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      A New Era for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Begins

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      As a comic book series to honor the Turtles’ 40th anniversary debuts, here’s a look back at their milestones.The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are getting a new comic book series Wednesday, from IDW Publishing, to commemorate their 40th anniversary. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo have come a long way from their early comics days as turtles who, after being exposed to a mysterious green ooze, turned into sewer-dwelling heroes. They made the leap to animation, video games and merchandise. Here’s a look at some significant moments in Turtle history — and a glimpse at what lies ahead.WHERE IT BEGANThe cover of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, from 1984. “We took our favorite things and kind of put it into a blender,” a creator, Kevin Eastman, said.Kevin Eastman/IDW PublishingThe Turtles were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, two die-hard comic book fans in New Hampshire whose influences included ninjas by Frank Miller, the X-Men and the work of the comic book artist Jack Kirby. In imagining the Turtles, “we took our favorite things and kind of put it into a blender,” Eastman said in a phone interview, adding that they never thought the Turtles would be such a huge success. There is no “To Be Continued” at the end of the first issue, which was published in 1984, because “we never thought there’d be a second,” Eastman said. (They were wrong, of course. They both eventually quit their day jobs to focus on the Turtles.)THE FIRST ANIMATED SERIESThe animated series introduced the Turtles’ love of pizza.ParamountThe “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” animated TV series came out in December 1987, and it aired until 1996. It took a lighter tone than the comic, making it more suitable for younger audiences. In another instance of how far-fetched the success seemed at the time, Eastman recalled proudly telling his mother about the series, which would premiere around Christmas. But, he said in the interview, she didn’t believe him until she read it in TV Guide. The cartoon helped cement Turtles as a cultural and commercial phenomenon — and added pizza to their routine. And “by 1990, if you wanted to have a complete Ninja Turtles day, you could wake up in Turtles bedsheets wearing your Turtles pajamas, have your Turtles toothbrush and eat your cereal out of a Turtles bowl,” said Andrew Farago, the curator of the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco and the author of a Turtles visual history.FEMALE TURTLESJennika went from human enemy to turtle ally.Brahm Revel/IDW PublishingWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Keanu Reeves Wrote a Book. A Really Weird One.

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      Keanu Reeves doesn’t know exactly where the idea came from, but one day — sometime around the release of “John Wick: Chapter 2,” starring Keanu Reeves, and before he started shooting “The Matrix Resurrections,” also starring Keanu Reeves — he imagined a man who couldn’t die.“It became a series of what ifs,” he said. “What if they were 80,000 years old? Where did this character come from? What if they came from a tribe that was being attacked by other tribes and wanted to ask the gods for a weapon, and what if a god replied, and what if that birthed a half-human, half-god child?”From there, Reeves added, “It went from this simple premise and gained in complexity and continued to grow.”For a while, the character only existed in Reeves’s head. Then he wondered, What if this immortal warrior became the basis for a comic book? An action movie? An animated series?“And then, there’s another what-if,” he said. “What if it became a novel?”Reeves’s ancient warrior has since become the anchor of a growing multimedia franchise. The comic he imagined and co-wrote, BRZRKR (pronounced “berserker”), grew into a 12-issue series that has sold more than two million copies. A live-action film, starring and produced by Reeves, and an animated spinoff are in development at Netflix. More

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      Marvel Changes Israeli Superhero Sabra in Captain America Movie

