what if...

[cMac44111]

Now I got to thinking. The 2k3 series is extremely awesome, I hadn't read any of the comics until ninjaturtles.com started showing their full issues, and they are pretty close to 2k3. Being more mature I can appreciate this series more than I could than when I watched the OT. But the OT is what turned me (and I'm guessing almost everyone here) into the Turtles. I think it might have been the atmosphere and their happy-go-lucky attitude.

But my question is, what would yall think if the 2k3 series, or even just something similar, started way back in 1988. Would the Turtles be as big as they are now? Or would the franchise fold? And if they brought back the OT and debuted the series in place of 2k3? Would there be more accusations of selling out or would it be too many years difference?

I'll post my thoughts later.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

The 2003 TMNT cartoon would probably have been "too violent" for a cartoon back in the 1980's and early 1990's. I belive that most who watch the 2003 TMNT cartoon are older, and saw the 1987 cartoon too.

[Mr._Mutant_Man]

I'm not sure. I'm thinking maybe the TMNT could have been just as popular. I think the time might have just been right for something really out there like mutant turtles to become popular. I think if you marketed it to kids it would have worked one way or another, whether you made the slapstick cartoon of the 80's or you based it more on the comic book. Sure the violence would have been toned down, but the X-Men cartoon and Batman Animated Series showed that you could have slightly more mature elements in a kid's cartoon.

I'm kind of glad they went in the direction they did for the cartoon show. I think the differences from the comic make it more interesting to watch. I like how so much of it is based off of old 50's b-movies. I like the new cartoon too, but at the same time I watch it and think "I've read this already". Plus the cartoon being so different makes the live action TMNT movie that much more special, because it's closer to the original comic. As a kid I appreciated it as being a different take on the turtles, but now that I've read the comics I appreciate it as an adaption of the Mirage story too.