TMNT #9 Review!

Hello again, fellow turtle fans!

Well, as usual, the reboot of my beloved comic book continues to impress by leaps and bounds while advancing the story and enriching the plot without any danger of it growing stagnant.

The story opens with April putting together all the pieces of the turtles' history (including her having named them before their mutation) after having recovered from her fainting spell. While she's still a little shaky from coming face to face with four giant, walking, talking turtles, she nevertheless agrees to help them in getting Splinter back (especially when she realizes that Splinter is the same rat who saved her from being attacked in the lab).

Without giving away anymore from this issue for those of you who have yet to read it, I can at the very least share with you a few things.

First of all, there is a very definite sense of camaraderie even between April and the guys--despite the fact that they pretty much just met.She genuinely wants to help them, and flat-out refuses to leave them when Leo all but orders her to. Also, it's safe to say that Casey is officially part of the family. Raph even goes as far as to tell Leo "Jones is one of us" when Leo tries to keep Casey from joining in the fight.

Second of all, we begin to see Raph gradually shifting back into the badass berserker we all know and love. It's subtle, so don't go expecting some dramatic scene in which Raph lets loose with some primal, animalistic cry before running amok. Like I said, it's a subtle shift, but it's there if you know what to look for.

Third of all, just when you think that the driving problem from the previous issue is resolved, the writers at IDW throw us a curveball and take the story in a completely different direction that only serves to continue driving the plot forward while leaving you the reader screaming for more. Familiar characters from the fandom make their appearances, and the last page of the issue leaves you the reader with a genuine sense of foreboding--as though you know that everything the turtles have faced up until that moment has been a cakewalk.

Believe me...things are about to get a lot more intense.

As usual, the artwork continues to please, and as I mentioned more than once already, the story continues to stay strong and compelling. So, I once again find myself tipping my hat to the creative team at IDW for a job very well done. So with that in mind, Keep up the good work, IDW!

Pick up your copy if you haven't done so already, and if you still haven't started reading the series...what are you waiting for?

Go get started!

Nerd up!

Pride and Prejudice...and Zombies!!

Hello everyone!

I know it's been a while since my last post, but what can I say? Pregnancy Brain is a very real hazard, lol. Before I got pregnant, I always thought Pregnancy Brain was just an excuse that pregnant women used...but really it's not. Having now experienced it for myself, I can honestly say that it's NOT just a random excuse. If it doesn't present itself in absent-mindedness, then it presents itself in things that aren't baby-related simply not staying in your head for longer than a span two minutes...ESPECIALLY when you start closing in on D-Day.

So there you have it! I'm NOT dead...I'm just in the beginning of my 8th month.

Now that all that boring stuff is out of the way, onto the subject of the hour!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies!

Now, I know this book is hardly new, but I found it on my bookshelf the other day when I was deciding on what book to take to my latest doctor appointment, and it occurred to me that I now have the perfect platform in which to share my thoughts and feelings on the book.

Being an avid fan of the original Jane Austen novel (Pride and Prejudice....without zombies), I will admit that I was skeptical when I first picked the book up at Borders...back when they were still in business. I mean, I had heard positive reviews of this parody of the original novel, but then again...I had also heard positive reviews of Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, and I found myself unable to finish the darn thing. Then there was the fact that I was worried about how this beloved story and its characters would be portrayed.

Then there's the small fact that zombies both completely revolt and terrify me *shudders*.

However, I found myself completely enthralled by the book and unable to put it down from the very first moment my eyes landed upon the first page and read the first sentence. Not only did Seth Grahame-Smith's additions add to the subtle humor of the original novel (the original novel makes me chuckle and giggle, but this parody actually had me laughing out loud during certain scenes), but the additions were also very, very well written.

What do I mean by that?

I mean that as someone who's read the original novel more than once, I found that the literary additions were done in such a way that they blended into the original prose with such a smoothness, that it was as though they had always been part of the original novel. Don't get me wrong, I was in fact able to tell which lines were from the original work and which were added into the story, but in no way shape or form did I find myself being taken out of the story as a result.

Simply put, the flow was not interrupted in any way by Seth Grahame-Smith's additions, and to me, that is the sign of a good book worthy of being read again and again.

