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TMNT: Turtles in Time #4 [Review]

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Walt

tmntturtlesintime004Writer: Paul Allor
Artist: Dan Duncan
Colorist: Ronda Pattison
Letterer: Shawn Lee
Editor: Bobby Curnow
Cover: David Petersen
Published by: IDW
Cover Price: $3.99

I didn’t pay attention to the issue’s credits when I started reading, but there was something familiar to the visuals. As it should be–with art by IDW‘s first regular TMNT artist, Dan Duncan. While Duncan‘s art grew on me after a bit, it did seem a bit clunky here, not being as used to it. Still, it worked quite well for the issue.

I feel like I hardly remember details from previous issues (just the general sense of the story, having read them in month-apart segments), but just knowing the turtles have been time-hopping was enough for me for this issue’s story. We find the turtles some years in the future, in what used to be Manhattan. The brothers are surprised at the lack of alarm to their appearance walking in open daylight…until they learn the entire island is hostile territory for mutant turtles of the ninja variety. Escaping to the sewers they find a potentially paradox-inducing ally, as well as a new fight in this time…but this one is of their choosing, rather than allowing Renet to simply send them home. And by the end of the story, one of the turtles is left wondering about the present in light of the future they’d just witnessed.

Even without the 2014 Annual or the previous 3 issues of this series, I quite enjoyed this issue. There’s a definite history not only of time travel in general with the turtles, but with future versions of the turtles themselves. Fondly recalling the various “future turtles” stories in the old TMNT Adventures series from Archie, I was drawn in all the more and looking at details here than I might have otherwise been. One panel alone suggests that the world’s been divided up between the Foot, Krang, and Baxter Stockman (apparently recognized as a Fly).

The only real drawback to this series–and this might just be the immediacy of this issue–is that off the top of my head, I can’t think of anything all that poignant from the previous issues to carry back into the main continuity, while this issue has some key stuff that would be great to see carried over. In a way, I’d even say this issue could (in tandem with the Annual) be read by itself, just knowing that the turtles had bounced around through several time periods before landing here.

As this is definitely a side story, I’m glad it didn’t interrupt the “flow” of the main series. But given this is the concluding issue of a 4-part mini series, unless you’re following this one specifically or single issues in general, I’d say you’re about as well off waiting for the collected volume as trying to track down the previous issues. At the same time, if you read the 2014 Annual, you should be able to dive into this issue without much problem, even without the first 3.

All told, I enjoyed the issue, and to me, that’s the main thing.

Filed under: 2014, IDW Publishing, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW), Turtles in Time | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Krang, Utroms, and the Kraang

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Walt

krang_utroms_kraang_thumbKrang is one element of the classic cartoon TMNT that in retrospect I’m not all that fond of. The toy, on the other hand, brings back some “fun memories.” “Nostalgia” might be a better word…I don’t know.

I recently posted about finding Classic Collection Krang at Toys R Us, and having that figure now adds a character to a small grouping that I own, that have appeared in some form across all three “main” TMNT toy lines (1980s, 2003, 2012).

While the pink brain itself has been missing from my collection for I-don’t-know-HOW-many-years, the Krang’s Android Body has been around my apartment for awhile…a cool (if incomplete) oversized “figure.”

krang_android_body_empty

The android body is about 2 1/2 times as tall as a basic Turtle, though the angle of my photo makes it look a bit bigger.

Krang’s walking contraption is–at top of the bubble–about as tall or only slightly shorter than one of the turtles.

krang_figure01

Of course, though it was the basis of the “main” figure itself for awhile, the bubble contraption I believe only appeared in the first handful of episodes of the cartoon before the android body was introduced.

krang_android_body_with

Though the idea of this creature essentially being a “brain in the stomach” was odd to me at first, back in the day. It wasn’t TOO long, though, before I discovered via the comics that Krang was based on an entire race of aliens from the comics…

utroms

…and part of what I so greatly enjoyed about the 2003 animated series was its adherence to the core elements of the Mirage comics. Here are three Utroms with android bodies from the 2003 line. They came with the little hover-platforms, so can fit either into the android body or as they’ve been shown to get around on the hover platforms without the bodies.

kraang

While Utroms were consolodated into the singular Krang character for the 1980s cartoon, they were introduced as generic villains in the 2012 series as a race called The Kraang…in OBVIOUS homage to the 1980s. These again are brains in the android bodies, though I haven’t bothered to pull enough to pop one out…they don’t come RIGHT out, and I don’t feel like tearing one if they’re really glued in there.

krang_utroms_kraang

So, as with the turtles themselves, I now have a full complement across all 3 “generations” of figures for a given character.