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      The studio said Sabra, a Mossad agent in comic books, will be “a high-ranking U.S. government official” in its next Captain America movie.When Marvel Studios announced two years ago that it had cast the Israeli actress Shira Haas to play Sabra, a superhero Mossad agent, in its next “Captain America” film, the news was cheered by Israelis and denounced by Palestinians.The studio said at the time that the makers of the film, “Captain America: Brave New World,” would be “taking a new approach to the character,” but did not elaborate.The contours of that reimagined character became clearer on Friday when Marvel released a trailer of the upcoming film. The accompanying announcement made no mention of Sabra as an agent of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service, as she is depicted in comic books, but described her as “a high-ranking U.S. government official.”The change drew criticism from some who saw it as diminishing Israeli and Jewish representation onscreen. A headline in Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, proclaimed, “‘Sabra’ Superhero in Marvel’s ‘Captain America’ Stripped of Israeliness Amid pro-Palestinian Backlash,” and one in The Jerusalem Post said, “Marvel removes Jewish superhero Sabra’s Israeli identity for new Captain America movie.”The American Jewish Committee said on social media that Marvel’s “decision to strip the Israeli identity of Sabra is a betrayal of the character’s creators and fans and a capitulation to intimidation. Sabra is a proud Israeli hero, and should be portrayed as such. Taking away such a central part of her identity would be like making Captain America Canadian.”It was not clear whether Sabra — alter ego: Ruth Bat-Seraph — still has Israeli origins in the movie, as her superhero name suggests. “Sabra” is a Hebrew word for a local cactus bush that doubles as an affectionate term for native Israelis. It also the name of a refugee camp in Lebanon where Palestinians were massacred in 1982 by a Christian militia while Israeli troops stood by, though the superhero predated that event. Haas appears only briefly in the new trailer, and a Marvel spokeswoman declined to comment.When Marvel said Sabra would be introduced in this “Captain America” movie two years ago, the prospect drew criticism from Palestinians and their supporters who argued that the comic book character, which dates back to 1980, unduly glorified Israel. The hashtag #CaptainApartheid began to appear on social media.“The bottom line is that to Palestinians, Marvel having an Israeli superhero whitewashes the occupation,” Sani Meo, publisher of This Week in Palestine, a magazine about Palestinian issues, said at the time.In the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel, and Israel’s war in Gaza, questions arose anew about how Marvel Studios, which is owned by Disney, would handle the character. Newsweek wrote in October that “Marvel’s Israeli Superhero Poses Huge Headache for Disney.”Just what kind of character Sabra will be in the film, which is set to be released in February, remains to be seen. More

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      Garfield’s Journey From Comic Strip to Weird Internet Incubator

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      He hates Mondays, he’s No. 1 at the box office and he’s been the subject of a lot of weirdness over the last 40-plus years.You may have noticed that “The Garfield Movie” was the No. 1 movie in America last week, earning $14 million and taking over the top spot from the infinitely more hyped “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” It has grossed $55 million in North America and $156 million globally in two weeks.“The Garfield Movie” found the top of the box office in its second week of release.Dneg Animation/Sony Pictures, via Associated PressAfter more than 45 years of daily strips (that still get made every day), three feature films, 76 books, three animated series, dozens of video games and a literal boatload of merchandise, we may ask, how did we get here?In an attempt to answer that question, we took a trip down the Garfield rabbit hole.So Much MerchandiseThe first thing you come across is the merchandise. There are T-shirts, phones, watches, furniture, clocks, slippers, tents, wallets, trading cards, eye shadow and roller skates with Garfield’s leering image.There was even a Garfield toilet seat cover. “It turned out to be a great product. It was real colorful,” Garfield’s creator, Jim Davis, told The New York Times in 2019. (There are, in fact, numerous Garfield toilet seat covers.)This is no accident. Davis released the three-panel newspaper comic strip in 1978 with an eye toward selling his creation.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      ‘X-Men ’97’ Brings the Franchise Back to Its Roots

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      The Disney+ animated series builds on its 1990s predecessor, exploring themes of prejudice and change through the world of Professor Charles Xavier and his mutant pupils.Saturday mornings were sacred for me in the mid-90s. Watching “X-Men: The Animated Series” defined a five-year period that was the most formative of my life.The series, which was broadcast on Fox for five seasons from 1992 to 1997, introduced me and countless other millennials to the expansive world of Professor Charles Xavier and his mutant pupils, as they repeatedly saved humanity and aspired toward a future when they would be accepted as equals. With its classic characters — like the surly Wolverine, always ready with an angry quip, and the menacing Magneto — its steady stream of action sequences and ever-progressing plots, the show was riveting enough to draw in young viewers and yet loyal enough to the original comic books to appease older fans like my father, who would give footnotes on every episode as we watched.It set the standard for the X-Men franchise, which would come to include a tiresome span of uneven, often incoherent films held together in the mighty claws of the indefatigable Hugh Jackman. (That legacy continues this summer with “Deadpool & Wolverine.”) So when I say that the Disney+ series “X-Men ’97” not only meets but also surpasses that original series, I mean that as a commendation of the show itself, but especially of the writer-producer Beau DeMayo, who worked on two seasons before being fired ahead of the series premiere. In an age of constant reboots and sequels, DeMayo and his team built something fresh and innovative from a piece of pop culture nostalgia.“X-Men ’97,” which streamed its season finale on Wednesday, immediately picks up where the original left off: Xavier is dead and the X-Men are left floundering, with the lead couple Scott Summers (Cyclops) and Jean Grey wondering if it’s time to build a life apart from Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. The world is still a place of prejudice and conflict aimed at mutants, who are building a utopian homeland on the island of Genosha. But evil forces, familiar and new, threaten to start a war and mass extinction event that will result in both mutant and human casualties.From the very start, “X-Men ’97” shows an appreciation for, and understanding of, the best elements of the original animated series. It almost exactly replicates the classic opening theme, and the two series begin with first episodes that mirror each other: Both introduce a lost young mutant. The continuity shown to the plot, the characters’ arcs, the animation and even the music is refreshing, particularly because the series doesn’t pander to new audiences. It doesn’t get dragged down by exposition, instead assuming its audience is the same from 1997, ready to pick up where the original series left off.But “X-Men ’97” isn’t so evangelical that it disregards the original’s pitfalls; though forever beloved, “X-Men: The Animated Series,” now seems as stiff as the posture of a Sentinel. Those action-packed story arcs are awkwardly condensed, and the pacing is almost always ungainly. The fight sequences, dazzling at the time, are now jerky and robotic. The dialogue is stilted, and the accents in the voice acting — particularly Gambit’s confusing, inconsistent Cajun twang — are abominable.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Ed Piskor, Comics Artist, Dies After Sexual Misconduct Accusations

