Your views on the co-creators

[Yabuturtle]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Some people are more creative-minded than commercial-minded. It's clear now in retrospect that Kevin was the "capitalist" and Pete was the "artist".

I see both sides of it. And I will say that anyone who gets involved in a commercial endeavor should expect certain things upfront. On the other hand, me personally, if I put a lot of work into creating a character or story, and then other people "messed with" it, I'd be furious, regardless of money. It's no longer "mine", at that point, it's been stolen and vandalized. And especially if there were aspects of the story or a particular character that were deeply personal, for one reason or another... nobody else would be able to execute it "correctly", because the personal aspect of it would be gone, the "Why" would be gone. And someone could justify it by saying, "No, it's just a new *version* of your character", to which I'd reply, "No, you're absolutely wrong, it's not the same character/story AT ALL because there were specific reasons I had for doing this, that, or the other, and now, it's broken, because the people who changed it didn't understand WHY certain things were important, and arrogantly pasted *their* nonsense on top of what I had done as if it wouldn't matter. So no, it's a completely different story/character now." I'd be pissed, honestly.

But yeah, that's the kind of thing a person needs to decide before they take the check. I agree. I *don't* agree that making arbitrary changes for the sheer "Why Not?" of it is harmless. Some people don't care how their art is represented and others really, really do. I've always created art for personal reasons, so while I wouldn't be opposed to getting paid for writing something, I'd never want anyone else to screw with what I'd done. Everyone's different. But they should be respected regardless of what side they fall on; it's their work.

I wouldn't care as long as people enjoyed it, which is what a great artist should do. Besides didn't he give permission to use the characters for the toys and animation. Didn't playmates and the tv producers asked them permission for it? What did he expect to happen? For them to stay totally the same? Art changes, just like everything else. Besides it's not like those new versions totally replace his versions. Ideas can't be destroyed. No matter how many different versions of the Turtles there are, the original turtles are still there that people can enjoy. People think that other versions of their characters somehow taint or destroy their own versions. They don't. So really I don't know why they get so worked up over something frivolous like that. The original will always be there no many different versions of TMNT there are.

[plastroncafe]

I've met them both several times, and the very idea of these two guys being roommates just...cracks me up. That's a sitcom in the making, is what that is.

(someone get on that!)

I've always found Kevin to be charming, engaging, and extroverted to the nth degree. Conversely, Peter is understated, straight talking, and far more introverted. Seriously, the two guys couldn't possibly be any more different.

I find their collaborative work on the turtles to be vastly superior to anything else sporting those particular characters. It has just the right mix of emotion and structure that their solo seems to having trouble holding onto.

Kevin is game for just about anything. If it works, Awesome! If it doesn't...well we tried. No harm, no foul.

Peter, as has been already stated, far more conservative. And...given how their lives have panned out because of an artistic lark...I can't say as I blame him.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

I've met them both several times, and the very idea of these two guys being roommates just...cracks me up. That's a sitcom in the making, is what that is.

(someone get on that!)

I've always found Kevin to be charming, engaging, and extroverted to the nth degree. Conversely, Peter is understated, straight talking, and far more introverted. Seriously, the two guys couldn't possibly be any more different.

I find their collaborative work on the turtles to be vastly superior to anything else sporting those particular characters. It has just the right mix of emotion and structure that their solo seems to having trouble holding onto.

Kevin is game for just about anything. If it works, Awesome! If it doesn't...well we tried. No harm, no foul.

Peter, as has been already stated, far more conservative. And...given how their lives have panned out because of an artistic lark...I can't say as I blame him.

I wouldn't be surprised if they have not talked to each other in years.

[Jephael]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

I've met them both several times, and the very idea of these two guys being roommates just...cracks me up. That's a sitcom in the making, is what that is.

(someone get on that!)

Done and done!!!

[Jester]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

I've met them both several times, and the very idea of these two guys being roommates just...cracks me up. That's a sitcom in the making, is what that is.