Of course, I’d love to find the “regular-size” figure that came out late in the 1980s run. Sadly I doubt I’d find one for a decent price…I’d be happy to find one “loose” for under $10. Still sounds a bit steep, recalling the turtle figures were once $3.49 apiece. But then, many modern figures are $10 anyway, and to get a vintage figure even without the card for that price isn’t horrible. I do remember seeing it once or twice, but had “outgrown” getting the turtle figures at that point (obviously I’ve grown back in).

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Toy Chronicles | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

New TMNT Classic Collection Acquisitions: Krang and Foot Soldier

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Walt

I recall being somewhat disappointed at the limited nature of the “Classic Collection” TMNT line, as it seemed to be limited solely to a single original “wave” of figures–four turtles, Splinter, and Shredder.

I recently stopped into a Toys R Us looking for a current Nickleodeon 2012 Slash figure, and came across a bit of a pleasant surprise: two new figures in that Classic Collection line!

Firstly, the original “edition” of Krang, back when he was just a brain in a walking bubble contraption:

tmnt_classic_collection_krang

While to this day I cannot say I’m overly fond of the character in general…there is definitely a bit of the nostalgia even here, as I DID used to have this version of the figure back in the day. I never did get to acquire the “regular sized” Krang-in-android-body figure I recall seeing at least once.

However, I had gotten the large android body that this figure fit into…though somewhere through the years Krang himself disappeared on me, while I have the android body at my apartment…

tmnt_classic_collection_footsoldier

And I only ever had one single Foot Soldier back in the day. I don’t recall if it was due to not finding multiples, or just not coming around to buying multiple copies of the “same” figure. This restores that single figure status quo for the moment…though I’m certainly interested in buying several more.

That these two figures showed up gives me hope that we’ll at LEAST get a re-issue of the Bebop and Rocksteady figures. Rocksteady was THE very first TMNT figure I ever owned (back in the days when you simply could not find the turtles themselves despite stores like Toys R Us having what my memory suggests was HUNDREDS of figures on the pegs…

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

TMNT Toys in the Wild – Slash, Spider-Bytez, Rahzar, Mutagen Man

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Walt

More TMNT toys “in the wild” that I’ve come across but not (yet) bought…Figure and profile from the card backs.

SLASH

slash_front

slash_profileI specifically did not buy this one because of the damaged package. I’m not one to worry too much about the package on an older toy, especially when/if priced well compared to a “new” toy. And I certainly don’t buy into the need to have pristine packaging when what matters is the toy INSIDE. However, for something NEW, something I”m paying full retail price for…I certainly want to be satisfied with what I am spending my money on. And I don’t like paying for damaged product, when I know I *should* be able to find the figure later withOUT a damaged package.

SPIDER-BYTEZ

spider_bytez_front

spider_bytez_profileThis is one of those characters I don’t know much about or char about, and seems like just one of those crazy characters made up for the sake of a figure, except I do know he already had appeared on the show. Still, for sheer bulk, I’ve been half tempted to buy this one….and might yet, if the whim strikes.

RAHZAR

rahzar_front

rahzar_profileAfter keeping an eye out for a lotta months, I finally came across this figure itself…almost like it had been delayed or such, after seeing all the other figures numerous times that were supposed to be out at the same time. Now I’ve come across this one several times in the span of a few days…so I’m in no rush to buy it…haven’t decided if I actually want to or not, so no sense rushing a purchase. Especially if I am actually going to (finally) keep coming across the figure.

MUTAGEN MAN

mutagen_man_front

mutagen_man_profileI remember having the original Mutagen Man figure from the ’80s toy line. It was such a random sort of character, and with the condition of that show’s universe being that the merest contact with ooze would un-mutate the turtles, it seemed like a villain that wouldn’t make much sense–they couldn’t deal with him, period. This version seems just as hokey, but at least the figure seems based on the character rather than the other way around. Still, this is another figure that perhaps for sheer bulk might be something I pick up eventually.

