My Collection At The Moment

So I have a modest collection at the moment. For years I've toyed with the idea of trying to find figure versions of the various versions of the 4 Turtles, Splinter, April, Casey, and then the main villains of each version. Kind of making a toy representation of the multi-verse. I've started it at times and then fallen on hard times. When times have gotten tough I've sold what can get me some money, mainly my figures.

Well I've stopped doing that and started collecting again. Here is a photo of my collection so far. I'm hoping to eventually make this blog important enough that it can support my TMNT addiction. It isn't there yet, but I hope it will be someday.

IDW April O'Neil Mini Series Issue

TMNT under IDW has seen the return of the mico issues, this time though they aren't just sticking to the Turtles. The first set of four were the Turtles themselves, with the issues coming out in the same order the originals did. Now with those four done they have moved on to the supporting cast. We have already seen a Splinter and Casey Jones issue, both of which were amazing, and now we have April.

That is one of the big differences in this version is that Casey seems more important then April. She has been in the book from the first issue in the background, but hasn't done much. In fact she doesn't meet the mutated version of the Turtles to much later in the series while Casey meets Raph in the first issue. Yet finally here in her own solo issue IDW's April gets her moment to shine.

What made this issue great for me was the fact that it address's the fact that she hasn't done much. She feels like the outsider because she can't fight, and be useful like Casey can. It is still here coming to grips with the fact she has been brought into the lives of four walking talking turtles. She is also dealing with the fact that she came to work for Stockgen because she thought they were trying to help the world, and she has found a dark underbelly. 

Beware that there may be spoilers below this point.

April using her position at Stockgen decides she can spy for the Turtles and try to see if they are working on a way to track them again. She swipes the card of a fellow coworker allowing her access to the inner workings. There she discovers Rock Soldiers and another Turtle Tracker. This is also where I have an issue with this issue. She runs into Chet who doesn't seem to realize April isn't supposed to be there or that it is weird at the least.

She gets the tracker and causes some chaos along the way. In the damage she causes she is chased through the lab and discovers that they are still experimenting. She doesn't look close enough to see that  they are mutating other creatures though. Because of the damage she causes one of them escapes and we have our IDW version of Slash! 

The issue ends with April getting away and back to the Turtles and Slash escaping the Lab. This issue seems like it fits best after #14, which isn't out yet, and before #15 which starts a story arch called Blood Brothers.

Spoilers over.

This is a great issue over all and it really gives April her moment to shine. It should be really great to see where the next storyline goes based off of this too. Another solid issue. Also the art is very well done. It is more in line with how the book was, not where it is. It should be interesting to see how some of the things introduced here look in the ongoing book though.

So pick this issue up. It is going to be one you don't want to miss.

The OT gets a complete season release

TVshowsondvd.com broke the story on the 24th and then NinjaPizza.net talked about it today also but I thought I'd throw it up here also, the Original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series is getting the complete series treatment. Now for some that have been holding out this is great news, for others who have been picking it up as it slowly came out not so much.

The biggest thing that makes me sort of want this is the fact that the disc holder looks like the Party Wagon. Yes you read that right. The dvd's come in a holder that looks like the classic turtle van. That alone is almost enough to get me to toss the single release discs and try to get this.

You can read the main article about the release here or some more about it at Ninja Pizza. It looks like SRP is $99.99, that it will be released on November 13th, and that there wont be any new material.

IDW #13

I know I'm a little behind on reviewing this issue as it came out last Wednesday, but as I have lost my job it is a little harder for me to have extra money. I'm not entirely sure how I'll be getting April's issue this coming week. But this blog isn't about my money trouble. So on to the TMNT!




Issue #13, wow the first official book of year two. I have to admit I was a little skeptical when the book launched that we would make it a full year. I've enjoyed the series from the get go. Waiting impatiently for each new issue. This issue was really an interesting book to wait for, for a couple different reasons. The first being that it saw a change in artist. Duncan left the title on #12 and Kuhn took over here. The second was it is the issue that deals with the guys after their fight with Shredder and Casey's plight with his Dad coming to a head.

Lets talk about the art style change first before jumping into the main story of what the issue is about. It is definitely the elefant in the room. Duncan's style could not be more different the Kuhn's. While cartoonish at times Duncan seemed to be striving for some level or realism.  That has gone out the window with Kuhn. Kuhn is very stylized, drawing some comparisons to Mike Mignola of Hellboy fame.

I had become used to the style of the ongoing and thought the art style fit the tone of the book. Sure Kuhn did the Mike solo issue, but the art fit there as it was more whimsical. But here is a very serious story and the art just looked plain goofy. The Turtles teeth are forefront and their shapes just seem off. I'm sure part of it is the change and once it has time to sink in I'll be fine with it. I hope. None the less for those who have been reading the ongoing be prepared for the change. As Splinter has said, "Change is constant."

The main story of this issue seems to be Splinter dealing with the fact that Shredder has returned also.  It also sees the Turtles acting like teenagers which is a gun change of pace while Splinter worries. Both are interupted when Casey stagers in bloody and beaten from his old man. Raph flies off the handle and heads to teach Casey's old man a leasen. Splinter fearing he has not taught his sons enough heads after Raph.

We also see The Foot in the aftermath of the battle. Shredder is putting Kari through her moves belittling her for not being prepared enough. We get our first hint of how the Shredder returned in Kari's dialog about how she is the one who orchestrated his return. We also find that Shredder is not impressed and will be looking for another second in command.

