Friday, February 27, 2009
The Sailor Man
I just had a thought that I can't believe never hit me before: if anyone comes here looking for information on the famous writer/sailor and finds themselves rolling their eyes at my fountain of drivel, please post a comment! I'd be interested in seeing how many people actually do (come by here looking for the other substantially more famous Tristan Jones).
Comics for the 4th of March
My list for this week. I can tell you now that Deadpool will be my book of the week. Daniel Way is killing it!
MARVEL
Agents of Atlas #2
Black Panther #2 DKR
Daredevil #116
Dark Reign: Fantastic Four #1
Deadpool #8
New Avengers The Reunion #1
Secret Warriors #2
Spider-Man & the Human Torch in…¡BAHÍA DE LOS MUERTOS! English Edition
X-Men/Spider-Man #4
DC
Gotham Gazette Batman Dead #1
INDEPENDENT
BUFFY the Vampire Slayer #23 Chen Cover
Dead Irons #2
Locke & Key Head Games #3
Transformers Best of UK City Of Fear #2
Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Movie Prequel Defiance #2 Megatron Art Cover
MARVEL
Agents of Atlas #2
Black Panther #2 DKR
Daredevil #116
Dark Reign: Fantastic Four #1
Deadpool #8
New Avengers The Reunion #1
Secret Warriors #2
Spider-Man & the Human Torch in…¡BAHÍA DE LOS MUERTOS! English Edition
X-Men/Spider-Man #4
DC
Gotham Gazette Batman Dead #1
INDEPENDENT
BUFFY the Vampire Slayer #23 Chen Cover
Dead Irons #2
Locke & Key Head Games #3
Transformers Best of UK City Of Fear #2
Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Movie Prequel Defiance #2 Megatron Art Cover
Scripting style
If he checks this blog then he'll know exactly what this is all about! Dan S. : Sorry I didn't answer your question over on Jim's blog, but this is how I generally do mine. I'd never actually seen a "Marvel Style" page until Jim posted it.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
TMNT25.com Blogging redux
Alright, so my first blog for TMNT 25.com went up. You can check that out by clicking right here.
Keep in mind that this was written a little over a month ago, when I'd just finished the script for "Burning Man" (in stores November). Probably nothing you didn't already know, but I did try to drop a few little morsels here and there. There will be one focusing on Hun and another about my work on the Fast Forward books for Titan.
Keep in mind that this was written a little over a month ago, when I'd just finished the script for "Burning Man" (in stores November). Probably nothing you didn't already know, but I did try to drop a few little morsels here and there. There will be one focusing on Hun and another about my work on the Fast Forward books for Titan.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Ghostbusters: The Video Game's Janines Revealed!
I'm a massive, massive, massive Ghostbusters fan. So big, it's ridiculous. Janine Melnitz has finally been revealed for both the Wii and PS3/XBox 360 versions. I love it! I'm diggin' the RGB flavour to the Wii version too.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Hunter Mason to See Release in Under a Month
Just got word from Mr. B over at Mirage: "Tales of the TMNT" #56 will ben in stores March 23rd! Tell your friends, and if you don't have a comic shop nearby, check out this link for the best places to order online!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Printers...
Head over to ninjaturtles.com for a rather interesting story! The observation I made was this...
(A) Is the way the panel should be, while (B) was what I noticed (and only after my third look too!). While I can't reveal what's being said, what I can say is that (B) would've caused some headaches in regards to #36 and everything coming (from me) after this issue. There was one other tiny thing, but I can't really reveal that without ruining things...
Ultimately, I really have to give a huge thanks to Eric and Dan for jumping on it. And the Powers that broke the disc in transit!
(A) Is the way the panel should be, while (B) was what I noticed (and only after my third look too!). While I can't reveal what's being said, what I can say is that (B) would've caused some headaches in regards to #36 and everything coming (from me) after this issue. There was one other tiny thing, but I can't really reveal that without ruining things...Ultimately, I really have to give a huge thanks to Eric and Dan for jumping on it. And the Powers that broke the disc in transit!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Spruiking
Yes, I'm doing it. If you have an aversion to comic shops, or the guy who runs your local is some kind of anti-TMNT abomination, you can now order Tales of the TMNT through Barnes & Noble over the intertron. This is pretty big step for an indie publisher, so I urge everyone to give it a look in! Tell your friends!
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Tales-of-the-Tmnt-56/Mirage-Studios/e/9780981704555
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Tales-of-the-Tmnt-56/Mirage-Studios/e/9780981704555
Thursday, February 12, 2009
TMNT25.com Blogging
As some of you may know, I was invited to write for the 25th Anniversary blog over at TMNT25.com. I just finished my second entry, which will be about the Titan material I'd written before Tales #36 came out. It's a little bit "all ages" as the TMNT25 stuff should be, but once that's up I'll post some more here. The next one will be about Hun, and the differences between the original version and the cartoon version, which will hopefully be out in time for #56. Not sure when it's all supposed to go live...
