Mighty Mutanimals facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mighty Mutanimals
Artwork for the cover of Mighty Mutanimals #1 (April 1992). Art by Garrett Ho.
Publication information
Publisher	Archie Comics
First appearance	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures #19 (April 1991)
Created by	Ryan Brown Stephen Murphy
In-story information
Base(s)	Volcanic island on Earth
Member(s)	Man-Ray Leatherhead Wingnut Mondo Gecko Dreadmon Jagwar Screwloose Slash Muckman (2012 series) Dr. Rockwell (2012 series) Mona Lisa (2012 cartoon) Pigeon Pete (2012 show and IDW comics) Old Hob Sally Pride Lindsey Baker Herman Mutagen Man

The Mighty Mutanimals are a superhero team from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles world. They first appeared in the comic series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures. This team is made up of mutant animals who are friends and helpers of the Ninja Turtles. Different versions of the team have shown up in other Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stories over the years.

The Team's Story in Comics and Cartoons

Archie Comics Adventures

The Mighty Mutanimals first had their own three-issue comic series. It came out between May and July 1991. Later, a regular series with nine issues was published from April 1992 to June 1993.

The regular comic series ended because not enough people were buying it. But the Mutanimals still appeared in a special seven-part story. This story was found in the back of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comics. In this series, the Mutanimals were defeated by a group called the Gang of Four. The creator, Ryan Brown, wanted the Mutanimals to be different from the Ninja Turtles. He felt that if their own show was canceled, they could have a bigger impact by having a dramatic ending.

The Mutanimals also made a short appearance in Tales of the TMNT #58. Many talented people worked on the comic, including Dean Clarrain, Ken Mitchroney, Mike Kazaleh, and Garrett Ho.

Even though the team was called "Mutanimals," not all of them were "true" mutant animals. For example, Ray Fillet and Mondo Gecko were mutants. But Leatherhead was a human changed by magic. Dreadmon was like a werewolf created by voodoo. Wingnut, Screwloose, and Slash were aliens from another dimension. Jagwar was a special being, the son of a human and a jaguar spirit.

IDW Comics Version

A new version of the Mutanimals appeared in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IDW Comic series. In this group, Mondo Gecko, Man Ray, and Slash are members again. This team is led by Old Hob. New characters in this group include Herman the Hermit Crab, Pigeon Pete, and a mutant lioness named Sally Pride. There's also a new version of Mutagen Man.

This team was formed when Slash and Old Hob hired a scientist named Lindsey Baker. They wanted her to help create a stronger mutant army. Old Hob had a lot of mutagen and some of Splinter's blood. Splinter's blood made Slash very smart when he injected it. Lindsey then used a gecko and a hermit crab to create Mondo Gecko and Herman. Later, Old Hob added Sally Pride, Man Ray, and Mutagen Man to the team.

Old Hob later caused a "Mutagen bomb" to go off. This made many people in New York City become mutants. They were all moved to a place called Mutant Town. Old Hob started selling some mutants to Karai, which made Mondo Gecko and Mutagen Man leave the group. The team gained new members like Puggle (a mutant platypus), Bandit (a mutant raccoon), Diamond (a mutant porcupine), and Stone (a mutant octopus). Sally Pride later disagreed with Old Hob's actions and joined the Ninja Turtles.

2012 TV Series Version

An animated version of the Mighty Mutanimals first appeared in the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episode "Battle for New York." This team is led by Slash and includes Monkey Brains, Leatherhead, and Pigeon Pete. Slash and Jack Kurtzman started the team to fight the Kraang, who had taken over New York City. When the Turtles came back, both teams worked together to save the city.

In "Clash of the Mutanimals," Slash and Rockwell were captured by Shredder. He tried to control their minds. Their teammates and the Turtles helped free them. The eight mutants then fought Shredder to a standstill.

In "Annihilation: Earth!", the Mutanimals fought with the Turtles and others to save Earth from the Triceraton Empire. Their efforts failed when Shredder betrayed them. The four Mutanimals, along with many other allies and enemies, were pulled into a black hole and lost their lives.

The Turtles later worked to undo this event. They couldn't save the original Mutanimals, but they saved a second version of them. This happened in "Earth's Last Stand" when Splinter stopped Shredder's attack. This prevented Earth's second destruction.

In "Mutant Gangland," the Mutanimals, with Mondo Gecko as a new member, stopped some criminals from getting powerful weapons. Rockwell learned that these weapons were made to hunt mutants. The team went to warn the Turtles. Pigeon Pete was missing, and Slash said, "We don't talk about Pigeon Pete," suggesting he left the team.

In "Requiem," the Mutanimals were planning to fight Super Shredder. Super Shredder attacked their hideout and defeated them easily. April and Casey rescued them. Slash joined Raphael, Splinter, April, and Casey to track Super Shredder. Leatherhead, Mikey, Leo, and Donnie fought other villains. Leatherhead managed to defeat Rahzar.

In the fourth season's finale, "Owari," Rockwell, Leatherhead, Slash, and Pigeon Pete attended Splinter's funeral.

In "The Big Blowout," the Mutanimals, with Mona Lisa as a new member, fought alongside the Turtles and their allies. They battled villains from different dimensions.

Main Members of the Team

Dreadmon

Dreadmon is a character from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comic book and the Archie Comics' Mutanimals. He is from South Africa. After his family moved to Jamaica, Dreadmon became a thief due to poverty. One day, he stole a talisman that turned him into a part-man, part-red wolf creature with super speed. He became friends with the Ninja Turtles and joined the Mutanimals as second-in-command. His best friend was Jagwar.

In the IDW comics, Dreadmon is a mutant black-backed jackal.

