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My 6 Favorite Ninja Turtles Characters

In news that I’m sure excited you as much as it did me, the next Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot is going to lean heavily into a bunch of random mutant characters! Subtitled “Mutant Mayhem,” the new movie debuted its trailer and voice cast this week, and I’m as giddy as a school girl. Ninja Turtles were my jam as a young child in the 1980s. I watched all the cartoons, but the Ninja Turtles were my favorite. And I’m a sucker for nearly every new reboot that comes out.

I love the new character designs

Much to my surprise, Mutant Mayhem is going to feature a ton of obscure and also ran characters from Turtle lore. Mondo Gecko? Genghis Frog? Ray Fillet?! I am so on board! I was a huge collector of the Ninja Turtles action figures as a kid. I loved all the weird, random mutants they introduced in the toyline. And it was even more fun when they then showed up in the cartoon. And then it gets even more fun when they also get rebooted with every new iteration. So you best believe I’m even more excited about this new movie than I was a week ago. And what better way to celebrate than to run down some of my favorite TMNT characters? For nostalgia’s sake!

Join me after the jump for my favorite characters in TMNT lore, be it comics, movies, toys, cartoons or rock shows. And feel free to share your own favorite such characters in the comments below!

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First Trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are getting rebooted yet again, and I’m here for it. I will always be here for it. I was a very young child in the 1980s and watched all those toy commercial cartoons, and the Ninja Turtles were my favorite! So I will always be on board for another TMNT movie. And this one looks pretty darn cool!

I love the animation style. Into the Spider-Verse has really freed animated movies to reach beyond the Disney aesthetics, and I love the look of this film. I love the youthful nature of the Turtles and their smooth, rapid fire dialogue. They’re all voiced by actual teenagers, and I think that’s neat. This movie looks darn cool!

And the recently announced cast list includes characters like Mondo Gecko, Ray Fillet and my personal favorite, Wingnut! So you best believe I am fully on board a new TMNT reboot that includes a whole menagerie of fun mutants from the lore!

TMNT: Mutant Mayhem comes to theaters on Aug. 4.

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The Ninja Turtles Are Finally Going There

Fun story about me: I own all of the hardcover, omnibus collections of the IDW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series…and I’ve never read them. I’ve followed this series from afar since its inception, and have only read a handful of actual issues. It’s a wonderful retelling of all corners of TMNT lore in one great package, and I’m excited to someday actually read the series to see if it lives up to the hype.

The comic definitely makes some great choices at least, such as bringing back Turtle ne’er-do-well Venus De Milo!

I don’t know the current storyline and I don’t know how she’s going to show up, but I’m thrilled that the IDW comic has the courage and energy to re-imagine Venus De Milo. She may have been an embarrassment all the way back in Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, but I firmly believe there are no such things as bad characters, only bad writers.

Hence why I will always be waiting for Jar Jar Binks’ big break.

Anyway, Venus De Milo shows up in the TMNT comic with the upcoming issue #127. That’s probably two or three hardcover collections away, so it’ll be a few years before I actually get to read the story, but I thought it was a neat enough development to share.

You can read more about her arrival here.

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Welp, I’m Definitely Going to Have to Buy Injustice 2

The DC fighting game sequel, Injustice 2, is finally coming to PC in a couple weeks. I was considering getting the game in the first place, but now it’s an absolute certainty. Look which fighters they’re adding to the game!

I mean, I guess you can be excited for the Atom and Enchantress, but why would you? It’s the freakin’ Ninja Turtles, yo! In a quality, high caliber fighting game! I can only hope their successful addition will spawn a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fighting game in the Injustice vein!

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Movie Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Do you know what the best part about being an adult Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan is in this day and age? A bunch of other adults who grew up on the ’80s cartoon are now in charge of making the new material! That love for the franchise and the four pizza-eating turtle brothers shines through in their new live action movie, Out of the Shadows. And it’s that same love that put me in the theater this weekend to enjoy another exciting film!

Movie Rating: 7/10 – Good.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t high art or well-constructed cinema. This isn’t a movie that particularly cares about logic. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is a movie that only really cares about having as much fun as possible with the Ninja Turtles and their wonderful supporting cast. There are more contrivances and plot cheats than a Game Genie, but not even they could defeat the overwhelming sense of giddy energy that fuels this movie.

Plus, honestly, this was definitely a movie for kids, who aren’t going to care as much about plot contrivances as a punk frog like me. Out of the Shadows accomplishes exactly what it needs to: create a fun and enjoyable summer flick that doesn’t outstay its welcome or get bogged down in sewer garbage.

It’s a great time to be a Ninja Turtles fan! And expect FULL SPOILERS for the movie below!

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