New Peter Laird Interview with Cartoonist Kayfabe

[IndigoErth]

Volumes of mirage (edit: including Last Ronin) are the only comics I really have for the most part, but if he DOES actually work on more, well those are a must have. I feel like that would kill my hands now at this age, so props to him if he can still make it happen at nearing 70.

[Xav]

Here's Peter going through Issue 1.

[Andrew NDB]

I'm surprised it's not the PBBZ version.

[frank_one]

These videos are great!

[MrPliggins]

Never thought I’d see more interviews like this with Laird. Truly great to hear him muse about the history of the property for two hours. Some neat tidbits of info in there too. Like he could have purchased the entire #1 original art from Eastman for $200k. If memory serves it didn’t go much higher than that at auction. With the recent sale of the #8 cover for $78k, I can only imagine what that #1 OA would fetch today.

[Cowabung-Gal]

Originally Posted by Cowabung-Gal

I heard from a fellow nerd that Peter Laird is not that “friendly” toward fans. Is that true?

Since nobody is answering my question, I can assume that it is in fact true.

Regardless, I’d still like to meet him and have him sign one of my posters.

[Andrew NDB]

Honestly, we largely don't know. Only a select few have even met him. He doesn't really travel far.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

I'm surprised it's not the PBBZ version.

Heh, it's a pretty old controversy these days, but the reference still amuses me, what with how upset the fanbase got with the idea the original issue was going to be replaced with Laird's digitally remastered special edition.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Heh, it's a pretty old controversy these days, but the reference still amuses me, what with how upset the fanbase got with the idea the original issue was going to be replaced with Laird's digitally remastered special edition.

It was the tones replaced with the cheapy ones plus Laird actually going through and changing little bits of dialogue, like the Turtles' first words.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

It was the tones replaced with the cheapy ones plus Laird actually going through and changing little bits of dialogue, like the Turtles' first words.

All things considered, I regret not picking up a copy back when it was readily available at reasonable price via the official Mirage website.

[CyberCubed]

Mirage studios is dissolved as a business so how can he even create a new comic if he wanted? Wouldn't IDW be publishing it if he could? It's not like he can self publish through Mirage anymore.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Mirage studios is dissolved as a business so how can he even create a new comic if he wanted?

Easy. The same way I can, or anyone can: you have a company print it for you. I'm not even sure Mirage Publishing was actually printing their own comics in house at all.

[Galactus]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

I don't remember if there was a B&W clause but I don't recall ever hearing about one. The biggest thing with his 18 comics a year clause is that he himself has to be heavily involved in the comics that come out under it. He couldn't just publish a new Tales of the TMNT with different writers and artists or anything. I also asked him if there would be anything stopping him from, say, having a 3rd party character cross-over with the TMNT under his clause and he said he didn't see any reason why not

I could be my faulty memory about the comics having to be black and white as part of the contract but I'm positive there was a page limit. I'm not sure if that would hamper anything they'd come up with if they were to publish themselves.

I remember him responding to you on the comment section of his blog about him having to be "heavily involved" but he couldn't recall precisely what that meant. It would be interesting to find out would he have to write and/or illustrate the book or would being an editor (certainly an important role) be enough to satisfy their requirements.

It was the tones replaced with the cheapy ones plus Laird actually going through and changing little bits of dialogue, like the Turtles' first words

He confirmed early on that intended to publish the 'remastered' issues alongside reprints of the originals. That always seemed fair to me since you had a choice of which to buy. It wasn't a George Lucas situation were he was insisting for years you couldn't see Han shooting first and had to sit through Monsters Inc rejects doing a musical in Jabba's Palace.

[MrPliggins]

Originally Posted by Cowabung-Gal

Since nobody is answering my question, I can assume that it is in fact true.

Regardless, I’d still like to meet him and have him sign one of my posters.

I met him in '93 along with the rest of the Mirage crew. Granted it was 30 years ago, but he seemed excited to talk Turtles with fans at that point.

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by Cowabung-Gal

Since nobody is answering my question, I can assume that it is in fact true.

Regardless, I’d still like to meet him and have him sign one of my posters.

You’re in a fairly small pool of people. I’m not sure that’s the logical takeaway.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by MrPliggins

I met him in '93 along with the rest of the Mirage crew. Granted it was 30 years ago, but he seemed excited to talk Turtles with fans at that point.

I mean, 1993 was less than a decade after TMNT debuted in 1984, and he was a lot younger back then. Of course he'd be a lot different back then than people who met him from a decade or two after

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Galactus

He confirmed early on that intended to publish the 'remastered' issues alongside reprints of the originals. That always seemed fair to me since you had a choice of which to buy. It wasn't a George Lucas situation were he was insisting for years you couldn't see Han shooting first and had to sit through Monsters Inc rejects doing a musical in Jabba's Palace.

But you could see that. The VHS tapes of the OT didn't go away, and it wasn't that many years before the unaltered OT appeared on DVD in the collector's editions.

[AquaParade]

Someone mentioned that Peter Laird was in disbelief that TLR made the New York Times Best Seller list, when he was told, until he saw it for himself.

Can’t remember if it was here or in the YouTube comments but it’s pretty wild.

Could very well have been part of what rekindled his interest - the idea that people are into, essentially, his version of TMNT. I think he became disillusioned because he felt like the public was more interested in the Fred Wolf’isms than what he brought to the table, but I obviously can’t speak for him.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by AquaParade

Someone mentioned that Peter Laird was in disbelief that TLR made the New York Times Best Seller list, when he was told, until he saw it for himself.

Can’t remember if it was here or in the YouTube comments but it’s pretty wild.

Could very well have been part of what rekindled his interest - the idea that people are into, essentially, his version of TMNT. I think he became disillusioned because he felt like the public was more interested in the Fred Wolf’isms than what he brought to the table, but I obviously can’t speak for him.

Interesting theory. One thing Mirage never had was a hype-man who could drum up interest in the actual comic content. The original issues hit it big by novelty of the name and organic word of mouth, but after the Surge licensing era most casual folks never paid the comics any interest.

To some degree, I like to think fan websites like Tmnt Entity and Turtlepedia helped serve as entry portals into the history of Turtles print media.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I'm holding out hope that Peter will return to TMNT one day because I've always loved how he handled the property. It doesn't feel the same without. I hope it's been long enough where he's willing to come back to it. I know it's wishful thinking but I would love for him to buy it back from Paramount.