Letter from the User…

Dear Visitors

Ever since I was 3 years old I’ve loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Though I had never read any of comics I was a big fan of the 80’S cartoon series and the 1990 live-action film, which was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. To say the least I was obsessed, I had every; action figure, every play set, the pajamas, the bed linens, Halloween costumes, everything… Even one year there was performer at one of my birthday parties dressed as Raphael. To this day I swear my cousin Brian was under the suit because they sounded so alike.

I was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles freak…

 Now that I am older, not so much, but I do enjoy the occasional viewing of the live-action films and I have also watched some of the more recent Turtles series, however, since being part of this course called The Graphic Narrative: Comics in Context at U MASS Lowell I have gardened a new interest in the series. For this reason I have decided to this website, to which will serve as a reference site for all those who wish to rekindle that sense of youthful innocence that may have been lost since the days of the original series and for the new generations of fans to learn about the series that I loved so much by re-introducing everything that has made the series what it is to this day.

COWABUNGA, DUDES!…

Publication History

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” was published by Mirage Studios in 1984, both of which were created by writers and artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laid for$1,200, combined from a tax refund ($500)and  loan from Eastman’s uncle($700). The book was published in an over sized magazine-style format using black and white artwork on cheap news print (3000 copies). The original concept was a drawing done by Laid, that featured a short, square turtle wearing a mask with nunchaku  strapped to its arms. The first issue was advertised in issues #’s 1 and 2 of their comic “, Gobbledygook” and the 547th issue of the Comics Buyers Guide and mad their first appearance at a Comic book convention at the Sheraton Hotel in Portsmouth, NH. The  limited run made the comic an instant collector’s item making over 50 times their cover price, eventually the original run was succeeded by two more runs that sold out at 15,000 then 35,000 copies. The success led to a number of knockoffs during the 80’s including the “Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters’ and the” Pre-teen Dirty-Gene Kung Fu Kangaroos”. Mirage also published “Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”,  a bi-monthly comic was released in alternating months with the regular books.(1987-89). The art was provided by Ryan Brown and Jim Lawson. The book also helped to fill the gaps in the series and provide continuity.. The phenomenon that followed in other media; books, toys,animated series,

est…;pushed Eastman and Laid out of the day-to-day writing and drawing of the series, to deal with licensing agreement and. They eventually returned in 1993 to bring the series back to its original continuity which it strayed away from the various guest artists brought to the series.The second volume, in color, only lasted 13 issues due to falling sales. The third volume done by Erik Larsen allowed for the characters to interact with Image Comics characters such as Savage Dragon. It returned to the black and white drawings of the original but with a faster pace and more intense action. The fourth volume (2001-2010) featured the turtles in their 30’s living among humans, posing as aliens, but disregarding the events of the third volume. In October 2009 Eastman and Laid sold the franchise to Viacom.

Inspiration and Design

The idea of the turtles was developed by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laid in 1983 during a brainstorming session. Eastman working as a short order cook/ part time artist and Laid a graphic illustrator were watching TV and drawing cartoons when Eastman came up with the initial drawing. It featured a bipedal turtle with nunchukus strapped to his arms calling it a “Ninja Turtle”, with Laid suggesting “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle”. They then came up with an origin story based on Frank Millers “Dare Devil” and “Ronin” and parodying other popular comics of the time including the “New Mutants” and “Cerebus” . Originally each turtle would have a different design  but they then settled on one design for all the turtles. They were designed with a humanoid appearance with 3 large fingers and a large shell and featuring a red bandanna, each turtle later having their own unique color, done to tell the turtles apart in animation. Each turtle was named after a renaissance artist and specialized in a particular weapon.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEJz9UMn30w

Character Profile-Leonardo

Nickname-Leo

Mask-Blue

Weapon-Twin Katanas

Personality– Leonardo is the eldest of the turtles and the team leader in all the various turtle media. He is characterized by his strong sense of justice and honor and is completely devoted to his martial arts training.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e90osXYJp3U&playnext=1&list=PL4D6E2A7FF49BA5D2

Fact-In Volume 3 of the Image Comics “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” Leonardo lost his right hand in battle with the Shredder. He attempted to replace it with a prosthetic, made by Donatello, but got rid of it in favor of a steel cap with a retractable blade. This shows his devotion to martial arts as he decides to focus on training his body to compensate for the loss of his hand rather than just replacing it.

MY 2 CENTS– This was my favorite character growing up as I admired his strength and courage as I was a bit of a wimp growing up and I wanted to be like him because he was something I was not. Also, I have always been fond of characters who use a sword; King Arthur, Luke Skywalker, the Red Power Ranger; who all have the same qualities as Leonardo.

Charactet Profile-Raphael

Nickname-Raph

Mask-Red

Weapons-Twin Sais

Personality-Raphael is the most aggressive of the turtles and is always ready for a fight. He is also sarcastic  jealous of  Leonardo as he is the star pupil and Raphael is always disobeying splinter

Fact-In many instances,including the first live action film, where his antics get him in trouble he seeks out of the sewer in a trench coat and fedora and wanders New York City.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_6KMGB_Pkw

My 2 Cents-I can relate to this character because first of all because he wore red, my favorite color, but also I have a similar relationship with my brother even though I am the older sibling. Though I am not jealous of my brother we don’t get along. Some times I just want to kill him. I feel for Raph, deeply.

Character Profile-Donatello

Nickname-Donnie

Mask -Purple

Weapon-Bo Staff

Personality-Donatello is the leas violent of the turtles with more of an interest in science and technology. He is an expert of using junk found in the sewers and salvage/junkyards and turning them in to useful tools to fight the Shredder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig1VS4ik5yw&playnext=1&list=PL8D1C25292E9A4F51

Fact– Donatello’s most famous invention is the turtles ultimate ride, the Battle Shell…

My 2 Cents-This character is the personification of brain over brawn, as he rather out smart his opponent than fight and for him there is always a solution.

Character Profile-Michelangelo

Nickname-Mikey

Mask-Orange

Weapons-Twin Nunchaku

Personality-Michelangelo is the youngest and most easy going of the turtles. He loves; reading comics, playing video games,skateboarding, and pizza(as all the turtles do).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLJUGIh-Cnw

Fact-When the character originally was created, the self proclaimed “Party Dude’s” name was misspelled “Michaelangelo”.

My 2 Cents-This was the most fun character of the film and cartoon series as his antics always brought a hilarious doom for the bad guys. Especially as the superhero “Turtle Titan” in the 2003 animated series.

Character Profile-Splinter

Weapon-None(sometimes a cane)

Personality-Splinter is the mutated rat that serves as the adopted father figure and Sensei to the turtles. He learned Ninjutsu from his master Hamato Yoshi.

Fact- In “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” animated series (1987) Splinter is Hamato Yoshi. He was turned into a rat by touching the same radioactive waste that trans formed the turtles after interacting  with sewer rats .

My 2 cents-At first, when you see him, you may faint, but once you get to know him you life will never be the same, just ask Ernie Reese, Jr.(Keno in TMNT 2:The Secret of the Ooze) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tVrm1LTvmE