Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles "The King" Talkback

[Batman's Biggest Fan]

Well according to tvtome.com, The King should be airing today, May 31st. If it doesn't please delete this thread.

Original Airdate: May 31st, 2003

This episode is an homage to legendary comic book artist Jack "King" Kirby, Kevin Eastman's and Peter Laird's favorite comic artists. When Donatello meets a man named Kirby who can bring his creations to life.

[David Lucas]

Hahahaha!!!!!!!

When I was 7 years old, I had a coloring book that was a interpretation of this story from the original comic books. Everything is exactly the same. Even the lil fly that Kirby makes as Donny is watching. The stick figure. The doorway. Even Raph in the shower complaining about the hot water! This is such a nostalgia trip.

If they keep in the lil arm blowing thing and the big mecha that Kirby draws for Don, along with the final little picture that flies out of the doorway at the end, this episode will have made my entire day.

Also, I'm liking the lil orchestra/chorus music in the fight scenes.

Kirby? King? Indeed! I wonder if anyone will make an homage to the Kubert brothers of Marvel in the future, as they're my favorite comic artists.

On a quick side note: I'm not sure where it was, cause I don't think it was in the movies, but I KNOW I've heard April say "Wow, these guys ARE good." before.

UPDATE: a) My day has been made. b) What a great episode.

[sockhead]

Hey David, it was the same for me too. I found a story book from when I was little and even some of the lines were the same. It was weird. Good episode.

[Captin "Hank" Murphy]

No wonder I had a dae-ja-view feeling watching today's ep. It was a cool ep. Btw, does anybody know where I can see the real Jack Kirby's work?

[sockhead]

I'm not too familiar with Kirby's work, though I think he did much with the Fantastic 4. Here's a pic he drew of the TMNT: http://www.planetracers.com/blast/blast50.html

[Simpler Simon]

I found a story book from when I was little and even some of the lines were the same. It was weird. Good episode.

By chance, was that the story book in the series that also adapted the Ray Fillet origin (Leonardo cover), Return of the Shredder (Raphael cover) and shrinking turtles (Mikey cover)? That's the book I had, and todays episodes pretty much followed it scene for scene. How cool was that?

Some minor nitpicks, just because no episode is perfect:
-they spent a bit too much time debating the foot in the beginning. I think this cut into the ending, because I woulda like to have seen Don return to the apartment, and Raph badgering him about fixing the water. The ending felt too abrupt.
-Kirby was a lot nerdier in the version I remember, I think he had glasses too. Was this version more accurate to the comics (or more like the real Jack Kirby)?
-I've been having trouble with all the voices in the series besides the turtles and splinter, and Kirby is no different. They're good, but they still feel off sometimes.
-There was one blatent scene of cost-cutting/censorship: the monsters attacking Don, followed by those recycled "swipes", followed by them falling to the ground. That bothered me.

Otherwise, very faithful adaptation. Was the crystal Kirby found supposed to be a similiar crystal to the one in the turtle's lair? I thought that would be the connection.

I think they don't show the preview for next weeks episode till the middle of the next show. Anyone bother watching cramp twins to find out if next week is a new one?

David Lucas, April did indeed use a similiar line in the original movie, when her boss comes by to visit.

BTW, anyone else get a kick out of those fan art drawings? Reminds me of the stuff I used to draw. Some things never change.

[sockhead]

Yep, Captain Justice, it was in the series with the other three books (Which I also have, somewhere). Also, about the reference to the movie: Did you guys also notice they even did the thing where the delivery guy looks once and sees Mikey and then looks again and sees a teddy bear? Just like TMNT1, except it was Danny in the movie, and Mikey was under a table.

[kaine23]

Cool episode. Did I see a pizza monster running around (from the originial series) or was it something else that King drew?

[Sharklady]

> I found a story book from when I was little and even some of the lines were the same. It was weird. Good episode. <

It should be mentioned that that book was, in turn, based on an early comic; the one issue of the 1986 'Donatello' micro-series. Very same story, but with Eastman & Laird artwork.

http://www.ninjaturtles.com/comics/m...01/don/don.htm

I was fortunate enough to acquire a copy before they became hard to find.

[Batman's Biggest Fan]

It was good, but I can't wait for next weeks Shredder will return!

[David Lucas]

It should be mentioned that that book was, in turn, based on an early comic; the one issue of the 1986 'Donatello' micro-series. Very same story, but with Eastman & Laird artwork.

http://www.ninjaturtles.com/comics/m...01/don/don.htm

I was fortunate enough to acquire a copy before they became hard to find.

