Ask a Question: IDW's TMNT Editor Thread

[Bobby Curnow]

Originally Posted by MikeandRaph87

Speaking of questions, how did the idea for a bomb shelter under a church come about and become the TMNT's lair? I love the idea being a history buff. Its not the sewers yet has easy access to it. High fortified yet if you wanted to for plot it can be penatrated. Were there any other choices tossed around?

Kevin just came in with a sketch concept one day and we all thought it was cool!

[Bobby Curnow]

Originally Posted by ChosenOne

Bobby, I may have already mentioned the resemblance elsewhere around here when the Toad Baron's Ball arc of Universe was first announced, but in the interest of going back to the Toad Baron discussion (which is more or less where the thread left off), and while I realize this is an incredibly obscure reference with a snowball's chance in Hell of being true: does the character (as well as the concept of the Pantheon itself) take any inspiration at all from the 80's Fighting Fantasy gamebook Scorpion Swamp?

In said book, there was a set of characters each associated with a particular type of animals (and one of them with plants) such as wolves, spiders, frogs, birds, etc. The goal of one of the possible quests was to kill them all and retrieve the talismans they wore. The frog guy in particular reminds me very much of Toad Baron, I went and found a picture of him on Google:

Spoiler:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uMXObQYX5B...r+of+frogs.jpg

Master of Frogs, Toad Baron... Separated at birth?

Ha, that's cool. No, i'm totally ignorant on that stuff!

[Bobby Curnow]

Originally Posted by Sophie Campbell

OMG SORRY, ummmm, Bobby whose Turtles do you like best, mine or Mateus's? lololool

Ah good, these are the types of questions that are easy to answer and won't cause any trouble.

The answer is Kevin.

[Bobby Curnow]

Originally Posted by myconius

Bobby,

are there any plans to release the 'Tmnt IDW Collection' in paperback?

or possibly be put up for consideration for the future?

Not that i've heard of.

[TurtleWA]

Originally Posted by Sophie Campbell

I didn't know about the spider web, but the skinhead thing had actually crossed my mind back during Destroy Everything. I noticed Ben also gave Rocksteady an iron cross tattoo on his inner forearm which is a Nazi symbol, but I think is also a Motorhead thing? And his overall outfit in that series looks a bit like skinhead gear, with the button-down shirt and suspenders and the WWII type helmet... that was actually part of why I drew Rocksteady in just a tank top instead, I wasn't sure what was going on, haha.

Yes a Motorhead thing.

Back in the day early bikers were WWII combat vets many of them decorated thier bikes with "war trophies". The American army had the dress uniform with medals & the plain battle uniform. But the Germans wore their decorations into battle.

The Iron Cross was supposedly a very high decoration. Like our Silver Star. So if an American killed a enemy German, they would often take thier medals to prove it. They took the German helmets too. Thats what started the idea of putting an Iron Cross on a bike and wearing the helmet.

Still very common fashion today among your average Joe motorcycle riders. Popular also is biker culture tattoos such as webs. I think it is similar to someone having on a red bandana. It does not make them a blood gang member.

[AlessandraDC]

Are we going to find out more about Jennika?

[myconius]

could we see any more Flashback stories of the Sons of Hamato Yoshi in Feudal Japan before their untimely execution?

[Bobby Curnow]

Originally Posted by AlessandraDC

Are we going to find out more about Jennika?

The current Universe back-up story that culminates in this week's #9 issue is the most insight we're going to get into her backstory for the time being. But we'll see more of her in the future, so we'll be developing her further.

[Bobby Curnow]

Originally Posted by myconius

could we see any more Flashback stories of the Sons of Hamato Yoshi in Feudal Japan before their untimely execution?

It's possible!

[Powder]

Originally Posted by Sophie Campbell

I noticed Ben also gave Rocksteady an iron cross tattoo on his inner forearm which is a Nazi symbol, but I think is also a Motorhead thing? And his overall outfit in that series looks a bit like skinhead gear, with the button-down shirt and suspenders and the WWII type helmet... that was actually part of why I drew Rocksteady in just a tank top instead, I wasn't sure what was going on, haha.

The iron cross is merely the highest decoration of bravery in the German military, dating back to 1813. Not sure if its been retired for sake of controversy but it has become a symbol of ones pride in their German heritage for many people over the decades. Same as with the spiderweb tattoo, there is no need to assume someone whose flesh it adorns is prejudicial.

& as far as the skinhead stuff goes, the original movement was largely comprised of Jamaican immigrants in the UK. The fashion came about because the lower middle class needed attire that was both suitable for labor & casual dressing. Braces were cheaper than belts, steel-toe boots last a long time, bald heads keep you cool & prevent hair-based factory accidents, etc. There are skins of all races & religions, the white supremacist variety are actually cultural appropriators of a sort.

Sorry this isn't a TMNT question but I just hate to see these sorta misconceptions. People into alternative culture/fashion get a bad rap as it is without being presumed racists & whathaveyou.

