Thoughts on DW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Comics

Dawnatello Turtle Chick · 09-21-2013, 12:04 AM

Alright, so I finally collected all 7 of the Dreamwave Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Comic Books. I got that Dreamwave apparently abruptly absolved as a company (saw it somewhere in someone's older thread, while doing a search to see if this was already a thread?...) which sucks since it really felt like this series was just starting to hit it's stride.

At the end of Issue #7 it has an ad for #8 which is supposed to be the T4 Turtlenator. Does anyone know if there is a storyline or artwork for the unpublished issue? Obviously they at least had a rough plan for that issue or it wouldn't have the cool artwork (also hinted at in, I think, issue #6) teaser for the next issue that never was...

Did anyone else feel like the first few issues felt kind of flat? #2 was really weird to me...

Spoiler:

I also felt like there was a gaping hole where Splinter should have been! Just seeing him briefly as a sort of conscience was almost a tease! I suppose they probably had big plans for him later on before the series got shelved.

It seemed like when this series introduced characters, (ie, April, Casey, etc.) they focused the entire issue on them, with the turtles only appearing briefly, and often only one. Like it would have been better to have Micro-Series or something.

I guess my main complaint is that a lot of the issues felt overly dramatic without enough context or mood to make you buy into it- they all felt a little short too. Maybe I'm alone in this....

I love the original Mirage Eastman and Laird stuff (haven't read the Tales (v1) stuff yet though) and enjoy the Tales (v2)- though I've yet to read every issue (work in progress). I enjoy the Archie stuff, though it is a horse of another color! I'm totally digging the new IDW Eastman books and so far I love the New Animated Adventures (IDW) books as well. This one- Dreamwave- for me at least, just didn't do it for me... How'd everyone else feel that has read at least a few issues?

My apologies if there is an old thread on this... I did a search and went through the most recent 6 pages of Comic Book discussion threads. Surely by now there's more fans that have joined that might want to weigh in...?

*Powder* · 09-21-2013, 12:16 AM

The first few were definitely a bit flat, but that's the fault of whoever decided they should be adaptions of an adaption that was melodramatic on its own. The original content was awesome to me, and I think this book getting cut was a loss. Wasted potential no doubt. I absolutely adored Leseans art.

Dawnatello Turtle Chick · 09-21-2013, 12:36 AM

I definitely think if the series had gotten to play itself out, or at least had a decent run, it could have been a really good series. It just didn't have enough time to give us a clear picture of what direction they wanted to go. I liked Issues #5,6,7. I felt like they were actually taking it in a discernible direction. I can't say I loved it as a series, but the art was good and if they had been allowed to keep going I think I probably would have ended up liking them.

But the question still begs an answer... Does anyone know if there is any artwork or storyline floating around we might be able to peek at for the unpublished #8?

funatic · 09-21-2013, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawnatello Turtle Chick

But the question still begs an answer... Does anyone know if there is any artwork or storyline floating around we might be able to peek at for the unpublished #8?

This old thread has the answers you seek: http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/sho...ve#post1046905

Apparently the 2nd collected volume of the series contains...

Quote:

Originally Posted by AleXviD

collects #5-7, synopses for #8-10 + plus sketches, script excerpts and cover gallery (only #1-5 & 7, there's no #6 cover for some reason, IIRC).

Can be purchased used on amazon for quite the deal: http://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Mutant...=I1GNOQFP5EZS1

*Mayhem* · 09-21-2013, 05:47 AM

Yep, I was gonna answer that ^ as I have it in my collection.

*oldmanwinters* · 09-21-2013, 06:48 AM

I think DrSpengler sufficiently covered this series and its inherent problems:
http://tmntentity.blogspot.com/search/label/Dreamwave

He was actually much tougher on them than I expected. Back in the day, the only two issues I bought new were issues 4-5 due to their Raphael-centricity.

*Coola Yagami* · 09-21-2013, 09:09 AM

It comes down to what I've always said (and I'm glad DrSpengler agreed). The new stories were boring and dealt with stupid characters that were not in the show or had nothing to do with the show.Maybe the stories weren't so bad, but they should have been spread out in between issues that actually had the Turtles fight the Foot, Purple Dragons, Hun, etc. There was no reason issues 6 and 7 couldn't have used the Purple Dragons instead, and ended in a showdown against Hun. They really should have cut the BS and started issue 5 right with the T4 storyline.

The current series had issue 1 with Don and April facing nameless soldiers. It was a more enjoyable read, but they didn't continue the following issues with more nameless bad guys. Issue 2 gave us Snakeweed, issue 3 has the Kraang, issue 4 already has a Foot Ninja on the cover and issue 5 is showing Fish Face on the cover. That's how you do a series based on a cartoon series. Actually put stuff from the cartoon series into it.

