Rocksteady and Bebop
Encyclopedia
Rocksteady and Bebop are fictional characters in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series
and the Archie TMNT Adventures comics as well as most of the classic TMNT video games. They follow the orders of series villain The Shredder, leader of the Foot Clan
. Their names are both from genres of music: bebop
is a style of jazz
; while rocksteady
is a Jamaican music
style, a precursor to reggae
.
in New York City
that was employed by Shredder. Rocksteady was originally a short and stocky blond Caucasian man (who sported army camouflage pants that would be replaced with simple beige cargo pants
later while also occasionally sporting a strong Army helmet on his head in his mutated form). Bebop was a taller African American
man with a purple mohawk. With the other members of their gang, they were sent out to stop a Channel 6 reporter named April O'Neil
from doing a report about crime in the city. April ran down into the sewers while being chased by the street gang and met the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
, who then defeated the gang in a fight.
After this humiliating setback, The Shredder developed a plan to defeat the Turtles by mutating members of the street gang, so that they would have abilities parallel to the Turtles'. Rocksteady and Bebop both volunteered to undergo the procedure (though neither was particularly aware of what it would entail) with the promise that it would allow them to exact revenge on the Turtles. Bebop was mutated into a human warthog
, and Rocksteady into a rhinoceros
. However, though the transformation did make them larger and stronger, they remained incompetent simpletons and were completely inept at stopping the Turtles or carrying out Shredder's plans. For example, in "Enter the Shredder" they charged at the Turtles, who jumped, and crashed into each other. Donatello commented that their mutations didn't "up their IQ's any." For most of the series they were employed for purposes however, the Turtles certainly consider them to be formidable (despite their stupidity) in combat due to their great strength and endurance, and as such, often use their intelligence to outwit them rather than fighting them in a straightforward manner. In one episode of the series, Bebop was shown to have kept a pet turtle, which got mutated into the evil turtle Slash.
Rocksteady and Bebop's last appearance is in the season 8 finale Turtle Trek. In that episode, the Turtles destroy the Technodrome's engines, trapping it and its inhabitants in Dimension X for good. Bebop and Rocksteady are never seen again after that episode, but Krang and Shredder return during the 10th and last season. Rocksteady and Bebop are presumed to still be somewhere in Dimension X.
They made a reappearance in the made-for-tv movie 'Turtles Forever
'. In the flashback describing how the Turtles crossed dimensions, they said to their Turtle counterparts that they were facing off against Shredder and the Technodrome, meaning that he got the machine out of Dimension X (as well as Rocksteady and Bebop). Their incompetence is still shown, although it ended up saving the 2003 Shredder when Rocksteady accidentally tripped over and unplugged a laser that was about to destroy him, although Bebop ended up obliterating the 2003 Shredder anyway when he replugged the same laser device all the while thinking he would be pleased that they "fixed" his machine. All this happened just as the Utrom Shredder was unleashing a plan that would wipe out Ninja Turtles of all planes of existence (even if it meant destroying himself since he was still linked to them), so ironically... Bebop and Rocksteady saved all of Turtle existence.
In issues #23-#25, Krang
, who was banished to the toxic waste dump planet Morbus for exiled criminals, befriended two other criminals, Slash and Bellybomb. The group stole a spaceship and headed to Earth but stopped at the same Eden World Bebop and Rocksteady happened to be on. Being bored of Paradise, Rocksteady and Bebop join them on the trip back to Earth. However, rather than battle the turtles, the pair left Krang and the villains to fight the turtles and wandered the streets of New York City on their own. They rob a clothing store to get clothes similar to their original attire. They then rob a gun store for some guns. Then they went to the zoo and blasted all the cages, setting all the animals free. Just as the turtles managed to defeat Krang (who had taken over Shredder's body), Rocksteady and Bebop arrived with guns and all the zoo animals, intending to take them back to the same Eden world. The turtles surrendered and let Bebop and Rocksteady escape in the spaceship with the animals. Leonardo
asked them to take the defeated Krang and Bellybomb with them back to Morbus in Dimension X (Slash had already left the scene and was wandering the city). Bebop and Rocksteady did as asked and bid the Ninja Turtles farewell. The final panel of #25 shows the two mutants removing their clothes and going back to their simple life in the wilds of the Eden World.
Bebop and Rocksteady maintained the abilities they demonstrated in the cartoon, including their superhuman strength.