Oh, and look out for a special tidbit on #61 too! ;)
Oh, and look out for a special tidbit on #61 too! ;)
Scrapped opening to "Sometimes They Come Back"
Just found this. This was the original opening to #61. It's drastically different now, so none of this actually appears in any way, shape or form in the final book. I always dig seeing stuff like this from my favourite books, so hopefully you TMNT fans will dig it...
PAGE 1
Panel 1
Establishing shot. We’re in the main foyer/entrance area of the Department of Defense. People are scurrying about, all dressed in business suits, some in formal military uniform. It all looks extremely official. Military guards stand at all doors.
There are two focal individuals in this crowd (maybe tone these characters a lighter shade than the rest to make them stand out a little more?) The first is a rather stressed looking individual stands at the top of a flight of stairs, clutching some documents. He/She’s looking for someone amidst the swarms of DOD employees. This is BAKER
The other is a man who is walking across the floor on the lower level, near the entrance. He is talking on a phone. This is LANGSTROM.
CAP 1: The Department of Defense.
CAP 2: Arlington County, Virginia.
Panel 2
Down near Langstrom. Tilting up slightly. We can see BAKER pushing past people as he/she comes down the stairs. Baker is desperate to get to Langstrom.
BALLOON 1 (BAKER): Mr. Langstrom!
Panel 3
Langstrom has turned away from his phone conversation and is wondering what the commotion is about. Baker is rushing to catch him.
BALLOON 2 (BAKER): Mr. Langstrom!
BALLOON 3 (LANGSTROM): Baker? What’s the matter?
Panel 4
Baker, clearly distressed, from over Langstrom’s shoulder.
BALLOON 4 (BAKER): There’s been an… INCIDENT…
PAGE 2
Panel 1
Baker is leading Langstrom through a room full of panicking researchers and DOD officials. It’s like a central command hub, very high tech, kind of like the control room from Goldeneye.
BALLOON 1 (LANGSTROM): No one was supposed to know about this! Those trucks were--
BALLOON 2 (BAKER): Unmarked, secured civilian vehicles with encrypted routes. I know. My best guess is someone inside fed them the information, which is why I’ve put all personnel with access to the Stocktronics data into detainment.
Panel 2
Baker is letting Langstrom step into another room through an automated door of thick glass. There’s a datapad lock on the door. It’s all very high tech.
BALLOON 3 (BAKER): But then again, knowing what we do about their leader’s HIDDEN TALENTS, they could have found out on their own.
Panel 3
Baker and Langstrom have approached a large monitor displaying various global surveillance readouts. A nervous looking DOD worker is at a nearby console.
This is a global information and surveillance area. The computers here are hooked up to the best satellite technology the world has ever seen.
BALLOON 4 (LANGSTROM): Are you positive it’s them?
BALLOON 5 (BAKER): We haven’t been able to confirm ID’s, and with the E.O.G. sat off the grid, we have no idea where they’re going either.
Panel 4
From the monitor, looking down at the worker, Baker and Langstrom. Maybe see if you can fit some other panicky workers in the background. No biggy if you can’t.
BALLOON 7 (LANGSTROM): Wait, did you say the Eye of God went off the grid?! How is this--?!
BALLOON 8 (BAKER): We don’t know, but before it went down, it managed to capture this, which I’d say confirms it was them…
Panel 5
Big. We are looking at an enhanced shot taken by the Eye of God Satellite (the best spy satellite currently in orbit). It’s a close picture of Razorback flipping the bird to the satellite. Somehow, this freak knew about the satellite!
CAP 2: Sonnuva--!
PAGE 3
Panel 1
Big. Low angle. Raph is hanging from a Foot ninja who is hanging from the foot of a flying helicopter. The door on the side is open and we can see another Foot ninja holding an intricately designed Chinese urn (this ties directly into Jim Lawson’s BURNING MAN issue, so the Urn should look the same in both of these issues). We can also see the Foot Elite from Tales of the TMNT #36 (the one that was disfigured by acid at the end).
The elite is horrid mix of Two-face and the Terminator. Half of his body has been repaired via cybernetic enhancements, but the skin where the acid burned him is all twisted and scarred. His eye has also been replaced by a cybernetic one. He is brandishing a long-bladed spear.
People should look at this image and find it both humorous AND exciting at the same time.
