The New IDW/Nickelodeon TMNT Comic (Spoilers Inside!)

I read IDW from issue 1 a decade ago, so I obviously have a different perspective. I would say that April wears yellow in most, though not all, versions of TMNT. There was the 80s cartoon, of course. And the Archie comics (early issues at least).

She sometimes wore yellow in the 2003 series, particularly the final season and movie where she had the yellow jumpsuit. The 2007 movie, and the Michael Bay movies if I remember right. The 2012 cartoon of course, and even Rise of the TMNT. IDW has had her in yellow on occasion, but admittedly it was never consistent. After all those different versions, I think it wouldn't be inaccurate to say that April is associated with the color yellow, as far as the franchise as a whole is concerned. So, seeing Jennika with a yellow bandana kind of irks me. Personally, I would have given her a white bandana, which would have been a contrast to Slash's black bandana. Pink also would have been an option, but I'm guessing they didn't want to give her the stereotypically girly color.

From what I remember of the live action show, it did suck. However, I would say that Venus was one of the least bad things about it. Making her a permanent part of the team was a mistake, but the character had potential. I found this after a quick search: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7JTJL0Ykt8

As for Alopex? That one is more debatable, but it seems like Alopex has gotten less of a role since Jennika joined the team. Admittedly, I stopped reading the mutant town stuff at some point, so maybe that changed.

Venus wasn't particularly well-written in The Next Mutation, but she was far from the worst thing about that show. Phelous's videos on the show, particularly the "East Meets West" five-parter, do a good job of pointing this out.

May I ask how? I wouldn't necessarily want her to be in every incarnation of the Turtles but I don't think her being on the team in the show she debuted was the issue.

Edited by windleopard on Jul 19th 2022 at 8:07:36 PM

TMNT is traditionally a four "man" team. I know there are people (including Peter Laird) who felt that the team being four brothers, the only ones of their kind, was an important aspect of what they were. Besides that, they didn't know how people would feel about Venus. It might have been a good idea to gauge fan reaction before adding her to the team. Same with Jennika.

I know Jennika was introduced well before joining the TMNT, but as I said earlier, turtle Jennika is pretty different from human Jennika.

"So, They've started the Armageddon Game story, which is apparently going to be separate from the main IDW series, but still connected. Tom Waltz is writing Armageddon Game, while Sophie Campbell will continue to write the main series. Here is a preview: "

I think it still will be in main series. This is "Armageddon Games - Opening Moves" sort of a side-series. It looks like its main gimmick will be Shredder and Kitsune checking Rat King's allies (Krang, Baxter Stockman, and Null) and going through their memories in hopes of finding something useful.

I'm with you — adding Venus to the team wasn't a mistake, it was how they did it. Awkwardly retconning her into the backstory ("Well, if it isn't the fifth turtle that was totally mutated along with the other four and I just missed somehow, and also I've known about all along and never mentioned before!"), removing the familial aspect so they could put in Love Triangle crap (which I've heard is why Laird hated her so much), making the boys into horny morons to play up the Women Are Wiser trope — it was just poorly executed.

There's also complaints of her having no signature weapon, save those ball things she hardly used anyway, her signature color being just a lighter hue of another turtle's, the fact she's named after an object and not an artist and also her apparently replacing April O'Neal.

Moviebob summed it up pretty well in a video from a few years back:

Hopefully the way she's integrated into the comic now makes it work.

One thing I've noticed — the show had Venus and Donny butt heads because of the whole Magic vs Science thing, but in the short time since her introduction in IDW, she's actually helped Don reach his more mystic side. There's a little shipping going on there, although she still hasn't officially joined the team yet.

We're getting another Power Rangers/Ninja Turtles team up.

Go Go Cowabunga dudes.

Sidenote, now that comioxology isn't a thing anymore, whats a handy way to read and buy digital comics nowadays?

Comixology is still around, it's just that the user interface is much worse than before the revamp. I think that bigger publishers like Marvel and DC (and maybe IDW) may have digital comics apps or subscription services, but those might be built off Comixology.

