When it comes to giving the fans what they want, no other panel yet has compared to Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. After moderator, Andre Meadows brought out the majority of the main cast — no Seth Green, though — the monitor showed concept art for a brand new character named Shinigami. A blend between a ninja and a witch, the audience perked up when they saw her sleek and villainous design.
Meadows teased the audience by promising to show a clip featuring Shinigami. However, he decided to up the ante and premiere the newest episode for the Comic-Con audience. Fans went absolutely nuts. A new opening title sequence played and you couldn’t stop people from cheering and laughing. It was the most infectious joy Comic-Con has produced yet.
The episode had the audience giggling, cheering, and gasping in equal measure. It was a great display of what has made this property so enduring and indelible. The most heartwarming element was seeing the crowd get a kick out of April O’Neil showing off her ninja skills and telekinetic powers. Between April, Shinigami, and Karai, this episode was a fantastic showcase of strong female action heroes in children’s’ television.
And the ending had everyone in the room buzzing with excitement, as Baxter Stockman hooked up an intravenous tube to the comatose body of none other than Oroku Saki, the Shredder. And the glowing ooze that breathed life into the Turtles’ greatest nemesis promises a bigger and badder Shredder than fans have ever seen before.
You didn’t have to be a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to be a part of the happiness that this panel exuded. Kids and adults of all ages were having all the fun in the world, and that kind of jovial atmosphere can melt even the coldest of hearts. As the cast departed, you could sense the genuine gratitude everyone had for this gift they’d been given. It was enough to make you feel like a kid again. That’s the magic of Comic-Con right there.
