Official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Thread 23 23

[sorrenmj]

On 2/6/2022 at 5:01 AM, Turtle said:

I got another TMNT #1 homage back not long ago.  This is a #1 reprint in German given out as a FCBD book in 2020:

For kicks, I ended up plotting out the number of TMNT #1 cover homages or straight up copies/reprints I'm aware of per year.  This cover wasn't used a whole heck of a lot in the early years.  The first notable spike was in 2007 when the CGI TMNT movie came out and there were 2 nearly identical sneak peek books, a collected edition, and a Gamestop preorder bonus that all used this cover in some way. 

Then 2009 had 3 before the sale from Mirage to Nickelodeon: the standard sized FCBD reprint (the best FCBD book ever in my opinion), the error version of the color reprint, and then the corrected one later put out.  These color reprints were the last books put out by Mirage before the sale.  IDW licensed the property and started the new comics in 2011 and things really got out of hand.

2021 looks ridiculous, but it's largely because Dynamite did a run of issues in November and December that accounted for 16 homages spanning 8 different titles with 2 variants for each title...all by the same artist.  This definitely skews the data a bit.  Outside of that, 2015 was the biggest year for this cover.  It saw at least 4 variants of Do You Pooh? books, Squarriors, TMNT Color Classics (reprinting issue #50, itself an homage), an Ottawa convention variant, and a Hot Comics variant to celebrate issue #50. 

All this information is truly trivial, but maybe someone other than me will find it at least a little interesting. 

And before anyone asks, I ended up plotting Ronin #1 as the 1983 issue, since the cover to TMNT #1 is itself an homage to that book.

That's really interesting info. Thanks for taking time to share this.

[Ryan.]

Anyone else submit for the Steve Lavigne signing? 

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 2/11/2022 at 5:53 PM, Ryan. said:

Anyone else submit for the Steve Lavigne signing? 

Awesome! Awesome space on the choice of covers as well!!

What was the tat like? Hope it is satisfying, keep the cheer 

Well done..... hope there will be more posts of sketches/remarque 

 

[Ryan.]

On 2/11/2022 at 8:25 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

What was the tat like?

A few months I think. Definitely not six weeks. 

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 2/11/2022 at 7:35 PM, Ryan. said:

A few months I think. Definitely not six weeks. 

Yes my Jim Lee was signed on Nov 1st. I get that I asked for a press, but February?  Really? Idk

 

[ADAMANTIUM]

@Ryan. ignore me. Lol enjoy your book, they do look nice!

I was semi making conversation, to reflecting on the irony, I dont want to make a big deal

 

[Turtle]

On 2/11/2022 at 8:47 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

Yes my Jim Lee was signed on Nov 1st. I get that I asked for a press, but February?  Really? Idk

 

From what I’ve heard, if you asked for a press and got it back already, you’re doing well.  I heard that the pressing step really slows things down.

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 2/23/2022 at 11:51 AM, Turtle said:

From what I’ve heard, if you asked for a press and got it back already, you’re doing well.  I heard that the pressing step really slows things down.

for in-house signings, at most it is estimated at 8 weeks, or did you mean in general?

Or with the in-house signings as well? Thats  

[Drake Dragoon]

On 2/6/2022 at 10:21 AM, Turtle said:

I should also mention this only includes books that CGC can grade.  I might update the list to add bigger books.  There are a few hardcover books and treasury books that can be added to the list as well.

Here is a list I've been compiling of TMNT Issue #1 Cover Homages: (I hope the images are clear enough)

[Drake Dragoon]

I didn't include blank homages covers.

[Ryan.]

Wow, nice work. 

[Drake Dragoon]

Ooops I forgot this one:

[Drake Dragoon]

On 12/30/2021 at 7:58 PM, Turtle said:

They are very common, but I tend to avoid having Kevin or Peter sign unless they had a direct hand in creating the issue.

Many Guest Era books can be signed by the relevant creator(s) if you keep an eye on Convention appearances.  I’ve seen SS of Zulli, Farley, Martin, Howarth, Bode, and more.  I think the only ones I don’t remember seeing were Heddon/McWeeney and Rick Arthur.

I think having the less common, more relevant creator signature is way cooler than an Eastman sig on a Guest Era book.  My  

I agree!

I absolutely love the Clayton Crain signatures on books with cover art by Clayton Crain (picture 1). Elegant and placed well. Fitting.

But when you add a Kevin Eastman signature to the Crain cover, things start to look out of place (picture 2 - bad image sorry)

I am a huge fan of Kevin Eastman, but the head doodle is a bit much for me and his signatures tend to cover the art - like: right over Shredder in that 2nd image. I do collect Kevin's autograph, when it looks appealing to me.

