The Groundchuck and Dirtbag Thread
 

These two get overlooked because of Bebop and Rocksteady and Rahzar and Tokka both mutant duos that seem to have a solid fan base and individual for that matter. Groundchuck and Dirtbag premired in part 1 of Planet of The Turtleoids" and made an appearance in the follwoing episode in 1991 and later in "Escape From The Planet of The Turtleoids" in 1993. Both appeared in NES Manhattan Project as separate bosses. Dirtbag appeared in Radical Rescue for Gameboy however Groundchuck was absent. It was much like Bebop being left out of Hyperstone Hiest. Both had a toy figure out in 1991. Groundchuck was described as loyal to Shredder and always ready to fight despite Groundchuck and Dirtbag refusing to take orders from Shredder from the start. Dirtbag was said to have Splinter as his main opponent strangely enough in the toy description. Neither have been used beyond that unfortuantely aside from Groundhuck appearing on a folder in a series of TMNT school folders. Should these two be used again? If so,how would you like to be? Did you have a favorite between the two?

These are two of my favorite mutants after Bebop/Rocksteady and Rahzar/Tokka.

Once again Shredder/Krang decide to create another pair of mutants, but I liked how these two were created by accident when they originally wanted to use a lion and a gorilla.

I loved them in the show, I loved their toys, and I loved them in TMNT III on the NES. I think they are great characters and I'd love to see Nick bring them back.

You see that is the problem. There are three pairs of evil mutants and they are pair #3. I enjoy them as character myself. While IDW and Nick should be inclined to create new mutant characters I would to revisit some that were under utilized like this duo,Armaggon, and Scumbug. At least a nod to them. If Bebop and Rocksteady are indeed mutated in IDW or even the Nick cartoon have them set up to be a bull and mole but something happens that makes them mutate into a warthog and rhino. A nod to how they came to be in the '87 series and the characters as overall as well. I guess what I am saying is this duo is often overlooked or even looked at individually because of other characters that are perhaps more prominent or popular.I would to see them again to just to see further use of the characters and see what can be done with them.

Well the solo mutants like Slash and Armaggon are popular based on their characters.

The only other "duo mutants" I can think of is maybe Antrax and Scmbug in the show, but in Archie it was Antrax and Wyrm. Either way they're 3 bug mutants so it doesn't matter.

I think Groundchuck and Dirtbag making it into the videogames was nice. Not many other obscure characters did outside the mains.

I love Groundchuck and Dirtbag. They were two of my favorite figures when I was younger and part of what makes me fondly remember TMNT III for the NES. The OT had a habit of creating these one off mutants and never revisiting them which is definitely a product of the 80's / 90's storytelling.

I would love it if these character's came back in some way in the IDW ongoing or the Nickelodeon Toon. Personally I hope that Hob eventually severs his ties with Baxter and starts a gang of mutants that can act as a third thorn in the side of the Turtles after the Foot and the Krang / Stockman Connection.

I'm afraid a case of "Just what we needed: more mutants!" may prevent Nick from making a new appearance, especially given that we may not even see Bebop & Rocksteady in the new series.

I had a Groundchuck figure growing up which naturally made it my favorite, and with Dogpound and Fishface coming to Nick, it becomes pair #4 to Nick. I would think that G&D would more actively seek the Turtles' lair due to its digging ability if they returned for another episode. In terms of the bosses in TMNT III, I find both of them among the easiest to defeat, especially Groundchuck, though Dirtbag forces you to keep jumping over his laser gun for several minutes.

Having it just Leatherhead who may not even be evil outside the four turtles and Splinter make it less interesting and hurt a prespective character roster. As long as the mutant is not a one-shot throw away that is.

I thought the approach that they did not want to work for Shredder only themselves was great as well as bringing them into space. Slash should have met up with them! That would have been fun to see!

I thought about overlooked characters within the franchise that are ripe for more usage in an iteration and this duo comes to mind before most. How could theybwork in 2016? Appearance in the upcoming game Mutants In Mamhattan? A rolevto play in IDW's comic?

So far, there are FIVE pairs of hench mutants in all of TMNT lore:

Bebop & Rocksteady
Fishface & Dogpound
Tokka & Rahzar
Koya & Bludgeon
Groundchuck & Dirtbag

Of the five, I think they're the least known. I'd love to see them appear in IDW, maybe if Hob ever gets around to trying to make more mutants. A badger and a bull could be come across fairly easily... well, if they were in the country.

He's a mole, not a badger. S'why he comes with a shovel, head-light bearing helmet, & tunnels underground. :trazz:

DB's a big favorite of mine, but I'm not sure he & Groundchuck would fit in with either series tonally. They're a bit on the wacky side...

Sorry, you're right. I was gonna type "mole" but for some reason, all that came to mind was a starfish-nosed mole and I was like "Hell NO that ain't Dirtbag! Must not be a mole." :tlol:

They seemed to have been pushed a lot in the 90's and then forgotten about.

They got a debut in a 1-hour special "Planet of the Turtleoids," got two toys made out of them, and were both bosses in TMNT III on the NES. They got a second appearance in the original cartoon in Season 7 too.

Then after that...nothing. Its really weird.

I never really knew they were a duo and always saw them as second rate mutants.

Everytime they showed up they were a duo.

I'd argue Koya and Bludgeon are even less known than Groundchuck and Dirtbag. And there's also Amok and Overdrive.

Well they did get an appearance in the TMNT Monopoly so that's something I guess.
Except in the video games of course.

Yeah, but more people are reading IDW comics than may remember two or three specific episodes from a cartoon that never had consistent broadcasts.

It's definitely, close, though, and could go either way.

The IDW comic is only 4 years old, and Koya/Bludgeon only appeared in the recent 2 years. They're definitely obscure characters overall.

They were in what, two episodes later in the series (which I didn't see as a kid) and the video games most people didn't play? That's the reason they're obscure and I didn't even know they were a duo. I remember them well from their figures but to me they were not as interesting as other figures or mutants I had seen on the show so they've never been a bleep on my radar or cared for them either as a kid or now. I wouldn't mind seeing them again but there's plenty of other characters I'd rather see first.

Fishface/Dogpound were an awesome duo, too bad Dogpound became Rahzar and ruined two great original characters


A comic series which is read by a few thousand of people or two characters who were in videogames, had toys and in a cartoon watched by millions during the turtles fad
not close.

TMNT III on Nes sold a ton. Plenty saw them.