It Ain't Easy Being Green

I've gotten a lot of TMNT stuff lately, both the monthly boon and the anthology, Tales of the TMNT, have released new issues in recent weeks, and Volume 2 of the original cartoon series was just released on DVD (not to mention the new one gaining lots of airplay on Cartoon Network which helps me catch it more frequently). In my younger days I was a big TMNT fan, I loved the first film and most of the second, I followed the original cartoon religiously and had more toys than I care to remember. In fact, I recall a few Sundays sitting on a church bench ignoring what was being preached and drawing turtles on my church bulletin.

What does this have to do with anything? Nothing really.

Tales of the TMNT #9

This was a surprisingly great story about Michealangelo and his cat by Jim Lawson. Titled "The Path", it's a simple, human story about sacrifice and love. It's touching and sincere, something I've learned to expect from these latest incarnations of the Turtles. There's a good back-up that features Casey telling a story of his gang days to little kids, it's a little heavy handed, especially since the first story is so emotional, but it's still a good read. This has become as great a read as the regular series, and I hope it lasts as long as it possibly can.

TMNT #21

Seeing as how this book only gets released every two months, the series is almost four years old, and still going strong. The only monthly book more involving than this is Y, the Last Man, and you all know how I feel about it. Seeing the Turtles deal with these changes and hardships as they become more adult and drift farther away from eachother and their origins has been a most welcome change from the "kids" property I grew up with. One of these days i'll have to sit down and read all the issues at once as well as track down some of the older stuff.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 2

Knowing that co-crator Peter Laird dislikes this show makes it more of a guilty pleasure. I love it. it's dumb, kiddy, goofy as hell and keeps me smiling. It reminds me of my childhood and the more simple enjoyments in my life. It was $10 well spent for 13 episodes of a good time.