IDW TMNT Secret History of the Foot Clan #3 review

IDW continues their Secret History of the Foot Clan TMNT mini-series with issue #3 (of 4) this week. The issue opens with a flashback of Hamato Yoshi (Splinter in a previous incarnation) discovering that Oroku Saki has stolen a very important book belonging to the Foot Clan.

As Oroku Saki (The Shredder) retreats through the mountains, he is ambushed by a few members of the Foot Clan. However, the Foot is unsuccessful, as Saki simply slays them all and now feels betrayed by his father, Oroku Maji, for sending Clan members after him. We will come to learn in this issue, though, that this was not the first time Saki was betrayed by his father. A woman on the mountain, Kitsune, approaches Saki on the mountain as the scene shifts to present time.

In present time, Splinter, the Turtles, Casey and April are fighting their way through the Foot to get to Dr. Miller before he divulges important Foot related information to Shredder. Take note at the art done by Mateus Santolouco and colors by Joao Vieira. Nothing short of excellent. I love seeing the turtles illustrated in so much detail. Spots, shell patterns, everything.

Back to Saki and Kitsune, we get this beautiful 2 page spread and learn all about the connection between Krang, the Foot Clan, and present day Shredder. Kitsune explains to Saki that in a past life, she was visited by a powerful demon (Krang) who promised her the secret to life itself if she would aid him in conquest. So, she goes and recruits Oroku Saki during his previous incarnation and thus we have the beginning of the Foot Clan.

This reveals Krang's connection to the Foot Clan: it is because of him and his visit to Kitsune that the Foot Clan began, so he could have an army for the purpose of conquest. Also, this finally explains how the Shredder has been alive for so long. The demon (Krang) gave them immortality and Saki has been alive since this ancient time.

But even after all these years, the Shredder is still after the book that he once stole from the Foot Clan. The book is now in the hands of Dr. Miller. Most likely, much more about this book will be resolved in #4, the final issue of this mini-series, next month.

Overall, another great issue by IDW. Definitely didn't expect Krang to be behind the reason for the Shredder's immortality. The final chapter is sure to be a great one!

Megan Fox to be April O'Neil... seriously?

Yesterday it was announced that Megan Fox would have a role in the upcoming Michael Bay TMNT reboot film. Most assumed she was to play April, and that idea went viral pretty quickly. With an ounce of faith, I was holding out that maybe, just maybe she was cast as Karai (that would be kinda hott, right?). But nope, Yahoo! News has confirmed that Megan Fox will indeed be cast as April O'Neil (source article).

It almost seems as if Bay cannot fuck up Turtles for us one way, he will do it another. Last year when Bay came out saying that the Turtles will be "Aliens" there was such a backlash by the fandom that Paramount had to scrap the idea and start over. Thank God! I mean, if you really wanted to make that story line work, you could tie in the concept of the Utroms from the classic Eastman and Laird comics or the 2k3 series... but still, it would be a stretch to go from Turtles mutated by ooze from an alien race to Turtles just being aliens.

5 months ago, that script somehow leaked on the internet for a few hours before Paramount put out a cease and desist order. Luckily, someone was able to read it and make a YouTube summary video of what he read. Sounds kinda of... interesting... to say the least.

Even though that script was scrapped, I have a feeling the Casey, Krang and possibly even Rocksteady and Bebop will still make an appearance in the revised TMNT reboot. Once again, thank God ^THAT^ didn't become our long awaited reboot.

But like I was saying, if Bay can't ruin it for us one way, he's seemingly determined do it another way. Hence Megan Fox as April O'Neil. Now, I'm no expert caster, but I know enough about casting that certain personality types of characters have to have some sort of resemblance to their actors and actresses. Quite frankly, I do not think Megan Fox is the April O'Neil type. I just don't see it. April is a kind, caring, warm and friendly girl. Megan Fox? Not so much.

Where Bay is going with this, I have no idea. And I don't know if I even want to know. Who would you cast as April O'Neil if you could? Personally, I would pick this girl right here:

What can save this movie?

• Shredder and Karai actually being Asian actors (unlike the Nick 2012 series)
• super awesome fight scenes (with sewers!!)
• a story that makes sense, is true to the TMNT universe and leaves room for a sequel
• real ninja action (like the opening attack of the Turtles on the thugs to save April in TMNT I when Raph takes out the streetlight with his sai)
• having former Turtle voice actors reprise their role (it is currently rumored that the voice actor of Donatello for the first 3 movies may return)
• making the Turtles less CGI in appearance and more animatronic like the original trilogy

IDW TMNT #19 review

Synopsis: In this newest issue of the reborn line of TMNT comics by IDW, we get a closer look at the Neutrinos, their home world and why they hate Krang so much. The Turtles, along with the Neutrino Resistance Fighters (NRF) prepare for an attack on Krang in hopes of stopping his evil scheme, rescuing the King and Queen and save the Earth, all while still being stuck on the planet Neutrino with Professor Honeycutt / Fugitoid / Chet Allen. With all that happening on planet Neutrino, Karai is busy on planet Earth infiltrating Krang's facility on Burnow Island in an attempt to get to the ooze.

