Official Info on the Nick TMNT Series

[Roseangelo]

Originally Posted by DonnyTMNT

Rose, why do you get annoyed so easily at speculation? People are going to jump to conclusions with this stuff. You've all pretty much just bombed the entire TMNT universe with all of this information. Not everybody waits for the facts, unfortunately. You're dealing with (and myself included) many major fan boys and fan girls.

Because people start twisting it and talking about it as fact. Then all it takes is one less well-read fan to take the info and talk about it as fact for it to start spreading as a rumor that won't ever die.

[FearlessLeader]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

She is most definitely not part of the (announced) cast. Again, people are annoyingly jumping to conclusions.

Honestly, I got the feeling that she was dead and just part of the past that Splinter left behind in Japan.

This was honestly the same impression I got when reading everything you guys said

Guess we will wait and see.

[CyberCubed]

My suggestions:

- Age April to 18 at least. Don't make her look anorexic. Give her boobs if you have to.

- Don't call them Kraangs. Call them Utroms and have Krang show up as their leader.

- Have human and robot Foot Soldiers co-exist. Shredder should not give up his human ninja.

- Have Baxter a better backstory than just getting fired from a job.

[Koi]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

- Age April to 18 at least. Don't make her look anorexic. Give her boobs if you have to.

Who said she was anorexic?

[twopinacoladas]

Much of this news makes me less excited about this new show. The Kraang, I agree with the few other opinions that it would be better if it were a rouge group/gang of Utroms perhaps called Kraang. I would rather have the Triceratons to be honest but I am sure we will likely see them at some point anyway.

April being younger doesn't really serve a point, April in previous incarnations has been 22-23 years old or so. 27 maybe in the OT? It does kind of sound like its going to be like a Ultimate TMNT I didn't mind Ultimate Spider-Man but haven't followed it much beyond issue #100.

I will also just mention that I have never really got the feel that the TMNT were teenagers, for the most part they seem like adults. Which I guess teenagers are young adults other than acting goofy or Splinter not wanting them to venture to the surface I have never really got the feeling they were teenagers. I'd say as they are older they generally act very much the same say as in Vol 4 and prior. I guess that was one thing in the OT having Pizza and Mikey using the surfer lingo was perhaps gearing them to be more teenage.

Don having a crush on April I could do without. There is an episode on the Worlds Collide dvd where April was so impressed or happy with Don she says something to the effect "I could kiss you" Don seemed to blush or be happy and say "oh really". While cute I don't think I'd like to see anything go much further than that.

I'd like to see Casey in the first season. Robot foot soldiers I could deal with, Kraang foot soldiers what would be better is if they were Utroms in exoskellitons perhaps with a pact with shredder could be alright and show where he is getting technology for robotic foot ninja I guess... Still not a fan of the premise.

The mutating people I don't care for, it seems that it will bring in lots of different mutants and could be a gimmick to make more toys to sell(?). I"d like it to be distanced from the OT and it reminds me of that.

Splinter being human, I am not a fan of nor am I a fan of him being 6 feet tall. Splinter having a daughter (Karai) with Tang Shen could have interesting stories or plot twists I suppose.

This series is seeming alike it could be a little annoying with little things that could bother me. I have enjoyed all incarnations of the TMNT minus TNM and I haven't read the Archie comics. I'd prefer it to stay away from the OT, which I am glad its not seeming to be really close to but some of these things put a damper on where I was hoping to see this show go.

After reading http://ninja-pizza.blogspot.com/ write up I feel a little more optimistic, tho somethings I am still not a fan of. I'll wait to see it for final judgment there may be a couple cool things brewing in there.

[Ninjinister]

Originally Posted by DonnyTMNT

Lol, you're the man Jester. It's ninjitsu, but no worries! None of their weapons are even kosher for ninjitsu except the bo staff...I think.

It's ninjutsu.

[Toon]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

I am pretty sure they are on one side, but my memory of this isn't 100%.

One side, yes.

[Toon]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

The Kraang is a deal breaker for me. Horrible idea.

Deal breaker? They're Utroms with a different name, that's all.

[Toon]

Originally Posted by Cure

I'm glad this isn't just Mirage crap. I was afraid of that after that Toon guy (or maybe someone else) said they had stacks of Vol. 1 around.

My point in saying that was that everyone expected Nick to just throw a Fred Wolf party and be done with it. They did the exact opposite.

