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Entire set of ZenMonkey Studios TMNT pins

by Kyle Tobey
written by Kyle Tobey

I got an awesome package from Zen Monkey Studios!

They recently released a line of officially licensed enamel pins any Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fans need to check out. They sent me the entire set to make sure TMNT fans know about them. You can grab any of these for yourself over at their site. But if you need any further convincing, check them all out below!

4 pins together

First up, these four pins show designs based on the 1989 cartoon series, but are posed based on the character select screen from Turtles in Time! These soft enamel pins work really well as a set, or pick your favorite turtle to show off alone. Great for fans of the game or the cartoon.

These two are awesome. One featuring our favorite party dude, Mikey hugging his favorite food. The other featuring the evil Shredder.

 

These two are my favorites of the set.

Featuring the artwork from the original Mirage comic series, these pins show off where the turtles got their start. It’s SO RARE to see merchandise based on the original comic, so kudos to Zen Monkey Studios for really going the extra mile. The smaller pin is so simple but so cool with only the red bandana coloring. The larger hard enamel pin showing the 1st appearance of all 4 brothers made it immediately to my jacket.

I think these are the only officially licensed pins out right now. These are from great people who are clearly fans of the turtles like we are, so make sure to check out their stuff. The pin backings are rubber (which hold way better than the metal clasp, I think) and even the packaging is great.

Last year for New York Comic Con, they had some awesome limited pins for Rick and Morty, Invader Zim, Legend of Korra, and Mystery Science Theater 3000. Let’s hope they give the TMNT the same treatment this year!

Thanks to Josh and our friends at Zen Monkey Studios and the whole team for making a great set! Like what they have? What other designs would you like to see in the future? Let us know in the comments!

my new bag set up

 

 

 

 

 

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The beautiful embossed TMNT journal made a perfect backdrop for this excellent collectible coin from TMNT Box. Image Source: Justin W.
Reviews

Quality Over Quantity – August 2017 TMNT Box Review

by Justin W
written by Justin W

Like most subscription boxes, some months are invariably better than others. The test of a good subscription box is their ability to surprise and impress subscribers. While I wouldn’t say that any company on the market has done a perfect job of providing this experience, it’s worth noting that some of them at least try to improve their service as the months pass. Although I wasn’t exactly amazed by the TMNT Box in July, they definitely bounced back in August with an interesting pairing of items.

An incredible TMNT Journal from Insights Journals. Image Source: Justin W.

An incredible TMNT Journal from Insights Journals.

Retro TMNT Journal

In a digital world, physical journals might seem like an oddity. That being said, I think this is one journal that most shellheads will appreciate. With embossed artwork from the original Eastman & Laird comics on the front and back, it’s fair to say that this is a very high quality item. Some of the inner pages include even more artwork from the Mirage comics, providing an excellent home for the thoughts and feelings of TMNT fans. At the back of the book, you’ll also find a pocket for hiding your most treasured secrets!

Collectible TMNT Coin

If you’ve been following the TMNT Box during the past few months, you may remember that they sent out a very nice collectible coin a few months back. The first coin included Leonardo on one side and Shredder on the other. This time around, they’ve chosen Michelangelo and Bebop, with memorable quotes from both characters printed along the edge. Although it may just be a coin, it’s worth noting that items like these are actually quite collectible. Some collectors will spend up to $10 for coins of this quality, and the mere fact that it is only available through this subscription box makes it quite rare and potentially valuable.

This artwork of Mikey looks like it jumped right off the pages of a Mirage comic! Image Source: Justin W.
This artwork of Mikey looks like it jumped right off the pages of a Mirage comic!
This Bebop artwork is clearly based on the original animated series.

Final Thoughts

I’m sure some of our readers will be disappointed that there were only two items included this month, but it’s important to note that they were both very high quality. The journal, which you can find on Amazon for roughly $10-$15, has a beautiful embossed cover and incredible artwork from the original Mirage comics. The coin is the second in a series that TMNT Box intends to continue producing, and similar collectibles have sold for between $5-$10 on average.

