Do the Mirage Comics Work for New Readers in 2016? - Page 3

*Andrew NDB* · 03-31-2016, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Technically Baxter only has two times he is a villain to the Turtles, issue #2 and then Volume 2. His appearance in Volume 4 is nothing more than a cameo and Donatello immediately kills him.

Unless there's some other appearance of his I've forgotten about from Tales, but I don't think there was.

The Brain Thief mini. And V3 #24 and #25, if you want to count those.

*Powder* · 03-31-2016, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Technically Baxter only has two times he is a villain to the Turtles, issue #2 and then Volume 2. His appearance in Volume 4 is nothing more than a cameo and Donatello immediately kills him.

Unless there's some other appearance of his I've forgotten about from Tales, but I don't think there was.

Brain Thief is another appearance. Was his involvement in City At War strictly a 4kids thing? I haven't read that story in ages.

*CyberCubed* · 03-31-2016, 03:51 PM

Baxter's return in Volume 2 was only his second appearance since #2.

In fact Baxter was originally just a one-shot character in Mirage, and then they brought him back around 10 years later for Volume 2. It might have had to do with his popularity in the cartoon prompting a return for him.

The Don Brain thief mini I've forgotten all about.

*Andrew NDB* · 03-31-2016, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

In fact Baxter was originally just a one-shot character in Mirage, and then they brought him back around 10 years later for Volume 2. It might have had to do with his popularity in the cartoon prompting a return for him.

That sounds suspiciously like... nothing Laird would do. Ever.

Seems like in retrospect with the later payoff of Baxter's comeback in V2 occurring much later in V4, the idea was to bring in pretty much the only character who ever had a grudge with April and create a subplot in which she's infected, etc., all leading to her discovering her origins and all of that. It just got unnecessarily spread out over years.

*CyberCubed* · 03-31-2016, 04:07 PM

Maybe it was subconciously, but the fact that Baxter became a recurring character in the cartoon whereas in Mirage he was just a one-shot character for like 10 years....and then he suddenly came back, might have had something to do with it.

I mean if we just look at issue #2 alone, Baxter's just a generic mad scientist and the main point of that issue is to introduce April. Baxter's character didn't really have anything going for him until Volume 2.

Also its rather obvious Baxter's popularity in the OT is what cemented him as a major TMNT villain, which is why the 2k3 series, Nick cartoon, and IDW comics all use Baxter heavily too.

Mewzard · 03-31-2016, 04:17 PM

Let's not go too spoilery guys, the TC was looking to check out Mirage after all.

Technogeek29 · 03-31-2016, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Maybe it was subconciously, but the fact that Baxter became a recurring character in the cartoon whereas in Mirage he was just a one-shot character for like 10 years....and then he suddenly came back, might have had something to do with it.

I mean if we just look at issue #2 alone, Baxter's just a generic mad scientist and the main point of that issue is to introduce April. Baxter's character didn't really have anything going for him until Volume 2.

Also its rather obvious Baxter's popularity in the OT is what cemented him as a major TMNT villain, which is why the 2k3 series, Nick cartoon, and IDW comics all use Baxter heavily too.

I don't know, he is kind of used sparingly in IDW

*Donnie* · 03-31-2016, 05:16 PM

In agreement with Powder's point on the first page about IDW not being close to Mirage in grittiness. IDW is nothing like Mirage. It's way more OT influenced than it is Mirage. Hell, it's more Archie influenced than it is Mirage. The writers can try to shock readers all they like with Leonardo's turn to the dark side, Donatello's unnecessary near-death experience, Shredder's behind-the-scences beheading, Michelangelo's going off to join that OT-inspired group (

), but at the end of the day they are writing an OT inspired spin-off which peaked awhile ago.

Monte Williams · 03-31-2016, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mewzard

Once you make it past volume 3 of the Ultimate Collection hardcovers, you should read IDW's first two trades of Tales of the TMNT. They introduce some characters who later appeared in volumes 4 and 5 of the Ultimate Collection.

There's also Volume 6 of the Ultimate Collection if you want a collection of assorted short stories released throughout the Volume 1 run for the Mirage Comics.

Cool, thanks for the info. Definitely gonna be referring back to this thread once I start buying.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cryomancer

...but because it deals with stuff like brothers drifting apart and living in shaky temporary housing situations and so on.

Sounds compelling to me!

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

What's also interesting about Mirage is that...there's no real recurring villains. Almost all the villains are dealt with in their first or second appearances, or become allies with the Turtles. Savanti Romero was the only recurring villain in the Mirage universe.

