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nick turtles

Delivery or Pickup – New Releases 5/10/2017

by Dan Gehen May 8, 2017

written by Dan Gehen

Delivery or Pickup is our weekly release rundown so that you know what Turtle comics are ready to consume like a banana and peanut butter pizza.

After last week’s four-item explosion, IDW reels it in – only one new Turtle book is available, but it’s a doozy. Is it worth picking up (or having delivered)? That’s for YOU to decide. So let’s take a look at what’s in stores (and what we’re in store for) this week:

BATMAN/TMNT Adventures #6

Matthew K. Manning (w) • Jon Sommariva (a & c)

Months after the conclusion to their adventure, Batman and the TMNT discover that the hidden threat has not passed and now Gotham is in danger! A last-ditch effort may be the only thing that saves two worlds!

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:

Additional issue added by popular demand!
Variant cover by Sean Galloway!

UPDATE: Also coming out this week is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizza Cookbook! Though it isn’t a comic release, it’s certainly something to have on your radar fellow Shellheads!

May 8, 2017 2 comments

TMNT – “End Times” Review

by Dan Spitaliere April 10, 2017

written by Dan Spitaliere

Just like that, the threat of a resurrected Shredder and an unleashed Kavaxas has been dealt with. Maybe it’s because this is the first mini-arc of the Tales era of Nick’s TMNT, but “End Times” felt a little rushed and tonally mixed. The first three episodes of the season had a deliberate pace, one that was familiar to the rest of the series. Suddenly, “End Times” put the whole arc into over drive. Shredder was revived (even the Turtles were surprised), Xever had abandoned the foot, Kavaxas is betraying Tiger Claw in order to rule the world, and everyone (good guys and bad guys alike) are teaming up.

It’s almost as if the first three episodes were created before the team knew the show was ending after this season. It definitely seemed like Kavaxas was going to be a big part of the whole season and, for life long TMNT fans, it must be pretty surprising to see Shredder not permanently resurrected. Yet here we are; everything introduced in the previous three episodes neatly tied up with a bow and an upbeat, almost season ending, ending. It’s a little conflicting.

The four episode arc was enjoyable overall. It’s always a pleasure hearing Mark Hamill voice act. We got some pay off for Leo seeing Splinter so much, with the whole family being reunited one last time at the end. The writers threw a curveball by having Mikey, not April, wind up being the one to control Kavaxas, much to the evil demon’s surprise. It’s always nice when they subvert our expectations like that, and it’s an added bonus for Mikey to get another heroic moment. There was also a nice Ghostbusters vibe throughout the end of the episode, with Donatello forging his own kind of proton packs.

Side note: Best line of the episode goes to Leo for explaining to Casey, “We just don’t trust you with anything that shoots anything, especially lasers!”

Moving onto the tone of the episode, while the themes remained dark, the tone itself felt way more silly. We’ll find out if this is a larger pivot for the rest of the season, or if this was just the way for the production team to keep it light for the audience. Being totally honest, Zombie Shredder was creepy, especially when Leo cuts his arm and head off and they make their way back to the body! The goofiness was ok in comparison (things like Mikey’s bubblegum dance to save the day were fun), but it still created a large shift from the previous three episodes, and even the previous season.

The more I think about it, the more the tone becomes a mixed bag. On one side you’ve got Leatherhead giving a booyakasha; on the other, you have Rahzar dying again (again!). For every Space Heroes: The Next Generation, there’s a Kavaxas caused apocalypse where all the dead are pouring out of the netherworld. I understand it’s to balance out the two, but whereas previous seasons used whole episodes as balance, or a couple moments within an episode, “End Times” felt like it was bouncing back and forth between constantly. Maybe this is just another side effect of the rushed pacing?

That being said, “End Times” was an enjoyable episode. It had the shows amazing fight sequences, a great send up to the Ghostbusters, the return of old (dead) enemies, and an actual reason for Splinter to return and see his family. And while the major threads of this arc were resolved, there’s still more to go on moving forward. We still have time to continue the exploration into April’s abilities. Leo is still struggling as Sensei, and the end of the episode really makes it seem like Splinter is gone for good this time. It will be interesting to see how our heroes cope.

