When Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first aired as a five-part animated miniseries in 1987, it was the perfect advertisement for a line of action figures and accessories that would be released simultaneously (which was also the name of the game). this time. Based on characters who first appeared in the dark comic book created by artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in 1984, the series follows the original story of four baby turtles who, with the help of a little radioactive goo, are transformed into walking, talking, crime-fighting experts. in martial arts, which took him to the bank, much to the delight of the young couple’s beloved He-Man and GI Joe toying with powerful new opponents.
Eastman and Laird’s central characters – Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo – were not initially family friendly. They cursed, drank and took revenge in ways far more terrible than a child could bear. It wasn’t until the 1980s, when they sold the rights to Playmate Toys, which insisted on promoting through cartoons, that the Turtles’ edges began to soften, both figuratively and literally. In the original comics, which can now be purchased or repurchased in mint condition for hundreds of dollars on Ebay or elsewhere, they were fearsome, scowling creatures. But with a little toy money, they turn into colorful, funny little clunky things that easily come off the screen and turn into blisters that can be found under Christmas trees and on birthday wrappers for years to come.
According to old Wikipedia data, sales of turtle toys reached 1.1 billion between 1988 and 1992, making them the third most popular action figure of the time, behind G.I. Joe and Star Wars. But what set Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys apart from other popular toys of the era was that the toys themselves had as much cultural value as the content they were based on, if not more so, thanks in large part to their tactility . Thick, durable plastic that you can touch and carry in a time when there was less worry about getting hurt if you hit your head with their weight.
Even if you’re a fan, you’ll probably have a hard time remembering most of the subsequent animated series and live-action films beyond their catchphrase “Kawabunga” and countless references to pizza, but you’ll never forget what the toys were like. This type of marketing cannot be bought these days, although people try. Nowadays the market for physical products is getting smaller and smaller, but back then “things” filled a lot of holes. For children in the 1980s and early 1990s, action figures could play a variety of roles. They are our friends. The temptation to gain or maintain friendships. And in a sense, the de facto nanny is somewhere between the safety of the bedroom and the unfamiliar danger we are forced to feel is always lurking outside our home. But mostly they just seem cool and don’t attract fuzz and pet hair like some of the other sticky-legged, high-arched toys that have made a resurgence on the pop culture wheel lately. *ahem* Looking at you, Barbie.
Want a daily roundup of all salon news and reviews? Sign up for our morning newsletter, Crash Course.
Following the record-breaking release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, there is a resurgence in toys and accessories that hasn’t been seen in a long time, with Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo also returning with the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Chaos. Seth Rogen, who co-produced the film as well as co-wrote its screenplay, brought a light-hearted twist to the character he created in the late ’80s, bringing his unique comedic style to the tableau that appeals to audiences of all ages. As adult-themed cartoons such as South Park and BoJack Horseman continued to grow in popularity over the past three decades, cartoons were no longer seen as just for children. And toys too.
When I first heard about the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, my first thought was the potential for a new line of action figures based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters, now voiced by a new generation of young actors, Ayo. April O’Neil, Hannibal Buress as Genghis Khan Frog, Rose Byrne as Leatherhead, Rogan himself voiced the mutant warthog Bebop, and his original action figure was one of my favorites growing up.
The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures, set to hit store shelves mid-June, feature Playmate Toys’ signature stamp, staying true to the original character’s color scheme and signature weapons, but with a distinctly modern twist. Donatello comes with detachable thick-framed black glasses and headphones. As a teenager, Michelangelo was lanky and had a smile on his face. And the character’s eyes seem even further apart. Unless you spent a significant part of your formative years playing many (many) older versions, all the details won’t be as noticeable.
About a week ago, while shopping at a big box store, I took a detour to the grocery section and headed to the toy section, hoping to take a look. I parked at the end and squeezed past a group of boys to see the new turtles and immediately noticed a familiar package.
“Here they are!” – I shouted, surprising the young people around me by the fact that now the eccentric whom I loved to tease at my age appeared in the store.
As my eyes wandered from box to box and from character to character, I decided not to take something off the shelf because I was overcome with the feeling that “they are not the same.” Certainly this knee-jerk reaction won’t stop me from going back and stocking up sooner rather than later while there’s still some left.
Things can’t stay the same. That’s the point. While I miss the feel of those original turtles, and unfortunately at some point, like most children’s toys, they gained some kindness, those children who stood next to me that day probably formed their own relationships with the attitudes of these characters, how they look and feel today. They’re in for a treat, and there’s nothing better or different – unless they can convince their parents to spend a fortune on online originals, which I’m seriously considering too. “Cowabunga” is a mindset and something I tell myself when I clean out my office where I keep all my little collections. Nostalgia is simply running your sweaty palms over your debit card.
Kelly McClure is a journalist and fiction writer living in New Orleans. She is the editor of Salon Nights and Weekend, covering daily news, politics and culture. Her work has been published in Vulture, The AV Club, Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan, Nylon, Vice and others. She is the author of Something Happening Somewhere.
Copyright © 2023 Salon.com LLC. Reproduction of materials from any salon page without written permission is strictly prohibited. SALON ® is registered as a trademark of Salon.com, LLC in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. AP Article: Copyright © 2016 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Post time: Sep-11-2023
