What do you think about different skin-colored TMNT?

*Andrew NDB* · 07-26-2015, 02:31 PM

Let's forget the bandanna color debate, that's a separate matter. But when I think about it, I think the different skin-colored TMNT that seems to be being pushed as the norm is even more ridiculous and insulting to one's intelligence than that whole matter.

Red-earred sliders don't have different skin colors. And even if there were, if these guys are supposed to be brothers, from the same Mama Turtle...? I think in IDW they're supposed to be sea turtles but even with those I'm pretty sure there's no disparity within a single batch of eggs.

It's like literally, even factoring out the always-asinine letters on the belts thing (and nothing is more insulting than having the letters on the belts AND different skin colors), TPTB are telling you, "We don't trust you to be able to recognize which Turtle is which because of the weapons they're carrying, or their body types, or even their individualized rainbow bandanna colors... we need to give them different skin colors so you can really, really tell them apart."

*neatoman* · 07-26-2015, 02:59 PM

Uh-huh, why do have such a problem with trying to make them seem less like clones of each other? Can't you accept that most people get confused by four visually identical characters? There's a reason Ben Reilly dyed his hair and Evil Spock had a beard.

As for the skin colors, they're mutants. Who cares if red-earred sliders don't have different skin colors in real-life, they don't really resemble that species after the mutation. They're not always red-earred sliders either, in the IDW series they're sea turtles and in the 4Kids cartoon it appears they were tortoises.

PangolinFeets · 07-26-2015, 03:01 PM

Or to give them more personality? I like the newer designs where they're pretty different-looking. I don't think it's hand-holding.

Duke Nukem · 07-26-2015, 03:31 PM

I doubt it was designed to make it easier to tell them apart in comics and film as much as making the toys look as different as possible so that people were more likely to buy all four of them.

Edit: Also:

At around 1:20 "Hey man take yo light green ass to the next room!"

*Powder* · 07-26-2015, 03:31 PM

I've always been a fan of it. I like the red-masked Playmates-skinned look. Best of both worlds IMO.

*Leo656* · 07-26-2015, 03:33 PM

It kinda is a little bit hand-holding. Like Andrew said, it is kind of pandering. There's logically no reason at all they'd be different colors. Whether people like it or not isn't the issue. The point he's making is that realistically, it makes no sense at all, especially IF they're supposed to all be related.

It kinda doesn't bother me, but it's definitely a little odd. Anything, ever, where it's like, "So, why'd they do that?" "Eh, no reason. Just Looks Cool." I kinda hate that. I get annoyed by anything that can't justify itself. "Why's Batman have a thousand piped seams all over his costume now, even in places there wouldn't logically be seams?" "Eh, just looks cool." "Why'd that one wrestler do like 6 flips when he jumped off the top rope onto the other guy, why didn't he just drop an elbow on his sternum?" "Eh, just looks cool." I hate that sh*t. Not always, like, violently, but it's like, at least have a reason for things beyond "Why not?"

In this case I kind of don't care and I can live with it, but it's not how I personally would have done it. I always picture them the same color by default as there's no reason at all that they wouldn't be.

spookycookies · 07-26-2015, 03:34 PM

The skin tones don't bother me, I mean they are mutants so I don't expect them to be 100% similar to any species of turtle. The initials on the their belt buckles was like a kiddy super hero thing that I don't expect to see outside of the original cartoon. I do like seeing them with individual gear but I wasn't a fan of the costumes they all had in the 2014 movie, it was too busy for me.

*Andrew NDB* · 07-26-2015, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PangolinFeets

Or to give them more personality?

The color of one's skin denotes personality? That sounds pretty racist.

*Leo656* · 07-26-2015, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

The color of one's skin denotes personality? That sounds pretty racist.

Spoiler:

I had to.

The chance was NEVER going to come again in this lifetime.

PangolinFeets · 07-26-2015, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

The color of one's skin denotes personality? That sounds pretty racist.

We're talking about cartoon mutant turtles written by not-the-best writers*. It's not a new concept.

*To clarify, I thought this was the 2k3 cartoon thread. I do not think the comics are poorly written. Sorry Paul&IDW stafflurkers. :p

*neatoman* · 07-26-2015, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo656

Spoiler:

I had to.

The chance was NEVER going to come again in this lifetime.

You know, Hulk Hogan has pretty dark skin himself...

*Leo656* · 07-26-2015, 04:39 PM

I think that's why George Foreman's still his friend and forgave him.

PangolinFeets · 07-26-2015, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo656

I think that's why George Foreman's still his friend and forgave him.

Now that's racist. :-X

(I had to look that up, actually. HH dropped a racial slur in a podcast and now WWE cut their ties with him? I'm surprised I didn't hear more about it.)