Panel 2
Mid shot of Don, Mike and Leo on the roof of a warehouse nearby. They’re watching Raph get carried away. Leo looks serious, he wants Raph to get the Urn. Mike and Don are both watching expectantly. It’s almost like They’re putting money on how long he’ll be able to hold on. Mike looks like a kid that missed the point of a joke he just heard.
BALLOON 1 (LEO – small/whispered): C’mon Raph…
BALLOON 2 (DON): Twenty seconds.
BALLOON 3 (MIKE): Nuh-uh. Ten.
Panel 3
Cut back to the helicopter. Looking down from the Foot Elite. Raph is starting to climb up the dangling Foot ninja. They are flying over the east river, as we can see water and the edge of the docks far below.
Panel 4
Low angle. The Foot Elite is about to spear down at Raph.
Panel 5
The Elite has speared the Foot ninja Raph is climbing in the shoulder! The ninja has let go of the helicopter in pained response. Raph and the Foot ninja both have surprised expressions. The Elite is cold, as are the other Foot clansmen in the helicopter.
BALLOON 4 (FOOT): AGHK!
BALLOON 5 (RAPH): WHOA--!?
SFX. (the wound) CHUNK
Panel 6
Wide. Thin. Side on. Sillhouette of Raph and the wounded clansmen falling from the helicopter.
PAGE 4
Panel 1
Establishing shot of Casey and April’s apartment block (see Tales #56 and City At War).
Casey’s truck is parked out front and is half loaded with luggage (this issue is set shortly after #56 and #59). A few people are walking about the street.
CAPTION 1 (APRIL): “…You’re kidding!”
CAPTION 2 (MIKE): “Am I kidding?”
Panel 2
NOTE: For continuity sake, it might be worth seeing how Paul draws April’s apartment, as it’s the exact same location.
Don is sitting at the table in the kitchen, looking at a newspaper as he talks. April is leaning on a nearby bench while Mike nurses Shadow in one arm while grabbing a six-pack of sodas in the other.
BALLOON 1 (DON): He’s not kidding.
BALLOON 2 (APRIL): Wow… how is he?
Panel 3
Close up of Mike at the fridge. Shadow has his mask and is innocently offering it up to him with one hand.
BALLOON 3 (MIKE): Wet. And when I think about how he and Leo
BALLOON 4 (SHADOW) (small): Hikey…?
Panel 4
Mike is now standing next to April with a bottle of beer in his hand. Still nursing Shadow. Focus mainly on April, but leave space between them for dialogue.
BALLOON 5 (APRIL): They’ve been doing that a lot lately.
BALLOON 6 (MIKE): Yeah, tell me about it.
BALLOON 7 (MIKE – joined):
PAGE 5
Panel 1
Shot of Don, who has twisted around in his seat to speak to April and Mike (off panel).
BALLOON 1 (DON): The problem is that Leo has always been too reliant on Splinter as a fallback. If things started going really badly then he’d turn to Splinter.
PAGE 1
Panel 1
Establishing shot. We’re in the main foyer/entrance area of the Department of Defense. People are scurrying about, all dressed in business suits, some in formal military uniform. It all looks extremely official. Military guards stand at all doors.
There are two focal individuals in this crowd (maybe tone these characters a lighter shade than the rest to make them stand out a little more?) The first is a rather stressed looking individual stands at the top of a flight of stairs, clutching some documents. He/She’s looking for someone amidst the swarms of DOD employees. This is BAKER
The other is a man who is walking across the floor on the lower level, near the entrance. He is talking on a phone. This is LANGSTROM.
CAP 1: The Department of Defense.
CAP 2: Arlington County, Virginia.
Panel 2
Down near Langstrom. Tilting up slightly. We can see BAKER pushing past people as he/she comes down the stairs. Baker is desperate to get to Langstrom.
BALLOON 1 (BAKER): Mr. Langstrom!
Panel 3
Langstrom has turned away from his phone conversation and is wondering what the commotion is about. Baker is rushing to catch him.
BALLOON 2 (BAKER): Mr. Langstrom!
BALLOON 3 (LANGSTROM): Baker? What’s the matter?
Panel 4
Baker, clearly distressed, from over Langstrom’s shoulder.
BALLOON 4 (BAKER): There’s been an… INCIDENT…
PAGE 2
Panel 1
Baker is leading Langstrom through a room full of panicking researchers and DOD officials. It’s like a central command hub, very high tech, kind of like the control room from Goldeneye.
BALLOON 1 (LANGSTROM): No one was supposed to know about this! Those trucks were--
BALLOON 2 (BAKER): Unmarked, secured civilian vehicles with encrypted routes. I know. My best guess is someone inside fed them the information, which is why I’ve put all personnel with access to the Stocktronics data into detainment.
