Not Missing In Action! The Action Is Now On Facebook!

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 Hi, Everyone!

It's been a long time since I've done a proper article on the website. That is largely because it has become much more efficient to use current social media platforms to get the latest news to you the fastest way possible. This has mainly been happening through Facebook, with attempts to make sure the same information finds its way to Twitter. And unfortunately, the automation that pushed updates to all of the different platforms, including this website, has become a bit unreliable.

With San Diego Comic-Con happening next week, news has been flying pretty fast and furious.

And in addition to convention prep, the IDW comic threw us a curveball last week when they introduced their fifth (female) turtle, Jennika! ComicBook.com has a really great write up that can get you caught up on the story if you're behind in your reading (like I am!).

A couple months ago the Batman vs. TMNT movie was released to much fanfare and overall fan approval. And now in the upcoming months there will be a staggered release of tie-in action figures!

Meanwhile, this year is the 35th anniversary of the TMNT! YAY! What new adventures await our gang of green? Well, hopefully we'll get some clues at Comic-Con next week, and I will be there relaying all of the info to you!

Again, your best way to follow will be on the Facebook page (be sure to set up notifications!). I will be posting live updates throughout all of the TMNT panels as they happen. And then throughout the whole weekend there will be other updates as I find them!

Cowabunga!

Rise of the TMNT Character Designs

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It's Rise of the TMNT day!

Here are the final character designs for the new show, launching later this year!

Raphael (Omar Miller) is now the leader and oldest brother, a snapping turtle who brandishes twin tonfas as his weapons.

Leonardo (Ben Schwartz) is a red-eared slider who boasts "irreverent charm and a rebel heart." Weapon of choice: ōdachi sword.

Box turtle/skateboarder/artist Michelangelo (Brandon Mychal Smith) is the youngest brother — and dangerous with a kusari-fundo.

Soft-shell turtle and tech hero Donatello (Josh Brener) rocks a tech-bo staff and impressive coding skills.

The first African-American April O'Neil (Kath Graham) is a savvy New Yorker and first human ally of the turtles.

Splinter (Eric Bauza) is part father figure, all sensei to the turtles.

Behind-the-Scenes Video with New "Rise of the TMNT" Voice Actors

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Just a day after announcing the new principal voice actors in next year's new "Rise of the TMNT" series, Nickelodeon has released a short video with clips of the new cast. If you pay attention, you can also see Rob Paulsen in the director's booth, doing his new directing thing!




"Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" stars Kat Graham as April O’Neil, Josh Brener as Donatello, Omar Miller as Raphael, Brandon Mychal Smith as Michelangelo, Ben Schwartz as Leonardo, and is expected to premiere in Fall 2018.

"Rise of the TMNT" Voice Cast Announced

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With an article published by The Hollywood Reporter this morning, we now know the core voice cast of next year's "Rise of the TMNT" series, as well as a few more details about the show.

From left to right, Kat Graham is April O’Neil, Josh Brener is Donatello, Omar Miller is Raphael, Brandon Mychal Smith is Michelangelo and Ben Schwartz is Leonardo. Additional talent in the cast includes Eric Bauza as Splinter, and Omar Miller and Ben Schwartz in unnamed roles.

While April, Donatello, and Michelangelo are described familiarly to how we've seen them before, an interesting detail from the article is the statement that "Raphael, the oldest and physically biggest brother ... is now the Turtles' leader" and "Leonardo [is] the self-professed "coolest" brother."

We can expect to see 26 episodes of "Rise of the TMNT," which is described as a "reimagining that follows the band of brothers as they encounter new allies and villains and discover a mystical world they never knew existed beneath the streets of New York City." Chris Viscardi, senior vp production and development, animation, at Nickelodeon, adds, "We have reimagined the series to be filled with humor, loads of action and a dynamic look, and it's packed with all-new heroes, villains and cityscapes for the Turtles to explore."

One really neat detail provided is that Rob Paulsen, previously Raphael in the original cartoon and Donatello in the 2012 Nickelodeon series, will be directing this new series.

