Leatherhead
A mutant American alligator and hot-headed ally of the Ninja Turtles.
Leatherhead is a mutant American alligator and hot-headed ally of the Ninja Turtles. In the Mirage continuity, Leatherhead was originally an ordinary alligator who escaped a pet store during a robbery and found his way into the sewers. While in the sewers, Leatherhead was found by a pair of TCRI Utroms and later mutated. 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. 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.
- Species
- Mutated Alligator
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987), voiced primarily by Jim Cummings and by Peter Renaday in the episode "Night of the Rogues." This version is a wild alligator who was mutated by mutagen that entered the swamp after a botched mission by Krang and Shredder and later becomes Shredder's ally. 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. 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. After inadvertently attacking Michelangelo, Leatherhead chooses to live in a abandoned subway station near the Turtles' base, allowing him to keep in touch with them while ensuring their safety. Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012), voiced by Peter Lurie. This version was mutated by the Kraang and is a founding member of the Mighty Mutanimals. A female incarnation of Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, voiced by Rose Byrne. 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.
In Their Own Story
Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project. Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time. In the 2009 remake of the game, he is voiced by Michael Sinterniklaas. Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist. 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. Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze (2014), voiced again by André Sogliuzzo. Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (2022), voiced by Sean Gurnsey. Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate (2023), voiced by Keith Ferguson. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem incarnation of Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed (2024), voiced by Abby Trott.
Reader's Guide
Leatherhead is a mutant American alligator and hot-headed ally of the Ninja Turtles. In the Mirage continuity, Leatherhead was originally an ordinary alligator who escaped a pet store during a robbery and found his way into the sewers. While in the sewers, Leatherhead was found by a pair of TCRI Utroms and later mutated. 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. 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.
Did You Know?
- 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.
- Leatherhead makes his debut in the 49th issue of IDW Publishing's comic series, telling Dr. Harold and Professor Honeycutt that he had some mutagen that could be used to help heal Donatello.
- In the 2003 series, Leatherhead was originally an exotic pet who got flushed down to the sewer, where he was found and mutated by the Utroms.
- A female incarnation of Leatherhead appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, voiced by Rose Byrne, as a member of Superfly's mutant army.
- Leatherhead appears as a boss in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (2022), voiced by Sean Gurnsey.