Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1984)
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Mirage
•
1984
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
40-page printer's proof of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
A printer's proof is a sample that is printed to examine the correctness of the issue before printing the entire run
This one-of-a-kind, historical proof was found in a small print shop in Biddeford, Maine a few years after the publication of issue #1, after the Turtles had already exploded in popularity
The men who found it traded it to Downeast Comics which operated between the years of 1986 - 1994, in Brunswick, Maine
The owner paid for the proof with store stock and held onto it before auctioning it on Comic Link in 2020 for $12,472 with 77 bids
Key Facts
40-page printer's proof of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
A printer's proof is a sample that is printed to examine the correctness of the issue before printing the entire run
This one-of-a-kind, historical proof was found in a small print shop in Biddeford, Maine a few years after the publication of issue #1, after the Turtles had already exploded in popularity
The men who found it traded it to Downeast Comics which operated between the years of 1986 - 1994, in Brunswick, Maine
The owner paid for the proof with store stock and held onto it before auctioning it on Comic Link in 2020 for $12,472 with 77 bids
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1
Mirage
•
1984
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st team appearance and origin of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo
1st appearance of Splinter, the Turtles' mentor
1st appearance and death of the Shredder
First printing: 3,000 copies
Key Facts
1st team appearance and origin of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo
1st appearance of Splinter, the Turtles' mentor
1st appearance and death of the Shredder
First printing: 3,000 copies
Key Facts
Second printing: 6,000 copies
Key Facts
Third printing
The third printing is nearly identical to the first and second printings except for a splash of blood on the second T in Turtles
Print run: 36,000
Key Facts
Third printing
The third printing is nearly identical to the first and second printings except for a splash of blood on the second T in Turtles
Print run: 36,000
Key Facts
1st cover appearance of the Shredder
4th printing, wraparound cover
Key Facts
1st cover appearance of the Shredder
4th printing, wraparound cover
Key Facts
Fifth printing, wraparound variant cover
Back-up story featuring Donatello
Key Facts
Fifth printing, wraparound variant cover
Back-up story featuring Donatello
Key Facts
Softcover 'Special Deluxe Edition' magazine-sized reprint
Sixth printing
Signed by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
There also exists a hardcover edition
Limited to 500 copies
Key Facts
Softcover 'Special Deluxe Edition' magazine-sized reprint
Sixth printing
Signed by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
There also exists a hardcover edition
Limited to 500 copies
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
2014 San Diego Comic Con exclusive
Limited to 200 copies
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
2014 San Diego Comic Con exclusive
Limited to 200 copies
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
48-pages, oversized format
May 2020 Loot Crate exclusive
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
48-pages, oversized format
May 2020 Loot Crate exclusive
Key Facts
2024 San Diego Comic Con exclusive
Limited to 300 copies
Key Facts
Wraparound cover art by John Giang
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
2023 New York Comic Con exclusive
Limited to 1,984 copies
Key Facts
Wraparound cover art by John Giang
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
2023 New York Comic Con exclusive
Limited to 1,984 copies
Key Facts
Variant cover art by Raymond Gay
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
2023 New York Comic Con exclusive
Limited to 1,984 copies
Key Facts
Variant cover art by Raymond Gay
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
2023 New York Comic Con exclusive
Limited to 1,984 copies
Key Facts
Reprints TMNT #1 in color
Manufactured with hatch pattern printed on interior page margins
Key Facts
Reprints TMNT #1 in color
Manufactured with hatch pattern printed on interior page margins
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
Collaboration with Adidas who produced a pair of shoes in the style of the turtles
Value listed is for the comic book alone
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
Collaboration with Adidas who produced a pair of shoes in the style of the turtles
Value listed is for the comic book alone
Key Facts
Hardcover 'Special Deluxe Edition' magazine-sized reprint
Sixth printing
Signed by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
There also exists a softcover edition
Limited to 500 copies
Key Facts
Hardcover 'Special Deluxe Edition' magazine-sized reprint
Sixth printing
Signed by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
There also exists a softcover edition
Limited to 500 copies
Key Facts
PBBZ [Paperback Bazaar] Comic Con 2005 exclusive reprint
Limited to 3,000 copies
Key Facts
PBBZ [Paperback Bazaar] Comic Con 2005 exclusive reprint
Limited to 3,000 copies
Key Facts
2014 convention exclusive
Key Facts
Promotional comic given away at Gamestop with the purchase of the 2007 TMNT video game
Key Facts
Promotional comic given away at Gamestop with the purchase of the 2007 TMNT video game
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
'Shattered' edition
Back cover printed with the Diamond Comic Distributors 'Our Comeback Will Be Bigger Than Our Setback' post-Covid 19 shutdown rally campaign
Limited to 3,000 copies
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
'Shattered' edition
Back cover printed with the Diamond Comic Distributors 'Our Comeback Will Be Bigger Than Our Setback' post-Covid 19 shutdown rally campaign
Limited to 3,000 copies
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
'Shattered' negative (green) color edition
Back cover printed with the Diamond Comic Distributors 'Our Comeback Will Be Bigger Than Our Setback' post-Covid 19 shutdown rally campaign
Limited to 500 copies
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
'Shattered' negative (green) color edition
Back cover printed with the Diamond Comic Distributors 'Our Comeback Will Be Bigger Than Our Setback' post-Covid 19 shutdown rally campaign
Limited to 500 copies
