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Old 06-23-2014, 02:26 PM   #1
Bill
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1989 Wacky Action Turtles

Who do you call wacky? Hello Dear Tmnt Lovers, back in 1989, the first ever tmnt variant from the original toyline came out.

Many may think that the first variant of “disguised” turtles was the one which came in 1990 introducing: Leo The Sewer Samurai, Mike, the Sewer Surfer, Raph The Space Cadet and Don the Undercover Turtle and that is also true but the first –not disguised- real variant came out one year earlier in the form of the Wacky Action Turtles introducing : Breakfightin´Raphael, Rock N´ Roll Michaelangelo, Sewer-Swimmin´Donatello and Wacky Walkin´Mouser.

The figures were really nice in terms of sculpt and for anyone who wanted the Turtles with coloured eye pupils (instead of the pupiless from 198 may have jumped to these ones. Each figure came with all new accessories, an unique national turtle quiz jokebook for each and of course the wacky action wind up feature.

The carboard art was more than awesome, wider than their 1988 predecessor (this wider style again will be used in the 1992 Bodacious Birthday, and 1992 Sewer Spitting, among others) and with the 1989 darker tone.

Although we don´t have the brick wall we do have illutrations of the city and a deck (in the case of Donatello) with two illustrations for each of this new set and villains cameos illustrations too.

I don´t know you but I do loved those illustration cameos from the very beginning. I believe this was another awesome idea of Playmates cause a child wouldn´t buy a not very familiar figure but maybe. just maybe might be convinced to buying it if he see another familiar character. You can check all the cardboard art
cameos here: http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=45484


This series would continue in 1990 and 1991 making a total of 9 figures including 2 vehicles: 1990 Wacky Action Toilet Taxi http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=41556
and 1990 Wacky Action Sludgemobile http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=41658 which I do love too.



Let´s start with my favourite Turtle: Michaelangelo







Rock N´ Roll Michaelangelo was a nice figure, love the tongue detail (that would be repeated in 1992 Toon Mike in a certain way) and it got the motorize 360º rotatin wrist wacky action feature.

The accessories were a Swiss-army Sewer Cover, Nunchukus and Sewer Snakes (all essential for rotatin wrist feature) and of course the National Turtle Quiz Jokebook


Here`s a review on youtube of Rock N´ Roll Michaelangelo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BwA3r3GVWo

(Hope Radical Retro Turtle Toytalk makes one someday)






Our next Wacky Action figure is also a….dancer? Raphael






Breakfightin´Raphael was a great figure, love his devilish smile and it got the motorized back spinning breakdancing wacky action feature
The accessories were a Garbage can gyro-lid with Turtle tools (similar to Mike´s), Rat Bola and Anti-Foot Stars (these last two essential for his breakdancin feature) and of course the National Turtle Quiz Jokebook


I still haven´t found a good review on youtube of Breakfightin´Raphael
(Hope Radical Retro Turtle Toytalk makes one someday)






The third figure of this Wacky list is no other than the brain of the group (no, not Krang) I am talking about good hearted Donnie, Sewer-Swimmin' Donatello








Sewer-Swimmin' Donatello was a great figure, love the sculpt and it got the motorized swimming a leg kicking wacky action feature Love the fact that Playmates was brave enough in the second year of this marvelous toyline to test water.

The accessories were a floating sewer scuba jet and detachable foot seeking spear (love this one and also love the fact it did appeared on season 3 "Bye bye fly" episode) and of course the National Turtle Quiz Jokebook

Here´s a review on youtube of Sewer-Swimmin' Donatello
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfYH5G9thR4
(Hope Radical Retro Turtle Toytalk makes one someday)




The final figure in this first batch of Wacky Action Wind up Turtles that I have brought to you in this humble thread/guide, it´s also my favourite and one of the most iconic ones Wacky Walkin Mouser.






For many this was not only a whole new villain but also a familiar face and someone that we really wanted back in those days after we have seen it in episode 3: "A thing about rats" of the beloved first season from the 1987 original series and in the Tmnt video games.


Wacky Walkin Mouser was in my opinion an outstanding figure in terms of scultp (and Splinter´s worst nightmare lol) and it got the motorized walkin and chompin wacky action feature


The accessories were a punch-out card of rats, turtles´n things (who were useful too) and of course the National Turtle Quiz Jokebook.
One thing I could say against this figure is its inaccurate bigger size in comparison to its toon counterpart (too small to be a mother mouser and too big to be a regular one) but who cares, I love it and I wish I could have an army of these hungry babies back in those days. Did you?

I still haven´t found a good review on youtube of Wacky Walkin Mouser only this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65yIZ0j_CX8

(Hope Radical Retro Turtle Toytalk makes one someday)



Here you got the 1989 Wacky Action Toy commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnzVebqP4SY


Here are featured in the 1989 Playmates toy catalog (Photo Courtesy of Pannoni1) You can see the first concept of the mouser here





Here are featured in the 1990 Playmates toy catalog (Photo Courtesy of VaughnMichael) along with the second batch of Wacky Action Figures





What do you think about Wacky Action Turtles ? Do you got them? Did you use Sewer Swimmin Donatello in water? Any favourite?

Any memories you wanna share from where you bought and saw it the very first time?

Thanks a lot for Reading
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Old 06-23-2014, 03:21 PM   #2
fitzcarraldo
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class!!

I had a few of these!
I still have my Raphael, one of the few figures I have left. No accessories and bit worn, but sits beside my Usagi Yojimbo figure in my office.

