Mutant designs that left you wanting more/better

[dragonside]

Now i really like the various animal mutant designs in the FW Cartoon.

However, the that i felt like didn't quite make the "good list" was Tattoo.

https://turtlepedia.fandom.com/wiki/Tattoo_(1987_TV_series)

He basically looks like a human with.. some tattoos. I get what they are trying to go for. But deep down, I wish that he were just a hamster mutant sumo wrestler. I think that would have been real cool.

I would even liked a super duper sumos - a sumo guinea pig, sumo capybara, and sumo hamster.

What are the mutant animal designs that left you wanting more?

[neatoman]

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/a/ad/Bebop_nintendopower33.png/revision/latest?cb=20140206050124https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/f/f4/Muck_and_chuck.png/revision/latest?cb=20150903205607https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/1/11/TIGERCLAW.png/revision/latest?cb=20131220222406https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/f/fd/Bugman112.png/revision/latest?cb=20150514091035https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/5/57/Gcdb4.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140621182912https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/b/bc/Napoleon_Bonafrog.png/revision/latest?cb=20120725031655https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/3/3a/InsectMegaVolt.png/revision/latest?cb=20140404143147

[oldmanwinters]

Definitely Carter.
http://i.imgur.com/3AZ9I0O.jpg (https://imgur.com/3AZ9I0O)

What even is he?

[mikey0]

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/d/db/Ace_duck_cartoon.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20070624055924

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

However, the that i felt like didn't quite make the "good list" was Tattoo.

Check out Archie Tattoo instead. Not a mutant, but far more well-written.

https://miragelicensing.com/comics/archie/32/32.htm

[dragonside]

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/a/ad/Bebop_nintendopower33.png/revision/latest?cb=20140206050124https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/f/f4/Muck_and_chuck.png/revision/latest?cb=20150903205607https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/1/11/TIGERCLAW.png/revision/latest?cb=20131220222406https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/f/fd/Bugman112.png/revision/latest?cb=20150514091035https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/5/57/Gcdb4.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140621182912https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/b/bc/Napoleon_Bonafrog.png/revision/latest?cb=20120725031655https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/3/3a/InsectMegaVolt.png/revision/latest?cb=20140404143147

This GROUP OF amazing designs makes me laugh. I've forgotten about some of these but..now that you've.. posted them all here. wow.


Definitely Carter.
http://i.imgur.com/3AZ9I0O.jpg (https://imgur.com/3AZ9I0O)

What even is he?

YES....he's wayyyy too many things. I think the definition of overdesigned without being .. enough of one thing to be cool.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/d/db/Ace_duck_cartoon.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20070624055924

Ace Duck...yes, there's a lot of animated ducks out there.. and man Ace Duck is so plain, so very plain.

Check out Archie Tattoo instead. Not a mutant, but far more well-written.

https://miragelicensing.com/comics/archie/32/32.htm


WOW, thats cool, thank you, i totally forgot about this other version of tatoo..
and I do like his story way better and also the way he's drawn in the comic is way better. just way better.

[TigerClaw]

i have to go with Mona Lisa. Her design has changed throughout the years. Going from a Mutant Lizard from Fred Wolf. To a Space Lizard in 2k12. and then back to a Mutant Lizard in IDW.

https://i2.wp.com/www.comicsbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Untitled-design-6-2.png

Both the Fred Wolf and IDW designs are a lot more appealing. I wasn't a fan of the 2k12 designs.

[sdp]

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tmnt/images/d/db/Ace_duck_cartoon.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20070624055924

Hey, Ace Duck is the most amazing mutant ever made (https://miscrave.com/articles/ace-duck/)!

[mikey0]

Hey, Ace Duck is the most amazing mutant ever made (https://miscrave.com/articles/ace-duck/)!

Ace Duck was one of the earliest allies that dressed like teenagers did back then. One of the best of the Bush 41 era TMNT characters.

