Original Tales of the TMNT #50 opening

I've recently moved into a new apartment and have been reorganising things. I found this as I was going through my documents and scripts. It's the original opening to Tales #50. I had to chop at it to keep the page count down. I think I would've preferred this, but I think the issue came out good in the end.

PAGE 1
Panel 1
We’re inside the ravaged remains of the former TCRI building, deep beneath the ground. The room is a claustrophobe’s worst nightmare. The ceiling has come right in on itself, rubble and smashed panels are everywhere, remnants of the Utrom technology are crumpled and scattered amidst the ruins, though there are a number of devices still intact (they look like they were part of a communications lab).
Leatherhead has pried the door open and is holding it as Donatello enters.
It’s pitch black in here, as there’s no power, and both Don and Leatherhead are carrying some form of flashlight. A few of the lights are on on some of the devices.
Don is wearing a backpack and a tradesman’s utility belt, which is carrying some odd devices similar to our own powertools, but clearly reworked by Don.

DONATELLO: Wow…


Panel 2
Leatherhead is salvaging what he can from the room. Donatello is inspecting some of the equipment with a device similar to the PKE meter from Ghostbusters.

DONATELLO: I have to admit, I was a little hesitant about coming back down here… I honestly didn’t think we’d find anything.

DONATELLO (melded): But when you mentioned finding functional security systems on your last salvage run, you piqued my interest.

Panel 3
Wide shot. Leatherhead is checking a couple of Utrom gizmos he’s found. Donatello is putting a device in his bag. In the background, we can see the door Leatherhead forced open and through it stands a man, completely enveloped in darkness, but he’s decked out in some extremely high-tech gear. This is one of the RAZORBACKS. We can’t see him really, just the dull glow of his nightvision goggles/lenses, and a couple of small lights on the rifle he carries.

LEATHERHEAD: I thought you would be interested. My only concern is the structural integrity of these chambers closer to the surface…

Panel 4
We’re looking at Don and Leatherhead through the infrared vision of the Razorback. There are little statistical readouts similar to the vision of the Terminator. Leatherhead has been targeted by the electronic vision, highlighted.

DONATELLO: Yeah, good point. We should have be all right though...

CAPTION:

CAPTION:


PAGE 2
Panel 1
Dynamic angle. The Razorback has fired his rifle, and a barbed mesh with anchored corners is bursting forth. Think “Predator”.

Panel 2
Leatherhead is overcome by the barbed net. Donatello is suddenly alert, and fearful for his friend. The Razorback is now visible, almost as though his suit had “revealed” itself like a chameleon changing camouflage. He’s tossing aside the net-launcher rifle with one hand and drawing a pistol from holster on his side with the other.
We can vaguely make out the shape of another Razorback in the darkness near Don.

DONATELLO: LEATHERHEAD!

RAZORBACK 1: Target acquired!

LEATHERHEAD: HARRGH!

Back in the Saddle

See what I did there? If not, you're not a hardcore GB fan/nerd like myself...

Steve Perry Rocks

That is all.

Thank You

I realise it's been a damn long time since I posted here (probably not really, but it does feel that way), and since I last posted, Tales of the TMNT #61 has been released to some stores across the world and even reviewed by some very generous folks across the intertrons!

I've also moved into a new home in North Carlton, for those who know where that is, with two of the coolest cats you could ask to have on deck. To top it off, I've landed a new day job at a swanky restaurant/bar on Chapel Street (for those who know where THAT is), so I'm financially secure again!

Anyway, back to the interesting stuff -- Tales #61 has hit, and I really want to say thanks to everyone for the responses so far! I've had some reviews that really blew me away and while I haven't had a chance to speak to Andres in a while, I'm absolutely positive he feels the same way I do. We really wanted to give you guys something fun with a dash of awesome-sauce, and I knew Andres would make good even if I fell short! Thanks for saving my ass, mate!

From what I hear, the official release is this coming Wednesday, so if yours wasn't in during week that just passed, don't freak out!

In other news, I'm working on a TV show pilot with the lads from Green Rabbit Productions, which we we're looking at being something of an Aussie Attack of the Show with some home grown influences thrown in to mix it all up a bit, and I've already lined up an interview with Dan Didio of DC Comics along with a short documentary on "Girl Gamers", so hopefully things take off. I've been told we have a director from Channel 10 lined up and keen to be on board, so fingers crossed!

Anyway, here are some links to some stuff I've been part of lately...

Comicsbulletin.com's review of Tales #61 (Thanks Bill!)
TMNT25.com's article on Hun's intro to the Mirage Universe
TMNT Entity's review of Tales #61 (Thanks Mark!)
GoGreenMachine.Org's review of Tales #61
Walt Kneeland's review over at Comixtreme
and Aris of Comicsnexus.com's review!

Thanks again everyone! Here's hoping you all dig #64 (which could quite possibly be my last Tales of the TMNT)!

Hey, Long Time No See

Hey-Hey!

Been a little while (well... since posting anything meaningful anyway)!

I was going to do a massive post-Comic Con blog post, but I was tweeting pretty regularly (well, each night anyway) and to be honest, I've talked about it and told the same story to so many people that I'm kinda over telling it. I will say this though -- in spite of the craziness that was SDCC 09, I had a fantastic time. I met a shitload of cool people and while the idea of having fans of my work still kinda trips me out, I really do appreciate everyone who came up and spoke to me and who said they dug what I was doing. Hopefully you'll keep following what I do outside of the Turtles, as Andres and I have something really cool on the go that I think you'll all REALLY dig.

Some big things happening. I'm pretty much flat broke and unemployed right now, and if it weren't for my mum I wouldn't be eating right now. My parents separated a while ago, but from what I gather it's really only become something "official" of late. I don't care what anyone says, or what age you are when it happens, it hits hard no matter who you are. In fact, I think the longer your parents were together, the harder it is when they split. Anyway, that's caused a huge number of problems in my family but we're getting by well. I'd also like to thank the people who've been supporting me through it. I'll admit I've been kind of avoiding social situations because a) I don't want to be drag when I know stuff like this makes me all introverted and b) I don't like venting my problems or troubling people with them when everyone else has their own shit to deal with.

Also, in spite of everything going on at the moment, I've already found a place to move into in North Carlton with a couple of new friends that I'm really excited about. I've pulled out of my studies (I was studying secondary teaching) after thinking about the direction of my life and who I've been doing things for and all that rot. A few discussions with friends at SDCC and people I look up to on a professional level really hit home and I've decided to focus solely on my writing, because really, I want nothing more than to keep telling stories. I have never been more in my element than when I'm writing a comic script, and I've decided to pull back on everything and just focus on making a real go of that. Of course, I've also gotta find work to support this decision, so that's what's on the agenda for the immediate future.

Right now on the comics front, I'm working on my own things, and just making new friends and contacts to try and tell more stories and get them out there to the people I think/hope will dig them. As far as the Turtles go, there are some really cool things in the future, but right now, I'm not a part of that. I still have a shitload of stories I want to tell, and I've heard there are some avenues being explored for next year and beyond, but nothing has been set in stone. All I can say is that all you guys and gals out there NEED to let Mirage know what you want (whether it involves me or not) because in spite of what some people may say or try and have you believe, Mirage do hear you.

In other news, I'm in this great mode at the moment. I've rediscovered INXS, just read a shitload of fantastic comics and Third Eye Blind have recorded songs for Rock Band. Today has been a good day. Gonna post a monsterism soon too, but in the mean time, here's something cool. Yes the influences are obvious, but I could not give a shit. I'm even calling him "The Chuck". That's right. "The". "Chuck".