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      Ed Piskor, 41, was known for his detailed “Hip Hop Family Tree” and “X-Men: Grand Design.” A Pittsburgh gallery canceled an exhibition of his work after the initial allegation.The comics artist Ed Piskor, who was best known for his multivolume “Hip Hop Family Tree,” died last week after posting a lengthy note to social media about an accusation of sexual misconduct that led a gallery in Pittsburgh to indefinitely postpone an exhibition of his work.The death of Piskor, who lived in Munhall, Pa., was confirmed by a funeral home, but no cause was given. Many people read his note on social media — in which he repeatedly spoke of his death — as a suicide note.Two of Piskor’s relatives declined to comment. The chief of the Munhall Police Department said Piskor died outside of Pennsylvania.The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, a nonprofit arts group, announced last month that it would not open the five-month exhibition as planned after a woman accused Piskor of trying to “groom” her in 2020, when she was in high school, and posted screenshots from their online conversations.Piskor, 41, apologized for the messages in his note and said he never should have communicated with the teenager. He also addressed separate allegations from another artist, saying that they had a consensual sexual relationship.His agent, Bob Mecoy, said the artist had defined himself by his work and was devastated by what the future had held.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Lifelong ‘Star Trek’ Fan Leaves Behind a Massive Trove of Memorabilia

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      Troy Nelson and his younger brother Andrew were almost inseparable.The two youngest of six, they were born two years apart. They lived together in their childhood home in Bremerton, Wash., for more than half a century. Near their home, there is a park bench on which they carved their initials as young boys.The Nelson brothers never married or had children. They worked together at the same senior home. They even once, as teenagers, dated the same girl at the same time while working different shifts at the same pizza shop. This lasted a week until they realized it.“Two parts of one body,” Evan Browne, their older sister, said of their relationship in an interview.On Feb. 28, Andrew Nelson, who had been treated for cancer for years, went to feed the chickens and ducks that were gifts from Ms. Browne to her brothers. He had a heart attack and died. He was 55. Just hours later, Troy Nelson, who was stricken with grief, took his own life. He was 57.“He had talked about it before,” Browne, 66, said, tearfully. “He said, ‘Hey, if Andrew goes, I’m out of here. I’m checking out.’ Andrew would say the same thing, and then it really happened.”The collection of “Star Trek” memorabilia left by Mr. Nelson is among the largest known, according to the president of a nonprofit that focuses on the franchise.Connie Aramaki for The New York TimesWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      Crew Member Working on Marvel’s ‘Wonder Man’ Dies in Fall

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      The worker fell from a catwalk at Radford Studios early Tuesday, officials said.A crew member working on the set of Marvel Studios’ “Wonder Man” TV series at Radford Studios in Los Angeles died on Tuesday after falling from a catwalk, officials said.The man who died worked as a rigger, Deadline reported, and he died on set. A Marvel spokesperson confirmed those details in a statement, adding that “our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family and friends, and our support is behind the investigation into the circumstances of this accident.”Members of the Los Angeles Police Department responded to Radford Street for a death investigation at about 6:55 a.m., said Officer Tony Im, a police spokesman.The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees said in a statement posted on social media that the organization was “shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic loss.”“We are working to support our member’s family and his fellow members and colleagues,” the union said.“Wonder Man,” a Disney+ series that is set to star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, was not filming at the time of the incident. More