Mike Eakins
Waffle makers, toys, and cups oh my! The term “possibilities are endless” seems to be an understatement when talking about the merchandising of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Rivaled by only Star Wars, Marvel, and DC, everything from high-end collectibles to salt and pepper shakers that are sure to be a hit at your next Fourth of July celebration. Does your bathroom need spruced up? How about a shower curtain with a matching toothbrush holder to complete your renovations? The possibilities are endless.
YUP. I bought four.
Lunchboxes, nightlights, Halloween costumes, action figures – you name it, and they made it! With the birth of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ mainstream success, we saw a whole new legion of collectibles enter the fray to a fandom that is not only obsessed with anything Turtles but extremely loyal and I might say the least toxic of the fandoms.
The most radical fandom, dudes!
No one could have predicted what was going to happen with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If you were not into comics, your first introduction to the Turtles was the original cartoon that debuted in ’87 and that is perfectly fine you are not alone, not by a long shot. Collectibles come and go like the weather, but only the true icons stick around and cement their legacy.
Cowabunga, dudes!
For fans of TMNT, it’s more than a logo. It’s a state of mind, it’s membership into a family that goes and grows with no boundaries. Need proof? An effortless search on social media will turn up numerous results of fan pages dedicated to their favorite character and most likely pictures of their wares. Everything from homemade Christmas ornaments, to action figures, will most likely be on proud display and one of the great things about this fandom is no one is trying to outdo one another. Yes, if you have Scratch the Cat, mint on card, or a bag of loose figures you found a flea market the love will be felt equally. We just want to see cool Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stuff.
Do I own an ultra-rare Scrach action figure? I’ll never tell!
Yes, even Pizzaface gets our love!
The thrill of the hunt is a shared emotion in every fandom across the spectrum but with TMNT it feels different. Could it be the fans and their welcoming embrace? Could it be the unique designs? For many, it started out as a quick purchase of an action figure or a stuffed rendition of their favorite turtle, and the flood gates never shut. Like most fandoms, once the bond has started it becomes almost impenetrable. Once again it simply doesn’t matter what it is, we just need it. Whether is the O.G. Mirage era, the ’87 cartoon, the original movies or maybe it’s Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – it simply doesn’t matter. Love knows no bounds especially when it comes to TMNT.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – proof that even when things change for the next generation to enjoy on their own terms, it still rules!
That’s the beauty of our little corner of the fandom, just as each collectible piece is unique, so are we. There’s no shortage of a helping hand when looking for that certain piece that you’ve been tracking down. Prime example. One of the last conventions I went to pre-pandemic was the North Carolina Comic Convention. It had a rad list of guests, but the main draw was Kevin Eastman. The line seemed to take forever and that was fine because we just laughed and shared stories of the exact thing that I’m talking about, our shared love for collecting TMNT. Everything from comics, action figure, oven mitts, homemade items, you name it, it was in line ready for Kevin Eastman to sign it. The amount of camaraderie in that line was rivaled only to the items on display. Moms, dads, brothers, and sisters, all had something in hand.
The one and only Kevin Eastman!
There’s a love in the TMNT fandom like no other. I will put it up against any other fandom any day of the week. The dedication and love stretch from collectible to the person and are reciprocated without question or concern.
