I love how dark the humor is, but you don't notice because of the subdued tone. XD

TMNT---The First Sketches

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are such an integral part of geek and pop culture, it's pretty difficult to imagine a world without them. Seriously, they've influenced a ton more comics and material than you may think.The turtles had some pretty humble origins, however. Back in 1984, a couple of cool but obscure artist dudes were joking around and one of them, Kevin Eastman, sketched a turtle standing on it's hind legs with nunchucks strapped to its arms. He titled it "Ninja Turtle".

 Kevin's fellow artist, Peter Laird, liked the idea so much that he drew his own version of the "Ninja Turtle".

He also suggested that it be a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle", for added effect. They both liked the idea and not long after decided to run with it and establish a story. Using it to parody the then-popular Superheroes and "funny animal" comics of the time through concept  (X-men [mutant], Daredevil [ninja], Cerebrus [turtles]) and execution (it was dark and gritty in style, similar to Daredevil, etc. One of my favorite stylistic parody aspects is the Noir-like narrative the turtles give as they fight the villains and roam the city. It just reeks of Watchman's Rorschach).

The original comic is rough around the edges, in more ways than one, but I personally love the style and the execution myself. Despite being a parody, it's an excellent story on it's own and the turtles have a quirky charm that makes them appealing. I think this element has been able to transcend the original material into other works of the TMNT, and thus lent to the turtles' longevity as characters, enabling them to survive several major shifts in tone, characterization, story, and style throughout the years. Whatever the medium, however, one things for sure; the turtles are cool, about as cool as it gets (even non-nerds typically end up agreeing with that in the end), and they're here to stay. Hopefully for a good long time.



Sketches found here along with the much of the story. More facts and such regarding the ninja turtles' origins can be located here.

Teengage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mirage Comics Era

Well, I really just wanted to let everybody know that some awesome person posted several of the original comics of TMNT (back when it was all  B&W and the turtles were rough tough, and not afraid to shed some blood) on Yotube, and I am now a fan.

I've posted the debut comic above (I do appologize that it will be hard to read at some points; if I find an online version in a different format, I will post it). It's incredible.

Some fans of more recent incarnations of the turtles (or of the 1987 version, in particular) who read the original comics are a little put off by the intensity of the older material, and the fact that the turtles, while they have some obvious differences amongst them, can be hard to tell apart, excluding Raph, of course; he's not easy to mistake (if you see a turtle rushing at anything that presents itself as a threat, even if he's way out matched, that's him). Me? I love the old comics. You get a sense of the original intention of the comics' tone when you read them and thus understand the turtles and their origins much better. Plus it's just plain cool. And I can tell the turtles apart generally; they all have different ways about them and the comic, though it doesn't focus on their differences in personality all that much, they do indeed have personalities that diverge form one turtle to the next, and it is aparent, in some cases more than others.

Also, did I mention that the comic's creators, Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, after sketching a silly drawing of an anthro turtle with nunchuks and making a story out of it, printed the first 3,000 copies with the money from a tax return and a $1000 loan from Eastman's uncle? (they called thier studio Mirage Studio becuase it didn't exist.) And that these first copies sold in the first couple of weeks they were out? If that's not chicken soup for the comicker's soul I don't know what is.

Anyway, the first is one of my favorites, though I've read multiple stories now, and it's, well, the first one. Another favorite comic which I had trouble finding on Youtbe but found on this lovely site called MirageLicensing.com is Raphael's "breakout comic" so to speak-- Raphael #1-- which introduces Casey Jones and elaborates on Raph's character.

http://miragelicensing.com/comics/mirage/raphael/pg01.htm

They also have plent of other original TMNT comics if you're interested.

...

Yeah, too late. I elaborated.

The Shredder...has been shredded.

24 Hours and 13 Days

Here.

Well, this is kind of a rotten time to mention either of these, since one's over halfway over and the other is two days away, but yay, I'm doing October Poetry Writing Month (write a poem a day; don't worry, I have plenty of catching up to do as well) and 24 Hour Comic, where you write a 24 page (plus cover, so 25 page) comic in 24 hours!

Yes I am crazy. And you can be too! Join the madness!

Just kidding (sort of), but seriously, you should check it out. It's not too late just yet...

Here.