, based on instructions by Fred Wolf
to "put more mutants in the series".
s and laser
weaponry from both Earth and Dimension X. In the early episodes of the 1987 cartoon series, Bebop and Rocksteady were armed with automatic rifles and machine guns, which they used against the Turtles. Later in the series, they were armed with laser rifles and pistols from Dimension X. In "The Cat Woman from Channel Six", Rocksteady carried a sword
and Bebop carried a baseball bat
.
Besides the extensive array of firepower from both Earth and Dimension X at their disposal, Bebop and Rocksteady were also armed with combat knives; Bebop with a double-bladed knife (which resembles the Gerber Mark II
combat knife
) and Rocksteady with a Bowie knife
. In some episodes, they are seen fighting with a club.
The use of firearms and laser weaponry by Bebop and Rocksteady help to differentiate them from both the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Splinter, the Shredder, and the Foot Soldiers/Ninjas who use traditional ninja weaponry. This is because Bebop and Rocksteady were never ninjas, but street punks that were skilled in the use of firearms and knives before they were mutated.
In the game series they use a variety of different weapons. In TMNT: The Arcade Game
, Rocksteady used a machine gun while Bebop used a ray gun. In The Manhattan Project
, Rocksteady uses a harpoon gun, while Bebop uses a ball and chain mounted on his head. In Turtles in Time
, Rocksteady and Bebop were dressed as a pirate captain and first mate respectively. Rocksteady used a rapier while Bebop used a whip.
(who also voiced Donatello
) and Rocksteady was voiced by Cam Clarke
(who did the voice of Leonardo
). Greg Berg
was the 1989 Alternate for Bebop and Keith Tuttle was the 1989 Alternate for Rocksteady.
episode "Fallen Angel", there appears, for the first time, two characters that are dressed and look identical to Rocksteady and Bebop as humans. In the episode "Samurai Tourist", the humanoid rhino Gen, puts on human clothing that makes him look almost identical to Rocksteady. Also in that episode, Gen is chased by Kojima, an assassin who happens to be a humanoid warthog.
In the Fast Forward episode "Future Shellshock", Michelangelo falls out of a flying truck and onto another vehicle, the driver of which greatly resembles Bebop, only with smaller, more modern sunglasses.
In TMNT film, there was a rap song called "Shell Shock" playing in the end credits. Bebop and Rocksteady were mentioned in the song.
Bebop and Rocksteady both appear in the 25th Anniversary crossover movie, Turtles Forever
, voiced by Braford Cameron (Bebop) and Johnny Castro (Rocksteady).
In Archie's Sonic Universe 29, they are seen as cameos in the Zone Jail, ready to bully Scourge, who was reading "How to not be seen", which is a Monty Python reference.
Ervin Burrell
and Bill Rawls from the HBO series The Wire
were partially inspired by Rocksteady and Bebop, according to series creator David Simon
.
in 1988. This had the character armed with an automatic rifle (that was fitted with a telescopic sight on top of the receiver), which resembled the appearance of the US Army
's M60
general purpose machine gun, as well as a bowie knife, manhole cover shield, and belt with turtle shells. The first Bebop figure that Playmates released in the same year was armed with a power drill, a double-bladed knife, and a trashcan lid for a shield.
Both of the original figures were reissued in the 1990s and again in 2009 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Other figure incarnations of Bebop and Rocksteady were produced for the Wacky Action, Night Ninjas, Mutant Military 2, and Mutatin' lines and in 13" scale.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
and the Archie TMNT Adventures comics as well as most of the classic TMNT video games. They follow the orders of series villain The Shredder, leader of the Foot Clan
Foot Clan
The Foot Clan is a fictional ninjutsu clan in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe and the Turtles' main antagonists. It is usually led by the Shredder. The Foot Clan was originally a parody of the criminal ninja clan the Hand in the Daredevil comics...
. Their names are both from genres of music: bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
is a style of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
; while rocksteady
Rocksteady
Rocksteady is a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966. A successor to ska and a precursor to reggae, rocksteady was performed by Jamaican vocal harmony groups such as The Gaylads, The Maytals and The Paragons. The term rocksteady comes from a dance style that was mentioned in the Alton...
is a Jamaican music
Music of Jamaica
The music of Jamaica includes Jamaican folk music and many popular genres, such as mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub music, dancehall, reggae fusion and related styles. Jamaica's music culture is a fusion of elements from the United States , Africa, and neighboring Caribbean islands such as...
style, a precursor to reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
.