"Rise of the TMNT" is co-executive produced by Andy Suriano (character designer, Samurai Jack) and Ant Ward (supervising producer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).

Everything We Know About "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"

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In March, Nickelodeon announced that the current TMNT CGI series would be replaced next year by a new 2D-animated series, "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." The series will be headed by Andy Suriano (character designer for Samurai Jack) and Ant Ward (supervising producer of the 2012 series). "Rise of the TMNT" is said to be lighter and more humor-oriented than the 2012 series.

There has been a blurry reveal of the new logo via Twitter user @TMNTfan86:

❗️ First look at the logo for 'Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' (from a #BLE2017 promotional item) #TMNT ❗️ pic.twitter.com/LpjUquzmfw

— TMNT Fan 86 (@TMNTfan86) October 13, 2017

UPDATE: The first official details, including the voice cast, have been revealed! Read about it here!

NOTE: The following 4chan "leaks" are confirmed FAKE by Nickelodeon Animation Studios. I am keeping it posted here to keep clear what is and isn't confirmed.

A couple of 4chan users, who are said to have inside knowledge of Nickelodeon studios, stated we can expect:

• 2D animation, said to be in the vein of Motorcity, FLCL/Gainax
• More humor oriented than the last one, no clue to what extent
• The turtles are going to have some sort of mystical powers. Think Ninja Tribunal from the 4kids series. It ties into their origin somehow, which is supposedly pretty different. They have stones in their belts that help them channel their energy. Probably a toy gimmick
• The turtle designs are like Mirage meets the Michael Bay movies. They all look pretty similar except for Donny’s goggles, Leo’s got some armor, Raph has the du-rag like in the new movies, and Michelangelo’s got some “cool” accessories
• Splinter plays a much lesser role
• April is a teenager again, looks a bit like the current version but with really puffy pigtails and she’s sorta chubby. And she has a sword
• There is no Shredder in this series. Not sure if that’s just at first or a permanent thing
• Pizza is literally the turtles’ biggest weakness now. They have to deal with how it negatively affects their focus and physical condition
• No word on voice cast yet

This supposed character design for Donatello is also 100% fake. The new designs are actually said to be nothing close to this.

Expect the new designs to be officially revealed next February during Toy Fair.

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.15 "City at War"

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New episodes return tomorrow! Booyakasha!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.15 "City at War"
April becomes a full Kunoichi and encounters a new villain. Meanwhile, the turtles' old adversaries return.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.14 "Earth's Last Stand"

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Another new episode airs tomorrow! Booyakasha!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.14 "Earth's Last Stand"
Fugitoid shares a terrible secret from his past as the team arrive at Earth.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.13 "The Ever-Burning Fire"

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Another new episode airs tomorrow! Booyakasha!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.13 "The Ever-Burning Fire"
The team face a tough quest as they set out to obtain the last Black Hole Generator piece.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.12 "The Evil of Dregg"

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Another new episode airs tomorrow! Booyakasha!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.12 "The Evil of Dregg"
Raph loses his fighting power, but he must work through this in order to rescue his brothers.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.11 "Revenge of the Triceratons"

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Another new episode airs tomorrow! Booyakasha!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.11 "Revenge of the Triceratons"
Donatello's confidence drops around Fugitoid, and then the Triceratons test Donatello's wits when they launch an attack.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.10 "Trans-Dimensional Turtles"

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It's finally here! The crossover-event that spans two generations of Turtles airs this Sunday! Need something to get you in the mood before then? Check out this fantastic behind-the-scenes visit with Andre the Black Nerd and the original TMNT voice cast!


