Is it time for the TMNT to update their look?
 

The Tmnt have basically been wearing the same headbands and straps since the 80's. The only changes have been very small (ex. 80's elbow pads= 00's elbow straps = 12's elbow tape )and none have reflected the turtles personalities.
The new "dark leo" costume finally brings a drastically new look to a turtle that reflects his personality. Of all the turtles, he is the most dedicated to being a ninja. Now he actually looks like a ninja.

So after seeing the new "Dark leo" outfit do you guys think it's time for the turtles to change their look? Should Donnie look more like a scientist etc.? Or is the classic look to good to change?

Dark Leo? What's that?

No, if it aint Broke dont Fix it...

this is one of those examples where such words ring true..

http://santolouco.deviantart.com/art...?_sid=5ec33e5d

A couple pictures of leo's city fall costume.
I think it would work well with blue instead of red.

What would you consider an update to their look? 2k12 has them all with different body types so that's an update.

No. But this has definitely been done before, look into the Image Volume 3.

Oh okay, I see...I didn't recognize what Dark Leo was because I don't read the IDW comics.

But to your answer your question, no. I think they should be consistent with their designs. And the Nick series is the first series to really change up the turtles designs. They're all different heights, different shades of green, different eye colors, Donnie is skinny and has a gap in his tooth, Mikey is short and has freckles, and Raph is bulkier with a chunk of his shell missing.

Just wait for the Michael Bay movie. I'm sure they'll have full tactical gear and will be using machine guns at one point.

The turtles have always been different shades of green, so thats nothing new. Donatelo was even brown at one point.
I do like the physical differences in the new show though. Having different body types and eye colors is a good step in the right direction. But what I was referingto was the actual costumes they wear.
Even in the new cartoon they all have the exact same color swapped costumes. The only difference is donnie and leos belt. I always wanted to see a bit more variation than that.
Take a baskeball team as an example. Every player does not wear the exact same wrist tape, elbow pad, knee strap combo. The accesories and aids vary from player to player.

Image maimed and disfigured the turtles. What they did in those books is far from what im talking about. Im talking about costume changes.

From a marketing standpoint, I don't see it happening--at least nothing beyond the tweaking that we've already gotten in various versions (Image Comics aside).

New TMNT stuff is going to be made with a new audience in consideration first and foremost, but if they keep the characters looking the same, they also bring in an older demographic who is comfortable enough with the TMNT already, and might continue to make older stuff profitable, since it all looks "the same".

So after looking at the "Dark Leo" image, and just out of curiosity... you want the Turtles to wear costumes/clothes/armor...?

Aren't their shells pretty much all the armor they need?

I don't know...if the Turtles wear/carry too much on themselves, they would seem more like "Robocop" or "Terminator" Turtles than ninja Turtles. I'm sure carrying all of that equipment isn't practical when the Turtles have to do somersaults and flips, and would definitely impede their quickness in fighting.

hmmm.....I like the way they look now.

I don't like it when they wear too much...it gets in the way ( at least to me)
kneepads, wrappings, belts, and masks seem good enough for me XD

besides they live in a sewer, who has time for costumes XD

Are you talking about toys? Because the turtles have not always been different shades of green. I also ask because, unless im mistaken, the brown Donatello was just for playmates. As far as "costumes" go, I never thought that te turtles wore costumes, but I guess I follow what you're saying. But what kind of update to their look are you really meaning? Like have them wear t shirts or something?

First off, No, i wouldnt want them to wear more armor. The only metal part in the final dark leo outfit is the armored left arm and claw, the rest is leather or cloth. so i don't seeit weighing him down too much. Shredder wears 10x as much and doesnt seem too hindered.

Second, i dont even want armor for the other turtles. i was thinking things that match their personalities. example donnie wearing goggles and a utility belt filled with visable tech gear( things you would expect an IT guy to bring to your office). Maybe mikey wearing skate style knee and elbow pads since he's an excelent skater. small things like that.

No. There is nothing wrong with them they way they are.

I guess with the image it's showing two armored claws (one on each side) and the image said "frontal plate armor", and it seemed like Dark Leo was carrying two more additional weapons on his belt. At least with Shredder most of his armor was tightly attached to his body, but with Dark Leo, the heavier weighted appearing claws and the additional weapons on his belt would cause his body weight to be further away from his center of gravity, and cause greater inertia problems when performing a somersault or flip.
But whatever... :ohwell:
...I'm deviating from the topic though. :ohwell: (Thinking too hard about it. :lol:)

It could look unique to their personalities, but I think that it wouldn't be applicable in most situations since they are usually fighting a lot of time. I mean it could work for an action figure costume sort of way, but not for everyday fighting use though.