All told, the Tales style has room to improve. Hopefully this was a test run for the new story arc organization, and we’ll get better pacing moving forward. With each tale focusing on a different theme/concept, and promises of a Usagi Yojimbo debut, the return of Renet, and a classic monster arc (think vampires, werewolves, etc), things are looking promising.

April 10, 2017 12 comments

Reviews TV/Cartoon Series

TMNT – “Heart of Evil” Review

by Dan Spitaliere April 4, 2017

written by Dan Spitaliere

The train kept rolling this week, as we got answers to many of the questions from last week’s episode. “Heart of Evil” showed us where Shredder’s heart has been all this time, who has it, and what it means to the larger crime channels of New York. We also received a larger show of the cracks forming between Kavaxas and Tiger Claw. There is definitely more to the Shredder’s resurrection than meets the eye.

We were also treated to a very different side of Donatello. Overall, there has been consistently good character studies in this show, and it’s really interesting to take a look at what Donnie becomes when he’s angry. Obsessed even. Pulling this out of the trauma he received from Don Vizioso the last time we saw him was a perfect opportunity. Turns out, Donnie can be a real badass when he has a really good reason. It had the extra effect of showing more cracks in Leo’s role as sensei, and we had a nice touching moment between them at the end of the episode.

Don Vizioso and his mafia continue to be interesting additions to the show. It’s a great foil to see how the normal criminal elements of the city react to ninjas and mutants and demon dragons. Still, Vizioso isn’t quite normal, which makes him a fun character. The constant eating, the M.O.D.O.K. like flying chair, and his exaggerated gangster speech all add up to a humorous send up of movie mafia culture.

The family also gave the creative team the opportunity(?) to show just how evil Kavaxas is. He was killing people left and right in the ambush scene! I’m definitely going to miss The Hammer. What a ridiculous character.

The whole episode was a triple threat battle for the heart of Shredder. Don Vizioso took it after Shredder’s death, as a show of power in the city. I enjoyed how his enforcers all thought it was gross that he just kept it on the table while he ate (which is all the time). Vizioso’s line about gaining the power of your enemy by consuming their heart, really made it sound like he was going to eat it, but apparently even he’s not that gross. The episode even joked about this later on with Bebop riffing on him.

It was also interesting to see just how the Turtles are trying to deal with Tiger Claw and Kavaxas. Normally, any reconnaissance mission the group does is just a way for the writers to get the heroes in a place for a battle. This time, however, Raph and Mikey (of all people) were actually successfully spying on the bad guys. They never gave away their position! It’s hard not to feel proud of both of them.

No, this time the conflict came squarely from Leo and Donnie, and Donnie’s desire for revenge. I spoke to this a little before, but it really is fun watching these two bang heads. Donnie is angry, but his analytical mind is still there. He’s got a grudge, but he wants to get rid of the anti-mutant weapons. When Leo tries to get him to focus, he just looks at it as multi-tasking. It’s a different kind of anger than Raph, and it’s just another example of how well this show really gets each turtle. Plus, did you see that grin on Raph when Leo was scolding Donnie? That’s some comedy gold, right there.

There was also the subplot of figuring out how to stop Kavaxas. The fight over the seal was really well done. Kavaxas wanted the seal for his freedom. April, Karai, Raph, and Mikey, wanted it to try to control Kavaxas. Tiger Claw needs it to maintain control. It was a visually interesting fight, with clear stakes. Mikey’s injuries at the end only highlighted those stakes, and reminded us how formidable Tiger Claw is. Plus, it’s setting up April for a big moment down the line, when she finally figures out how to harness her abilities and the seal in tandem.

“Heart of Evil” was another solid episode in the Kavaxas arc. With Shredder’s revival at the end of the episode, the stakes couldn’t be higher. It’s obvious now that Kavaxas’ own plan relies on Shredder’s resurrection as well, and it will be interesting to see what actually steps out of that coffin. Will it be Super Shredder? The original Shredder pre-mutation? Maybe it’s a vessel for Kavaxas himself? Obviously there is power in Shredder, and Kavaxas has a great interest in it. “Heart of Evil” did a great job of boiling that interest, and setting us up for what will hopefully be an explosive episode next week!