*DrSpengler* · 09-21-2013, 09:11 AM

It was the worst run of Turtle comics I've ever had the displeasure to read in my life.

*oldmanwinters* · 09-21-2013, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrSpengler

It was the worst run of Turtle comics I've ever had the displeasure to read in my life.

And this coming from a man who reviewed Archie's April O'Neil: May East Saga!

One day he totally needs to tackle the TMNTA spin-off series: The Conservation Corps.

*Redeemer* · 09-21-2013, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrSpengler

It was the worst run of Turtle comics I've ever had the displeasure to read in my life.

thats a damn shame, bc the covers that I have seen for that series or at least the turtles art design is awesome.

**Venom** · 09-21-2013, 02:10 PM

Peter David didn't even really want to write it, he did it because his kids wanted him too.

Knowing that sort of puts a stain on the short-lived series because I know that if his heart had been in it, it could have easily went down as a great series (c'mon, it's Peter-freakin'-David!) rather than him phoning in a story that takes place between episodes on characters no one knew or cared for. For a series about the Turtles, they sure were scarce!

Lesean's art was fantastic and closely imitated the cartoon, so that is definitely a high note, and makes the series worth owning simply on that merit.

*Sabacooza* · 09-21-2013, 02:10 PM

I didn't care for the stories personally but it would've been nice if they finished up what they had planned.

My friend says he knows Lesean Thomas personally and was pestering him for all the pages he completed for the remaining issues. Unfortunately, he remains unsuccessful in getting those pages.

Heather Breckel · 09-21-2013, 03:49 PM

I didn't enjoy the stories but I loved the art! Holy crap, I never realized there was 4 colorists per issue on the series. They must have had some tight deadlines on those books to need that many

*miru* · 09-21-2013, 04:22 PM

What if someone did an online continuation, like what happened with Sonic the Comic?

*oldmanwinters* · 09-21-2013, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heather Breckel

I didn't enjoy the stories but I loved the art! Holy crap, I never realized there was 4 colorists per issue on the series. They must have had some tight deadlines on those books to need that many

Heather, you have so much more talent and skill than that colorists-by-committee that DW employed.

DK2 · 09-21-2013, 09:02 PM

When you have someone of Peter David's writing on a TMNT book you should give him freedom. Didn't know he took the job for his kids, but nice of him. I too thought the book was just starting to get going after #4. But I believe if memory serves it was Peter Laird or Mirage's licensing arm was overlooking the book from an editorial viewpoint that hampered this comic to have a better start story wise. They insisted that the core TMNT elements be all reintroduced to the readers, TMNT origin, April's intro, etc. This hampered it for readers like us and weren't they adaptations of the early 2K3 episodes? Also I think the book died way before Dreamwave went kaput. I recall them saying Mirage was asking way too high a price for the licensing fee which made the book unfeasible to make ongoing. Maybe it contributed to their bankruptcy? Mirage shouldn't have asked so much. They just got the TMNT back into the limelight. An extra ongoing comic could have been something better to have around to keep the TMNT in the spotlight. All there was at the time was barely 2 years of TMNT Vol. 4 comics.

Dawnatello Turtle Chick · 09-21-2013, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DK2

I too thought the book was just starting to get going after #4. But I believe if memory serves it was Peter Laird or Mirage's licensing arm was overlooking the book from an editorial viewpoint that hampered this comic to have a better start story wise. They insisted that the core TMNT elements be all reintroduced to the readers, TMNT origin, April's intro, etc. This hampered it for readers like us and weren't they adaptations of the early 2K3 episodes?

But don't most *new* TMNT volumes start with their version of a re-hashing of how we got the turtles? Unless you mean that the whole blow by blow of issue #1 with the truck almost almost crashes, ooze falls out, bounces into a bowl of turtles thing, then yeah, I agree. Which would probably be WHY the initial issues felt so forced- they WERE!

If that was the case, then perhaps it could have been a much better series had the writer been given a bit more play with how the opening worked out. As it sits, based on the fact that we get a different viewpoint (kid focused on the turtles falling into the sewer- we as the reader don't even focus on the crashing ooze dispensing truck), it definitely appears that the writer wanted to take it in a different direction or have a different feel/take on the origin story.

But then again, in issue #2 where April be trippin'... I think he took a bit much free reign... just my opinion though! It seems like to me that that issue didn't seem to mesh well with how she was portrayed throughout the rest of the short-lived series.

It also really felt like, to me, the writer felt much more drawn to the human characters in this series, more than any others I have read. IMO, it was almost as if the turtles were secondary characters, when you compare this series to some of the others- original Mirage, new IDW, New Animated IDW, etc. Just seems that way to me...

