Tag Archives: Krang

Feb 20 2013

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 19

Alternating Currents: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 19: Drew and Taylor

Today, Drew and Taylor are discussing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles  19, originally released February 20th, 2013.

Drew: One of the things we love about fiction is the opportunity it affords us to live vicariously through its heroes. This is a feeling familiar to anyone who’s walked out of a movie theater feeling like they could fly, or at least swing from some vines. That’s all well and good when you’re being introduced to these characters for the first time, but that’s decidedly not the situation Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles finds itself in. A comic written by and for people who grew up playing with Turtle action figures, wearing Turtle pajamas, and chewing (and accidentally swallowing) Turtle bubble gum has the potential to cash in on those connections in fascinating ways, amping up that sense of vicariousness to euphoric levels. Be it repairing a futuristic robot, piloting an alien tank, or more traditional ninja action, issue 19 finds the Turtles living out all of their (and by extension, our) wildest dreams. Continue reading →

Feb 7 2013

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 18

tmnt 18

Today, Taylor and Patrick are discussing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles  18, originally released January 23rd, 2013.

Taylor: Whether it be in the world of writing or the world of art (hell,  even in the 9-5 workplace) consistency is something  that is difficult for the average person to achieve. Perhaps this statement should be clarified: it is hard to be consistently good at something. It goes without saying that doing things poorly on a regular basis is easy, as doing so requires virtually no effort. However, to create something that is continually good is no easy task. Just take a look at the comic books that litter the shelves of your digital or real-world comic shop. How many of those titles are good month in and month out? How many never have an off issue? How many never let you down? There is perhaps no greater complement that can be paid to a series then that it is consistently good. To craft an issue that is always on point is truly the mark of a great creative team, and something that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has always been able to claim. Yet in the 18th issue of the series some fault lines are beginning to appear and the question is, is this an aberration or the sign of something more troubling?

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Dec 26 2012

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 17

tmnt 17

Today, Taylor and Patrick are discussing Teenage Mutant ninja Turtles 17, originally released December 19th, 2012.

Taylor: There comes a point when reading anything that is speculative in nature where the author asks the reader to take a leap of faith. In The Lord of the Rings, the reader has no choice but to accept that magic and elves are every-day occurrences. Similarly, in Hebert’s Dune, you have to accept that spice is a wonder-drug and faster than light travel travel is physically possible. Most reasonable readers recognize these elements as fantastic and they also realize they are simply part of the universe that the author is creating. These readers also realize that to deny the validity of the fantastical elements of a plot would lessen their reading experience.  Those who read Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are all too familiar with taking this leap of faith in their readings — just look at the title and main characters of the series. So when the title asks its readers to take an even larger leap of faith than ever before, perhaps it is worth discussing.

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Dec 11 2012

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 16

tmnt16

Today, Patrick and Taylor are discussing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 16, originally released November 28th, 2012. 

Patrick: Killing. Your comic book heroes don’t like doing it. Famously, Batman has a no-killing policy, but if you look close enough, that mantra applies to just about everyone in a cape. But why? Is it the hero’s morality? Or is it the squeamishness of publishers that keeps their heroes from killing? After all, it’s such a neat dividing line: Green Lantern doesn’t kill, so he’s a good guy; Deathstroke does kill, so he’s a bad guy. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a special case – they are essentially children, after all. But they exist outside of society and mutanes – re-incarnated murder-victims, trained by a ninja master. The psychological profile that background suggests is staggering. So when Leonardo is forced to kill to protect his family, the decision Means Something.

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Nov 20 2012

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Microseries 8: Fugitoid

Today, Drew and Patrick are discussing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Microseries 8: Fugitoid, originally released September 5th, 2012. 

Drew: Creating compelling characters is hard. Simply conceiving of multi-dimensional, realistic, sympathetic characters is hard enough — driving many writers to make extensive biographical sketches before even attempting to include them in a story — but it’s even more complicated when you want to integrate those characters and their unique motives and traits into your world. For most narratives, the basics of characterization can be handled up-front, as the major players are introduced, but for ongoing serial narratives, introducing new characters often requires clunky exposition that slows the momentum of the story. With the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles microseries, Editor Bobby Curnow and crew have realized a clever work-around, offering a space to explore the motives of the characters without taking time away from the propulsive narrative going on in the main series. It’s a brilliant idea, and Fugitoid is an excellent proof-of-concept. Continue reading →

Nov 7 2012

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 13-15

Today, Patrick and Taylor are discussing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 13 – 15, originally released August 22nd, September 28th, and October 31st, 2012. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is supported by micro-series focusing on the adventures of a single member of the cast. These issues are supported by TMNT Micro-Series 6: Casey Jones and TMNT Micro-Series 7: April, released July 25th and August 29th, 2012. 

Patrick: It was great being a kid in 1990 and loving the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Since that time, however, can’t exactly say my love has been rewarded. That is, until I picked up IDW’s current run of the comic books. These are the TMNT rejuvenated, refreshed, and stripped of everything that made my affections wane in the first place.

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