From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.10 "Trans-Dimensional Turtles"
Another dimension is visited by the turtles, who meet their 1980s alternate-reality counterparts.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.09 "The Cosmic Ocean"

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Your patience has been rewarded! New episodes continue, starting tomorrow! And don't forget the big 80s crossover event, happening in just two weeks!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.09 "The Cosmic Ocean"
An ocean-like part of space is uncovered by the turtles.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

Classic & Modern Ninja Turtles to Meet in March 27 Event

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In an event that has been hinted to us for quite a while now, the time is near for the ultimate TMNT crossover, featuring the 1980s Turtles and voice cast together with the 2012 Turtles and voice cast. The new episode will see the 2D Turtles from the 80s get the modern CGI treatment, while the CGI modern Turtles will also get the 2D animation treatment.

From a press release sent out yesterday:

Worlds collide as the voice cast of the 1980s Turtles, Cam Clarke, Rob Paulsen, Barry Gordon and Townsend Coleman joins forces as Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo, respectively, in “Trans-Dimensional Turtles,” a new episode of Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles debuting Sunday, March 27, at 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT). In this new half-hour episode, the Turtles are transported to another dimension where they meet their ‘80s alternate-reality counterparts. Actor Pat Fraley also reunites with the ‘80s cast for the first time since the original series premiered to reprise his role as Krang.

In “Trans-Dimensional Turtles,” all eight Turtles must battle to eliminate both the ‘80s Krang and Kraang Sub-Prime.  After meeting their ‘80s counterparts in a 2D-animation world, the entire clan moves back into a CG-animation dimension, giving their new retro friends a taste of their realm. Additionally, in another dimensional twist, the episode will offer a glimpse of the Turtles in a comic book world resembling Kevin Eastman’s Mirage Studios comic book series.

Left to Right: Barry Gordon, Pat Fraley, Cam Clarke, and Townsend Coleman

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.08 "The War for Dimension X"

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Another new episode airs tomorrow! Booyakasha!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.08 "The War for Dimension X"
The Ninja Turtles must gain the trust of the Utrom Council in order to find the next piece of the black hole generator!

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.07 "The Arena of Carnage"

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Another new episode airs tomorrow! Booyakasha!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.07 "The Arena of Carnage"
The turtles get abducted and are thrown into the dangerous Triceraton Arena.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.06 "Journey to the Center of Mikey's Mind"

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Another Sunday, another new episode! Be sure to watch tomorrow!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.06 "Journey to the Center of Mikey's Mind"
Mikey's mind gets invaded by tiny aliens, and the turtles must hunt them by trekking through the wacky world of Mikey's subconscious.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.05 "Riddle of the Ancient Aeons"

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New year, new episode! Booyakasha!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.05 "Riddle of the Ancient Aeons"
The turtles visit a corrupt planet.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

Mark Hamill Joins the TMNT Voice Cast

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Once again proving that it has the greatest voice cast on television, the Nickelodeon TMNT series has added the Jedi Master himself, Mark Hamill, to its ranks. His character, Kavaxas—Demodragon of the Underworld, looks to be a real baddy.

While Mr. Hamill has been busy in recent weeks promoting a little movie called Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he's also taken to Instagram and Twitter to show some love for this new universe that he's entering.

No word on when exactly we can expect to hear from him, but new episodes start up again this Sunday, January 10!

"Half-Shell Heroes" Animated Special Airs Tomorrow!

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If you haven't watched it online yet, the 2D animated special, "Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past" airs on Nickelodeon tomorrow! The special will air in the usual, 11am Eastern/10am Central time slot, but runs an hour instead of half an hour.

If you just can't wait until tomorrow, you can still check it out online here:
http://www.nick.com/videos/clip/half-shell-heroes-blast-to-the-past-Special-full-episode.html

Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!

TMNT 2012, Episode 4.04 "The Outlaw Armaggon"

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Armaggon is pretty much the most badass villain from the old Archie comic series, and now he's entering the Nickelodeon universe!

From TVGuide.com...

Episode 4.04 "The Outlaw Armaggon"
A bounty hunter is hired by Lord Dregg to crush the turtles, who flee to safety in an old space station.

Watch it at 11am Eastern/10am Central time Sunday. Check your local listings to be sure when it's on in your town!