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08-10-2014, 12:35 PM | #1 |
Mayor of Geek Creek
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 4,752
|
I started this thread back in 2014, but I still add to it semi-frequently, so here's a teaser of some of the more recent stuff you'll find many pages into the thread:
On with the show... I prefer Topless Robot under its current management. What's this have to do with Ninja Turtles, you ask? Bear with me a moment, please. Luke Y. Thompson brings a refreshing tone of surprisingly legitimate—but still light and playful—journalism to Topless Robot’s study of popular culture; I’m frequently taken aback at his unexpected interview subjects, and his film analysis is always intriguing and insightful. I’ll go further: it’s easy (and fun) to be flippant and snarky and derisive, but Thompson is that rare critic who is more engaging when he admires a movie; his giddy, bewildered examination of 2013’s messy, misunderstood The Lone Ranger brought considerable richness and depth to my enjoyment of the film. Plus I enjoy his fast food reviews. But a celebration of Thompson needn’t be a dismissal of original Topless Robot editor (and founder) Rob Bricken, whose movie “reviews” (usually taking the form of Frequently Asked Questions resources) elevate snarkiness to delirious new heights. See his Man of Steel FAQ at io9; it’s not just entertaining, but therapeutic. More to the point of this already bloated, meandering post (I’ve lost the plot in record time, haven’t I?), Bricken, with his casual, offhanded response to the first glimpse of the Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, perfectly encapsulated my feelings for the Ninja Turtles franchise: ”Look, I just can’t look at an anthropomorphic turtle wielding ninja weapons and say, ‘They’re not taking this seriously enough!’ I just can’t.” On the other hand, while I am wary of certain disarmingly earnest and pedantic zealots who frequent the Technodrome forum, I recently joined a Ninja Turtles group on Facebook, and it seems to be populated mostly with catch-phrase-spewing, discourse-halting simpletons who react with nearly violent anger whenever someone dares to suggest, for example, that the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is anything less than amazing. I like to think I fall somewhere in the middle of the TMNT fanboy spectrum, but of course we all like to think we are uniquely moderate and fair-minded; recall George Carlin’s observation, “Have you ever noticed, when you're driving, that anyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone driving faster than you is a maniac?” Whatever the case, I have yet to see the Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, although I suspect I will enjoy it. I am also barely familiar with the comics. I retain some affection for the '80s cartoon and the original live-action film despite their flaws, and I love the Imagi Studios movie from 2007. More than anything, for this geek, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is all about the toys. I had a large collection of vintage figures in the early '90s, and the turtles themselves from the 2003 series, the 2007 Imagi film series and NECA's Mirage comic book-based series. But all I have now is the Nickelodeon Turtles, supplemented with various McFarlane Toys figures and oddball accessories to create my version of this delightfully goofy universe. Recently, HISS Tank's own heymilt performed his weathering magic on my Nick Turtles, and the results are so kickass that, coupled with the shoddy quality control of the 50th Anniversary G.I. Joe series, TMNT has essentially derailed my Joe hobby for the foreseeable future. ...so I really hope you enjoy this thread, heh-heh. First up, here from a while back are some hasty, lazy kitbashes using G.I. Joe parts to create weird riffs on TMNT characters. This post-apocalyptic fella is my modern update of Rat King: A simple head swap for a none-too-accurate April: Obviously this looks like nothing April O'Neil ever wore, but I was fine with that, 'cause I had it in my head that she'd joined the Joes, so this could be something of a meeting point between the TMNT and Joe aesthetics; I reckoned with her journalism background she could be a modern-day version of Scoop! And the Lade Jaye head looks quite a bit like '80s cartoon April Then Hasbro released Retaliation Jinx and I thought, "To hell with creative reinterpretations, I wanna make a proper April O'Neil!" The yellow suggests both the vintage cartoon jumpsuit and the ninja outfit from the 2007 movie, so I'm happy with it, even though it remains a simple head swap. Incidentally, the monster she's confronting is from