Panel 2
Baker is letting Langstrom step into another room through an automated door of thick glass. There’s a datapad lock on the door. It’s all very high tech.
BALLOON 3 (BAKER): But then again, knowing what we do about their leader’s HIDDEN TALENTS, they could have found out on their own.
Panel 3
Baker and Langstrom have approached a large monitor displaying various global surveillance readouts. A nervous looking DOD worker is at a nearby console.
This is a global information and surveillance area. The computers here are hooked up to the best satellite technology the world has ever seen.
BALLOON 4 (LANGSTROM): Are you positive it’s them?
BALLOON 5 (BAKER): We haven’t been able to confirm ID’s, and with the E.O.G. sat off the grid, we have no idea where they’re going either.
Panel 4
From the monitor, looking down at the worker, Baker and Langstrom. Maybe see if you can fit some other panicky workers in the background. No biggy if you can’t.
BALLOON 7 (LANGSTROM): Wait, did you say the Eye of God went off the grid?! How is this--?!
BALLOON 8 (BAKER): We don’t know, but before it went down, it managed to capture this, which I’d say confirms it was them…
Panel 5
Big. We are looking at an enhanced shot taken by the Eye of God Satellite (the best spy satellite currently in orbit). It’s a close picture of Razorback flipping the bird to the satellite. Somehow, this freak knew about the satellite!
CAP 2: Sonnuva--!
PAGE 3
Panel 1
Big. Low angle. Raph is hanging from a Foot ninja who is hanging from the foot of a flying helicopter. The door on the side is open and we can see another Foot ninja holding an intricately designed Chinese urn (this ties directly into Jim Lawson’s BURNING MAN issue, so the Urn should look the same in both of these issues). We can also see the Foot Elite from Tales of the TMNT #36 (the one that was disfigured by acid at the end).
The elite is horrid mix of Two-face and the Terminator. Half of his body has been repaired via cybernetic enhancements, but the skin where the acid burned him is all twisted and scarred. His eye has also been replaced by a cybernetic one. He is brandishing a long-bladed spear.
People should look at this image and find it both humorous AND exciting at the same time.
Panel 2
Mid shot of Don, Mike and Leo on the roof of a warehouse nearby. They’re watching Raph get carried away. Leo looks serious, he wants Raph to get the Urn. Mike and Don are both watching expectantly. It’s almost like They’re putting money on how long he’ll be able to hold on. Mike looks like a kid that missed the point of a joke he just heard.
BALLOON 1 (LEO – small/whispered): C’mon Raph…
BALLOON 2 (DON): Twenty seconds.
BALLOON 3 (MIKE): Nuh-uh. Ten.
Panel 3
Cut back to the helicopter. Looking down from the Foot Elite. Raph is starting to climb up the dangling Foot ninja. They are flying over the east river, as we can see water and the edge of the docks far below.
Panel 4
Low angle. The Foot Elite is about to spear down at Raph.
Panel 5
The Elite has speared the Foot ninja Raph is climbing in the shoulder! The ninja has let go of the helicopter in pained response. Raph and the Foot ninja both have surprised expressions. The Elite is cold, as are the other Foot clansmen in the helicopter.
BALLOON 4 (FOOT): AGHK!
BALLOON 5 (RAPH): WHOA--!?
SFX. (the wound) CHUNK
Panel 6
Wide. Thin. Side on. Sillhouette of Raph and the wounded clansmen falling from the helicopter.
PAGE 4
Panel 1
Establishing shot of Casey and April’s apartment block (see Tales #56 and City At War).
Casey’s truck is parked out front and is half loaded with luggage (this issue is set shortly after #56 and #59). A few people are walking about the street.
CAPTION 1 (APRIL): “…You’re kidding!”
CAPTION 2 (MIKE): “Am I kidding?”
Panel 2
NOTE: For continuity sake, it might be worth seeing how Paul draws April’s apartment, as it’s the exact same location.
Don is sitting at the table in the kitchen, looking at a newspaper as he talks. April is leaning on a nearby bench while Mike nurses Shadow in one arm while grabbing a six-pack of sodas in the other.
BALLOON 1 (DON): He’s not kidding.
BALLOON 2 (APRIL): Wow… how is he?
Panel 3
Close up of Mike at the fridge. Shadow has his mask and is innocently offering it up to him with one hand.
BALLOON 3 (MIKE): Wet. And when I think about how he and Leo
BALLOON 4 (SHADOW) (small): Hikey…?
Panel 4
Mike is now standing next to April with a bottle of beer in his hand. Still nursing Shadow. Focus mainly on April, but leave space between them for dialogue.
