ProphetofGanja]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

I think a problem is we still don't know these Turtles that well. We really only like them based on their previous incarnations, but if this was the first Turtle universe ever...they really haven't delved into their personalities and individual quirks that much.

That's why we really need another round of micros for each Turtle. The first ones did wonders.

I think if you read all 48 issues in IDW's continuity that have come out so far you start to get a pretty good feel of who each turtle is and what their personality is like. I dunno, its not like I can erase the turtles from my head and read all these comics with a fresh start, so maybe not.

I do agree that another round of micros for the turtles would be great, maybe do them in pairs. Leo/Raph, Raph/Don, Don/Mikey, Mikey/Leo, Raph/Mikey, Don/Leo. that's only six issues, so maybe throw in an April/Casey issue and one with Splinter and all the turtles, going out and doing something. that'd be cool.

[marcelangelo]

I am commenting on this thread because I have experienced this feeling with the idw turtles repeatedly so far...in between I get the issues(I have a standing order for the ongoing and the micros but sometimes it takes a little longer until the books reach me..(besides ONGOING is a pretty stupid term in my oppinion..thats what I EXPECT when I am following a SERIES..isnt it obvious?I feel like this is just another trend in the scene..didnt see that term in the past)
however, although I get the books together with a whole variety on other books I dont really feel any excitement, an urge to open the idw tmnt books and read them from the get go...to me on a whole this book now feels like its a superhero title from the big ones..where you have a whole tradition and a cast and the writers and artists just have to pick from the established and reform what HAS BEEN DONE before.it doesnt feel like the book could venture out and experience any adventures anymore.that anything is possible, you know?at least to me...dont get me wrong here:there are also issues that I read and I am very pleased with them.for instance the baxter stockman micro with the flyborg monster was really fun to me.I like the care that tom waltz and the others lay into weaving on that huge carpet, too...but just in general I think I have come to realize I really dont care that much for these turtles for some reason...
I liked andy kuhn and ben bates very much.I dont really like the way santolouco draws michelangelo or the rest of the guys.I assume I am a very minimal minority there as many people like his work...but that is great.I know what it takes to do a comic book, I am doing these myself, so I dont want to knock anyone s chair for no reason at all...I just wanted to contribute my lil story with others here who perhaps feel similarly.

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by Shark_Blade

@title: No, are you crazy?

It's getting better and better.

Bud Samhain made this thread, I think he just fell out of TMNT entirely. Haven't seen that guy in forever.

Originally Posted by Oculus Orbus

The whole reincarnation thing still upsets me a big deal and made me lose interest during the first year or so, but overall I'm now liking the series better, mainly due to Santolouco.

Amen I love his art, my only complaint is he makes Mike look too child like. but I love his art.

[DrSpengler]

No, I haven't lost interest in the IDW book.

At times I do feel that the characters get lost in the stories rather than the stories enhancing the characters, though. Everyone's always in such a hurry to get from one setpiece to the next that there's scarcely any time for displays of personality beyond generic witticisms or one-dimensional gimmicks (Raph's the angry one, Don's the smart one, Mikey's the silly one, etc), but most comics are guilty of that from time to time.

And even when the ongoing is getting mired in one epic after another, there's been the micros to offer us character-themed oneshots, so it has evened out in a way. I'd sort of like to see the ongoing use a little more punctuation between its lengthier arcs; separate them with some shorter character-centered stuff. Looking back, the 2-parters "Blood Brothers" and "Fathers and Sons" were enjoyable and a welcomed break between the "big" arcs of "Shadows of the Past" and "Krang War".

But I understand these monthlies are "written for the trades", so everything has to fit into neat little 4-issue arcs whether its conducive to the story flow or not. You can't punctuate two 4-issue arcs with a 2-issue "breather", because then the issues won't divide evenly into 4-issue trades. So if you want a "breather", it's got to be a pair of 2-issue arcs back to back and suddenly that's 4 months of "breathers". But whaddayagonnado, right?

I think there's a lot to look forward to in the IDW series and I don't really see any reason to lose interest in it on a storytelling level. I can fully understand if someone feels "burned out" by the quantity of TMNT titles (we'll be coming up on 4 books a month, at $4 bucks a piece), but not the story.