April 4, 2017 4 comments

Reviews TV/Cartoon Series

TMNT – “The Forgotten Swordsman” Review

by Dan Spitaliere March 26, 2017

written by Dan Spitaliere

Well, would you look at that? I was not expecting Tatsu to get a cameo in this series, but what a pleasant surprise. And he looked just like Toshishiro Obata from the movies! “The Forgotten Swordsman” was full of little surprises and highlighted by a unique fight scene. The episode served mostly to inform the Turtles what Tiger Claw’s ultimate plan was, as well as draft Karai and Shinigami into the fight. By the end, the episode accomplished this goal, and created some tantalizing questions to think of moving forward.

The episode started off with a pair of surprises: First, Fishface didn’t die last season! Second, Rahzar most certainly did! We never had confirmation that Rahzar died, and we even saw him survive getting run over by a subway, so it made sense to assume he was alive. But no, Leatherhead totally killed him, drowing him at the bottom of the bay! What a time to be alive…for Rahzar. Tiger Claw put Kavaxas up to the task as a test of his resurrection abilities, and it totally worked! In order to revive Shredder, however, Kavaxas needs Shredder’s heart and his helmet, The Kuro Kabuto. The helmet would be the focus this week.

Side note, where is Shredder’s heart? How did Tiger Claw recover his body without the heart? Did Leo take Shredder’s heart? How weird.

Multiple parties were after the helmet, with Fishface and Rahzar looking for Tiger Claw, Raph and Casey looking to stop them, Karai and Shinigami looking to control the Foot, and Tatsu trying to do the same. Eventually, all parties converged. Tatsu tried to lure Rahzar to his side. Karai and Shinigami teamed up with the Turtles. It all culminated in a Foot hideout, with our heroes vs. Tatsu.

In this iteration, Tatsu remained Shredder’s second, but ran the Foot in Japan. He was blind at birth, and became a master swordsman, leaning on his superior hearing to defeat his foes. Shredder was the only one who saw potential in him. When Tatsu learned of the power vacuum in New York, he decided to come to America to stop his former pupil Karai, and take his place as Master of the Foot.

What a great way to introduce Tatsu into this universe! He’s suitably badass, and while he talks much more than his movie counterpart, they pay homage to the character with his importance in the Foot Clan. The “blind warrior” may be a trope in many genres, but it served Tatsu well here. We got to see another reason for how Shredder breeds such loyalty. It also gave us a visually stunning and unique fight scene, highlighting the way Tatsu hears his enemies, and what happens when that hearing gets taken away from him.

Karai and Leo make a great team! The animation in this show can be so fluid, and that white splash taking over when Tatsu lost his hearing was striking. I’m really going to miss the CGI when this show ends.

In the end, the party was crashed by Kavaxas. Rahzar stayed loyal to Tiger Claw, and Tatsu seemingly had his life energy robbed by Kavaxas. With the Kuro Kabuto in hand, Kavaxas, Tiger Claw, and company leave, one step closer to their goal.

But are they unified in their goal? Tiger Claw clearly wants to resurrect Shredder, but how long will he able to control Kavaxas with that medallion? You definitely get the sense that Kavaxas has his own plan, and it’s only a matter of time before he puts it into action, if it’s not already.

And now that the Turtles and friends know that Kavaxas can resurrect the dead, how long is it before Leo or Karai try to make a deal with him to bring back Splinter?

“The Forgotten Swordsman” shows that the creative team of TMNT got their groove back after last week’s solid, but weaker episode. Fans were treated to another Turtle homage, an arc that pushed the season forward, and unique action scenes. Finally, we continue to see how powerful Kavaxas is. Putting a stop to this being currently seems insurmountable, but watching the Turtles try to change that should be entertaining.

March 26, 2017 7 comments

Reviews TV/Cartoon Series

TMNT – “Scroll of the Demodragon” Review

by Dan Spitaliere March 19, 2017

written by Dan Spitaliere

Here we are. The final season of Nick’s first foray into the TMNT. Last season’s finale saw our heroes facing down a new world. A world in which they had defeated Shredder, but at the terrible cost of losing Splinter. We knew that this season would focus on the rise of Kavaxas, as shown at last years New York Comic Con, but I had assumed the first episode of the season would focus on how life has changed for the Turtles. Both the comics and movies have given us a glimpse as to what the Turtles lives are like when the Foot Clan are gone or rebuilding. I was interested to see how these Turtles would react to their current situation. Unfortunately, “Scroll of the Demodragon” forgoes that and cuts right to the appearance of this new villain.

