Peter Laird reacts to IDW TMNT preview/press release

[Andrew NDB]

"Andrew NDB said...
What are your reactions to this:
http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/0...2;
Kevin Eastman basically launching the new IDW TMNT series."

Peter Laird:
Not to be too nit-picky, but -- at least from what I got from reading the press release -- I don't think it's really accurate to say that Kevin is "basically launching" the new TMNT comic series. It seems more like he is collaborating with the new creative team

That said, I hope he has a lot of fun with it. He hasn't really done any new TMNT comics stuff in a long time, as far as I know, and it might be a real blast for him to get back to it. Maybe he has some really great ideas for TMNT stories. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

And because you asked for my reaction to the press release -- not just the part about Kevin's involvement (which I actually already knew about) -- I have to put my two cents in about the artwork shown, at least the stuff in color which I assume are covers (or cover mock-ups). It's got a nice energy and captures a lot of that essential mutant turtle vibe, but there are -- at least to my eye -- some really awkward bits (Michelangelo apparently having two knee joints on his right leg, Donatello's huge bulbous shell, and an odd stylization which makes the Turtles' plastrons look like untucked-in shirts, particularly noticeable in the Raphael cover).

But the weirdest thing (again, to my eye) is the replacement of the Turtles' brown leather knee and elbow pads and wristbands with what appear to me pale green bandages -- that, I just do not get.

Not that I would be a staunch defender of those accessories for any logical reason -- I mean, Kevin and I gave the Turtles those knee and elbow pads and wristbands when we created them back in 1983, and the Turtles kept them pretty much unchanged for 25 years, even though they never made THAT much practical sense to begin with (why DO ninjas need elbow pads, anyway?)… we just thought they looked kind of neat and they became a part of the whole iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles "look". And given that IDW -- from what I see in this artwork -- is keeping the basic look of the Turtles pretty close to the originals, I don't see the point in changing this particular detail. I suppose it could be a design directive from the new owners of the property. Who knows? But in my opinion, it looks kind of goofy. -- PL

P.S. I do think it is sort of funny that in Kevin's drawing, he DID leave the classic elbow and knee pads on the Turtles… I wonder if that will have to be changed?

[Thorneyeagle]

Its fair to let him nit pick and comment on design changes, so I can't really hold it against him, and honestly we all have picked at it a little.

Good to see him wishing Kevin luck with the endeavor. I am presuming they parted on good terms?

[Revan]

He does make an interesting point about the knee and elbow pads. Honestly, I think this new style makes more sense as the wraps serving as joint support rather than simply a pad for the sake of style.

And I agree with PL that the plastron look awkward. It doesn't look firm. It looks like clothing and the belts are shaping it...

[FearlessLeader]

I just realized the guys also don't have tails, which in the long run in unimportant, but I always liked that Mirage left that detail in even when people complained about it!

I know some here are not to fond of him, but I will always really like Peter and reading his opinions on things, partly because we tend to agree and partly because he reminds me so much of Donatello

[CyberCubed]

He's right that Kevin Eastman isn't, "writing" the stories, but likely giving ideas to the creative team of what to do.

I seriously doubt Kevin Eastman's first story after nearly 15 years was to create a mutant cat named Old Hob who has a grudge against the turtles.

[deadpoolRKO]

i think they're doing the bandages because on Nick's TMNT pics and releases they've had

those " bandages " as well so it's almost like the " modern " turtles are all gonna have that

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by deadpoolRKO

i think they're doing the bandages because on Nick's TMNT pics and releases they've had

those " bandages " as well so it's almost like the " modern " turtles are all gonna have that

My guess is that Peter is correct and Nick forced the issue on the wraps to better maintain "brand identity" with the Nick cartoon, even though it's a seperate universe. Though there is the matter of them removing the elbow/knee pads that are even present in the Nick cartoon.

Dunno. Little puzzling, but I'm not getting worked up about it.

[Jester]

Originally Posted by deadpoolRKO

i think they're doing the bandages because on Nick's TMNT pics and releases they've had

those " bandages " as well so it's almost like the " modern " turtles are all gonna have that

Yes, but the Nick Turtles also still had the leather knee and elbow pads.

I'm not sure what I think of this. Some of the nit-picking seems like sour grapes.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Jester

Some of the nit-picking seems like sour grapes.

I think you're reading too much into it; he was asked what his thoughts were and he gave them.

Given how clear Peter's been lately about wanting some distance from the Turtles -- I'd imagine he's glad that much of the fans & press are focusing more now on IDW and focusing less on what he's going to be doing. Plus, he sounds legitimately happy for Kevin.

[plastroncafe]

Had I not met the man a couple of times, I'd have thought his words were of a sour-grape nature as well. I think it's more that his word choice doesn't translate his emotional state well over the internet.