Edited by Aleistar on Nov 24th 2022 at 10:25:38 AM

So, the Armageddon Game story is either over or nearly over. I haven't been reading lately, but I've heard about it. Do people think its good or bad? Does it feel like it resolves things well? How would people feel about the series continuing further?

For those who are reading the comics, what is Venus like in them?

x6 In more recent crossover news we are getting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles X Stranger Things

Bit of an unusual one, no?

Edited by jormis29 on Nov 20th 2023 at 1:33:49 AM

Dang, two good questions, and nobody answered either of them. Last I checked, TMNT is a pretty popular comic, so it's kinda sad hardly anyone talks about it here.

...and I'd love to answer, but I kinda dropped out in the beginning of the Armageddon Game arc. I've been meaning to get back into it, but ya know, real life and all.

Do people think its good or bad? Does it feel like it resolves things well? How would people feel about the series continuing further? ehhh it feels like theres a lot of twiddling their thumbs that don't amound to much, it didn't need two tie ins for 3 books alltogether. and for something built up so long it doesnt seem that epic yes krang and the utrums and the turtles alien allies are involved, but did we really need a krang fake out death, only for ch'rell to die and krang to come back to do nothing except die for real to the alien king who a few issues before said he couldnt get involved? we had to stop nulls brother for some reason to get allies who dont accomplish much? null's henchwomen just kinda turn on her and escape so the fighting stops? baxter gets away with everything? Alopex turns away from the turtles because they allied with shredder and hob (who everyone is fine with now), but alopex will just go join karai? and now we got 1 issue to deal with the rat king who has done literally nothing besides tell his pawns to work together.

I'm not the fan of it tbh, and they have teased some future stuff like armaggon being a big threat in the bad future which seems kinda set in stone considering it was a time loop but the characters think they can change it, but on the other hand you have mikey saying how he doesnt think they will have an adventure that will ever top armageddon game.

I would be down for more but please no make epic stories for a bit I honestly prefered the intro to mutant town arcs.

also venus is fine, she hasnt done much yet shes actually a punk frog who used to be human, but a mad scientist experimented on her and gave her a turtle shell, and other grafts, and she has a weird connection with donnie, but she mostly seems to want to be left alone and figure herself out

So with 144 and everything are we going to have some kind of Time Skip thing? Seems like multiple characters just got Put on a Bus.

I think we're heading for a soft reboot. Since the majority of the rogues gallery are now eiyher dead, imprisoned or reformed..

Maybe we'll get more new rogues that don't get as much attention.

With Donny trying to do his thing, we might see something more spiritual taking the reins for a while.

I should probably stop keeping up with series based on trope pages(especially when its not updated for this comic so I keep forgetting that story has went onward) and probably buy more comic collection issues, but ever since comixology combined with amazon I haven't really had enthuasism to buy digital comics :'D

Something I found interesting about the future we see in latest issue is that it is worse version of future teenege Lita created. Desert, big bug. And its seems to just the later date from what we saw in issue 117. It does fit with the tone and themes of series I guess, and hey they still got better than original timeline.

As a note, since we now have two Bad Futures where Leo and Koya are an item, I really hope we get to the point where it happens for their present counterparts. It will be a show to witness.

Edited by EmperorGeode on Dec 30th 2023 at 4:34:50 AM

Issue 150 will mark the end of the IDW Ongoing but the universe will go on via a series of spin-off titles for now

Oh geez, the end of an era...

(I mean, yeah, spin-offs, but still, it begs the question: if/when a new TMNT ongoing happens, will it pick up where the first left off? Or start from scratch?)

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on Jan 12th 2024 at 11:27:15 AM

Dang been a fun ride. But I get it with the majority of the rogues gallery beaten. We're basically at the end.

Well my quip didn’t age well.

In all honesty, im sad to see series end. It feels like end of an era even thought I actually only got into it post Armageddon Game, still happy to know we will get more.

It depends if IDW still has licence then. Thought they did reboot their Transformers continuity before losing licence, so never say never.