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Rad Review: TMNT Youtooz Collectables!

by Chris M. P.
written by Chris M. P.

When it comes to collectables, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and vinyl figures are two categories that show no signs of slowing down. Good for us! Bad for our wallets! But if you find yourself tired of the redundant Funko stylings, there’s a fresh collectable company called Youtooz launched in 2019 that has something for everyone. Whether it be internet memes, South Park, video games, Spongebob Squarepants, The Peanuts, and so many more recognizable properties. 

But I know why you’re here…and that’s for TMNT. And, luckily, Youtooz has us shellheads covered with their line of limited edition vinyl TMNT figures! Youtooz’s TMNT vinyl figures are based off of the beloved 1987 animated series designs and feature our 4 Heroes in a Halfshell as well as that radical rat Master Splinter and the evil Shredder. 

Each vinyl figure stands a little over 4 inches tall and comes in its own unique (color coded) packaging. This, in turn, makes the figures look truly great displayed together in such an alluring colorful way. Upon receiving my TMNT Youtooz, I noticed the difference between them and the familiar Funko Pop! Brand. Though both are aimed at collectors, the Youtooz vinyl figures automatically come in a sturdy plastic case as well as a slick character specific slipcase littered with nice artwork and quotes. They’re not generic in any sense which makes every Youtooz vinyl figure feel unique, as each figure can stand on its own. Each purchase being a little “project” in and of itself. Which is refreshing in the sea of “collect them all!” marketing. 

Yet sometimes we need to free our figures of their protective shells (ha) to be displayed in their raw form. And, luckily, the Youtooz TMNT line look just as good out of the box as they do in them.

The figures are styled with larger heads with Youtooz signature “closed eyes” appearance sitting upon well sculpted detailed bodies. The paint applications are bold and vibrant and the vinyl figures have no problem standing on their own. The TMNT and Shredder are posed for action while Splinter is calm in solitude…as many great ninja masters are. Each Turtle showcases their individual personalities. The alluring colors reek of Saturday Morning cartoons and the figures would fit right in next to a big bowl of colorful sugary cereal. Fresh but nostalgic.  

The Youtooz TMNT vinyl figure line stands out amongst the vast selection of collector vinyl. From the alluring specific packaging to the figures themselves, the higher price tag is warranted when it comes to the quality of these figures. In and out of the box I was thoroughly impressed and happy to add them to my small-ish (yet impressive) TMNT collection. 

Being impressed by these little vinyl collectables just made us look to the future. We’d love to see Bebop and Rocksteady, a Foot Soldier, or April O’Neil. What other TMNT character would you want Youtooz to create for a future release? Comment Below!

These Youtooz vinyl figures are retailing for $29.99 and can be purchased through Youtooz directly. 

Here’s a link to purchase your own set of radical TMNT Youtooz figures sure to be a classic addition to your collection or a great way to start a new one! 

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REVIEW: TMNT X Stranger Things Wave 2

by Chris M. P.
written by Chris M. P.

The Second Wave of 80’s Crossover Nostalgia…Fresh From The Sewers of Hawkins!

With the recent announcement from IDW Publishing about a TMNT/Stranger Things comic crossover coming this summer, Playmates Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Stranger Things Upside Down Remix packs that hit stores late last year suddenly doesn’t seem so random as everyone made it out to be. 

The first wave of figures included Leonardo/Eleven and Raphael/Hopper. The newly released second wave includes Mikey/Dustin and Donatello/Lucas. Both Stranger Things and TMNT are no strangers to toy licenses. Besides the absurdity of the crossover, one can see the difference in styling of these toy designs: with our believed Turtles harkening back to Eastman and Laird’s original 1985 Mirage Comic appearances. As for the Stranger Things characters, they sort of walk the line between true likeness and animated stylings. Which, all in all, makes these toys unique in their own right…and a “must-get” for Turtle and Stranger Things fans alike. But I guess that’s the point, isn’t it? 

Compared to the first wave, Lucas and Dustin’s sculpts have a more true-to-form likeness of the actors that portray them on the show. And the details are there, from Dustin’s graphic tee, vest patch and hat to Lucas’s sweet kick and 80’s shorts. 

As for the Mikey and Donnie, not much can be said apart from Raph and Leo from the previous wave. Playmates does a good job at capturing the intimidating look of Eastman and Laird’s ‘85 run (complete with little turtle tails). The Turtles sculpts are solid…yet redundant…mostly because they’re missing the little flairs that make each turtle individuals that were implemented for the animated series. They have their appropriate weapons, scowls, red bandanas, and belts. Skin Tone is the same dark aqua-like green. Great figures for diehards that want a set of Mirage toys that won’t break the bank, but probably confusing to many casual fans. 