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

New (Classic) Ninja Turtle Plushies

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Walt

plush_tmnt_group_09062014In the spring, I happened across a large plush Ninja Turtle. Some sort of “pillow pal,” basically a large plushie/pillow. Initially I figured ok, I’ll just get the Leonardo one. But then decided I wanted to get Raphael. Having those two, I ended up pointedly tracking down Donatello and Michelangelo.

More recently I happened across a Donatello one styled after the “classic” ’80s cartoon series. Seeing the 2010 copyright date on the tag, I figured it was some one-off “leftover” that got found and tossed out into general stock, but was surely from a series that pre-dated the current animated series (which the “pillow pals” were based on).

Then I found a whole bunch of ’em and realized they were newer because of the movie out this year. And this time I got Raphael first, but then Leonardo. And once again, I’m now leaning heavily toward wanting the full set, as they do look quite different from the set I already got.

But time will tell, if I actually manage to find ’em, as I have yet to ever see them at any Target, and Walmart seems to think they’re only allowed to have anything out for a week before they have to completely stop carrying it…

plush_raph_classic

plush_leo_classic

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

TMNT Toys in the Wild – LARP Turtles and Dojo Splinter

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Walt

I recently started coming across the LARP turtles, and noticed “Dojo Splinter” as a similar variant as the second Shredder without the mask.

Here are photos of the characters as well as their profile from the back of the card…

LARP LEO

leo_the_knight_front

leo_the_knight_profile

LARP RAPH

raph_the_barbarian_front

raph_the_barbarian_profile

 

LARP DONNIE

donnie_the_wizard_front

donnie_the_wizard_profile

LARP MIKEY

mikey_the_elf_front

mikey_the_elf_profile

DOJO SPLINTER

dojo_splinter_front

dojo_splinter_profile

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

From the Archive: TMNT (IDW) Reviews

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Walt

It’s interesting (to me, at least) to look back and consider how many full reviews I’ve written of IDW‘s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series to date.

tmnt(idw)001bannerwraparound

Offhand, I believe we’ve had:

  • 37 issues of the main series;
  • 16 issues of Micro-Series (8 heroes, 8 villains);
  • 4 issues of The Secret History of the Foot Clan;
  • 3 issues of The Utrom Empire;
  • 2 issues of Infestation 2: TMNT;
  • Annuals 2012 & 2014;
  • 30th Anniversary Special;
  • 3 (of 4) issues of Turtles in Time

That’s 68 issues of new story content in this current continuity…which certainly is not bad for “only” 3 years (averages to about 23 issues per year, or roughly 2 per month).

Of these 68-ish so far, I’ve reviewed 28 of them…not quite half.

So presented below are links to all of my IDW-specific TMNT reviews as of the start of September 2014.

Main Series:

Heroes Micro-Series:

Villains Micro-Series:

Misc:

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW) #37 [Review]

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Walt

teenagemutantninjaturtlesidw037Story: Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow, Tom Waltz
Script: Tom Waltz
Art: Cory Smith
Colors: Ronda Pattison
Letters: Shawn Lee
Editor: Bobby Curnow
Cover: Cory Smith
Published by: IDW
Cover Price: $3.99

This is easily one of my favorite issues of the series so far…yet it’s not exactly one that would stand alone entirely as an introduction to the book. The fact that it deals deeply in established continuity, bridging the previous arc(s) and leading into the next is a huge strength for the issue.

When I first saw this cover (I get the “A” covers as a matter of principle) I almost grinned. Shredder and Krang facing each other as if an uneasy alliance or entering an alliance, with the under-construction Deathsta…er…Technodrome in the background? This could easily be a poster, and one I would frame and hang if I had it. So to say that the cover caught my attention in and of itself is an apt bit to note in an age of generic interchangeable covers and variants.

The interior art is similarly eye-catching, which makes sense–Cory Smith provides the interiors as well as the “A” cover. The characters’ appearances all look very good, fit established appearances from other artists, and on the whole I just can’t find anything disconcerting or off-putting that drew me out of the story or any negative reaction. I’m not typically an art-focused reader, but to put it simply: I really enjoyed the visuals to this issue.