(someone get on that!)

I've always found Kevin to be charming, engaging, and extroverted to the nth degree. Conversely, Peter is understated, straight talking, and far more introverted. Seriously, the two guys couldn't possibly be any more different.

I find their collaborative work on the turtles to be vastly superior to anything else sporting those particular characters. It has just the right mix of emotion and structure that their solo seems to having trouble holding onto.

Kevin is game for just about anything. If it works, Awesome! If it doesn't...well we tried. No harm, no foul.

Peter, as has been already stated, far more conservative. And...given how their lives have panned out because of an artistic lark...I can't say as I blame him.

Nah...more like:

[CyberCubed]

I don't understand why Kevin abandoned the TMNT franchise as long as he did. He stopped caring from 1997-2011. He also only came back because IDW asked him if he wanted to work on the new comics.

Its hard to believe one of the creators abandoned the franchise entirely for over a decade. I'm sure Mirage would have let him make some Tales of the TMNT issues if he wanted to in the early 2000's.

[Coola Yagami]

I wish they' just break the obvious sexual tension and bang already. Their comics would be 100% better after that, maybe even an end to Volume 4.

[Xav]

Originally Posted by Prowler

I wouldn't be surprised if they have not talked to each other in years.

Last year they both attended Free Comic Book Day together, and did an radio interview together.

[Leo656]

The whole Tundra fiasco and running Heavy Metal took a lot out of him, I imagine. Plus he had to have spent a TON of time on top of Julie Strain. I know I would've.

Only so many hours in a day. Priorities shift.

[papa_smurf73]

Originally Posted by LeotheLateBloomer

Do you guys have any pros and cons with Kevin or Peter? Anything you wish they wish they'd embrace, what they see the TMNT franchise as, etc. What are some things that you both like and dislike about their views on the TMNT?

If you haven't already, check out Peter's TMNT blog. He documents several letters exchanged between his family, and Kevin before the start of Volume 1 issue 1. All the letters he published, to my knowledge, are in chronological order, and very well articulated. I read them all, and it was well worth it IMHO.

In 2014 I met Kevin. He's a super nice guy, and its definitely great to see him out talking to turtle fans. After reading Pete's blog, and all the letters he posted, I came away with the impression that Pete was pushing hard to establish a partnership between he, and Kevin; so much that he gave the guy room and board in his house in Dover, NH so they could collaborate uninterrupted. I have to keep reminding myself that these guys started in a time before technology allowed the remote real-time collaboration we have today. So the only way Pete could reach-out to Kevin was via snail mail, or phone (and I can only imagine how challenging that could be, waiting for responses and all)... All that said, I kindly feel that Pete effectively ran their business, and Kevin kindly came to work when he could (or as finances would allow him to). Reading his letters, and watching the Turtle doc really solidifies my thought of Pete running their business. There's a scene where both Kevin and Pete are in a room with a Playmates Toys rep. They are evaluating the first ninja turtle figures, and it looks like Kevin checks out; possibly starts doodling while Pete is laying out his ideas for the figurines in front of them... This is all just my opinion of course, and certainly open to interpretation. Bottom line, the turtles couldn't exist without them both. Its incredibly circumstantial they met via Kevin finding a book on a bus, and equally amazing they collaborated to make one of the longest lasting brands of our time. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Pete, but I hope to someday shake the man's hand and just thank him (even if he doesn't care for the Turtles so much any more.).

[HotJuicyBurgers]

Not much more to add to this conversation than what everyone has said, but I think what makes the collaborations between the two of them so great is that they work as a sort of checks and balances against each other. Kevin is "crazy" while Peter reels the book in. When Kevin is left alone you get crazy 80's movie action pieces. When Peter is left alone you get "too much" sci-fi. I mean... when you think about it it makes perfect sense that when they worked together they produced some of the best stuff.