What’s with the lame Rocksteady and Bebop designs?

[shinefra]

Hi, guys just wanted to ask if somebody knows why classic Bebop and Rocksteady aren't more accurate to the cartoons series?

I mean look at this merchandise they look pretty crappy, is there a Copy rights issue of some kind with the Fred Wolf series?

http://hottopic.scene7.com/is/image/HotTopic/10009206_hi?wid=1360

http://i0.wp.com/thefwoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/TMNT-Classics-Bebop-and-Rocksteady-Review-b-card-back.jpg

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0384/0921/products/tmnt-villians-shirt.main.jpeg?v=1404312061

[Powder]

It's not a copyright issue. Those are the Mutatin' action figure designs, & the art itself replicates art from the early 90's of the exact same style. I agree that it's kinda lame, though.

[Candy Kappa]

If only the toys at least looked like the artwork, they would at least be more consistent with the Classics Turtles figures.

Alas, I don't think Playmates care about consistency or representation when making figures for the Classics line.

[Wildcat]

They look ok just a bit more stylized to fit with the artwork.

The Mech versions look more accurate in that group T-shirt. Maybe they wanted to differentiate them.

[Spidergreg]

Who is that leopard guy above rat king?

[rickwj324]

Who is that leopard guy above rat king?

I believe he is Jagwar from the Archie Comics and a part of the Mutanimals.

[shinefra]

So they just don't give a rats ass?, pardon me Splinter fans ;)

Man, when I saw the green t-shirt on my friend, I wanted to buy it instantly, until I noticed Bebop and Rocksteady looked nothing like the toons.

Are we ever going to get a Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady figures just like in the show? :-?

[Ninjinister]

I want that top shirt so bad. So bitchin'.

[The-Shredder]

Yeah, why don't they just use the same stock art that was used in the 90s? The first Lionsgate DVD did a good job with that. Viacom didn't have to go out of their way just to redraw the characters and add gold rings to the Turtle's belt buckles and what not. Even their head shapes are somewhat off-putting.

[ProactiveMan]

Looks like they're doing the Monkey. Also, Bebop appears to be wearing nanna glasses - The placement of his ponytail makes it look like a spectacle chain.

[TurtleGuy]

Krang on the shirt in the 3rd pic looks kinda awesome, though.

I kinda like Rocksteady, too in the 3rd pic.

[Metropoliskid41]

These shirts are simply using the stock art from the era. Every character has that "close but not quite toon accurate" look. That isn't unique to just Bebop and Rocksteady, and it isn't unique to these recent shirts. That is literally almost identical to the stock art from the late 80's and early 90's. The turtles in that top shirt aren't toon accurate either, but they are identical to the design the turtles had on 99% of the merchandise released when the original toon was on the air. Just look at the member Wildcat's avatar (he posted above). That is an image from the late 80's, while it is definitely pseudo-OT looking, it is not Toon accurate. The stock art is just a little less detailed and more simple looking in design. The shirt is just using the existing stock art designs, and personally I love it!

[The-Shredder]

These shirts are simply using the stock art from the era. Every character has that "close but not quite toon accurate" look. That isn't unique to just Bebop and Rocksteady, and it isn't unique to these recent shirts. That is literally almost identical to the stock art from the late 80's and early 90's. The turtles in that top shirt aren't toon accurate either, but they are identical to the design the turtles had on 99% of the merchandise released when the original toon was on the air. Just look at the member Wildcat's avatar (he posted above). That is an image from the late 80's, while it is definitely pseudo-OT looking, it is not Toon accurate. The stock art is just a little less detailed and more simple looking in design. The shirt is just using the existing stock art designs, and personally I love it!

Oh, okay. I was thinking of the Family Home Entertainment VHS cover art, which I think are much better drawn than what we have now. https://web.archive.org/web/20120306102749/http://www.ninjaturtles.com/html/vhs_classic.htm

[Metropoliskid41]

Oh, okay. I was thinking of the Family Home Entertainment VHS cover art, which I think are much better drawn than what we have now. https://web.archive.org/web/20120306102749/http://www.ninjaturtles.com/html/vhs_classic.htm

Its probably easiest to just look at examples side by side for a comparison, below are 4 pretty popular TMNT stock art images that were used on pretty much every TMNT items in the late 80s and 90s:
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/download_zps65aae5d1.jpg

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/download1_zps73b8fead.jpg

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/download2_zps35656f3b.jpg
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/images_zpsad7c2cc1.jpg

[Metropoliskid41]

Compared to actual screen caps of the cartoon from the same time period:
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/download3_zpsba37f3cb.jpg
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/images1_zps3afcf5a7.jpg
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/images2_zps16fbf039.jpg

And you see that while the stock art resembles the cartoon look it is still distinctly different. The stock art turtles have different shaped heads, and shorter, puffier, and less defined limbs.

