TMNT Vol 4 #23

[Jephael]

Sounds like one gnarly issue! Hopefully I can pick it up some time next week.

Originally Posted by Spitfire666xXxXx

I still want all the Archie issues. I don't care what anyone says that was the best series for me ><

I'm with you there, buddy!

[Ironfist]

may i ask what's april's history is?
we dont have these comics & i would like want to know what is going on with our boys in green & their palls.

[cowabunga14]

I got it yesterday and thought it was pretty intrestin'. I wonder where April's goin'? Will Peter decide to follow her in the next comic? We'll just have to wait and see. I thought this issue more than made up for last month's dissapointment IMHO. It was rad. Good to see that Leo, Don, and Raph met up with each other and talked. Mikey should find the guys and they could be toghether and meet up with Casey and Shadow. I think that would be great.

[DrSpengler]

Ahoy, Captain! SPOILERS on the port bow!!

Read it today.

Now that there are less individual stories (by one, I suppose) everyone seemed to get a lot more time. But with such a strangely long letters collumn, maybe I'm just crazy.

Leo/Raph/Don: This was my favorite of the three stories. Just good to see several of the turtles interacting again. Also another Gamera reference, and I dug it. The story made it quite clear that Raph is gonna be ugly for a very long time, so no one should hold their breath. I want Don to grow back to normal, though. The "Incredible Shrinking Turtle" idea doesn't seem to have much to offer aside from some cliches that various cartoons have done to death. But man, I want Leo to get back to his stuff with Karai and the Foot Clan. I've forgotten half of what was going on in that arc!

Mike: His was the weakest. He's in jail, he's unhappy, the Styraccos are mean. The end. He got a lump of sh1t in the face, though. I dispise Mike, so that was a dream come true.

April: Well, she's leaving for wherever. Hopefully this'll leave room for a Casey arc and we can see more of him in the hockey mask, roughing up some bad guys. I miss the good ole days.

Also, it may be just me, but this issue's cover was gorgeous. I HATE Lawson's humans, but his TMNT look fantastic. Great great cover.

The letters collumn had some to offer. A brief talk with the director of the CGI flick about voice actors. Nobody's been cast yet but they haven't ruled out celebrities ("talented" celebrities, they specified).

Laird briefly hinted on how creepy and disgusting the furries at Anthrocon could be. I was a little disappointed he didn't go all out and bash the perverts, but he said that aside from "them" he had a good time (or, at least, he didn't "get" the subculture and I figured that meant the pseudo-beastiality).

His response to the letter for #22 was a little disappointing, though. He just hid behind the same old rhetoric ("Don't read it if you don't like it") rather than providing any real insight, but whatever.

All around, it was a better issue that usual. I was surprise. The cover-alone is worth it.

EDIT: I totall forgot to mention this. Sorry.

The blatant, disgusting, rediculous product placement. I totally want to go out and buy a Hond Pacific Coast motorcycle now. It'll compliment my Macintosh computer perfectly.

C'mon, if you compelled to include product placement AT LEAST don't make it so blatant. Christ...

[Jaf]

Favorite part : the direct Guantanamo prison reference made by the Triceraton prisoner. At last Laird gets the politics outta the Letters page and into the comic. It takes much courage to do so these days, and I'm happy to see the Mirage guys aren't swallowing the propaganda we get since Bush junior, Cheney and all their little Inquisition minded-friends stole the White House in 2000.

Originally Posted by DrSpengler

His response to the letter for #22 was a little disappointing, though. He just hid behind the same old rhetoric ("Don't read it if you don't like it") rather than providing any real insight, but whatever.

What else should the guy do? He's writing the comics he likes, while providing those TMNT-fans who don't dig it with a monthly actionned-packed Tales book, 4 seasons of kick-ass TMNT cartoon, a back-to-basics CGI movie, the Forever War saga, etc. Isn't all of that enough? Should he drop the pencil at command? I don't think he's using rhetoric at all; he just states the plain truth. His bit about the «completist» behaviour was right on topic : when you're a self-publishing author in an independant company, you don't write for collectors, you write for readers. I never felt any pain in not buying the products I didn't like, and the whole «you're not giving me what I want» attitude still amazes me.

