Mike Eakins
Any comic character worth their salt has those issues in their history that folks clamor to read over and over. The classics only get better with age. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are no exception to this rule. Regardless of publisher, TMNT has plenty to pick from with varying subjects and plots that keep fans in conversation. I remember after I was introduced to the Turtles and found out they were comic book characters, I began scouring shelves, bins, and boxes for anything that I could find. Once I got my grubby hands on TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #1, not only was I taken back by the dark and grittiness but realized that these turtles played a different game than what I was originally introduced to.
Since its initial printing in 1984, that seminal first issue not only stands tall on collectors’ lists but stands strong as a titan where classic comic books stand, period. This is indisputable. It not only launched an icon but it birthed a subculture. Not many have that distinction. As the comic line continued with varying degrees of success, it wasn’t until it found a solid foundation and home at IDW that we’ve seen long-standing writers, artists, colorists, letterers, and editors all stay put with only a select few in the creative rotation. In this day in age in the industry, that is damn near unheard of, but that is another story for another time. This time we’re talking about TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #1 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.
“My name is Leonardo. We made a wrong turn somewhere. Now we’re caught, our back to the wall in this trash-strewn alley.” That’s how their origin starts, with Leo doing what Leo does. No, I’m not talking about how he does his best Cyclops impression and mucks things up, I’m talking about his grand talent of rallying the troops, keeping spirits high, and… okay, well maybe not this time but they will need his brand of steadfast leadership to get through the line of Purple Dragons if they want to survive. Guns, knives, katanas, and blood fill the panels in creepy black and white visuals. Reminiscent of the old zines back in the day, this issue, while not as meaty as the offerings of the current IDW run or The Last Ronin, thirty-eight (!) years later this issue reads as Black Sabbath’s first record sounds. Again, this is indisputable.
TMNT #1 serves as the origin of the turtles which varies from the different media versions depending on your fancy. However, in most Turtle circles this stands as the base model for the TMNT. As the book goes on, we are introduced to a villain unlike like any other. His name: Shredder! The battle that ensues is one for the ages. Setting the tone for decades and as in any battle that centers around good and evil, lines of loyalty are drawn and fanbases formed. However, this battle will see these low-budget heroes throw all they have at this new nemesis. As the battle draws near, the turtles see their only option and that is to kill Shredder. Now, we’ve seen the turtles get violent many times before. Raph makes sure there’s a healthy mix of it in their lives. But these turtles are different. There’s an unforgivable mentality almost to them that could see some fans shy away from these early roots in the turtles’ lore and that’s perfectly okay. Reading older Spider-Man, X-Men, Batman, etc. when there apparently was the need to have six panels on a page with enough text to rival a Stephen King novel, so I get that some origin stories are going to be “off” from the modern depictions. As they should. Just like when that vile of ooze shattered and covered the turtles, growth is good.
We’ve seen the turtles in many different stories with a wide range of supporting characters. Everyone from The Flaming Carrot to the Savage Dragon or Batman has made an appearance. We’ve laughed and we cried at these stories. When we look back at TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #1, we see more than an unusual story that many doomed upon its printing. I don’t know if Eastman and Laird will ever be mentioned in the same circles as Kirby, Ditko, Adams, or Perez, however, there is no denying that those two gentlemen and their crazy longshot of a comic DESERVE to be recognized for the titans they are.