Are you here because of nostalgia?

[Samhain]

I was born in 1988. And while I DO have turtle memories from when I was younger, I wouldn't say nostalgia is the reason I'm here. I just genuinely like this franchise. I remember around 94 or 95 watching the OT, playing with a hand-me-down Partywagon and a bunch of turtles figures and weapons. I had some Leo pajamas and quite enjoyed watching my ''Coming out of our shells'' concert video tape. But that's about as far as it goes.

Fast forward to 2006 or 2007? I worked at a store and was stocking toys. I opened up a box of 2k7 movie figures and looked at it and said, ''I remember these guys!''. From then on I became interested in the series, and eventually joining this forum. Learning about Peter and Kevin, the comics, 2k3 series, ect. But, I don't have the same feeling I get when I think about Pokemon or Star Wars as I do with the Tmnt. It's just something I think is really, really cool.

So, how many of you think nostalgia plays a big role in your love for this series? And can people become blinded by nostalgia and not really have a real love for the franchise?

[Jester]

Not sure, really. I gave the 4Kids series a go because of my nostalgia for the FW show, and I joined here because of the 4Kids series... so... yeah. :P I know, lame answer.

[FearlessLeader]

While I do think people can become blinded by nostalgia and maybe remember things as better then they were, I do think most of the people here do have a genuine affection for the franchise that goes beyond that.

To devote a decent amount of time and though to anything I think you have to have a bit more love for it then remembering it fondly through rose-tinted glasses so to say.

Personally it was being here that got me back into the OT after adoring the 4Kids series.

I do think I still occasionally enjoy listening to the Coming Out Our Shells music because of nostalgia though :tlol:

[Mayhem]

I was old enough and there when the Turtles were originally huge in the late 80s, although I grew up first on the original b/w comics and then the films. So I don't think nostalgia comes into play with me, more a question that I've stayed with the turtles, in most of their incarnations for over 20 years.

[UsagiYojimbo]

I think nostalgia does always come into play somewhat. Take me for example... I found all 4 neca Turtles figures at the top of my closet (I bought them about 4 or 5 years ago)... And it got me thinking about Turtles again and prompted me to google for a TMNT forum. My love for the characters never went away, though it might've been on hiatus for awhile... :lol:

I think there are some forms of nostalgia that are worse than others. For example someone being obsessed with, let's say, the original Superman movies from the 70s & 80s and then excluding any other Superman film as being a valid form of the character. That's different than saying you prefer one era over the other... so yeah that kind of nostalgia is a bit shocking.

[CyberCubed]

I followed each incarnation of the Turtles as it happened, except for Mirage because I was too young.

I had been following Vol 4 in 2001 and heard 4kids was making a new turtle show. I still loved the old show and read some of the comics so I was excited about the new series.

The 4kids show blew me away and I rediscovered the old show through DVDs. I heavily followed the comics and stay here to follow it.

[Powder]

I've always been extremely passionate about the turtles, my decision to come here was simply based on that.

[KROW]

Nostalgia played a big role in my registering here, but the 4Kids revival helped, too. The first thing I did when I went online was run a search for Ninja Turtles. After visiting the official site, lo and behold I found this place. I would've been here sooner but, at the time, I didn't have a computer; I was too busy crawling out from under my rock.

[joe-eyeball]

Yeah, I've been with the turtles since I first discovered them in 1986 and i will always be with them. I am sentimental when it comes to the turtles but not so much that it would ever blind me. I have no problem being honest when it comes to how I feel about a certain aspect of them.

[Archon_Turtle]

i'm sure nostalgia played a part in bringing me BACK to the fandom in high school... but that certainly isn't all that is keeping me here now.

[gobo]

Are you here because of nostalgia?
Very broad question... :ohwell: I didn't hold on to memories all these years because they were so precious to me, if that's what you mean. It's more like I just wouldn't give up hope that OT Season 1 wouldn't be the only truly decent TMNT episodes forever. Thanks to Laird, I finally got what I wanted, courtesy of 4KIDS. :)

[Dirty Blond]

I'm here to troll.

Joking aside, I believe I'm here because TMNT was 90% of my childhood. I'm also here to learn about what I missed -- namely, the comics.

This forum helps to deepen my appreciation for TMNT.

[Herald7]

This forum helps to deepen my appreciation for TMNT.