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2
Mirage
•
1984
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
2nd team appearance of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1st appearance of Baxter Stockman and his Robot Mousers
1st appearance of April O'Neil
Key Facts
2nd team appearance of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1st appearance of Baxter Stockman and his Robot Mousers
1st appearance of April O'Neil
Key Facts
Printer's proof that was obtained at the time of the initial print run of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2
Four pages that are uncut, unstapled proofs of the first interior page and final page of advertisements along with center pages #20 and #21
Key Facts
Printer's proof that was obtained at the time of the initial print run of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2
Four pages that are uncut, unstapled proofs of the first interior page and final page of advertisements along with center pages #20 and #21
Key Facts
Second Printing
Identical cover with "Second Printing" on interior cover
Key Facts
Second Printing
Identical cover with "Second Printing" on interior cover
Key Facts
Variant third printing cover art by Richard Corben
Additional content includes a 5-page story by Fred Hembeck
Key Facts
Variant third printing cover art by Richard Corben
Additional content includes a 5-page story by Fred Hembeck
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3
Mirage
•
1985
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
3rd team appearance of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1st team appearance of the Utroms, alien race of Krang
There exists a far rarer and valuable version of this issue with a color error [see variant]
Key Facts
3rd team appearance of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1st team appearance of the Utroms, alien race of Krang
There exists a far rarer and valuable version of this issue with a color error [see variant]
Key Facts
Variant second printing cover art by Peter Laird
Includes an additional back-up story
Key Facts
Variant second printing cover art by Peter Laird
Includes an additional back-up story
Key Facts
Color error that affected approximately 500 issues
Identified by the white lettering in Laird's name as seen in the image in the red box
For clarity, the color error is superimposed next to the non-error Laird's Photo sign
Key Facts
Color error that affected approximately 500 issues
Identified by the white lettering in Laird's name as seen in the image in the red box
For clarity, the color error is superimposed next to the non-error Laird's Photo sign
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4
Mirage
•
1985
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
Early issue of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series
Wraparound cover
Key Facts
Early issue of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series
Wraparound cover
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 (1987)
Wraparound cover art by Michael Dooney
Key Facts
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 (1987)
Wraparound cover art by Michael Dooney
Key Facts
Limited to 1,500 copies
Key Facts
Limited to 750 copies
Key Facts
Limited to 500 copies
Key Facts
Error edition
The cover art seen in the image was intended for the reprint of Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 but due to confusion on behalf of the printer, it was used for the reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4
The title and issue number were correctly printed on the wrong cover therefore the entire print run of nearly 60,000 copies were recalled and destroyed with approximately 1,000 error copies remaining in circulation
Key Facts
Error edition
The cover art seen in the image was intended for the reprint of Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 but due to confusion on behalf of the printer, it was used for the reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4
The title and issue number were correctly printed on the wrong cover therefore the entire print run of nearly 60,000 copies were recalled and destroyed with approximately 1,000 error copies remaining in circulation
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5
Mirage
•
1985
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
Early issue of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series
Approximate print run: 60,000
Wraparound cover
Key Facts
Early issue of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series
Approximate print run: 60,000
Wraparound cover
Key Facts
Second printing, wraparound cover art by Kevin Eastman
First work on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by long-time artist Eric Talbot in a story titled 'Ghouls Night Out' which was published as an original back-up story for the second printing
'Ghouls Night Out' is a reference to a Misfits song
Etched on tombstones are the names of the members of the band [Glenn] Danzig, Jerry Only, Doyle [Wolfgang von Frankenstein] and Robo
Interior 'special announcement' first reveals the licensing agreement secured by Mirage Studios for an animated series and action figure line
A black and white preview of the action figures is the first indication of characters BeBop and Rocksteady and first mention of Krang
Key Facts
Second printing, wraparound cover art by Kevin Eastman
First work on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by long-time artist Eric Talbot in a story titled 'Ghouls Night Out' which was published as an original back-up story for the second printing
'Ghouls Night Out' is a reference to a Misfits song
Etched on tombstones are the names of the members of the band [Glenn] Danzig, Jerry Only, Doyle [Wolfgang von Frankenstein] and Robo
Interior 'special announcement' first reveals the licensing agreement secured by Mirage Studios for an animated series and action figure line
A black and white preview of the action figures is the first indication of characters BeBop and Rocksteady and first mention of Krang
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6
Mirage
•
1986
•
Vol. 1
Key Facts
1st appearance of Zanramon, Prime Leader of the Triceraton Republic
Second printing includes a back-up story that was not printed in the first
Key Facts
1st appearance of Zanramon, Prime Leader of the Triceraton Republic
Second printing includes a back-up story that was not printed in the first
Key Facts
Second printing, includes a back-up story that was not in the first printing
Key Facts
Second printing, includes a back-up story that was not in the first printing
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