A new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic project recently came to the attention of this website, and its developers are looking for fan reactions before moving forward. The story takes the turtles into the future, 10 years after Master Splinter passed on the ninja way to his sons and left the world. What’s worse is that April O’Neil has been missing since 2007, and everyone believes she’s dead too. Everyone’s favorite heroes in a half shell are now into their 30s, and losing their friends and family has taken its toll. No longer the fun-loving teenagers that stopped Shredder and saved the world, the boys have a no-nonsense attitude about life and everything it holds. Fortunately, they’re the four individuals who haven’t given up on Ms. O’Neil, and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to find her. Whatever it takes.
With the TMNT television show and new feature film handling the younger audiences that made the turtles a household name to begin with, this project wants to take a new direction and give the turtles some age and an edge. In a lot of ways, this makes them very similar to the original turtles of the 1984 comic book (who were not against killing Foot soldiers if they were in the way). The look and feel of the whole project will be more adult, and the turtles themselves will be losing their cartoonish appearance. You can view the pictures in more detail in the gallery below, but the turtles would now have a more realistic form. What immediately stands out is the head, with its more pronounced turtle beak, something that no incarnation has ever truly had.
Immediately, the nature of the project seems like a very good one. While the turtles are suppose to be teenagers, very few incarnations have ever dealt with that, so adult turtles aren’t so out of the ordinary. Additionally, with the turtles’ new attitude more in line with their old selves, nothing about this project should really be foreign to the TMNT universe. Add in an interesting plot that could go any one of a thousand different ways, and it would seem as if this is a hit waiting to happen.
This project was started up by Tom Hall of Wolf Hall Studios. Tom is an artist at Sony Pictures Digital (though Sony is in no way involved with this project), and a huge Ninja Turtles fan. Together with a sister studio, Tom has been developing this concept art for a few weeks, as well as coming up with the plot outline that this new project will have. The goal is to create a comic, and perhaps in the future a video game. As the project receives more feedback and there’s more work done on concept, Tom hopes to produce set locations and new drawings of the Foot clan, or at least what’s left of it.
What Tom and the others working on this project need now is to know what the fans think of the idea and the concept art. Before they proceed with the story and try to acquire the necessary rights from Viacom, they would like to hear how this spin (including the new look and feel) will go over with fans. So let’s hear what you all have to say; whether you like it, hate it, or have no opinion, let us know. You can leave a comment here, on Facebook or Twitter, or contact Tom with your thoughts and feelings about it (but please, be polite and civil – this is a project for fans, and they don’t have to ask for any input before moving forward with it). You can contact him at [email protected], using the subject line TURTLE HELP or TURTLE FEEDBACK. We’ll have more updates as the project moves forward, including artwork and information.
41 comments
I like this idea! I think you guys are about the only people that surpass our love for TMNT. Keep up the great work! *high five*
I LOVE IT!!! IT’S A BRILLIANT IDEA, SOMETHING THAT’S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE AND SHOULD BE! I’m not crazy about the beaks but if this does get released I’m pretty sure I can get past it!
FInally some serious business turtles.
i hate it
love the idea – not crazy about the turtles’ concept art – hoping for something more along the line of the 2k7 movie – but maybe a little bulkier, kind of like Tigerfog’s MNT Gaiden art/fancomic found on Deviantart. I would love to see a more mature take on this franchise, as a lifelong fan who grew up with the original comics and have supported them through every incarnation – I think it’s about time to get this angle on them.
Agreed
It looks awful and sounds depressing. Fun turtles are best, hopefully nickelodeon will shoot this down quickly.
Abso-freakin-lutely! This is an amazing idea and concept! It’s great to see the turtles evolve like those of us that are among the original fans!
Sounds killer! I’ve been a fan since ’85 and was sorely disappointed with the lame and goofy direction the turtles ended up as. Getting back to a darker, grittier TMNT is what I’ve been wanting for years. I’m 36, so the idea of TMNT in their 30’s certainly will appeal to the most hardcore fans (most in their 30’s anyways) so count me in! It would be cool to see them look different too! I’m not opposed to the beaky look, as long as they still can kick some ass!!!
Necroposting, yeah, but Mirage’s Volume 4 had the Turtles in their 30’s.
Concept is cool the look is stupid should look more kike the new tmnt from the new film coning out
love the idea. The concept art is awesome!!! Ive been a fan since I was a child and I enjoyed the different interpretations the creators had over the years whether in the comics, movies, or cartoons. The fact that there is any talk about doing more TMNT related stuff is a step in the right direction.