Let’s get the problems with the episode out of the way first. It is unclear how much time has passed since last seasons finale, “Owari.” It’s clear it’s not immediately following the defeat of the Shredder, because Tiger Claw has had enough time to discover the cultists that live underground, and begin the search for the titular Scroll of the Demodragon. Additionally, he already has the Mystic Seal of the Ancients, so obviously some time has been put in.

By just jumping into the next big villain arc, however, the episode feels too close to the events of last season, and it just feels off. What has everyone been up to? How long has it been? Have Raph and Casey just been on patrol, and no one is doing anything else? There’s no new project from Donatello? Has there been any challenge for Leo as head of the family? How long has he been communicating with the spirit of Splinter?

Which brings me to another issue. Don’t get me wrong. I love Splinter, and it’s great to have more work from Hoon Lee, who is a great Splinter in his own right. But since Splinter passed, Leo has spoken to his spirit in both episodes. He might as well not be dead. It’s a weird conflict.

I understand that Leo should be struggling as leader, since he’s never had to do it without Splinter. But so far, we’ve seen no conflict with his leadership. Sure, he waffled when the team looked to him for a plan to deal with Tiger Claw and the cultists, and again after they met Kavaxas, but the cultists are seemingly immortal, and Kavaxas might as well be a god. What plan could he possibly come up with in that situation? The team didn’t fail because he was a bad leader or couldn’t make a decision; they stood no chance no matter what he did.

Because of that, his moments with Splinter feel unearned. Splinter can seemingly do this whenever he wants. Plus he’s only appeared to Leo. Are his other sons not grieving? What about Karai? Why is Leo afraid to tell Donnie what he witnessed? I’m sure there is a plan going forward, and we’ll understand more soon, but in the meantime it just seems weird.

Now, on to the good stuff. “Scroll of the Demodragon” was in no way a bad episode. The cult angle is interesting, from both a story and art perspective. The cultists themselves are mysterious. We don’t know what they are, or why they are seemingly invulnerable, surviving falls from buildings, and catching our heroes’ weapons. Have they really just been living underground this whole time, worshipping the Shredder? Why would they make themselves known now, after Shredder has died? Do they really worship Shredder, or are they tricking Tiger Claw to help them in reviving Kavaxas? These are all interesting developments I hope play out. Add into that the visual of the underground altar, flanked by lava and the creepy, zombified cultists, and you have a recipe for intrigue.

Of course, the best moment of the episode is reserved for the arrival of Kavaxas, played wonderfully by Mark Hamill. Hamill sure knows how to bring gravitas to a villain and it’s going to be a pleasure to hear his voice every week this season. At first, I was convinced that the Mystic Seal was a ploy to release Kavaxas, and Tiger Claw would not be able to control him, but it seems like it works! Kavaxas begrudgingly follows Tiger Claw’s orders, first attempting to kill the Turtles, Casey, and April, and then, after their escape, standing down to answer Tiger Claw’s questions.

The final moment of the episode is where we get the conceit that Tiger Claw’s plan is to use this demon to resurrect the Shredder. I’m sure Kavaxas has his own plans, and of course the Turtles will want to stop both plots. With this being the last season, I think it’s safe to assume the creative team is going to pull out all the stops.

“Scroll of the Demodragon” is a satisfactory beginning to the final season of the CGI Turtles, but it just can’t stand up to last seasons stellar finale. Despite the cool start though, the episode sets up an interesting conflict moving forward. Can the Turtles stop the resurrection of Shredder? Will Leo open up to his brothers about speaking with Splinter? What is Kavaxas’ true plan and who can stand up to his scary power? There’s still the fallout of Splinter’s death to deal with as well. The creative team has set up a supernatural story filled with mystery and intrigue, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out!

March 19, 2017 5 comments

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