INTERVIEW WITH JOSHUA FROM 4KIDS ENTERTAINMENT
___________________________________________________________________
Mike:
First off, let me say thank you a whole lot for taking time out of your busy schedule to help answer the fans questions. It's great whatyou're
doing, between working with the new TMNT cartoon, toys, etc., andposting at message boards, to answering my questions. It is greatly appreciated.
Joshua:
Like I said above, I will try and do all that I can for the fans and the TMNT devotees that are out there. We know that you guys areas
important in the grand scheme of things as the children who we are targeting.
Mike:
Q: What excactly do you do at 4Kids?
A: I am the Marketing Manager and Head Salesperson for the TMNT brand. In a nutshell I plan out the TMNT roll out from start tofinish,
make the marketing plans, tell licensees when they can ship product, coordinate promotions and basically oversee the brand from top to bottom.
Q: We have so far seen toy images of the four Turtles, Shredder, a Foot Soldier, and Splinter. Will these designs be what we should expect in the cartoon?
A: Yup.
Q: I'm gonna ask a question that involves your opinion...from what you have seen and can tell, will the new cartoon be a blast from the past for the original comics fan? Not just in story lines, but will the characters be consistant with thei original Mirage counterparts?
A: The new series will be like a page torn right out of the old Mirage books. All storylines and characters will be very close to their Mirage origins.
Q: As far as storyline goes, will each story go with the next, and be a huge plot, or are you aiming towards a new plot with little or no regaurds to the previous episode in each episode?
A: Yes, we are planning on long, evolving and sophisticated storyarcs.
Q: Should we expect to see the Utroms, Rat King, Fugitoid, and lots of Mirage villians?
A: Utroms - possibly, Fugitoid...hmmmmm.....Rat King - not yet.
Q: How many "new" characters should we expect to see? By new, I mean those not appearing in any Mirage (or any other) comic?
A: A few. Wait and see my friends....
Q: Are there going to be billions of variants in this line? Not so much different versions (ie old comics, new comics, cartoon, etc.), but as ones that serve no purpose (ie Cowboy Mike, Basketball Don, etc.) ?
A: As far as I know, there aren't a lot of variants planned, but it's early yet and we have a long way to go. I'm not a big fan of variants, but we have to gauge what is selling in the marketplace.
Q: You stated that the second series would have a subtitle. Does this mean we will be seeing "evolving" Turtles, like The Next Mutation, just a change in storyline, or just something that sounds good with the second wave?
A: The 'subtitle' would be a tag line to brand the series as season 2.
Q: In the series 2 figures, there is a "Foot Elite". Any possibility that this is one of the three that appeared in the original comics?
A: Possibly...
Q: There is a rumor going aroung that there there may be a new comic, seperate from the new Mirage volume 4 series....anything to do with the new 'toon?
A: Would you like that? If so, what would you like to see?
Q: Any chance we'll see Mirage styled Turtles, like with all red bandannas?
A: TMNT Mirage style toys. May be a possibility if Playmates deems a collectors line is a viable option. Let us know you'll buy them and others like that, and we'll see what we can do.
Q: Will we see Baxter Stockman? Is he gonna be like in the 'toon, or the comic?
A: Baxter. Baxter is there. No fly. Black scientist with and ego problem...
Q: Any chance on a four-pack?
A: 4-packs. Just wait and see
Q: Will there be super articulation on the toys?
A: Working on the goods.
Q: What was that Leo figure image we saw a while back?
A: That was for a scrapped idea from a few years ago.
PMK:
Q: Will we see a Sewer Playset, or anything else big like that?
A: We're working on some good stuff like this, but if told you - it would ruin Christmas? Right?
Q: Will the Turtles have pupils?
A: As far as the series and toys are concerned, when the boys have their masks off, they will have pupils, but when they don
their bandanas, the eyes go white.
Jeff Cope:
Q: Joshua, has there been any talk of, or do you think there's a possibilty of a mini-figure sub-line - something in the 3" neighborhood?
A: I think there may be a possibility for this...just hang in there boss...
Q: Will we see Mouser figures?
A: I think we may see these guys in plastic form.
Machias Banshee:
Q: For the Turtles' background story, will the guys have had a real childhood, or will they have just immediately go to teenage status?
A: We're launching right into teenage-dom.
Q: Will the five main characters be more closely knit (like family) like in the movies?
A: Yes, they are a family.
Q: Will Splinter be more involved (like the Archie comics) and not just some little furry raisin giving rare bits of advice?
A: Splinter will be more like he was in the comics.
Q: Have they planned on voice actors yet? Have they considered using the originals from the first cartoon or movie?
A: V.O. has been cast and recording has started. We are not using anyone from the movie or the old show.
Q: Will Michelangelo be the same surferologist like in the cartoon, or will he be more artistic, like in the comics?
A: Yup, but toned down a bit.
Karpo_ 007:
Q: Usage of weapons. Will there be any? I mean do they use their weapons at living targets?
A: Yup. The TMNT will fight with their weapons - as much as standards and practices will allow - and they will battle livetargets.
Q: Shredder. Judging from the looks of the toy he seems robotic. He is not a robot is he?
A: As far as I know, he's a human.
Q: Death. Will their enemies die in any cases?
A: As far as I know - no death.
Darth Raphael:
Q: Will there be an updated version of the Turtle Van? How will they travel in the series?
A: The TMNT will travel in something similar to what they have in the new Vol. 4 of the Mirage book.
SpeedRacer:
Q: Are any writers from the previous toon going to write scripts for the new one (e.g. David Wise, Michael Reaves)?
A: Nope, we have new writers for the project.
TMNTFreak
Q: What will the II figures look like? Will they be a little different or alot, or will they just be variants?
A: You'll have to wait and see....
Okay, that last one was rotten - but we have to keep SOME stuff a secret, right?
_________________________________________