I just want to get to know the characters a little more, is all. I'm actually feeling wistful for the days when Donnie was the one questioning Leo's authority and it felt like we were getting all new, unexplored character dynamics.

[mgambino]

Originally Posted by DrSpengler

No, I haven't lost interest in the IDW book.

At times I do feel that the characters get lost in the stories rather than the stories enhancing the characters, though. Everyone's always in such a hurry to get from one setpiece to the next that there's scarcely any time for displays of personality beyond generic witticisms or one-dimensional gimmicks (Raph's the angry one, Don's the smart one, Mikey's the silly one, etc), but most comics are guilty of that from time to time.

And even when the ongoing is getting mired in one epic after another, there's been the micros to offer us character-themed oneshots, so it has evened out in a way. I'd sort of like to see the ongoing use a little more punctuation between its lengthier arcs; separate them with some shorter character-centered stuff. Looking back, the 2-parters "Blood Brothers" and "Fathers and Sons" were enjoyable and a welcomed break between the "big" arcs of "Shadows of the Past" and "Krang War".

But I understand these monthlies are "written for the trades", so everything has to fit into neat little 4-issue arcs whether its conducive to the story flow or not. You can't punctuate two 4-issue arcs with a 2-issue "breather", because then the issues won't divide evenly into 4-issue trades. So if you want a "breather", it's got to be a pair of 2-issue arcs back to back and suddenly that's 4 months of "breathers". But whaddayagonnado, right?

I think there's a lot to look forward to in the IDW series and I don't really see any reason to lose interest in it on a storytelling level. I can fully understand if someone feels "burned out" by the quantity of TMNT titles (we'll be coming up on 4 books a month, at $4 bucks a piece), but not the story.

I just want to get to know the characters a little more, is all. I'm actually feeling wistful for the days when Donnie was the one questioning Leo's authority and it felt like we were getting all new, unexplored character dynamics.

I'd imagine we are going to finally get a more character based story with the next arc.

[Rooish]

The stories are keeping me hooked, but I'm eagerly anticipating more character development. The Micros did a little bit for each character, but not enough. I think that Leo and Raph and April need a bit more info on what makes them tick, and Donnie has just been the skeptic so far, with surprisingly little warmth. I wonder if the next arc will focus on one Turtle per issue?

I am going to keep spending money on IDW for a long time. The series is addictive and keeps getting richer.

[Casey]

Originally Posted by Bauer536

However, by the fifth issue (a. k. a. reincarnation origin), I slammed the book onto the floor. I felt, "What's the point? If you're not going to stay true to their origins, don't call it Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles because that's not what this is."
...

Also, hate Dan Duncans artwork. At least Kevin Eastman's turtles look lean, green, fighting machines.

I hear what you're saying, but I feel like who wants to read the same origin story we have read in Mirage, watched in the OT, 23K, Nick and the movies? I have a hard time with the reincarnation thing, but I think they have more up their sleeves than spiritual mumbo jumbo.

Couldn't agree more about Duncan and Eastman. I tried so hard to like it, but I just wanna see the artwork on Eastman's covers rather than the big tooth bloated blobs that Duncan draws. I hate to sound so hateful, but it feels good to let it out haha.

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by Casey

I hear what you're saying, but I feel like who wants to read the same origin story we have read in Mirage, watched in the OT, 23K, Nick and the movies? I have a hard time with the reincarnation thing, but I think they have more up their sleeves than spiritual mumbo jumbo.

Agreed I still think there is more to the re-incarnation thought as well. I think the utroms had something to do with it. I mean think about it. Stockman works for krang. Krang and shredder are enemies. I seriously am starting to think the utrom had a hand in it all some how.

[Cipher]

Originally Posted by DrSpengler

I just want to get to know the characters a little more, is all. I'm actually feeling wistful for the days when Donnie was the one questioning Leo's authority and it felt like we were getting all new, unexplored character dynamics.

This is precisely what I've missed and precisely why, #26 aside, I feel my interest has been waning since the end of "Blood Brothers."

I disagree on the micros making up for missing character focus in the main series, as well. Aside from the four Turtles', they've all been too stock, too cliche. Origin stories and monologue boxes are not character-building. Interactions are. I was initially less enthused about the Northampton arc, based on the way the series had been going, but the last issue showed me that these character can still be fun and compelling when we actually stop to see how they're doing.

