Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (action figures)
Encyclopedia
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures are toys based on the franchise of the same name
and have been produced by the company Playmates Toys since 1988. Staff artists at the Northampton, Massachusetts
based Mirage Studios
have provided conceptual designs for many of the figures, vehicles, and playsets and are credited on the packaging of the products they created.
by Palladium
, followed by miniatures from Dark Horse
. Within a year, First Comics
began to reprint the early issues in color volumes; four were produced, stopping at issue 11. These sold well, and Eastman and Laird were soon contacted by Mark Freedman, a licensing agent who believed he could make something of the Turtles. Freedman took the idea to a variety of toy companies, only to be turned down by those who felt the concept was not popular enough to support a toy line. Only one company expressed interest, a little-known California company by the name of Playmates.
Not entirely willing to risk marketing a small cult
comic book, Playmates insisted that a cartoon series be produced first. Development initiated with a creative team of companies and individuals: Jerry Sachs, famous ad man of Sachs-Finley Agency, brought together the animators at Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, headed by award-winning animator Fred Wolf. Wolf and his team combined concepts and ideas with Playmates marketing crew, headed by Karl Aaronian and then VP of Sales, Richard Sallis and VP of Playmates, Bill Carlson. Aaronian brought on several designers and concepteer and writer John Schulte and worked out the simple backstory that would live on toy packaging for the entire run of the product and show. Sachs called the high-concept pitch "Green Against Brick". The sense of humor was honed with the collaboration of MWS's writers, Walk Kubiak, Aaronian, Schulte and Sachs. Playmates and their team essentially served as associate producers and contributing writers to the mini-series that was first launch to sell-in the toy action figures. Phrases like "Heroes in a Half Shell" and many of the comical catch phrases and battle slogans ("Turtle Power!") came from the writing and conceptualization of this creative team. As the series developed, veteran writer Jack Mendelsohn came on board as both a story editor and scriptwriter. David Wise, Michael Charles Hill and Michael Reaves wrote most of the scripts, taking input via Mendelsohn and collaborating writer Schulte and marketing maven Aaronian. In signing with Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Productions, Eastman and Laird saw the production of the first TMNT cartoon
in December 1987. Playmates held up their end of the deal and produced the first series of TMNT action figures in the summer of 1988. The premiere series included the four Turtles, Splinter
, April
, Shredder
, Rocksteady, Bebop, and a Foot Soldier
. Vehicles included the Cheapskate, Turtle Trooper, Turtle Blimp, and Foot Knucklehead. Each vehicle set was packaged with a jokebook and a small catalog. If one was to clip the "Pizza Point"s located on the reverse side of the packaging then a person could redeem them along with a small fee for other Turtles merchandise like VHS tapes, posters, bath towels, among others. Corresponding firmly with its animated series counterpart, the original TMNT action figure line would last ten years and develop a legacy within the toy realm.
With the release of the second series in 1989, fans saw ten entirely new figures: five allies and five enemies, six new vehicles/accessories, the first playset, the Turtle Battle Fun role-play sets, 9" and 13" plush dolls, and official Retromutagen Ooze. This year also marked the first time Playmates would incorporate action features into their figures along with the first Turtle variants in the "Wacky Action" sub-line. Each figure possessed a wind-up function that, when applied, caused the figure's limbs to rapidly move in a rhythmic motion.
Wacky Action was merely the tip of the iceberg, however, as the new decade of the 1990s dawned Talkin' Turtles, Head Droppin' Turtles, Mutations, Sewer Sports Turtles, and dozens of other fresh ideas began making their way to toy shelves. With such innovations, Ninja Turtle action figures were sure to gain a foothold in the toy market.
, Playmates couldn't have their figures without a slew of toy gadgetry to interact with. Aside from vehicles actually seen in the cartoon, Playmates went on to create a wide variety other accessories. These often expressed the humorous side of TMNT with gadgets commonly made out of sewer lids, trash cans, plungers, and toilet seats. However, vehicles would also include a diversity of play features from the ripcord action of the Psycho Cycle to the electronic launching of the Turtle Pizza Thrower to the smoky bubble spout of the Bubble Bomber. For its time, TMNT was remarkably innovative in terms of fun action figure accessories.
