This weeks throwback is a fun one I think, at least for most of us that were around.
35 years ago, we were introduced to four turtles. Who would have thought they would turn into what they are today, pretty much a million dollar industry with several movies, cartoons, video games and toys.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Issue #1 was released 35 years ago, back in 1984.
This is a classic Bronze Age comic. Probably one of the most valuable independent comics from this age. It doesn’t come up for sale (first prints) often either as there were several additional printings. The second and third printings still command a pretty penny though.
I recall my older brother having the first issue, which I think was a 2nd or 3rd print. I didn’t jump on the bandwagon until issue #3, which was also the second printing. Sadly I don’t have any of these. The only one I managed to keep was my issue #3.
I feel really old now, thinking about how these Turtles have been around for as long as they have.
For those that were around when the Turtles came into our lives, what’s your fondest memory of the Ninja Turtles, whether it was discovering them by comic 35 years or so ago, playing the 4 player arcade game (which drained so many quarters from my allowance each week)
Let us know in the comments or let’s strike up some chatter in the new CHU forums.
The clear green ooze was a favorite of mine and the Technodrome toy. Today we have techno, drones, and kids are all about making slime, weird how that worked out.
I’m a 90’s baby so the animated cartoon and the first live action movie was my introduction to the turtles.
I think I really started paying attention around issue 12 or 13…I was able to grab first prints of issues back to #4 I think…but I sold them eventually…
Now I have the hardcover that reprints the first 5 or 6 issues. Eastman and Laird were about an hour away from me last year signing books in Mass, but I was away that weekend…would have loved to have them each sign the inside cover of my book. Some day…
I used to love TMNT when I was younger. Was lucky enough that a local dealer got a first print of #1 way back when I was in Jr. High. I put a down payment on it, saved my paper rout money and two months later picked it up. Roughly a VF. BUT, the Turtles got sold to Archie a few years later and became a freaking kids comic and show. For older kids it was no longer cool, and I felt betrayed(not really)! In the very early 90’s I traded it is for a really nice ASM #13, probably a 9.0 and ASM #20 VF+. Would still be pretty cool if I kept it in hindsight, but those Spider-man comics are some of the nicest silver age books in my collection…and I still collect Spider-man. All things considered I don’t think I took much of a loss on the trade even all these years later.
That 4 player turtles arcade game was the reason I went to the local amusement park. That and the X-Men 4 player arcade machine. Lots of fond memories. Just outside the arcade at the amusement park, they had a ‘guess the speed of your pitch’ machine, and you would win a earless batting helmet with the team of your choice, if you could predict how fast your pitch would be. Between the arcade and the pitch speed guess machine, I spent a lot of (my dads) money there. Fond memories.
Wow. I can remember that game. My mom would drop me off at the mall with $10 roll of quarters and i would go to the arcade called Tilt. This was late 80’s early 90’s. Funny I don’t think I could leave my 11 year old by himself like that. Different times
I know what you mean. the days of letting middle school kids hang out at the mall or arcade on their own are long over I’m afraid. I’m just going to latch on to my kid whenever he goes out like Yoda to Luke! The closest arcade to me growing up was the local Playboy Club. My folks would drop off my friend and I for an hour or so every so often. The arcade was at the time very futuristic, up to date and immaculately clean…. and with bunnies walking around. Can’t believe they (the club and my folks) would allow 11 and 12 year olds to roam around without an adult. The 80’s were just a unique and freaking awesome decade!
Same here, Kevin. My dad would drop me off at the arcade while he took my sister on roller coasters. I was maybe 10 at the time, all alone in the amusement park arcade among lots of stranger danger.
I will admit the TMNT arcade game was fun! So was the simpsons!
For sure, OC. I forgot about that one. The Simpsons Arcade was definitely the same caliber as the TMNT and X-Men arcades.
Loved the X-Men game as well. I was a huge Street Fighter II fan as well. Spent so many quarters on those games.
Spy Hunter was probably my favorite. And the USA vs CCCP Bubble hockey.
Spy Hunter was awesome.
I was introduced to the turtles when the cartoons and the live movie first came out. Leonardo was the man!!
My wife is a huge ninja turtles fan. She was introduced to the turtles when she was 3 or 4 and had a Rafael plush that she would sleep with and carry with her everywhere. About 4 years ago, my mother-in-law found that plush and now my youngest sleeps with it.
I still have my turtles in time and tournament fighters games for the SNES.