15 March 2024
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Playmates-First-Turtle-TMNT-Figures
There’s some good news and some bad news if you’re a Teenage Mutant Turtles toy collector. First up, the good news! Playmates is re-releasing a special range of Comic Book Series figures, inspired by the original illustrations by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first TMNT comic.
The bad news? They’re currently only appearing in Walmart stores so, for UK collectors, you’ll need to keep an eye on eBay or cross your fingers that they’ll make it over to the UK.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Comic Book Series
These classic Turtles certainly look a little different to the characters we’re used to seeing in the Nickelodeon television series, or the recent Mutant Mayhem film. In fact, the originals don’t even have the multi-coloured bandanas that indicate the difference between Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo. All wore the same red eye mask - so don’t worry if you pick up Leonardo and it looks like he’s actually Raphael, who has become synonymous with red. Truth be told, the only real difference between the classics is the weapons the Turtles carry.
The Comic Book Series was originally released in 2021 but is being re-launched to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Turtles. Although the figures are the same, the packaging includes a special ‘40th anniversary’ sticker.
Related article: Collector’s Comic Book Price Guide
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Classic Original Sketch Action Figures
If you’re looking for something a little more unique, Playmates is also preparing a set of figures inspired by the first-ever group sketch of the Turtles by co-creator Kevin Eastman. Each Turtle comes perched atop a special base that, once joined together, forms part of a scene that will look great on display. No word on the UK price yet, but the Classic Original Sketch action figures will be hitting American stores in June with a MSRP of $11.99 each.
More retro releases from Playmates
This comic book and sketch ranges are just the tip of the iceberg for Playmates’ releases commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Turtles. Posting on their Instagram page, Playmates said: “To shell-ebrate 40 years of Turtles, we’re reposting 40 #TMNT throwbacks! Our goal is to have some of these 1991 Turtles back in the game soon!” We can’t wait to see what else they have up their sleeve.
Related article: Should I invest in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle LEGO?