BildeThe Herald-Dispatch of Huntingwon, WV, looks at SVA grad Teylor Smirl whose spunk and can-do attitude have led her all the way to an internship at DC Comics, and beyond, to hopes of graphic novels. She thinks the world is her oyster, and who are we to dissuade her?

From the age of six, Huntington native Teylor Smirl has always shown a talent for drawing.

While attending Huntington High, her talents caught the attention of teacher Marlalie Boyd, who encouraged her to explore multiple directions of art. Now a graduate of the School for Visual Arts in New York City, Smirl is hoping to make an impression next year by collaborating with another artist, Luigi Cicala, on a graphic novel.

Smirl remains tight lipped about the exact nature of the upcoming book, but she describes it as “a sort of ‘The West Wing’ meets ‘The Matrix.’ Only it’s not like ‘Ex Machina.’ (A popular political driven bent science fiction comic.)”

200706060137 MEANWHILE…Detroit’s Matro Times profiles the woman with the world’s largest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles memorabilia collection:

Michelle Ivey, 29, inherited her pack-rat behavior. She’s a passionate woman, hence a bit obsessive-compulsive. See, Ivey owns the world’s largest collection of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles memorabilia. That’s right, the largest. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! confirms the fact; VH-1 glorified it.

“One day I was at a [comic] convention, down in New York at the Big Apple Con,” Ivey says, sitting on her bed, which is outfitted with Ninja Turtle sheets. “I get a phone call from my mom. She tells me that I’m in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Someone at church told my mom I was in it. She went out and picked the book up, and sure enough … page 119.”

Ivey, who resembles Velma from Scooby Doo, could be every comic-book reader cliché brought to life, if she were a dude. She’s has no job — a freak electrical accident at a local factory left her unable to work — and lives at home with her parents. Her father is a factory worker and an amateur B-movie costumer of monsters. Mom is a housewife.

1 COMMENT

  1. Always good to see a comic book creator from MY hometown of Huntington, West Virginia step up to the plate and do well. I wish Teylor all the best. I’m sure she’ll do Huntington proud.

    Beau Smith

  2. I heard some guys on the radio talking about the turtle lady. In the news clips they played, she talks on and on about how the Turtles have shown her how to live her life. She also only eats pizza (maybe you can tell…). She spends ALL of her money on that stuff. It makes you wonder how she got that obsessive.

  3. I met Michelle Ivey and a few of her friends at Anime Vegas a few years back. (There were some actors who also voice the Turtles attending.)

    For all that I really don’t get that level of obsession about anything, I do want to say that she’s a warm and friendly person, that the actors (who clearly knew and recognized her) didn’t have issues with her approaching them to give a few gifts, and that for all her moments of happy fangirl gushing, she actually asked some good questions during the panel.

    (She actually showed *a lot* more couth, tact, and respect in dealings with those actors than several of the “normal” fans did.)

    And frankly, TMNT memorablillia is no more/less silly than oodles of Disney or Hallmark stuff.

  4. I used to run into Michelle all the time at the late, great Words & Pictures Museum in Northampton MA; and just saw her last year at a show in my hometown of Manchester NH. Very sweet, very upbeat; and always a pleasure to talk to. As I recall, she’s organizing a “Turtle Con” — best of luck, Michelle!

  5. Hey everyone,

    Figured I’d say hi real fast. And share a better youtube video than the one in the first reply.

    It’s good to see friendly faces here that I know. As always good to see anything from ya Fiona. Things have been insane lately, I’ll get to tell ya about it on my next visit up to Northampton :) (Not sure when it’ll be, I know I’ll be traveling a lot in other areas through to the end of August).

    Brian Belanger, It was great seeing you at Another Anime Con! :) And good to see you here too. It does help when people jump on and say they know me.

    Katherine, were you the one sitting behind us at the TMNT panel at Anime Vegas that we talked with? If so, it’s good to see ya. Hope things are going good for you and thanks for all the kind words! I would of went to Anime Vegas again, if they didn’t change their weekend to the same weekend of a different convention that I do (Canada National). Thanks again!!!