You Know What I Notice in this Era, That I Didn't in Last?

[Konchadunga]

The past.

More specifically, back during the run of the 2003 show, it was like a cultural revolution had been launched against Fred Wolf; I couldn't find any merchandise for it in stores, and certainly not anywhere near the 4Kids merch.

These days, that's not true at all. I was in Target last night, and I saw, next to a pile of merchandise for both the Nickelodeon show and the new movie, a shirt for the Fred Wolf Turtles with the caption "Partying is my Superpower!" Elsewhere in the toy aisles, I see the Fred Wolf Party Wagon for sale (incidentally, I haven't seen any of the Fred Wolf action figures, though). Then there are DVDs of Fred Wolf on sale, along with the new series.

I've said "Fred Wolf" a lot, but it's not the only retro thing. Reprints of the Mirage series now have a wide distribution. The Fred Wolf age group now is old and obsessed enough to care about it. There's also collections of the Archie series.

It's quite a shift, to say the least.

[Powder]

Well that has nothing to do with Nickelodeon or their series, it's Viacom. They'd be stupid not to milk the property they dropped 60 million clams on.

As far as OT merch in the 4kids era is concerned, there has never been a year where Hot Topic didn't stock "retro" turtle shirts, patches, keychains, wristbands & other accessories. Trust me on that, I bought all of it.

[arkangel]

Originally Posted by Powder

Well that has nothing to do with Nickelodeon or their series, it's Viacom. They'd be stupid not to milk the property they dropped 60 million clams on.

60 million ? That doesn't seem like a lot for the whole franchise, when you consider Disney paid over 4.1 billion for Marvel and 4.5 billion for Star Wars.
Hell, they've made a chunk of that back from you alone.

[Powder]

It would have been less if not for the fact they had to buy out 4kids. Crazy stuff. I think that was 10 million of it or some absurd thing like that.

& you got a chuckle outta me, heh, I've definitely put my fair share in... This anniversary alone is killing me! Revoltech. 'Nuff said.

[Roseangelo]

The reason you did see any OT merchandise during the 4Kids years is because Peter Laird specifically didn't allow it. This was only starting to change in 2009 due to the 25th anniversary, which also ended up being the year Viacom bought the property.

[Shark_Blade]

Sounds like he has a vandetta against OT.

But karma bit back in the ass, now 2k3 being ignored and not mentioned; as if it never existed.

[Lou 500]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

The reason you did see any OT merchandise during the 4Kids years is because Peter Laird specifically didn't allow it. This was only starting to change in 2009 due to the 25th anniversary, which also ended up being the year Viacom bought the property.

Why didn't Laird want any merchandise made?

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Lou 500

Why didn't Laird want any merchandise made?

I thought Peter in general wasn't big on Fred Wolf's take on the series. Too goofy and stuff for his tastes.

[Aaronardo]

Originally Posted by arkangel

60 million ? That doesn't seem like a lot for the whole franchise, when you consider Disney paid over 4.1 billion for Marvel and 4.5 billion for Star Wars.

Marvel has so many franchises in it, it's not even funny. So 4.1 billion is fair enough for more than 30 franchises. They also paid 4.5 billion for Lucasfilm as a whole, not just Star Wars. So they also have the rights to Indiana Jones and other movies they've made (such as American Graffiti). TMNT is a single franchise. They didn't buy all of Mirage comics. Your argument is invalid.

[CyberCubed]

Lionsgate did start the original toon releases in 2004, which was 1 year after the 4kids series came out. I'm willing to bet Lionsgate would have never started to release the original cartoon on DVD if the 4kids series never existed.

Although why it took Lionsgate from 2004-2012 to release the entire show on DVD...I'll never know. It literally took them the entire run of the 4kids era and right before the Nick cartoon started to finish the series.

[MikeandRaph87]

Don't forget paying a sum to each of the then current Mirage artist staff in addition to buying out the 1/3 interest of 4Kids. I was shocked at the 60 million sum which seems rather low considering the income it generated in the billions over the quarter century. Peter was amused at our reaction and humbled but Peter's lawyer and Gary Richardson saw fairness in it after carefully going over the out of the blue offer. Its mainly the rights to intellectual property in everything except DVD rights. Viacom already held the '87 cartoon's syndication rights.


While I am a voice against Shredder and Rat King not being human in the 2003 cartoon the biggest letdown was not incorporating characters that originated outside the Mirage comic series. It makes things even better having the whole character stable to use opposed to just a select set.

[Konchadunga]

Originally Posted by Roseangelo

The reason you did see any OT merchandise during the 4Kids years is because Peter Laird specifically didn't allow it. This was only starting to change in 2009 due to the 25th anniversary, which also ended up being the year Viacom bought the property.

I wouldn't be surprised, but do you have anything you can cite as proof for that?

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by Shark_Blade

Sounds like he has a vandetta against OT.

But karma bit back in the ass, now 2k3 being ignored and not mentioned; as if it never existed.

It's only a bite in the ass to fans, though, since Peter Laird could give a rat's ass. He got the cartoon he wanted, so he's happy.

[Konchadunga]

COULD NOT GIVE A RAT'S ASS! The two are not interchangeable! Positive does not mean negative!

[Netkeeper]

Don't bite my head off, I have communication issues and don't always notice errors even if I proofread my posts several times.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Powder

Well that has nothing to do with Nickelodeon or their series, it's Viacom. They'd be stupid not to milk the property they dropped 60 million clams on.

As far as OT merch in the 4kids era is concerned, there has never been a year where Hot Topic didn't stock "retro" turtle shirts, patches, keychains, wristbands & other accessories. Trust me on that, I bought all of it.

Yeah, I was just thinking that if one wanted to buy official classic toon Turtles merchandise, you pretty much had to get it at an off-beat place like Hot Topic. Personally, I hated going in that store, so I'm glad to see the old Turtles resurface at Wal-Mart and other such places.

[arkangel]

Originally Posted by That Collector Guy

Your argument is invalid.

Ya...well...that’s just like, your opinion, man.

Been a Marvel fan since the mid 70s and a Star Wars fan since 77, so I'm well aware of how prolific both franchises are. Not disputing you there at all and it was probably a bad comparison. I was just amazed at the selling prince of 60M, as were a lot of others, when you consider just how huge and prolific the TMNT franchise was at it's height of popularity and considering the returns the franchise is bringing in now. 60M still seems like a low amount to me.

[Mona_Lisa]

Originally Posted by Konchadunga

The past.

There's also collections of the Archie series.

It's quite a shift, to say the least.

Seriously?!Please tell me where!

[Konchadunga]

I have noticed some at my local graphic novel specialty store, called The Villainous Lair.

[THGhost]

You'd think after spending so much money on 4Kids that Nick/Viacom would have done something with the property other than Turtles Forever; and we all know how that turned out for the US.