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tortoises

Three comic book reviews: Pull List #12 ('Hack/Slash,' 'MLP' and 'TMNT')

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In this issue, we have two finales; that of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arc “Krang Wars” and the series finale for Hack/Slash, which is even called “Finale.” Then, we have Rainbow Dash in her entry to the My Little Pony: Micro-Series. So, I guess, thematically, Dash’s pet Tank is a tortoise, which is easily confused with a turtle – so that’s kind of like TMNT, right?

Who cares; I’ve never worried about connective theming before. Let’s get to the reviews.

'Talkative Tortoise' yammers about Global Warming

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Animation Xpress #351 for 22 August announces that, “Chennai based HappyCloud Studios working on Talkative Tortoise, 26X11 Animated TV Series”, by Zeenia Boatwala. In the usual news story that looks just like a hyperenthusiastic press release, it is announced that:

With a mission to provide high quality animation content for all mainstream media, including Theatrical, TV, Web & DVD; Chennai based HappyCloud Studios is working on its In-house IP Talkative Tortoise, 26 X 11 CGI.

Talkative Tortoise is a humorous show which orbits around a talkative tortoise that always talks about the environment and educates about global warming.

An African Tale (Tail?) with a Very Long Name

Your humble In-Fur-Nation crew is back from a quick trip to WonderCon, which this year happened to be in our back yard. Lots of cool new stuff to talk about, which we’ll get started on right away. First up: Samuel E. Kirkman Jr. is an illustrator and independent comic artist whose on-line opus comes with one dilly of a name: Ouwangalaymah. Whew, try that one fast. Also known as The “Tail” of the Name of the Tree, here’s the description from The Illustrated Section: “The tale begins as everyone forgets, the name of the tree that is. Yofti, a hyperactive ringtail, along with the tortoise, an orphaned wildebeest calf adopted by a pair of dik diks and a rather arrogant kudu become central characters as the story begins to unfold. Using an ancient Bantu folk tale for the ark of the story, the author spins a yarn of classic underdog-dom. Leaping lemurs, a lazy lion, and one tenacious tortoise help highlight the need to perceive in spite of ones own limitations.” The first few sections of the comic are available as downloads for purchase right now.

Two-headed tortoise born in Slovakia

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large_mutant-torrtoise-two-heads.jpgA two-headed, five-legged tortoise was born in Slovakia two weeks ago, and displayed in Žilina on March 7.

The left head is named Magda and the right, Lenka. They are conjoined twins of a sulcata tortoise native to the Sahara Desert. If the tortoise survives to adulthood it may reach a length of 1m and weigh up to 75kg.

Although all are scientifically known as chelonians there is often confusion about the terms tortoise, turtle and terrapin. Although there are regional differences, a generally accepted definition is that chelonians on the land are tortoises, those in the sea are turtles and the ones in ponds/lakes/rivers/swamps are terrapins.