Wednesday, July 23, 2014

promo art by Laird and Eastman for "Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"






Seeing as this has been shown at the San Diego ComicCon, I guess it would be okay for me to post it on my blog. I'm referring to the special piece of art that Kevin Eastman and I did for the release of the "Turtle Power: The Definitive History of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" video documentary, artwork which I saw online tonight at the following link: 


There are no art credits for this drawing in this news article, so here's a little clarification as to how it came to be. If I am remembering the details correctly, some weeks ago the documentary dudes thought it would be cool to have a new piece of art for promotional purposes related to the release of the documentary. Kevin was flat-out busy with other stuff, so I thought it might be fun to take pencil in hand and do an updated version of the iconic first group shot of the Turtles, which Kevin had penciled and I had inked way back in 1983. 


That piece was drawn in pencil and marker on a sheet of cheap, thin white paper, and marked the first time in history that the title "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" had been written down in that particular order, as well as the first time all four of the titular characters were depicted together in one drawing. Here's that original drawing:


I penciled a new version of the old drawing, keeping the poses of the original but drawing the Turtles as I would draw them now. It was a little awkward getting the taller and more muscular modern Turtles to fit into those old poses, but I think it worked out okay.

Here's the scan of the blue pencil drawing I worked up and emailed to Kevin so he could print it out and ink it…



… and here's a black and white version in case the blue pencil lines are too hard to make out.




The cool end result is as you see it at the top of the page. -- PL

14 comments:

  1. Great art as usual. I love how you can see the original '83 reference points almost like a shadow in the new black and white image.

    Who came up with that original logo?

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    1. Chris, I am pretty sure that was something Kevin penciled in and I inked. (The J, A and E shapes especially remind me of Kevin's lettering style form that era.) -- PL

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  2. looks great!I was so happy to see you and kevin doing it again!...
    I feel like I HAVE to comment on one of your remarks in this documentary, peter.
    when you said you were thinking about all the comments from people who didn't like or couldn't understand the vol 4 comics and you mused about that sometimes it just takes the magic that is between two people...(this is not at all a quote apperantly, just the way I remember it now)...please please please, don't EVER take criticism TOO much to the heart!if you could only grasp in one moment how much this vol 4 series means to a WHOLE LOT of people!...I understand though that you too cherrish the things you and kevin brought to the table TOGETHER.and it surely would be sweet as candy to see you getting together for some projects in the future!..still, the vol 4 comics are very special and I am so greatful for them being here.and being the way they are.
    one question-
    this piece of art, do you happen to know if people who have pre-ordered the dvd will get this perhaps?I could see this as a postcard delivered inside the dvd package...
    greetings
    mars

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    1. Mars, thank you very much for the kind words about TMNT Volume 4. I greatly appreciate the sentiments.

      As for the artwork shown above, I am not certain what is being done with it, though the idea of an included postcard sounds like a good one. -- PL

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  3. ESTE ES BLOG DE PETER DIOS MIO
    TE AGRADESCO AMIGO SIGA LUCHANDO ESTE BLOG
    ES MEJOR QUE NINGUNO
    ABRAZOS AMIGO QUE EMOCION
    CHAO

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  4. roughly translated, the above post says "this is peter's blog? omg. thank you so much my friend, be sure to keep up with said blog! it's better than any other. hugs to you, my friend. what a thrill. goodbye"

    and this is not part of the translation, but i just wanted to say adapting that picture was a wonderful idea for a collaboration. i remember reading once that in those first issues, you and kevin used to trade the pictures back and forth all the time because you both wanted to draw and ink all your favorite parts. so it's cool that for this tribute, you traded roles as penciller and inker. now you've both drawn and inked this picture. cheers

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    1. Diego, thanks for the translation! I tried to do it with googletranslate, but got a fairly incomprehensible result.

      Glad you liked this idea for a collaboration between me and Kevin. -- PL

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    2. HOLA AMIGO GRACIAS POR TRADUCIRLO
      PERDONAR ESTAR AQUI OTRA VEZ
      AHORA ME DADO CUENTA
      QUIERO REGALARLE A KEVIN Y PETER UN DIBUJO ORIGINAL
      REALIDAD ENVIAR CARTA ES UN ROLLO
      SE QUEDA HAY.........POBRE DE MI ESPERANDO Y ESPERANDO
      SE LO ENVIE A KEVIN UNA FOTO DE MUESTRA
      PERO NO ESTOY SEGURA ES EL VERDADERO KEVIN
      RARO QUE YO HABLE A SIN.....CON LA TRADUCION CUESTA MAS
      ADEMAS LA FORMA DE HABLAR MIRA QUE RETRASO TENGO
      CON ESA J... DESCAPACIDAD
      PERDONAR POR INSULTO LO HE DICHO ESPRESION.....NADA DE MALO DIGO AQUI
      HOS DOY LAS GRACIAS DE VERDAD DE VERDAD
      SI QUIERES VER MI WEB HAY ESTA MI NOMBRE JESU A VER SI PODEIS VERLO
      TARDARE EN PUBLICAR SOY UNA TORTUGA PARA PASARLO
      FOTOS
      EN CASO DE DUDAS HABLARME Y NO ABRA PLOBLEMAS

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  5. Looks awesome I wish I could come up and take lessons from Steve in coloring, my comic book class was canceled and I wont get to see my teacher again until Palmcon! My parents still haven't agreed to send me up yet and with school coming it wont happen until next year but fingers crossed.
    I can't wait to see the documentary, and I'm hoping these collaborations become more frequent you guys put our such great pieces.
    Turtle Power from the sunshine state!
    Mel

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    1. Nice to hear from you, Melanie! Bummer about your comic book class being cancelled, and that Florida is so far from Maine (otherwise, I'm sure Steve would love to have you as a student).

      Although I have already seen a couple of different edits of the TMNT documentary, I am really looking forward to seeing the version which will be getting wide release. I suspect it will be great fun.

      I agree about the collaborations -- these last few have been very enjoyable, and I would be into doing more of them. -- PL

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  6. Hello there - If someone were looking to get in touch with you for the purposes of a brief interview regarding the Turtles, what would be the best way for said person (in this case, me) to accomplish it? Much obliged, James

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    1. James,

      Probably the best way is to go to the Mirage Licensing contact webpage:

      http://www.miragelicensing.com/html/contact.html

      ... and email Dan Berger, who will pass it along to me. -- PL

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  7. HOLA SOY FAN TMNT
    COMO HAY MILES FANS QUERIA SU CONCTATO CON LOS DOS
    LA VERDAD NO DEJO DE UN LADO A PETER
    LE DOY MUCHAS GRACIAS DE VERDAD
    SE QUE ESTE POSTS ES PARA PETER CON RESPETO
    QUIERO REGALARLE ALGO PARA LOS DOS NO LO QUIERO ENVIARLO SE ESTRAVIAN
    NO TENGO SUERTE ENESO Y YA ERA MI ELUSION CONOCERLOS
    DIBUJO A TMNT DESDE 1991 HAY ESTA MI WEB EN MI PERFIL
    CASO DE DUDAS NO ENTEDERME NO ABRA PLOBLEMAS
    REALIDAD TENGO PEQUEÑA DESCAPACIDAD
    PERDIDA DE OIDO Y UN POCO DE VISTA
    GRACIAS ELLOS NUNCA HUBIERA LLEGADO ASTA AHORA
    SE MUCHO LAS PALABRAS DE LA TRES PELICULAS COMO MICHELLEN.....,VIVO UNA VIDA NORMAL Y ME DA VERGUENZA LAS COSAS

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