[Ninjinister]

Originally Posted by Toon

So stop saying it. It's Kraang, no 's' at the end. Again, just a throwback to the OT.

So it is two "a"s? I'd seen it spelled both ways so I wasn't certain.

[Toon]

Originally Posted by DonnyTMNT

any idea how old the Turtles are starting off in this series?

One thing that has always bugged me about the turtle shows (especially 2K3) is that they never really come off like teenagers.

Originally Posted by DonnyTMNT

They should all be around the same size.

I've never once seen 4 brothers that are all the same size. It's not like there's ridiculous differences; some are slightly taller, some slightly shorter. Donnie is the tallest, Mikey the shortest. They're all generally the same size.

[sdp]

I like that you guys aren't forgetting Mirage stuff but I also hope you guys don't forget OT stuff as well. I'd love this to be a mix of all the previous universes with its own take on it and not just a kid friendly take on Mirage. We already got Mirage with 2k3 its time to change it up a bit.

[Kendamu]

It's a neat throwback and I'm glad the characters are there. It's like "Thanagarian Snare Beast" instead of "Giant Spider" (Kevin Smith, anyone?). However, throwing the word "Utrom" in there somewhere would also be cool as a throwback to what they're actually called.

Either way, I'm cool with it, but I'm more easygoing than I probably should be.

[Toon]

Originally Posted by The Ninjinister

So it is two "a"s? I'd seen it spelled both ways so I wasn't certain.

Yeah, two 'a's.

[Jester]

Originally Posted by Toon

Deal breaker? They're Utroms with a different name, that's all. And it's not just a different name; it's a throwback to the original series, while keeping the Mirage characters intact.

Toon say what? If they're Utroms, and true to the Mirage counterparts, then why are they "evil" and helping Shredder?

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Toon

Yeah, two 'a's. Probably a writer's way of making it seem more alien. I'll admit it bugged me (a little) at first, but now I kinda dig the throwback. I think it's a great way to stay true to the characters while still acknowledging the other incarnation.

It's a great way to acknowledge the Fred Wolf incarnation... but why is that acknowledgement necessary?

One thing that has always bugged me about the turtle shows (especially 2K3) is that they never really come off like teenagers. In this current incarnation, they really feel like teenagers.

Based on what sliding scale? Referencing/spouting out enough topical pop culture references? Rebelling against "dad," maybe?

They're supposed to be ninja freaks (to mankind, anyway) trained in a sewer to kill a guy by their master. What age they happen to be is incidental. What human-relateable teenagerisms would be pretty sparing.

Disclaimer: I understand this is a new universe divorced from the source material and I understand the target audience.

[Jester]

Dispite the fact that you loathe the Fred Wolf series, it's what MOST people think of when they hear Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Jester

Dispite the fact that you loathe the Fred Wolf series, it's what MOST people think of when they hear Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

If by "most people" you mean people well, well outside of the target demographic of a show like this, then you're correct.

I just see little benefit in reinforcing a name already rooted in fallacy by amping up the fallacy factor (as if it wasn't enough that the Fred Wolf cartoon made folks confuse/cross-pollinate Krang with the Utroms, now a whole new generation of people will come up thinking of the whole Utrom race as "Krangs").

A Brainiac-like Utrom named Krang with the toothlessness of the Fred Wolf cartoon stripped away that comes to Earth to wreak hell? That would be a perfectly equitable way to throw a bone to the Krang of yore while still keeping things roots-wise fairly copasetic. A gang of brain-like beings called "Krangs"/"The Krange"/whatever that aren't Utroms? Not so much.

Just saying.

[Jester]

I don't disagree there. I'd much prefer a rogue Utrom named Krang.

And even if "most people" are out of the age demo for the show....some of them have kids who are. And most good animated series are written in levels anyway. There is the basic level for the target demo, but there are in-jokes and more for lack of a better term "adult" gags for us. Like (and this is a terrible parallel): Animaniacs.

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by Toon

My point in saying that was that everyone expected Nick to just throw a Fred Wolf party and be done with it. They did the exact opposite. Definitely not rehashing Mirage, but absolutely using it as the jumping-off point.

In which way do you mean this, Toon? Obviously, you know much more about the show then I do, but given details like Splinter being human, and Shredder having a Mutant making machine, one could say there is quite a bit of Fred Wolf influence. Where do you see the Mirage influence taking place?