What about the UK Hero Turtles?

[oldmanwinters]

I've seen a few scans and pictures of the UK "Hero Turtles" comic from back in the early 90s. Anybody know what the storyline of that series was like? Any scans? The art style is pretty distinct, and I'd love to see more of it.

Here's a sample of some issue scans I found a while back:

[PAAATE]

A few of the UK comics were published here in Sweden as "back ups" for the american comics, and all UK comics I've read were standalone stories, mostly kinda lame, though some of them I remember as being cool

[Hero]

I have some of my UK comics to scan sometime. I will put em up when I find the evasive blighters.

[DrSpengler]

They remind me a bit of Marvel UK's Real Ghostbusters strips, which were goofy stories, around 5 pages, and were meant as little more than silly comic-relief with no on-going plots. Several of them were imported by NOW! as back-up strips and filler for their more serious Real Ghostbusters strips.

The Marvel UK Transformers comic eventually devolved into that "silly pointless filler stories" rut by the end of that comic's run, too (though the UK Transformers stories started out very strong).

I *would* like to read these, however, since I'm pretty much a completionist when it comes to TMNT comics. And if they tie into the Archie TMNT Adventures book then I'd love to read them so I can write in-depth reviews for my site.

[Raph's Girl]

Originally Posted by DrSpengler

I *would* like to read these, however, since I'm pretty much a completionist when it comes to TMNT comics. And if they tie into the Archie TMNT Adventures book then I'd love to read them so I can write in-depth reviews for my site.

I don't think they tie into the TMNTA books. The TMHT books are pretty much on their own. Complete with the turtles talking British. I read one and could barely understand what anybody was saying since it was full of British slang!

[DrSpengler]

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl

I don't think they tie into the TMNTA books. The TMHT books are pretty much on their own. Complete with the turtles talking British. I read one and could barely understand what anybody was saying since it was full of British slang!

Marvel UK's Real Ghostbusters strip suffered from that, too.

Try to imagine Slimer saying "Blimey!".

[oldmanwinters]

For some strange reason, I can see Slimer saying "blimey."

By the way, here's a little webpage with some character descriptions and pics of the characters in one of the UK comics (at least I assume so):
http://whom.co.uk/squelch/dimension_x.htm

Edit: Or maybe they're from trading cards?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Complete-Set-of-...2em118Q2el1247

[Anarchistguy]

The art in these UK comics reminds me of the art in the UK Sonic The Hedgehog comics...

[Kendamu]

I used to have a magazine-like thing with a story or two from these comics. They were kinda lame and Mikey obviously didn't have his 'chucks.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Anarchistguy

The art in these UK comics reminds me of the art in the UK Sonic The Hedgehog comics...

The artist on #27 posted above was Sandy James.

The artist on #38 was Richard Elson.

Do those names ring any bells?

[Darth Shredder]

Originally Posted by DrSpengler

Marvel UK's Real Ghostbusters strip suffered from that, too.

Try to imagine Slimer saying "Blimey!".

Imagining Raphael saying "Blimey!" is even more disturbing.

[oldmanwinters]

tOkKa's Flickr account has a scan of #23's cover. It's an adaptation of Archie #14.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/terrible2z/2343753182/


Here's another UK gem couresy of tOkKa:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/terribl...7594472549417/

Here are some UK style trading cards:

[Darth Shredder]

Wow. The word "Ninja" wasn't fitting for kids, but BDSM content is okay.

[Galactus]

The UK comic came out every two weeks and would alternate it's format. One issue would reprint an issue of the Archie book, the next would have two original short stories made especialy for the UK book. All the covers were drawn by UK artists, even in the issues that reprinted the Archies.

The original stories were of course v. old toon style and even moreso aimed at children but I always liked 'em. They had no continuity with the Archie stories and didn't really have continuity with each other. The characters never referenced events in any previous issue and the Techondrome was never in the same place from issue to issue. Sometime's it'd be tunneling under the city like the cartoon's first season, sometimes it'd be in Dimension-X or they'd have enough power to teleport it to another location were they wanted the story to take place.

Some interesting things about the comics is while in the UK stories Mikey didn't have chuks he mostly fought with his hands but on rare occasions he used a Bo Staff like Donny. Krang hardly ever used his robotic body and instead used that tripod stroller thing from the first season. One story did have Krang build similar android bodies for Bebop & rocksteady to use against the turtles.

You would often find the same artists from the UK stories working on some other UK merchendise. Those trading cards that Oldmanwinters posted you would get free with packs of PG Tips teabags. You had to paste them into book to complete a comic story of the turtles and the Hippy Hippos. What made them hippies? I don't know, they seemed more like a Biker gang to me but I guess the writer of that story wanted the name to have alliteration.

When the turtles popularity started to fade, the comic went monthly and they dropped the UK stories. It wasn't long before it was cancelled but they did bring it back around the time of the third movie, this time they would use the original American covers but it didn't last long before it ended again.

[Ninjinister]

Gotta love some of the weird things that site says....

