TMNT Flashback: 1989 Comic Book Store Signing

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In a real testament to the idea that "You can buy anything on eBay," I recently acquired some photographs out of of someone's personal collection. The idea of buying someone's personal photos is a bit creepy, but these seemed interesting enough for me to get past that. And I'm glad I did, because in addition to being a truly fantastic blast from the past, there are some really interesting details hidden in the background. These pictures appear to be date stamped August 12, 1989 - nearly 20 years ago!

These first two pictures are pretty similar and feature Steve Lavigne behind the table. I think you can also see a piece of Peter Laird's head in the first picture. What is really great though is in the background there appears to be pictures of the Turtles and Splinter costumes for the then-upcoming movie. The movie filmed in September 1989, so this was even before then!

Here we have one more picture of Steve Lavigne, then a shot farther down the line looking back at both Steve and Peter. In the second photo you can get a slightly better look at one of the photos on the wall.

And here we have a better look at Peter, and finally Kevin Eastman as well. Now we can see a few more pictures on the back wall as well as some comic book covers (and cereal boxes!).

Last, but far from least, we see the end of the autograph line with Jim Lawson, Michael Dooney, and Steve Murphy.

Kevin Eastman Announces New TMNT Book

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Kevin Eastman has announced via his Heavy Metal Web site the publication of a new TMNT book to be released in time for San Diego Comic-Con in July! This new, 180-page book will collect a bunch of his favorite TMNT stories, many newly colored.




The contents of the book are scheduled to include:

• Jan Strnad & Richard Corben's "Turtles Take Time" in its original color (Vol. 1, #33)
• Mark Bode's "Shell of the Dragon" in its original black & white (Vol. 1, #18)
• "Me, Myself, and I," the first appearance of Casey Jones, in color for the first time thanks to Justin Norman (Raphael #1)
• "Fun With Guns," a TMNT short comic by Eastman with new colors by Blond (Raphael #1, second print; Shell Shock)
• "The Unmentionables" by Eastman and Talbot in its original duo shades/sepia tones (Vol. 1, #14)
• "49th Street Stompers" (First graphic novel Book III, Shell Shock)
• "Complete Carnage and Radical" (Shell Shock)
• "You Had to be There!" (Vol. 1, #7 back-up story)
  
• Plus intros, pin-ups, and more!
  

Check back for more information on this book as it becomes available!

Interviews with "Michaelangelo"

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European TMNT fan Rutger has posted brand new interviews he conducted with two men who can each claim to be Michaelangelo.

Check out his chats with Michelan Sisti (Michaelangelo body actor in the first two live-action films) and Robbie Rist (Michaelangelo voice actor in all three live-action films)!

And if you haven't already, be sure to check out Rutger's massive TMNT autograph collection!

T-Shirt: "Heroes In An Art Shell"

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Threadless has reprinted one of their classic T-shirts, featuring the design seen to the left. Yes, that'd be the namesakes of the Ninja Turtles playing Ninja Turtles.

You can score your T-shirt here.

TMNT Perform at the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con Masquerade

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In 2006, after more than two years of pain in getting the Turtles costumes we commissioned delivered, and then wearable, four friends -- Dawnatello, Brinatello, GreenWillow, and Kimnardo -- and I braved the often brutal Comic-Con masquerade audience so that we could get jiggy to the original TMNT cartoon theme song and the ubiguetous Ninja Rap.

Despite a near-complete lack of vision, no one fell off the stage (there are actually catchers in case you do!) and, for the most part, we pulled off our small bit of choreographed dance during the Ninja Rap. Not only did the crowd love us, but much to our surprise, we actually won a prize! And let me tell you, the look on the face of the guys awarding the "Best Movie Costume Recreation" award as five short women came running on stage in their de-masked costumes was as priceless as any other moment during the night!

Here are some videos from several different angles:

Video Flashback: Gettin' Down in Your Town Tour

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The second entry into the "Video Flashback" series is a personal favorite of mine. After the wildly-successful "Comin' Out of Their Shells" tour, the TMNT hit the road again in a smaller follow-up tour. This tour played in venues at amusement parks and only featured four songs, three of which were new (although the fourth song, "Sing About It," was never actually played in full in the COOTS tour). And all things considered, the songs are quite good! Laugh if you must, but I'll stand by that statement even if Shredder appears at my front door threatening to steal all of the world's music. And even more-so if he breaks into "I Hate Music."

But I digress. Here is the "Gettin' Down in Your Town Tour," in three parts. Enjoy!

Video Flashback: Operation Blue Line

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After a rainy-day visit to Circuit City's store closing clearance sale, I now have the much-anticipated ability to capture video from my VHS collection onto my computer. With this useful new ability I am launching the Ninja Pizza YouTube Channel. The inaugural video for this new channel is called "Operation Blue Line" (and had I scanned the video cover earlier in the night than I did, it wouldn't have rabbit teeth marks in it).

"Operation Blue Line" is a promotional video that was produced to advertise a new light rail system that runs between Long Beach and Los Angeles. As incredibly cheesy as this 10-minute video is, it surprisingly holds some weight as all four Turtle voice actors from the original cartoon--Townsend Coleman, Barry Gordon, Rob Paulsen, and Cam Clarke--are featured in their respective roles.

So enjoy, and watch this space, 'cause there's lots more to come!




UPDATE! Edward Langer, who worked in the SCRTD marketing department and helped in the production of this video, has written in with some additional information.

I was the original project manager on this video. The SCRTD marketing dept. under Tony Fortuno and Alice Wiggins wanted to create a video to be distributed free through a local supermarket chain to all residents along the route. Additional copies were sent to large businesses, too. I assembled my team and we each contacted different companies to see if they would provide funding and some kind of theme or character for the video. One team member, Sherry, hit pay dirt at one of the local TV stations and got permission to use the Turtles. Since Sherry had made the contact, she took over the project. I was reassigned to the ride share program where I made use of the video to promote public transit. That is the USC Marching Band at the end of the video. The USC band has been most generous in allowing the SCRTD to use them in their promotion of public transit. Also, if you watch carefully, you will see Sherry in the film as a couple having a picnic.

We had borrowed the turtle costumes, but they had to have them back for a promotion. Sherry had picked them up and had to get them dry cleaned over a weekend. Not something easy to accomplish. I forget how she did it, but they were clean on Monday. All [of the] main actors were professionals: April, Gridlock, and the Turtles. Everyone else is an unpaid volunteer from the SCRTD. The little girl near the end of the film was some kind of spokesperson for the SCRTD, but I forget why. I think she was a model or actress who gave us support. I believe I had worked with her in a promotion in Long Beach, but that was a long time ago. As I was not the project manager of this program my name is way back in the credits. Basically, all employees of the marketing department are in the credits.

The story is kind of dumb, but it worked. Many of my ride share companies played it in their cafeterias to alert their employees. Ridership did take off.