Ask PL #14

     Got any questions? I might have some answers. Can't guarantee they'll be good ones, though. -- PL

Ask PL #13

If memory serves, it's been almost a year since I did on of these "Ask PL" posts... so I thought it might be time to do another one. If anyone has any questions, please ask! That is, unless they are questions about whether I have seen the new TMNT movie -- the answer is no, I haven't, and probably won't until it is released on DVD/BluRay. Also, I have not watched the new season of the TMNT TV show or read any of the IDW TMNT comics. -- PL

Ask PL #12

Unless I am overlooking something (always a possibility), it looks like it's been about a year since the last time I did one of these, so I thought it might be good to do another one. I'm well over the cold I was suffering from when I posted the last "Ask PL" in January, but, as in the introduction to that entry, I request that you don't ask me about the IDW TMNT comic book series (I'm not reading it) or the Nickolodeon TMNT show (I've only watched the first two episodes, and although I have just bought the entire season on DVD, I have yet to watch them) or the upcoming movie (I know nothing about it that hasn't been released to the public... which isn't much, I guess).

Got any questions? I might have answers. -- PL

Ask PL #11

I think the last one of these was back in August of 2012, so maybe it's time for another. I hope the fact that I am currently suffering from feeling like half my body is made up of phlegm doesn't affect the quality of my answers -- yes, I am currently on day eleven of a pretty bad cold.

For this entry, I request that you don't ask me about the IDW TMNT comic book series (I'm not reading it) or the Nickolodeon TMNT show (I've only watched the first two episodes and am going to wait until the entire season is released as a DVD set to watch the rest) or the upcoming movie (I know nothing about it that hasn't been released to the public... which isn't much, I guess). -- PL

Ask PL #10

Hmm... it looks like I haven't done one of these for about three months. Maybe it's time. -- PL

Ask PL #9

I was just about to do another post of emails from the development of "Fast Forward" when I realized that I'd posted the last one from 2005 yesterday. So rather than jump right into 2006 today, I thought it might be fun to do another "Ask PL". Got any questions? -- PL

Ask PL #8

I was trying to respond to a question on my last "Ask PL", but for some odd reason, the system refused to allow me to post it. I tried several times, with no success. Then I started wondering if there is a limit to the number of comments per post, and given that there are 205 of them as of right now (7PM on March 2, 2012), maybe we've exceeded that limit.

I don't know. But I am going to start a new "Ask PL" here, in case anyone has any other questions. -- PL

Ask PL #7

Haven't done one of these since last April, I think... so...

Any questions? I might have answers... then again, maybe not. -- PL

Ask PL #6

I am pretty sure that this is the fifth "Ask PL" thing I've done -- if I am counting correctly, the fourth one was back on October 20, 2009. That seems like almost a lifetime ago.

Okay, maybe not a lifetime -- that could be just a smidgin of an exaggeration -- but it does seem like a very long time ago for me.

I can't really answer any questions about what is to come for the Turtles via their new owners -- I only know what everybody else knows from reading the press releases and such that have appeared online. Actually, I may very well know LESS than everyone else, because I haven't been following all of the new developments very closely.

And to (possibly) forestall any questions about TMNT Volume 4 -- sorry, I don't know when (or if) I will get back to it, though I hope to bring it to a conclusion at some point in the future, either as comics or simply as written plots. I do want to thank the various fans who have expressed their fondness for Volume 4 and their hopes to see it finished in some way. It is genuinely satisfying to know that there are some of you who appreciated what I -- assisted by the great talents of Jim Lawson and Eric Talbot on the artwork (and Michael Dooney on the painted covers) -- was trying to do with that series.

So, given that I am really doing nothing new with Turtles at this point, I am uncertain what kinds of questions you might want to ask. I guess there are still those twenty-five years of TMNT history that I was part of -- that would seem to be fair game. Or maybe there are non-TMNT (but comics-related) questions you might want to ask -- for example, the one or two people who liked my short-lived "Stupid Heroes" series may have some kind of query.