1987 cartoon
Bebop and Rocksteady were originally human, part of a street gangGang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
that was employed by Shredder. Rocksteady was originally a short and stocky blond Caucasian man (who sported army camouflage pants that would be replaced with simple beige cargo pants
Cargo pants
Cargo pants are loosely-cut pants designed for tough, outdoor activities distinguished by multiple cargo pockets.A cargo pocket is a form patch pocket with accordion folds for increased capacity closed with a flap secured by snap, button, or Velcro common on battledress and hunting clothing.Cargo...
later while also occasionally sporting a strong Army helmet on his head in his mutated form). Bebop was a taller African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
man with a purple mohawk. With the other members of their gang, they were sent out to stop a Channel 6 reporter named April O'Neil
April O'Neil
April O'Neil is a fictional character in the Mirage Studios franchise Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In each of the many TMNT continuities, she is a good friend of the Turtles: Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo.-Comics:...
from doing a report about crime in the city. April ran down into the sewers while being chased by the street gang and met the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
, who then defeated the gang in a fight.
After this humiliating setback, The Shredder developed a plan to defeat the Turtles by mutating members of the street gang, so that they would have abilities parallel to the Turtles'. Rocksteady and Bebop both volunteered to undergo the procedure (though neither was particularly aware of what it would entail) with the promise that it would allow them to exact revenge on the Turtles. Bebop was mutated into a human warthog
Warthog
The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
, and Rocksteady into a rhinoceros
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
. However, though the transformation did make them larger and stronger, they remained incompetent simpletons and were completely inept at stopping the Turtles or carrying out Shredder's plans. For example, in "Enter the Shredder" they charged at the Turtles, who jumped, and crashed into each other. Donatello commented that their mutations didn't "up their IQ's any." For most of the series they were employed for purposes however, the Turtles certainly consider them to be formidable (despite their stupidity) in combat due to their great strength and endurance, and as such, often use their intelligence to outwit them rather than fighting them in a straightforward manner. In one episode of the series, Bebop was shown to have kept a pet turtle, which got mutated into the evil turtle Slash.
Rocksteady and Bebop's last appearance is in the season 8 finale Turtle Trek. In that episode, the Turtles destroy the Technodrome's engines, trapping it and its inhabitants in Dimension X for good. Bebop and Rocksteady are never seen again after that episode, but Krang and Shredder return during the 10th and last season. Rocksteady and Bebop are presumed to still be somewhere in Dimension X.
They made a reappearance in the made-for-tv movie 'Turtles Forever
Turtles Forever
Turtles Forever, also known as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles Forever or TMNT: Turtles Forever is a 2009 made-for-tv animated movie that was produced by 4Kids Entertainment...
'. In the flashback describing how the Turtles crossed dimensions, they said to their Turtle counterparts that they were facing off against Shredder and the Technodrome, meaning that he got the machine out of Dimension X (as well as Rocksteady and Bebop). Their incompetence is still shown, although it ended up saving the 2003 Shredder when Rocksteady accidentally tripped over and unplugged a laser that was about to destroy him, although Bebop ended up obliterating the 2003 Shredder anyway when he replugged the same laser device all the while thinking he would be pleased that they "fixed" his machine. All this happened just as the Utrom Shredder was unleashing a plan that would wipe out Ninja Turtles of all planes of existence (even if it meant destroying himself since he was still linked to them), so ironically... Bebop and Rocksteady saved all of Turtle existence.
Archie Comics
Rocksteady and Bebop were featured in the following TMNT Adventures series, with similar origins and dimwittedness. Like the cartoon, they were punks mutated by the Shredder to help him defeat the turtles. As the series progressed, the animal side of Bebop and Rocksteady surfaced as they dreamed and longed for the 'old days' when they were just animals in the wild (Rocksteady in particular had dreams where he was a real rhino in the wild). When the Shredder and his bunch were defeated by the TMNT in the 'Final Conflict' (issue #13), Rocksteady and Bebop were banished to an Eden-World, a huge paradise planet in Dimension X full of wilderness and natural wildlife, without any humans or similar to disrupt their peace, and they enjoyed it. They became less interested in evil as their intelligence increased.In issues #23-#25, Krang
Krang
Krang is a fictional supervillain who appears in the Sonic The Hedgehog TV shows and most frequently in the 1987 STH cartoon and its associated media, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comic book and most of the classic TMNT video games....
