Another Slice of Turtle Mania

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, you couldn't go anywhere without running into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Though the green machines originated in comic book form thanks to creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, it was the 1987 animated show that gave rise to a tsunami of turtle fever that would last for years. Movies, video games, TV specials, cereal and of course, toys. Oh, the toys. It was a time of Turtle Mania and I was so happy to experience it.

But like all good things, sadly, it came to an end.

Although the headday of the Turtles may be behind them, they remain firmly ingrained in pop culture. You can still find these ninjas on clothing, buy toys and for the first time in years, we're getting some very, very good Turtle games, with the most recent one, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, being released last week.

I've done three runs through Shredder's Revenge (one with Leo, Mikey and Raph) and it just might be the best TMNT game. Shredder's Revenge reminded me of all the old TMNT games and brought memories of the cartoon it is based on flooding to the surface. So much with this game just clicks. Wonderfully animated sprite graphics, the sounds of Foot Soliders and Mousers getting smacked around. The stages are not too long or too short. And that absolute BANGER of a soundtrack! I've been jamming out to that sucker for more than a week now. Sooooo goooood!

As if Shredder's Revenge weren't enough, sometime this year, we'll be treated to a plethora of games that helped Turtle Mania maintain dominance during the franchise's peak. I am of course talking about the Cowabunga Collection, my dream anthology that I never thought would come true, but sometimes reality isn't disappointing. All the NES, SNES, Arcade, GB and Genesis games in one shell of a collection. Man, just give me a release date for this game already!!! I needed my old-school Turtle beat downs yesterday!!!

I am so freaking excited about all the TMNT love we're getting for games this year. Recently I bought the 1987 TMNT series on DVD. The plan was to finish Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and Teen Titans shows I've been binging but Shredder's Revenge has me on such a high that I had to change my plans. I've already breezed through the first two seasons. Rob Paulsen Raphael might be my favorite version of the character.

I've been meaning to start reading TMNT: The Ultimate Collection, which reprints the original Mirrage Studios comics. I've actually read the first issue of TMNT before as well as the Leonard One-Issue Micro-Series, which is one of my favorite comics that replies heavily on panels without words to showcase the action. In fact I own an original copy of that issue. 

I should probably start collecting some of those hardcovers of the IDW TMNT comics. That's a run I've been wanting to check out as I've heard so many good things about it. 

Back to the 1987 Turtles, we just learned that IDW will be printing a four issue mini series based off off the aforementioned incarnation of the Turtles dubbed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures beginning this September. Makes me wish Archie's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventure comics were collected in a format besides a measly four issues perk book because I really want to read those.

Action figures played a huge part of my childhood during the pinnacle of Turtle Mania. While I was poking around on Amazon, I saw some Turtle figures based off the 1987 caroons as well as the first Playmates figures, which were some of my favorite toys to collect. I'm planning on picking those up for my birthday. 

This really is a great time to be a fan of the TMNT. It's like we're getting another slice of Turtle Mania. It may not be a whole pizza that we got back in the day, but I will gladly take that slice and savor it. Party on, dudes.