BALLOON 5 (APRIL): They’ve been doing that a lot lately.
BALLOON 6 (MIKE): Yeah, tell me about it.
BALLOON 7 (MIKE – joined):
PAGE 5
Panel 1
Shot of Don, who has twisted around in his seat to speak to April and Mike (off panel).
BALLOON 1 (DON): The problem is that Leo has always been too reliant on Splinter as a fallback. If things started going really badly then he’d turn to Splinter.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Exposition on "Exposé"
Looks like #59 went up on the official Ninja Turtles website this morning vilsht I vaz shleppingk!
Tales of the TMNT #59
Ship Date: June, 2009
Format: 32 B&W pages, full color cover, standard size comic
Retail Price: $3.25
Cover art by Paul Harmon and Steve Lavigne; script by Tristan Jones, art by Paul Harmon
"Exposé" - Journalist Lauren Stanton investigates the suspicious circumstances surrounding the early release of notorious criminal Hunter (Hun) Mason from prison and its connection to the mysterious Foot Clan. As Stanton delves deeper into New York City's underworld, she'll discover unfathomable evil lurking in the darkness and her only hope to escape might not be entirely human...
Critically acclaimed creators Tristan Jones and Paul Harmon return to further explore the seedier side of the Mirage Universe, introducing an insidious new villain and giving readers a fresh look at the TMNT themselves. A perfect jumping on point for new readers!
...Can't wait, I'm really excited about this one! Hun comes back, Lin comes back (google Tales of the TMNT #36 for more info), and a brand new villain makes his debut! Nasty bastard too... Oh, and there are explosions and lots of big fights involving heaps of people. There's no real need to know anything outside of who the Turtles are if you're new to the whole thing, but if you want to get the full THX style experience of this one and really milk it (like the cameos and whatnot), you might want to see if you can dig up Tales #36 & #50, and maybe pick up Tales #56 when it hits next month (nudge-nudge, wink-wink)!
Red Skies
While I didn't take this photo, this is pretty close to what I was looking at from near a friend's place the other day. Thankfully, I'm nowhere near the danger areas, and I have to thanks my friends overseas who expressed their concerns.On an unrelated note, I spent much of today sorting through my comic books, cataloging them with a program a friend of mine recommended to me at San Diego a couple of years ago. Some of you may have heard of it, but I can't believe I didn't get it earlier -- Comic Collector Live. It's great! It automatically updates upon start up, so you never miss new titles, and it's even made me aware of some variants I had no idea existed (must... hunt... down)! You can check it all out at comiccollectorlive.com.
I also want to thank everyone who expressed support at NYCC this past weekend. It really does mean a lot, and hopefully you'll all dig it when Hun hits next month :)
Monday, February 09, 2009
It Is Done
I just got an email from Paul...
The art for Tales #56 is complete!
All that is left to say really...
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Friday, February 06, 2009
Weird One
Having an odd night. Not sure why. Working on some layouts for Paul for #59. I always figure you can ascertain a lot about a person by the sort of music they listen to, so here's what's going on right now...
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Monday, February 02, 2009
Most Unnecessary Remake Ever
Apparently Predator is being remade/rebooted.
Why?
You know that this is the first time I've objected to a remake? Friday the 13th, yep, I can see why (let's face it, these days you or I could make a scarier and possibly better film with stuff from around the house), Dawn of the Dead, sure thing (as good a film as the original is, it's not fuckin' scary at all and has dated horrendously), Robocop (God, I love it, but can you imagine it being made with today's resources?), even Nightmare on Elm Street (see Robocop), I can totally get behind remakes of these films, in spite of the total lack of originality in Hollywood these days but Predator is the first time I've wanted to put my foot down on something.
The gist is basically a cheaper version of what was originally meant to be Predator 3 (aka Predators). Take the original Predator movie and throw in a few more. Kinda lessens the "Holy Shit!" factor of the creature (one creature capable of taking down a crack, black-ops military team) too. Why was this okayed and not Predator 3? They're virtually the same movie, only Predator 3 sounded WAY fucking cooler!
Why go back to the start and try to out-do a movie that still holds up perfectly today? Why do you think they kept the Predator a physical effect in the AVP movies? Because the creature still holds up! You can't get any better than what it was! And while they might not have been Oscar worthy performances, at least all the over-muscled cast could maintain their bodies and act (at least appropriately and well enough for this type of movie), I don't know of many actors these days that can do both, not as well as these guys did it. The Rock might be the exception.
Predator, like Ghostbusters and the Indiana Jones movies, is virtually timeless. It's not like the original Terminator (remember the nightclub scene? Or the explicit date references?), you can watch Predator on DVD and if you didn't know who Arnie or Jesse Ventura or fuckin'... Apollo Creed... were, there would be very few telling signs that the movie is over 20 years old.
