It started as a joke between two friends.
Then it became a parody of the trends of early 1980s comic books, both mainstream and independent. The return of young superheroes after the originals had grown up. An increase in street-level crime to match the colorful supervillains of the Silver Age. The "dark and gritty" stories being introduced by new generations of comic creators, like Frank Miller.
Then it became a legit action title and a cornerstone of the independent comic book scene, its creators leading a movement of legitimizing creator rights and re-inventing the entire industry.
Then it became an animated television show, offering a transitional point between the commercial-drive bloat of 1980s action cartoons and the more serious artist-driven productions of 1990s superhero cartoons.
Then it became a series of films that herald the last hurrah of practical special effects and animatronics.
Then it became a brand, a commercial product spread across dozens of different mediums, an image to be sold in thousands of different ways.
Then it became a husk with no core, no central idea to keep it interesting, to keep it maintained.
Then it entered into the 21st century reinvigorated, with a new television show and comic book line that harkened back to its roots while reinventing itself for a new age, reaching a final conclusion that was part tribute, part exorcism, part eulogy, part viking funeral.
Then it was reborn once again, and its future remains as uncertain as it was thirty years ago.
If there is one defining trait of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it's how mutable it is. It's a franchise that refuses to be held down to one image, one core idea or one definitive version. There are probably more than a dozen separate continuities. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been comic books, television shows (both animated and live action), movies (both live action and animated), video games, toys, a comic strip, a stage show, a Japanese anime, a role-playing game, an amusement park ride and a brand name that could be slapped on just about anything, and they all can make claims in being the legit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Mutagen is the catalyst of change, and we'll be following it as it changes and warps and rewrites the DNA of this franchise. We'll be mapping it along all its streets and crossroads and dead ends, as well as its surrounding dimensions. By the end, we will have a map we can trace our fingers over and, perhaps, how to expand it ourselves.
