Carter

[Sage Ninja]

what is every ones thoughts on Carter in the last two seasons of the classic toon? Do you think his presence brought a fresh presence to the show that it really needed that had been on for some many years, or no? Do you consider him a better human companion to the turtles than April because he was an actual fighter unlike her? Or did you resent that his presence caused April's presence to be phased out of the show more and more?

Personally I couldn't stand Carter when he came into the show when I was a kid. I thought he was a waste of a character that could have been used to focus on already established characters. But as a more mature and wiser adult (ok maybe not all that mature) I realized that he's not all that bad and I don't resent him as much for sort of taking April's place, because I know see that even April's distancing from the turtles had it's own merits. I still don't like him as much as I liked April but I thought he brought a diffrent view point to the show. However I would have liked it better if he was just a normal person with out the freaky mutation thing, I thought that was too forced and dimmed his appeal as a character a bit. I can also appreciate that Carter character was handled with having an actual personality instead of just being a flashy sterotype of a black guy.

so what about you guys? What are your thoughts and feeling on Carter's inclusion toward the end and his character in general?

[Rooish]

Well, as a kid I don't think I really watched Red Sky. (Either that or I just can't remember it ... which is likely, since, although I remember its theme song, the only episode of the OT of which I have childhood memories is "Michaelangelo's Birthday." Probably because I was scared Mike was going to be melted by acid ...)

But anyway, I vaguely vaguely remember Carter. And as a kid, I don't think I had much opinion on him. In general I wasn't a fan of human characters. But I didn't mind him; he was pretty inoffensive.

Now, watching the show, I kind of like him. He was useful and occasionally smart, and not incredibly annoying (possibly because he was a bit older than, say, Zach). I don't think the series suffered from his addition, because he didn't really take much screen time away from the Turtles.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Is he named after Jimmy Carter? But one thing makes me happy: Discussions likes these (about the 1987 cartoon) seems to be back here again, like it was some years ago.

[Kendamu]

When I first saw him, I was like, "Who's this guy? Another Keno? A less annoying Zack?"

I didn't really care for him, but I didn't really feel bothered that he was there, either. It was just like, "Okay. Whatever."

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

His mutations were annoying.

[Cipher]

When I first saw him as a kid, I remember being pretty apathetic about his character, but thinking his yellow mutant mode was pretty bad-ass. Looking back on it, I still think he's alright, but that he could've used a little more characterization. He really didn't have alot of time to shine with how quickly the last two seasons clipped along, though.

Also, look for a special appearance by Carter in the lower left hand corner of the cover to TMNT Vol. 1 #3, ten years before he appeared in the cartoon. It's either a huge coincidence, or they just decided to use some old cover bystander for his design.

[Coola Yagami]

*checks the cover* WTF???? You're RIGHT!!!

[Cipher]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

*checks the cover* WTF???? You're RIGHT!!!

Yeah. I just noticed last year when I pulled out my old issue 3, and was like, "Carter better watch out for that van. Wait, huh?"

[VaughnMichael]

Yeah that dude always reminded me of Carter.

[Coola Yagami]

Seeing as he appeared 10 years later in the last 2 seasons of the cartoon... I guess it's a given that he did dodge that van in time...? maybe he was curious about the green guys that were driving it and eventually tracked them down to the sewers? And we thought the old cartoon didn't have enough Mirage elements...

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Maybe people should look more after Mirage elements.

[Evenstar227]

I've only watched 2.5 episodes of Red Sky off OT season 1, but I don't really care for Carter. I'm not a big fan of close human friends other than April & Casey, and his constant emoing about his mutation was annoying. IMO he would have done better as a one-shot character, or occasional recurring character.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Let their human friends stay human, like April, Casey Jones and Irma.

[TheUltimateShredhead]

I liked Carter. I think it was great seeing a new character in the team for a new era of the series.

[Ninjinister]

I think Carter was too much of a deus ex machina. Before they all began their second mutations, and even sometimes after, the Turtles would be in a bind and all like "Oh no! We'll never make it!" Enter a yellow-skinned mohawked mutant, and they're saved.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Does that guy on the Mirage cover appears later in Mirage?

[BigApple3AM]

Originally Posted by Cipher

Also, look for a special appearance by Carter in the lower left hand corner of the cover to TMNT Vol. 1 #3, ten years before he appeared in the cartoon. It's either a huge coincidence, or they just decided to use some old cover bystander for his design.

I remember finding issue 3 at a local comic store and thinking that character must have been integral to the story in the issue. I bought it and it kind of took me a second to realize he's just foreground scenery. It does look like Carter though, nice catch on that one.

Edit: Silly me didn't answer the question of the thread. As a kid watching the show I didn't like Carter, he was too whiney, and the shows "edginess" was kind of lame. All it really did for me was take away the goofy charm. What was left was just action/adventure but not at anywhere near the level that something like the new cartoon is at. I didn't care much for Red Sky episodes back in the day but these days I don't mind them at all, in fact I like them for being different. Carter has grown on me a lot and it was certainly cool to finally get a black character on the show since Baxter was turned white.

And J 1982: I'm not even sure the guy on the cover is in the issue itself, let alone a future issue. Like I said above he was just scenery.

[Jelly Bean]

hmm, I've grown quite fond of April in the 80's toon, I'm not sure I would like a guy that takes her place as the turtles human friend.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I think Casey Jones is much cooler than Carter.

[NameGoesHere1066]

I can also appreciate that Carter character was handled with having an actual personality instead of just being a flashy sterotype of a black guy.

excuse me? Whats that supposed to mean?