How true that is. :)

[Foot Soldier Clang]

Well obviously nostalgia plays into why we're all here. Even the folks who liked the 2k3 series may still be here because of nostalgia, since that era for the turtles has passed. And although nostalgia is a factor to a larger whole, and it is a strong factor, it is still just a factor. If it were simple nostalgia, for me, I'd just buy a TMNT shirt or something and be done with it. But, like most people here, I suspect a lot of us are life long fans, or just fans who like the series, in any of it various forms.

[Kendamu]

During the early years of my being a TMNT fan on the Internet, there were the (then current) Image comics and a huge slew of Mirage comics I had never had the opportunity to read before that point.

After that, there was a TV show, new comics, new games, and a new movie for me to regularly enjoy.

After the sale of the property but before the IDW comics, there was some nostalgia because it was the end of an era but there was also a lot of anticipation that kept me checking in for new information.

Now, there's the IDW comics and the anticipation of the Nick TMNT cartoon that has me coming around.

I can't honestly say that nostalgia doesn't play a part in my TMNT fandom. Nostalgia being played just right is part of why I'm loving the IDW comics. They take everything I remember fondly about the property and they're bringing it back in a way that's not literal enough to crush those fond memories (which is why I avoid certain episodes of the OT). The bigger reason, though, is the new stuff... which is the other part of why I'm loving the IDW comics. I'm hoping that Nick will do the same thing for me.

[Avatar Yuffie]

Hit me with Nostalgia by the 2K7 film.

Funny story that. I only watched that film because it's Mako's last role, back when I was a fan of Avatar the Last Airbender (he voiced Iroh BTW). Seeing him portray Splinter and his interactions with his kids made me realize I miss these green guys, and joined this forum.

[ZariusTwo]

I hate that word. To me, "Nostalgia" will always be the perfume used in Watchmen and nothing else.

[Jester]

I'm here to troll.
There...:D

[BubblyShell22]

Well, I grew up on the OT and after that was over, I didn't think TMNT would come back. Then, when Mom and I were in Walmart and looking in the toy section for a Star Wars figurine for my sister's then fiance, I noticed the TMNT figures and was surprised they were back. Then one of my friends in college told me the show was on, and I decided to check it out. So, I saw the episode "Meet Casey Jones" and became hooked.

Yes, nostalgia does play a role, but I'm not here for that. I'm here because I love TMNT and will stay loyal to it no matter what. It's just something I love.

[mysterycolor]

for any of us that were children of the 80s and had the OT & live action movies occur at a perfect vulnerable age (i.e. i was born in 1983... so i was 7 when the first movie came out) you are bound to have that warm fuzzy feeling towards the turtles because that was an impressionable time in your life... HOWEVER... to still be having this conversation on a message board totally dedicated to TMNT at the age of 28 (or however old the reader might be) i'd have to say it surpasses the nostalgia factor and goes into a deeper love/respect for the franchise as a whole... especially with the hiatus we had before the IDW swept us off of our feet... now this is not to say that nostalgia isnt going to be enough to bring lots of newcomers knocking on the doors of the drome when the Nick (2k12!) cartoon comes out...because as Jester said- that is what happened to him with 4kids... but No Samhain, i'd say that nostalgia alone isnt enough to keep someone around...it is just one factor... and typically not the strongest... wait, did any of that make sense???

p.s. i'm here because i can't get enough of the franchise as a whole and the amazing fan base that this place attracts

[Venom]

I was old enough and there when the Turtles were originally huge in the late 80s, although I grew up first on the original b/w comics and then the films. So I don't think nostalgia comes into play with me, more a question that I've stayed with the turtles, in most of their incarnations for over 20 years.

You're one of the few folks who hail from that "fabled era" of beginning with the comics and following the Turtles throughout their history.

Say, as a comic fan first, how did feel when the Fred Wolf toon debuted? You were roughly 12-13, so in that transition phase of "cartoons are for kids" mentality...

Did any of your friends read the comics too? Perhaps abandoning them when E&L "sold out" (for lack of a better term)?

[Venom]

Oh, I forgot to add my post:

When I was a kid, I was the embodiment of Turtlemania - if it was Turtles, I had to have it! :D

I got back into the Turtles back in 2001 when I read a minor blurb in Wizard about Volume 4 #1 hitting that fall.

I followed ninjaturtles.com quite regularly during the down time between 97-01 (the first website I visited when getting the internet was ninjaturtles.com!), and lurked the TMNT mailing list, so I really can't say that I was ever truly out of the fandom. More like "minor hiatuses" because there was a period during late '04 - early '06 when I didn't get any of the comics, then in April '06 ordered every issue I missed from Katie.