I found that the characters were more fleshed out (and no, I wasn't trying to make a pun...but I'm going to run with it), and thereby had more depth than their original counterparts. The main protagonist of Elizabeth (or 'Lizzie' if you prefer) Bennet was portrayed as a closeted badass in the original novel. What I mean by that is the fact that while she abided by the social protocols of the time (manners, etc), she was not once beaten down by them; rather, she maintained her backbone and wry humor in a man's world and strove to be viewed as more of an equal instead of simpering and submissive arm-candy. In this rendition of the novel, her personality is brought further into light, and is even given a 'Buffy' spin as depicted in her ability to use both weapons (both blades as well as firearms) as well as martial arts at a moment's notice and all while wearing layers of petticoats--hardly surprising considering the fact that zombies walk freely amongst them and must be dealt with.

However, Lizzie is not the only character who is given more life. The dreamy, albeit standoffish Mr. Darcy is more humanized, and by that I mean that he shows more emotion than he did in the original novel...as exemplified when he finds himself being made the butt of Lizzie's jokes. Darcy never blushed in the original novel, but the fact that he does in this rendition, only serves to remind us that for all his pride and massive wealth that he is at his core, a normal human being...much to his chagrin.

Certain characters maintain for the most part their original personalities and the like from the original novel (i.e., Mary is still a somewhat sullen bookworm, Mrs. Bennet is still highly annoying, and Lydia is still a massive flirt/tease), but small changes are nevertheless made such as the added ability to wield weaponry (again...the zombies must be dealt with). However, as with Lizzie and Mr. Darcy, certain characters undergo changes that serve to further add to their characters. Lady Catherine de Bourgh for example, who is depicted as being the epitome of controlling and over-bearing in the original novel, is now made more so because of her status as a martial arts master (a fact that she never ceases to flaunt and brag about to any and all who will listen). Mr. Wickham's dishonest and foppish nature is magnified, and for all of you who share my feelings that he got off too lightly for his behavior and actions in the original novel, I'm very happy to report that he more than gets his comeuppance in this rendition.

All in all, I give this novel a 10 out of 10, and will no doubt be adding the other books from the series to my collection as soon as I am able.

Nerd up!

Batwoman: Elegy

So this past Wednesday while we were at the comic book shop, I picked up Batwoman: Elegy at the recommendation of someone who had read my Batwoman article from the other day. Now, I know this graphic novel is hardly something new to hit the shelves, but in my defense, I've only just gotten my hands on it because I'm a brand new fan, and I would like to share my thoughts and feelings on the subject.

First of all, I would like to give a very hearty thanks to that particular reader for bringing this graphic novel to my attention. So, with that being said...many, many, MANY thanks to you, my friend!
Now, then...onto the main article!

Being someone who is a new Batwoman fan, I have to say that I loved, loved, loved this graphic novel and thought that it was invaluable to providing me with parts of Kate's back story that were only alluded to in the New 52 reboot and what I was able to glean from other readers. It allowed me to go from filling in all the blanks on my own (or from going onto Wikipedia which let's face it, isn't always accurate) to having a more reliable source of information.

I was able to see that Kate and her father were actually rather close at one point, and I was able to see the events that led up to Kate's discharge from West Point. Basically, I was able to see sides and facets of Kate that weren't really touched upon in the reboot, and I found it all to be very invaluable not only because.of the previously mention blanks being filled in, but also because it gave me a deeper love of a character that had been climbing to the top of my list of favorite comic book heroes from the first moment I cracked open the first issue I got my hands on.

As with all the issues of the New 52 that I read before reading this graphic novel, the artwork was very well done, and the stories were emotionally compelling and drew me in instantly. I was really able to feel Kate's pain and angst as well as her feelings of conflict over her decision to leave West Point, despite her desire to follow in her family's military history, because she could not deny who she was anymore. Then, there's also the little matter of seeing just how she went about becoming Batwoman in the first place.

Again, I can't thank enough the reader who directed me towards this graphic novel. I have nothing but good things to say about this book and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who's curious about the other red-head behind the cowl.

Nerd up!

Teenage MUTANT Ninja Turtles Are AWESOME!

Hello again, fellow turtle fans!
This article has been a long time in coming, and it honestly never occurred to me to write it until a fellow blogger suggested it to me (blame it on my pregnancy brain, lol). But here it is now...an article composed of nothing more than my rabid fangirl ramblings regarding the four awesome heroes in a half shell!