I did mention this in my first post, it was just worded weirdly. I remember both, but the coloring book was more along the lines of my childhood than the darker series that Eastman and Laird started with. The cover of the coloring book was a pinkish/purple color and had Donny on the cover with his staff holding it in the usual diagonal pose. Donny was drawn very cartoony and the background was one of those explosion flash thingies that always appear in Street Fighter when you pull off a super combo.

I think Kirby was a little nerdier in the book as well, as someone asked.

And Captain Justice, I remember that scene in the original movie. They were all lounging around when Charles came knocking with his son Danny, April walks to the door and says "Can you guys...." and then turns around and sees they're gone and finishes her statement with a "...hide?" I don't remember her saying the "you guys are good" line though.

[ClockStomper]

It was great, and Kirby's design in the show looked like the real Jack Kirby.

For those who don't know, Jack Kirby did a lot of early Marvel heroes (Fantastic Four, Thor, and various others) and he designed Spider-Man's costume and did the original cover of Spidey's first apearence.

The warriors in the original special and this episode are based on the 4th World heroes (the enemies of Darkseid, they appeared in Superman: TAS.) Some of the monsters looked like Darkseid's soldiers from Apokolips.

The episode seemed rushed. They should have conserved more time to have the tension mount as Kirby scrambled to sketch shackles on the monsters. And keep the ending.

Next week is my favorite Turtles story, the Leonardo special.

http://www.ninjaturtles.com/comics/m...01/leo/leo.htm

[Slane]

Despite being someone who grew up on the TV show and movies and only saw maybe one or two of the Archie and Image comics, this is my favorite episode so far.

Somehow, I did see this story before, probably from the storybook everyone's discussing, and I really appreciate how close the episode stuck to original story.

Granted, I would have loved to have had the ending with Don returning to the apartment, but that is not to say that I would want the foot discussion shortened or to have any other new references removed; I appreciate the foot discussion, as well as Don's moan over the crystals, to bring viewers back to the previous episode. I think they offered the audience assurance that the series will maintain a good continuity; if only the episode had been longer to include all of this. Heck, at least the commercial breaks didn't seem to butcher "The King" as they did to "Notes."

Also, I am thankful that his depiction in this episode looks a lot like him and that the drawings in this new dimension mirror his style. I’m thankful for the television adaptations of Superman and Justice League; I wouldn’t have figured all these references out if not for seeing Apocalypse, Morgaine's (sp) forces, and Dan Turpin.

Finally, this episode's focus on Don was much appreciated. It really explored his character as we saw him lounging with Mikey, arguing with Raph, indulging in art like a fascinated child with Kirby, and fighting like a warrior against the monsters. It was all...perfect. Thank you, Eastman and Laird, for returning Turtles to my life!

Oh, and the artwork today was very good; I was expecting stuff that looked more like blobs, but real artists had sent in their work that will look super on the upcoming trading card series.

[Captin "Hank" Murphy]

btw, when did Kirby die(seeing how the ep was dedicated to him in a memorial way)?

[TnAdct1]

btw, when did Kirby die(seeing how the ep was dedicated to him in a memorial way)?

Jack Kirby died on February 6, 1994.

Joe Klemm

[The Penguin]

Dangit when I didn't see a commercial for next week I figured it was a rerun so I didn't tape it! I guess I'll have to tape the replay next Saturday.

[DarthNuriko]

I thought it was gonna be a repeat as well. Darnit. Is it possible for anyone to post a summary?

[Shredder565]

I've long ago seen the Blast with the Kirby turtles, and quite frankly, I don't see what is so great about it. If anything, it looks a bit ugly in some places.

That being said, this is one of my favorite episodes so far, and one with good repeatability value. I also would have liked the portal to look a little closer in design to Dons original portal in the first show as another tribute, but I like the look they used . The only thing I didn't really like, is the obvious mistake with the 'sword cut' cut scene used for a BO slash, but other than that, it's not too bad. The People working on this sh ow are all turtle fans, and Petere Laird says he browses the animation boards time to time, so maby they can work on these commetns for season 2 . Either that, or Maby someone at Toonzone can find a contact # 4 4Kids and pass along the requests .

Agreed on the commercial for next ep. They've moved it so you have to watch Cramp Twins, or the following show, to see it. But be sure to tape the show all Saturdays next season just to be sure, because the repeat will be going the way of the dodo.

[czyznyck99]

Nice episode dedicated to the "King." I thought those warriors were homage to the New Gods, but I am not sure.

Later.

[ClockStomper]

I've long ago seen the Blast with the Kirby turtles, and quite frankly, I don't see what is so great about it. If anything, it looks a bit ugly in some places.

But consider Kirby's other contributions: The Spider-Man design, Thor, Captain America, Captain Marvel (Shazam!), Fantastic Four, The Hulk, Iron-Man and the X-Men.