In the midst of action figures filling the store shelves, role playing toys were also released. Depending on the depicted character, these typically included a ninja mask and plastic weapons. Other TMNT toys would be sold individually such as the Turtle Communicator, Raphael's Spy goggles, and Leo's Sewer Force Sword.
One of the most famous components of the TMNT realm is the radioactive slime Retromutagen Ooze, which mutated the Ninja Turtles from common house pets to "mean, green, fightin' machines." Thus, even Ooze was produced for the interaction with TMNT figures in 1989. The green slime was sold in a small container which also included a glow-in-the-dark
Ninja Turtle in mid-mutation. Aside from the classic "Turtle Green," a "Purple Foot" variation would also become available in 1993. Ooze was an essential component to playsets such as the Flushomatic, and action figures like Muckman, who could have it run from his hollow head and out his mouth. Depending on their features, occasional figures and accessories came with their own smaller canister of Ooze to fulfill the playtime experience.
, Ninja Turtle action figures would run an extensive gauntlet of different themes and incarnations. Whereas Batman
may have become known for hundreds of gadget-wielding action figures, just as well, the Ninja Turtles would become synonymous with dozens of historical and pop culture related embodiments. Varying concepts and toy trends resulted in the many examples shown below.
Even with the silliest of concepts, Playmates managed to create some intriguing and fun figure designs for children. In contrast to other companies like Kenner
, who constantly re-released figure sculpts with different paint jobs, Playmates rarely showed a cheap or careless effort in their TMNT figures. But with rising competition, limited figure concepts, and the end of the cartoon series, a pitfall was inevitable.
1992 also saw the production of Toon Turtles. These figures took on an almost stereotypical approach to being humorously cartoon-like. Each character bore a friendly, animated appearance with a glittery paint job and including some type of "cartoon" action feature (Raphael's head spun, Michelangelo's tongue unraveled in Tex Avery
fashion, etc.). On the upside, this series produced a more "cartoon accurate" painted version of Shredder and introduced toys not previously made for many longtime characters from the cartoon series such as the Neutrinos and April O'Neil's co-workers, Irma Langinstein, Burne Thompson and Vernon Fenwick.
A third movie hit theatres in 1993 but saw less success than its predecessors. This collection featured the Ninja Turtles once again in their Movie Star likeness and sporting samurai
armor, as well as several other side characters. The Giant Movie III Samurai figures also came complete with removable masks and time scepters as seen in the film.
and Polly Pocket
, shrunk the Turtles down to an equally small size in a sub-line simply named "Mini Mutants". These were "Turtle Transport Combos" which contained one figure and two vehicles. "Bodacious Battlesets" which were four playsets which could connect via bridges/platforms; these included one figure. "Turtle Top Playsets" were a characters head which would open into a double decker playset; these included three figures. Slimmer "Carry Along Playsets" took the shape of Raph's sai, Leo's katana, and the Turtle Communicator; these came with three figures. And finally, "Turtle in a Turtle" consisted of four playsets that were figures of the four turtles about 6 inches taller than the normal figure; their heads, stomachs, and shells opened into the playsets. Each had themed removable armor as well; two figures were included with each.
During post movie success, many commercials relied on live-action, animatronic Ninja Turtles similar to those seen in the "Coming Out of our Shells" Tour. Prime examples of these include 1992 spots for the Bubble Bomber vehicle featuring Raphael in military fatigues and Bodacious Birthday figures where a surprise party was thrown in the Turtles' sewer lair.
. The series was somewhat short-lived but managed to make for an extensive action figure line. Alongside the basic TMNT characters, this collection of taller scale figures included a female Ninja Turtle named Venus
. The show's demise, however, would further confirm the dissolving popularity of the Ninja Turtles, and the franchise would remain in limbo for years to come. Left with a disappointing movie four years past and virtually no place on television, the TMNT franchise would face a halt in action figure production for several years.