No, they look fine the way they are. No need to put extra stuff on them just for kicks.

No need, but I am happy seeing them reinterpreted with each new version of the turtles. Those smaller scale yet quite obvious design changes (such as the new Nick TMNT) are quite welcome in my world, and I think they keep things fresh and interesting without deviating too far from what we've come to know. I would humor a more radical change too though, I do love The Next Mutation after all!

Maybe some minor updates, but nothing too extreme. It looks terrible when they appear to be dressed in a costume, I mean, they already look unique as it is. I'm not a big fan of the IDW Dark Leo look, the art is amazing, but it's all a bit frou-frou. Rip that crap off and you fight better. That said, I quite enjoyed the Fast Forward designs, the weapons not so much, but their gear looked slicker and not too cumbersome. But this is all my personal opinion, of course.

Except...I'm pretty sure in the new show their bandages on their hands/feet ARE different colors? I remember thinking that Raph's at the very least looked a shade darker than his bros, and I'm sure his aren't the only ones.

I personally like keeping them with consistent outfits. They're turtles, they don't really need a whole lots of clothes and the gear they all well is functional and practical. Sure, for specific situations I LOVE seeing them in new outfits, but that's only when the situation calls for it. If Don was always running around in a lab coat, not only would it really start to feel like a costume instead of actual clothes, but it would lend the even greater stereotype to his character, and same goes for anything else his bros might wear. I do quite like Dark Leo's new look, but it's not something I'd want to see him permanently wearing from now on.

Raph wearing the casey jones mask and becoming the shredder, Donny actually becoming the technology he is so known for... How exactly does this not match what you are saying??

Eastman and Laird themselves designed alternate costumes...that went on to be used as the Stump Wrestling costumes in the Archie books.

Raph's face was almost burned off so he had no choie but to cover his face. Donnie's body was destroyed so he needed robo parts. These are both sudden changes made because the turtles were disfigured... both instances were "shock value changes" that didn't really flow organically from the characters imo.

What im talking about are small changes that stem from their experiences and personalities. Like if raph started wearing padded gloves because he had been punching things too hard. Just simple things that diferentiate more than the exact same bandages reskinned in four different shades of brown.

I disliked the costumes but i loved raphs reaction to them. He continued to wear his all black suit after returning to earth because it made him feel more like a ninja.

So...we're to talk about alternate looks/costumes...unless you don't particularly care for them or don't count them as alternatives. Good to know.

I don't think it would bother me as long as it wasn't "permanent". Like, the city fall costume we're talking about.

Spider-Man has several different legit costumes, black suit, iron spider, etc. but he keeps coming back to, and is most recognizable for wearing the blue and red suit. Same with Batman. He may where black and Gray, or blue and yellow, but he's still Batman.

I like the turtles the way they are so please never change them! I hated their look in that next mutation show.

They already had a design update, the Nick designs are a drastic change to the main canon design.

As for costumes, usually not a fan. and I am glad dark Leo costume in City Fall is just temporarily.

I found the little updates on the Nick turtles quite refreshing. It's nicer for them to have recognizable traits such as the eye colors and body types. Now they are more like individuals.

But still, I can't imagine liking anything more extreme. Not only would too much gear get in the way of their fighting, but it would just feel unnecessary.

They all have their known images, Mikey being the "party dude" for example, but they are so much more than that. Highlighting such things would strengthen preconceptions and would make them seem, I don't know, one-dimensional for people who don't know them that well.

I guess I just like their individuality to be emphasized with something else than clothing.

To quote Leo from the 2k3 show: "What is it with humans and clothes?" :tlol:

Anyhoo, I love the eyecolors, too. That's one of the things I loved about the 2k7 movie. Com'on...how can you NOT love Mikey with huge blue eyes?

I like what Nick has done with TMNT. Changed them, but not too much. I do like how they have the different heights and body shapes, too.

The bandages and stuff were enough. I mean they even grew an extra toe. That's change enough.

Their tails shrunk into their bodies and sprouted out between their toes.

Yeah, that's enough change for the Turtles. :P

In all honesty, though, I echo others in liking how Nick made the Turtles have more varying traits without all-out changing them.

For those who haven't read the comics or is familiar with the lore, Kevin and Peter actually had thought of costumes for the Turtles, which we got to see later in the Archie series when the guys were in the Intergalactic Wrestling Federation.

Costumes just look weird with the huge shells underneath, they look fine as they are, and I much prefer the changes that the Nick show made than the changes from the NM show.

First time I agree with alliance. They look awesome and recognizable the way they look now.