McFarlane Toys: The Heap. I utilize him as an update of Muckman, a vintage TMNT figure. For more such modern substitution suggestions, visit this post on my mostly abandoned blog: Modern-Day Mutants | Two-Fisted Toy Talk! I've also posed April squaring off with a McFarlane figure called Quartz, who makes for a pretty cool Tragg. The April/Tragg portrait features April in a pose that's quite redundant in light of the photos I shared above (I frequently repeat myself in this manner without meaning to), so here's Quartz, alone and preparing to lay the smackdown on Raphael: Before I move on, check out icecreamman's awesome April custom: If I could paint, I'd do something similar. Now then, I mentioned Sigma 6 customs. (Don't worry, I'll keep this part brief). A high-tech Casey Jones: And a Storm Shadow/Snake Eyes hybrid I pretended looked like Shredder: Whether customizing or not, I frequently sought to combine Ninja Turtles and Sigma 6: There were variants of the Imagi Turtles called Alien Hunters. They wore random bits of nonsensical high-tech armor, so naturally they were the best match for Sigma 6 figures. And I kinda wish I'd kept this absurd mech, 'cause heymilt would probably make it awesome: But then came the Nickelodeon Turtle figures, and even before mine were beautifully weathered by heymilt they were incredibly intuitive and satisfying to pose and play with. It wasn't long before I'd sold all my previous Ninja Turtle figures. These days, it's Nick or nothing for me. Raphael has always been my favorite Ninja Turtle; he's either sarcastic and witty (see the original 'toon) or pissed off (see... all other TMNT media). I aspire to the former and wallow too frequently in the latter, so Raph has always been my guy. ...but Donatello is the greatest of the Nickelodeon figures by such a wide margin that he's slowly becoming my favorite of the brothers. This may sound ridiculous, but remember: for me, the Turtles are toys first. But enough of this hocus-pocus, let's see more photos of 'em weathered! For a better sense of the extent to which heymilt transformed these toys, compare Mikey's unpainted neck peg in the following photo to the rest of his skin: There's no way I could follow that, so I contented myself with gathering unlikely accessories and vehicles for my badass Turtles. First off, while they can't fit inside to utilize the turret bubble, the Turtles look pretty cool with the Acid Rain Stronghold, which is so convincingly weathered right out of the box (similar to 3A's World War Robot rust aesthetic) that it looks like something one would put together from assorted scraps and debris in a sewer, so... I reckon it's an all-purpose sewer transport, but the fact that it transforms into a robot mode could also suggest it's an updated approach to Metalhead. (The photo of Donatello alongside the 3A robot could likewise be a portrait of Don and a modern take on Metalhead). More unlikely choices from the 1:18 scale: the RDA Grinder from James Cameron's Avatar and Retaliation Firefly's sled: I've also been putting together lots of accessories, both because I want to maybe try to build a custom sewer eventually and just for the hell of it. Below you'll see some random weapons and things, plus a work-in-progress science lab station. Ninja Turtle motorpool: And a very recent addition to my vehicle fleet, in the form of a garden toy I bought in Istanbul a few years ago for my Joes. Since it's designed to rest in a garden it's not a proper toy; there's no way to open it, so I can't place the Turtles inside, and they wouldn't fit in the front seats even if I could. But for background fodder it looks pretty cool. A better sense of the scale: And... wow. I think we're finally done here, though naturally I'll add to this mess as I find new accessories, figures and vehicles to add to my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection. Thanks for enduring this mind-numbingly long post, everybody! Last edited by Monte Williams; 10-20-2020 at 08:22 PM.. |
08-10-2014, 03:20 PM | #2 |
G.I. Joe/ Autobot liaison
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 7,669
|
Wow Monte these are gorgeous pictures
I do like the size difference on them in comparison to G.I. Joe Sigma Six humans. Makes them really look like teenagers |
08-10-2014, 03:27 PM | #3 |
Extreme Survivalist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: alabama
Posts: 1,229
|
Monte, share the recipe please for the storm shadow head dude there. you mentioned a retaliation bat body? That is a body i dont recall seeing?? awesome pics btw. i admire the turtles and look at them in stores. just no room to collect them. though i wouldnt mind having the newer ones. they look great!!