I remember having the Donnie figure and used to play with him in our bath all the time. It was an awesome toy to play with, but the water and the mechanisms inside over time didn't do him any good.

The Leo figure's 360 spinning arm was pretty weak from what I can remember. And Mickeys stick out tongue was and still is odd!

Thanks for posting these, a real blast from the past!!
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Old 06-23-2014, 03:24 PM   #3
Brianardo
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Loved that entire first wave of them! The parental units got me them all, and even though I was bummed as a Leo fan, I still enjoyed them all, esp Don when I was in the tub or the pool! I wish I still had them, but alas they got lost/disposed of as did many of TMNT toys aside from the box I was able to save
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Old 06-23-2014, 03:24 PM   #4
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Pretty cool that they used panels from issue one in the catalogue!
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Old 06-23-2014, 06:57 PM   #5
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Cool post Bill.

Wacky Action Raph, Mike and Mouser were the first TMNT toys I got as a kid. I still have the turtles, but I have no idea what happened to the Mouser. I like to think that it is very, very slowly making its way across an idyllic landscape somewhere, on a clockwork journey of self discovery.

They were really fun toys, and pretty well made. Raph's mechanism still works, although I don't think I can take his belt off many more times without breaking it.
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Old 06-23-2014, 07:20 PM   #6
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Rock N´ Roll Michaelangelo was the second tmnt I got as a kid. Absolutely love him til this day. I love the artwork and loved the wacky action action. My second wacky figure was divin donatello. He saw lots and lots of bath times. I do have these guys in my collection and dont see myself letting them go anytime soon. I do remember seeing the commerials on tv for them.
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Old 06-24-2014, 03:05 AM   #7
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After the original Mikey & Foot Soldier, the initial 3 WA figures were the first TMNT toys I got, for my 9th birthday. I dug them a little, but preferred the original figures (and it always bugged me that they didn't come with regular weapons) - although Raph was my default Raph for a few years.

The WA Shredder was probably the best Shredder Playmates released in the original line. I ended up painting him red & using him as a Mirage Shredder...
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Old 06-24-2014, 04:21 AM   #8
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pretty stupid-looking figures imho. i mean the faces. donatello
can not stand decent... agree with shredder, he's the least embarrassing of them all ...
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Old 06-24-2014, 08:55 AM   #9
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I love that the picture of Splinter in the catalog is nothing what he ended up looking like!
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Old 06-24-2014, 09:12 AM   #10
Bill
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Thank you all very much for your comments
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Old 06-24-2014, 11:06 AM   #11
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You know I was never able to get the wacky figures as a kid, so I made do with the first turtle set. If I needed to knock down bad guys I spun the turtles on their backs, that took care of them for me. I didn't need a wacky feature to take out the trash.

Right now though, I have a Mikey, Leo, and Raph (minus his blue back accessory) all in great condition that I got within a few auctions on Ebay. Raph's expression reminds me more of the show. It's also good that the figures at least have places for the first figures' accessories.
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Old 06-24-2014, 01:49 PM   #12
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While I've never been a huge fan of wind up stuff, some of these guys were my default turtles when I was a kid. Wacky action Shredder, Raph, and Mikey were definitely my default versions of those guys for quite sometime, probably until the storage shell or head poppers.

While as a kid I always wanted more of the basic weapons (sometimes those got easily lost or broken) looking back I love how crazy and weird some of the accessories were. I wish the new line had as many silly, fun accessories.

And mouser? I only ever owned one, but man was that guy awesome. I always wanted tons of them as a kid.
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Old 06-24-2014, 02:08 PM   #13
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I have all of the disguised Turtles that you mentioned which were some of my favorites. As for the Wacky Turtles I still have Mikey and Donnie. I wasn't one much for the wind up toys, but the tongue on Mikey made him cool. I remember I played with Donnie for hours in the tub as a kid. I had a problem keeping his feet on though because they were rather loose if I recall correctly. They were on mine anyway. I don't recall Raph and I know I've never seen that Mouser. That would have been really cool to have.
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Old 02-17-2021, 07:49 AM   #14
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I was blown away by these when I first saw them. As everyone knows, the Wacky Action turtle variants were the first turtle figures with pupils. Children at the time did not like the facial expressions on the Wacky Action turtles, so they took a Sharpie to the 1st basic wave turtles instead of having their parents purchase these. Thankfully, not too many children of the very late 80s and very 90s made custom Fred Wolf turtles with the 1st basic wave turtles. I believe the release of the Giant Size Turtles played a large role in less customs being made.

Here are my thoughts on the 1989 Wacky Action sub-wave:

Breakfightin’ Raphael - Interesting to see a turtle with a big smile. I like that this Raphael has a black belt with the sai holders.

Sewer-Swimmin’ Donatello - The first ever bath toy in the original Playmates toyline. The only Donatello variant to have the double belt straps.

Rock N’ Roll Michelangelo- This figure reminds me so much of Michelangelo in the opening of the syndicated series. It’s like I can hear him saying, “Parrty!”

Wacky Walkin’ Mouser - Must have for any fan of the original Playmates toyline. Very iconic toy to me. Sadly, the WW Mouser is out of scale with Baxter. The Bonus 7 Pack of Mousers from the 2k12 toyline was a step in the right direction. I hope that NECA releases something similar to the 2k12 Mousers for the Target 2-Pack line with human Baxter Stockman.

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