*Redeemer* · 09-21-2013, 10:17 PM

Its a damn shame that the series got cancelled, my favorite turtle design is from the 2k3 cartoon. I just loved everything about the series. (except after season 5, little sketchy

)

*Ninjinister* · 09-21-2013, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Heather, you have so much more talent and skill than that colorists-by-committee that DW employed.

I'm going to have to agree with this one.

*Cipher* · 09-22-2013, 12:01 AM

I bought the first two issues digitally on a whim once and thought they were okay? I actually thought the first was a decent start to a new series, despite the lack of Turtle appearances and its heavy reliance on the cartoon.

I promised myself I'd buy the rest if I ever found the trades cheap enough. Though maybe I was just desperate for reading material at the time?

09-21-2013, 12:36 AM	#3
Dawnatello Turtle Chick Mad Scientist Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mineral Wells, TX Posts: 1,178	I definitely think if the series had gotten to play itself out, or at least had a decent run, it could have been a really good series. It just didn't have enough time to give us a clear picture of what direction they wanted to go. I liked Issues #5,6,7. I felt like they were actually taking it in a discernible direction. I can't say I loved it as a series, but the art was good and if they had been allowed to keep going I think I probably would have ended up liking them. But the question still begs an answer... Does anyone know if there is any artwork or storyline floating around we might be able to peek at for the unpublished #8? __________________ These are here-->[IMG][/IMG]<---and here.

09-21-2013, 02:10 PM	#11
Venom Space Knight Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,637	Peter David didn't even really want to write it, he did it because his kids wanted him too. Knowing that sort of puts a stain on the short-lived series because I know that if his heart had been in it, it could have easily went down as a great series (c'mon, it's Peter-freakin'-David!) rather than him phoning in a story that takes place between episodes on characters no one knew or cared for. For a series about the Turtles, they sure were scarce! Lesean's art was fantastic and closely imitated the cartoon, so that is definitely a high note, and makes the series worth owning simply on that merit. __________________

09-21-2013, 04:22 PM	#14
miru Mad Scientist Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 1,874	What if someone did an online continuation, like what happened with Sonic the Comic? __________________ Proud Digimon nut.

09-21-2013, 10:17 PM	#18
Redeemer Technodrome Technician Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: third earth Posts: 4,737	Its a damn shame that the series got cancelled, my favorite turtle design is from the 2k3 cartoon. I just loved everything about the series. (except after season 5, little sketchy ) __________________ GT:Reedeamer *THE TECHNODROME REDESIGN 2015* http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=51594

09-21-2013, 12:04 AM	#1
Dawnatello Turtle Chick Mad Scientist Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mineral Wells, TX Posts: 1,178	Thoughts on DW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Comics Alright, so I finally collected all 7 of the Dreamwave Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Comic Books. I got that Dreamwave apparently abruptly absolved as a company (saw it somewhere in someone's older thread, while doing a search to see if this was already a thread?...) which sucks since it really felt like this series was just starting to hit it's stride. At the end of Issue #7 it has an ad for #8 which is supposed to be the T4 Turtlenator. Does anyone know if there is a storyline or artwork for the unpublished issue? Obviously they at least had a rough plan for that issue or it wouldn't have the cool artwork (also hinted at in, I think, issue #6) teaser for the next issue that never was... Did anyone else feel like the first few issues felt kind of flat? #2 was really weird to me... Spoiler: April was seeing her younger self and hallucinating? Just seemed odd and I kept asking myself why...? I understand she was trying to psychologically deal with everything, but it felt kind of forced to me. I also felt like there was a gaping hole where Splinter should have been! Just seeing him briefly as a sort of conscience was almost a tease! I suppose they probably had big plans for him later on before the series got shelved. It seemed like when this series introduced characters, (ie, April, Casey, etc.) they focused the entire issue on them, with the turtles only appearing briefly, and often only one. Like it would have been better to have Micro-Series or something. I guess my main complaint is that a lot of the issues felt overly dramatic without enough context or mood to make you buy into it- they all felt a little short too. Maybe I'm alone in this.... I love the original Mirage Eastman and Laird stuff (haven't read the Tales (v1) stuff yet though) and enjoy the Tales (v2)- though I've yet to read every issue (work in progress). I enjoy the Archie stuff, though it is a horse of another color! I'm totally digging the new IDW Eastman books and so far I love the New Animated Adventures (IDW) books as well. This one- Dreamwave- for me at least, just didn't do it for me... How'd everyone else feel that has read at least a few issues? My apologies if there is an old thread on this... I did a search and went through the most recent 6 pages of Comic Book discussion threads. Surely by now there's more fans that have joined that might want to weigh in...? __________________ These are here-->[IMG][/IMG]<---and here.

