Episode 20 - Havin' Some Sport With the Fat One!

       Howdy! I hope this fine Thursday finds you all well. I, for one, am enduring a rough cold. The kind that makes your nose feel like broken glass. The kind that fills your chest with thick, yellow slime. While I know that these symptoms are our body's way of defeating evil viruses, I have no patience for it. However, when you start to feel better it does feel somewhat worth it. Everything has a glow about it, like you can do anything. Unfortunately I'm at least three days from this great feeling. So, yeah. Pretty tired. What gets me out of bed and pumped up, even through my sick malaise, is this excellent episode, where we meet Leatherhead for the first time. BOOM! (Maybe I am feeling better...).

       For this episode, we review Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol.1, #6 and Usagi Yojimbo Vol.1, #10 -  "Leonardo in: The Crossing". Other somewhat random topics we cover include Ryan's slow conversion into a 50's housewife, A fan dream where Eric dies and Ryan can't deal with it (sanely, at least), a deep conversation on how it feels when a friend from the past turns out to be gay, Facebook etiquette, the greatness that is The Ultimate Warrior, and toy talk.

      Hope you find this episode to your liking! Check us out on iTunes (review and subscribe!), send us an old fashioned email at turtlesoupshow@gmail.com , and join our awesome Facebook group.

DOWNLOAD: Episode 20 - Havin' Some Sport With the Fat One!


NEXT WEEK: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Animated Series (1987) - Episodes 1 - 4.

Episode 19 - Not Even Time Machines Are a Match For a Nice, Big Stick

      I ain't no bitch! Seriously, who would put that sticker on their car? The mind boggles at the possibilities. Anyways, a lot of exciting stuff going on over here at the Turtle Soup camp. The Facebook group continues to grow, we're receiving some very kind and thoughtful emails from you guys, and our plan to release two episodes a week to help move the show closer to "current" is working out perfectly. It's an awesome time.

      For this episode, we review Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol.1, #16, cover the news from the Hong Kong Toy Fair, and wrap up by covering the Archie Comics TMNT Adventures Mini-Series #1-#3. Other random topics covered are I Ain't No Bitch (.com), personal opinions on ear bud wear, Eric's experience at the Orlando Comic Expo, possible solutions to the North Korea issue involving cheeseburgers, and castles. Seriously.


      You can check us out on iTunes, email us at turtlesoupshow@gmail.com , and join the ol' Facebook group! Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Episode 19 - Not Even Time Machines Are a Match For a Nice, Big Stick

NEXT WEEK: -  Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol.1, #6 and Usagi Yojimbo - “Leonardo in: The Crossing".

Episode 18 - Get Off My 'Chuk!

       Happiest of Saturdays, folks! Not a whole hell of a lot going on today. Just kind of muggy and sunny. Let's get to it, shall we?    

      On this episode we cover Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vol. 1, #15, hit our first installment of Turtle Toy Talk where we review the first wave of Playmate's TMNT toys from 1987, and then close up with Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vol. 1, #5.

      We also, expectantly at this point, touch on imaginary girlfriends and how to handle their deaths, the return of Justin Timberlake, a racy new Masters of the Universe figure, and Ryan's germaphobia. Don't forget to check out our Facebook group, iTunes, and email us at turtlesoupshow@gmail.com .

DOWNLOAD: Episode 18 - Get Off My 'Chuk!

NEXT WEEK: Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vol.1, #16 and Archie Comics Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures: Miniseries #1 - #3.

Episode 17 - I Am The Rat King... I Can Do Anything...

      OH SNAP! I'm sitting here, jamming the new Justin Timberlake album (The 20/20 Experience), and thanking whatever deity is applicable that JT is back and making music again. I look at this and sometimes take a step back thinking "Man, if 2001era Ryan could see you now, he'd take a copy of  The Stooges 'Funhouse' and shove it up your ass!". And that's totally true. I abhorred any kind of pop music then. Total punk. But that's the great thing about age and experience: learning that the world of music has much more to offer once you get past your pretension...

     By the way, this is Episode 17 of our little podcast. In it we cover Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol.1, #14, open up Domestic Danny's Bag of Tricks (and welcome a special guest) with Turtlemania Special #1, and finish up with Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1, #4.