Teenage MUTANT Ninja Turtles are AWESOME!

I can't quite put my finger on just what it was that made me fall so in love with the fab four, but the moment I saw my first episode of the cartoon when I was a little girl, I was completely and utterly hooked. Donatello immediately became my favorite (and he still holds that position). You'd think it would've been Leo since he wore blue and blue was my favorite color when I was a kid...but no. It was Donnie because he was the smart one (I've noticed that I have a definite pattern...Brainy Smurf was my favorite Smurf, Egon was (and still is) my favorite Ghostbuster). Again...I don't know what exactly it was that got me hooked...

Maybe it was the fact that their sole diet consisted of pizza (and what kid doesn't wish he or she could eat pizza all the time?).

Maybe it was the fact that they used martial arts (something I always wanted to do growing up, but wasn't able to because of prior sports commitments).

But maybe it was simply the magic behind it all...the fact that a strange, glowing ooze could turn ordinary turtles into wise-cracking, butt-kicking, pizza-loving heroes the likes of which had not been seen before. Unfortunately, I never had any of the action figures because my mother didn't think they were appropriate for a girl...nevermind the fact that I was a tomboy.

However, my lack of merchandise did nothing to deter me from my fangirl status (though at the time, I had no idea what a fangirl was, lol). I even had a giant teddy bear (seriously, the damn thing was literally as big as I was) that I instantly dubbed Donatello when I got him as gift. What can I say? Necessity is the mother of invention! This love of mine only continued to grow and flourish when the first film came out in theaters, and though I still was without action figures and their accessories, I somehow got my father to buy the film-based comic books for me (maybe he pitied me because of the lack of action figures). I also got both my parents to concede and buy not 1 but 2 film posters which I instantly put up in my room.
Can you guess who the two posters were of?

Well, Donatello is a no-brainer, but can you guess the other one?

Raphael!!

That's right...the hot-headed bad boy of the group always finished a close second to the geeky pacifist.

What does that say about me? I'm not exactly sure...and more to the point, I don't care. ;)

Somehow, I even managed to convince them to allow me to subscribe to the magazine...don't ask me how I managed it, because frankly it's a mystery to me as well, lol.

Unfortunately, as I started getting a little older, my television viewing became extremely limited by parental decree, so that meant no more cartoon turtles for me for longer than I care to think of. However, I still had my VHS tapes that I always insisted on watching whenever we had pizza for dinner! *insert diabolical cackle here*

My inability to catch the cartoon incarnations of my favorite heroes continued to plague me even through college. Yes, I lived in the dorms, and yes there were televisions, but there was NO cable and the basic channels that we did get were of a rather poor quality because we were up in the mountains. I stumbled across a few episodes of the Live-action television show when I would come home on the weekends, but I quickly realized that they were something that I could do without (mistakes were made in the franchsie...let's just leave it at that, lol). However, I still considered myself a fan and I continued watching the videos.

Of course, once I was finally "all grown up" (having graduated, moved out and gotten married), my fabulous and equally geeky husband encouraged me to delve into my geeky nature, and he encouraged it to grow in any way that he could. This of course turned my love of the turtles into something that can only now be described as an obsession, and it became my mission to track down as many comic books as I was able to and add them to my collection. This of course also led to participating in TMNT-related RPG forums and discussion boards as well writing fanfiction.

I was ecstatic when the CGI film was announced and released in theaters, and when Turtles Forever aired on television, I DVRed it because I knew I wouldn't be home to watch it when it aired. But the moment I was able to watch it, I plunked myself down right on the floor in front of the T.V. (just like I did when I was a kid) and I watched it completely entranced.
As I watched that film, I felt as though I were coming home after being away for many years. I loved how they tied in various aspects from all the lore, and I found myself laughing hysterically at how the various incarnations of the turtles made fun of each other (whether it was the fact that the 1980s April O'Neil constantly needed to be rescued, the fact that the 1980s Raph was constantly breaking the 4th wall, or the fact that the turtles from the original black & white comics thought their new incarnations weren't badass enough).

So there you have it, my friends.

Teenage MUTANT Ninja turtles are AWESOME!

No matter what happens, remember that!

Nerd up!

Teenage MUTANT Ninja Turtles : Micro-Series

Hello, fellow turtle fans!