The story opens on Shredder and Krang and immediately had me curious what they’d be up to in this issue, and half-wondering if it’d be a “talky” issue. We then shift to see what Alopex is up to, with Kitsune, and see that there’s definitely something building there. The story returns to Shredder and Krang’s conference, which doesn’t get either very far before violence breaks out and it becomes quickly apparent that the two will be at odds with each other even while having a common foe in the turtles.

This was indeed a bit of a “talky” issue…though moreso, it was Shredder vs. Krang (with a bit of Shredder’s goons vs. Krang’s goons thrown in for good measure). From the characters’ exchange I’ve realized I definitely–as I’ve somewhat suspected for awhile–missed an issue of the Utrom Empire series somehow. I found myself rather engaged throughout the issue, enjoying it immensely and wishing it wasn’t quickly drawing to a conclusion.

That the story credits three creators is something that I think has made this series extremely enjoyable for me: Eastman as original co-creator of the property, and three years in Curnow and Waltz have certainly established themselves. As a team they’re providing stories and character moments and concepts that have made IDW‘s TMNT continuity possibly the most well-rounded and pretty much my favorite of the myriad TMNT continuities out there.

There’s a definite nostalgia factor for me with Alopex–I’d initially thought she’d be a stand-in for the Ninjara character that appeared in the ’90s TMNT Adventures series…though that could yet be, just (like everything else with IDW‘s continuity) developing a bit slower and with more detail as we go along. I also far prefer this version of Krang to any other version, much as I prefer the comics Cobra Commander to the GI Joe cartoons’ version(s) of the character.

Koya and Bludgeon also remind me of TMNT Adventures characters–Koya of a character whose name I don’t recall offhand, and Bludgeon of the time-travelling shark Armaggon…whether or not these current characters have any bases visually or otherwise on the classic characters doesn’t much matter as I simply enjoyed seeing these, and have the freedom to “hope” there’s some sort of tie.

While I wouldn’t really recommend using this issue as a cold jumping-on point, it’s a strong done-in-one “interlude” that carries itself while bridging arcs and reminding readers of what’s come before that presumably will come into play in the next arc. If you’re a fan of Shredder and/or Krang this isn’t a bad issue, either, even if you’ve been away for an arc or few. 

(However, if you’re looking for the turtles themselves? They don’t appear in this issue’s story. And I’m more than fine with that–the conflict with Shredder and Krang was so engaging that as I read, I was hoping this’d be the case so as to not steal page-time away from the villains.)

As much as ANY comic is these days, this is definitely worth its cover price for the read, particularly as an ongoing reader of the series/continuity. Highly recommended.

Filed under: 2014, IDW Publishing, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Not My Ninja Turtles…

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Walt

No fancy post. No photos, not even very much to say. Just…that was NOT “my” Ninja Turtles. Teenage Mutant or otherwise.

I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to re-watch the 1990 and 2007 films as a palette cleanser.

Yeah, some good stuff, small things. But I am really NOT impressed, and didn’t particularly enjoy the thing, and even the stuff that apparently was supposed to be funny…wasn’t. To me, anyway.

I won’t go so far as to suggest I “understand” Transformers fans.

This just certainly was not an incarnation that I care anything about, offhand. Maybe sleeping on it and further pondering will change my mind some or open to other insights and feelings on the thing.

Filed under: Movie Reviews | Tagged: , , , , | 7 Comments »

Current TMNT DVDs

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Walt

I’ve long since given up ‘hope’ of any “full season” DVD release, so I’ve tried to “keep up” with the partial-season releases for the current TMNT series.

So far, the latest Casey Jones one has been the best ‘bargain’ for something like $7.99 plus I got a free box of TMNT Kraft-brand mac ‘n cheese with it.

tmnt_dvds_so_far_july_2014_b

While I don’t like the partial-season releases, I have to say I prefer these ~6ish episode releases to the 3-4 episode releases of the 2003 series. Having missed a bunch of those a decade ago, I would be quite THRILLED for them to re-release that series, whether as a full series, in full seasons, or even in ~6 episode increments.

tmnt_dvds_so_far_july_2014_a

Still…now having five of these, they’re starting to look rather cool as a mini-collection within my larger dvd collection…

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a comment »

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