Retro Weekend Rewind: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Hello fellow Fanboys and Fangirls! Welcome to the Retro Weekend Rewind! Join us, on the first Saturday of each month, for a trip back in time as we remember the staples of Saturday Mornings: Cartoons, Toys, and Sugary Cereal!
Our debut Retro Weekend Rewind post is devoted to one of our favorite ‘80s franchises: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
Origin:
The Heroes in a Half Shell were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird during a night of brainstorming in the early 80s. The two creators self-publised a single issue comic that was intended to parody comics such as Frank Miller’s Daredevil run, New Mutants, Cerebus, and Ronin. In 1984 the Ninja Turtles appeared in their own comic produced by Mirage Studios.
My first introduction to Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Michelangelo, in comic book form, was when Bryan let me borrow his copy of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle graphic novel that had the first 7 issues of the original comic. The artwork was amazing and the action popped off the pages even in a black & white comic!
Cartoon:
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon first aired as a 5 part mini-series starting on December 28th 1987. This show was part of a great 80s tradition of having a cartoon to sell toys, because when Playmates Toys Inc was approached to create the toy line they requested that a television deal be made first.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cartoon Intro 1987
I remember the first morning Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles aired, because I was on Christmas break and getting ready to watch ThunderCats when this amazing intro and theme song came across my screen. This Near Mint Fanboy was hooked from the beginning.
Toys:
The amazing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys were produced by Playmates Toys starting in 1988 and had lots of figures, vehicles, and playlets. These toys were a huge fixture of our childhood and could possibly be the line that I have the most figures and vehicles for. Bryan and I have memories of getting our allowances, walking to Wal-Mart, and buying new Ninja Turtle figures every week.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figure commercial
Michelangelo was my favorite turtle on the cartoon & from the toy line. Some of my other favorite Turtle toys were Casey Jones, Usagi Yojimbo, Baxter Stockman, Slash, Triceraton, & Leo the Sewer Samurai! Then there is one of my favorite vehicles from any toyline; The Party Wagon!
Party Wagon and Turtle Cycle Commercial
Cereal:
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cereal was made by Ralston and introduced in 1989. This was a huge part of my breakfast in the late 80s! It included “crunchy sweetened ninja nets” and “Ninja Turtle marshmallows”! Later pizza shaped marshmallows were added. This cereal has one of my favorite boxes of any cereal, because of the awesome use of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle logo and the bright animated version of the Turtles posing behind the bowl, in a group, with Donatello holing a giant spoon made to look like his bo-staff. I would still be eating this today if it were still around!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cereal Commercial
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are still going strong, after 30 years, and continue to be a part of the pop-culture landscape with new comics, cartoons, action figures, and live-action movies! Hope you Shell-Heads enjoyed this month's edition of the Retro Weekend Rewind! Let us know your favorite memories of the Ninja Turtles in the comments below. We’ll see you guys next time! COWABUNGA!