Getting back on topic, the turtles don't really look much like any specific turtle species to begin with so that argument against color variations doesn't really hold water. I've heard some version are based on based on RES, but have none of their features, aside from the physical turtle-y ones (Not to mention that I'm pretty sure there is some color variation among RES). I still think the best canon rational is that the mutagen has all sorts of weird properties that would mess with how they look.

*Redeemer* · 07-26-2015, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo656

Spoiler:

I had to.

The chance was NEVER going to come again in this lifetime.

lol so awesome !!!!!!!

*Leo656* · 07-26-2015, 05:05 PM

I usually excel at extremely dated jokes and references, so I figured I'd be topical for a change.

*Candy Kappa* · 07-26-2015, 05:45 PM

I like that the Turtles have different skin color, cause y'know what. Turtles do have different skin color, it may not be as apparent for someone who's not used to seeing turtles often, but they do. Markings, color, size, shape, it's all unique.

One of my favorite designs have different skin color and body build on the Turtles, and that's the OotS version off the Turtles, not only that, but they also have more proper turtle markings which I'm a huge fan off. As they are supposed to be Red-Eared Sliders, which are not a very "mundane" colored turtle, they can be quite colorful in their youth.

And the vintage Playmates skin color paired up with the red masks is a very solid look too. I'm a sucker for Don's dark olive, almost brown skin color.

*CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy* · 07-26-2015, 06:01 PM

Personally, I don't like how each turtle has a drastically different skin tone than the other three. Or even when Mikey and Raph are darker green, and Leo and Don are lighter green.

I've always assumed four baby turtles from the same mother turtle, and these guys are TURTLES, not kittens. They should look pretty much the same.

And as a little kid, I was always confused by how Don was brown not green. I'd never seen any brown-skinned turtles. At least the other three were shades of green...

**Jester** · 07-26-2015, 06:03 PM

The thing I always wonder is do we really know that the Turtles were from the same clutch of eggs? I mean they're pet shop turtles. Born and breed on a turtle farm. Can we say with certainty they all came from the same mama slider?

*CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy* · 07-26-2015, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

The thing I always wonder is do we really know that the Turtles were from the same clutch of eggs? I mean they're pet shop turtles. Born and breed on a turtle farm. Can we say with certainty they all came from the same mama slider?

Not really, because we do only first see them in a pet shop glass bowl.

But again, they are all the same breed of turtle. And turtles don't have the genetic diversity or cosmetic diversity or whatever the hell gives you a litter of kittens all black and white, calico, orange tabby, everything under the sun all from one mama.

qt.bangerang · 07-26-2015, 07:45 PM

It doesn't bother me. I have a different skin tone then my 3 siblings and the 4 of us come from the same 2 parents...so why can't 4 mutant turtles whose father is a mutant rat have different skin tones?

View Poll Results: What do you think about different skin-colored TMNT?
Doesn't bother me	95	84.07%
It's kind of stupid	12	10.62%
Yeah, it's really stupid	6	5.31%
Voters: 113. You may not vote on this poll

07-26-2015, 02:31 PM	#1
Andrew NDB Weed Whacker Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 29,251	What do you think about different skin-colored TMNT? Let's forget the bandanna color debate, that's a separate matter. But when I think about it, I think the different skin-colored TMNT that seems to be being pushed as the norm is even more ridiculous and insulting to one's intelligence than that whole matter. Red-earred sliders don't have different skin colors. And even if there were, if these guys are supposed to be brothers, from the same Mama Turtle...? I think in IDW they're supposed to be sea turtles but even with those I'm pretty sure there's no disparity within a single batch of eggs. It's like literally, even factoring out the always-asinine letters on the belts thing (and nothing is more insulting than having the letters on the belts AND different skin colors), TPTB are telling you, "We don't trust you to be able to recognize which Turtle is which because of the weapons they're carrying, or their body types, or even their individualized rainbow bandanna colors... we need to give them different skin colors so you can really, really tell them apart." __________________ [ ODYSSEY \| ORIGIN \| THE IMAGE/VOL. 3 CONCLUSION \| THE SHELLSHOCKED PODCAST \| ON FACEBOOK ]

07-26-2015, 03:01 PM	#3
PangolinFeets Mad Scientist Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,321	Or to give them more personality? I like the newer designs where they're pretty different-looking. I don't think it's hand-holding. __________________ http://www.twitter.com/pangolinfeets http://www.comicartfans.com/galleryd...=3&gcat=106360

07-26-2015, 03:31 PM	#5
Powder So tired of this place Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Shell Ri La Posts: 26,803	I've always been a fan of it. I like the red-masked Playmates-skinned look. Best of both worlds IMO. __________________ I'm convinced that none of you have ever experienced joy