If we’re being fair, this puts the value of the box at about $20. That may not be the best value we’ve seen from the TMNT Box, but the old idiom of “quality over quantity” may play an important role here. Say what you will, but this is definitely a step up from July’s box. Here’s hoping they continue to give subscribers even better value and more quality items in the months to come.

This is just one splash page included in the TMNT Journal. Image Source: Justin W.

This is just one splash page included in the TMNT Journal.

What did you think? Were you impressed with the August TMNT Box? Did you want something more or something different? Share your thoughts either in the comments below or on Facebook/Twitter.

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It looks like this awesome collection of artwork and notes related to Mikey will feature a lot of content from the original Michelangelo micro-series. Image Source: Mirage, IDW.
Comic Book NewsNews

The Kevin Eastman Notebook Series: Michelangelo Coming Soon

by Justin W
written by Justin W

Over the past year or two, IDW has been releasing special collections featuring artwork and storyboards from the early days of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book. With the help of co-creator Kevin Eastman, they have collected a lot of historically important notes and sketches from the 1980’s and lovingly placed them in a series of hardcover books entitled “The Kevin Eastman Notebook Series.”

The Kevin Eastman Notebook Series: Michelangelo is looking pretty darn good! Image Source: IDW.

The Kevin Eastman Notebook Series: Michelangelo is looking pretty darn good! Image Source: IDW.

These compilations have been focused mainly on the creation of character archetypes from the franchise, with notebooks based on notable names such as Casey Jones and Raphael. The latest collection in this series focuses its sights on none other than Mikey! It looks like The Kevin Eastman Notebook Series: Michelangelo will feature a lot of artwork and notes from the micro-series comic book which saw Mikey fighting criminals who were stealing toys from orphans at Christmas. This could actually be a pretty cool holiday gift for fans of the early TMNT comics.

Set for release on December 20th, pre-ordering this item should guarantee that you will receive it before Christmas. That being said, we can’t say for sure that this will be the case, because shipments often get delayed during this time of the year. At a price of $39.99, this is a bit more expensive than most comic collections, but it’s definitely worth the price for a historical look at the creation of a popular Ninja Turtles character. The cover of this book features the subtitle “A Wonderful Holiday Tale,” so chances are that we will see a lot of special material related to the creation of the Michelangelo micro-series.

If you’re interested in picking up this classic TMNT holiday adventure, the Michelangelo micro-series can be found either in the Ultimate Collection or individually on Kindle/Comixology for $1.99. This early Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles story is truly fantastic, and it’s definitely a fan favorite. Needless to say, it’s nice to see them releasing even more content related to the classic micro-series so close to the holiday season. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or you’re looking for a nice gift for the TMNT fan in your life, The Kevin Eastman Notebook Series: Michelangelo is sure to be a hit with longtime fans of the franchise.

Speaking of gift ideas, make sure to check out our 2016 TMNT Holiday Gift Guide for more festive present suggestions.

Will you be picking up The Kevin Eastman Notebook Series: Michelangelo for the holidays? Would this make a good gift for fans of Mikey? Are you interested in learning more about how Kevin Eastman helped to create this character? Share your thoughts and opinions either in the comments below or on facebook/twitter.

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Fans of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic books will want to take a look at this awesome new Artisan Edition of Issue 1. Image Source: Mirage Comics, IDW.
Comic Book NewsNews

IDW Announces Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Artisan Edition

by Justin W
written by Justin W

If you were to purchase one of the few copies of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, it would probably cost you at least a few hundred dollars – if not more. Thankfully, this comic book has been reproduced several different times, so it’s not impossible to get your hands on TMNT history if you’re looking for a copy to read. That being said, few of the reproductions have been completely accurate recreations of the original comic.

This is the initial artwork for the Artisan Edition of TMNT #1 from IDW. Image Source: IDW.

