Chances are you've heard the buzz about this year being the TMNT's 30th anniversary. Well, strap on your party hats, TODAY is the actual 30th anniversary of when
Kevin Eastman and
Peter Laird debuted their "silly" little comic book at a comic book show in Portsmouth, NH. That was
May 5, 1984. Through a series of fortunate events, by December 1987 there was an animated TV series and with that a nationwide phenomenon grabbed hold.
There have been a lot of highs and lows in the last 30 years for TMNT fans, but we are undeniably experience one of the high times right now. With a successful CGI animated series from Nickelodeon, new on-going comics and reprints from IDW, and a slew of merchandising from Playmates and other partners, the Turtles certainly aren't limping through this anniversary year. And, of course, this summer will see the release of the first live-action TMNT movie in 21 years.
So, here's to Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and all of the other creators and talent who have dipped their fingers into the many worlds of the TMNT. They've all contributed a lot of happiness to the lives of a lot of people. And being able to give a person happiness is probably close to the best gift you can give a person.
Please feel free to share your favorite TMNT memories in the comments, or on Twitter and Facebook. Use the hashtag
#tmnt30 to track everyone's stories!
To celebrate the 30th anniversary, look for
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History in stores on June 24, 2014. This comprehensive book will detail all aspects of the Turtles' history, alongside amazing visuals all types of TMNT fans will love. You can
pre-order this book right now from Amazon at an incredible discount! This is a book no TMNT fan will want to miss!
Now through September 14, 2014, you can also experience the 30-year history of the TMNT at the
Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco, CA.
Andrew Farago, author of TMNT: The Ultimate Visual History, is also the curator of the museum. There will be more information about this exhibit coming soon!
Happy Anniversary, Turtles! I attended the signing event at Shellback Artworks yesterday. My wife and I drove up from Boston with our dog, and I brought my Leonardo Micro-Series #1 to be signed. We arrived at 1:20 (it was scheduled to begin at 1pm), and over a hundred people were in a twisty line out the door. After an hour, the line hadn't moved at all. Apparently, Eastman & Laird were in a room upstairs and they were letting people in to see them a couple at a time, for extended periods. I went in to buy one of the Mirage #32s, but then had to go back outside and get back in line if I wanted anything signed.
ReplyDeleteAt some point while we waited in line (and got rained on), a gentleman came by to show us a (super rad) freshly inked and colored artwork that the guys had apparently done for him, which gave us some clue as to why the line wasn't moving. Rumor has it that somebody got impatient and complained, and they asked E & L to speed things up.
This moved the line a bit, but after 3 hours, I had only just gotten into the building. A line of about sixty people wrapped around the entire inside of the shop, and up a staircase, where they seemed to be admitted maybe one person every five minutes. About every five minutes, a person would emerge with signed items. I waited for ten minutes inside the store, and the line barely moved. By my estimation, it would've been at least another hour before I'd gotten in to see them, and I can only imagine how long it took the other fifty people behind me -- it was well after 4pm by then, and I hope those people got to see them.
As it was, my wife had been waiting outside and in the car with our dog for over 3 hours, and I decided if I valued my marriage, I should go. I sadly left without getting to meet Eastman and Laird, and drove back to Boston. I was glad I at least got TMNT #32, albeit not signed, and it looks great.
I don't know if I'll ever get this opportunity again, but if so, I hope it can be organized in an efficient manner so that everybody gets to walk away happy. Giving everybody a ten minute private meeting is certainly awesome for those at the beginning of the line, but not so much for those stuck in the middle or end.