Venus: The Unwanted "Child" that ruined the "marriage" of Eastman and Laird?

**Jester** · 02-12-2012, 08:17 PM

In his most recent "Ask PL" blog post, Peter was asked about Venus. Here is the back and forth:

Quote:

1) Venus - How did this character come into existence?"

If memory serves, some people from Playmates and Saban brought the idea of doing a "girl Turtle" to us when we were discussing doing the live-action show and the toys to go with it. Kevin was not at that meeting, which was held at Mirage's offices in Northampton, and when they brought up the idea, I immediately shot it down… figuring that given Kevin and I had ALWAYS hated the idea of a "girl Turtle" and had always rejected it when it was brought up in any context, I was on solid ground.

It was an unpleasant surprise when I learned a short while later that Kevin had changed his long-held position and wanted to let them do this "girl Turtle" character.

"Considering you don't like the character, couldn't you have veto'ed this idea if you disliked her so much?"

I won't go into all the particulars of what happened next, because I don't really feel comfortable at this time talking about it, but suffice it to say that I VERY reluctantly agreed to allow this thing to proceed.

And it turned out to be just as stupid and awful as I had imagined. Maybe more so, even.

Could this back track, be the rift that broke up the dream team of Kevin and Peter?

*oldmanwinters* · 02-12-2012, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

In his most recent "Ask PL" blog post, Peter was asked about Venus. Here is the back and forth:

Could this back track, be the rift that broke up the dream team of Kevin and Peter?

If nothing else, it was surely the straw that broke the camel's back. Toyfair photos from around 1997 show Eastman living it up at the Playmates Next Mutation booth but Laird was no where to be seen.

Noah13 · 02-12-2012, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

In his most recent "Ask PL" blog post, Peter was asked about Venus. Here is the back and forth:

Could this back track, be the rift that broke up the dream team of Kevin and Peter?

I found this quite interesting and a good insight into Venus. I think it was a combination of this and other unspoken things that broke the guys up. I would like to hear Kevin's side of things

I have to say tho, the person who asked him about this on his blog is an awesome guy for doing so and most likely would comment on this thread about how awesome he is...
...
..
It was me

*Ninjinister* · 02-12-2012, 08:39 PM

Aw, poor Venus. Nobody loves you

*oldmanwinters* · 02-12-2012, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ninjinister

Aw, poor Venus. Nobody loves you

Except for certain people on Deviantart, it seems...

*Roseangelo* · 02-12-2012, 08:51 PM

Peter and Kevin hadn't been seeing eye to eye for quite awhile before Venus came along.

**Jester** · 02-12-2012, 09:02 PM

Man, we need someone to just write a tell-all-memoir already.

*CyberCubed* · 02-12-2012, 09:09 PM

Venus was a terrible idea. Next Mutation might have been better received without her.

Foot Soldier Clang · 02-12-2012, 09:28 PM

I'm indifferent to the idea of Venus. I don't see the idea of a female turtle that strange considering the series at all.

Panda Khan · 02-12-2012, 10:00 PM

The breasts protruding from underneath her shell is the first thing that comes to mind when I recollect Next Mutation episodes. Then again I guess that's the only way you can distinguish an anthropomorphic female turtle from a male turtle other than the voice.

*Candy Kappa* · 02-13-2012, 03:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panda Khan

The breasts protruding from underneath her shell is the first thing that comes to mind when I recollect Next Mutation episodes. Then again I guess that's the only way you can distinguish an anthropomorphic female turtle from a male turtle other than the voice.

There tons of other ways, but breasts are the easiest (and laziest) way to do it. same goes for hair, just look at the countless female mutant turtles on deviant Art

Dovahkiin · 02-13-2012, 04:07 AM

Why would a female turtle have breasts when their reptiles that don't care for their offspring. The female turtle's plastron will make it impossible for offspring to reach it for sustenance. The enlarged breasts of a female creature only exist to feed it's offspring. So, it looks like they just put breasts on a creature that doesn't have any or needs it because of their solitary evolution.

*Candy Kappa* · 02-13-2012, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dovahkiin

Why would a female turtle have breasts when their reptiles that don't care for their offspring. The female turtle's plastron will make it impossible for offspring to reach it for sustenance. The enlarged breasts of a female creature only exist to feed it's offspring. So, it looks like they just put breasts on a creature that doesn't have any or needs it because of their solitary evolution.

My guess it's because the mutagen makes creatures not just humanoid, but human-like.