During the 4Kids! series run I watched a few episodes, tried to stay awake on Saturdays to watch it (I had a paper route and would get in about 7 AM) but it was a futile effort. I did watch it regularly when it aired on Cartoon Network, but mostly I was a comic fan.

So, in a nutshell, I'm sure nostalgia plays a minor factor in my love of the Turtles, but by and large they are the only franchise that truly spoke to me, and stuck.

[Mayhem]

Say, as a comic fan first, how did feel when the Fred Wolf toon debuted? You were roughly 12-13, so in that transition phase of "cartoons are for kids" mentality...

Did any of your friends read the comics too? Perhaps abandoning them when E&L "sold out" (for lack of a better term)?
I'll paraphrase bits that ended up in my intro threads here and on IDW and expand a little... someone at school in my year got hold of the first colour graphic novel that First Publishing released, I want to say 1988 here. It was before the cartoon aired on TV here in the UK that's for sure, or that I was aware of it being shown if anything. If anyone knows WHEN the cartoon started showing in the UK, please let me know.

He had heard that these "Turtles" were quite big in the US and had picked up a couple of the graphic novels when on holiday over there during the summer. I ended up being able to borrow them, and was hooked immediately.

I was able to acquire three of the four graphic novels myself on import (indeed my book IV says "first printing Nov 1988") not that long after, although I couldn't find book III and ended up getting it when Penguin in the UK released all four itself in 1990. By that point, I was 16.

In direct answer to the questions, I never really liked the original cartoon because it was... too cartoony I guess, and nothing like the serious, gritty nature of the original comics that I enjoyed. I'm not really sure how many others read the comics in the end, they may well have bought the Archie stuff because it was easier to acquire; I don't know if the Mirage series was officially distributed in the UK at the time, but the local comic store to my school quite often got issues in, so I was able to buy many of my first series comics there.

I somewhat drifted out of things during the mid 90s due to university, other interests and doing stuff that you do at university heh, but in the late 90s, once I graduated and had a job, and with the advent of eBay, I was able to fill in my gaps and get runs of the colour Mirage and Image comics. I restarted buying the comic afresh, when new issues came out, from the Dreamwave series and Volume 4.

[juxtapose519]

Nostalgia is definitely the reason I'm here. TMNT was probably my biggest obsession as a child, but like all things I moved on. After digging out all my toys of my parent's basement, my interest has been sparked again. I've already got a pretty decent Transformers collection going, so I'm hoping to find some of the accessories I lost from my 88/89 collection so I can complete it and put them on display as well. Sadly, it looks like a lot of my 1990 and later lines have gone missing or I'd keep them too :cry:

[pannoni1]

Of course for me! A big chunk of my childhood from 1989-1993 was involved following aspects of the OT, movies, and video games, and am currently in a renaissance phase of my love for TMNT. But upon discovering all the resources of the site and others site, I feel that there is still so much more that I'd love to accomplish (meeting people who worked in various incarnations, passing it on to children whenever I finally get them, collecting some items for investment) in order to be a true life-long fan after taking quite a break.

But I also keep in mind what was nostalgic during each era of the franchise. The OT's background music was typical of what was popular then, along with other cartoons of that era (Real Ghostbusters, Disney Afternoon, GI Joe).

In terms of demographics, I see 1983 as the "token year" to be a true TMNT fan in its heyday. Why? Because when the OT ended, they were still only in 8th grade, and the pilot aired in preschool, and the long Seasons 3 and 4 aired in 1st and 2nd grades for them, key years in someone's childhood before homework and later extracurricular activities take hold. They are also 6/7 when the 1st movie comes out, just old enough to get approval from most parents (I'm a 1985er and while the OT was fine, I caught the first 2 seasons in reruns and the first movie when it came out on VHS). I feel I can relate to people born between 1980 and 1987 most in terms of fandom. My younger brother born in 1988, only was mildly into TMNT and was more of a Power Rangers/Pokemon fan. Still, I was only mildly aware of comics at the time and felt like TV/Movies was the way to go, but of course there's lots that I missed.

[Candy Kappa]

Not really. Of course TMNT was a huge part of my childhood, but I am here because I like the TMNT as a whole

[Donnie]

I'm here because I love the Turtles and all of their incarnations. The fact that I've loved them since I was young and it never changed certainly plays a fact, so if you wanna give it nostalgia points for that I can see. I'm definitely not here because of nostalgia, though - if that was the case I might as well be on an X-Men forum and a WWE forum, ya know? I feel like I'm living with the franchise as it goes/grows rather than trying to relive the past. TMNT is an important bond that my cousins and I share as well, so it's a personal kinda thing.

