Merry Christmas!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! I hope it is full of family, fun and cheer! I know I am having a great time, but what to do after the turkey is eaten and the presents unwrapped? Why not watch a few of my favorite holiday classics below! Enjoy and I send my goodwill to you!

We wish you a Turtle Christmas: Part 1 (1994)

Rest in peace Mr. Seaver

On my way into work this morning I heard the news that iconic 80s actor Alan Thicke is dead at the age of 69 from an apparent heart attack while playing Hockey with his son. Of all places I heard this shocking news while listening to ESPN Radio's "Dan Le Batard Show". Alan was a frequent caller into the show and they played a few of his most memorable clips. I was almost in tears. Not only did we loose a great person & actor, but I felt like a piece of my childhood was gone also.

He will be missed. I'm sure not only by me but by millions of fans. Now enjoy this lost tape of Alan Thicke performing "Santa Claus is coming to town" with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This is how I would like to remember him, as a fun loving guy who was down for anything. What are some of your favorite Alan Thicke memories?

1988 TMNT Fan Club!

I have exhibited dauntless courage in the face of adversity, a tireless commitment to social justice and sent in a check or money order for five dollars. Yes, I am a proud card carrying charter member of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Turtle Force!

While cleaning up/sorting my comic collection over the last few weeks, I was able to find my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Fan Club packet! Not only did you get those sweet membership cards, but you also got a large "Mutant Power" sticker and a note from P.J. Van Egeren! I don't know who he was, but on the note it says "President". I assume of the Fan Club?

According to the letter, my fan club kit was supposed to provide "hours of fun and moral guidance"! I'm not 100% sure it did that, but it did come with this sweet "Chaos Chronicle" newsletter. The newsletter included some great articles including an introductory letter, a section where the turtles themselves answered our letters and a nice shot of the new Turtle products that had recently come out including everything from calendars to Banquet Meat Pies!

But that's not all! The Chaos Chronicles also had a "Pizza Point" catalogue, fun and games and a Sneak Preview behind the set of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie!

The coolest thing, in my opinion, that was included in the Fan Club Kit has to be the exclusive "Street Collector's Edition #1" mini-comic! I love that the art style is in the gritty Mirage fashion and not the cartoony way. The Turtles on the cover even have all their bandanas in red! This is one of the rare TMNT comics that I am glad I have in my collection.

To top it all off you also received this AWESOME Ninja Turtles print bandana! Mine is still in pristine condition and has never been worn. I am waiting for my opportunity to don this fashion icon. Waiting for a time when I must do battle with the forces of evil wherever I may find them!

Everything was only $5 back in 1988. That was an amazing value back then! I wish more properties would have fan club's like this today. The new TMNT Fan Club has been reduced to e-mails every now and then from Nickelodeon. Kids today (puts on old man hat and hikes up pants) will never know the joy of receiving their official kits in the mail and that makes me sad.

Comic Book Pick: 11/9/16

This week the comic book I am most excited to read is...

BATMAN/TMNT ADVENTURES #1

When villains start to mysteriously escape Arkham, Batman seeks to track them down. What happens when he discovers that they have left Gotham completely... and entered the TMNT's New York City?

•   The animated worlds of the current TMNT Nickelodeon cartoon and Batman: The Animated Series collide in this outstanding mini-series!

•   The greatest all-ages crossover of all-time!

•   Featuring villains and allies from both universes!

•   The influential Batman: The Animated Series returns to comics!

(W) Matthew K. Manning (A/CA) Jon Sommariva       

SRP: $3.99

Happy Halloween!!!

Hope all the Trick or Treaters out there have a ton of fun and get lots of Candy, candy, candy, candy!!! I'll be Casey Jones this year and my son is Raphael. The girls are going as Wonder Woman, Batgirl and Supergirl! What are you dressing up as? Happy Halloween!

Old vs New: Ninja Turtle masks

I recently found this old Raphael Ninja Turtles Halloween mask in a storage box at my house. My son had the new "Nickelodeon" mask from last year's Halloween festivities! So, why not put them together and see which is best!

Let's start with the 1989 mask. I love the vintage look of this mask! The snarl is close to resembling the expression from the original Playmates toy line and the colors are bold and vibrant. My only complaint is that the material the mask is made from is pretty flimsy. This could easily be cracked or broken by a young child. On the plus side, the elastic string that holds the mask to your face is still very strong and holds the mask in place nicely!