Or maybe I should expand the intent of this post from simply "Ask PL" to something like "Ask and/or Tell PL", if you just want to say something that isn't necessarily a question. Yeah, that sounds good. -- PL

Ask PL #5

I haven't done one of these in a while, and it seems like an appropriate moment to do so. -- PL

Ask PL #4

It's been a while since I've done one of these... so long, in fact, that I can't remember if this should be #4 or some other number.

Anyway... got any questions? I can't guarantee I'll have answers, but I'll try. -- PL

Ask PL #3

~ tOkKa said...

-->> ..

Who are / is some of your favourite TMNT villains ?!

( Always wanted to ask that. )
..>v<

Let's see... well, the Shredder has to be #1. He has, of course, become THE iconic adversary for the Turtles, due in large part to his huge role in the old animated series. As far as other characters go, I would have to say that the Triceratons are some of my favorite "bad guys" (even though we have seen from some events in both Vol. 4 of the Mirage comics and the new animated show, not ALL of them are bad). One character who I was originally not too excited about, but have come to really like as an enemy of the Turtles, is Hun from the new show. (And he may even be crossing over into the comics in the somewhat near future.) I also have a soft spot for the Rat King, Savanti Romero, and the Shredder's Elite Guard. -- PL

"Ask PL" #2

"Ondi said...
Just wanted to say this is a really great idea and thanks for offering this to us.

I would like to know. If you had the opportunity to have the turtles do a crossover with any comic character/s who would you choose?"

Although it is unlikely to ever happen, I think it would be great fun to have one or more of the Turtles have a crossover adventure with Jack Kirby's Etrigan, the Demon (DC), or the Thing from the Fantastic Four (Marvel). Of course, it would also be cool to do a crossover with Daredevil, as Kevin Eastman has suggested in the past. Batman and Spider-Man offer intriguing possibilities, as well. And Wolverine...

There are quite a few intriguing possibilities for fun crossovers. Just as I was typing the above, I started thinking about characters from other comics who would get on well with individual Turtles, and I got this vision of Donatello and Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) collaborating on some techy project... and now I have this image in my head of Donatello in an Iron Man-style armored suit! (Yes, I know "tiny Don" in the current Volume 4 continuity is using a modified robot body to get around in, but that's very different.) Actually, if memory serves, I think Kevin and I may have drawn an "Iron Turtle" way back when. I'll have to see if I can dig that one up.
And, although we have individually done stories in which our respective characters interact, someday I'd like to work on a crossover Usagi Yojimbo/TMNT story with Stan Sakai in which we both do the artwork and story together. Not sure HOW that would work, but I think it could be a lot of fun! -- PL

"Ask PL" #1

Thanks to everyone who responded to my "call for questions" -- I'm hoping to respond to at least several of them in the coming weeks. I thought I'd start out with the following from "Duke":

"Duke said...
After reading your comments regarding your reasons behind redoing the early issues of Volume 1 in Volume 4 issue 29, I can definitely understand why you want to redo them. It's clearly your personal preference to give them an updated toning and look, while redoing some of the wording. But I was wondering if there is any chance you'd be willing to reprint copies of the original version in a separate collected trade at the same time as the new retoned trades? I know I'd end up buying both and I'm sure I'm not alone in that. However, I just think printing both styles would give your fans the ability to purchase the style they prefer. What is your opinion on that kind of compromise with the fan base?"

Although I am continuing (albeit at a frozen snail's pace) the "remastering" project, and hope to have enough done to facilitate reprint collections of most of the Laird/Eastman Volume One material, I have never ruled out reprints of the original material with the original tones. In fact, a few months ago I had exactly the idea you suggested -- releasing the two versions simultaneously. That is definitely a possibility.

"Also, can we please get a City at War trade printed? It is long overdue. "

As I have said in the past, there will be a "City at War" collection, as well as a "Return to New York" collection, at some point -- perhaps during our 25th anniversary year.

"Finally, echoing Rose, what are the plans for the turtles after your retirement?"

How can I realistically answer a question like that? Seriously, I have no idea. I don't even know if I will ever "retire" in the classic sense. There is definitely the possibility that someday I might sell the TMNT property to a third party, and then I guess I will "retire" from the responsibilities of owning and overseeing the TMNT business. If such a buyout were to occur, what happens with the TMNT after that would be up to whoever purchased the property. And there is no way I can predict what would happen. -- PL