Okay Tom, I like the idea. There hasn’t really been a Turtles story, to my knowledge, that explores their adult years, or when their beloved Sensei has passed on. Good idea, run with it. As far as the look, it’s very striking when we get to see the boys in such a realistic and detailed fashion, but there’s a fine line if you want to avoid putting off a lot of fans. I could be down with the general shape of the heads and the scaly skin, but the faces look pretty blank, like an actual turtle. I think you need to find a look that lets us see recognizable facial expressions; have to find a balance between turtle and human. Also good if each of the turtles can have some individual characteristics. I think the Out of the Shadows game struck a pretty nice balance. On the far end of the spectrum is Michael Zulli’s “Souls’ Winter” trilogy from the comics, where the turtles all look very reptilian and are indistinguishable from one another (it’s still amazing and unforgettable and everyone should check it out!) So there’s my two cents. This project looks very exciting and I’ll be anxious to see how it continues to develop!
I don’t think the beaks are necessary. I understand what you’re going for here, but you need some familiarity to them, this just makes them look like Razar from The Secret of The Ooze. Plus, they need their masks… these look painted on. Overall the concept could be viable, but you’re leaving out information to the back story that could really make or break this whole idea. What incarnation is this most parallel too? Will we see Utroms? Triceritons? Dr. Honeycut? Or are we looking at a more simple world with Shredder as a human? If you were to take this mature approach, my belief is that the simpler universe (no aliens, dimensions, etc…) wouldn’t harden them so much, they’d be more inclined to stay less in line and more like their younger selves.
mr bay has a film with you in mind . we wanted to stay away from human features(as much as we can) because splinter was the only one who had human DNA… human/sewer rat mutation
but the boys are 100% mutated turtle DNA ..so why would they look human? is what i ask myself .
This is such early artwork and story that I’m sure over time we will find a good mix to please fans.
remember we only had a few weeks brother and are just getting the feedback we needed to go the right direction . thank you
we are looking for more concept artist to help finalize look . please email if you would like to help
also we would like to say a big THANK YOU to everybody who sent comments and notes for the project . I’m trying to get back to everyone but the email numbers have been crazy.. please keep that in mind
Thank you
[email protected]
The protruding face is too much. There is zero human emotion to convey to the audience. I would suggest you keep their look to present day incarnations, especially how the latest movie trailer portrays them, because it is so realistic, yet human-like. Also, if you went with the beak, how would they even talk? :S I know you have a great idea for the Ninja Turtles future, and I hope you bring it to a wide audience in the near future, I just don’t think you need to stray too far from the characters we all know and love.
Respect!
You’re a monster: a poster-child for post-birth abortion. The turtles from the Michael Bay film look objectively terrible. Seven feet tall, lipped and with a nubby snoz? Absolute poo-poo. If there was any manner of divine providence (there isn’t), you would accidentally run your car at full speed into another car containing Michael Bay, Megan Fox and who ever it was that Bay got to direct the turdest of Turtle films, and all of you would smash spectacularly into an explosion so vast and gore strewn that Bay would sproing a doinger just before becoming a grease stain on Santa Monica Boulevard. Your taste is puerile and driven by commercial faculties you don’t see taking up real estate in your mind. You should be discounted from giving your opinion on anything henceforth as well as receiving chemical castration to prevent further dissolution of the human ability to discern quality.
your moms a fucking slut bro, she just went ass to mouth and said she wishes she was into that shit before you were born so she wouldnt have to live a life of pure embarrassment because her sons a fucking dumb ass
That’s sexist of you. Slut shaming in 2014? You can gallivant around scooping all the clenched sphincters you want with your nimble little pixie tongue, twiddling turdlets with relish and rolling in the sickening slop until you pop one all over some unfortunate woman you’ve paid to endure you, all the while my mom eats out one ass and SHE’S a slut? Check your privilege.
Are you coming in the defense of the new Michael Bay produced Ninja Turtles movie? If so, I need not reiterate what I’ve already said to “Night Runner,” If that isn’t you under a different handle. I’m pretty confident I’m better than you. My taste certainly is.
Bruh fuck u its just his opinion on wat he likes like yo mom was likin dis good dick lol
Try harder. No one will take you seriously if your insults are trite and poorly spelled. You’re welcome. I smiled smugly at your reply and felt nothing but pervading self satisfaction. I felt so good in the face of all these weak insults that I printed my own full body pic on a pillow and ground into it to climax. I AM SO GREAT. My opinion is infallibly true and I am perfect and cool. I wish everyone was me.
I support! If you all are going to take the time to create this new story, i’ll take the time to collect em! Love the story idea AND love the concept art. Just one question – how will face expressions work?? Goongala!
As long as it comes to Wii U I’m their. Really loved Out of The Shadows even though it was buggy. I saw much potential in that game. And I loved their designs.