There is a little bit of Baxter in this issue also. He finds himself awakening in a place he does not know. On doing some exploring he finds a bunch of little brain like aliens in tubes. Krang also revels that he is one of them.

Overall the story is really good for a starting point for the second year. If the pace of this issue is any indication it looks like the stories will start to be picking up. Eastman and Waltz tell a solid story. I can't wait to see if these are a race of "Krang" like the new show or this universes version of the Utroms. Also there was no mention of Hob, and where we left him he looked like he could be dead. I hope not though as I really liked that character.

Anyway I can't wait for April's solo and the next issue. This comic has me coming back month after month.

Next Mutation Splinter

I'm not afraid to say that I enjoyed The Next Mutation. In fact I actually quite enjoyed it for what it was. So never really having any the figures I jumped at the chance to pick up a few when I saw them for supper cheap on ebay. I got Splinter, Don, and Mike for about $10 bucks. It was a heck of a deal, even if they didn't come with weapons.

So I've had these for a little bit now and have kind of had time to look at them and just accept them for what they are. Out of every version of these characters I've had in figure form I have to say this Splinter is by far the worst one I've ever seen.

I'm going to post a more in-depth review later but I just had to say that. Get it out there so people know I'm still here.

Sorry for the lack of posts

So life got really really crazy. One of those moments where things just kind of fall apart. But I'm back now. I plan on at least posting one thing on Mondays and Wednesdays. It may not be profound or 100% up to date but there will be updates. Thanks for understanding.

2k12 Splinter

(Pictures to come)

When I was first going to get the new Nick figures I had only planed to get two originally, Raph and Splinter. They have always been my favorite characters and I think they go really well together. Then when I got to the store I threw caution to the wind and got them all. However Splinter was still the second one I opened.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared by the early pictures we had seen of him. He does look a little like a lama in the pictures. That with the fact he is taller then normal makes him stand out.  He is definitely unique.

Paint Apps / Sculpting

Splinter isn’t painted, as much as he is molded I’d say. A maroon kimono that is a softer plastic then the rest of the figure covers the majority of this figure. Anything that is covered by his kimono they left the grey plastic color. So really the only things with any paint on them are his hands and face.

His lower arms use the grey plastic for his wraps and pinkish peach for his hands. The wraps look good and they put nails on his fingers so it was a nice touch of sculpting.

Splinters face is a white color over a redish brown and black. They highlight his eyes by having a black pattern over the white of the face. It looks like they were almost going for a feudal Japan mask.  They also gave him one of those little wispy beards like you see in kung fu movies. A very nice touch.

His ears have some nicks out of them, which adds a nice touch. The only problem is that both ears have them in the exact same place.

Articulation

Like the majority of this line this figure suffers from bad articulation. His head spins, his shoulders are on a ball joint so they rotate and go up and down, his elbows rotate, and his hips move. However the clunky kimono hinders the hip movement.

Final thoughts

He looks really nice with the Turtles and April. Splinter is a solid offering from this line and definitely worth picking up. He is more a display type of figure I would say as opposed to a play figure. I have a feeling we will see a retooled Splinter down the line.

He isn’t my favorite Splinter, that would be the CG, but he is far from my least favorite. Looking at you TNM Splinter. Anyway. He is a good figure and if you’re a collector get him, if you’re not you can hold out.

Night Shadow Leo

TMNT are coming back into the spot light, and it looks like we may be seeing the start of the next Turtlemania. Comic Con this year saw the big reveal of the new show and a lot was talked about. One of the big things to come out of the Con was the exclusive TMNT figure.

 It was revealed it would be Leonardo in a unique paint scheme of black and green. When the figure was first announced there was a lot of excitement. However it was short lived once people started getting their hands on them. It was discovered that they decided to switch from a figure to a statue. This left some people feeling a little gypped. 

With that and it originally being a Con exclusive it left a lot of people doubting if they would try to get one. Then Playmates put it up on their site in limited quantities.  That is how I came to acquire one. I wanted one when I first saw it, but as I was broke I passed on the first offering. Luckily for me it went up again. Well I have it in hand now and have to say that I like it a lot more now that I have it.

Paint App

The stand out feature of this piece is that paint app. It is the first thing that makes this figure truly unique. The figure is painted black with what is supposed to be a light source illuminating some of the green of his skin. The paint makes the figure pop and stand out. The only other color the figure being the blue mask.

Articulation / Sculpt

There is none. At least not on my figure, but then again based on what others were saying from theirs I wasn't expecting any. The pictures of it originally surfaced it looked like it was just a repainted Leo. Somewhere along the line they decided to remove the articulation. 

However this Leo sculpt is a little different. Unlike the basic feet of the TMNT Nick line this one is more inline with the shows. It is much more round then foot like. It is nice to see the show foot instead of the figure foot on this statue. The rest of the figure looks like the basic Nick figure. The skin has been textured like a reptile which is  a nice detail. He has a few scars on him which is nice too.

My only minor grip is that i seems mine has a paint smudge/scratch on his nose.

Final Thoughts

If people were hoping for an exclusive figure they are going to be disappointed. You can't move him from his pose, but if you did it would ruin the illusion of what the paint job is doing. I think the statue is great. It looks amazing and it is unique. I'm personally hoping that we see the other three Turtles. It would be great to see the others in poses that work together.