. With it inevitably came a series of action figures. These figures showed reminiscence of those released in 1988 yet with the refreshed design of the new, bold look of the cartoon series. Unlike the previous figures, most of the figures released in this collection actually appeared in the 2003 series. This collection successfully continued into 2006 with new character designs and even an occasional revisiting of past concepts like 1993's Cave-Turtles. In 2006, by request of Playmates, the cartoon series took a new lighter direction which brought Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward, a futuristic take on the heroic mutants. Playmates thought of this change as a means of selling more new Turtles action figures.
March 2007 introduced fans to a new CGI
feature film entitled simply TMNT. This introduced the Ninja Turtles on-screen to a new generation and corresponded with an extensive action figure line. New figures based on the film continued to be produced into the following year.
In September 2007, it was announced that the collectible figure company NECA
had acquired the license to produce Ninja Turtle figures based on their character likenesses from the original Mirage comic books. The first wave of figures consisted of the four Turtles and was released in comic and specialty stores in early 2008. The New York Comic Con also boasted an exclusive figure four-pack, and that same year, NECA released black & white versions of the Turtles just as they appeared in the pages of the comics.
In January 2009, to commemorate the Turtles' 25th anniversary, Playmates re-released the first series of figures circa 1988, plus Slash and the Party Wagon. Each figure comes packaged with vintage card art and a DVD containing one episode of the 1987 cartoon series. A separate series of totally new designs was also planned but not released by Playmates. These figures are based on early Mirage comics and include Splinter, Shredder, and a Foot Soldier among the four Turtles in red apparel. These turtles were first unveiled in the Nintendo Power magazine.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
and have been produced by the company Playmates Toys since 1988. Staff artists at the Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
based Mirage Studios
Mirage Studios
Mirage Studios is an independent American comic book company founded in 1983 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, based in Northampton, Massachusetts and best known for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series.-History:...
have provided conceptual designs for many of the figures, vehicles, and playsets and are credited on the packaging of the products they created.
Getting started
The first TMNT license came in the form of a role-playing gameRole-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
by Palladium
Palladium Books
Palladium Books is a publisher of role-playing games perhaps best known for its popular, expansive Rifts series . Palladium was founded April 1981 in Detroit, Michigan by current president and lead game designer Kevin Siembieda, and is presently based in Westland, Michigan...
, followed by miniatures from Dark Horse
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
. Within a year, First Comics
First Comics
First Comics was an American comic-book publisher that was active from 1983–1991, known for titles like American Flagg!, Grimjack, Nexus, Badger, Dreadstar, and Jon Sable...
began to reprint the early issues in color volumes; four were produced, stopping at issue 11. These sold well, and Eastman and Laird were soon contacted by Mark Freedman, a licensing agent who believed he could make something of the Turtles. Freedman took the idea to a variety of toy companies, only to be turned down by those who felt the concept was not popular enough to support a toy line. Only one company expressed interest, a little-known California company by the name of Playmates.
