Figure 8 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classics, Wave 2?
The PoP! Stars give their take on the latest and greatest in Action Figures and Toy Lines in eight (succinct) parts.
The staff here at PoP! were stoked with the New York Toy Fair announcements of all the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles product coming from Playmates (omigod that Sewer Lair…), set for release to coincide with the debut of a new Turtles cartoon series from Nickelodeon. Besides a line based on the new cartoon series, Playmates is also taking cues from Mattel‘s Masters of the Universe and DC Universe Classics lines, bringing our favorite old school Heroes-In-A-Half-Shell designs to present day with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classics. The first wave of Classics will feature the four turtles in the style of the 1988 cartoon, with the added bonus of contemporary sculpting and articulation.
Can we get alternate heads with some light-hearted expressions, perhaps?
Don w/giant purple dildo
While I was a huge Turtlemaniac in my pre-teens, and owned most if not all of the action figures and vehicles, it was always rather puzzling that most of the core characters never really got an accurate representation of their animated designs in action figure form. Playmates did eventually try to (over)correct this mistake with their line of Toon Turtles (Donatello, pictured right), featuring the party dudes rocking toonier designs, iridescent paint apps and goofball action features.
But that was then, this is now. Playmates is selling us on the concept of a Classics line, and I’m buying. I would like to see this line plumb the depths of the TMNT roster, but first, we need to get the A-listers on shelves.
Check out my 8 picks for a Wave 2 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classics!
Filed Under: Figure 8
This article makes me want to dig my Turtles out of my parents attic.
I’ve been wanting to replace my empty office shelves, which previously held my Marvel Legends, with my old school turtle collection.
I’ve still got the old Muckman action figure. Lost most of the other ones, tho’.
You might check out my website for TMNT scripts and other stuff.
If you knew anything about the history of the original Playmates TMNT toys in relation to the 1987 cartoon, you'd know that the toys were meant for the then-immensely popular comic by Eastman/Laird but Playmates was/were very tentative about the whole thing so they said "we'll do it if these are supported by a cartoon". So they made 5 episodes in 87 & the show & toys took off like gangbusters. The toys aren't meant for the cartoon until much later. The early stuff was merchandizing for the comic. That's why they all have grimaces & no pupils, etc. compare that Splinter figure to the old comic. Casey too. They match up. And for the record A: if you go back & watch those early episodes those stupid Foot Soldiers DID walk like that & B: the new Classics figures have the same mouths as their original toys. Booyah.