Waaaay back in 2004, there was a contest on…some website? to design a fifth Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.
Since the Turtles are all named after renaissance painters, I decided to name mine “Vincent,” as in “Van Gogh,” as in, the post-impressionist painter who lived hundreds of years AFTER the end of the renaissance. Oops!
I thought Escrima sticks would be a fun, somewhat-unique weapon for him to have that probably wouldn’t have to be censored out at all. I gave Vinnie the Mirage-style red mask that all of the TMNT originally wore, because, like, what other color would I have given him that would still look good against the green skin?
I like the inclusion of 90s superhero pouches all around his belt. Legitimately, I think that’s a fun idea. It could explain where the Turtles keep all their shuriken and stuff.
I don’t remember the details of the contest. I can’t even remember if I actually entered. I certainly didn’t win. But I still have this 600x600px image from 22 years ago.
I drew this with a mouse.
Of course, there have been three different “fifth” Turtles, now: Zach, the TMNT’s human buddy from the 1987 series episode, “Zach, The Fifth Turtle”; There was Venus De Milo, from 1997’s “Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation,” a lady mutant turtle in light blue who was raised in China and taught to focus her chi; and most recently, Jennika, from the IDW Turtles comics, a human woman who was mutated to be turtle-oid, who wears yellow gear and fights with claws.
I’m never going to do anything with Vincent, but I came across this image and thought I’d share it. Hope you liked it!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related characters are owned by Nickelodeon/Viacom/Paramount.
