Making the vintage TMNT characters "unplaymates enough" for Super7: mid 2024 edition pt. 1

 I don't know if I have a Super7 stalker like I did with Mattycollector. But if there is one, feel free to use any of my ideas. So let's "deplaymatesize" some vintage figures. 

I WILL NOT DO ALL FIGURES. JUST MY MOST WANTED ONES.

Let's start with my most wanted character:

Pizzaface:

He's a thicc boi. He should look the part. 

Lucky for us Shredder's Revenge gave us an alternate look for him. Starting with the white chef hat. For starters that's different enough from Playmates. The head details are slightly different. The reddish nose, painting the ponytail. I'd give the tanktop some texture.

The apron would be a combination of soft goods and plastic. The belt part of the apron with some condiments would be plastic while the front area covering the crotch is soft goods. The removable chef's knife is sheathed on the plastic part of the apron. 

 Unlike the vintage figures, Pizzaface would have a leg stump where the extra peglegs connect. He wouldn't have knee articulation there. I'd also tear the boot a bit more to see 4 toes instead of 3. Colorwise it should be as close as possible to the prototype, but the chef's hat and apron being off white instead.

Let's look at the accessories:

Heads: (2)

-Shredder's Revenge styled head with non removable Chef's hat.

-Prototype styled head with removable hat and tiny conjoined head hidden inside the hat.

Hands: (12)

(Right)

C-grip (horizontal and vertical hinges)

Vintage pizza toss hand

Mano a borsa hand

Fist

Dramatic open hand

Extended pinky with a wad of earwax on it.

(Left)

3 finger fist

Mano a borsa

Dramatic open hand

C-grips

Weapons/Legs: (3)

Long handled Cleaver

Pizza wheel with Ninja Pizza box stand (2 pieces)

Pizza Peel

Flying Pizzas: (3) full color

Chorizo, Turtle and rat Pizza

Mold and Garbage Pizza 

Soylent Pizza 

Fugitoid:

I have no improvements over my previous Fugitoid rant. But I'm more likely to buy the 2003 one since it'll be closer to Mirage. 

Napoleon Bonafrog:

Here Super7 has two options:

Be Lazy and do a Genghis Repaint in Napoleon colors

Make a New Napoleon to repaint into one of the other missing two later on.

I will be working with option 2.

Like Genghis, Napoleon gets texture on his shirt and his pattern is painted on. 

His chain is removable and it would be gold chain silver peace sign.

Of course painting all that Playmates forgot, like his back, is obvious.

Accessories 

Heads:

Hands: (8)

C-grips

Fists

Dramatic

Hang loose

Weapons: (4) 

Serpent slasher whip in a different pose with a "more realistic" paint job.

Reimagined Sewer Gas shield. Main color will be red, the front skull and crossbones would be a lot flatter, since it was made out of a signboard.

Foot swatter would be multicolor and slightly redesigned. (Namely the pattern on the starter part.)

Double headed Axe (intended for Genghis)

Lil' Buddy:

Flyboy with Articulated arms. Color scheme would have teal fly body, orange hair and red eyes. Yellow gloves, blue pants and brown shoes.

Traag:

I'm starting with a change that PM Purists will hate: Removal of Creepy Crawlies the reason is to reuse the most parts possible for Granitor... and maybe have 2 extra Stone Soldiers. We removed the creepy crawlies... now we're messing with his palette and sculpt: 

The grey parts of his body should be made to look more like rock instead of tights.

Here's my suggested palette: there's very little difference between the darker and lighter colors. The darker orange is for the torso, while the lighter is for hands and toy face. The dark green is for the tights and black for the boots. The grey is a yellowish grey to keep the yellow tones on Traag. He needs a brown wash on his rocky areas and not the vintage toy squiggly lines.

Now on the Torso, we could have interchangeable rank insigniae. (Helpful for Granitor and potential high ranking army builders if you want to use the alternate heads as new characters) 

Heads: 

Toon/game based

Playmates based

Hands: (8)

Pistol grip

C grips

Fists

Dramatic 

Weapons: (5)

Gun

Rifle

Knife

Bazooka

Shield

Mona Lisa:

Playmates did a thing... NECA did a better thing. How can I do a better thing without copying NECA too hard?

