The Coolest Side Characters From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ 1987 Cartoon – Looper

“TMNT” is a superhero show, so it makes sense that the writers would make a character who’s a mix of several classic superhero characters. His powers are based on several different insects, making him akin to Spider-Man; his other form activates when he’s angry, just like the Hulk — April even refers to him as “The Incredible Hunk — and his weaknesses are bug spray and Leestanite, an obvious stand-in for kryptonite named after Stan Lee. Like other legendary comic mainstays, his real name, Brick Bradly, is alliterative. One other deeper level of homage paid here was behind the scenes — Bugman’s voice actor, Dan Gilvezan, previously played a much more famous wall-crawler in “Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends.”

Bugman isn’t original, but he is entertaining. Through his cheesy lines and flirting with April, he fits right in, but his power set is interesting, too. Not only can Brick fly and use ant strength, but he can also eat like a giant termite. On top of those abilities, Bugman can telepathically communicate with insects and give them commands, like in the episode “Michelangelo Meets Bugman Again,” where he saves the city from genetically altered termites. Brick also goes through some issues with a villain who makes a comic about him, and we learn that this is one superhero who isn’t afraid to get litigious. In the end, he retreats to a monastery and acquires a new secret identity.