That works, 'cause Shredder is iconic, but he's seldom been an interesting villain.

Monte Williams · 03-31-2016, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte Williams

and the comics would be a strange, obscure footnote.

Even if true, at least it would still have its dignity.

I'm sure Eastman and Laird would take lots of comfort from the inherent dignity of their Daredevil parody comic... in the alternate reality wherein they're penniless.

I respect your intense admiration for the Mirage comics, but sometimes your tone is reminiscent of a fourteen-year-old who just discovered punk rock.

*CyberCubed* · 03-31-2016, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technogeek29

[/B]

I don't know, he is kind of used sparingly in IDW

Baxter's literally been in the bulk of IDW, he's introduced in the first issue and works for Krang and then briefly for Shredder for most of it leading up to the issue 50 finale.

*Candy Kappa* · 03-31-2016, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte Williams

I'm sure Eastman and Laird would take lots of comfort from the inherent dignity of their Daredevil parody comic... in the alternate reality wherein they're penniless.

I respect your intense admiration for the Mirage comics, but sometimes your tone is reminiscent of a fourteen-year-old who just discovered punk rock.

I don't think they would have been penniless. Maybe not the sum laird sold off the entire franchise.

The 1990 movie was a-go before the cartoon show took off and Palladium had a very successful RPG that lasted quite a bit, and only died out due to the FW cartoon. And there could have been other products akin to the licensed Solson comics.

Of course, I doubt Eastman & Laird would have buried the Turtles when they got tired of making comics in a alternative-universe where no FW cartoon happened, Instead I'm pretty sure they would have (hesitantly) sold the property to Marvel.

Monte Williams · 03-31-2016, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Candy Kappa

I don't think they would have been penniless. Maybe not the sum laird sold off the entire franchise.

Oh, certainly not. I was being a smartass.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Candy Kappa

I don't think they would have been penniless. Maybe not the sum laird sold off the entire franchise.

Huh. I'd like to visit that alternate reality, if only for a day.

*CyberCubed* · 03-31-2016, 07:08 PM

Eastman has already worked on plenty of properties after TMNT (in fact he abandoned the TMNT franchise for more than a decade to work at Heavy Metal), and Peter Laird also was a freelance illustrator.

Had the cartoon never happened and the Mirage comics died out in the early 90's, they would still be rich and work on other products.

psychturtle · 03-31-2016, 08:10 PM

There is some really great, caring, honest discussion in this thread. Nice change of pace for this forum

Monte Williams · 03-31-2016, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psychturtle

There is some really great, caring, honest discussion in this thread. Nice change of pace for this forum

I've been on this forum for eight years, and for roughly six of those years I mostly avoided the place because I found the tone of a few members to be off-putting and uninviting when I first started posting. But I've come to learn that, generally speaking, it is a friendly and supportive place populated with enthusiastic, articulate, friendly, encouraging fans.

Cryomancer · 04-01-2016, 12:20 AM

Mirage people always want to make more Mirage people! It's a good time! In that it's mostly about bad times!

TMNTooze · 04-01-2016, 12:54 AM

Although I grew up with the FW Cartoon and the Archie Comics, I have really enjoyed reading the IDW comics. I also really like the Mirage comics. Different times and different comics. I like them all the same and just enjoy reading the comics to escape the stresses of work. If it wasn't for my kids getting into the new turtles cartoon and various comics, I probably wouldn't have read any of the Mirage. Thanks kids! There is just something special about the beginnings of TMNT in comics and what it has become today.

*shuriken* · 04-01-2016, 02:02 AM

I think it honestly depends on the person and what they like, as well as what kind of a mood you're in. In my most retrospective days nothing beats reading some James O' Bar or Mirage TMNT. It's not "dark and gritty" for the sake of dark and gritty, but there is an essence of melancholy isolation to it. And Every one of us feels that way at one point or another. I "discovered" Mirage when I was 8, but never got to read one until I was 12. It was essentially when TMNT was dead. No comics, shows or movies. It was so different from anything I had seen. And as much as I like IDW, Mirage takes the top spot in my heart cuz I dunno, it connects with me in a way very few comics do.

*CyberCubed* · 04-01-2016, 02:19 AM

While I had scattered issues of Mirage in the 90's (basically whatever my parents bought for me that we found in old comic shops back in the day), I didn't start following it seriously until 2001 when Volume 4 came out. Got every issue of Volume 4 when it was new and released.