Onto the 2013 mask produced by Ruby. I am not the biggest fan of the Nickelodeon Turtles look. It is okay don't get me wrong, but you just can't beat the classics. The hard plastic of this material is a definite upgrade from the 80s version and much more durable. My main issue is the Velcro strap that holds the mask up. It really is not adjustable and the Velcro weakens after a few wears.

I am a much bigger fan of the Turtles of my era and if it were up to me, I would choose the 80s mask over 2013. But, damn don't those kids look RADICAL all decked out in their costumes?

Birthday Recap 2016: Part 2

Last week was my birthday and I am so blessed to have a wife and kids that really know me and know what I like. I'm sure it helped that I dropped a few hints here and there. It was a great birthday spent with the fam. Well, let's dig in and take a look at what I unwrapped this year in Part 2 of the 2016 Birthday Recap!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Party Wagon Lunch Box Collector's Set! (Paramount, 2016)

Birthday Recap 2016: Part 1

This past week was my birthday and I am so blessed to have a wife and kids that really know me and know what I like. I'm sure it helped that I dropped a few hints here and there. It was a great birthday spent with the fam. Well, let's dig in and take a look at what I unwrapped this year in Part 1 of the 2016 Birthday Recap!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Action Vinyls: Donatello (Loyal Subjects, 2015)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-Machines: Donnie in Speed Demon (Playmates, 2015)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Surprise Mini-Fig: Movie Donatello (Playmates, 2016)

My Faves: Figure Collection #3

 I have a fairly big collection of loose figures from the 80s & 90s. I would like to share a few of my faves with you at this time. Get ready, here we go!

TMNT Talkin' Turtles: Leonardo (Playmates Toys, 1991)

This is the original Leonards Talkin' Turtle I had as a kid growing up with Turtle Fever. If I remember correctly, my older brother was actually the one that bought this guy. I loved the facial sculpts of this TMNT toy series. I mean look at that battle ready facial expression! On the downside I remember these "Talkin'" Turtles really did not talk that well. You had to insert a "Quip Strip" into the shell/sewer cover on their backs and pull it at the right speed so you could almost understand the mumbled voices of the TMNT. Great concept, just a little underwhelming when you expect your heroes to have a convo with you.

Ninja Turtles: Smash Up

In 2009 Ubisoft Entertainment released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash Up for the Nintendo Wii as part of the Turtles 25th Anniversary celebration. The same group who worked on Super Smash Bros. Brawl put in time on this game. So you know exactly what type of game you got? A beat em' up 1-on-1 brawler featuring the Turtles and their extended family!

The game played much like any other fighting game. You choose your fighter, your opponent chooses theirs and you fight to win 2 out of 3 matches. The cool thing about this game though is not only do you get to play with the TMNT, but the stages have great designs and surprises. You could be in the sewers fighting a Foot Soldier and an alligator will pop out and take a bite out of you during a match and you can destroy most of the environments and set traps for other players to fall into. These little touches make the game all the more fun to play.

As you can tell, I am a big Turtle fan and wanted this game once I heard it was announced to drop in the Fall of 2009. My wife pre-ordered me a copy from Game Stop, but wanted something for me to unwrap on my birthday. The folks at Game Stop allowed her to take home the display case off the shelves. This was what I opened on my birthday!

Once the game was released and we were able to pick up my copy at the store, I noticed that the artwork on the box was drastically different from the one I received earlier. I kind of prefer the display box art over the finished version.

The game also included cut scenes that were written by Turtles co-creator Peter Laird and drawn by long time Mirage Publishing artists Jim Lawson and Eric Talbot. To set up and explain the story for the game, included in the box was a short "Prequel" comic that tells the tale of Shredder kidnapping Fugitoid and the Turtles attempting to get him back!

I do enjoy this game, but not as much as Super Smash Bros. I feel like the roster could have been expanded much more. There are 16 different characters in Smash Up and 3 of those are Rabbids. The other thing I would change was the appearance of the characters. They take their look from the 2007 movie, TMNT. I would have preferred the original look of the comics as was portrayed in the cut-scenes. The stages are fun and the story cut-scenes are a treat for Turtles comic readers, but I feel it lacks a little something that would take it to elite status.