FACTFILE. Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird - creators of The Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles - met in 1902. Kevin nays "All we did is create a comic book because we fey comic books"

FACTFILE. In took a mere sex minutes of doodling by Eastman and Laird to crease The Hero Turtles. 'It was entirely spontaneous - son calculated at all' says Eastman.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Galactus

The UK comic came out every two weeks and would alternate it's format. One issue would reprint an issue of the Archie book, the next would have two original short stories made especialy for the UK book. All the covers were drawn by UK artists, even in the issues that reprinted the Archies.

Do you know which Archie books got reprinted?

Originally Posted by Galactus

Some interesting things about the comics is while in the UK stories Mikey didn't have chuks he mostly fought with his hands but on rare occasions he used a Bo Staff like Donny.

No grappling hook? What about in the Archie adaptations? Did they allow any chucks to stay or did they alter the art?

Originally Posted by Galactus

You had to paste them into book to complete a comic story of the turtles and the Hippy Hippos. What made them hippies? I don't know, they seemed more like a Biker gang to me but I guess the writer of that story wanted the name to have alliteration.

A. They have long hair.
B. They have flowers on their shirts.


Thanks for the info, Galactus, that's great to know! Did you have any favorite issues?

[ZariusTwo]

There were also three annuals featuring the same artists and writers, only this time they were also prowse storylines (similar to the UK Transformers annuals), one story was a much better (in my opnion) use of the plots seen in "Corporate Raiders From Dimension X"

A curious thing is that some strips were rehahses of original series episodes only rewritten and slightly tweeked so they seemed original...

[Galactus]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Do you know which Archie books got reprinted?

All of them up to #39 "United We Stand Divided We Fall" Part 3 which ended the first run.

When the comic came back it started were it left off reprinting #40 so we got both the "Future Shark Trilogy" and the "Black Hole Trilogy" . I'm unsure were the second run ended, the last issue I have reprints #51. I remember checking each of the stores near me but couldn't find anymore after that. It's possible that's were the second run ended, I couldn't see it lasting much longer anyway.

No grappling hook? What about in the Archie adaptations? Did they allow any chucks to stay or did they alter the art?

No grappling hook and the Archie reprints didn't make any attempts to alter the art. They did change some of the spellings to the UK way and a few times when the turtles introduced themselves as Ninja Turtles they replaced "Ninja" with "Hero" although kept references to them being ninjas and practicing ninjitsu.

Did you have any favorite issues?

I'm trying to find some to refresh my memory and hopefuly scan a few images but off the top of my head the second image posted in your opener was from a story that had Krang and Shredder bring evil turtles from an alternate reality to slowly replace the turtles one by one.

There were also poster books that unfolded, one side being a comic and the other a poster. The first issue had the turtles battling the Zimmerman, an old rocket scientist that couldn't make to with his pension so built a flying zimmer frame that shot missiles to rob banks. I guess he's one of those villains that is so lame he's cool plus he kinda reminded me of the Vulture from Spider-Man.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Galactus

No grappling hook and the Archie reprints didn't make any attempts to alter the art. They did change some of the spellings to the UK way and a few times when the turtles introduced themselves as Ninja Turtles they replaced "Ninja" with "Hero" although kept references to them being ninjas and practicing ninjitsu.

I probably wouldn't agree with the late comedian, George Carlin, on most any subject, but this sort of laxidasical censorship lends credence to his "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" monologue. The point being that most people (especially organizations or businesses who are only after money, customers, or ratings) don't put in sufficient time to use discernment as to why things should be censored and they don't bother to think about inconsistencies or context of the censored material in question. They just attempt to bleep out or alter a few terms here or there will make things acceptable to a moral expectation. Oh well, that's life for ya.

Originally Posted by Galactus

I'm trying to find some to refresh my memory and hopefuly scan a few images but off the top of my head the second image posted in your opener was from a story that had Krang and Shredder bring evil turtles from an alternate reality to slowly replace the turtles one by one.

There were also poster books that unfolded, one side being a comic and the other a poster. The first issue had the turtles battling the Zimmerman, an old rocket scientist that couldn't make to with his pension so built a flying zimmer frame that shot missiles to rob banks. I guess he's one of those villains that is so lame he's cool plus he kinda reminded me of the Vulture from Spider-Man.

Hehe, that's sounds funny. And I do have the full issues of the two comics scanned here, but the rules prohibit it being posted here on the forum. I welcome anyone to PM or email me if you want to see the rest of the story. And I'd love to see what you have, Galactus.

[Canadian Turtle]

When I was a kid I was in the UK during the turtle craze. My parents bought me a small hard cover book that was a TMHT story. Though I never noticed it till I was older the pictures (although few) we strangely altered. I am away from my collection so I will have to post pics later. The point is the in any pictures with all the turtles using their weapons they would sometimes be messed up or very obviously changed so that Mike would be hold a sward as well as Leo to remove the chuks. Anyways, I would have to read it again to see if they changed anything else.