40 years with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
 

On 5 May 2024, the 40th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is observed. That was the day when the first comic issue, The Turtles' Origin is Told, was published by Mirage Studios. The main characters had been crated by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in November 1983, and would grow to recieve international success during the upcoming years.

40 years later, we're still here with all the comics, cartoons, video games, movies, action figures and of course, hanging out at the Technodrome Internet Community for the last 25 years.

Hold your anchovie and whipped cream pizza high. Here's to sticking around for the next anniversary. :tparty: :tpizza:

40th anniversary
 

Time for the recurring comparison, and check out when did other fictional characters and franchises, we all see as well-established, observed their 40th anniversaries?

Tintin: January 1959
Spirou: April 1968
Mickey Mouse: November 1968
Donald Duck: June 1974
Superman: April 1978 (The Reign of the Superman from 1932 is not included here)
Batman: March 1979
Captain America: March 1981
Lucky Luke: October 1986
James Bond: April 1993
Smurfs: October 1998
Astrix: October 1999
Spider-Man: August 2002
GI Joe: February 2004
Action Man: 2006
Star Trek: September 2006
Star Wars: November 2016 (the novelization was first published in November 1976, six months prior to the 1977 movie)
Donkey Kong and Mario: July 2021

I always find it amusing that first theatrical Spider-Man movie (which was intended to be theatrical) wasn't actually released until the 40th anniversary. Not because nobody was interested in making one, quite the opposite in fact because the comic was a huge success, but because various different companies claimed to have the film rights. The 1994 animated series is literally the remnants of a deal that fell through because of the dispute, with it initially being intended as tie-in show.

... And of course, Disney and Sony keep on wrestling for the movie rights even to this day...

Man Spider-man was only 40 years old in 2002? It feels like it was a lot older, I guess because something created in the 1960's already felt like "ancient history" by the early 2000's.

While TMNT does feel old too as the 1980's is a long time ago, it still doesn't feel "as old" comparably as a lot of the other superhero comics did at their time.

Fun fact: Dragon Ball and TMNT are also the same age, Dragon Ball manga started in 1984 the same year as TMNT. It's hard to believe the Turtles were created the same time as Goku.

I'm like '40 years??? I'm not even 50 yet', but then I remember they were around for a few extra years before the cartoon first hit.

Oh good, was hoping someone would make a post. I was considering it, but yours is better.

Anyone else planning on having pizza Sunday? Might see if a store has any green tinted drinks.

TMNT fandom evolution
 

Another interesting thing to check out is how the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fandom has evolved in popularity through the years. Just like a business cycle (Roaring-Golden 1920's, 1930's Depression), this franchise has experienced its up and down periods.

1984–1987: The beginning: TMNT is a popular independent comic, but not so much more.

1987–1988: Introduction to a younger audience. The first two seasons of the Fred Wolf cartoon and the Archie comics forms a new generation of fans.

1989–1993: Turtlemania. The franchise is booming, and scoring international success. Through marketing, the Turtles appear everywhere. These years also see the Turtles appearing in video games and live-action movies.

1993–1997: Declining success. With the Animated Batman cartoon spawning edgier cartoons, and the Power Rangers becoming popular, as well as video games becoming even more popular, the Turtles can't continue as successful as during previous years.

1997–2001: The First Dark Period. Only Next Mutation airs on television, while the Image Comics are cancelled.

2001–2009: 4 Kids Revival. Mirage volume 4 combined with the 4 Kids cartoon, and 1980's nostalgia allow the Turtles to experience a reival, thoguh they never become as popular as during Turtlemania. Thanks to the Internet a lot of former TMNT fans, who've usually reached their 20's and often begun working or studying in a university, rediscover their TMNT fandom During these years, we also get a computer-animated movie.

2009–2011: The Second Dark Period. Nickelodeon purchases the franchise from Mirage Studios, and we get less Mirage comics. But at least, we also get Turtles Forever.

2011–2017: Nickelodeon Reival.The IDW comics and the Original Nickelodeon cartoon allow another TMNT revival and it all ends with Fred Wolf nostalgia in the Bebop and Rocksteady crossovers. Two live-action movies are also produced.

2017–2023: Rise of the TMNT years. The Original Nickelodeon cartoon is cancelled, and instead we get Rise of the TMNT and its upcoming movie. To the disappointment of many fans.

2023–: Current period. Starts with Mutant Mayhem, to be followed up by another cartoon and movie.

The year 2000 is probably the darkest year for the franchise with absolutely no new product put on the market: Next Mutation ended in 1998, Image cancelled Volume 3 in 1999. For a whole year (as far as I know) nothing with the Turtles logo came out, before Laird relaunched the comics in 2001 with Volume 4.