__________________
Is it possible to ever truly grow up? I sure hope not!! http://www.hisstank.com/forum/buy-se...ck-thread.html http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-jo...ple-needs.html |
08-10-2014, 08:52 PM | #4 |
Mayor of Geek Creek
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 4,752
|
Thanks, fellas!
Quote:
Unfortunately, I can't find human figures in any scale that look right with the Nick Turtles, and the human figures in the Nick series feature very little articulation. Quote:
Also, because there's no such thing as a Retaliation B.A.T.; I meant to type "Resolute B.A.T."... Oops. I've fixed it now, though. Thanks! Here are photos of said B.A.T.: Detailed pictures of new Resolute B.A.T. and Greatest Battles COBRA Commander | Generals Joes – A blog about the importance (or unimportance) of little plastic men He came in a five-pack with Cobra Commander, Duke, and a red-clad Cobra Officer and Trooper. |
08-10-2014, 09:21 PM | #5 |
Xeno-Mech-Bio-Tech Labs
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: B.C.
Posts: 1,559
|
Wicked, nice parts sourcing. Great pics as always.
I miss Rob's input, he's on I09 , but it's not the same. Still like TR, I do miss FFF. |
08-10-2014, 09:34 PM | #6 |
Mayor of Geek Creek
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 4,752
|
Thanks, Dr. Vile!
Fan Fiction Friday was always something I skipped, and the number of typos has decreased by about 98% since Thompson took over, so I'm happy. |
08-11-2014, 02:18 PM | #7 |
Cobra Soldier
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NC
Posts: 5
|
Fine pics as always, sir.
For me, though, nothing is likely to top the NECA set. As you know, since I've even got yours to have a second copy. As for humans to hang with the Nick guys, have you considered that new "Total Heroes" line from Mattel? I think the simplified look they have might work with them. Or maybe the Hero Mashers stuff for pseudo-Sigma Six style. |
08-11-2014, 05:25 PM | #8 |
Mayor of Geek Creek
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 4,752
|
Thanks, Heli! And welcome at long last to the Tank. The place isn't bustling along quite as wildly as it did a few years ago, but it's still pretty damn active, and for all the complaints I've read about this place, I've had only positive experiences here.
Quote:
Just curious: what are you using for weapons? Since I was a prick and kept 'em, I mean. (They look so good with the Nick Turtles). And yeah, I can definitely respect your opinion, 'cause the NECA figures are indeed awesome. I guess I didn't feel compelled to keep them because, even with the repainted bandanas, they are so stylized that it was hard to see them as anything but Mirage Turtles. Maybe if I'd had a chance to read more of the comics I'd have liked them more? Quote:
Anyhoo, I googled "mattel total heroes" and saw this: And holy crap, yeah, I think he'd look amazing with the Turtles. How tall are they? |
08-11-2014, 07:04 PM | #9 |
XXXtreme Keyboarder
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: satan's skillet
Posts: 4,070
|
I've resisted the (significant) urge to buying the Nick Turtles toys because, well... my wallet won't let me!
However, I just introduced my two kids (7 and 3 year old daughters) to the original 1990 live action movie and they really liked it. They've watched the toon and like that as well and dammit, I'd be a terrible father if I didn't get them some new toys to play with ;) By the way: did you see that they have the original 1990's TMNT Party Van toy at TRU? In the original box and everything? For 30 bucks!?! I almost bought it out of nostalgia alone. Oh yeah, you should really check out the graphic novel by Eastman & Laird who created the turtles in 1984. It's actually really badass and much more "adult" than any of the more recent incarnations. It still trips me out that the Turtles have been around for that long...! |
08-11-2014, 10:42 PM | #10 |
Mayor of Geek Creek
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 4,752
|
Quote:
Quote:
That's the thing they don't tell you about getting old: it's not how old you are, it's how old all your cultural touchstones are! |
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