5 years after Viacom buys the turtles, thoughts?

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Sabacooza

Hopefully? why would one hope for that? That would be terrible.

Who would you want to buy the rights to TMNT though? Nick wouldn't let the TMNT franchise go cheap. They paid $60 million for it back in 2009 and that was when it was a fading property again, after the success of their cartoon and IDW comic they'll probably ask for $100 million or more if they want to sell it off.

Other than Disney I can't see anyone else spending that much for TMNT.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Sabacooza

Hopefully? why would one hope for that? That would be terrible.

I was saying my previous statement was hopeful, and then listing a bleaker, hopefully-not-going-to-happen potential scenario. You misunderstood me. Sorry 'bout the misphrasing.

[Powder]

Originally Posted by sdp

and seeing "mature" versions of so many OT things kind of rubbed me the wrong way thinking they were just pandering to adults who grew up with the OT.

Oh they definitely did do that. But we've moved past it. For now.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by sdp

I'm intrigued about the IDW comic now after reading Powder's description, a blend of all universes is something I wanted to see. The art always put me off though and seeing "mature" versions of so many OT things kind of rubbed me the wrong way thinking they were just pandering to adults who grew up with the OT. I guess I'll check it out in a few years when there's more storylines finished up or the series is over.

The IDW comic has many different art styles and the Turtles look drastically different between who is drawing it. I think you're refering to Dan Duncan's look who did the first 12 issues, he's not around anymore.

The IDW comic is really coming into its own now. It started off feeling like, "The original toon for grown-ups" but the mythos has been building very well and they're mixing Mirage/Archie/Fred Wolf/4kids and even Nick elements all into one.

Honestly by the time the IDW comic ends and we can read the run from start to finish it'll probably be viewed as the definitive TMNT universe outside of Mirage.

[Candy Kappa]

It certainly could have been better, we could have had a movie that isn't tertible and a toyline that hasn't declined in quality. And the video games have not been very impressive.

But overall things have been relatively good. The IDW is going strong, the Nick cartoon is very good.

[Xav]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

If PL never sold TMNT we would have been sitting here since 2009 twiddling our thumbs because we would be getting literally nothing new aside from the odd Volume 4 issue every 5 years or so.

Peter Laird was done. He barely has the motivation to finish Volume 4, Tales of the TMNT concluded, and he wasn't looking to start another cartoon after the 4kids series ended. We literally would have had a dead franchise since 2009 and it would have stayed that way forever.

The fact that Mirage can produce new comics right now yet the company does nothing says a lot. So TMNT was in danger of "vanishing forever" if PL never sold it, because he would just be letting it be.

Well we would have gotten a new movie which was in development before the sale. I do wonder how that would have turned out.

[neatoman]

Mostly it's been positive, reprints of comics can make it all the way to my country, the current comics are of great quality and there's a good (albeit slow) cartoon.

Of course there's a bad movie but that's kind of it.

[Allio]

Originally Posted by Autbot_Benz

your crazy the nick cartoon & bay movie are better than the crap mutation.

that's not exactly a great accomplishments.

and I actually don't mind The Next Mutation

[Shark_Blade]

Pretty much content with everything.

[CyberCubed]

The Playmates toyline has declined but it was also bad in the later 4kids years too. Besides we have a whole bunch of other companies making TMNT figures and retro figures, we got Lego TMNT which I never thought would happen, we get statues and collectors figures, etc.

Then again I'm not in my young 20's anymore, so I've lost interest in collecting toys in general. I remember when the 4kids series came out I was buying every new TMNT figure they made simply because I was so excited we had a new TMNT show on the air.

Then again I was only 17 when the 2003 series was airing so you can imagine being that young made me want to buy toys again to relive my childhood youth.

[plastroncafe]

I remember being at SDCC in 2009, back before we knew the 25th Anniversary Party was a wake, and having so many artists in Artist Alley being excited that the Mirage Crew was there.

Dave Petersen, of Mouse Guard, and Gene Yang, who writes the Avatar Comics as well as I think...is he going to do Superman now too?
Both of them specifically asked me what I knew about Tales, because both dreamed of writing a TMNT story.

I know we would have gotten a new set of Mirage trades, because the one they sold at the Con had a Zero on the spine.

Since?
I don't follow the IDW series as closely as I should, though I really loved the Ghostbusters-TMNT x-over. I've stopped watching the Nick Toon due to a combination of not having cable and feeling tired of the direction they took the stories in. The live action was a trainwreck, and not in the fun way it could have been.

Still, there's always room for improvement.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

Since?
I don't follow the IDW series as closely as I should, though I really loved the Ghostbusters-TMNT x-over. .