Not entirely willing to risk marketing a small cult
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
comic book, Playmates insisted that a cartoon series be produced first. Development initiated with a creative team of companies and individuals: Jerry Sachs, famous ad man of Sachs-Finley Agency, brought together the animators at Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, headed by award-winning animator Fred Wolf. Wolf and his team combined concepts and ideas with Playmates marketing crew, headed by Karl Aaronian and then VP of Sales, Richard Sallis and VP of Playmates, Bill Carlson. Aaronian brought on several designers and concepteer and writer John Schulte and worked out the simple backstory that would live on toy packaging for the entire run of the product and show. Sachs called the high-concept pitch "Green Against Brick". The sense of humor was honed with the collaboration of MWS's writers, Walk Kubiak, Aaronian, Schulte and Sachs. Playmates and their team essentially served as associate producers and contributing writers to the mini-series that was first launch to sell-in the toy action figures. Phrases like "Heroes in a Half Shell" and many of the comical catch phrases and battle slogans ("Turtle Power!") came from the writing and conceptualization of this creative team. As the series developed, veteran writer Jack Mendelsohn came on board as both a story editor and scriptwriter. David Wise, Michael Charles Hill and Michael Reaves wrote most of the scripts, taking input via Mendelsohn and collaborating writer Schulte and marketing maven Aaronian. In signing with Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Productions, Eastman and Laird saw the production of the first TMNT cartoon
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
in December 1987. Playmates held up their end of the deal and produced the first series of TMNT action figures in the summer of 1988. The premiere series included the four Turtles, Splinter
Splinter (TMNT)
Master Splinter, or simply Splinter is a fictional character in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe. -Origin Story:Splinter has two origin stories, and which one is used depends on the medium...
, April
April O'Neil
April O'Neil is a fictional character in the Mirage Studios franchise Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In each of the many TMNT continuities, she is a good friend of the Turtles: Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo.-Comics:...
, Shredder
Shredder (TMNT)
The Shredder is a fictional character and primary antagonist from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. At one point or another in every incarnation of the TMNT stories, he has been the archenemy of Splinter and the Turtles...
, Rocksteady, Bebop, and a Foot Soldier
Foot Clan
The Foot Clan is a fictional ninjutsu clan in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe and the Turtles' main antagonists. It is usually led by the Shredder. The Foot Clan was originally a parody of the criminal ninja clan the Hand in the Daredevil comics...
. Vehicles included the Cheapskate, Turtle Trooper, Turtle Blimp, and Foot Knucklehead. Each vehicle set was packaged with a jokebook and a small catalog. If one was to clip the "Pizza Point"s located on the reverse side of the packaging then a person could redeem them along with a small fee for other Turtles merchandise like VHS tapes, posters, bath towels, among others. Corresponding firmly with its animated series counterpart, the original TMNT action figure line would last ten years and develop a legacy within the toy realm.
Overview
The first three series of figures took obvious influence from the original Mirage comics. The Turtles lacked pupils and had bulging muscles with large veins. The blister card art was also very unrefined and reflected the comics; in fact, Shredder's pose was based directly on art from the debut issue. Each figure had at least 7 points of articulation (neck, shoulders, wrists, hips), many accessories including the characters signature weapon, and a bio card on the back of the blister package that kids could cut out and collect. Also included was a fully illustrated origin story on the card's backside which was phased out during the 4th series. The figures boasted highly detailed sculpting, especially for the time. Colorful characters like General Traag, Rat King, Mutagen man, Scumbug, Pizza Face, Muckman, and many others featured intricate details such as small animals crawling over them, large scars, torn clothing, and pieces of garbage stuck to their bodies.With the release of the second series in 1989, fans saw ten entirely new figures: five allies and five enemies, six new vehicles/accessories, the first playset, the Turtle Battle Fun role-play sets, 9" and 13" plush dolls, and official Retromutagen Ooze. This year also marked the first time Playmates would incorporate action features into their figures along with the first Turtle variants in the "Wacky Action" sub-line. Each figure possessed a wind-up function that, when applied, caused the figure's limbs to rapidly move in a rhythmic motion.
Wacky Action was merely the tip of the iceberg, however, as the new decade of the 1990s dawned Talkin' Turtles, Head Droppin' Turtles, Mutations, Sewer Sports Turtles, and dozens of other fresh ideas began making their way to toy shelves. With such innovations, Ninja Turtle action figures were sure to gain a foothold in the toy market.
Vehicles/accessories
Considering all of the vehicles and inventions conceived by DonatelloDonatello (TMNT)
Donatello is a fictional character and one of the four main characters in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media. He is co-creator Peter Laird's favorite Turtle....
