Why should the TMNT act like normal human teenagers?

*Andrew NDB* · 11-04-2013, 08:55 PM

(I will paraphrase from another thread, as I think this is worthy of its own)

I don't understand the need and want in more recent media and from latter day writers on things like Tales V2, the IDW stuff (though the IDW almost gets a pass because in that, the Turtles are reincarnations of little Feudal Japan human boys... though that in itself should almost make them more alien) and the Nicktoon to write the Turtles as being normal human teenagers... when they are anything but.

You know, they did not attend George Middleton Elementary. They did not go to Prom with little Suzie. They did not cheat on their homework off of Randy Brenner's paper. They did not get sent to the principal's office for being unruly in class, or rack their brains for weeks on their senior thesis.

No, they were basically "born" and raised in a sewer, cut off and isolated from mankind, to one day go above ground and assassinate a guy. Their "education" is a lifelong course in ninjitsu... that's it. While their age may be teenage, that kind of seems incidental to me -- they would not have had anything remotely resembling a normal human teenaged sensibility and it's weird that anyone would think that they would or should.

Do you agree they should be portrayed as normal human teenagers who just happen to be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Do you think that aspect should be dialed back?

View Poll Results: Should the TMNT act like normal teenagers?
Yeah, they should, makes them relateable and stuff.	9	20.45%
No, they shouldn't, it's stupid.	3	6.82%
Yes, to some degree, but not overdone.	32	72.73%
Voters: 44. You may not vote on this poll

11-04-2013, 08:55 PM	#1
Andrew NDB Weed Whacker Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 34,528	Why should the TMNT act like normal human teenagers? (I will paraphrase from another thread, as I think this is worthy of its own) I don't understand the need and want in more recent media and from latter day writers on things like Tales V2, the IDW stuff (though the IDW almost gets a pass because in that, the Turtles are reincarnations of little Feudal Japan human boys... though that in itself should almost make them more alien) and the Nicktoon to write the Turtles as being normal human teenagers... when they are anything but. You know, they did not attend George Middleton Elementary. They did not go to Prom with little Suzie. They did not cheat on their homework off of Randy Brenner's paper. They did not get sent to the principal's office for being unruly in class, or rack their brains for weeks on their senior thesis. No, they were basically "born" and raised in a sewer, cut off and isolated from mankind, to one day go above ground and assassinate a guy. Their "education" is a lifelong course in ninjitsu... that's it. While their age may be teenage, that kind of seems incidental to me -- they would not have had anything remotely resembling a normal human teenaged sensibility and it's weird that anyone would think that they would or should. Do you agree they should be portrayed as normal human teenagers who just happen to be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Do you think that aspect should be dialed back? __________________ [ ODYSSEY \| ORIGIN \| THE IMAGE/VOL. 3 CONCLUSION \| THE SHELLSHOCKED PODCAST \| ON FACEBOOK ]