Comments on: ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Is Getting Another Cinematic Reboot In CGI From Seth Rogan’s Point Grey Pictures

By: JaxMotes

JaxMotes — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 01:15:15 +0000

In reply to Supporter. Well, the original comics were black and white, so it's hard to say. I read that she was originally Black with accompanying scans of the comics and... well, it was convincing enough.

By: JaxMotes

JaxMotes — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 01:14:01 +0000

In reply to Alex Cordero. Christy Marx, who wrote most of the Jem cartoon, has said that in the 80s studios wouldn't let ANY Black character be used in a villainous role. I figured that was why Baxter Stockman was changed. I think Eastman/Laird said something to that effect, but that is purely vague, foggy memory.

By: Alex Cordero

Alex Cordero — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 23:47:57 +0000

I don’t think April was originally black. I do recall Eastman and Laird conceding that April was mixed race in the original Mirage comics, but they left any details out of that. An african american April makes a lot more sense in these times and age. Also, Baxter Stockman was originally black, but ended being whitewashed for the 1987 show, probably to avoid perceiving Shredder’s abusive behavior towards him, as racist.

In any case, seeing the name of Seth “Not the Green Hornet” Rogen attached to this, being CGI and all, is a deal breaker for me. Michael Bay’s vision was already a trainwreck, one can only fathom what horrors await our beloved heroes in a half shell. I wish I was wrong, but I’m not getting my hopes high.

By: Supporter

Supporter — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 08:59:05 +0000

“They are typically accompanied by their human ally, April O’Neil, who was originally African American in the comics but depicted as White on the cartoon and in subsequent licensing and adaptations. But starting with the 2018 series, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, she was restored to being Black.”

Actually, April was always depicted as white until Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. She was introduced in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 alongside Baxter Stockman (a black character) so you can clearly tell she’s white. This seems to be a common misconception I’ve been seeing on the internet, perhaps due to her occasionally unclear depiction in early issues of the original comics.