May 1st, 1984 - TMNT Make the Dover, Mass Newspaper!

[PizzaPower1985]

Just after the first issue was completed but before it was presented at the Comic Convention, Eastman and Laird gave an interview! Always fascinating to see the early days documented... The birthing process of #1 took 20 Days! They averaged 1 page a day each!

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/180773604_10157530244135981_2185233870758873166_n. jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_ohc=dPt6_cTo0ZAAX_MGR38&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.xx&oh=11042c22e3fde4341e6922805f593ec7&oe=60B4CE46

[IndigoErth]

Neat, thanks for posting it. Look how young they all are... creators and characters alike. :) And would never have guessed at that time we'd be still talking about it on a thing called the internet 37 years later, with comics and other media still in production.

[MikeandRaph87]

Thank you for sharing! Cool to see the creative process. Do we know the exact date of the Turtles creation where they were drawn for the first time? Some time in the Fall of 1983.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Thank you for sharing! Cool to see the creative process. Do we know the exact date of the Turtles creation where they were drawn for the first time? Some time in the Fall of 1983.

November 1983

https://theweek.com/captured/446321/fascinating-origin-story-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/30862/complete-history-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles

I'm not sure of the exact date.

[CyberCubed]

Whenever I see young Laird pictures all I can think of is how he started balding so early in his life.

[frank_one]

Laird was 30 years old in 1984. They for sure were an odd couple, Laird being half bald and Eastman (who is a bit younger) sporting the moustache :)

[CyberCubed]

Going bald before you're 30 is early.

[MikeandRaph87]

November 1983,ah so a roughly seven month build.

The TMNT came out just as comics were shifting out of the Bronze Age with Secret War and Robin becoming a mantle, and the Spider-Man dons the symbiote.

Going bald before you're 30 is early.

A younger cousin started to lose his hair at age 21. It was completely gone by 24.

[CyberCubed]

A younger cousin started to lose his hair at age 21. It was completely gone by 24.

Maybe he has some kind of medical condition.

[frank_one]

Starting to lose hair in your early-mid 20s is pretty common if you are genetically doomed to be a bald man. I know at least three friends whose head was a mess way before they turned 30 :(

They created #1 in only 20 days? Good old days when people basicaly had no distractions. Imagine the two of them drawing till the night on that kitchen table, wonderful.
Laird has put some stuff about those pre-tmnt days on his blog in the past. Letters and notes taken back then for the most part. Someome should write a book about the origins of Mirage and the Turtles.

[neatoman]

My father and his brothers all still have a full head of hair, dad is almost 60 now and he's the youngest of them. Both my paternal and maternal grandfathers had a full head of hair when they died in their mid-80's.

So personally I think I'm in the clear.

[CyberCubed]

There's just something about men who start balding in their 20's that's very creepy to me.

[The-Shredder]

Today is May 5th! The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made their public debut at the Portsmouth Comic Book Convention in New Hampshire 37 years ago!

[CyberCubed]

God I wasn't even born in 1984. My parents were still dating at the time in college.

[Hamato Yoshi]

Connery was losing his hair yrs before he became 007

Anyway nice pic :)