Eastman & Laird Reunited!!!!

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Yes, the headline is true! You might have thought it would take hell freezing over for the two co-creators of the TMNT to get over their apparent irreconcilable differences and collaborate artistically once again. But no, it didn't take that, it took a much more unfortunate reason. You see, my pal and occasional TMNT writer Jake Black has the Big C. Yeah, that's right: Cancer. The good news for Jake is that the specific type of cancer he has is Hodgkins Lymphoma, which has an extremely high cure rate. The bad news is that being extremely treatable doesn't make the treatments any less sucky and it doesn't make medical bills any less expensive. He's already won a battle with his insurance company to get them to cover his treatments, but you know they're not covering anything. And on top of that he's still got a wonderful family to support, which isn't as easy to do when you're sick and can't work as much as you're used to.

That brings us back to the headline. Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird have collaborated to create a commemorative art print, the sales of which will go to Jake's medical bills! I'm pretty sure that Kevin and Peter haven't collaborated in this form since the mid-90s and, honestly, the chances of this happening ever again are rare at best. What does that mean? It means you need to get yourself one of these!!

How do you get one? For now, you have to be attending San Diego Comic-Con next week. They will be for sale at the Mirage tables in Artists' Alley for the (extremely reasonable) price of $25. The edition sold at Comic-Con is limited to 100 pieces, but if you miss out or can't make the Con, don't fret too hard, it sounds like a non-Comic-Con edition of the print will eventually become available. Jake reports that there are also plans to put the image on T-shirts and posters.

The current Mirage crew collaborated on a print, also for Jake's benefit, that was first sold at a Free Comic Book Day event back in May. This print will also be available at Comic-Con next week for $20.

Leo and Usagi

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A few weeks ago Stan Sakai posted this drawing of Leonardo and Usagi Yojimbo by Peter Laird to his blog. I was going to post it here then, but Stan scanned it in so darn big that I was fighting a losing battle with my computer trying to clean it up and resize it. Well, as of yesterday I have a shiny new computer, and it was able to handle the original file just fine. ^_^

Check out the date on this one - Very old school!

Turtle Man

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Did you know there is a DC character known as Turtle Man, apparently an enemy of The Flash? Well, I can't say I know much of anything about The Flash, so this is brand new news to me.

In a complete bit of randomness tonight, I was digging through my comic boxes looking for stuff I could remove to make space for my new acquisitions. I found a book titled "Who's Who DC: A Definitive Directory of the DC Universe," which is pretty much what it sounds like. I put it in my discard pile (I'm pretty sure I got it as a give-away in a Con bag back at one of the old Minnesota comic shows), but before moving it to my eBay corner, where I'd throw it into a box as my own freebie, I took a closer look at the cover. This volume of the DC index included a "Turtle Man." So I opened it up to take a look and, amazingly, was met with a familiar style of art. Yes, this Turtle Man is penciled by none other than Peter Laird. Go figure!

And since I collect non-TMNT work by TMNT creators and artists, this book is saved from its forever fate of unwanted give-away item. Back into the box (this time with a bag and board)!

TMNT Flashback: The Good Ol' Days

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On the heel of today's big announcement, how about a moment of reflection on the days that were. Above is a press photo from the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie with Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman on the set with Leonardo. Back when two men were able to work and collaborate together to create characters and stories that inspired and brought joy to millions of people around the world.

I can accept that business partnerships come and go, just as friendships do. But today's press release seems to be dripping with insincerity as far as Kevin and Peter's appreciation for each other goes. Kevin's sale of the TMNT to Peter shouldn't exclude him from being a creative mind that can occasionally be tapped for the purpose of good storytelling, but because the two of them are apparently unable to speak directly to each other, that's exactly what it does mean.

I can only hope that they'll be able to put aside they're differences just enough so that whatever participation Kevin has in next year's 25th anniversary events, there can be some sincerity showcased between these two creators. As it stands now, it seems they go as far as avoiding each other when they're at the same convention.

If the TMNT are ever going to get the respect they deserve from the world at large, there needs to be some reconciliation. There is no shame or lost pride in reconciliation; it's a standard show of being an adult.

TMNT Flashback: Eastman & Laird Pullout Poster

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This image comes from inside the pages of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comic series from Archie. This collaborative work by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird was a pullout poster inside issue #50.


Published in 1993, this is probably one of their final joint artistic efforts.

TMNT Flashback: Cerebus

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Years before TMNT hit comic stands, Dave Sim's Cerebus the Aardvark had started paving new ground for independent publishers. In an extremely rare crossover event, Cerebus found his way into the pages of Mirage Studios' TMNT #8, published in July 1986.

TMNT #8 introduces three key characters into the Turtles' universe: the Timemistress Renet, Lord Simultaneous, and Savanti Romero.

The poster above was sent to comic shops as advertising for this historic crossover.

Cerebus is © Dave Sim.