Every cartoon of TMNT takes place in its own universe, so everyone has different origin stories, looks different, shit like that. It's the reason why I simply shrugged when the new cartoon had April being black (though she was black originally).
They might have different origins... but they don't waste time telling stories when they aren't mutants either, which is Robert's pitch.
The April being black on that show was more funny because of the trend of making originally ginger character black, other than that, only dildos get really upset about this stuff, who gives a shit.
And the show is kinda shit as well, not a turtles fan, but this new one is just a Teen Titans Go wannabe... with the exception of some very, VERY expensive and articulated fight scenes, ther sort of stuff Mad House and Studio trigger would blow up their budgets on. this is some of the stuff you don't see on western cartoons, and looks pretty good...
Too bad that, as much as I appreciate the craft, the novelty wears down fast, now I just check the actions scenes and the storyboards animatics when they post it.
Ironheart instead of Iron Man?
Robert is a 100% convinced that if the new "SJW" characters (like Kamala Kahn and Riri Williams) were introduced to the public outside the comics bubble, they would be hits, so you better believe that he thinks Ironheart shoudl take Ironman's place...
And I kinda agree with Robert on this one, people dunk on "SJW characters" because they can't sell comics for shit, but with competent writers and charismatic lead actors, I don't see why the public in general would reject the usual marvel pastiche.
It's true that the comics were shit... but at the same time, it is a dying media, and it doesn't help that Marvel editorial lost it's spine for years and still can't find it. So, it isn't that far fetched to think that if given a propper writer and setting, these characters can get tracking with audience....
However there is always going to be a problem with giving a popular identity and shoving to another character due the color of his/her skin... like it or not, they are playing second fiddle to a already popular and established character, a version from the original... and i have yet to see it work in such a large scale.
Take the Spiderverse movie. Good writers worked on that movie (The Phil Lord crew, the guys who did the Lego Movie), the lead had charisma, it's easy to like and root for Miles.... but as much as we like Miles, it was Peter Parker the most engaging and intertesting character in the movie, by a large margin, and trust me, this ain't the fanboy in me talking.
That is why I think that, while I don't have much of a bellyache to the diversity hire version of classical characters, I don't think they have much legs to go on their own either. Take the new She-ra on netflix, it seems the show is quite popular with kids... but not enough to make mattel produce toys... which is just mindblowing if we thing about it.
And that is the true tradgedy of the social political invested cartoons and comics, even if praised and with some loyal following, for the public at large, the memory hole is their only destiny.. because at best, they are just a version of something people liked a lot.
