Peter Laird on IDW TMNT

[Venom]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

The actual "Sons of the Silent Age" story would make little tykes want to slit their own wrists (or at least that would be the corporate/demographic way of thinking) so he delivered something that... wasn't like that.

That's why a suits way of thinking is skewed.

I was 7 years old when I read "Sons of the Silent Age" and "Soul's Winter" (my first Mirage issues), and while I was confused with the tone and its stark contrast with the cartoon, those 2 isssues are what caused me to fall in love with the Mirage Turtles.

[Cipher]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

Sons of the Silent Age was also adapted for the old TMNT newspaper strip by Murphy and Jim Lawson (before Dan took over). It was a bit of a downer there, too.

I know it's a little off-topic, but are these, or any of the TMNT newspaper strips, catalogued anywhere online? I'd love to see 'em.

[Galactus]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Or more appropriately worded, "Did you really expect 100% accuracy in a saturday morning cartoon written for children?"

Arn't all saturday morning cartoons made for children? At best you get the writers trying to have their cake and eat it too in regards to writing something they hope will also appeal to some adults as well. I'd say this is true for a lot of the TMNT 2K3 series as well appealing to Laird's personal sense of commercial integrity/brand identity.

Again, it's a cartoon for little kids... and Murphy was a gun-for-hire. The actual "Sons of the Silent Age" story would make little tykes want to slit their own wrists (or at least that would be the corporate/demographic way of thinking) so he delivered something that... wasn't like that.

It would be one thing if Murphy was tasked with, "Hey, deliver us your definitive version of the 'Sons of the Silent Age' comic book story in script-form for the screen"... but he wasn't. What he was tasked with, like I would imagine every writer on the show, was, "Hey, deliver us a version of the 'Sons of the Silent Age' comic book story... but make it age appropriate, real kid friendly and all that. Oh yeah, and here's a bunch of notes from Playmates about stuff you need to include."

I think you're letting you prejudice against a show for children cloud your judgement on this one. Sons Of The Silent Age could easily have had an ending faithful to the comic version. As Rose mentioned the message was there in the newspaper strip which really was for li'l kids watered down version and considering the 2K3 show did have episodes that were hard medicine for kids I can tell you the message wouldn't have been out of place.

I'd argue Cipher is right on the money with this one. Murphy wanted to work in one of his save the earth/anti pollution messages and he felt the episode was the best fit for it. I can buy other factors playing a part such as stretching the plot to fill the full time or having an action quota maybe Muprhy just didn't want to repeat the same story again and write something representative of his current mindset but anyone who thinks the company that okayed Same As It Never Was and Bad Day would shy away from an accurate adaption of the ending of Sons Of The Silent Age is being a bit closed minded.

Originally Posted by Cipher

I know it's a little off-topic, but are these, or any of the TMNT newspaper strips, catalogued anywhere online? I'd love to see 'em.

Most were online somewhere, I can't recall which site. I remember speculation there'd be taken down after the Nick sale so it could be gone now.

[Xav]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

It would be one thing if Murphy was tasked with, "Hey, deliver us your definitive version of the 'Sons of the Silent Age' comic book story in script-form for the screen"... but he wasn't. What he was tasked with, like I would imagine every writer on the show, was, "Hey, deliver us a version of the 'Sons of the Silent Age' comic book story... but make it age appropriate, real kid friendly and all that. Oh yeah, and here's a bunch of notes from Playmates about stuff you need to include."

I'm not sure what Playmates stuff you are talking about.

[Cipher]

Originally Posted by Xav

I'm not sure what Playmates stuff you are talking about.

Every time you see a vehicle or the Turtles in costume during the 4Kids series? That's Playmates.

It's probable they also had some per-episode stipulations we weren't privy to. The Fred-Wolf series did.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Galactus

Arn't all saturday morning cartoons made for children?

Of course!

I think you're letting you prejudice against a show for children cloud your judgement on this one. Sons Of The Silent Age could easily have had an ending faithful to the comic version. As Rose mentioned the message was there in the newspaper strip which really was for li'l kids watered down version and considering the 2K3 show did have episodes that were hard medicine for kids I can tell you the message wouldn't have been out of place.

Not apples to apples at all. There were no suits or Playmates toy lines to concern anyone with on the newspaper strips.

Originally Posted by Xav

I'm not sure what Playmates stuff you are talking about.

Cartoons don't exist in mass media unless there's big toy lines attached. Do I need to go into further detail?

[Galactus]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Not apples to apples at all. There were no suits or Playmates toy lines to concern anyone with on the newspaper strips.

Are you saying you believe everyone involved in the newspaper strip had carte blanche? Even if there was no official rules to follow everyone involved knew it was to kept all ages.

It's highly unlikely anyone at Playmates or any higher ups at 4Kids were of any concern to Murphy when writing the animated version of "Sons Of The Silent Age". There was no product placement at all in that episode and like I said before, given what the show had done prior to that episode the original ending would not have been at all out of place on the show.

Given what we know of Murphy's more current writing it's a lot more likely he came up with the nuclear power plant aspect completely on his own.