All in all, I was happy to see that the majority of the reader's response he gets is a positive one, and that most people are capable of criticizing without angst. But I guess to think and discuss with a free mind just became quite difficult since a certain texan oil-company executive... o.k., I won't get into that. 2008 be blessed.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by Ninja Turtle Nincompoop

And WOOOOOOW @ TJ's letter to Laird.... pwnage at its finest. LOL... I seriously laughed throughout this TJ guy's letter. Was that Leo656's letter? You can tell Laird was a little shaken up by that letter, because TJ knew that Laird would pull a "don't read it if you don't like it" move, which Laird eventually did again.

I think I sent a letter to Laird also telling the detractors to, in polite terms, go f*ck themselves up the ass. Hope to god he posted it.

In any event, I don't beleive Leo "pwned" anybody, he just played "broken record number 5,0000", and Laird responded with a generic comment he should just post up every time when one of these clowns posts. This forum has a grudge against his personal conduct,thats' obvious, and its' high time they just admitted it.

Laird told him again to read something else, hich I also suggest he do rather than waste his time on one huge waste of 500 words or less complaining.

Originally Posted by Jaf

What else should the guy do? He's writing the comics he likes, while providing those TMNT-fans who don't dig it with a monthly actionned-packed Tales book, 4 seasons of kick-ass TMNT cartoon, a back-to-basics CGI movie, the Forever War saga, etc. Isn't all of that enough? Should he drop the pencil at command? I don't think he's using rhetoric at all; he just states the plain truth. His bit about the «completist» behaviour was right on topic : when you're a self-publishing author in an independant company, you don't write for collectors, you write for readers. I never felt any pain in not buying the products I didn't like, and the whole «you're not giving me what I want» attitude still amazes me..

I agree, finally, someone else with a sense of appreciation, and an ability to accept change (yeah, funny how some can play that card with the new cartoon, yet when something new happens to, like, April, they immediatly whine about it, not accepting change easily, Hypocrisy Leauge Unlimited)

Look at one persons' ownership of TMNT has given us, one of the dakrest animatieed series ever created, one of the few around that still has merit, a movie, FOREVER WAR. FOREVER WAR FOR CHRISTS' SAKE, but all I hear is the same "Waaaah, Pete sucks, WAAAAAAAAAAH, Lawson sucks, WAAAAAAAAAAAAHH, Aprils' a drawing, Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

Laird is speaking a truth frequently found in comics, buy it, or blow it, thats' it. Thats' the only explanation, the only solution, the only shread of decent advise he is ever going to give thsoe complainers, it's the reason I don't pick up House of M.

[Jaf]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

he just expressed a nevative view, Laird told him to read something else, which I also suggest he do rather than waste one huge waste of 500 words or less complaining.

Amen to that.

[ZariusTwo]

That being said (which won't make any shread of difference), I picked the issue up, and it was tremendously mutli-plotted, Raph we all know will remain the way he is, Aprils departure looks long-term, which is understandable, she needs to accept what, and who, she is, and discover more of what became of those created imperfectly through the Kirby warp pen. This undoubtedly will provoke Casey to don the Hockey Mask again and begin a new mission, one based on lonliness, and sheer emotional exhaustion.

Shadow I fear for, as Casey will allow the vigilante work to consume him, and she will now have "mother abandoment" issues...

[Jaf]

Hey, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it the first time we actually witness Shadow calling April «mom»? As far as I can remember, she always referred to her as «April».

[zkarlette]

Actually I think youre right... I still dont get the point of her leaving I mean even for casey and shadow its a little weird that shes a drawing or something..and now she even leaves..

I liked the interaction of Raph, Don and Leo but its kind of annoying that Don is still small who knows until when ... it was fun seeing him in the little doll house stuff tho..... and Raph is still huge... I really hope they get that issue past them soon cause this hole situation is going way slow...

Mike in jail still..... for no good reason...I dont know...but apparently PL doesnt plan to change things ...

