Just to be nice for once...

~~Leo656~~ · 09-04-2005, 05:12 PM

Okay, it seems like I'm getting a bit of a rep as a "Laird-hater" around here (rather than just someone who wishes Laird's "vision" of the TMNT was more in line with what fans want to see, but whatever), so I figure now's as good a time as any to list some things I really do like about the current TMNT product line and even good ol' P.L. himself.

-"The Forever War". It's gonna rock (and finally close the book on the Archie continuity for all us old TMNTA fans). 'Nuff said.

-Tales of the TMNT. A monthly TMNT book done right. In-continuity "flashback" stories dealing with "iconic" versions of the TMNT and Co. as we remember them. Books like this almost always come off well (Star Wars Tales, JLA Classified, etc.) because they can tell a lot of stories that a monthly "mainstream" book couldn't handle for various reasons.

-The new 'toon. Even though I haven't been able to catch all the eps as they air, I have all the DVDs and I never get past being blown away by the overall superior quality of this show, not just to the old show (which was honestly too different to even make anything but the most surface comparisons) but to almost any cartoon on TV right now except Justice League Unlimited.

-The CGI movie. Even though I'd prefer a live-action TMNT flick by far, I'm still psyched for this. I just hope the CGI will be good enough so as to enhance the story, not distract from it.

-Peter Laird's dedication. Even though I don't like everything about Volume 4, even though I wish he wasn't so flippant with fans who disagree with him, even though I still think the April revelation was pointless and stupid, and even though I think the story could be moving a bit faster (at least), I'll tell you what I do appreciate: I appreciate the fact that Peter Laird does care enough to continue publishing TMNT, despite the fact that he is losing money on the book, because A) he wants to, and B) because the fans want it. My concern has always been that if the book was better overall, then more people would read it, and maybe it would make money, and then the future of the book might be more secure, instead of us all just hoping the day never comes when Laird just gets bored and stops. But I respect the fact that Peter does do it his way, even if I don't like all of it. It takes courage and dedication to do that in today's market, something Laird obviously has, so, for that, kudos.

And to address something said in another thread, the reason I and others often compare TMNT to other, more "mainstream super-hero" comics is because, despite being independently published, TMNT as an overall property has far more in common with Superman, Batman, etc. than with Usagi and Flaming Carrot. Not as relates to content, but as far as the TMNT being a brand name recognized world-wide, something Usagi, etc. can't claim. Far more people are aware of the TMNT as a brand, and therefore their marketplace recognition should, for all intents and purposes, rival those "mainstream" characters, but that isn't the case, and that's what bugs me. Friends of mine tell me all the time that they don't buy TMNT, but would "if the art was better/if the story moved faster/if they didn't do that April thing", etc etc ad infinitum, and that's what's been bugging me. Remember, the man on the street doesn't even usually know that TMNT are an indy book, they only know that it's a huge property worth millions and they wonder why it's represented by a book like Volume 4. *That* is why they compare it to stuff like Superman and Batman instead of books like Flaming Carrot, which would seemingly be more in the same vein.

I'unno, I'm just sick of all the Hatorade being spilled around here, and people accusing me of writing non-existent nasty emails to Laird and Co. Seriously, how funny is that?

09-04-2005, 05:12 PM	#1
~~Leo656~~ Banned Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nWo Country Posts: 27,703	Just to be nice for once... Okay, it seems like I'm getting a bit of a rep as a "Laird-hater" around here (rather than just someone who wishes Laird's "vision" of the TMNT was more in line with what fans want to see, but whatever), so I figure now's as good a time as any to list some things I really do like about the current TMNT product line and even good ol' P.L. himself. -"The Forever War". It's gonna rock (and finally close the book on the Archie continuity for all us old TMNTA fans). 'Nuff said. -Tales of the TMNT. A monthly TMNT book done right. In-continuity "flashback" stories dealing with "iconic" versions of the TMNT and Co. as we remember them. Books like this almost always come off well (Star Wars Tales, JLA Classified, etc.) because they can tell a lot of stories that a monthly "mainstream" book couldn't handle for various reasons. -The new 'toon. Even though I haven't been able to catch all the eps as they air, I have all the DVDs and I never get past being blown away by the overall superior quality of this show, not just to the old show (which was honestly too different to even make anything but the most surface comparisons) but to almost any cartoon on TV right now except Justice League Unlimited. -The CGI movie. Even though I'd prefer a live-action TMNT flick by far, I'm still psyched for this. I just hope the CGI will be good enough so as to enhance the story, not distract from it. -Peter Laird's dedication. Even though I don't like everything about Volume 4, even though I wish he wasn't so flippant with fans who disagree with him, even though I still think the April revelation was pointless and stupid, and even though I think the story could be moving a bit faster (at least), I'll tell you what I do appreciate: I appreciate the fact that Peter Laird does care enough to continue publishing TMNT, despite the fact that he is losing money on the book, because A) he wants to, and B) because the fans want it. My concern has always been that if the book was better overall, then more people would read it, and maybe it would make money, and then the future of the book might be more secure, instead of us all just hoping the day never comes when Laird just gets bored and stops. But I respect the fact that Peter does do it his way, even if I don't like all of it. It takes courage and dedication to do that in today's market, something Laird obviously has, so, for that, kudos. And to address something said in another thread, the reason I and others often compare TMNT to other, more "mainstream super-hero" comics is because, despite being independently published, TMNT as an overall property has far more in common with Superman, Batman, etc. than with Usagi and Flaming Carrot. Not as relates to content, but as far as the TMNT being a brand name recognized world-wide, something Usagi, etc. can't claim. Far more people are aware of the TMNT as a brand, and therefore their marketplace recognition should, for all intents and purposes, rival those "mainstream" characters, but that isn't the case, and that's what bugs me. Friends of mine tell me all the time that they don't buy TMNT, but would "if the art was better/if the story moved faster/if they didn't do that April thing", etc etc ad infinitum, and that's what's been bugging me. Remember, the man on the street doesn't even usually know that TMNT are an indy book, they only know that it's a huge property worth millions and they wonder why it's represented by a book like Volume 4. That is why they compare it to stuff like Superman and Batman instead of books like Flaming Carrot, which would seemingly be more in the same vein. I'unno, I'm just sick of all the Hatorade being spilled around here, and people accusing me of writing non-existent nasty emails to Laird and Co. Seriously, how funny is that?