Issue 19 continues to feature the beautiful art of Ben Bates, who is now the third artist for the on-going IDW series (previously, Dan Duncan issues 1-12 and Andy Kuhn 13-16)

Personally, Ben Bates is my favorite of all three. We have also seen his art in the IDW Leonardo Micro-Series and it looks like his style has even improved since then. I loved Kuhn's artwork in Mikey's Micro-issue, the New Year's themed comic released in late 2011, because his artist style is goofy and playful just like Michelangelo.  However, I did not feel that it was an adequate follow up to Duncan's great art, and when he was announced as the new artist for the on-going series, I was praying a new artist would replace him. Nothing against Kuhn, I know from reading Ninja Notes that a lot of comic readers absolutely love his style. Just personally, I prefer this Bates style, and think it is the best artist IDW has assigned to TMNT on-going yet. I much enjoyed Duncan; however, my only critic is that he drew the turtles with thinner wrists and ankles than they should have.

Like the Nick 2012 series, Krang and the Foot Clan are pitted as enemies, unlike the alliance they originally shared in the first 1987 cartoon. Also like the 2012 series, Karai is interested in Krang / The Krang and investigating. What will happen to the turtles during the Krang vs. Shredder war? Time will only tell.

One great thing about this issue is it gives us a more in-depth look at the planet Neutrino and the world from which the "Hot Rod Teenagers From Dimension X" come from, a place not visited since the late 80s. We come to learn that they have a King, Queen and Princess Trib, who Mikey is particularly fond of ;)

The Neutrino's hate Krang with a passion, who clearly has an evil agenda. The attack begins at the end of the issue, let's see what happens next in issue 20!

in other related comic book news:

• Another B&W Eastman TMNT Classic annual is in the works and on the way for 2013. YAY!
• We have a Krang micro-series coming this April by Joshua Williamson and Mike Henderson
• the ongoing TMNT series will likely have a return of Leatherhead, but we are not likely to see Mona Lisa. Makes sense to me since the tone of these comics are more serious, but perhaps we will see Mona Lisa one day in a 2012 episode? I'd like to see that bodacious babe return in 3D if I do say so myself...

Leo Narto's: Turtle Time origins

Hello and welcome to my brand new blog about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

I just realized that quality TMNT info and opinions from a fan source are hard to come by. And, since I've had this weird, undying, fascination with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from the year I was born (1987 ;) just like the start of the first cartoon series) so really, why not make a blog out of it?

• I collect all the comics, including the new IDW series, all the mini-series spin offs, the color classics, and the original black & white copies of the classics themselves (just the first 60 or so that are directly connected to co-creators Eastman and Laird).
• I've watched every 2k3 episode and watch the new 2012 episodes religiously. (even though, at this point, I favor 2k3... reasons on that in a future blog).
• I used to bootleg VHS tapes of The Next Mutation series when that aired on Fox (I was about 10 years old. No, I didn't sell them. Just creating my own personal archives to watch, back when VCRs were the thing, which I still have and watch from time to time with good laughs).
• I have seen a good portion of all 1987 series episodes.
• I have seen all the movies, TMNT I, II, III, 2007 and Turtles Forever countless times
• I actually liked TMNT III (reasons on that in a future blog)
• I try to stay up-to-date with when the talked about TMNT reboot film will be happening, if it still is going to happen at this point.
• and oh yeah, I love pizza

All of the above are my reasons for making a blog. I consider myself a Turtle Fanatic. They mean everything to me. So much that I even found a way to work them into my honors thesis at college (no joke. Love Beyond Life, by Jeffrey A. Brown, look it up.)

There are a number of things I would like my blog to focus on:

1. My reviews and reactions to 2012 episodes as they air each week
2. How new 2012 episodes compare and contrast to previous incarnations, such as reoccurring characters throughout the series, if and when they appeared, and how they are different from their original representation.
3. How I think 2k3 will forever be the best representation of the original Eastman and Laird comics
4. in-depth comparisons on that^
5. interviews with anyone connected to Turtles behind the scenes, past or present
6. What awesome things we can expect in the future

So this is just a start. Hopefully this becomes a really cool thing, and I enjoy working on it. Here's to hoping that this just isn't another late night "I've got a blog idea!" that never develops into anything.

-Jeffrey A Brown

or as I'll coin myself here,
-Leo Narto