[cowabunga14]

It looks like Mike will get out of jail next issue. The cover practically gives it away. It shows that he's jumpin' in the air and fightin' a Triceraton. I think that April probably isn't leavin' New York. I don't think he mototcycle would have enough gas to go a state that isn't close to New York. She's probably goin' to an abdonded place to really look back at her life and figure out what's goin' on/what's gonna happen. I would like to see Peter have the characters so they don't stay in the same situtations that they did for a number of issues. He should have the characters go somewhere together and get of somethin' that limits 'em from interactian'/seein' each other as a group. I would like to see 'em together for a while and then have 'em split up (as pairs) so they'll be in contact with each other.

[Space Lieutenant Josh]

I appreciate their addressing the concept of April being human for the facts that she thinks, grows, can love, etc. This is an interesting concept.

[Jephael]

I could not get enough of Don interacting with his brothers again in this issue! The part where he gives Leo the scientific term for "shrinking ray" and Leo goes "Whatever." just cracked me up. It's just such a funny thing to watch.

I feel sorry for Mike's current situation right now. Literally getting **** on like that just seems distasteful. I'm surprised the writers actually got away with it. I hope the poor guy gets back home really soon!

[R-iZZy]

I'm just waiting for some ninja action to take place. This story is so slow-paced, and the action has been minimal. Hopefully, Laird can supply the action-hungered audience with a LITTLE something, because I'm seriously getting antsy with this volume. Bad enough they made April an inkblot, now we're not even seeing the "ninja" aspect of the boys.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by Jephael

I feel sorry for Mike's current situation right now. Literally getting **** on like that just seems distasteful. I'm surprised the writers actually got away with it.

1. Only Pete writes this comic
2. The comic-is-for-mature-age-groups.

[Leo656]

I honestly think it's hysterical that when someone writes in to the lettercol razzing the book, people automatically assume it's me. For the record, I have never had a letter printed in the comic, unfortunately. I did send one in once, but it didn't get printed. I'm sure it was because of the length and the fact that it was a snail mail letter rather than email, and not because they know who I am, LoL. They couldn't possibly be that petty. It was a gushing, praise-filled letter, too, surprisingly (talking about my lifelong TMNT love, not praising the current series so much, really).

But yeah, wasn't me. Believe me, you'll know when and if I ever get a letter printed. Sean Milek, aka Leo656, aka The Franchise, has enough confidence in himself to sign his work, so yeah, you'll know. Bottom line is, I'm just too lazy, plus my computer still doesn't work, and they've said they're less likely to print snail mail, so eh. One day, maybe.

I did notice someone made a comment in their letter defending the book, about people who didn't like it accusing those that did of "smoking crack". Wonder who that was directed at, huh? LoL. Was that anyone here? Seriously, I just wanna know, cuz I thought it was funny. Guess that's my 15 minutes lol.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I did notice someone made a comment in their letter defending the book, about people who didn't like it accusing those that did of "smoking crack". Wonder who that was directed at, huh? LoL. Was that anyone here? Seriously, I just wanna know, cuz I thought it was funny. Guess that's my 15 minutes lol.

...You owe me...

It was in good taste though, really, since I always knew you were "joking" with the crack comment

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

That being said (which won't make any shread of difference), I picked the issue up, and it was tremendously mutli-plotted, Raph we all know will remain the way he is, Aprils departure looks long-term, which is understandable, she needs to accept what, and who, she is, and discover more of what became of those created imperfectly through the Kirby warp pen. This undoubtedly will provoke Casey to don the Hockey Mask again and begin a new mission, one based on lonliness, and sheer emotional exhaustion.

Shadow I fear for, as Casey will allow the vigilante work to consume him, and she will now have "mother abandoment" issues...

Actually I read in one of his responses(in an earlier issue), that Raph will return to normal, he just can't when.

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

I'm personally gald that the TMNT are dinnaly reuniting. What I really would like to see is Leo, Raph, and Don try to save Mikey. At least then we can see some more action.

[Spitfire]

I didn't like this issue at all. It did nothing at all for the story to progress it. What April's leaving? Okay I could have guessed that I didn't need to wait 2 months to read about that. Now I have to wait another 2 just to see how Mikey gets outa prison...

By the way congrats to Jephael on getting his letter published ^_^