[PizzaPower1985]

I didn't really see a flaw in their physical designs per se, but I always felt that Bebop and Rocksteady would have been better IF they were designed to be a little more intelligent... like Koya from IDW... actually be more than just a big dumb brutish physical threat...

Also, if they had to change the headband colors from all red (a good idea mind you) Laird, the 87 toon people, Playmates toys... whoever made the bandannas orange and purple should have looked a little harder at Hong Kong film traditions and westernized ninja culture because headbands used in American ninja films of the 70's and 80's were most often RED, BLUE, BLACK or WHITE... sometimes brown but hardly ever orange and purple. Donnie and Mike's colors should have been Black and White to better mimic Hong Kong action flicks, while Leo and Raph remained Blue and Red.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I don't think the (FW) headband colors were ever meant to mimic the colors used in ninja films, so much as they were intended to show a bit about each turtle's personality. Leo's blue band makes perfect sense for him, being calm, collected, and "going with the flow" (like water). Likewise Raph's red, with his obvious anger issues and passionately emotional nature. Mikey's orange is a more lighthearted version of Raph, less angry and more sunny. Donnie's purple one is a sign of deep thought, intellect, and very philosophical. That is more than likely the reason for the particular colors chosen, as opposed to just mimicking ninja movie tropes!

[PizzaPower1985]

I don't think the (FW) headband colors were ever meant to mimic the colors used in ninja films, so much as they were intended to show a bit about each turtle's personality. Leo's blue band makes perfect sense for him, being calm, collected, and "going with the flow" (like water). Likewise Raph's red, with his obvious anger issues and passionately emotional nature. Mikey's orange is a more lighthearted version of Raph, less angry and more sunny. Donnie's purple one is a sign of deep thought, intellect, and very philosophical. That is more than likely the reason for the particular colors chosen, as opposed to just mimicking ninja movie tropes!

Quite so. In fact, Kevin Eastman himself recently echoed the same things you posted, but I just think the TMNT could have retained a little more of their Mirage-ness and perhaps been taken more seriously 3 decades out than they are by the general public if the headbands weren't rainbow colored. There are many reasons why TMNT still gets labeled as a "children's propety". The headbands probably have little to do with it but I'm sure it doesn't help. I just think black and white has a more mature feel than orange and purple but that's just arguing aesthetics. It's what I personally would rather have seen in a design but we got what we got, so...

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I think they were more concerned about the colors being relatable to kids- and to the public in general- than they were about sticking to ninja movie tropes. And selling toys, of course! Besides, I think that black and white don't really fit in with the colors as personality traits concept. Blue and red do, but it kind of falls apart at black and white for Mikey and Donnie if you're going that route. The symbolism is all wrong. I actually like the concept of using them as personality identifiers, since it allows each turtle to show a bit of himself on the field, and (at least in some versions where they look very similar) helps outsiders tell them apart. That would probably be important to their allies, at least early on before they get to know the boys!

[PizzaPower1985]

I think they were more concerned about the colors being relatable to kids- and to the public in general- than they were about sticking to ninja movie tropes. And selling toys, of course! Besides, I think that black and white don't really fit in with the colors as personality traits concept. Blue and red do, but it kind of falls apart at black and white for Mikey and Donnie if you're going that route. The symbolism is all wrong. I actually like the concept of using them as personality identifiers, since it allows each turtle to show a bit of himself on the field, and (at least in some versions where they look very similar) helps outsiders tell them apart. That would probably be important to their allies, at least early on before they get to know the boys!

Fair points. And hey, it's not like we can't get serious stories outside of Mirage anyway, so headband color ultimately doesn't mean TMNT has to be for children. IDW has done a mostly great job, as did the 2003 show and the 1990 movie was pretty damn great.

[Leo656]

I feel like although they might not have had "Slash" nailed down yet as a character or concept, they most likely had the color black already set aside from the very beginning, to be used for an "evil" mutant turtle to be fleshed out later.