The Playmates Mona Lisa is a Yoshi and NECA did a toon based lizard...

I'm thinking a Hybrid version: 

The torso should read a bit better that she's wearing a Unitard but No shell on the back. I'd add texture to the unitard. For the limbs, I expect S7 laziness, but I'd prefer a more lizardy biceps and legs. Worst case scenario: Ninja April biceps with new forearms and new legs.

Heads:

Toon based

Toy Based

Hands: (10)

C-grips

Gecko wall crawling hands

Fists

Dramatic open hands

Accessories (9)

Pair of scarves:

Short plastic one

Longer wired soft goods one

Yellow Shell backpack.

Text books

Erlenmeyer flask with chemicals 

Fugu Flail with real chain

Stun gun

Walker:

Yeah, the bad guy from the shitty third movie. He can be part of a Turtles In Time (no relation to the game) wave. (Mostly an excuse to bring Renet, Savanti Romero, and Time Travel Turtle variants. Another rant for another day.) 

I'd use movie references to improve the textures on the outfit. Not going full realistic NECA styled, but more of a fourhorsemen inspired anime hyperdetail (fuck you Scott!).

Heads: (3)

Playmates styled head

Better Stuart Wilson likeness than the vintage toy, but not accurate enough.

New style head but no hat and no ponytail.

Hands: (8)

C-grips

Dramatic

Fists

Accessories: (9)

Pistol

Dagger

Saber

Time scepter

Arquebus 

Aside the time scepter he has two of each, since he's a weapons trader

So, Beverly Hills Cop 4 is a thing...

 Netflix gave ne a warning about Beverly Hills Cop 4. I HAVE TO SEE THIS! IN before Nefty says: I want Beverly Hills Cop Ultimates, Super7! 

Let's begin with a summary of my thoughts on the movie... it's a weird thing. It feels like a Beverly Hills Cop movie, but it kinda feels like it takes a few too many jabs at Beverly Hills Cop movies but it's not bad. I liked it more than III. Supposedly there may be a fifth. 

I'm surprised at how young Eddie Murphy loves compared to the rest of his returning castmates. Also Kevin Bacon is in this. More moves for 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon.

The Amazon Exclusive Technodrome preorders are OPEN! Better act fast! $79.99 For a supposedly slightly smaller clone of the original. If you didn't have one as a kid, like say me, then better act fast...

In any case remember to leave milk and cookies for Captain America.

The "noir" detective variants:

 Super7, where's my official Don the Undercover Turtle? But in any case, I'll pretend that we got him and list some variants based around him.

Newsie Michelangelo:

Mikey dressed as a Newspaper vendor/informant.

Orange shirt with rolled up sleeves

Dark Olive green pants held up by brown Suspenders,  Brown shoes

Heads:

Neutral expression with brown Newsboy hat

Surprised expression with Newsboy hat

Accessories:

Newspaper Nunchucks

Klunk the cat

Pile of newspapers

Snub nose squirt gun with removable squirt effect.

Detective Leonardo:

Leonardo dressed as a police detective.

White shirt and blue tie with police badge on the left breast pocket, soft goods trenchcoat (light grey) head sporting a fedora. Pants with gun holster on the right hip.

Heads:

Reuse fedora head from UC Raph

New Fedora head with heroic smile.

Special hand:

Pencil holding hand with presculpted pencil

Accessories:

UC Raph Revolver

Police Baton

Detective notepad

Detective Raphael:

Raphael dressed as a Detective.

Similar to Leonardo but Red Shirt and black tie, black fedora with red stripe and trenchcoat.

Heads:

Reuse UC Raph Heads

Special hands:

Fists with brass knuckles

Flask holding hand

Accessories:

Tommy gun

UC Raph revolver

Pair of slappers

Soda flask

Barkeeper Genghis:

Genghis Frog dressed as a 1940s Barkeeper.

Bowtie, shirt, vest, apron, arm towel, the whole shebang.

Heads:

Serious Genghis head

Screaming Genghis head

Accessories 

Mixing bottles with removable molotov effects

Soft goods arm towel

Drink glass

Shotgun

Casey the Enforcer:

Casey wearing a 1940s outfit: Blue Shirt without tie, with suspenders. Rolled up sleeves with both hands covered in wraps, grey suit pants and green loafers.