Nothing was published between the final issue of Image Volume 3 (October 1999) and the first issue of Mirage Volume 4 (December 2001).

Drink acquired. With a conveniently TMNT related name. :tcool:

https://i.imgur.com/NVNCa0V.jpg

I will celebrate by consuming something else that is green.

Now this is a fan who knows how to Turtle!

:D

Pickles?

Of course I am talking about a nice Caeser salad with a Mountain Dew.

Ah. lol

edit: Wow, sorry that gif is so big.

https://c.tenor.com/NF42YSVypREAAAAd/tenor.gif


If I wasn't already thinking of pizza, either getting one or just throwing a frozen I already have into the oven, I'd possibly consider.... Sliders. :trazz:

I wish chocolate Turtles candy weren't typically made with pecans. I'd totally get some peanut ones if I saw any. edit: Ooh, Little Debbie Turtle Brownies (with peanuts) are a thing... might hunt those down instead. Make a nice little theme of snacks for the fun of it.

For me:

1984 - 2009 : Some shifting balance of decent TMNT content out there, under the surface. Periods here and there of "nothing."

2010 - Present : Mostly crap. And it's shocking how rapidly things are getting worse. Lately when you think they can't do something worse, they somehow find a way. It's remarkable, really.

I don't think anything can be worse than Rise. It just doesn't seem possible. Mutant Mayhem isn't any good, but it's not as bad as Rise.

Darn it, in my quest to throw together a small assortment of turtle-themed goodies just for fun, a store location I don't usually go to lied about having those Little Debbie Turtle Brownies. :tsad: Not even an empty spot on the shelf...

When you mention the word Sliders I think of this show :lol: It's been a while since I've watched it:

https://media.tenor.com/dtkros7zlwUA...show-scifi.gif

Ohh, forgot all about that show. lol

I think it's rather poetic that I share the same age as the TMNT in being 40, also.

I've always said I'll be a fan 'till the day I die, and I meant it. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta do the Donatello/Rocksteady trick on the NES game again.

It is really surreal when you realize TMNT has almost been around for half a century. In 10 years time we'll be 50 years with TMNT. The franchise has basically joined Superman/Batman, Spider-Man, X-men, etc. as an evergreen comic book and cartoon franchise.

Way back in the mid/late 90's when we all thought TMNT was "dead," none of us ever expected it to make several comebacks in both the early 2000's revival and then the post-Mirage era.

Happy 40th Birthday/Anniversary to our favorite boys in green! Here's to hoping for another 40+ and outliving us all.

Happy 40th TMNT!

Happy birthday dudes :tpizza: Thanks for the many years of great memories :tthumbsu:

Happy 40th anniversary Turtles and fans. It's hard to believe that a lot of good stuff in 1984 turns 40 this year: The NeverEnding Story; Ghostbusters; Conan The Destroyer; The Ewok Adventure with the Gorax (scary monster).

Gee, I remember when I celebrated the 25th anniversary back in 2009 at Chicago's Navy Pier where I met some Turtle fan named Ivey from Detroit and we along with her other friends bonded all day. She gave me her forum address and I joined the next day.

Sad part about that day is that I lost all pictures I took of the city, the event, the Turtle Van and myself with Leonardo. I don't know what happened to them.

I also celebrated that anniversary by starting a major website on Webs.com where I spent all day for years building. What broke my heart about my website is that Webs.com got bought out by Vista Print and my site which I spent countless days and night building went away because I didn't know how to transfer it over.

Happy 40th TMNT

I can't believe as we hit 40 years we finally got 2 major things done with TMNT.

1. We finally got the John Du Prez scores officially released after years of waiting thanks to Waxwork Records
2 Complete 2003 series on DVD (yes wish it was Blu ray but Nick is cheap)

AND a possible more mature movie being worked on. Even if it will be a while, it's still nice to get that news this year. :D

Maybe that will someday also pave the way for that old Netflix series rumor to someday be true.

-------


My small, but satisfactory turtle-related snack haul for today. :tcool:

https://i.imgur.com/HAcNP9a.jpg

Was hoping for a little more, but never found the Little Debbie Turtle Brownies, and Walmart also lied about having the Turtle flavor Chex mix. Skipped the chocolate Turtles candy because... meh... pecans.

Ignore the pack of conveniently green tea in the back, it's just pretending it's part of the party. lol


edit: That Jones green apple soda is actually really good btw.

I would like an adult animated series, like the way DC has the Harley Quinn animated show (even though I wouldn't say I'm a big fan of it, it does have it's moments though). We need more animated movies similar in tone to Batman vs TMNT as well.

well I watched 5 episodes of Season 2 (Episodes 11-15) of the 2003 Series tonight. Great way to celebrate the 40th anniversary.