, Playmates couldn't have their figures without a slew of toy gadgetry to interact with. Aside from vehicles actually seen in the cartoon, Playmates went on to create a wide variety other accessories. These often expressed the humorous side of TMNT with gadgets commonly made out of sewer lids, trash cans, plungers, and toilet seats. However, vehicles would also include a diversity of play features from the ripcord action of the Psycho Cycle to the electronic launching of the Turtle Pizza Thrower to the smoky bubble spout of the Bubble Bomber. For its time, TMNT was remarkably innovative in terms of fun action figure accessories.
In the midst of action figures filling the store shelves, role playing toys were also released. Depending on the depicted character, these typically included a ninja mask and plastic weapons. Other TMNT toys would be sold individually such as the Turtle Communicator, Raphael's Spy goggles, and Leo's Sewer Force Sword.
One of the most famous components of the TMNT realm is the radioactive slime Retromutagen Ooze, which mutated the Ninja Turtles from common house pets to "mean, green, fightin' machines." Thus, even Ooze was produced for the interaction with TMNT figures in 1989. The green slime was sold in a small container which also included a glow-in-the-dark
Phosphorescence
Phosphorescence is a specific type of photoluminescence related to fluorescence. Unlike fluorescence, a phosphorescent material does not immediately re-emit the radiation it absorbs. The slower time scales of the re-emission are associated with "forbidden" energy state transitions in quantum...
Ninja Turtle in mid-mutation. Aside from the classic "Turtle Green," a "Purple Foot" variation would also become available in 1993. Ooze was an essential component to playsets such as the Flushomatic, and action figures like Muckman, who could have it run from his hollow head and out his mouth. Depending on their features, occasional figures and accessories came with their own smaller canister of Ooze to fulfill the playtime experience.
Themes and incarnations
Throughout the '90s1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, Ninja Turtle action figures would run an extensive gauntlet of different themes and incarnations. Whereas Batman
Batman action figures
Batman action figures have been produced since the 1940s. The character, whom has encompassed comic books, animated series, movies, and other media, has had more action figures produced in his likeness than nearly any other fictional character in existence....
may have become known for hundreds of gadget-wielding action figures, just as well, the Ninja Turtles would become synonymous with dozens of historical and pop culture related embodiments. Varying concepts and toy trends resulted in the many examples shown below.
- Basic series figures taking on various looks; Leo, the Sewer Samurai, Don, the Undercover Turtle, Mike, the Sewer Surfer, and Raph, the Space CadetSpace CadetSpace Cadet is a 1948 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein about Matt Dodson, who joins the Space Patrol to help preserve peace in the Solar System. The story translates the standard military academy story into outer space: a boy from Iowa goes to officer school, sees action and adventure,...
. (1990) Also released with the basic line were the four turtles with Storage Shell. Each action figure had an opening back shell which could store the various accessories each figure was packaged with. Donatello would be released in 1990 and the remaining three the following year. - Mutant Military - Different forms of military - LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Leo, Pro PilotAviatorAn aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
Don, MidshipmanMidshipmanA midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
Mike, and Raph, the Green Teen BeretUnited States Army Special ForcesThe United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
. (1991) - Rock'n Rollin' - Vibrant musical gimmicks; Classic RockerClassic rockClassic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
Leo, PunkerPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
Don, Rappin'Hip hop musicHip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
Mike, and Heavy metalHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
Raph. (1991) - Sewer Sports All-Stars - Sport-themed figures with action features; Among others, T.D. Tossin'American footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
Leo, Slam Dunkin'BasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
Don, Shell Slammin'Professional wrestlingProfessional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
Mike, and Grand Slammin'BaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
Raph. (1991) - Wacky Wild West - The Ninja Turtles taking on the Old West; ChiefNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
Leo, Crazy CowboyCowboyA cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
Don, Bandito-Bashin' Mike, and Sewer Scout Raph.(1992) - Cave-Turtles - Stone AgeStone AgeThe Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
"Collectible Turtle Combo" boxsets; Among others, Leo and his Dingy DinoTriceratopsTriceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Paleogene...
