Why does Donatello have a sword on his back on the cover of Mirage #1?

[Princess Anri]

I feel like this question must have been answered many times before but I just spent a while googling it and didn't really find anything.

It looks like he has a bo in his hands and one sword in the scabbard on his back.

Most future versions (not printings) of the cover have the sword removed.

So I'm guessing it was just a mistake because I don't feel like it was present in any other drawing.

[neatoman]

He got jelly of Leo and decided to carry one around, duh.

[Princess Anri]

Originally Posted by neatoman

He got jelly of Leo and decided to carry one around, duh.

But after posing for the first cover, he decided that he'd exclusively use the bo?

Yeah, that fits.

[Candy Kappa]

Because swords are cool

The Turtle that would become Raphael also had a extra katana in the first group artwork.



So it probably was a early idea with the Turtles carrying swords as well as signature weapons, or rather what would become the signature weapons to the Turtles we know.

[Princess Anri]

Yeah, I've seen that Raph had one in the first group drawing and that Mikey had his nunchakus (at least one of them) strapped to his arm in the first two drawings.

I'm just surprised that on the cover to the most famous issue, Donatello has a sword and then never has one again.

And that no one mentions it ever.

[mrmaczaps]

Originally Posted by Princess Anri

Yeah, I've seen that Raph had one in the first group drawing and that Mikey had his nunchakus (at least one of them) strapped to his arm in the first two drawings.

I'm just surprised that on the cover to the most famous issue, Donatello has a sword and then never has one again.

And that no one mentions it ever.

It get mentioned often but there doesn't seem to be any official why as to its later removal. I've asked before and had artist friends both include it and not inckude it in homages. And I've given them some crap for not including it when its not there... but always in good fun.

[Powder]

Simple answer seems that they'd all have spare weapons like throwing daggers... up until the actual content of that issue was drawn.

[Princess Anri]

I thought it seemed like more of a mistake considering it'd be really awkward to have a bo and a katana on his back (if the bo was in its holder too).

I really wish they all had daggers/throwing stars.

[OA]

Ha! Never noticed that before... Cool!

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Princess Anri

I really wish they all had daggers/throwing stars.

They all have throwing stars tucked into their belts. At least, in my head. And we've seen them bust them out a few times.

[darthsmozers]

Originally Posted by Princess Anri

I thought it seemed like more of a mistake considering it'd be really awkward to have a bo and a katana on his back (if the bo was in its holder too).

I really wish they all had daggers/throwing stars.

I wouldn't really call it a "mistake" which implies "oops" like when a turtle would have the wrong bandana color in the old toon. More likely the cover was made before the completed issue, or, if after, then PL and KE likely didn't have any foresight into the eventual popularity of their characters.

Also, Don having one as an extra weapon (as the others all have two weapons: 2 swords, 2 sais, 2 nunchakus) probably fit.

[Andrew NDB]

That'd be kind of cool if Don had a little wakizashi sidearm or something. In fact, who's to say he doesn't... on certain "missions"?

[Technogeek29]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

That'd be kind of cool if Don had a little wakizashi sidearm or something. In fact, who's to say he doesn't... on certain "missions"?

Honestly I always imagine they all carried a secondary weapon of some sorts. Besides just shuriken and Kunai, small blades or powder to blow in someone's face doesn't really seem out of the ordinary.

[AquaParade]

Cause it's ****ing cool 😎