[CyberCubed]

Yeah all these big arcs makes this feel like a superhero comic, which is something TMNT never was. I understand IDW doing this...but I just miss the Turtles randomly getting into adventures...not always having this huge arc hanging over their heads.

[milesflex]

I love it. It's the only comic I'm currently caught up on. More character stories, and less "Infestation" crap, but otherwise, I love the modern updates to the classic characters, I like new characters like Old Hob, and I was initially not cool with the reincarnation, but I accept it now, and think it is interesting (even though it is not my favorite origin for them).

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Yeah all these big arcs makes this feel like a superhero comic, which is something TMNT never was. I understand IDW doing this...but I just miss the Turtles randomly getting into adventures...not always having this huge arc hanging over their heads.

That's the thing though. The Turtles never had a decent on-going series. Volume 1 was plagued by the guest artist era, and then pick-and-choose adventures in which some issues were canon like Return to New York and other weren't until we finally got to City at War.

Volume 2 was one long story arc but it the series ended before it could move on with another one. In a way, Volume 3 was also one long story arc that never saw an ending (no offense to Andrew of course).

Volume 4 was a long-ass arc divided by four happening all at once that never had an ending... and it was released once every whenever...

And while Tales was more of a monthly thing, their adventures took place whenever so it really wasn't an ongoing story.

And even Archie, once Mary Bones was introduced it became one long-ass story arc after another.

I'm just glad to finally have consistent monthly TMNT comic with ongoing adventures. Like FINALLY. It brings me back to the Archie days.

[pingclang]

This is the main book I anxiously wait for each month. I'm subbed to a few non-turtles things and I can say, they're nothing compared. When it comes to story archs, I liked how Mirage handled it in the first few issues where the Turtles went off planet. It was an overarching story but at the same time a bunch of adventures like the Fugitoid and the arena sequence. A lot of fun short things inside the arch of them trying to get home. IDW is doing things more traditional with their archs. I like it, it doesn't bother me. Would I prefer the old style, maybe if it was handled well, but I like an over-encompassing story. I think IDW is going big with it, fast. The old stuff, even when all kinds of craziness was happening, still stayed small and focused on the Turtles and the adventure. Maybe that's what's missing? It's still good and my personal favorite current series, but it might be fun to see them do something different. I think Northampton is going to be interesting as the Turtles recoup and if the focus stays on them, it may be great. Plus, Ross Campbell art, tells me it may have a more serious, than action, tone.

[Bossanova]

I have been a turtles fan since my earliest memories, i was very young when the first movie came out, maybe 5. lost interest in high school and wasn't until just a few months ago i got back into comics because of this new IDW series. I gotta say, I absolutely love it, the nostalgia just bombards me with every turn of the page, and the art kicks ass. I for one wont stop reading.

[Powder]

Originally Posted by Bossanova

the nostalgia just bombards me with every turn of the page,

The absolute biggest flaw of the series right here.

[TonySiegel]

the series is cool because its a "new" take on the classic turtles... alot of peeps missed out on the original mirage run along with the other turtle iterations...

i agree though with some of the stories being rehashes of the OG stories...

the series still has potential... its like a B grade comic with A grade moments overall so far...

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by TonySiegel

the series is cool because its a "new" take on the classic turtles... alot of peeps missed out on the original mirage run along with the other turtle iterations...

i agree though with some of the stories being rehashes of the OG stories...

the series still has potential... its like a B grade comic with A grade moments overall so far...

But the thing is, IDW is even reprinting the original Mirage run. It's not a super-rare obscure 'did you know the TMNT were comicbook character first' thing anymore. If you want Mirage, read that. There's no need to redraw Mirage stories in IDW style. Doing stories based on a serious OT style, mixing in several characters from Mirage, 2K3 and new characters is a way better route that re-hashing comic storylines you can just buy anywhere now.

[HeroTurtlesFan]

Originally Posted by marcelangelo

besides ONGOING is a pretty stupid term in my oppinion..thats what I EXPECT when I am following a SERIES..isnt it obvious?I feel like this is just another trend in the scene..didnt see that term in the past)

How long have you been reading comics? The term 'ongoing' has been used at least as far back as the 1970s to distinguish between mini-series, one-offs etc and...well, the ONGOING title.