, who was banished to the toxic waste dump planet Morbus for exiled criminals, befriended two other criminals, Slash and Bellybomb. The group stole a spaceship and headed to Earth but stopped at the same Eden World Bebop and Rocksteady happened to be on. Being bored of Paradise, Rocksteady and Bebop join them on the trip back to Earth. However, rather than battle the turtles, the pair left Krang and the villains to fight the turtles and wandered the streets of New York City on their own. They rob a clothing store to get clothes similar to their original attire. They then rob a gun store for some guns. Then they went to the zoo and blasted all the cages, setting all the animals free. Just as the turtles managed to defeat Krang (who had taken over Shredder's body), Rocksteady and Bebop arrived with guns and all the zoo animals, intending to take them back to the same Eden world. The turtles surrendered and let Bebop and Rocksteady escape in the spaceship with the animals. Leonardo
Leonardo (TMNT)
Leonardo is a fictional character that appears in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media.In the Mirage comics all four turtles wear red bandanas, but in other versions, he wears a blue bandana. His signature weapons are two ninjaken , which are universally referred to as...
asked them to take the defeated Krang and Bellybomb with them back to Morbus in Dimension X (Slash had already left the scene and was wandering the city). Bebop and Rocksteady did as asked and bid the Ninja Turtles farewell. The final panel of #25 shows the two mutants removing their clothes and going back to their simple life in the wilds of the Eden World.
Bebop and Rocksteady maintained the abilities they demonstrated in the cartoon, including their superhuman strength.
Character creation
The characters were designed by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird while they were negotiating the action figure deal with Playmates, as they wanted more characters to release. They were added into the show by writer David WiseDavid Wise (writer)
David Wise is a television and animation writer, tutored by writers such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Frank Herbert, Harlan Ellison and Theodore Sturgeon whilst attending the Clarion Workshop.-Early life:...
, based on instructions by Fred Wolf
Fred Wolf
Fred Wolf is an American animator. His works include the 1967 short subject The Box, for which he won an Academy Award; television specials such as The Point! and Free to Be... You and Me, and television series such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, James Bond Jr., and Sarah Ferguson's Budgie the...
to "put more mutants in the series".
Weapons
In the 1987 cartoon series, Rocksteady and Bebop were armed with various types, makes, and models of firearmFirearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s and laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
weaponry from both Earth and Dimension X. In the early episodes of the 1987 cartoon series, Bebop and Rocksteady were armed with automatic rifles and machine guns, which they used against the Turtles. Later in the series, they were armed with laser rifles and pistols from Dimension X. In "The Cat Woman from Channel Six", Rocksteady carried a sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
and Bebop carried a baseball bat
Baseball bat
A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the game of baseball to hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. It is no more than 2.75 inches in diameter at the thickest part and no more than 42 inches in length. It typically weighs no more than 33 ounces , but it...
.
Besides the extensive array of firepower from both Earth and Dimension X at their disposal, Bebop and Rocksteady were also armed with combat knives; Bebop with a double-bladed knife (which resembles the Gerber Mark II
Gerber Mark II
The Gerber Mark II is a fighting knife manufactured by Gerber Legendary Blades from 1967 to 2000, with an additional limited run of 1500 in 2002, and full production resuming as of July 2008...
combat knife
Combat knife
A combat knife is a fighting knife designed solely for military use and primarily intended for hand-to-hand or close combat fighting.Since the end of trench warfare, most military combat knives have been secondarily designed for utility use in addition to their original role as close-quarter combat...
) and Rocksteady with a Bowie knife
Bowie knife
A Bowie knife is a pattern of fixed-blade fighting knife first popularized by Colonel James "Jim" Bowie in the early 19th Century. Since the first incarnation was created by James Black, the Bowie knife has come to incorporate several recognizable and characteristic design features, although its...
. In some episodes, they are seen fighting with a club.
The use of firearms and laser weaponry by Bebop and Rocksteady help to differentiate them from both the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Splinter, the Shredder, and the Foot Soldiers/Ninjas who use traditional ninja weaponry. This is because Bebop and Rocksteady were never ninjas, but street punks that were skilled in the use of firearms and knives before they were mutated.
In the game series they use a variety of different weapons. In TMNT: The Arcade Game
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (arcade game)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, released as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles in Europe, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Kame Ninja in Japan, is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up released by Konami as a coin-operated video game in...
, Rocksteady used a machine gun while Bebop used a ray gun. In The Manhattan Project
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project, released as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Manhattan Project in Japan, is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up released by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in...
, Rocksteady uses a harpoon gun, while Bebop uses a ball and chain mounted on his head. In Turtles in Time
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, released as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Turtles in Time in Europe, is an arcade video game produced by Konami. A sequel to the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game, it is a scrolling beat 'em up based mainly on the 1987 TMNT animated...