Wax Pack Revolution #1

A recent obsession of mine has been collecting old wax packs of trading cards from the 80s & 90s. Sure, I have a ton of these non-sport cards from when I was a kid, but the artwork and design of the packaging is something I missed. When you would buy one of these packs you would tear it open and throw away the wrapper. Never giving it a second thought. Seeing these again brings back memories of feeling the slick paper in your hands, seeing the simple artwork and the smell of bubble gum. Let's dive into a few of these packs that I have on display!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 (Topps, 1991)

Just like the Topps Ninja Turtles cartoon sets, I collected the cards from the first movie with ferocity. Then "The Secret of the Ooze" came out and I bought a few card packs, but was not as hooked as I had been before. I don't know why? I loved this movie and collected everything Turtles. The photos on these cards and stickers are nice and the graphics/colors are some of my favorite of all the non-sport cards I own. This led me to recently purchase a full box of these cards. I am hoping I can complete a full set. Go Ninja, go Ninja, go!!!

Vanilla Ice - Ninja Rap (1991)

Comic Book Pick: 8/31/16

This week the comic book I am most excited to read is...

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles UNIVERSE #1

Introducing a new era in TMNT! This series will explore characters and story-lines that are pivotal to the IDW TMNT universe! When a mysterious new mutant targets Baxter Stockman, it will be up to the TMNT to reluctantly save him. Little does everyone know that a larger trap is being laid by a new arch-foe! Plus a back-up story from TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman and comics legend Bill Sienkiewicz!

•   Because YOU demanded it! An ALL-NEW ONGOING series set in the IDW TMNT universe!

•   Incredible talent, bringing their unique style to the Turtles!

•   A must read for any TMNT fan!

(W) Paul Allor, Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz (A) Damian Couceiro, Bill Sienkiewicz (CA) Peter Laird  (A/CA) Kevin Eastman

SRP: $4.99

Back To School 2016!

In recognition of my kids first day back to school, enjoy this fresh jam off the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 soundtrack titled "Back To School" performed by Fifth Platoon.

Comic Book Pick: 8/24/16

This week the comic book I am most excited to read is...

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #61

"Chasing Phantoms" Part 1! While the Turtles and Splinter are still reeling from the events of TMNT #60, they come under attack by the Street Phantoms! Will Splinter let this challenge to his rule stand?
(W) Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman (A/CA) Dave Wachter
SRP: $3.99

Ninja Turtles Cereal 2016

We have been hit with an embarrassment of riches in respect to retro foods recently. With Ecto Cooler, Ghostbusters Twinkies, Crystal Pepsi making a comeback and now the return of Ninja Turtles Cereal!

Now, if you were looking for Ninja Turtle shaped marshmallows with crunchy Ninja Nets, this is not the cereal for you. The 2016 version of Ninja Turtles cereal has four fruity flavors shaped like Turtle heads. I am in favor of this change. Even though I enjoyed the original cereal back in the 90s, I like this version even more. It has a sort of muted Trix taste to it, but the real prize is the box. You can follow the instructions on the back to figure out what kind of mutant you would be if you ever had an encounter with mutagen ooze! This is what cereal is supposed to be. Fun shapes, good flavor and puzzles on the box to keep you entertained at the breakfast table.

Comic Book Pick: 7/20/16

This week the comic book I am most excited to read is...

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #60

Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING

(W) Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman (A/CA) Dave Wachter

The Foot Clan headquarters is under attack and no one is safe as brother turns against brother!
The Foot under siege!

Item Code: MAY160429

In Shops: 7/20/2016

SRP: $3.99

Random Trading Cards: Vol. 1

Today I'll be taking you back to the days of cardboard cards, stale chunks of pink chewing gum and wax wrappers. Today we will be looking at 5 old trading cards! I loved collecting cards as a kid. Baseball, Ninja Turtles, Superheroes it didn't matter. I just loved opening a pack and smelling the gum and seeing if you had opened a pack with new cards or more doubles! The stickers were always the premium pieces, but having a few extras to trade never hurt. Let's open this pack of awesomeness and take a look at 5 random cards from the 80s & 90s:

 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Series 1 (Topps/O-Pee-Chee, 1989)

Who did not collect these cards? I had the entire set of cards and stickers from this set plus the movie cards and stickers, then I kinda slacked when the second series came out. I had a few of the cards, but definitely not as many as the first. I'm not sure why? Maybe my collecting tastes changed at that point? The card pictured here was the Canadian O-Pee-Chee version of the card. It seems to be a bit more on the high end side. The colors are brighter and the card stock is more slick and less brown/cardboard textured. These are like a premium version of the Topps cards we got in the US. Damn you cheap Topps company!

