What do you think is the worst thing in TMNT history?

[Roseangelo]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Wow, I always figured you liked it for a while but just got frustrated with all the plot threads that never seemed to go anywhere. Do you just hate it outright or think of it as a major lost opportunity? And do you think it started to go wrong at any specific issue?

I think the point I started realizing it was when Splinter died, but on reflection none of it was ever really good.

Peter never really had any direction, he was writing the whole thing as himself more so than as any particular character, and especially in the second half of the series... absolutely horrible writing. And then there's the April issue, which is just a train wreck of horribleness.

[Jester]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

And then there's the April issue, which is just a train wreck of horribleness.

THAT is the single worst thing to happen in TMNT. April is a drawing created by one of the "Kirby Crystals"? What was Laird thinking?

[Archon_Turtle]

Most Hot Topic shirts.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

I think the point I started realizing it was when Splinter died, but on reflection none of it was ever really good.

Peter never really had any direction, he was writing the whole thing as himself more so than as any particular character, and especially in the second half of the series... absolutely horrible writing. And then there's the April issue, which is just a train wreck of horribleness.

I haven't read every issue yet, but I think you've got a point. I think the art pretty strong up until they started to go with "digital" inking (around issue #7, perhaps?). It lost a lot of atmosphere. And the Super Turtles excursion was the point where I thought Laird started to lose his focus on the story. Up until then, you had lots of little hints of this big epic story that you hoped would deliver a satisfying payoff for long time readers. The Splinter funeral issue was both heartfelt and interesting because of all the cameo characters (even Leatherhead for some reason I can't remember).

But once Laird started to bring in the vampires, storylines just got progressively weirder and seemingly more pointless. We had a few issues of Gamera Raph running around the city and fighting other characters, Donatello having microscopic adventures, Mikey getting uh... "intimate" with an alien princess, and April's storyline just collapsing into increasingly unbelievable twists (even for a book with "Mutant Ninja Turtles" as title characters). Pretty much the only interesting storyline late into the book's run was Leonardo and his adventures. Mikey's space travels did start to get interesting as well, but we never did get to see how that wrapped up.

[KirkyMonster]

Originally Posted by Ravenxl7

I haven't actually watched it, yet, but out of everything TMNT related that I'm aware of at the moment, I would have to say that the worst thing in it's history so far has been the Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation live-action series. Though the multitude of TMNT PSA's are a close second.

Though who knows, there might be something TMNT out there that I'm not yet aware of. I haven't been actively involved with anything ninja turtle related since the early 2000's, and even considering that, I wasn't aware of NT:TNM till last year...

I like how you start by saying that you haven't actually watched it, yet some how you know that is the worst thing in TMNT history. I think people from Utah are the worst people in the country even though I have never been there.... sounds real intelligent huh? In my oppinion the worst thing to ever happen to the Ninja Turtles is the final season of the cartoon where they turn into big fat spiked messes.

[Jester]

The European Vacation episodes...

[CyberCubed]

Bob Fingerman's Archie TMNT issues, particularly the "May East" Saga.

[Roseangelo]

Originally Posted by Jester

The European Vacation episodes...

I know those episodes really aren't very good, but when they showed up on the USA network out of no where, when I was certain I had seen every single episode there was, that was pretty awesome.

[Jester]

I mention them because I'm biased...

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Jester

THAT is the single worst thing to happen in TMNT. April is a drawing created by one of the "Kirby Crystals"? What was Laird thinking?

It was a compelling plot twist... with no compelling follow-through. I see no evidence in the latter part of Vol. 4 that there was ever any kind of real long-term plan for it.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

It was a compelling plot twist... with no compelling follow-through. I see no evidence in the latter part of Vol. 4 that there was ever any kind of real long-term plan for it.

Valid point. If you're gonna reveal a bizarre twist on the origin of a long-time character, you might as well try to flesh out fully the ramifications.

[Andrew NDB]

Which is kind of the problem with Volume 4 (and 2 for that matter) in general. It kind of feels like it's less "I have a plan for a beginning, middle, and end for this volume and everyone's arcs in it" and more "Ehhh... lemme just write one issue at a time and see where things go. Who knows what'll happen?" which isn't a particularly good storytelling style or practice.

But I'm still fascinated to see where he would have/will go regardless.

[Roseangelo]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Valid point. If you're gonna reveal a bizarre twist on the origin of a long-time character, you might as well try to flesh out fully the ramifications.

That is basically the problem I had with Splinter's death. It changed absolutely nothing with the characters or storyline.

[NameGoesHere1066]

this is going to get me some hate, but...Ninjara. I just don't care for her or generally "girlfriend" characters. I started out liking her but I eventually became annoyed with her presence in the story. ANd this is coming from a Raphael fan.

[ssjup81]

Movie 3 for me because, I never read the Image series, never saw the Turtles Christmas or the Coming out of their Shells stuff, and I liked TNM (even though I can't remember it or what I liked about it other than Venus' magic stuff and Venus as a whole).

I disliked movie 3 when I first saw it as a kid for many reasons and to me, it didn't feel like a Turtles film. It's like they tossed the four in to remind us that, "Hey, this is a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie." They had so many villains they could've used for that film, but were overlooked. Shredder's "death" in movie 2 was anticlimactic. HE CAN GET CRUSHED IN A GARBAGE TRUCK IN MOVIE 1 AND SURVIVE, BUT HE GOES KEVIN NASH AND A DOCK FALLS ON HIM AND IT KILLS HIM? Something is completely off there. If anything, the film to me was a huge disappointment. So no, I'm not one of those who "jumped on the bandwagon". I even tried giving the movie another chance last year after so many years of not seeing it and to be fair and objective about it. I still felt the same way for the most part and even ignored the bad animatronics...the movie was still very weak and still one of the worst things to come out of the franchise for me.

Edit: Oh god, the European vacation eps. So awful!! >< IMO, but I still stand by movie 3 as the worst thing to come out of the franchise for me. lol

[zkarlette]

Originally Posted by mikeandraph87

Its cheesy. I would not say bad. But if you want something considered worse along those lines? How about Operation:Blue Line? I love hearing the '87 cartoon voices but the whole short made me cringe it was so bad.

What the hell?!
I never ...

[Storm Eagle]

For me, it would be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III and The Next Mutation. I might even have to mention the final three seasons, but only on account of the red sky.

[Slap-Happy]

I don't really get ALL of the hate for The Next Mutation and the third movie. I mean they aren't THAT bad.

If it weren't for Venus and the "Power Ranger" villains, I sort of like The Next Mutation. And Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III is just a mediocre film.

[ZariusTwo]

Volume Four is awesome. The p eople who hate on it are just those with a very strong impaitence and low tolerance for decompressed storytelling, a lack of imagination, a fear of change, and overall they just wanted to bash Pete for any reason because they COULD, they were spoiled brats who didnt get what THEY wanted.

I'll pick April's origin, Mikey's space quest, vampires, gamera Raph, microscopic Utroms and Karai's weird affairs over IDW's shlock anyday.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Utrom Shredder (or Secret Origins, as that storyarc is called)