07-26-2015, 03:33 PM	#6
Leo656 The Franchise Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nWo Country Posts: 27,696	It kinda is a little bit hand-holding. Like Andrew said, it is kind of pandering. There's logically no reason at all they'd be different colors. Whether people like it or not isn't the issue. The point he's making is that realistically, it makes no sense at all, especially IF they're supposed to all be related. It kinda doesn't bother me, but it's definitely a little odd. Anything, ever, where it's like, "So, why'd they do that?" "Eh, no reason. Just Looks Cool." I kinda hate that. I get annoyed by anything that can't justify itself. "Why's Batman have a thousand piped seams all over his costume now, even in places there wouldn't logically be seams?" "Eh, just looks cool." "Why'd that one wrestler do like 6 flips when he jumped off the top rope onto the other guy, why didn't he just drop an elbow on his sternum?" "Eh, just looks cool." I hate that sht. Not always, like, violently, but it's like, at least have a reason for things beyond "Why not?" In this case I kind of don't care and I can live with it, but it's not how I personally would have done it. I always picture them the same color by default as there's no reason at all that they wouldn't be. __________________ "I left some words quite far from here to be a short reminder... I laid them out in stone, in case they need to last forever..." "But hey... I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know."* nWo Tech: The Official Thread Poison of the Technodrome Forums https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxr...awnHgDz1ceDcfA https://theroxxshow.blogspot.com/

07-26-2015, 03:31 PM	#4
Duke Nukem Hench Mutant Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 272	I doubt it was designed to make it easier to tell them apart in comics and film as much as making the toys look as different as possible so that people were more likely to buy all four of them. Edit: Also: At around 1:20 "Hey man take yo light green ass to the next room!"

07-26-2015, 03:34 PM	#7
spookycookies Stone Warrior Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: NEPA Posts: 572	The skin tones don't bother me, I mean they are mutants so I don't expect them to be 100% similar to any species of turtle. The initials on the their belt buckles was like a kiddy super hero thing that I don't expect to see outside of the original cartoon. I do like seeing them with individual gear but I wasn't a fan of the costumes they all had in the 2014 movie, it was too busy for me.

07-26-2015, 04:39 PM	#12
Leo656 The Franchise Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nWo Country Posts: 27,696	I think that's why George Foreman's still his friend and forgave him. __________________ "I left some words quite far from here to be a short reminder... I laid them out in stone, in case they need to last forever..." "But hey... I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know." nWo Tech: The Official Thread Poison of the Technodrome Forums https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxr...awnHgDz1ceDcfA https://theroxxshow.blogspot.com/

07-26-2015, 05:05 PM	#15
Leo656 The Franchise Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nWo Country Posts: 27,696	I usually excel at extremely dated jokes and references, so I figured I'd be topical for a change. __________________ "I left some words quite far from here to be a short reminder... I laid them out in stone, in case they need to last forever..." "But hey... I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know." nWo Tech: The Official Thread Poison of the Technodrome Forums https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxr...awnHgDz1ceDcfA https://theroxxshow.blogspot.com/

07-26-2015, 05:45 PM	#16
Candy Kappa The Agenda of Existing Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vikingland Posts: 14,596	I like that the Turtles have different skin color, cause y'know what. Turtles do have different skin color, it may not be as apparent for someone who's not used to seeing turtles often, but they do. Markings, color, size, shape, it's all unique. One of my favorite designs have different skin color and body build on the Turtles, and that's the OotS version off the Turtles, not only that, but they also have more proper turtle markings which I'm a huge fan off. As they are supposed to be Red-Eared Sliders, which are not a very "mundane" colored turtle, they can be quite colorful in their youth. And the vintage Playmates skin color paired up with the red masks is a very solid look too. I'm a sucker for Don's dark olive, almost brown skin color. __________________ devianArt Instagram Youtube Tumblr Art Blog Patreon

07-26-2015, 06:01 PM	#17
CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy Annalist Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 16,435	Personally, I don't like how each turtle has a drastically different skin tone than the other three. Or even when Mikey and Raph are darker green, and Leo and Don are lighter green. I've always assumed four baby turtles from the same mother turtle, and these guys are TURTLES, not kittens. They should look pretty much the same. And as a little kid, I was always confused by how Don was brown not green. I'd never seen any brown-skinned turtles. At least the other three were shades of green... __________________ *ALL THEIR DAYS ARE NUMBERED*

07-26-2015, 06:03 PM	#18
Jester Rat-faced Dude-guy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 26,216	The thing I always wonder is do we really know that the Turtles were from the same clutch of eggs? I mean they're pet shop turtles. Born and breed on a turtle farm. Can we say with certainty they all came from the same mama slider? __________________ "Clearly, you're Ninja Turtling incorrectly." - Leo656

07-26-2015, 07:45 PM	#20
qt.bangerang Foot Soldier Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: TN Posts: 101	It doesn't bother me. I have a different skin tone then my 3 siblings and the 4 of us come from the same 2 parents...so why can't 4 mutant turtles whose father is a mutant rat have different skin tones?