Heads:

Masked

Unmasked

Special hands:

Brass knuckles fists.

Accessories:

Baseball bat

Golf club 

Cricket paddle

Soft goods trenFists.

Femme Fatale Irma:

Just picture Irma dressed like Cruella... in Irma colors, of course. 

Heads:

Neutral Irma

Flirty Irma 

Angry Irma

Special hands:

Smoking hands

Accessories:

Derringer gun

Amethyst Rat statue

Long cigarette holder/stabber

Star reporter April O'Neil:

April in an outfit similar to Lois Lane's from the Fleischer Superman cartoon.

Heads:

Neutral

Surprised

Special hands:

Pencil holding hand

Accessories:

Reporter notepad

Typewriter

Photo camera

Purse

Mild Mannered reporter Vernon Fenwick:

This is Vanilla Vernon but wearing brown loafers and a removable blue blazer. Think a nod to Fleischer Superman's Clark Kent.

Heads:

Neutral

Scared

Fedora wearing while winking

Special hands:

Pencil holding hand

Accessories:

Photo camera

Reporter notepad

Typewriter

Temptress Karai:

Kara in a Black sexy Chinese dress (I know she's Japanese, but film noir put all Asian ladies in Chinese dresses)

Heads:

Karai with an Asian updo hairstyle

Normal Karai

Long haired "Lotus" head

Special hands:

Poison needle hands (hands holding poison needles between the fingers.)

Accessories:

Fan (open and closed)

Small Knife

Small box of contraband that fits inside a two armed octopus statue

Two armed octopus statue (it's meant to be a nod to Krang)

Don Pancetto:

Bebop dressed like a Mobster. Black Zoot suit

Red Shirt with purple tie. Black fedora with purple band, black sunglasses with purple trim.

Heads: 

Normal Bebop head with purple rimmed glasses and purple hair.

Fedora head

Accessories:

Knife

Revolver

Shotgun

Stack of cash

Don Ceronte:

Mobster Rocksteady sporting a brown Zoot suit with yellow shirt and olive green tie. Left hand has multiple rings.

Heads:

Fedora and Cigar

Fedora

Accessories

Tommy gun

Sledge hammer

Knife

Dynamite stick

Il Trituratore:

Oroku Saki dressed like a Mobster. Dark purple Zoot suit pants with grey stripes black shirt with grey tie and purple suspenders. Soft goods black trenchcoat.

Heads:

Oroku Saki

Oroku Saki with fedora

Special hands:

Fists with bladed gauntlets

Accessories:

Saturday night Special

Bladed garrote

Dagger 

3 cement shoes: human female, human male, tuetle sized

Il Sacco di Terra:

Dirtbag in dark olive green pants with light green shirt and dark olive green suspenders. The shirt has his sleeves rolled over and he sports red fingerless gloves. His fedora has a miner  lamp on it.

Heads:

Lamp on

Lamp off

Accessories:

Pickaxe

Shovel

Knife

Shotgun

Don Bovino:

Groundchuck dressed in a blue Zoot suit but with a bolo tie. He sports a 10-gallon hat with horn holes that keep the hat from flying off.

Heads:

Grinning

Screaming

Accessories:

Cattle Prod

Red hot Cattle branding iron

Crossbow

Texas-sized Six-shooter

Since Donatello is supposed to be a private investigator, I made the rest of the cast trying to fit in some serotypical characters from film noir experience. With the setting being New York york I had to lean heavy into the Italian mafia.  But I guess this completes the Crazy variant Idea of taking each of the disguised turtles and giving them supporting characters. And no I will not make groupie variants of April, Irma and Karai.

Action figure related thoughts:

Sometimes, we get some crazy ideas regarding toys. Sometimes we get logical ideas. So let's get cracking!

-Aside some Asian bodies with very little variety and a bit smaller than true 1:12, we rarely see blank bodies for customization. At best we get Figures Toy Company to make some custom bodies, but they're very limited and feel as flimsy as those Asian bodies I've mentioned. I may have to look at these to make a Pizzaface, since it might be highly unlikely we get an official one. So, it would be easier for me if I had access to fat bodies... to make Pizzahead... or other civilians. 