Enough with the shitty AVP movies, enough with the reboots, give me Predator 3 and Alien 5 already!
Why?
You know that this is the first time I've objected to a remake? Friday the 13th, yep, I can see why (let's face it, these days you or I could make a scarier and possibly better film with stuff from around the house), Dawn of the Dead, sure thing (as good a film as the original is, it's not fuckin' scary at all and has dated horrendously), Robocop (God, I love it, but can you imagine it being made with today's resources?), even Nightmare on Elm Street (see Robocop), I can totally get behind remakes of these films, in spite of the total lack of originality in Hollywood these days but Predator is the first time I've wanted to put my foot down on something.
The gist is basically a cheaper version of what was originally meant to be Predator 3 (aka Predators). Take the original Predator movie and throw in a few more. Kinda lessens the "Holy Shit!" factor of the creature (one creature capable of taking down a crack, black-ops military team) too. Why was this okayed and not Predator 3? They're virtually the same movie, only Predator 3 sounded WAY fucking cooler!
Why go back to the start and try to out-do a movie that still holds up perfectly today? Why do you think they kept the Predator a physical effect in the AVP movies? Because the creature still holds up! You can't get any better than what it was! And while they might not have been Oscar worthy performances, at least all the over-muscled cast could maintain their bodies and act (at least appropriately and well enough for this type of movie), I don't know of many actors these days that can do both, not as well as these guys did it. The Rock might be the exception.
Predator, like Ghostbusters and the Indiana Jones movies, is virtually timeless. It's not like the original Terminator (remember the nightclub scene? Or the explicit date references?), you can watch Predator on DVD and if you didn't know who Arnie or Jesse Ventura or fuckin'... Apollo Creed... were, there would be very few telling signs that the movie is over 20 years old.
Enough with the shitty AVP movies, enough with the reboots, give me Predator 3 and Alien 5 already!
Final "Expose" Cover Colours with bonus content
Just snapped this. This is the final version of the cover for June's "Tales of the TMNT". If you haven't already seen, be sure to hit the link to Paul Harmon's artblog on the right there, as he has posted a great progressive development look at the making of this cover.
I also just got a glimpse of the first page of #61, which is being drawn by Andres Ponce, and features the return of Razorback from #50. Both of these comics are going to look bloody amazing!
I also just got a glimpse of the first page of #61, which is being drawn by Andres Ponce, and features the return of Razorback from #50. Both of these comics are going to look bloody amazing!
Sunday, February 01, 2009
More Untold Tales...
In light of a certain discussion as to how a X-over between Archie and Mirage might play out, here is a story I pitched as a non-canon story for something like FCBD. Pete liked the ideas, but ultimately passed on it. Would've been fun to see, but it doesn't bother me much, the story I'm putting together at the moment with Tales this year is going to be much more exciting!
We open in another dimension (Caption: NOT Dimension X…), where the two massive brutes are being pursued by authorities in an intense car/other-dimensional-vehicle chase! Suddenly, a vortex starts opening in midair just ahead of them…
Cut to our world, where a Foot Mystic and a band of renegade Foot ninjas are trying to open up a portal to the Netherworld (to summon a demon to help them against the Turtles). Unfortunately, the mystic has misinterpreted one of the symbols in the spell used to open the portal correctly. A portal opens, but when the vehicle Bebop and Rocksteady had hi-jacked comes thundering out and pastes the mystic, it becomes very clear that it’s not the right one!
The rest of the Foot renegades scatter and Bebop and Rocksteady check out this strange new world they’ve stumbled into. They are massive too, at least twice the size of Leatherhead. A registered, costumed superhero flies down to try and stop the duo, but they pulverize him (in a comically brutal way, not to death, but there’s no way a normal human would be able to take it).
Cut to the Turtles’ lair, where Raph, Don and Mike are watching late night television (Leo is reading something). A sudden live news broadcast interrupts and reveals that Bebop and Rocksteady are tearing up midtown as police try and take them down.
After getting a call from April (who’s been caught in the midst of the carnage), they spring into action (they would be disguised somehow, either in gear similar to #36, or civilian clothing – long coats, etc.).
They pluck April out of the danger zone and get her to safety without being noticed, everyone seems too freaked out by the massive duo to care.
Mike notices that Karai and a band of her best warriors are on a nearby rooftop. They join her to try and find out what’s going on, and Karai reveals that a rogue mystic had recently stolen a tome from their archives containing spells/rituals that could supposedly open pathways to parallel dimensions. However, without the book they have no idea what spell/ritual was used, or how to send the two creatures back to where they came from. Don and Karai discuss their options and agree to try and come up with something together, but it means that Mike, Leo and Raph, along with the Foot warriors, will have to try and keep the dimension-hopping duo occupied.
