Leatherhead (TMNT)

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Leatherhead is a fictional character in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. He was created in 1987 by Mirage Studio's artist Ryan Brown who also went on to create the saturday morning cartoon series the Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa for the ABC television network. He is a 13'4" mutated alligator (In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He appears in all TMNT versions except for the movies and live action series. In the Archie TMNT Adventures, the Shredder lures Leatherhead to work with him until Leatherhead discovers that the Shredder is a bad guy).

[edit] Comics

In the original comics (he first appeared in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6) , he is neutral with the Turtles. He starts as an animal mutated by mutagen in all versions except from the Archie TMNT Adventures Comics, where he starts as a poor human named Jess Harley who lived in the swamps, and became transformed when the "witch" Mary Bones used the Turnstone. Leatherhead later becomes a wrestling hero at the Stump Asteroid and later a member of the Mighty Mutanimals. He and the other members of that group were killed before the end of the Archie Comics run with the Turtles characters.

[edit] 1987 Cartoon

In the 1987 series, he is an enemy of the Turtles who fought them in different occasions. He resides in the swamp area of Florida. He hunted the turtle's allies, the Punk Frogs (Napoleon, Ghengis, Attila, and Rasputin) and then went after them. He then hunted the turtles on their own turf in the sewer. Later, he partnered up with the Rat King to eliminate the turtles. In one episode called "Night of the Rogues," Shredder hired him, Rat King, Slash, Tempestra, Anthrax, Scumbug, and Chrome Dome to help him and Krang destroy the Turtles. His overall clothing is a vest, ripped pants, and a straw hat; and speaks in a cajun accent. He is depicted as survivalist and tracker. Original creator Ryan Brown went back and redesigned his Leatherhead character for this particular incarnation of the Ninja Turtles.

Leatherhead was voiced by Jim Cummings who also, coincidentally, went on to voice more of Brown's characters, such as the Dakota Dude and Saddlesore Scorpion from the Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa.

[edit] 2003 Cartoon

In the 2003 series he's shown as a friend of the Turtles. He is voiced by Greg Carey.

Going back to his original black and white beginnings in the 6th issue of the 1987 Mirage Studio's comic book title "Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Leatherhead was originally an exotic pet who got flushed down to the sewer, somehow ending up in an Utrom base. After being exposed to the same mutagen that would eventually change the turtles, Leatherhead became a massive, humanoid croc. With intelligence mirroring that of Donatello's, he was left behind when the Utroms fled Earth. Accidentally befriending Baxter Stockman, he helped him create a new body while working on a transmat device. By accident, Leatherhead met and befriended Michelangelo, who found him living in the Turtles' old lair. After a battle between the Turtles and Stockman, Leatherhead learned Stockman's true nature and attacked him. The resulting battle caused a cave-in, and Leatherhead seemingly gave his life for his friends.

Leatherhead later reappeared, in the lab of Agent Bishop after the Turtles had been captured by him. After being freed, he helped his old friends escape, and for a time lived in the Turtles' lair. However, Leatherhead's animal rages, already dangerous, were made more so by Bishop's experimentation. While asleep, Leatherhead struck Michelangelo, and woke up to believe that he had killed his friend.

Leaving the Turtles in a suicidal mood, Leatherhead found himself hunted by an extreme game hunter through the sewers. Luckily, he was saved by his friends, and they sent the hunter packing. Leatherhead chose to live away from his friends due to his Jeckyl and Hyde affliction, living in a nearby chamber (an abandoned subway station resembling the Turtles' lair from the second and third TMNT movies) so he would always be nearby, but still able to ensure their safety.

Leatherhead appeared several more times to help the Turtles, primarily in their battles with the Foot and Agent Bishop. He even joined them in attacking the Shredder's secret launch pad, and attacked his family's enemy with unmatched fury. However, the Shredder's minion Hun got in the way, and the two fell into the silo. Both survived, and Leatherhead returned to his lair. He is later revealed to have helped Donatello create the Monster Hunter gear used by the Turtles against Bishop's mutant creatures. He is also shown to have formed a deep friendship with Don, and is deeply saddened when his friend is mutated and he cannot cure him.

Leatherhead worked together with the other Turtles to capture Donatello. Soon after, he helped them penetrate Bishop's headquarters at Area 51. There, he was forced to fight the mutated Donatello. He later proved his brilliance by using Bishop's resources to devise a cure for Bishop's outbreak, despite his personal grudge against Bishop.