My Faves: Figure Collection #2

 I have a fairly big collection of loose figures from the 80s & 90s. I would like to share a few of my faves with you at this time. Get ready, here we go!

 April O'Neil: Ninja Turtles Figure Keyrings (Monogram, 2015)
As you may already know from reading this blog, I have an affinity for the Ninja Turtles. The local mall had one of those "Go! Calendar, Games & Toys" stores pop up around the holiday season. If you don't know, these stores open up around November and close around the end of February. They are very seasonal. When they are about to close for the year everything in the store goes 50% off. That's how I picked up this cute little keyring of April O'Neil. She was in a blind bag, so I didn't know what I was getting. To be honest, I would have been happy with any of the characters in the collection.

Retro Arcade: TMNT 2 Back From The Sewers

Let me start off by saying one of my favorite games for the original Nintendo Gameboy is the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. We defeated every bad guy, grabbed every pizza and discovered how to unlock every mini-game! I could beat that game blindfolded. As a kid I never owned the sequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Back From The Sewers. I don't know why? We were huge into Turtles and had all the NES and Super NES games. Anyway, I purchased a copy of the game for a nice price off ebay recently and was pleasantly surprised when I found the manual in the delivery box with the game. Me, my brother and all my friends used to read these manuals like crazy hoping to find any secrets or tips on how to beat the game. Sometimes stories were included along with some fantastic art you would never see anywhere else. Let's delve into the sewers and check out the TMNT 2 manual and it's contents:

Front Cover

 Pages 2 & 3 (Welcome/Table of Contents)

 Pages 4 & 5 (Story/Control Set Up)

 Pages 6 & 7 (Turtle Profile/Starting New Game)

 Pages 8 & 9 (Screen Set Up/Stages)

 Pages 10 & 11 (Power Up/Bad Guy Pictures)

Back Cover

 I am blown away. The art style is done in a type of manga/Japanese way. I really like this interpretation of the boys in green, especially the back cover work where it looks like Splinter is giving them a high energy pep talk before they go out and kick some shell! The instruction booklet also included a back story for the game, profiles of each Turtle and illustrations of "The Bad News Bunch"! I love finding these old manuals. Most of the ones we had as kids got lost, thrown away or destroyed. This one will find a good place for safe keeping in my house.

Comic Book Pick: 6/22/16

This week the comic book I am most excited to read is...

TMNT BEBOP & ROCKSTEADY DESTROY EVERYTHING #4

Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING

(W) Ben Bates, Dustin Weaver (A/CA) Nick Pitarra

After a fight, Bebop and Rocksteady split up and travel separately to different time periods. The Dark Ages, WWI, the Future... no time period is safe!

SRP: $3.99

Ninja Turtles Classics: Animated Series

 These figures came out in 2012 and they are amazing! The Classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle line was what I had been waiting decades for. A figure that actually looks like the characters from the cartoon series. Yes, I absolutely love my original TMNT action figures from the original Playmates line, but these ones had great sculpts, articulation and the paint jobs were fantastic (except for my Donnie, he seems to have a wandering eye?). The accessories are another great addition to this line. The weapons look great, Mikey finally has a set of Nunchaku with a real chain connecting them and the sewer cover stands work well for display. The price point of $20 each was my only complaint, but I bought them and I am glad I did!

 Donatello (Playmates, 2012)

 Leonardo (Playmates, 2012)

 Michelangelo (Playmates, 2012)

Raphael (Playmates, 2012)

A few years ago Playmates released another line of Ninja Turtle Classics figures based on the 1990 movie by New Line Cinema. I was crazy excited to hear this news...until I actually saw the figures. The sculpts really don't stand out as anything special, the paint jobs are dull and I was just underwhelmed by these. I guess I was expecting them to be more like the original Playmates "Movie Star" line from the 90s. Once again at $20 a piece, I would rather save my money to buy the original toys off ebay.

Maybe it's the nostalgia attached to the 90s versions that makes me prefer them to the new figures?