Ask PL #15

     If memory serves, it's been roughly a year since I did one of these. There has been a lot of TMNT stuff going on which I have had nothing to do with... so I very likely would not have much to say about that material. But I might have some answers/comments/opinions about what came before, if anyone cares to ask. 

     As always, I can't guarantee that my answers will be completely -- or even partially! -- satisfactory, but I will give it my best shot. -- PL

Protective cases for early TMNT comic books

I am currently trying to find appropriately-sized protective cases for early, oversized Mirage Studios-published TMNT comic books, which measure 7 and three-quarters inches wide and 11 inches tall. I'm envisioning those hard plastic "slab" covers used by comics grading services. 

Can anyone point me in the right direction to find some of these? Thanks! -- PL

TMNT #31 with Peter Laird head sketch!

I stopped down at Mirage Studios a couple of days ago to deliver a box full of one hundred copies of TMNT Volume 4 #31, copies which I'd autographed and also within which I had drawn a large Turtle head sketch on the inside back cover.

I decided to lay them all out, with the sketch pages exposed, on the Mirage conference room table, and take a photo. Why? Who the heck knows.

      This photo only shows part of the group -- I couldn't get a good angle to show them all, and the photos I took to create a panoramic image (using the PanoramaMaker5 software) which would show them all didn't work with that program, for some reason unknown to me.

While taking the photographs, I decided to count the copies to make sure there were actually one hundred… and was startled to find that there were only eighty-eight.

D'oh! I thought I was done with this! I guess I have to get out another twelve copies and grab my Sharpie markers again. -- PL

     [Note -- these signed and sketched-in copies are for a special Mirage Licensing promotion seen here:

     http://www.miragelicensing.com/paypal/mirage04.html

     Go towards the bottom of the page to find the details.]

Free Comic Book Day: May 2, 2015 signing at Shellback Artworks

I haven't actually counted, but I think I have done more signings at Steve Lavigne's "Shellback Artworks" comic and art supplies emporium than any other comic book store. This Saturday, May 2, along with Steve, I will be doing another one at Shellback, located at 1509 Post Road in Wells, Maine, for the annual "Free Comic Book Day" event. I believe there will be physical printed copies of issue #31 of TMNT Volume 4 for sale at Shellback (I've been told they exist, even though I have yet to actually see one!).

Should be fun! -- PL

[The photo above -- one of my favorites -- is from June of 2012, just before Steve opened Shellback Artworks... which means the store has been open almost three years. Way to go, Steve! Congratulations!]

Ask PL #14

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

Hmmm...

I received the following link to an interesting opinion piece today:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davegonzales/2015/04/13/paramount-and-marvel-should-let-daredevil-and-tmnt-team-up/

I think it could be cool! -- PL

"My Affection for Four Pizza-loving Turtles. Or: How My English Teacher Gave Me a Verbal Kick in the Teeth." by Niklas Nowak

Niklas Nowak, a TMNT fan from Germany, recently contacted me to let me know that he had translated his lengthy and interesting essay about TMNT, originally written in his native German, and posted it on his blog at this URL:

http://life-and-its-glut.tumblr.com/post/110245662475/my-affection-for-four-pizza-loving-turtles-or

Check it out! -- PL