      We also discuss how Eric managed to catch his stove on fire, pictures of the new TMNT figure wave (including Rat King), the new Masters of the Universe ongoing from DC, Ryan hits a mini review of the new IDW TMNT title 'The Secret History of the Foot Clan', and trash Superior Spiderman some more because, well, it's fun.

      Hope you enjoy the episode, folks. Don't forget to check out our Facebook group page, rate, review, and suscribe to the ol' iTunes, and keep those emails coming at turtlesoupshow@gmail.com !

DOWNLOAD: Episode 17 - I Am The Rat King... I Can Do Anything...

NEXT WEEK: Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol.1, #15, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1, #5, and the TMNT First Wave Figure Special!

Episode 16 - Gold Bricks and Gun Facts...

       Better late than never, right....

      We didn't quite get this one out when we wanted to (Friday), but worse has happened. Unfortunately posting this episode got lost in the shuffle of preparations for MegaCon, the yearly comic convention held in Orlando that we like to frequent. We had a blast and have already posted pics of some of the stuff we saw / bought there up on the Facebook group. I'm sure we'll chat about it on the next episode we record, but that won't be out for a while. We got a lot of catching up to do...

      Anyways, here she is: Our 16th episode. This one is a bit of a catch up episode as we debut Domestic Danny's Bag of Tricks, where we knock out the small backups and compilations that came from the Mirage crew. In the future we will be peppering these small things into episodes that move the Journey forward, but here we pause to focus on Turtle Soup Vol. 1, #1 and Raphael: Fun With Guns. Not to be outdone, we also have a great middle segment on the fundamental differences between the TMNT Animates Series and the Mirage comics that came before, AND OUR YEAR END AWARDS! We also somehow discuss: gas station electronics scams, our purchases from a killer local comic shop's New Years Eve sale, the burning of a copy of Spiderman #700 that happened at said sale, and awesome, creepy kid's toys. TOO FAST!!!

      Well, hope you enjoy the episode and be sure to join our Facebook group (which has become quite the chatty arena), check us on iTunes (rate, review, subscribe), or send us at old fashioned email at turtlesoupshow@gmail.com .

DOWNLOAD: Episode 16 - Gold Bricks and Gun Facts...

Episode 15 - 3 Hour Death-Fall to the Technodrome!

     


      People, this is huge bitness! After 14 episodes spanning 3 years in the life and times of the TMNT, we have reached the point where begin covering the cartoon that launched the Turtles into mainstream history. It's at this point that reading literally everything Turtles-related pays off in droves. Doing this puts me in the mind of those early TMNT fanatics, the guys that collected from the beginning and heard the news that their beloved franchise was being turned into a prime time animated television show, with accompanying action figures, playsets, skateboards, slippers, pepperoni sticks, etc.

      In this gallon-sized 15th episode we cover the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Animated Series (1987), Season 1 in it's  full 5 episode entirety. Included in this in-depth review we layout essential information on the adaptation of the Mirage comics to animated form, voice actors, the theme song, animation goofs, and much more as well as occasionally comparing and contrasting the show to it's previous comic book foundation.

      We somehow also manage to discuss how we survived doomsday (yeah, this one's somewhat dated), Ryan's 1 minute stance on the NRA, how to manipulate your children with Santa Clause, the untimely death of the new Thudercats animates series, the ins and outs of subscription-based figure collecting, "God-Based Horse Training", and the possibility of an Outback Rapist action figure.  

      Also, stay tuned after the show for audio of our last minute trip to Toys R Us for a TMNT figure that could make of break Ryan's son's Critmas! And maybe us getting coffee! Be sure to rate and review the show on iTunes, email us, and tell your friends!

DOWNLOAD: Episode 15 - 3 Hour Death-Fall to the Technodrome!

NEXT WEEK: Raphael: "Fun with Guns" and Turtle Soup, Vol.1

Episode 14 - Battle Babes and Warrior Braids

      

      Driving around this morning, I saw something that reeked of such sweet irony that I had to commit it to this very blog! Riverview, Florida (which Blogger does not recognize as proper English, for some reason) is a small burg, a satellite of Tampa, and is known for its, well, river view. The Alafia River, to be exact. It's pretty small and low key, full of simple 1960's era houses set off of windy roads (that river makes city planning rather pesky) with plenty of fallow fields for cattle grazing and even a library for learned types. The kind of place where, after a hurricane, everyone gets in their trucks, surveying damage, helping those in need, and clearing roads of downed trees. I count myself among these fine people and live a very happy life shoulder to shoulder with the denizens of my home city.