You might have wondered why I never touched on the TMNT micro-series. Well, my comic book shop took a while to track down the issue that I was missing. So without further ado...

Issue #1: Raphael

First of all, allow me to say just how awesome and beautiful the artwork in this particular issue is. The smooth lines as well as the use of light and shadows truly make this issue a work of art. In certain panels, Raph (as well as the other characters) looks like he could almost walk right out of the pages. Simply put, it is very, VERY well done.

The story itself is also very well written and keeps you reading until the end.

In this issue, we see the budding camaraderie between Raph and Casey continuing to grow. The story starts off simple enough...

Raphael and Casey are out on a nightly patrol, just the two of them. But we start seeing a side of Casey that we normally don't get to see all that often (we saw a little bit of it in the CGI film, but it was cut short when Raph fell asleep), and that is a genuine vulnerability. This vulnerability stems from his desire to feel as though he belonged to part of a real family. If you've been reading the main issues, you'll understand the reason behind this. If you haven't read the main issues, it's because his mother is dead and he lives with his abusive father (again, if you haven't been reading the main comic book, Casey and April are in their late teens/early twenties, so this particular plot-point is more relevent than in the original comic books).

During the course of the comic, we are introduced to a new mutant--an arctic fox by the name of Alopex--but Raph determines early on that she is not what she seems. Also making an appearance (and you old-school fans will get a kick out of this...I know I did) are the human Bebop and Rocksteady, and they make reference to their upcoming mutations by the end of the issue.

A promise of things to come.

By the end of the issue we are presented with none other than Shredder's shadow, so we are left with a feeling of near impending doom and anticipation for what is to come in the story of the main comic book. All in all, I was very pleased with the overall presentation of the book.

Issue #2: Michelangelo

Okay, I'm not going to lie...

While I found the story itself to be enjoyable and entertaining, I just did not like the style in which this issue was drawn.

Now, I understand that with comic books in general, but mostly with a micro-series like this one (in which each issue focuses on a different team member) that artists are often switched around. It's simply the way things work, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it.

However, my dislike of the artistic style was not enough to deter me from reading the issue. As I said earlier, the story itself was enjoyable and entertaining so I was able to look beyond what irked me and simply shrug it off.

Unlike with the Raphael issue, the story behind this particular arc is more of a one-shot plot and does not contribute directly to the plot of the main comic book issues. Rather, this issue focuses on Mikey and his yearnings to have a night out like a regular guy. A costume party at a museum presents the opportunity for him, and he seizes it with the type of gusto and humor of which only Mikey is capable. However, it doesn't take long before Mikey's "costume" is mistaken for someone else, and he becomes swept up in a jewel heist.

Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time!

Fortunately, Mikey manages to fall back on his outside-the-box thinking and improvise his way into solving the problem without any casualties.

My dislike of the artistic style aside, this issue is still a good addition not only to my ever-growing collection of Teenage MUTANT Ninja Turtle comic books, but also to the comic book collection of any turtles fan.

What does all of this translate to in the grand scheme of things? What is the bedrock of my point?

Buy the issue and add it to your collection if you haven't already ;)

Issue #3: Donatello

I LOVED this issue from start to finish right across the board (and no, I'm not just saying that because Donnie is my favorite). If you might recall, I also loved Raphael's issue all across the board.

From the artwork to the actual story, this issue was a complete and total win for me.

Donnie (as well as his brothers when they graced the pages) was simply all kinds of adorable from his facial expressions, to his internal monologues, to his attempts to find ways of bonding with his brothers. Leo at the very least makes more of an effort unlike Mikey and Raph by trying to understand the concept of MMORPGs.

I could relate to this only too well, as I'm sure other MMO gamers can as well. MMOs are not easy to explain to "muggles", lol.

As with Mikey's issue, this 3rd installment in the micro-series revolves around Donnie wanting to have a moment of feeling normal. He does this by donning the disguise so often used by the turtles in their previous incarnations (a trench coat and fedora) and attending a science convention.

Like Mikey, Donnie finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Only in this instance, he comes up against none other than Baxter Stockman in his plot to steal DNA from whichever turtle he happens to find first.

A promise of things to come in the story of the main comic book?

Only time will tell!

Perhaps more will be revealed in the upcoming Leonardo issue.

Nerd up! ;)