, Don and his Trippy TyrannosaurusTyrannosaurusTyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
, Mike and his Silly StegosaurusStegosaurusStegosaurus is a genus of armored stegosaurid dinosaur. They lived during the Late Jurassic period , some 155 to 150 million years ago in what is now western North America. In 2006, a specimen of Stegosaurus was announced from Portugal, showing that they were present in Europe as well...
, and Raph and his Tubular Pterodactyl. (1992-'93) - Turtle Trolls - A take on the early '90s troll doll craze; Leo, Don, Mike, and Raph featuring tall, synthetic hair and childlike appearances. (1993)
- Universal StudiosUniversal StudiosUniversal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
Monsters - Classic monster-themed figures; Among others, Leo as the WolfmanWerewolfA werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
, Don as DraculaDraculaDracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
, Mike as FrankensteinFrankensteinFrankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
's monster, Raph as the MummyMummyA mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
, and Bride of FrankensteinBride of FrankensteinBride of Frankenstein is a 1935 American horror film, the first sequel to Frankenstein...
April. (1993-'94) - Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
- A crossover due to Playmates' owning both Star Trek and TMNT licenses; Captain Leonardo, First Officer (Star Trek) Don, Chief EngineerChief EngineerIn marine transportation, the chief engineer is a licensed mariner in charge of the engineering department on a merchant vessel. "Chief engineer" is the official title of someone qualified to oversee the entire engine department; the qualification is colloquially called a "chief's...
Michelangelo, and Chief Medical Officer Raphael. (1994) - Adventurers - Figures dressed for adventuring; Deep Sea Diver Leonardo, ArcticArcticThe Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
Donatello, and SafariSafariA safari is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. Traditionally, the term is used for a big-game hunt, but today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purposes of hunting, but to observe and photograph animals and other wildlife.-Etymology:Entering the English...
Michelangelo. (1995) - Jim LeeJim LeeJim Lee is a Korean-American comic book artist, writer, editor and publisher. He first broke into the industry in 1987 as an artist for Marvel Comics, illustrating titles such as Alpha Flight and Punisher War Journal, before gaining a great deal of popularity on The Uncanny X-Men...
's TMNT - Majorly restyled Ninja Turtle figures based on the designs of famous comic book artistComic Book ArtistComic Book Artist was an American magazine founded by Jon B. Cooke devoted to anecdotal histories of American comic books, with emphasis on comics published since the 1960s...
Jim Lee. (1995) - Mutant Masters - The Ninja Turtles sporting AnimeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
inspired armor as "ancient mythic warriors"; Leonardo Wind Warrior, Donatello Water Warrior, Michelangelo Thunder Warrior, and Raphael Fire Warrior. (1997)
Even with the silliest of concepts, Playmates managed to create some intriguing and fun figure designs for children. In contrast to other companies like Kenner
Kenner
Kenner Products was a toy company founded in 1947 by three brothers, Albert, Phillip, and Joseph L. Steiner, in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, and was named after the street where the original corporate offices were located, which is just north of Cincinnati's Union Terminal.Kenner introduced its...
, who constantly re-released figure sculpts with different paint jobs, Playmates rarely showed a cheap or careless effort in their TMNT figures. But with rising competition, limited figure concepts, and the end of the cartoon series, a pitfall was inevitable.
Movie Stars and Toon Turtles
By the second, less violent TMNT film, The Secret of the Ooze, Playmates decided to create a figure collection based on the characters' live-action appearance. In contrast to the regular figures, these were made of a softer, more rubbery material to better reflect the look of the animatronic costumes used in the films. They also featured ball joints at the neck, shoulders, and hips, and each figure came with a small, canister of Ooze. In terms of character variety, however, the Movie Stars collections were in stark contrast to the wide variety seen in the basic figure lines.1992 also saw the production of Toon Turtles. These figures took on an almost stereotypical approach to being humorously cartoon-like. Each character bore a friendly, animated appearance with a glittery paint job and including some type of "cartoon" action feature (Raphael's head spun, Michelangelo's tongue unraveled in Tex Avery
Tex Avery
Frederick Bean "Fred/Tex" Avery was an American animator, cartoonist, voice actor and director, famous for producing animated cartoons during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He did his most significant work for the Warner Bros...
