NECA Mirage Turtles HOW TO SPOT KO'S without looking for ab crunch

[NightwingBegins]

Hi! This is my first post here, so I thought I'd make it a good one.

I've been collecting NECA Mirage figures for over a decade. I have over 50 figures loose and sealed. Authentic and KO. It took time and effort to do this so here we go.

Okay, so we all know NECA made the Mirage figures back in 2008 in various forms (b&w, colour, with and without street scene) and packagings (clamshell, tube, and boxed sets). And we know soon after China started bootlegging the tube packaging.

When the first KO's came to market they looked almost identical to the authentic, WITH ab crunch. Unfortunately they made the front shell, pads, and bandanas in HARD plastic. The ab crunch didn't work so they deleted it entirely. The second version of the KO's looked the same, minus the ab crunch, and they added colour bandanas versions to the lineup. These were the figures that sold the most and were easier to spot because of the lack of ab crunch. At some point during the second run the shoulder joints changed and the big side of the peg faced the front with the small on the back. That's something that has remained consistent since. I'll call these version 3. Now version 4 of the KO's is what is out there today. These are dark green in colour, the front shell is really bright yellow, the pads are dark brown, and the belts & bandanas are glossy painted. But, oddly enough, the front shell, bandanas and pads are soft and bendy. Quality went downhill and it shows.

But what is consistent throughout every KO from start to finish? I have the answers.

Anyone with authentic figures go look at your belts. Leonardo is the only one with belt markings (the black lines) unique to himself. The other 3 figures share the same markings as each other. This is every version: clamshell, tubes, boxed sets, black & white.


First thing to look at ALWAYS are the shoulder pegs. If they're big chances are they're a KO. I do have 1 QC issue where an authentic has 2 right shoulders so 1 peg is backwards. That's why the belts are the way to go here. And, yes, I've seen QC issues with the belts, either upside down or wrong knot. But the markings remain the same. Only the KO turtles all use Leo's markings.

I'll post photos as a reply to this. The site keeps logging me out so I don't want to lose what I wrote.

[NightwingBegins]

Authentic Clamshells.

[NightwingBegins]

Authentic Tube Turtles
(Yes. They are real. If you don't believe they are real, please don't comment I have no time for nonsense. If you want to spot a real AUTHENTIC Tube Turtle, listen carefully. Real ones have a manufacturer's lot number stamped into the bottom of the inlay. And the numbers under the barcode are bigger than the numbers at the end. KO's DO NOT have the number stamped and, after the initial run of KO's, all the numbers on the barcode are the same size. If there's no stamp, and the numbers look the same size, it's a KO.)

[NightwingBegins]

Differences in tube packaging.

[NightwingBegins]

Difference between K.O.'s past and K.O.'s now Vs Authentic. The V1 was pretty legit, right?

[redraid]

Awesome info. I've been looking for someone who knows their stuff. This guide you've made will really come in handy. Quick question, do you know where the original tube Turtles were sold at? The reason I ask is because sticker residue on the packaging would indicate authentic's right? I've noticed some sticker residue on the bottom of the tube packaging and I'm just curious what retailer would have done that. Suncoast maybe?

[Skullox]

Originally Posted by NightwingBegins

Difference between K.O.'s past and K.O.'s now Vs Authentic. The V1 was pretty legit, right?

Wow, thanks for the info. It's funny, I'm preparing for a move and took these guys out of storage recently. I was wondering if NECA actually made the tube packaging or if those were all KO's. I bought them back in 2008 when I got my clamshell versions but I was never sure. Thanks for posting!

[Powder]

Originally Posted by redraid

Awesome info. I've been looking for someone who knows their stuff. This guide you've made will really come in handy. Quick question, do you know where the original tube Turtles were sold at? The reason I ask is because sticker residue on the packaging would indicate authentic's right? I've noticed some sticker residue on the bottom of the tube packaging and I'm just curious what retailer would have done that. Suncoast maybe?

I wanna say Entertainment Earth, Big Bad Toy Store, & independent comic shops. Pretty sure.

[Skullox]

Originally Posted by redraid

Awesome info. I've been looking for someone who knows their stuff. This guide you've made will really come in handy. Quick question, do you know where the original tube Turtles were sold at? The reason I ask is because sticker residue on the packaging would indicate authentic's right? I've noticed some sticker residue on the bottom of the tube packaging and I'm just curious what retailer would have done that. Suncoast maybe?

Originally Posted by Powder

I wanna say Entertainment Earth, Big Bad Toy Store, & independent comic shops. Pretty sure.

I looked back and I originally bought both the clamshells and tubes from Amazon back in 2008. I also got some clamshells from BBTS.

[D Piddy 1982]

I would also add or throw into the pot that only genuine NECA came in the clam shell with the extra hands, baby Turtles, mini street dio. As far as I know this packaging and accessories was never boot legged. So if you ever see a clamshell for sale or a loose Turtle with those accessories then you know it's legit! It's the tube versions which they bootlegged the hell out of.

[King Kahn]

Originally Posted by Powder

I wanna say Entertainment Earth, Big Bad Toy Store, & independent comic shops. Pretty sure.

And hot topic. That’s where I bought all my neca tmnt figures back then.

[NightwingBegins]

Originally Posted by redraid

Awesome info. I've been looking for someone who knows their stuff. This guide you've made will really come in handy. Quick question, do you know where the original tube Turtles were sold at? The reason I ask is because sticker residue on the packaging would indicate authentic's right? I've noticed some sticker residue on the bottom of the tube packaging and I'm just curious what retailer would have done that. Suncoast maybe?

I got mine from either Entertainment Earth's Christmas catalogue or Things You Never Knew Existed back in '08.

[NightwingBegins]

Also, I wouldn't consider sticker residue as an indication of authenticity. Hastings even sold the KO's in store at one point. Anyone can trade in figures and they'll slap a sticker on to resell. Same with Chinatown shops.

[NightwingBegins]

Spot the KO's! Lol

[redraid]

Originally Posted by NightwingBegins

Spot the KO's! Lol

Good info! That's a lot of Raphael's!

[NightwingBegins]

Originally Posted by redraid

Good info! That's a lot of Raphael's!

Now THAT'S funny. lol

[j3h]

Originally Posted by redraid

Awesome info. I've been looking for someone who knows their stuff. This guide you've made will really come in handy. Quick question, do you know where the original tube Turtles were sold at? The reason I ask is because sticker residue on the packaging would indicate authentic's right? I've noticed some sticker residue on the bottom of the tube packaging and I'm just curious what retailer would have done that. Suncoast maybe?

I was managing a Suncoast back when these came out and can confirm that we very briefly sold the tube versions of the figures. My store only got one, maybe two shipments of them, but that was pretty common for all action figures that we carried.