, Rocksteady and Bebop were dressed as a pirate captain and first mate respectively. Rocksteady used a rapier while Bebop used a whip.
Voice actors
In the cartoon series Bebop was voiced by Barry GordonBarry Gordon
Barry Gordon is an American film, television and voice actor and political talk show host and producer. He was the longest-serving president of the Screen Actors Guild, having served from 1988 to 1995.-Biography:...
(who also voiced Donatello
Donatello (TMNT)
Donatello is a fictional character and one of the four main characters in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media. He is co-creator Peter Laird's favorite Turtle....
) and Rocksteady was voiced by Cam Clarke
Cam Clarke
Cameron Arthur "Cam" Clarke is a prolific American voice actor and singer, well known for his work in animation and video games. Clarke is well known for providing the voices of Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 original English-dub of Akira. He often voices...
(who did the voice of Leonardo
Leonardo (TMNT)
Leonardo is a fictional character that appears in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media.In the Mirage comics all four turtles wear red bandanas, but in other versions, he wears a blue bandana. His signature weapons are two ninjaken , which are universally referred to as...
). Greg Berg
Greg Berg
Greg Berg is an American voice actor.He has done voice-overs for various cartoons and video games. He has also been used in films as a voice match for certain male Hollywood actors...
was the 1989 Alternate for Bebop and Keith Tuttle was the 1989 Alternate for Rocksteady.
Other appearances
In the 2003 seriesTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated series, mainly set in New York City. It first aired on February 8, 2003 and ended on November 21, 2009...
episode "Fallen Angel", there appears, for the first time, two characters that are dressed and look identical to Rocksteady and Bebop as humans. In the episode "Samurai Tourist", the humanoid rhino Gen, puts on human clothing that makes him look almost identical to Rocksteady. Also in that episode, Gen is chased by Kojima, an assassin who happens to be a humanoid warthog.
In the Fast Forward episode "Future Shellshock", Michelangelo falls out of a flying truck and onto another vehicle, the driver of which greatly resembles Bebop, only with smaller, more modern sunglasses.
In TMNT film, there was a rap song called "Shell Shock" playing in the end credits. Bebop and Rocksteady were mentioned in the song.
Bebop and Rocksteady both appear in the 25th Anniversary crossover movie, Turtles Forever
Turtles Forever
Turtles Forever, also known as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles Forever or TMNT: Turtles Forever is a 2009 made-for-tv animated movie that was produced by 4Kids Entertainment...
, voiced by Braford Cameron (Bebop) and Johnny Castro (Rocksteady).
In Archie's Sonic Universe 29, they are seen as cameos in the Zone Jail, ready to bully Scourge, who was reading "How to not be seen", which is a Monty Python reference.
Ervin Burrell
Ervin Burrell
Ervin Burrell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Frankie Faison. Burrell was an officer in the Baltimore Police Department who ascended from Deputy Commissioner of Operations to Commissioner over the course of the show...
and Bill Rawls from the HBO series The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
were partially inspired by Rocksteady and Bebop, according to series creator David Simon
David Simon
David Simon is an American author, journalist, and a writer/producer of television series. He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years. He wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood with Ed Burns...
.
Video games
Rocksteady and Bebop both appear frequently in the classic TMNT video games, which are based on the 1987 cartoon. They are usually level bosses, usually for one of the levels of the first half of the game—meaning they are easily defeated. Their exact placement vary from game to game:- In the first TMNT video game (which was released for the NESNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, AmigaAmigaThe Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
, Amstrad CPCAmstrad CPCThe Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
, Atari STAtari STThe Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Commodore 64Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, DOSDOSDOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
, MSXMSXMSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
, ZX SpectrumZX SpectrumThe ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, and Virtual ConsoleVirtual consoleA virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
), the Turtles face Bebop before going up against Rocksteady. In this game, Bebop is actually a mini-boss, while Rocksteady is the level boss. Confusingly, strategy reviews of this game often reversed their names. - In the original TMNT arcade gameTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (arcade game)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, released as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles in Europe, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Super Kame Ninja in Japan, is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up released by Konami as a coin-operated video game in...
, the Turtles defeat Rocksteady in the first level and Bebop in the second level, and then have a rematch with Rocksteady and Bebop together immediately before rescuing April. Occasionally, Rocksteady and Bebop will bump into each other in their attempts to charge the Turtles, but it does not affect their energy. When the game was released on the NES, the rematch with Rocksteady and Bebop was replaced with a second battle with Baxter StockmanBaxter StockmanDr. Baxter Stockman is a fictional scientist who has appeared in several versions of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shows, videogames, and comics. In each version, he is depicted as the creator of the Mousers, machines meant to seek out and destroy sewer rats...
in his mutated insect form. - In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan ProjectTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan ProjectTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project, released as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Manhattan Project in Japan, is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up released by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in...
