Leatherhead (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Leatherhead is a fictional character in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) comics and all related media. The character first appeared in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6 (August 1988) and was created by Ryan Brown. He is depicted as a mutated humanoid-alligator.^[1]

Leatherhead
Interior artwork from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #56 (March 2016). Art by Mateus Santolouco.
Publication information
Publisher	Mirage Studios
First appearance	Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6 (August 1988)
Created by	Ryan Brown
In-story information
Species	Mutant alligator
Notable aliases	Jess Harley (Archie Comics continuity only)
Abilities	Enhanced strength, durability, speed, and senses Accelerated healing Razor-sharp teeth and claws Combat experience

Leatherhead has been voiced by Jim Cummings and Peter Renaday in the 1987 series, Frederick B. Owens and Gary K. Lewis in the 2003 series, Peter Lurie in the 2012 series, and Rose Byrne in the 2023 feature film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

Fictional character biography

Mirage Comics

Leatherhead as he is seen in the Mirage Comics: Volume 1 incarnation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Originally, Leatherhead was an alligator who escaped a robbery at a pet store and found his way into the sewers. While in the sewers, Leatherhead was found by a pair of TCRI Utroms, who decided to bring the creature to their headquarters. During his stay with the Utroms, Leatherhead was exposed to mutagen, which caused him to mutate into a humanoid and intelligent being.

Living with the Utroms, Leatherhead was separated from them when the TCRI building self-destructed. The now-homeless Leatherhead was forced to live in the sewers where he was continually attacked by hunter Jack Marlin. During one attack by Marlin, Leatherhead meets the Turtles. After helping Leatherhead defeat Marlin, the Turtles allow him to live in their old home.

IDW Comics

Leatherhead makes his debut in the 49th issue of IDW Publishing's comic series. He appears very briefly, telling Dr. Harold and Professor Honeycutt that he had some mutagen that could be used to help heal Donatello.

Archie Comics

In the Archie Comics series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, Leatherhead is a human named Jess Harley who lived in the swamps of Florida, and was transformed into a mutant alligator when Dimension X warlord Cherubae uses the Turnstone on him. At first, Shredder lures Leatherhead to work with him, until Leatherhead discovers that the Shredder is a villain. Leatherhead later becomes a wrestling hero at the Stump Asteroid and later a member of the Mighty Mutanimals. He and the other members of that group were killed before the end of the Archie Comics run with the Turtles characters.

In other media

Animation

• Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987), voiced primarily by Jim Cummings and by Peter Renaday in the episode "Night of the Rogues".^[2][3] This version is a wild alligator from the Everglades who was mutated by mutagen that entered his home swamp after a botched mission by Krang and Shredder. He is depicted as more villainous than his comics counterpart, working with Shredder and the Rat King and never befriending the Turtles.
• Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003), voiced by Frederick B. Owens in the second and third seasons and by Gary K. Lewis in the fourth and seventh seasons.^[3] This version was originally an exotic pet who got flushed down to the sewer, where he was found and mutated by the Utroms. He was accidentally left behind during Shredder's attack, which forced the Utroms to flee Earth, and comes to live with the Turtles. However, Leatherhead fears that he will harm the Turtles and ultimately chooses to live away from them in an abandoned subway station.
• Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012), voiced by Peter Lurie.^[3] This version was originally owned by an unidentified boy until his parents discovered him and abandoned him in the sewers. There, Leatherhead was found and mutated by the Kraang. He soon comes across the Turtles, befriending Michelangelo, but sacrifices himself to defeat the Kraang and is sent to Dimension X. Leatherhead returns in the second season episode "Into Dimension X!", having aged several decades due to time passing much faster in Dimension X. In the third season, Leatherhead becomes a founding member of the Mighty Mutanimals, a ragtag group of mutants formed by Slash.
• A female incarnation of Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023), voiced by Rose Byrne.^[4][5][3] This version is a member of Superfly's mutant army.
• The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem incarnation of Leatherhead appears in the Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episode "Night of the Mechazoids" (2024), voiced again by Rose Byrne.^[3]

Video games

• Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project (1991).
• Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (1991). In the 2009 remake of the game, he is voiced by Michael Sinterniklaas.^[3]
• Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist (1992).
• Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus (2004).
• Leatherhead makes a cameo appearance in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare (2005).
• Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), voiced by André Sogliuzzo.^[3]
• Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze (2014), voiced again by André Sogliuzzo.^[3]
• Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (2022), voiced by Sean Gurnsey.^[3]
• Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate (2023), voiced by Keith Ferguson.^[3]
• The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem incarnation of Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed (2024), voiced by Abby Trott.^[3]