That just makes sense to me. One of the very earliest decisions about the toys and cartoon was that there were gonna be more mutants showing up, and an "evil" Ninja Turtle was most likely the very first idea that came up, even if it wasn't the first idea they fully fleshed out on paper. So if you're assigning colors, you need to save black for that inevitable Bad Guy Turtle.

That's what I always assumed. Probably what happened.

[PizzaPower1985]

I feel like although they might not have had "Slash" nailed down yet as a character or concept, they most likely had the color black already set aside from the very beginning, to be used for an "evil" mutant turtle to be fleshed out later.

That just makes sense to me. One of the very earliest decisions about the toys and cartoon was that there were gonna be more mutants showing up, and an "evil" Ninja Turtle was most likely the very first idea that came up, even if it wasn't the first idea they fully fleshed out on paper. So if you're assigning colors, you need to save black for that inevitable Bad Guy Turtle.

That's what I always assumed. Probably what happened.

Fair point. And is it wrong that Slash never really caught my attention until IDW got a hold of him?

[MsMarvelDuckie]

^ Nailed it!

[Leo656]

Slash is one of my favorite Character Concepts in TMNT that has never been done to my satisfaction (although I have not read IDW yet).

It's such a great idea and I love his "classic" visual, but no version of him that's ever been depicted really fully satisfied me. :ohwell: I guess Archie's version probably was my favorite, but even then... why does he always have such sh*tty origin stories?

It's so f*cking obvious that they simply drew the guy first, then came up with his origin story via dartboard. Shame.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I do kind of like his Nick version origin. So much irony in a turtle having a pet turtle, of all things. And he was a great character in that show!

[Leo656]

Meh. Me trying to remember things I actually liked about that show involves a lot more thought than I wanna put in right now.

I don't hate it. But I also don't like it. And there's really nothing from it I'd ever care to see carried over elsewhere. But that's me.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

To each his own. But didn't you say you never went past season 2? You really ought to give some of the later stuff a chance. I mean, even if you don't end up liking much of it, there's still a lot of good ideas in there. Maybe you might find something you could play with in your own stories, or at least find something to enjoy in terms of specific episodes.

[Leo656]

I don't think I made it through Season 1, frankly. :lol: I watched every episode for like, the first half, and was buying the DVDs, but it wasn't getting any less irritating so I stopped following it so religiously. After that, I'd catch random episodes on weekends once in a while, pretty much up til near the end, but every, EVERY time I put an episode on, I didn't like it. Half the time we'd just switch over to MLP: FiM. :trazz:

There's always the possibility that I just had bad luck and caught crummy episodes, but I think it's also pretty likely that it's just not for me. Many of the episodes' plots sounded just dreadful on paper, and I really didn't like the visual style or the show's sense of humor, either, so I don't think the execution would have elevated the ideas that I already didn't like reading about.

Too much Apriltello shipping, too much Magic April, too much "Why are these seemingly important plot points never even mentioned again?", too much Idiot Casey, too much bad "comedy", too many horror movie spoofs, too much FW fan-wank later on... man, this is going on, isn't it? :lol:

I'unno. It's just not my thing. I disagree far too strongly with just about every single decision they made from art style to character depictions to really ever embrace it. I gave it a chance. I'll probably see it all One Day, but my urgency to do so is... minimal.

I'm glad other people can get something out of it. It frustrates me, however, just based on my own tastes. And I'm getting old. I kinda promised myself at some point that I need to stop exposing myself to things that are only going to make me say out loud, "Y'know what's bullsh*t, though?" over and over again. And I said that A LOT watching that show.

Is what it is. As I've said many times, at this stage in life, I dislike more TMNT stuff than I like, and that's most likely only going to get worse over time as the brand continues aiming at an ever-younger audience. I don't like anything Nick has done and I think they're slowly killing the brand. But I'll survive, I'm fine with just The Older Stuff.

Nobody has to feel this way, but it's just how I feel. Like I said, I'll see the rest of the show One Day, probably out of boredom. Will I like it? Ehhh... Most likely not. We'll see!