At that point I went to ninjaturtles.com and bought the entire Mirage lineup from them over the next few years. They had all the Image comics too, I was so glad to buy them when I could and they were cheap.

This was back in 2001-2005 or so...so it was literally a decade ago.

03-31-2016, 05:16 PM	#48
Donnie Something from the Past Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New York Posts: 3,256	In agreement with Powder's point on the first page about IDW not being close to Mirage in grittiness. IDW is nothing like Mirage. It's way more OT influenced than it is Mirage. Hell, it's more Archie influenced than it is Mirage. The writers can try to shock readers all they like with Leonardo's turn to the dark side, Donatello's unnecessary near-death experience, Shredder's behind-the-scences beheading, Michelangelo's going off to join that OT-inspired group (), but at the end of the day they are writing an OT inspired spin-off which peaked awhile ago.

04-01-2016, 12:20 AM	#57
Cryomancer Mad Scientist Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,090	Mirage people always want to make more Mirage people! It's a good time! In that it's mostly about bad times! __________________ Final Boss of translation group Opentrain. We do videogame comics and TMNT stuff. http://opentrain.theyear199x.org/

04-01-2016, 02:02 AM	#59
shuriken Second City Shinobi Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chi-town Posts: 4,182	I think it honestly depends on the person and what they like, as well as what kind of a mood you're in. In my most retrospective days nothing beats reading some James O' Bar or Mirage TMNT. It's not "dark and gritty" for the sake of dark and gritty, but there is an essence of melancholy isolation to it. And Every one of us feels that way at one point or another. I "discovered" Mirage when I was 8, but never got to read one until I was 12. It was essentially when TMNT was dead. No comics, shows or movies. It was so different from anything I had seen. And as much as I like IDW, Mirage takes the top spot in my heart cuz I dunno, it connects with me in a way very few comics do. __________________ Some things are better left unsaid. This isn't one of them

03-31-2016, 03:51 PM	#43
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 43,853	Baxter's return in Volume 2 was only his second appearance since #2. In fact Baxter was originally just a one-shot character in Mirage, and then they brought him back around 10 years later for Volume 2. It might have had to do with his popularity in the cartoon prompting a return for him. The Don Brain thief mini I've forgotten all about.

03-31-2016, 04:07 PM	#45
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 43,853	Maybe it was subconciously, but the fact that Baxter became a recurring character in the cartoon whereas in Mirage he was just a one-shot character for like 10 years....and then he suddenly came back, might have had something to do with it. I mean if we just look at issue #2 alone, Baxter's just a generic mad scientist and the main point of that issue is to introduce April. Baxter's character didn't really have anything going for him until Volume 2. Also its rather obvious Baxter's popularity in the OT is what cemented him as a major TMNT villain, which is why the 2k3 series, Nick cartoon, and IDW comics all use Baxter heavily too.

03-31-2016, 04:17 PM	#46
Mewzard Hench Mutant Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 255	Let's not go too spoilery guys, the TC was looking to check out Mirage after all.

03-31-2016, 07:08 PM	#54
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 43,853	Eastman has already worked on plenty of properties after TMNT (in fact he abandoned the TMNT franchise for more than a decade to work at Heavy Metal), and Peter Laird also was a freelance illustrator. Had the cartoon never happened and the Mirage comics died out in the early 90's, they would still be rich and work on other products.

03-31-2016, 08:10 PM	#55
psychturtle Mad Scientist Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,001	There is some really great, caring, honest discussion in this thread. Nice change of pace for this forum

04-01-2016, 12:54 AM	#58
TMNTooze Foot Soldier Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 168	Although I grew up with the FW Cartoon and the Archie Comics, I have really enjoyed reading the IDW comics. I also really like the Mirage comics. Different times and different comics. I like them all the same and just enjoy reading the comics to escape the stresses of work. If it wasn't for my kids getting into the new turtles cartoon and various comics, I probably wouldn't have read any of the Mirage. Thanks kids! There is just something special about the beginnings of TMNT in comics and what it has become today.

04-01-2016, 02:19 AM	#60
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 43,853	While I had scattered issues of Mirage in the 90's (basically whatever my parents bought for me that we found in old comic shops back in the day), I didn't start following it seriously until 2001 when Volume 4 came out. Got every issue of Volume 4 when it was new and released. At that point I went to ninjaturtles.com and bought the entire Mirage lineup from them over the next few years. They had all the Image comics too, I was so glad to buy them when I could and they were cheap. This was back in 2001-2005 or so...so it was literally a decade ago.