      Being somewhat self contained and in Central Florida, you could imagine (and you'd be right on the money) that one of Riverview's quaint charms would be it's indigenous population of White Conservatives. We're not talking Westborough level, here. Just folks that keep a tidy house and weren't so happy when Clinton was in office. Anyways, given this backdrop, it's easy to predict that our current Commander in Chief isn't too wildly popular among this population, and you'd be right. 

      As I navigate the back roads of my town this morning, I see a small sign, stapled at least 20 or so feet upon a power pole. It's black, emblazoned with bold white letters. "FIRE OBAMA". That's it. No riot act. No manifesto. No justification. Just "FIRE OBAMA". 20 feet high. One small sign that, to my mind, is a perfectly apt analogy for our times.

      The action of posting that small sign must have been no easy task. It's installation would have had to use at least a 20' extension ladder and some serious intention. I'm not even getting political here (though my leftist, pinko leanings are probably clear in the show). So you make a sign (one sign), and drag a ladder out to a power pole that's sort of remote, pull the ladder out of the ol' truck, climb that ladder, and staple a sign that simply implores the people to "FIRE" the President.

      If the whole of that energy was used in any other way it could of been much more efficient. Maybe holding a sign somewhere where you can inform others of the beliefs you feel so adamant about. Perhaps spreading awareness of your cause through writing your ideas down in coherent form and putting it out there? Whichever way. Almost anything is better than posting a small sign in a remote area. 

      But isn't it perfect, though? Isn't this what we do everyday? The age of outrage; an era in which we will be remembered for leveling an almost absurd amount of venom at the most trite topics. On every news story online there are comments threads that illustrate this confounding absurdity. Is this the result of the smooth, confrontation-less 90's ignited by the jarring fuse of 9/11? Or a sign that we, as a generation, have never had to face anything more serious than Rebecca Black's 'Friday'? Am I running a bit long on this tangent? I don't know. Just sharing something. Let's get outraged!!!

      Okay, moving onto the show, here is Episode 13, in the digital flesh! In this issue we cover Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1, #13 and Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1, #3. These issues were pretty rough, so if you're in a laughing mood, you're in for a treat. We also manage to discuss Dr. Dre's music and muscles, Master of the Universe (surprise, surprise), Ryan's horrible bar band show, and rat tails.

      Things are clicking right along and I am proud to announce that next episode we will be covering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Animated Series (1987), Season 1 in it's entirety! After working our way through the years of build-up from obscurity to indie darlings, we have finally hit the beginning of their overnight fame. It's a good episode as well, so stay tuned (iTuned?). And don't forget about the ol' email, iTunes, and Facebook page...

DOWNLOAD: Episode 13 -Battle Babes and Warrior Braids

NEXT WEEK: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Animated Series (1987), Season 1!!!!!!

 

 

Episode 13 - Starring Skonk, Nobody, and the Outback Rapist!

      Salutations! I sit here on a Monday night drinking coffee, listening to Mansions (they rock), and posting a brand new episode of Turtle Soup--- our 13th. It seems things are looking up in all directions: the show is really fun, comics are good (especially Batman), MegaCon is rapidly approaching, Dennis Rodman went to North Korea and paled around with Kim Jong Un.... wait, I can't tell if that's good or not.

      Anyhow, things are good and the episodes are flying like Donny's bo staff, so let's get to it! On this episode we cover Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol.1, #12 (notable as being the first Laird only issue) and Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol.1, #2. We also discuss the Eastman and Laird split, child abduction (in regards to Fat Albert), reading Cerebus, the Outback rapist, and some listener emails that take the conversation to even stranger places.

      In closing, we are also adding a new feature to the blog and iTunes descriptions that may help everyone: What we're covering on the next episode. We usually address this at the end of the episode, but we figure it should be more available, so here it is. We hope you enjoy the episode and be sure to join our Facebook Group and/or drop us an old fashioned email at turtlesoupshow@gmail.com 

DOWNLOAD: Episode 13 - Starring Skonk, Nobody, and the Outback Rapist

Next Week: Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol.1, #13 and Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol.1, #3!