Never let go of the literal, tangible comic, Aaron says.
We took that Peter Parker aspect that we loved, Eastman says.
Even though I really need to be doing my homework.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Issue #6)Art by Juan Ferreyra; IDW Publishing
And one of the things that I loved about mutant comics,X-MenorNew Mutants was the misfit aspect.
There was a kind of fearlessness to the writing in the early days that stood apart from mainstream offerings.
For Eastman and Laird, it wasnt about targeting any audience other than themselves.
Pete and I wrote these stories for us, Eastman says.
Jason Aaron, 51, was just a kid when he came acrossTMNT.
TheTMNTarrived right at that pivotal moment and became a part of his creative consciousness.
And it was just two dudes who, nobody else wanted their idea.
So, they were like, Lets just do it ourselves.
I think theres something to the turtles where it felt so DIY anybody can do this.
Leonardo is militaristic in his focus and poise, while Michelangelo is more of a free-spirited goof.
Together, they create a powerful dynamic mined from simple parts.
Together or solo, theres personal archetypes and themes that everyone can identify with.
Eastman points toward the outcast mentality, something shared in books likeX-MenorNew Mutants.
But when they came together as a team or a family, they were stronger.
To Aaron, whos written just about every kind of superhero mashup, theres a clear line.
I think the turtles are very much like that.
In my experience, team books are a challenge, Aaron adds.
WritingThe Avengers, writing theX-Menis a challenge.
But writing families, to me, feels different.
They were of no specific race, creed, or color, he says.
Fans of [any] descent can imagine themselves as these characters.
I would often ask fans that come up, Whos your favorite turtle and why?
you’ve got the option to tell a lot about a persons personality by their favorite turtle.
As I got older, I really gravitated more toward Lenardo.
Im more like Donatello, as opposed to Raphael.
The ones that are fans of Raphael usually stay fans of Raphael, Aaron says.
You know their turtle resonates so deeply with them.
It always comes down to that.
If you dont care about these characters on a human, emotional level, then ultimately it doesnt matter.
Ive never written Casey without thinking, What would Jack Burton do?
Now, Jason Aaron has picked up the mantle with the relaunch, beginning with an all-new issue one.
Theyre at a point where theyve started to go in four different directions, Aaron says.
And although he was consulted on the new volume, Eastman isnt directly overseeing its creative direction.
It was to be the final story.
To fight the good fight.
