Something done for @somerandomdudelmao 's apocalyptic series! I haven't used color on anything for a while.
I've been wanting to do fanart for them for such a long time now but I'm a nervous internet person so I don't show myself much or know what to say or how it's okay to interact. HALF THE TIME I DONT EVEN DARE REPOST AND ITS KILLING ME BECAUSE I LVOE THIS SERIES SO MUCH I CRY, as I'm sure everyone can relate.
Raph had never really been my favorite, but lately everything about him makes me so soft and with cass's newest updates? There was no way I could just sit still. It was enough to draw me out of my "too scared to post"-cave and I'm glad.
Also currently saving to buy a new iPad cause mine is usable no more, so I'm borrowing my brother's. The pain of not being able to draw when I want wherever I want has never been greater. I do have some things I wanna show though so idk maybe 🤲
This parts moreso just for experimentation – the previous comic from this au took me a total of 14-ish hours and if I did the same amount of effort everytime I'd probably perish
Ignore any sizing / layout mistakes I hate backgrounds
Something I’ve been thinking about lately is that small moment in “Air Turtle” where immediately after the Daves lose yet another game, Leo says how sorry he is and how he’s doing his best as the mascot. This moment is so short but it’s honestly jam-packed with a whole heap of characterization.
His need to apologize for things clearly not his fault - especially when it feels like he messes up the job he was given despite doing the best he can (the phrase “it’s not about you” takes a new meaning when this is one of the lessons to be learned from that - that he is not always solely responsible for things going wrong), his need to save face and make a connection with an older adult man in his life (something he consistently does throughout the series - he’s got a few daddy issues, always collecting potential father figures, it’s no wonder he jumps at the bit to keep rapport), and the way he sounds and looks and the words he chooses really pushes how he is just a kid (“Mr. the Dunk, I’m so sorry”).
Like I know it’s a one off moment that doesn’t truly mean much, but when put against the rest of the series it works really well with the rest of Leo’s established character and helps in solidifying later concepts as well.
It’s such a small moment and maybe I just have brain rot or something but in the beginning when Splinter is talking abt why he hates humans it’s Mikey specifically that chimes in with that little “you don’t know that.” And just UGH
Even just by his tone you can tell that he knows his words aren’t going to change anything because they’ve had this conversation too many times. But also Mikey was the one Splinter almost lost that day, like if Splinter was any slower Mikey would’ve been gone.
And you just know in the minds of children Mikey equated their isolation from humans as being his fault because he almost got ran over as a baby.
Like I don’t wanna say it because sometimes leads to unnecessary angst, but children who grow up isolated from everyone else believing that they can’t confide in their parent often blame themselves for their parents decisions.
Donnie and Raph back talk and make fun of Splinter the most but Mikey does it like once and Leo does it never. So you can tell Leo and Mikey don’t get upset with their father, they get upset with themselves for the way things are and I just
@dandylovesturtles YOU. (grabs you by the shoulders and shakes like a maniac) How do you dare make me feel so much?!(should I tag this as spoilers?)
I've read "I may be invisible but I still look good" in one sitting, taking breaks to scream into oblivion about my pain, about how casual and natural the dialogue is, how pacing goes smoothly between the softer and harsher events, and so so so much more.
And so here I am bc I had to make something
This moment was so rough, I keep thinking about it all the time.
It may not be THE favourite moment exactly (that one will be made later) but it is from the disaster twins arc, which I adored and cried through the most (as well as the first two/three chapters) bc I am very very weak (and all the other arcs were made equally as great) . I love the story, the villains,the jokes, the character development and characterization and so so so much! I was so happy with many solutions and ideas because they matched my line of thought and didn't leave any annoying holes in the logic ✧\(>o<)ノ✧
So. Can't wait for the next part and in the meantime I humbly ofer this lil comic-y fanart
My favorite thing in the world about Rise Leo is that he acts Like That but then at any given moment he's almost always doing something that's like. so fucking clever.
Like in the episode "The Ancient Art of Ninja Hide and Seek," the guys are sneaking around Big Mama's hotel to steal something from her guard dog Gus's collar. Raph's idea of stealth is uhhh holding a frond over his head, and Mikey and Donnie spend most of their time scooting a food cart up the stairs. Gus sniffs them all out and they all have to be rescued by Splinter.
And then Leo does this
And it seems so stupid, but like? it's actually not?? there's a strategy here???
The other guys get caught bc Gus is an incredible tracker w a great sense of hearing and smell—which Leo knows from their last run-in with him. So what does Leo do? He eliminates the problem by purposefully sneaking up on Gus in a crowded, noisy, distracting room so Gus won't be able to hear or smell him. And it WORKS—Gus doesn't notice him even when he's right under his nose! He just gets unlucky that the Evil Sports match ends right when he gets his hands on the collar.
It's just. so endlessly funny to me that Leo's the one who gets the closest to actually completing the mission without needing Splinter to bail him out, and no one notices bc he does so with the air of a court jester. A little clown boy. He truly radiates the vibe of someone constantly flying by the seat of his booty shorts, meaning no one realizes until Shredder that he's secretly the only one on the team who regularly uses ANY problem-solving or planning skills lmao
(part 2 of 3 that i promised (oof) like 2 weeks ago. Yeah, it's been chaotic on my end.) (Donnie and Jennika can be found here.) (i'm still working on raph. Maybe by friday)
edit: Raph is here
I'm exhausted do multiple pet shenanigans so I'm posting this instead of waiting. (I'll do asks tomorrow. Tired)
again, all info under the cut
Leo is, like Donnie, 24 by the time they find Raph's bitties. He goes to college part time b/c he has other things he wants to be doing but also is slowly working towards getting into Mystic medical school. As much as Mama wants him to take over the nexus and hotel at some point, he'd really rather become a doctor like Leatherhead.
By now he's mostly gotten past his fear of medical procedures, though he's still not a fan of being treated by anyone except himself. There are a few things that still set him off (Like Bishop's genetics lab) but usually he's pretty good now.
At this point he's running the Battle Nexus's medical wing (not exactly practicing in it b/c he's not legally allowed, but he does run it.) And is in charge of the human side of the Nexus hotel (with use of a cloaking broach.) (Mikey helps but Leo's the face of it now.)
And Mikey! Mikey's 23. He went head first into art and mystics and just didn't look back. The dude has had art shows in both the hidden city and new york (though he never shows up to the nyc ones in person. It makes him a bit of a local cryptid as far as the art community goes lol.)
He's in college for art and has a nice little following online as well. Mostly for original work, but he does post jupiter jim fanart sometimes that is generally well liked. (he used to post Lou Jitsu fanart too, but the fandom was just too horny for his dad for him to be comfortable continuing doing so.)
His mystics are very powerful at this point. Probably more powerful than his apocalypse self was at that age (or ever) due to having proper access to training and food. His primary eyes glow gold almost constantly as a result of his extra mystic use, which he kind of likes since they used to be an amber color before his mutation.
I still think about how Leo’s ideal day out for the fam’s venture into the Hidden City was basically just an effort to get some rest and relaxation because boy does he never get that ever.