What’s overlooked here is the figures overall presentation and included accessories. Both properties have their adorning logos (with TMNT having the original Mirage logo and art) and the packaging needing to be “flipped” to view each character. A great gimmick alluding to Stranger Thing’s “Upside Down” adventures throughout the series. The box also gives a quick synopsis on why this crossover is happening to begin with (besides dollar signs of course):

“The Turtles have tracked TCRI’s latest illegal experiments from NYC to Hawkins, Indiana, where it’s trying to harness the power of the upside down. The half-shell heroes must team up with eleven and her friends to try and stop TCRI’s next experiment before it succeeds.” 

Another overlooked aspect of the figures that actually sounds pretty great for what it is. And we’re hoping that is the basis for the upcoming comic series as well. There’s also a lot of little on theme accessories included with the sets like cassette decks, spray cans, backpacks, 80s tech, and Eggo waffle ninja throwing stars because why not? If I had to go out, it would definitely be by way of a waffle throwing star. 

In conclusion, Playmates toys has been using the Ninja Turtles to crossover in every way they can the past couple years, whether it be with Cobra Kai, Street Fighter, and Stranger Things. They make for interesting collectables. Nostalgic, yet a sign of modern pop culture. The Mirage inspired TMNT figures are great to have for the diehard Turtle fans, and the Stranger Things figures are solid in their own right. There’s a strong chance of overlapping fandoms all things considered and these look great in the box and out.  My only question is will there be a wave 3 in the future? 

Perhaps Mike and Splinter? Max and April? Will and Shredder? Kraang and the Demogorgon? 

Only time will time, dudes and dudettes. Stranger Things have happened. Comment below and let us know if you collect these Playmates TMNT X Stranger Things figures!

The second wave of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Stranger Things Upside Down Remix is exclusive to Target stores and retailing for $39.99. You can also pick up the first wave for a little cheaper if you want all four Turtles.

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NECA Toys Super Shredder Unboxing

by Kyle Tobey
written by Kyle Tobey

As NECA Toys continues to release the figures we all wanted from the 1990s movie, the amount of characters is starting to run low. But the latest release is set to continue the franchise with the release of Super Shredder!

The first figure from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze, Super Shredder is huge. He is the same scale as the other figures, but he noticeably towers over the turtles.

The paint job is bright purple. At first it’s almost jarring. But then you remember this is a screen accurate figure, and the paint job becomes a Neon reminder of the 90’s. The packaging is also a reminder of the source material. The box features artwork from the Secret of the Oooze, making the decision to take it out of the box more difficult than normal.

The figure comes with a TGRI canister, Shredder Axe, and interchangeable hands. 

Like almost every other TMNT figure produced by NECA, this one hits it out of the park. The details in clothing, from the cloth cape to the chain mail on the helmet, looks straight to from the movie.

Now, there were a few issues. NECA seems to have taken its critique of past releases to heart. I ordered this directly from NECA during their preorder period and things went overall smoothly. To avoid the hunt and shopping for this at Wal-Mart, it was worth paying the somewhat heavy shipping fee. However, this was not a great purchase for in box collectors. My figures box had dents and creases throughout. This was no fault of NECA, but rather the postal carrier who delivered it. The figure itself was strangely twisted in box. The midsection was shifted to the side and needed adjusting. Not a huge issue for me, but if you were looking for Mint in Box, this wasn’t going to help.

The midsection also seemed very loose. Almost like a bobble head. I was worried it would make the figure fall over once posed. But, I’m happy to report that, since bing positioned and posed, he has yet to fall once.

Cheesy, neon, and difficult, the figure sums up the decade it’s designed from. It’s a welcome addition to the film figures shelf. I’m excited to see how Super Shredder sizes up to the incoming Tokka and Rahzar. This is the toy we all wanted our turtles to fight as a kid. NECA seems to be working on their issues with getting product past scalpers and in to hands of collectors. If they keep up these practices along with spectacular figures, they’re sure to gain more and more fans along the way. And, lucky for us, that means more TMNT figures.

Did you order the Super Shredder? What do you think of this figure? Let us know in the comments!

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Super 7 SDCC Baxter Stockman Ultimates Unboxing

by Kyle Tobey
written by Kyle Tobey

Comic Cons are cancelled this year. 

Due to the ongoing global crisis, there was no way conventions can (or should) be happening in 2020.  Companies still did their best to give us the Comic Con experience, dishing out exclusives, events, and interviews for everyone to enjoy from the comfort of their couch.