-playsets have been turning into Cardboard display pieces with a few plastic bits... we need more Plastic Playsets that have DisPlay and This Play elements. Also, I'm not necessarily talking Huge ass playsets like Grayskull, Cat's Lair, or USS Flagg. You can have smaller playsets that work for play features AND Display features.

-Remember the Original Marvel Legends/Spider-Man Classics Dioramas? We need more stuff like that. I know SpAcE iSsUeS, but being Able to display Spider-Man hanging from a webline is far cooler than using a black or clear stand. The X-Men would look badass on a Danger Room set of display stands. How come Hasbro hasn't made Iron Man Hall of Armor pods to display your Iron Man armors? Something semi generic like the 2008 NECA TMNT STREET Stands that came with the turtles themselves. Something like that could work on so many lines. 

-pets... for action figures... and other 1:12 or 1:10 animals. Sure.I could get random onpossible snakes at a dollar store. I'd have my fill for a snake pit if I were doing Indiana Jones or something regarding Snakemen. I once bought a The Spirit figure for his cat. It's somewhere in the toy chest or I lost it during the move. I used it for a small TMNT strip that is now dead thanks to Photobucket attempting to extort me... I'm talking moderately Articulated 1:12 animals.

Lions, tigers, and bears... oh my! But seriously, 1:12 rats, we need those. Alley cats, service dogs, pigeons, stray dogs, just to name a few. Not going to mention a 1:12 Harambe...

-circling back to displaysets. I mentioned the NECA Mirage TMNT 2008 "diorama stands" well. Let's expand on that. Backdrops... plastic backdrops that look like buildings. But the beauty is that these backdrops are modular and you can print out signs  to use on doors, windows etc. What on a Batman themed Display would be the Entrance to Wayne Tower, on a GI Joe Display would be a Bank, and so on. Metropolis PD could be NYPD for Spawn. Ninja Pizza on a TMNT Display could be the HISHE Coffee shop on a Mattel DCUC, etc. The idea is to have options without requiring a 3D printer or a degree in Arts and Crafts.

-this idea is an even CRAZIER version of the Displaysets... Are you ready? 

Pre made Themed Display Unit:

72 cubic feet with 24 of those being storage area for extra accessories.

For example: Gritty City theme has some street level buildings,  a skyline backdrop, and a Sewer section. The Tropical Jungle theme has a jungle with a tree canopy and an underground cavern area. The Frozen landscape would be, well frozen, etc.

Modular elements could be bought separately like: Futuristic Space station that you could combine with Mansion and have your X-Men display, or City with Volcanic Cavern to have a Spawn display, etc

-selfie series was a good idea badly executed. We need it to return.

Konami allegedly wants to work again with Hideo Kojima

 Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Well, I'm a bit biased against Hideo Kojima and his 3 inches of doom. It's mostly because of his own ego. He acts like he's the best thing that ever happened to videogames, but After he left Konami, he failed to deliver anything revolutionary. His "magnum opus" after leaving Konami was 

"We got Metal Gear Solid at home"... but with QWOP Amazon Prime. Sponsored by Monster Energy. 

His other two planned games are a sequel to Death Stranding (which is an MGS clone but with tar monsters instead of mechs) and Physint, which is a stealth game in the veins of Tactical Espionage Action games... in other words "the Mighty No.9 of Metal Gear games."

I want to make a joke at Zack Snyder's expense with his "Star War Killer" but 

Unless it's the Full game teased by the infamous P.T. then, there's nothing for Kojima to collaborate with Konami. It wouldn't work. Then again, Konami has only done sports games or ports of older games like Cowabunga collection and some Yu-Gi-Oh! Stuff. Well they made a shitty Contra game. But that's about it. The last real game they made was the shitty contra game. The last AAA Game they made was with Mr. 3 inches of doom and now I see where this is going. Konami needs a Triple A game to not be the joke they currently are and are trying to entice Mr. Money Pit in order to kiss some D-list celeb ass to make a game for them... But is Kojima fit or willing to make a Metal Gear Solid game again?

We're supposed to believe that he's  been wanting an out from Metal Gear ever since MGS2: SOL. So, why would he go back to Konami unless they let them do a Snydercut of MGSV?

Oh god no...