fashion, etc.). On the upside, this series produced a more "cartoon accurate" painted version of Shredder and introduced toys not previously made for many longtime characters from the cartoon series such as the Neutrinos and April O'Neil's co-workers, Irma Langinstein, Burne Thompson and Vernon Fenwick.
A third movie hit theatres in 1993 but saw less success than its predecessors. This collection featured the Ninja Turtles once again in their Movie Star likeness and sporting samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
armor, as well as several other side characters. The Giant Movie III Samurai figures also came complete with removable masks and time scepters as seen in the film.
Mini Mutants
In 1994, Playmates, in an attempt capitalize on toy lines like Mighty MaxMighty Max (toyline)
Mighty Max was a series of toys that were manufactured by Bluebird Toys PLC in the UK in 1992. The toys were similar to the earlier Polly Pocket toyline; however, these toys were marketed primarily towards young boys. In Canada and the USA, they were distributed by Irwin Toy Limited. and Mattel...
and Polly Pocket
Polly Pocket
Polly Pocket is a toy line of dolls and accessories. The name comes from the fact that many of the original Polly Pocket dolls came in pocket-size cases. The current Fashion Polly dolls sold by Mattel differ significantly from those originally sold by Bluebird Toys. The original Bluebird dolls...
, shrunk the Turtles down to an equally small size in a sub-line simply named "Mini Mutants". These were "Turtle Transport Combos" which contained one figure and two vehicles. "Bodacious Battlesets" which were four playsets which could connect via bridges/platforms; these included one figure. "Turtle Top Playsets" were a characters head which would open into a double decker playset; these included three figures. Slimmer "Carry Along Playsets" took the shape of Raph's sai, Leo's katana, and the Turtle Communicator; these came with three figures. And finally, "Turtle in a Turtle" consisted of four playsets that were figures of the four turtles about 6 inches taller than the normal figure; their heads, stomachs, and shells opened into the playsets. Each had themed removable armor as well; two figures were included with each.
Unproduced toys
The original Ninja Turtle line ran for almost ten years and, in that time, various planned items would ultimately not hit toy shelves. Some of these went as far as the prototype stage and being presented at New York Toy Fairs; others had only designs drawn.1989
- The original Casey Jones figure had an interchangeable head without mask. The sculpt looked to be based on the Mirage Comics.
1991
- Turtle Tenderizer 4x4
- Leo's Turtle Shell Backpack
- 13" April - drawing gives the impression she would have been in the vein of a Barbie doll
- Tokka Battle Fun Set
1992
- Michelangelo’s Sidewalk Surfer
- Raph's Pizza-Powered Parachute - this was produced with Donatello instead
- Retromutagen Rifle
- Turtle Popcan Racer
1993
- Giant Movie 3 versions of Don and Mike
- “Transforming” Muta-Party Wagon. It would have transformed into a 19" Robot Turtle with a resemblance to Metalhead
1994
- The Star Trek Leonardo/ Kirk figure was originally shown in his green shirt
- A Giant Cyber Samurai
- “Warriors of the Forgotten Sewer” “Knight Mike,” “Wizard Splinter,” and “Savage Leo with Sewer Warcat” two-pack
- Sewer Subway Car vehicle
- “Ninjamobiles” - Turtle Van and Foot module in an Ed “Big Daddy” Roth style
- A “Kung Fu Tournament Fighters” Leonardo
1995
- Team Ninja Figure assortment (the four turtles in cybernetic armor)
- Metal Mutant Rocksteady with Serpent Armor
- Metal Mutant Bebop with Fish Armor
- Metal Mutant War Horse
- Warrior Rahzar with Fur
- Jim Lee's TMNT Leonardo
- 8 Mini Mutant Vehicle Combos
- Repaints of "The Military Turtles" - Leo and Raph were from the 1991 series and Don and Mike were from the ’92 series.