09-21-2013, 12:16 AM	#2
Powder 40 Years of TMNT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Shell-Ri-La Posts: 26,954	The first few were definitely a bit flat, but that's the fault of whoever decided they should be adaptions of an adaption that was melodramatic on its own. The original content was awesome to me, and I think this book getting cut was a loss. Wasted potential no doubt. I absolutely adored Leseans art.

09-21-2013, 05:47 AM	#5
Mayhem Foot Elite Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London, England Posts: 4,078	Yep, I was gonna answer that ^ as I have it in my collection. __________________ Lie with passion and be forever damned...

09-21-2013, 06:48 AM	#6
oldmanwinters Overlord Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Between yesterday and tomorrow! Posts: 15,498	I think DrSpengler sufficiently covered this series and its inherent problems: http://tmntentity.blogspot.com/search/label/Dreamwave He was actually much tougher on them than I expected. Back in the day, the only two issues I bought new were issues 4-5 due to their Raphael-centricity. __________________ Experience the TMNT Fan Commentaries! Check out my TMNT fan comic, "Nothing to Fear"! View my sketch work! I'm selling some of my hard-to-find TMNT items!

09-21-2013, 09:09 AM	#7
Coola Yagami Overlord Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 15,709	It comes down to what I've always said (and I'm glad DrSpengler agreed). The new stories were boring and dealt with stupid characters that were not in the show or had nothing to do with the show.Maybe the stories weren't so bad, but they should have been spread out in between issues that actually had the Turtles fight the Foot, Purple Dragons, Hun, etc. There was no reason issues 6 and 7 couldn't have used the Purple Dragons instead, and ended in a showdown against Hun. They really should have cut the BS and started issue 5 right with the T4 storyline. The current series had issue 1 with Don and April facing nameless soldiers. It was a more enjoyable read, but they didn't continue the following issues with more nameless bad guys. Issue 2 gave us Snakeweed, issue 3 has the Kraang, issue 4 already has a Foot Ninja on the cover and issue 5 is showing Fish Face on the cover. That's how you do a series based on a cartoon series. Actually put stuff from the cartoon series into it. __________________ "I was down with TMNT once, but then they changed what TMNT was. Now what I was down with is no longer TMNT and what TMNT now is seems weird and scary. And it'll happen to YOU." Check out my blog for Comic Reviews and other things. https://markepicblogofrandomness.blogspot.com/ I also started The AEW Crew, the All Elite Wrestling Fan Club! https://www.facebook.com/groups/637508120044168/

09-21-2013, 09:11 AM	#8
DrSpengler Foot Elite Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,842	It was the worst run of Turtle comics I've ever had the displeasure to read in my life.

09-21-2013, 02:10 PM	#12
Sabacooza Mad Scientist Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,994	I didn't care for the stories personally but it would've been nice if they finished up what they had planned. My friend says he knows Lesean Thomas personally and was pestering him for all the pages he completed for the remaining issues. Unfortunately, he remains unsuccessful in getting those pages.

09-21-2013, 03:49 PM	#13
Heather Breckel Official TMNT Staff/Cast Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 308	I didn't enjoy the stories but I loved the art! Holy crap, I never realized there was 4 colorists per issue on the series. They must have had some tight deadlines on those books to need that many

09-21-2013, 09:02 PM	#16
DK2 Stone Warrior Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 621	When you have someone of Peter David's writing on a TMNT book you should give him freedom. Didn't know he took the job for his kids, but nice of him. I too thought the book was just starting to get going after #4. But I believe if memory serves it was Peter Laird or Mirage's licensing arm was overlooking the book from an editorial viewpoint that hampered this comic to have a better start story wise. They insisted that the core TMNT elements be all reintroduced to the readers, TMNT origin, April's intro, etc. This hampered it for readers like us and weren't they adaptations of the early 2K3 episodes? Also I think the book died way before Dreamwave went kaput. I recall them saying Mirage was asking way too high a price for the licensing fee which made the book unfeasible to make ongoing. Maybe it contributed to their bankruptcy? Mirage shouldn't have asked so much. They just got the TMNT back into the limelight. An extra ongoing comic could have been something better to have around to keep the TMNT in the spotlight. All there was at the time was barely 2 years of TMNT Vol. 4 comics.

09-22-2013, 12:01 AM	#20
Cipher Foot Elite Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3,454	I bought the first two issues digitally on a whim once and thought they were okay? I actually thought the first was a decent start to a new series, despite the lack of Turtle appearances and its heavy reliance on the cartoon. I promised myself I'd buy the rest if I ever found the trades cheap enough. Though maybe I was just desperate for reading material at the time?