[Turtle]

On 2/27/2022 at 7:25 AM, Drake Dragoon said:

Here is a list I've been compiling of TMNT Issue #1 Cover Homages: (I hope the images are clear enough)

This is simultaneously really cool yet really daunting.  This has been fun, but this avalanche over the last 24 months has gotten to be a bit ridiculous. 

Thanks for doing this @Drake Dragoon.  There are a few that I'm definitely missing that are a few years old.  I'm looking at the Color Classics TPB.  And I had no idea that Ruled Journal existed.  For the low price they go for new on Ebay, I'll be picking one up for sure. 

I did spot at least 1 that you missed.  Just like there are two different versions of the Ultimate Visual History (2014 & 2018), there are also two different versions of the mini comic that came with it.  @rich_TMNT brought this to my attention a few years back.  One of them has a glossy finish to the cover while the other is more of a matte finish:

Also, unless I just didn't see them, I think these ones need to be added to the list:

*The last one does not have an A.C. Farley cover, despite what the label says

This one is still a toss-up for me.  It's certainly inspired by the #1 cover, but I'm not sure it's quite an homage.  Though I'd say it's closer than some others on your list and should probably be added.

 

[Turtle]

I think this one is also missing:

I guess technically you're also missing the 2nd and 3rd print of #1.  If the 6th print counts, I suppose those ones do too. 

[Turtle]

It's an excellent list @Drake Dragoon.  Thanks for posting it, though I'm not loving the trend of just spamming the same homage over and over.  Dynamite should knock it off.

For my own sensibilities, there are a few on your list (and heck, even in my own collection) that probably aren't proper homages/reprints.  That Batman/TMNT book falls in that category.  I'd also put these two on that list:

Definitely done in the original style and by the original artist, but not really an homage in a strict sense.  I think Eastman even refers to this as "3 seconds later" or something along those lines.  But I obviously still like them. 

For the same reason, I don't personally count the Big Time Collectibles or Planet Awesome comics variants.  They both have the same setting (slanted rooftop) but the poses, and orders are all off.  I think Shah was going for some Spidey homages in his too by incorporating some pretty unmistakable McFarlane Spidey poses.  I'd say that Dimension X book probably doesn't qualify for the list either.  Nothing about it suggests an homage.  I think that We Live book's viability as an homage is tenuous at best.  I can see what they were going for, but they didn't commit enough to it for me to accept it.

In all, great list!  And I'm glad you posted it.  In fact, it prompted me to write to Torpedo comics about the Do You Pooh? books.  I've never heard of the variants you listed and they're selling them, but are only showing the generic images of the books.  My guess is they are making after-market modifications to books made-to-order.  If that's correct, I don't think they're real variants.  But the regular, sketch, red, chromium, and magazine versions are real and should probably be on the list. 

Thanks again!

[Drake Dragoon]

On 2/27/2022 at 7:41 PM, Turtle said:

I think this one is also missing:

I guess technically you're also missing the 2nd and 3rd print of #1.  If the 6th print counts, I suppose those ones do too. 

This one I have listed as Frankies Comics B in the #1 Homage Reprints section.

Also:

The #1 SDCC and SDCC Sketch I agree are barely worthy of the list, if at all.

The Batman/TMNT III cover is close enough that I do believe it belongs on the list.

The Insight Editions I just lumped in with the 2014 and 2018 Ultimate Visual History books, since it comes inside of the back cover.

And indeed I did forget to add the other 2 on the list - Target/Playmates Mini Comic and Color Classics V3 #3.

 

Great catch and nice work! TY

[Drake Dragoon]

I too agree that Dynamite needs to stop reprinting the TMNT covers - it's too many to collect.

They started doing it with the Raphael covers too, and I'm getting tired of ordering every one that comes out. 

[Drake Dragoon]

LASTLY, concerning the TMT #1 Homage Checklist, the Ultimate Visual History (Japan) does NOT include a reprint of TMNT #1 in the back (Insight Edition) like the 2014 and 2018 US Versions do.

[Drake Dragoon]

I've learned that TMNT may have been influenced by Frank Millers Ronin, but also by Daredevil comics.

In my research I found sites that discuss this Daredevil claim: https://screenrant.com/ninja-turtles-daredevil-same-origin-ooze/

I also found a couple fan comics that feature Daredevil and TMNT. Cool, cool...

But what I also noticed is that this issue of Daredevil (picture 1), which was printed in 1985 (1 year after TMNT #1 which came out in 1984), appears to have a 'homage' cover (or very close) for TMNT #1!

(On a rooftop with bricks, at a slant, city in the background, battle pose)

Am I trying to make a connection that doesn't exist? Or do you see it too? LMK Folks!

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by Drake Dragoon