The turtles get teeth (and lips?), pose-able thumbs and overall a body more akin to Humans or primates, and their Carapace and Plastron seems to be more move-able then the usual Turtle species have. And the upper part is often shaped like a Male Human chest. And besides appearance the mutant turtles gets human-like emotions and the ability to comprehended languages and speak like humans, and think as we do

It wouldn't be out of the question that a female turtle could get mammary glands in that context. but the plastron would be in the way, that the shell is a part of a turtle's ribcage, Boobs would be impossible, but hey. Turtle teeth.

Shell-boobs are as useless as Chain Mail bikini, but hey it looks kewlzors!

Avatar Yuffie · 02-13-2012, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ninjinister

Aw, poor Venus. Nobody loves you

She has fans, don't worry.

Venus was clumsily added, I admit. She could have been better received if she followed Ninjara's route in the comics.

Hermano Dyvas · 02-13-2012, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

In his most recent "Ask PL" blog post, Peter was asked about Venus. Here is the back and forth:

Could this back track, be the rift that broke up the dream team of Kevin and Peter?

Dude, I wanted to make the exact same thread yesterday but then I was thinking, no, I'm overthinking this. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought of this.

It would certainly explain Laird's intense antagonistic feelings towards her.

*Original TMNT Cartoon Fan* · 02-13-2012, 04:45 PM

Venus makes me feel this:

*If TMNT debuted today instead of 1984, with more gender gender equality, would two of them actually be female, and two male?

Herald7 · 02-13-2012, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swedenfan 1982

Venus makes me feel this:

*If TMNT debuted today instead of 1984, with more gender gender equality, would two of them actually be female, and two male?

Well equality to me doesn't have to mean equal quantity. Just equal in character quality.

*plastroncafe* · 02-13-2012, 04:55 PM

It's true, it wouldn't be a boy's cartoon if there wasn't a token girl in there somewhere.

*Original TMNT Cartoon Fan* · 02-13-2012, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

It's true, it wouldn't be a boy's cartoon if there wasn't a token girl in there somewhere.

TMNT was never the same "just for boys" as so much other. TMNT had a big girl fanbase and I hate hearing TMNT as "just for boys". I know several girls who loved the show. When a group of children played TMNT in the garden, they were April and Irma.

Also, check out Archie April when Splinter trains her.

Herald7 · 02-13-2012, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swedenfan 1982

TMNT was never the same "just for boys" as so much other. TMNT had a big girl fanbase and I hate hearing TMNT as "just for boys". I know several girls who loved the show.

Thank you!

Quote:

When a group of children played TMNT in the garden, they were April and Irma.

Of course it was a little annoying that the girls could never play the turtles. Ever heard of gender blind casting? lol

02-12-2012, 08:39 PM	#4
Ninjinister 無問題 Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Moesko Island, WA Posts: 14,348	Aw, poor Venus. Nobody loves you __________________

02-12-2012, 09:02 PM	#7
Jester Rat-faced Dude-guy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 26,301	Man, we need someone to just write a tell-all-memoir already. __________________ "Clearly, you're Ninja Turtling incorrectly." - Leo656

02-12-2012, 09:28 PM	#9
Foot Soldier Clang Hench Mutant Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Big Apple, 3am Posts: 456	I'm indifferent to the idea of Venus. I don't see the idea of a female turtle that strange considering the series at all. __________________ My Collection

02-12-2012, 10:00 PM	#10
Panda Khan Foot Soldier Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: The Bamboo Grove. Posts: 249	The breasts protruding from underneath her shell is the first thing that comes to mind when I recollect Next Mutation episodes. Then again I guess that's the only way you can distinguish an anthropomorphic female turtle from a male turtle other than the voice. __________________ "When It's Time To Party We Will Party Hard."

02-13-2012, 04:45 PM	#16
Original TMNT Cartoon Fan Overlord Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 10,481	Gender equality Venus makes me feel this: *If TMNT debuted today instead of 1984, with more gender gender equality, would two of them actually be female, and two male?

02-12-2012, 08:51 PM	#6
Roseangelo Emperor Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: California Posts: 9,119	Peter and Kevin hadn't been seeing eye to eye for quite awhile before Venus came along.

02-12-2012, 09:09 PM	#8
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 43,880	Venus was a terrible idea. Next Mutation might have been better received without her.

02-13-2012, 04:07 AM	#12
Dovahkiin Mouser Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 12	Why would a female turtle have breasts when their reptiles that don't care for their offspring. The female turtle's plastron will make it impossible for offspring to reach it for sustenance. The enlarged breasts of a female creature only exist to feed it's offspring. So, it looks like they just put breasts on a creature that doesn't have any or needs it because of their solitary evolution.