As Mike, Leo and Raph fight Rocksteady and Bebop (taking a number of jabs at the old cartoon along the way), Karai and Don manage to put together a trans-dimensional portal using Leatherhead’s makeshift transmat device and various other bits and pieces Don has accumulated over the years. By channelling the mystic energies of a similar spell through the device, they are able to open a wormhole to another dimension (though not necessarily the one they came from).
The group lures Rocksteady and Bebop to the area above Leatherhead’s old lair (where the portal will open), but the two brutes realise they’re being herded towards a trap and start playing dirty. Don and Karai can only keep the portal open for a small amount of time, and with the brutes wise to the trap, the portal overloads the device that opened it.
At a loss for what to do, Mike suggests they call Renet, but none have any idea how to do that – considering she’s just appeared every time they’ve needed her. However, true to form, she does appear, having sensed a disturbingly large tremor in the space-time continuum. The guys fill her in, and Renet floats up towards Bebop and Rocksteady. She begins channeling her energies, chanting (similar to good ol’ Doctor Strange), but suddenly – WHAM! One of the monsters punches her into a building, sending the sceptre scattering off into an alley.
Don rushes to her aide while Raph, Leo, Mike and the Foot launch another assault on the pair. When it looks as though all is lost, Splinter suddenly arrives on the scene, standing quietly between the battle-weary warriors and the battle-ready monsters. The Turtles freak out, thinking Splinter has finally gone insane, and Bebop and Rocksteady find the situation hilarious. But Splinter has Renet’s sceptre!
Splinter mumbles something and suddenly the two are sucked into the sceptre itself!
With the city saved, Don returns with Renet. Karai tells them that she will help provide the funds to repair the damages caused in the chaos. (If you like the alternate ending, Mike could ask where Splinter sent them).
The turtles return home with their master, exhausted.
ALTERNATE ENDING (one final jab at the old cartoon):
We cut to find that Rocksteady and Bebop have been transported to a dusty, arid dimension, somewhat similar to the surface of Mars. They have been secured by hi-tech restraints and are being marched towards a gigantic construct by hulking soldiers who look similar to The Thing. They stop at the base of the construct, just in front of what appears to be large boarding ramp. “New prisoners for you my lord! We found them inside the forbidden zone.”
Bebop and Rocksteady look up, and we see a grotesquely obese Utrom, sitting in the torso cavity of a massive exosuit (think Obediah Stane’s “Iron Monger” suit compared to Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit). The Utrom grins: “Excellent!”
We zoom out for the final panel, revealing that the construct is disturbingly similar to a certain subterranean construct made famous by the old TMNT cartoons..
The End.
END NOTES: I thought it might be funny if the Mirage U Superheroes tried to fight the two, but would just get flicked away like annoying bugs, the only reason the Turtles manage to get their full attention is because Raph or Mike manages to throw either a sai, or a makeshift explosive up Rocksteady’s nose, pissing him off to no end.
The other thing I thought would be to not have any of Rocksteady and Bebop’s language be English, or even remotely recognisable. It would be alien gibberish, but we would be able to ascertain what they’re saying through visuals.
Finally, Rocksteady and Bebop’s names would never be uttered either, except in their native tongues (which we wouldn’t be able to read anyway).
We open in another dimension (Caption: NOT Dimension X…), where the two massive brutes are being pursued by authorities in an intense car/other-dimensional-vehicle chase! Suddenly, a vortex starts opening in midair just ahead of them…
Cut to our world, where a Foot Mystic and a band of renegade Foot ninjas are trying to open up a portal to the Netherworld (to summon a demon to help them against the Turtles). Unfortunately, the mystic has misinterpreted one of the symbols in the spell used to open the portal correctly. A portal opens, but when the vehicle Bebop and Rocksteady had hi-jacked comes thundering out and pastes the mystic, it becomes very clear that it’s not the right one!
The rest of the Foot renegades scatter and Bebop and Rocksteady check out this strange new world they’ve stumbled into. They are massive too, at least twice the size of Leatherhead. A registered, costumed superhero flies down to try and stop the duo, but they pulverize him (in a comically brutal way, not to death, but there’s no way a normal human would be able to take it).
Cut to the Turtles’ lair, where Raph, Don and Mike are watching late night television (Leo is reading something). A sudden live news broadcast interrupts and reveals that Bebop and Rocksteady are tearing up midtown as police try and take them down.
