There are very few characters that truly stand the test of time. Superman and Batman are almost 90, but there are peaks and valleys to their popularity. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been consistently in the spotlight since the mid-80’s, which is a feat in my opinion. As everyone knows, despite being 40 years old they are still technically teenage turtles that practice karate, who happen to have been mutated to be the general proportions of a human. There are four of them, all named after renaissance artists, and all with a unique personality. What is the key to their universality? Is it living alone in the sewer? Is it trying to fit in? Is it the love of all things pizza? We dive into this question on today’s episode. Plus we talk about how to design a martial art for a turtle and a rat, and why Donatello should have been names Titian.