Or I could be wrong.

[FearlessLeader]

Originally Posted by Jester

.I'm not sure what I think of this. Some of the nit-picking seems like sour grapes.

It's more just Peter's personality, which I think it also why some people like him and some people don't.

Read any of the movie reviews he does that have nothing to do with any property he has been involved in and they sound pretty much just like this.

I think he's very detail orientated.

I was pleased to read he was happy about Kevin!

[Xav]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

He's right that Kevin Eastman isn't, "writing" the stories, but likely giving ideas to the creative team of what to do.

I seriously doubt Kevin Eastman's first story after nearly 15 years was to create a mutant cat named Old Hob who has a grudge against the turtles.

Yeah they said in the interview Kevin didn't create Old Hob. But if Kevin isn't writing anything why is he listed as a co-writer than?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

He's right that Kevin Eastman isn't, "writing" the stories, but likely giving ideas to the creative team of what to do.

Originally Posted by Xav

But if Kevin isn't writing anything why is he listed as a co-writer than?

He is writing. Co-writing is still writing, it's just writing in collaboration with another. Eastman's also providing layouts, which means he's basically in charge of the storytelling.

[Roseangelo]

The problem with Peter's statements (in general) isn't what he says, but how he says it. He comes off as a jerk nit-picking comics/super heroes/movies grounded in fiction/fantasy based on real world logic.

With all due respect to Dan Duncan, whose work I am not at all familiar with outside of what's included in the ComicsAlliance article, his turtles look like unpracticed fan art. The wraps in place of the pads are the most obvious detail that makes it feel like this, though there is a ton of other stuff that can be fairly nit picked - one of the things that jumps out most to me is the apparent overbite all the Turtles have, especially Leo. All of the stuff wrong with the art is of the nature of a lot of fan art I've seen where someone who has never drawn a Ninja Turtle suddenly decides to. And as was pointed out in the other thread, there is a certain Jim Lawson nature to it. In and of itself that's not a bad thing, but also not a style that I can really appreciate coming from someone other than Jim. But we'll probably need to see finished page art to get a real feeling for how this is going to go.

[ToTheNines]

Pete's just not very tactful.

[oldmanwinters]

Hmm... Mikey does look like he has two knee joints on his right leg.

lol, at anatomy FAIL for dramatic effect!

[Xav]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

With all due respect to Dan Duncan, whose work I am not at all familiar with outside of what's included in the ComicsAlliance article, his turtles look like unpracticed fan art.

If you want to see more of Dan's work you can see it here. http://dan-duncan.deviantart.com/

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

With all due respect to Dan Duncan, whose work I am not at all familiar with outside of what's included in the ComicsAlliance article, his turtles look like unpracticed fan art.

While I agree, that parts of their anatomy in Duncan's stuff bugs me a little bit, I just gotta say..

Dang, Rose, you've got some HIGH standards for fan art! I'm guessing Duncan would be in the 90% percentile or higher of all the attempts at TMNT fan art on deviantart (which pretty much qualifies you as professional quality). Heck, I don't think my own stuff is horrible but I'd probably put myself in only the top 50% bracket at best.

You're not using David Rapoza as the measuring rob are you?

[Roseangelo]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

While I agree, that parts of their anatomy in Duncan's stuff bugs me a little bit, I just gotta say..

Dang, Rose, you've got some HIGH standards for fan art! I'm guessing Duncan would be in the 90% percentile or higher of all the attempts at TMNT fan art on deviantart (which pretty much qualifies you as professional quality). Heck, I don't think my own stuff is horrible but I'd probably put myself in only the top 50% bracket at best.

You're not using David Rapoza as the measuring rob are you?

Hmm, I think you misunderstand what I was saying. Firstly, "fan art" was probably the wrong term to use, because I didn't mean, and didn't mean to imply, any comparison to art that you or I would do. What I meant was professional comic artists who have general mad art skillz (and thanks for the link to Dan's Deviant Art - he definitely has solid skills), but whose attempts at drawing Ninja Turtles fall a bit flat. I call it fan art because it's art they do for fun and not because they've been hired to do it.

Art that I would put in this same category would be this often seen piece:

http://sciencefiction.com/wp-content...ja-turtles.jpg

Not bad art, and not bad as a stand alone piece of TMNT art, but these are not Ninja Turtles I would ever endorse for an on-going story comic book.

Dan's work is nothing terrible - he just needs more practice and I would recommend he spend some more time studying the library of official TMNT art.

[oldmanwinters]

Ok, that clarification does help get it straight in my own mind.

BTW, that link you posted has to be the most recycled and recolored piece of TMNT fan art in deviantart history. It's been around so long I don't even remember who the original author is!