1984
 

Here are some things that happened in 1984:

1 January: The Sultanate of Brunei ceases to be a British protected state.
24 January: Steve Jobs introduces the Macintosh personal computer in the USA.
27 January: American singer Michael Jackson's hair catches fire during production of his Pepsi-Cola commercial.
7 February: American astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert Lee Stewart carry out the first untethered outer space extravehicular activity, using a Manned Maneuvering Unit from the Space Shuttle Oribter Challenger.
13 February: Konstantin Chernenko succeeds Yuri Andropov as General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party.
8–19 February: The Olympic Winter Games are held in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia.
5 May
*The first issue of Mirage Studios Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is released.
*The song Diggiloo, Diggiley, performed by the Herreys for Sweden, wins the Eurovision Song Contest in Luxembourg.
11 May: A transit of Earth from Mars takes place.
27 June: Team France wins the UEFA European Soccer Championship after defeating Team Spain, 2–0 in the final game in Paris.
1 July: Women's suffrage is introduced in Liechtenstein.
25 July: Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to perform an outer space extravehicular activity, from Soviet orbital space station Salyut 7.
28 July–12 August: The Olympic Winter Games are held in Los Angeles, California, USA. The Soviet Union and some of its satellite states boycot the event.
4 August: The Republic of Upper Volta is renamed Burkina Faso.
18 September: Team Canada wins the Canada Cup ice hockey tournament in Canada by defeating Team Sweden, 6–5, in the second final game.
12 October: Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of the UK survives an assasination attempt in Brighton, England, UK by the Provisional IRA.
23 October: A news report from BBC increases international awareness of the Ethiopia famine.
31 October: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India is assassinated by her security guards.
6 November: Republican Ronald Reagan is reelected President of the USA, defeating Walter Mondale in the election.
3 December: Thousands of people are killed during a factory leak in Bhopal, India.

==Hit songs==
Alphaville: Forever Young
Band Aid: Do They Know It's Christmas
Chicago: You're the Inspiration
Phil Collins: Against All Odds
Madonna: Like a Virgin and Material Girl
Nena: 99 Luftballons
Dolly Parton: Tennessee Homesick Blues and Winter Wonderland
Queen: Radio Gaga
Ray Parker: Ghostbusters
REO Speedwagon: Can't Fight This Feeling
Bruce Springsteen: Dancing in the Dark and Born in the USA
Tina Turner: What's Love Got to Do with It?
Twisted Sister: We're Not Gonna Take It and I Wanna Rock
Wham: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

==Movies==
23 March: Police Academy by Hugh Wilson
6 April: The Neverending Story by Wolfgang Petersen
8 May: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
1 June: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock by Harve Bennett
8 June: Ghostbusters by Ivan Reitman
26 October: Terminator by James Cameron
8 June: Gremlins by Joe Dante
22 June: The Karate Kid by Robert Mark Kamen
25 November: Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (TV) by John Korty
1 December: Beverly Hills Cop by Martin Brest
3 December: Dune by David Lynch
7 December: 2010 by Peter Hyams

==Television debuts==
20 April: The Cosby Show (NBC)
16 September: Miami Vice (NBC)
10 September: Voltron (First-run syndication)
17 September: The Transformers (First-run syndication)
15 October: Lucky Luke (France 3)

Turtles kick ass. It’s sort of felt like rooting for a losing team these past few decades though. There’s the occasional bright spot, which is usually just enough to keep me following the property consistently, in combination with how much the Mirage and 90’s content mean to me.

I have to say that the success of TLR and the announcement of the big-screen movie adaptation have felt like the first sign of fire in a very long time, for me personally. I hope the project isn’t cancelled but even if it is, I think this is the most positive sign in a long time. The somewhat meta connection this book has to Dark Knight Returns is quite satisfying.

Congrats on 40 years, TMNT. I feel like this could be an important pivot point.

Andy Kaufman also died may 84 :cry:

I know people are surprised the TMNT property is already 4 decades old, but honestly, even though it's only about 6 years older than me, it already was considered an "old" property by the time I got into it in the late 90s. And the FW series is only 3 years older than me and the 1990 movie is only about 8 months older than me. Yet, by 1998 or so, the Ninja Turtles were "old" and considered to be "dead". Hence why the cartoon was airing reruns on a cable tv channel here in Portugal. It must have been very cheap to acquire by then.

So yeah, I've always known it as being an "old" thing. Even with the 2k3 series and the Viacom/Nick era in this century, clearly the property peaked in popularity and mainstream fame around 1988-1992.