While the experience wasn’t perfect for most collectors (NECA, Hasbro, Mattel, Funko, Mondo…) one company stood out as an exceptional shopping experience with an amazing product.

SUPER 7 has perfected their selling model for their Ultimates waves, issuing preorders for figures well in advance of release. For “SDCC”, Super 7 had several exclusives. From a beach towel based on the trading cards to a Re-Action set of 4 glow-in-the-dark in a TCRI canister, they had something any TMNT fan. Their non-TMNT offerings were fantastic as well, but the TMNT exclusives hit it out of the park. Once I saw their SDCC exclusive color way for the Baxter Ultimates figure, I knew I had to have it.

When it arrived, It came in great packaging. There was very little chance to allow damage on the way here. They also included a sticker and a “Skeletoken”, which was intended for their event during SDCC.

The packaging on these figures is next level. It almost goes beyond packaging and nears into “protective case” territory.

The figure packaging slides out from the blue shell case with the satisfying sound of air sucking itself from it’s stationary containment. I was instantly taken back by the packaging itself, as well as the neon blue figure itself.

The box is textured and glows in the dark. The plastic is hard but perfectly situated to show the figure and accessories without opening the packaging. Baxter‘s extra appendages are translucent and his white lab coat glitters from this special paint job. He comes with a ton as accessories and options, including a glowing Mouser.

Overall, I absolutely love the figure and the shopping experience could not have been easier. Out of every major company issuing exclusives for “Virtual Con”, Super7 seemed to care the most about the customers experience and put things in place to keep everyone happy. I wish I preordered the other waves of this line. The price point is worth it, if you can swing it. These are collector pieces, and worth every penny.

Super7 is extremely fan focused and a fantastic company I’m excited to learn more about. Some companies look like they are learning from past experiences, but Super7 never had to learn, because they had the process nailed from the start.

You can still preorder waves 2 and 3 of the Ultimate figures from BigBadToyStore.

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NECA “Turtles in Time” Wave 1 Review

by Kyle Tobey
written by Kyle Tobey

NECA appears to be the adult collector’s path in to the TMNT figures we never got as kids.

They’ve covered the original film (and the sequel soon), the animated series, and are contributing a new figure to each of the new LootCrate series boxes. Considering the popularity of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles classic games, the “Turtles in Time” line of figures are a welcome addition to the collection.

The packaging for each figure is designed with collectors in mind.

The box feels sturdy and can withstand it’s time through shipment. Each figure comes in window packaging, for collectors who choose to keep their figures in box. The front and sides replicate the artwork from the original box art and arcade cabinets. The back of the boxes are nice too, with very little print. These are figures with intent. They already sold you on the product, you know what you’re getting, all you need is a glamour shot on the back.

The figures themselves are in line with the quality we’ve come to expect from NECA.

Each has a stellar figure design and paint job. Each figure has a base paint with pixelated hi-lites. Slash is the stand out figure for me. He is sturdy and has a completely original sculpt. Every detail, from his belt to his toothy grin, makes the series worth having.

The limbs are all extremely tight. Almost to a detriment. I found myself trying to bend knees, only to stop because I thought I would break it. It’s made posing the figures very difficult. I may have finally found a position where the figures wont fall over every few hours, but it took a ton of trial and effort. I bought the NECA figure stands because I was having such a difficult time getting them to stay, but they don’t fit the holes in the foot.

The character designs are accurate to the original game. However, the original game didn’t have very detailed graphics. The figures are screen accurate, but there’s not the need for the level of high detail, as with the movie figures.

NECA makes up for the main figures not needing high detail sculpts with their accessories. All figures in the line come with weapons, but Leonardo, Donatello, and Foot Soldier also come with hover boards and stands! Finally, you can recreate fighting your way through the  sewers and avoiding the dreaded “My toe! My toe!” The accessories add new dimension to the display, but I cant tell if it’s a contributor to the figures falling over.

The set as a whole looks fantastic, but definitely feels incomplete. The second wave (Including Super Shredder, Leatherhead, Raphael, and Michelangelo) will likely make the collection feel more like a complete set.

While I love the how they look and the accessories, the need to constantly adjust and reposition so the figures don’t fall on each other is abundant. Yes, this is in part on my inability to position the figures so they wont fall, but at a certain point it CAN’T be me.

I still love the figures! They may not be on my favorite NECA have produced, but it’s a fantastic set paying homage to a lesser focused on version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I’m very excited to see the next wave (and beyond) for this series and hope it continues.

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