Why don't you follow the IDW series as closely as you should? I remember you saying you have over 1000 comics in floppies around your house. I'm sure following another series won't hurt you.

[plastroncafe]

Couple of reasons.

I find the TELL Storytelling, as opposed to say SHOW storytelling, to be laborsome and unfulfilling to read. Also the pacing always seems to be break-neck, and there's very little time for the characters to regroup.

I've been busy.

And finally because F^&% YOU, that's why.
Why are you willfully insufferable, Cyber?
You are not the arbiter of what is or isn't hurtful to a person.
Your gatekeeper highhorse is a deadone, stop beating it.

[Allio]

Better than saban's four years with power rangers (and 2 with digimon)

[CowabungaMikey]

I love everything Viacom did with the Turtles. Great to see them back in action since 2009.

[neatoman]

Originally Posted by Allio

Better than saban's four years with power rangers (and 2 with digimon)

Aren't both of those just dubs?

I know there's a little bit more going on with Power Rangers but from what I can see it's never that different from Super Sentai.

[sdp]

Saban has had PR for 5 years also I think. In the toy department it's been a mixed bag while the normal toylines are as bad as they've been in the past years at least the collectors line they got right. The actual shows took a dive writing wise and became a huge missed opportunity, part of the problem with the current PRs shows is actually Viacom's fault since they've only ordered 20 episodes per year instead of the usual 38 that PRs used to get. But Saban has been learning I think the new show seems to finally be on track, we're finally getting a new movie and we've gotten comics and cool merchandise. I'm optimistic about the future of PRs, also it being the biggest brand Saban has there is no worry that they'll shelf the PRs.

[Bry]

Pre-sale we had a show I enjoyed (pre-Fast Forward, anyway), comics I mostly enjoyed (V4 and Tales V2, though each were spotty at times), a theatrical movie that was decent (it was certainly flawed, but also got a lot right), a toy line that I'd largely stopped following, a video game line that was... a mixed bag, but produced a few good/solid titles, and an era capped off with a truly great TV movie in Turtles Forever.

Post-sale we've got a show I enjoy, comics I really enjoy (the IDW team is killing it, and as a whole they're treating TMNT very well), a theatrical movie I hated with the fury of a thousand suns, a toy line I've entirely stopped following, and a video game line that's a mixed bag at best.

All said? I'm pretty happy. It's not perfect, and there's a lot of stuff happening now that would never get the Peter Laird Seal of Approval (which could be a good or a bad thing depending on your personal tastes), but some fresh blood in the creative process like Team IDW & Ciro and the Nick gang have helped rejuvenate the property in some really fun ways. I do wonder about what could have been -- especially re: the pre-Bay movie plans -- and in general I preferred it when TMNT was owned/run by Mirage, but that's strictly for personal reasons.

Anyway - the great stuff is offset by some truly terrible stuff, but... that's nothing new for this property since it really started branching out. Overall, I'm not really more or less happy now than I was before 2009. I'm glad there's good stuff being produced and I'm just gonna enjoy that as long as it lasts (while ignoring the crap).

[Candy Kappa]

Originally Posted by neatoman

Aren't both of those just dubs?

I know there's a little bit more going on with Power Rangers but from what I can see it's never that different from Super Sentai.

There hasn't been a straight up Sentai dub since the late 70's iirc.

PR mostly in varying degrees uses Sentai footage and cuts it into their own story compared to the Sentai sow they use, and have their own actors potraying the characters in and out of costume.

[Turtle_power_eh?]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

If PL never sold TMNT we would have been sitting here since 2009 twiddling our thumbs because we would be getting literally nothing new aside from the odd Volume 4 issue every 5 years or so.

Peter Laird was done. He barely has the motivation to finish Volume 4, Tales of the TMNT concluded, and he wasn't looking to start another cartoon after the 4kids series ended. We literally would have had a dead franchise since 2009 and it would have stayed that way forever.

The fact that Mirage can produce new comics right now yet the company does nothing says a lot. So TMNT was in danger of "vanishing forever" if PL never sold it, because he would just be letting it be.

^THIS!

I have loved the IDW comics thus far, The show has been pretty solid but I've only watched the first season and the few episodes of season 2 (although I did watch a few newer ones randomly...Napoleon and dream beavers?...sigh, not sure I dig the direction this is heading). Don't get me started on the latest movie...I still want my money back for that one.

But with all my complaints, the franchise would have been lost if Pete had held onto it.

IDW Comics>NickToon>2014 Movie.

Leave out that terrible "film" and I would be pretty happy...unfortunately it is a skid mark on the underwear of Hollywood.