But for the sake of the topic, I'll ask this-

The Mirage team put a lot of their musical tastes into the old turtle books. Lotta references to Metallica, The Misfits, etc. A lot of thrash & metal. The films & other media would later also cement a hip-hop element.

Do you, Bobby, or anyone else on the team, have in mind what sorta tunes the IDW turtles would be listening to in their own time?

[ProphetofGanja]

Originally Posted by Powder

But for the sake of the topic, I'll ask this-

The Mirage team put a lot of their musical tastes into the old turtle books. Lotta references to Metallica, The Misfits, etc. A lot of thrash & metal. The films & other media would later also cement a hip-hop element.

Do you, Bobby, or anyone else on the team, have in mind what sorta tunes the IDW turtles would be listening to in their own time?

I for one would be very interested in seeing what songs the four brothers put on their playlists

[Ninjinister]

Even if so, I'll never understand the whole reaction of "the villain did something I don't approve of! RUINED FOREVER"

Like... isn't that his or her job?

[Bobby Curnow]

Originally Posted by Powder

The Mirage team put a lot of their musical tastes into the old turtle books. Lotta references to Metallica, The Misfits, etc. A lot of thrash & metal. The films & other media would later also cement a hip-hop element.

Do you, Bobby, or anyone else on the team, have in mind what sorta tunes the IDW turtles would be listening to in their own time?

Oh, that's a fun question. I bet they would all listen to different types of stuff. I know both myself and Mateus like Queens of the Stone Age, so I can see Raph digging them. Leo would probably be into some chill meditation type stuff. Mike is Top 40 or rap? Classical is probably a little too stereotypical for Don, so let's do something different like indie rock? Haha, I dunno, but fun to think about. Would be curious to hear what others thought.

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by Bobby Curnow

Oh, that's a fun question. I bet they would all listen to different types of stuff. I know both myself and Mateus like Queens of the Stone Age, so I can see Raph digging them. Leo would probably be into some chill meditation type stuff. Mike is Top 40 or rap? Classical is probably a little too stereotypical for Don, so let's do something different like indie rock? Haha, I dunno, but fun to think about. Would be curious to hear what others thought.

You're the boss, so you know best, but I always liked when the turtles taste or sense of humor would subvert my expectations a bit.

I'm curious to hear your take, because I can see how you'd want to distcintly "carve out" a sense of character for each of the turtles, and you can't do that without a sense of consistency in their interests, tastes, etc.
That being said, sometimes it makes them feel more real to me when they aren't so predictable.
I personally might find it more interesting for Donatello to be into heavy metal, or Leonardo to laugh the loudest at crude humor. Little things like this tend to round a character out well for me.

Just my two cents.

[AlessandraDC]

Brian Vangelder on the TMNT news site put together a playlist for each of the boys. They're pretty fun. I would link the post if I could... :-/ I love that he has Yoshida Brothers and Star Trek on Leo's playlist lol

[Bobby Curnow]

Yeah, I agree completely, Aqua. It's always easy to pigeon hole the TMNT, but we who know them better know they're deep, multifaceted dudes!

[ChosenOne]

Picking up on the flashbacks to the sons of Hamato Yoshi question from earlier, I've been introducing a friend to the comic and took the opportunity to do a re-read as well. Back in #5, when the moment is first recounted, we go from Yoshi and his sons finding themselves surrounded by Foot ninjas to the "Look there, Hamato Yoshi" panel with the four boys kneeling and awaiting their execution.

I found myself wondering, since they already knew martial arts at that point and were definitely aware that Saki meant to kill them, did the Hamato clan put up an (off-panel) fight at all? Seems weird that they would all just embrace their deaths like that. They knew they were most likely goners in that situation, why not go down fighting, try and take a few of the Foot with 'em, you know? Maybe even scrape by somehow... Just kneeling and waiting for the end feels wrong somehow for these skilled warriors. Especially Yoshi himself.

Then again, it also feels wrong to imagine that they fought back against the Foot but Saki still went to the trouble of having them captured alive just to put on a show in front of their father, when he went there to kill them all along.

How do you personally interpret that situation? Is there room for a bit of headcanon there?

[Utrommaniac]

Originally Posted by Bobby Curnow

Oh, that's a fun question. I bet they would all listen to different types of stuff. I know both myself and Mateus like Queens of the Stone Age, so I can see Raph digging them. Leo would probably be into some chill meditation type stuff. Mike is Top 40 or rap? Classical is probably a little too stereotypical for Don, so let's do something different like indie rock? Haha, I dunno, but fun to think about. Would be curious to hear what others thought.

I think at least one of them would like movie soundtracks...probably Donatello.

[Sophie Campbell]

Raph: industrial and witch house, Leo: darkwave and new age, Mikey: power metal, Don: synthpop and trance, Splinter: classic R&B

[Zog The Magnificent]

Is there ever a chance of Professor Obligado being revived for IDW, maybe as one of the newly revived Utroms?