Our relationship with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hits the next level with our Alamo Drafthouse screening.
You don't get it. We're more than a little excited to screen the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles adaptation at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on May 28th at 4:00 PM. We're positively buzzing.
For Brad, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were a staple growing up. He got to the comics much later, but as a ten-year-old, the cartoons and the movies were legendary additions to his imagination. For Lisa, the Turtles were not a thing in her childhood household. Her youngest brother messed with them a little, but Lisa wasn't an action-oriented cartoon viewer. However, she was in awe when she finally encountered the movie during a retrospective screening in adulthood. And then she discovered Jim Henson's involvement, a legit kiddie idol within her imagination, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles quickly grew in personal importance.
Then, Comic Book Couples Counseling came into being. Initially, the show's core concept revolved around pairing romantic comic book couples with self-help experts in an effort to better understand their relationships as well as our own. Although, we knew from the beginning that we would expand beyond romantic entanglements. As an only child, Brad has always been fascinated by sibling dynamics, and they have always compelled Lisa's curiosity as the third sibling of four. Undoubtedly, siblings were going to get discussed on the show, and we knew that when we did cover them, we would do so through the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Kevin Eastman joins CBCC for TMNT Life Lessons
The Ninja Turtles first appeared on Comic Book Couples Counseling during one of our earliest Creator Corner conversations. We didn't get much time with him, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman unloaded some serious knowledge and philosophy on the pod. The chat was a real pinch-us moment, and it sparked an interest in CBCC from a wide variety of new listeners.
CBCC Starts their TMNT Journey with the 1990 Movie
When we finally brought the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into a counseling session, we did so through a deep-dive conversation into the 1990 movie adaptation. Helping us work through the film was TMNT expert Bryan Young (aka The Turtle Dork). The lively discussion helped re-contextualize our thoughts on the four brothers and how they fulfill and challenge particular family dynamics.
CBCC on TMNT: The Mirage Studios Era
Our counseling session with the Ninja Turtles kicked into high gear when we covered the first seven issues from the Mirage Studios era. Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman's first Turtle comics pack a tremendous wallop and establish a beautiful universe that's still paying off narrative delights today. When you watch the 1990 movie, most of its heart comes straight from these issues. While it's not a one-for-one adaptation, it's not a wild steer away from these books, either. The more we revisit them, the more we appreciate them.
CBCC on TMNT: The Archie Comics Era
If you've never read the Ninja Turtles comics from the nineties Archie era, you're missing out on some of the Turtles' strangest and most excellent adventures. When we covered these books on the podcast, we tackled them toward the end of their run. We cover TMNT as they exist hundreds of years in the future when they're the Cyber Samurai Ninja Turtles. Yup, yup, yup. Time travel, World War II, and villainous aliens abound. These are can't-miss comics.
CBCC on TMNT: The Last Ronin
Over at IDW Publishing, Ninja Turtle comics are as good as they've ever been. Maybe the most iconic book in their line is The Last Ronin, based on an original idea by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. Co-writer Tom Waltz and artists Esau Escorza, Isaac Escorza, Ben Bishop, and Eastman deliver an emotionally complicated FINAL TMNT plot a la The Dark Knight Returns. The story stirred some intense emotions from both of us and forced us to promise a sequel to these Counseling Session podcast episodes. There are too many good Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle comics that we have left to cover.
FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS:
Special Thanks to Elliot Dickson for his bodacious CBCC as the TMNT art (see above). Please follow Elliot on Twitter and Instagram. Also, visit his Teepublic shop.
Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we wrap up our 75-episode series on Sandman's first 75 issues.
Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.