- Shredder's Ooze and Raphael's Pizza Chompin' Portable Games
Advertising
TMNT action figure commercials that started with the first series featured clips from the cartoon and narration describing the figures which were shown in incredible "toy size" environments. This also went for vehicles and playsets. The scenes from the show were overdubbed with dialogue usually from the actual voice actors that went along with story in the ad.During post movie success, many commercials relied on live-action, animatronic Ninja Turtles similar to those seen in the "Coming Out of our Shells" Tour. Prime examples of these include 1992 spots for the Bubble Bomber vehicle featuring Raphael in military fatigues and Bodacious Birthday figures where a surprise party was thrown in the Turtles' sewer lair.
1996-1998: Dry spell
By 1996, the cartoon series that lasted nearly a decade had come to an end. The following year, a new live-action series premiered entitled Ninja Turtles: The Next MutationNinja Turtles: The Next Mutation
Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation or Saban's Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation is an American live-action television series produced by Saban Entertainment, which ran on the Fox Kids network from 1997 to 1998. The short-lived series was based loosely from Mirage Studios' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...
. The series was somewhat short-lived but managed to make for an extensive action figure line. Alongside the basic TMNT characters, this collection of taller scale figures included a female Ninja Turtle named Venus
Venus (TMNT)
Venus, Venus de Milo, or Mei Pieh Chi is a fictional character within the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.Her bandana is cyan colored and is braided in the back to resemble a ponytail...
. The show's demise, however, would further confirm the dissolving popularity of the Ninja Turtles, and the franchise would remain in limbo for years to come. Left with a disappointing movie four years past and virtually no place on television, the TMNT franchise would face a halt in action figure production for several years.
2003-present
On February 8, 2003, Fox revived the TMNT franchise with a brand new cartoon seriesTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated series, mainly set in New York City. It first aired on February 8, 2003 and ended on November 21, 2009...
. With it inevitably came a series of action figures. These figures showed reminiscence of those released in 1988 yet with the refreshed design of the new, bold look of the cartoon series. Unlike the previous figures, most of the figures released in this collection actually appeared in the 2003 series. This collection successfully continued into 2006 with new character designs and even an occasional revisiting of past concepts like 1993's Cave-Turtles. In 2006, by request of Playmates, the cartoon series took a new lighter direction which brought Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward, a futuristic take on the heroic mutants. Playmates thought of this change as a means of selling more new Turtles action figures.
March 2007 introduced fans to a new CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
feature film entitled simply TMNT. This introduced the Ninja Turtles on-screen to a new generation and corresponded with an extensive action figure line. New figures based on the film continued to be produced into the following year.
In September 2007, it was announced that the collectible figure company NECA
National Entertainment Collectibles Association
The National Entertainment Collectibles Association or NECA is an American manufacturer of collectibles typically licensed from films, video-games, sports, music, and television based in New Jersey...
had acquired the license to produce Ninja Turtle figures based on their character likenesses from the original Mirage comic books. The first wave of figures consisted of the four Turtles and was released in comic and specialty stores in early 2008. The New York Comic Con also boasted an exclusive figure four-pack, and that same year, NECA released black & white versions of the Turtles just as they appeared in the pages of the comics.
In January 2009, to commemorate the Turtles' 25th anniversary, Playmates re-released the first series of figures circa 1988, plus Slash and the Party Wagon. Each figure comes packaged with vintage card art and a DVD containing one episode of the 1987 cartoon series. A separate series of totally new designs was also planned but not released by Playmates. These figures are based on early Mirage comics and include Splinter, Shredder, and a Foot Soldier among the four Turtles in red apparel. These turtles were first unveiled in the Nintendo Power magazine.