Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles VOL1 from IDW

 

Yea I have read the issues in this thick TPB a few times before. First time was back not long after the series started. I had it on  my pull list at Gulf Coast Comics. Then about a decade ago I tracked down scans of the entire Mirage run and over many months read that entire run. On this reading I saw so many things I never noticed before. 

Collecting issues 1-7 of Mirages first volume of TMNT and the  Raphael Micro Series this is a wild adventure that takes from from the rooftops of 80s era NYC,down into the sewers then off in space and a wild intergalactic war before androids and Triceratops looks humanoid beings.

Those things I noticed this time? So SO SO many pages that had that Jack Kirby feel. Not a swipe or even homage just more Kevin Eastmand and Peter Laird doing their version of Kirby.

And now that I know more about Duotone and it's uses in comics I spent so much time looking at it on every page.

If you have watched that 2000's TMNT series that aired on FoxKids then you know the basics of what happens in these issues. A bit toned down but that series did a decent job of recreating so many classic scenes from Vol 1 of the Mirage run.

I know there are a few color versions of these issues,and for me I prefer them in the original b/w look. Overall a great collection of a run of comics more people  need to read.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Volume 1 from IDW gets a A.

Turtles of Greyskull Comic Trade Paperback

 

TITLE-Turtles of Greyskull

SOURCE-Dark Horse Comics Trade paperback

I'm a sucker for these comic mini series that crossover TMNT with some other property. Saw this tpb and of course I was a Masters of the Universe fan as a kid. Figured I would get it read over a month or so.

Tim Seeley handles the writing chores,with Freddie Williams II on  the  art. Seeley I think  I have read stuff from before. Freddie Williams II I am sure I have comics with his  art. And that art fits this crossover so well. It is this mixture of slightly cartoonish art then some almost Liefeldian overt muscles.

Seeley takes a loophole Laird & Eastman left in the original TMNT comic and that is how we get this crossover. Yep Renet is how we get Eternia and NYC meeting up.

Shredder is teamed up with Skeletor,and using something called Purple Mutagen,to increase the powersets of all of the Foot CLan and Skeletor's goons like Beastman.

Then early on we start seeing  scenes from the first 12 issues of volume 1 of TMNT,but this time He Man is added. Like when the Turtles were out in Space fighting for the Tricertons,now they also got He Man with them.

Seems someone is missing with the time stream and causing "KNOTS". With Renet trying to figure out who. And who on the Masters of the Universe evil side would be perfect to fight the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Ninjor! I had forgotten about the EVIL Ninja villian from MOTU,or more than likely had given up on the toyline  before he appeared.

Thin thin trade,that is 4 issues and a pile of variant covers and sketches. The price of 19 bucks is a bit high and this is the kind of TPB that back in the day would have been 8 buck tops. What surprised me is this was from Dark Horse. I had no clue who currently had the Masters of the Universe comic license,and was thinking the TPB was from IDW,who have  the TMNT rights in comics.

Worth reading if you like both franchises. But don't pay cover price. 10 bucks or so.

Turtles of Greyskull gets a C+

2016 Comic Challenge 294 Zombies! Feast #01

TITLE-Zombies!Feast #01
PUBLISHER-IDW

I have no clue if or when this IDW Zombies! series connects to any of their other Zombies series/mini series.

A prisoner transport bus has a wreck out in  the middle of nowhere. It is up to 3 guards to lead 8 prisoners across a few miles. Mostly cause neither radio or cell phones work in this area.

They stumble upon a farm house,no it's not going there I think.While there,and looking for a phone,they run into a child zombie.

This time Shane Maccarthy does the writing chores and the art is by Chris Bolton. Again no clue who either is.The decent wraparound cover is by Bolton,but there is a variant that has Ted McKeever art. I wish I would have gotten that one.

I do have one later issue in this series. Might read it soon. But honestly unless I found later issues for a buck or less I wouldn't bother with this.

Zombies!Feast #01 gets a borrow.

2016 Comic Challenge 292 Zombies! Eclipse of the undead #01

TITLE-Zombies!Eclipse of the Undead #01
PUBLISHER-IDW

Got this comic in a lot of "10lbs of random comics". Had no idea at the time that IDW even had a zombie comic.

Our lead is a medical student.Who is living in one of the stadiums in LA. The stadium is surrounded by zombies,but the military is still there keeping them out.

Then food and water run  out,the military leaves during an eclipse. And someone on the inside is infected.So we get an outbreak of zombies in the stadium.

No clue how long this series ran.The cover is ok I guess. A bit dark but not the worst I have seen.El Torres is the writer and Yair Herrera is the artist. Never heard of either.

If I happen to find the later issues of this series for a buck or less I might grab them. But this is just a slightly above average spin on your typical zombie story.

Zombies!Eclipse of the Undead #01 gets a borrow.

2016 Comic Challenge 272 Tales from the Darkside #03

TITLE-Tales from the Darkside #03
PUBLISHER-IDW

Seems now with the chip in his head our lead has his evil side released. And this is causing all kind of problems in the lab.

After a bit he is imprisoned in a giant black Rubic's Cube. Which no one can get into.

The scientist leading the experiment realize that they have released something awful into the world.

So at least now I know who the guy that appeared quickly in issue 4 is. Seems he has released "The darkside" to the world and I am guessing the rest of the series will deal with that.

Tales from the Darkside #3 gets a borrow.

2016 Comic Challenge 065 Batman/TMNT #01

TITLE-Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #01
PUBLISHER-DC Comics/IDW

I wasn't expecting much out of this cross over. Mostly cause I am tired of Batman. Yeah fire up the rage Batfans.

A bunch of labs are being hit by the Foot Clan and Batman and the TMNT are investigating.That is pretty much what story we get.

The art is pretty good. Though I wish Eastman had done more than just the variant cover. Freddie Williams II is a good artist that needs more work.

The story is bare bones. And with this being the first of six issues I expected that somewhat.

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #01 gets a borrow.

2016 Comic Challenge 008 Jericho Season 3 #4

TITLE-Jericho Season 3 #4
PUBLISHER-IDW

I was hooked on Jericho with the first episode. And was very happy when thanks to a fan campaign it came back for a short second season. And while the writers wrapped up lots of the major story lines with the 7 episode long second season. You could tell they had plenty more ideas if the show had managed to get a 3rd season.

Skip ahead a few years and I find out that season 3 of Jericho happened. But it was in comic book form. So I the 6 issues that made up season 3. And after re-watching the first 2 seasons started reading season 3.

Now for some reason,and I can't remember why,I only read the first 3 issues of season 3. And it was about 3 days ago when I remembered I had not only season 3 but also season 4 to read.

And season 3 picks up right at the end of season 2. Hawkins and Jake have delivered the last nuclear bomb to Texas. So now they must track down the mysterious John Smith. The supposed mastermind behind the attacks. While they are trying to break into the maximum security prison he is being held in,the citizens of Jericho along with Major Beck are forming an army. To help defend Jericho from the ASA,Allied States of America. Who are the group that lead the nuclear attacks on the USA.

The issue is written by the staff that wrote Jericho seasons 1 and 2. And the art is by Matt Merhoff. Who I have never heard of. His art kind of reminds me of the artist that did the first 4 or so issues of the X-Files comic Topps was putting out years ago. He does a good job of making each character look like the actor/actress that portrayed them on the show.

Jericho Season 3 issue #4 gets a buy.