Jagwar

Jagwar was the child of a magical Jaguar Spirit and a tribal woman. He lived in the rainforests of Brazil. The TMNT found him, and he soon became the leader of the Mutanimals.

In the IDW version, Jagwar was female and part of a group called the Pantheon.

Leatherhead

Leatherhead is a mutant alligator. He is a hot-headed friend and ally of the Ninja Turtles.

Mondo Gecko

Mondo Gecko is a mutant gecko. He was one of the first teenage friends of the Ninja Turtles. He is especially close with Michelangelo.

In the Archie comics, Mondo Gecko was a human skateboarder and musician. He became a mutant when Krang's mutagen mixed his DNA with his pet gecko's. This story was used in the Mutanimals comic series.

In the IDW comics, Mondo Gecko was created by Old Hob's scientist, Lindsey Baker. He became part of Old Hob's mutant army.

In the 1987 cartoon, Mondo Gecko was a mutated gecko. He was convinced by Michelangelo to leave a gang and became friends with the Turtles.

In the 2012 series, Mondo was a teenage skateboarding star named Jason. He became a mutant after mutagen fell on him and his pet leopard gecko. His parents left him, and he became an errand boy for Mr. X. Mondo became friends with Michelangelo and Casey Jones. He eventually left Mr. X and joined the Turtles.

Ray Fillet

Ray Fillet (also known as Man Ray) was a marine biologist named Jack Finney. He worked at an aquarium in New Jersey. In the Archie Comics version, Jack was exposed to Mutagen while investigating pollution. He turned into a mutant manta ray. Ray first met the TMNT when he saved them from Shredder. He later joined the Mutanimals.

Ray Fillet also became an action figure. He appeared in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters for the Sega Genesis. He was created by artist Ryan Brown.

In the IDW Comics, a version named Ray is a mutant manta ray. He joined Old Hob's Mutanimals after being freed from a group called Null.

In the 1987 series, a character similar to Ray appeared. This character was a humanoid fish with manta ray-like wings. He had abilities like an electric eel and a blowfish. He was created to help destroy New York City, but he escaped into the ocean.

Wingnut and Screwloose

Wingnut is a heroic alien bat. Screwloose is his partner, an alien mosquito. They were created by Ryan Brown and appeared in TMNT Adventures.

They are not mutants. They are the only survivors of their alien race after Krang attacked their planet. Screwloose's sting could calm Wingnut. Their species had a special relationship: Wingnut's species provided blood, and Screwloose's bite helped the other species sleep.

Wingnut first appeared as a villain in a mini-comic book.

In the 1987 cartoon, Wingnut and Screwloose were alien terrorists. They tried to brainwash children but were stopped by the Turtles.

A version of Wingnut appeared in the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan. He was a servant of General Krang.

In the 2012 series, Wingnut and Screwloose were superhero characters from Michelangelo's comic book. They were brought to life by a magical crystal.

Old Hob

Old Hob is a character from the IDW comics. He started as an enemy of the Turtles. Later, he became an anti-hero and started the Mighty Mutanimals to protect other mutants.

Sally Pride

Sally Pride is a female mutant lion from the IDW comics.

Lindsey Baker

Lindsey Baker is a young scientist. She is the only human member of the Mighty Mutanimals.

Herman

Herman is a mutant hermit crab from the IDW comics. Old Hob created him for his mutant army. He carries a dumpster on his back filled with weapons.

Mutagen Man

Mutagen Man is a mutant character who had a strange encounter with mutagen. His internal organs are visible, and he lives in a special robotic suit.

In the 1987 cartoon, he was a mailman named Seymour Gutz. He fell into mutagen and became dismembered.

In the 2012 cartoon, Mutagen Man was Timothy, an ice cream vendor. He became a blob of mutagen with floating organs after being exposed to it. He was called "The Pulverizer" as a wannabe superhero.

In the IDW comics, Mutagen Man was a failed experiment. The Mutanimals found him and helped him escape. Mondo Gecko later named him "Seymour Guts."

Pigeon Pete

Pigeon Pete is a mutant Pigeon. He appeared in both the 2012 series and the IDW comics as a member of the Mighty Mutanimals.

Other Members and Friends

Merdude

Merdude is a merman-like creature.

In the Archie Comics, Merdude was a boy named Alim from 5,000 years ago. He fell into the sea where there was mutagen and became a mutant merman. He became friends with the Ninja Turtles and later joined the Mighty Mutanimals as a reserve member.

Merdude appeared in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episode "Atlantis Awakes." His real name was Alim Coelacanth, and he was the true ruler of Atlantis.

Slash

Candy Fine

Candy Fine is Mondo Gecko's girlfriend in the Archie TMNT Universe. She stayed with Mondo after he became a mutant. She also joined him when he became part of the Mighty Mutanimals. She loves 1980s heavy metal music.

Ninjara

Ninjara, whose real name is Umeko, is a kunoichi (female ninja). She comes from an ancient race of fox-like humanoids in Japan. She was a thief and assassin but changed her ways after meeting the Turtles. She fell in love with Raphael. She helped the team on many missions.

Splinter

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Other Allies

Glublubs

These are undersea friends of Man Ray.

Kid Terra

Kid Terra was a former mercenary. He used to work for a villain named Null. He helped Null with projects that harmed the environment. However, after he accidentally caused the loss of Man Ray's friend, and learned of Null's plan to sell Earth to aliens, Kid Terra turned against Null. He then became a strong friend of the Turtles and the Mutanimals. He helped them in many missions against Null.

Comic Re-releases

The original Mighty Mutanimals mini-series and issue six of the regular series have been reprinted. IDW published them in their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures collections.