Love the new look. It’s interesting to see an artist create a concept for the turtles that isn’t trying to make them look more human, or more attractive to the readers. However, they look more tyrannosaurus rex than ninja turtle. An older plot line and aged turtles, especially with a grittier edge, teen looking turtles or not it would definitely bring something new and exciting to the fans. All for older turtles, yes!
I actually like the art, except would make the masks actual masks. But I’d been to read the story, and would like to see that real effect. Is it done in Photoshop? Does anybody know?
I love the idea behind the plot and can’t wait to see it happen! But I do think the concept art could use more work… I don’t know how the audiences will be able to tell emotions because their faces look really blank.. and the eyes kind of creep me out.. like.. the designs seem too animalistic without any human quality traits to it
in my personal opinion, I really liked the designs for TMNT Out of the Shadows game!
forgot to add: I like how you added the beaks in the concept art because the four are after all turtles but.. the eyes… the eyes bother me
The shining, pupil-less eyes kind of creep me out, too.
Lol lookin at da pic I thought it was an alien verion
Version
Love the idea and everything about this except the turtles heads/beaks. They need some modification. I don’t need cartoony or traditional but this I believe is too far removed from what we are used to
I love the plot and the story line a lot. I always wonder what will happen when the turtles grow up and when splinter get old and leave them. Great ideas, but I know it will be kinda sad to lose splinter but thats life though. Anyway, I can’t wait to see how this turns out. Secondly I have to agree with everyone else, I do not like the concept art, I do not like how their heads and faces look. I see the whole presentation of the turtle animal look, but they are mutant and people are used to the normal look. I recommend using the TMNT 2007 CG movie look but a 30 year old style to it. Or the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare look, not the game play…but the actual CG scene in between. As long as you add that 30 year old look to it, your good. Now you’ll have you great Ninja Turtle Series that everyone will love. It would even be nice to see this to be a TV series or something. Lastly if the turtle are adult they should not be called the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, they are not teenagers any more. They should be simply called ‘Ninja Turtles.”
The art seemed a little extreme to me at first, but it is a more realistic look. After reading the above about what your doing with the new comic, I’m really excited to see the turtles grow up. It’s a big deal. Do it.
Love the concept and idea, but not the look
awesome. i would like to see there look from the new tmnt movie for this. but awesome this
This is just an amazing idea! The only thing that’s gonna change is the title. I mean, the turtles are now adults, so that means the title won’t Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles anymore. And what I’m gonna miss most is Mikey with his fun and crazy personality. I also wondered if the turtles still like pizza. :)) Overall, it’s very good project.
The idea abd story seem great and it seem like a good opportunity to take the turtles out of this endless time loop their in repeating the same events over and over with just some differences here and there, the look on the other hand i strongly recommend you go back to the drawing board. To be clear i would love to see the turtles with a new look but i would like it to take the original look and sort of build on that.
I think it sounds absolutely amazing! It took me a long time to get used to the 2014 turtles, but I already really like these turtles. I like the realistic take on them, and the storyline is different from what we’ve seen before. I would definately read those comics, and if they make a game, I would buy it instantly. It may not be what we remember from our childhood, but the 1984 turtles also needs some more attention, and I think those turtles will do the job very nicely!
I like the idea of them being older, and more serious. It’s something that’d be nice for the fans who grew up watching the turtles. However, after all the negative comments about Bay’s turtles, and the long adjustment it took for people to get used to their faces, I’d either leave the four of them how Bay made them, or take them back to how they originally looked. I don’t think fans are ready for another change to the turtles- just yet- maybe in the future. Truthfully, I would love to see turtles that look like the 2003 universe, but that’s my opinion. Not only that, with their new look you’ve designed, how will they four of them show expression?
I think the concept is genius – I’d love to revisit the older, grittier side of the turtles and see how their characters develop in face of hardship and loss. The concept art, while beautiful, gives me cause to question though. I agree with past comments – the eyes are entirely animalian and I feel would detract from the connection between reader and story, and promt the unconscious connotation that the turtles are in fact animals. They’re also more-than-slightly creepy. I’m not huge on the beak style either, as I feel display of emotion would be limited greatly and again, might limit the involvement of the reader. Though it depends on which Origins story is decided upon (and personally, I prefer the mutagenic capabilities of fusing DNA – it makes more sense in an abstract scientific way, rather than turtles becoming humanoid…I could rant about that, but I won’t) I would suggest keeping the faces relatively rounded still, to present emotion and experience on a relatable plane. I do understand the beaks – after all, they are turtles, but I feel like they should either be scaled down or remain conceptual. The last thing – are their masks painted on? What a cool idea! I can see quite a few reasons as to why they might make the swap, and it’s a fantastic and unique change that sparks interest (at least in me) and will separate this turtle generation from the others. Brilliant work, guys. I really hope this one gets off the ground.
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