, Rocksteady is the first level boss and Bebop is the third level boss. In this version, Bebop is armed with a head-mounted ball and chain. - Rocksteady and Bebop appear as the first and second bosses in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot ClanTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot ClanTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan, released as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan in Europe, and simply Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Japan, is a 1990 Game Boy game by Konami. The game is based around the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series...
. - Rocksteady and Bebop appear as the first and second bosses in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back from the SewersTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back from the SewersTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back from the Sewers, released as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles II: Back from the Sewers in Europe, and simply Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 in Japan, is a 1991 Game Boy game by Konami...
. - Bebop and Rocksteady appear as bosses in the PC game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Manhattan MissionsTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Manhattan MissionsTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Manhattan Missions is a 1991 PC game featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.-Gameplay:The goal of the game is to complete a number of missions, consisting of side-scrolling levels, culminating in a final battle with the Shredder. The gameplay is loosely similar to...
. - Rocksteady and Bebop are not part of the original arcade version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in TimeTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in TimeTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, released as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Turtles in Time in Europe, is an arcade video game produced by Konami. A sequel to the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game, it is a scrolling beat 'em up based mainly on the 1987 TMNT animated...
. However, they are part of the Super NESSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
port of the game. They are paired together as a double-boss, and appear in the pirate ship level Skull and Crossbones where the time travelTime travelTime travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
goes to 1530, which in the arcade version was formerly Tokka and RahzarTokka and RahzarTokka and Rahzar are two fictional mutant villains in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe. They first appeared in the 1991 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. Rahzar was played by Mark Ginther and Tokka was played by Kurt Bryant...
's level (Tokka and Rahzar became mini-bosses in the TechnodromeTechnodromeThe Technodrome is the semi-spherical tank-like metallic mobile subterranean fortress of Krang and Shredder, the main villains in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, the Archie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comics and most TMNT video game adaptations. The Technodrome was also...
level instead). As in the arcade game, they can bump into each other in their attempts to charge the Turtles; however, they do take damage for it this time. In fact, the player only needs to attack one of them in order to defeat both. As appropriate for the level, they are both dressed in piratePiracyPiracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
regalia instead of their usual attire, and wield a whip and a rapier instead of firearms. - Rocksteady appears as the second level boss of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone HeistTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone HeistTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist, released in Europe as Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist and in Japan as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Return of the Shredder is a side-scrolling beat 'em up based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and was also the...
for the Sega Genesis. He returns in level four where the first three bosses are fought again. Bebop, however, is nowhere to be seen in this game. - The duo appears in the background of the Mount Olympus arena in the Super NES version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament FightersTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament FightersTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters, or Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles: Tournament Fighters in Europe, is the title of three different fighting games based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, produced by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Genesis, and Super NES and...
.
Action figures
The original Rocksteady action figure was released by Playmates ToysPlaymates Toys
Playmates Toys is a Costa Mesa, California toy manufacturer and a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Playmates Holdings Ltd , which was founded in 1966.-Proprietary brands:*Amazing Dolls*Amazing Pets*Kinder-Garden Babies*R.E.V.s*Waterbabies*WOW Pals...
in 1988. This had the character armed with an automatic rifle (that was fitted with a telescopic sight on top of the receiver), which resembled the appearance of the US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's M60
M60 machine gun
The M60 is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links...
general purpose machine gun, as well as a bowie knife, manhole cover shield, and belt with turtle shells. The first Bebop figure that Playmates released in the same year was armed with a power drill, a double-bladed knife, and a trashcan lid for a shield.
Both of the original figures were reissued in the 1990s and again in 2009 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Other figure incarnations of Bebop and Rocksteady were produced for the Wacky Action, Night Ninjas, Mutant Military 2, and Mutatin' lines and in 13" scale.
External links
- Bebop's profile on the Official TMNT website
- Rocksteady's profile on the Official TMNT website
- Heroes in a Half Shell - Part Two at the Official TMNT website, is the episode "Enter the Shredder" where Rocksteady and Bebop are mutated and first appear
- Turtle Trek at the Official TMNT website, is the last episode in which Bebop and Rocksteady appeared
- The Technodrome website - Images of Bebop and Rocksteady together