This is the initial artwork for the Artisan Edition of TMNT #1 from IDW. Image Source: IDW.

Until now, one of the closest representations we’ve received has been in the form of the Ultimate Collection from IDW, but even that wasn’t perfect. Rather than recreating the original comic book as it was, they gave us high quality prints of the first 7 issues. This isn’t exactly how the comic looked or felt when it first hit the streets, so it might not be exactly what some fans want to see. Thankfully, IDW has finally decided to give the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles royal treatment with what they call an “Artisan Edition.”

What is the Artisan Edition? We’ll let them explain it for us:

“This book reproduces all the original art to the first issue of one of the most important comic book phenomenons of the last 35 years — The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Scanned directly from the original art, mimicking the experience of the original hand drawn page, and also collecting all the layouts (also hand drawn) by the creators of what has been called this generation’s Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.”

In addition to fully recreating the original comic book in style, they’ll also provide a lot of extra material related to the creation of the franchise. At a price tag of around $50, this isn’t going to be cheap, but it will be more affordable than obtaining one of the few remaining copies of the real thing. Considering that the Artisan Edition will be filled with tons of additional content, that’s actually a pretty good deal. Currently, it’s available for pre-order on Amazon with a planned release date of May 30th, 2017.

Will you be picking up the Artisan Edition of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1? Are you happy to see IDW taking this approach with some of their classic comics? Share your thoughts either in the comments below or on facebook/twitter.

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NECA's latest collectible Eastman & Laird Villains set is well priced and looking good. Image Source: NECA.
NewsToy/Action Figures

NECA Announces Exclusive Eastman & Laird Villains Set For NYCC 2016

by Justin W
written by Justin W

After the success of their SDCC 2016 exclusive TMNT Arcade set, it shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise that NECA has announced plans for another limited edition set of TMNT figures at New York Comic-con in October. Even so, I doubt many shellheads were expecting them to come up with something this awesome. Several years after releasing a set of Eastman & Laird figures, they are finally going to release a set of villains based on the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics. Included in this set will be Shredder, his foot soldiers and an Utrom!

As you can see in the following images, this Eastman & Laird Villains set looks pretty darn good. Shredder looks exactly as he did in the Mirage comics, and his foot soldiers are equally as menacing. Although they chose to give these characters a bit more color than they originally had, I doubt that many fans will complain. The sculpts alone are fantastic, almost perfectly recreating each enemy’s appearance in the comics. Personally, I just want to know if Shredder will be able to pull off his infamous pose from early on in the Mirage TMNT universe.

Inside the box you will find Shredder and his minions ready for posing. Image Source: NECA.

Inside the box you will find Shredder and his minions ready for posing. Image Source: NECA.

Much like their past Comic-con exclusives, this Eastman & Laird Villains set will be sold in a collectible box featuring artwork that is representative of the inspiration for the collector’s item. However, unlike other exclusive collectibles, NECA decided to offer a limited quantity of these sets for pre-order on their website shortly after announcing the item. Unfortunately, the pre-orders have already sold out and there is no indication of whether or not they will be selling this set of figures on the open market again anytime soon.

What we do know for sure is that you will be able to purchase this set of TMNT figures at NYCC 2016 for $100. Considering that you will get four full figures and one Utrom in this Eastman & Laird Villains set, this is actually a really good price. If you are heading out to New York Comic-con this year, make sure to drop by NECA’s booth and pick this set up on the cheap before it begins to fetch collector’s prices on the aftermarket!

This will be the box art for NECA's latest Eastman & Laird Villains Set. Image Source: NECA.

This will be the box art for NECA’s latest Eastman & Laird Villains Set. Image Source: NECA.

Are you interested in picking up this Eastman & Laird Villains Set from NECA? Will you be picking it up at NYCC 2016? What do you think of the design for these exclusive TMNT figures? Let us know your thoughts and plans in the comments section below or on facebook/twitter!

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