What's funny to me is that I was so huge into the OT as a kid, and I did everything Turtles related because of it before I found the comics - had the pjs, played the games, toys, etc. I know I watched the OT all the time, but as an adult I hardly remember anything from the actual OT show besides the episodes that were released on VHS like the Turtles spotlight eps, etc. As I rewatch the OT I sometimes find myself remembering the episode, some memory is jogged in the dusty caves of my brain, lol. But coming to the OT again w/ actual "seasoned" passion for the franchise as an adult is interesting.

[Falconhood]

no, i'm here because I always have fond memories of TMNT from my earliest days of my new life, being in a new school, in a homeroom, reading about them in a magazine and thinking they sound really cool.

[UsagiYojimbo]

no, i'm here because I always have fond memories of TMNT from my earliest days of my new life,

Doesn't that qualify as nostalgic nostalgia? :lol: ;)

[Falconhood]

Doesn't that qualify as nostalgic nostalgia? :lol: ;)

yep! :D
(watching too much Craig Ferguson lately!)

[Biffard]

It's been a while since I have posted here and I thought this would be a good post to start back up on. I'd say I'm here mainly for nostalgia and reminiscing about the good ol' times I had playing with TMNT toys and watching the shows, but there is a sliver of interest in the new series. I probably won't collect anything from the upcoming line because I grew up with the cartoon series, movies, and action figures. However, it is pretty cool to see that TMNT is still going strong!

[UsagiYojimbo]

yep! :D
(watching too much Craig Ferguson lately!)

:lol: Always be cheeky whenever possible!

[papa_smurf73]

I would say a part of why I'm here is nostalgia, and the other major part is my mom, believe it or not. My parents separated when I was young. So I lived with my mom until I was 10, just when the turtles were really getting big. I remember her taking me to the store to purchase my first figures... My mom didn't have much money, but she bought them for me anyhow, knowing they would make me happy. So I really lean on the Turtles to bring back memories like those... I remember one Christmas getting a package from my mom. I was living with my Dad at the time. I recall the package having a TON of turtle figures in the mix. I distinctly remember opening Wrym, and being so happy to have that figure. Consequently, I was fortunate enough to find this thread, and find folks who share the same enthusiasm as I do about the turtles. I've very much enjoyed talking with folks here from all over the world.

Anyhow, yes, nostalgia, good memories, and the desire to learn more about the turtles is what brought me to this thread.

[voltron80]

I've been a fan since I was a kid back in 1987, I think what kept me as a fan is that I still have such great memories being caught up in Turtle Mania I had the toys, I had the comic books(Archie then moving into Mirage),seen all the movies and watch the show faithfully til the CBS years when I caught an episode here and there.

They were a big part of my childhood between the summers of 88-93 me and my friends spent our time playing with our TMNT action figures either reenacting that day episode or we were creating our own storylines outside.

Today while I limit the Turtle stuff I buy to books,DVDs and games. I still have the four plush turtle dolls I had since 1990 and all four of the original turtles and Splinter action figures. While my turtle collection isn't as large as it used to be I treasured what I have due to the joy the turtles gave me.

What brought me to this forum? That's easy Dread mentioned this place when Superhero hype closed down the TMNT section in the forum section. As for love for the franchise I'm watching the series, I'm going to buy the games and when the movie comes out I don't care I'm the only 32 or 33 year old dude in the theater.

[Logan]

I think nostalgia most definitely comes into play. The last few years I've been on a kick to re-visit the shows of my youth (GI Joe, The Transformers, Power Rangers, Dragon Ball Z) and TMNT was the most recent endeavor. I really dug the Eastman-Laird issues which I first saw when they were free viewing on the official site (sadly, no longer the case) and a few months ago I acquired the comics and read through them like a madman.

But I've always had an on-and-off interest with the Turtles for some time. It's a fun property. :tcool:

[Falconhood]

:lol: Always be cheeky whenever possible!
I think I'm the only person here that didn't have TMNT in my childhood, so it's hard to put them in the same place as He-Man, Transformers, MASK, Superfriends and stuff from my childhood.
They are one of the crossovers that played a big part of my parenthood, and one of the earliest toys of that era, along with Batman the Animated Series figures.