[mexichrist83]

I'm not particularly fond that artist's TMNT artwork which sucks because it's used on A LOT of "retro" TMNT merch these days and it's really crappy. I much prefer the TMNT artwork below:

http://www.teesforall.com/images/TMNT_Weapons_Heather_Gray_Shirt.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5TT4qUh7xw8/UQdUGwQnzpI/AAAAAAAAIG8/vcsATfZWeQE/s1600/IM000295.JPG

http://nerdexp.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/TMNT-2.jpg

Does anyone know who the artist is for this TMNT art?

[Powder]

I believe they're all done by Ryan Brown.

[Xav]

Its probably easiest to just look at examples side by side for a comparison, below are 4 pretty popular TMNT stock art images that were used on pretty much every TMNT items in the late 80s and 90s:
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/download_zps65aae5d1.jpg

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/download1_zps73b8fead.jpg

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/download2_zps35656f3b.jpg
http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k607/Kyle41/images_zpsad7c2cc1.jpgWhat the **** is with that second image? The Turtles colors are all messed up.

[Newton Gimmick]

Rocksteady and Bebop have been depicted like this for years on some random merchandise. I never quite understood why they didn't look a bit more like their figures or cartoon counterparts, but it's no big conspiracy. Just a case of slightly off artwork that was used for licensing.

I actually really like the Rocksteady design.

[Whatswiththeheadbands?]

What the **** is with that second image? The Turtles colors are all messed up.

Mikey is the only one they got right.:lol:

[Bry]

Yeah, the art for Bebop and Rocksteady and the Turtles seems to be the newer art they produced for new retro-style merchandise 5+ years ago. It looks fine, but definitely a bit "off". The Turtles themselves are taller and leaner than most of the art from the '80s/'90s - their height and proportions almost look closer to the 2003 versions than the '87 designs.

It's not a copyright issue. Those are the Mutatin' action figure designs, & the art itself replicates art from the early 90's of the exact same style. I agree that it's kinda lame, though.

Good catch! They definitely look like they're based on these:

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/009/e/3/tmnt_mutatin_bepop_and_rocksteady_by_shrubberys-d4ltkc5.jpg

(And I still find it weird that Bebop's human form on that toy was a white guy with orange hair for some reason...)

I want that top shirt so bad. So bitchin'.

I actually picked it up at a Hot Topic sale when I was in the States recently. It's pretty great. Love how some of the "TMNT Adventures" mutants are represented.

[Metropoliskid41]

Yeah, the art for Bebop and Rocksteady and the Turtles seems to be the newer art they produced for new retro-style merchandise 5+ years ago.

No it is not new stuff that was produced 5 years ago, that is the same design and the same imaging that was used in the late 80's and early 90's. I posted pictures earlier in the thread of stock art on TMNT Merchandise from the early 90's and its the same

[Bry]

No it is not new stuff that was produced 5 years ago, that is the same design and the same imaging that was used in the late 80's and early 90's. I posted pictures earlier in the thread of stock art on TMNT Merchandise from the early 90's and its the same

IIRC, they did produce new "retro" style art for the Retro line that started around 2009. For example:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3564/3416389594_91283d54e1.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3382/3415583393_05a0356f30.jpg

I believe these are made with the new art, while this...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3415584295_9a24ca4371_o.jpg

...is old art, or at least is directly based on (or traced from) an older drawing. You can tell because the body proportions and style are slightly different, and the elbow/knee pads are drawn differently (and closer to a Mirage/2003 style).

Weirdly enough, the newer "retro" art seems to always give the Turtles big, happy smiles, while the actual retro art has them with gritted teeth and angrier expressions far more often.

[DarkFell]

I got this shirt from a Spencer's a couple of months ago. The dude wearing it isn't me.
http://www.spencersonline.com/images/spencers/products/interactivezoom/processed/02730323.interactive.a.jpg

And I was wondering about the character designs as well. I'm glad I found this thread and finally got some info.