After getting a call from April (who’s been caught in the midst of the carnage), they spring into action (they would be disguised somehow, either in gear similar to #36, or civilian clothing – long coats, etc.).
They pluck April out of the danger zone and get her to safety without being noticed, everyone seems too freaked out by the massive duo to care.
Mike notices that Karai and a band of her best warriors are on a nearby rooftop. They join her to try and find out what’s going on, and Karai reveals that a rogue mystic had recently stolen a tome from their archives containing spells/rituals that could supposedly open pathways to parallel dimensions. However, without the book they have no idea what spell/ritual was used, or how to send the two creatures back to where they came from. Don and Karai discuss their options and agree to try and come up with something together, but it means that Mike, Leo and Raph, along with the Foot warriors, will have to try and keep the dimension-hopping duo occupied.
As Mike, Leo and Raph fight Rocksteady and Bebop (taking a number of jabs at the old cartoon along the way), Karai and Don manage to put together a trans-dimensional portal using Leatherhead’s makeshift transmat device and various other bits and pieces Don has accumulated over the years. By channelling the mystic energies of a similar spell through the device, they are able to open a wormhole to another dimension (though not necessarily the one they came from).
The group lures Rocksteady and Bebop to the area above Leatherhead’s old lair (where the portal will open), but the two brutes realise they’re being herded towards a trap and start playing dirty. Don and Karai can only keep the portal open for a small amount of time, and with the brutes wise to the trap, the portal overloads the device that opened it.
At a loss for what to do, Mike suggests they call Renet, but none have any idea how to do that – considering she’s just appeared every time they’ve needed her. However, true to form, she does appear, having sensed a disturbingly large tremor in the space-time continuum. The guys fill her in, and Renet floats up towards Bebop and Rocksteady. She begins channeling her energies, chanting (similar to good ol’ Doctor Strange), but suddenly – WHAM! One of the monsters punches her into a building, sending the sceptre scattering off into an alley.
Don rushes to her aide while Raph, Leo, Mike and the Foot launch another assault on the pair. When it looks as though all is lost, Splinter suddenly arrives on the scene, standing quietly between the battle-weary warriors and the battle-ready monsters. The Turtles freak out, thinking Splinter has finally gone insane, and Bebop and Rocksteady find the situation hilarious. But Splinter has Renet’s sceptre!
Splinter mumbles something and suddenly the two are sucked into the sceptre itself!
With the city saved, Don returns with Renet. Karai tells them that she will help provide the funds to repair the damages caused in the chaos. (If you like the alternate ending, Mike could ask where Splinter sent them).
The turtles return home with their master, exhausted.
ALTERNATE ENDING (one final jab at the old cartoon):
We cut to find that Rocksteady and Bebop have been transported to a dusty, arid dimension, somewhat similar to the surface of Mars. They have been secured by hi-tech restraints and are being marched towards a gigantic construct by hulking soldiers who look similar to The Thing. They stop at the base of the construct, just in front of what appears to be large boarding ramp. “New prisoners for you my lord! We found them inside the forbidden zone.”
Bebop and Rocksteady look up, and we see a grotesquely obese Utrom, sitting in the torso cavity of a massive exosuit (think Obediah Stane’s “Iron Monger” suit compared to Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit). The Utrom grins: “Excellent!”
We zoom out for the final panel, revealing that the construct is disturbingly similar to a certain subterranean construct made famous by the old TMNT cartoons..
The End.
END NOTES: I thought it might be funny if the Mirage U Superheroes tried to fight the two, but would just get flicked away like annoying bugs, the only reason the Turtles manage to get their full attention is because Raph or Mike manages to throw either a sai, or a makeshift explosive up Rocksteady’s nose, pissing him off to no end.
The other thing I thought would be to not have any of Rocksteady and Bebop’s language be English, or even remotely recognisable. It would be alien gibberish, but we would be able to ascertain what they’re saying through visuals.
Finally, Rocksteady and Bebop’s names would never be uttered either, except in their native tongues (which we wouldn’t be able to read anyway).
Tales of the TMNT #59 aka Why I'm a Writer and Not An Artist
I feel terrible for Paul. We were brainstorming some layouts for our next Turtles book (as he's making the jump from #56 to #59 as we speak) and I said I'd run off a few so he could go straight on to penciling without having to to do all the puzzle work. Now, I wrote the script to this, and I found this hard!
Here are my horrendous thumbnails/layouts. Not really much in the way of spoilers... just prepare your eyes to be hurt.
Thank you for sitting through that arduous session of optic abuse. Here is a present.
Here are my horrendous thumbnails/layouts. Not really much in the way of spoilers... just prepare your eyes to be hurt.
Thank you for sitting through that arduous session of optic abuse. Here is a present.
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