Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1984)
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Mirage
•
1984
•
Vol. 1
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
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
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
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
Second printing: 6,000 copies
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
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
1st cover appearance of the Shredder
4th printing, wraparound cover
1st cover appearance of the Shredder
4th printing, wraparound cover
Fifth printing, wraparound variant cover
Back-up story featuring Donatello
Fifth printing, wraparound variant cover
Back-up story featuring Donatello
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
2014 San Diego Comic Con exclusive
Limited to 200 copies
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
2014 San Diego Comic Con exclusive
Limited to 200 copies
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
48-pages, oversized format
May 2020 Loot Crate exclusive
Reprint of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (1984)
48-pages, oversized format
May 2020 Loot Crate exclusive
Promotional comic given away at Gamestop with the purchase of the 2007 TMNT video game
Promotional comic given away at Gamestop with the purchase of the 2007 TMNT video game
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2
Mirage
•
1984
•
Vol. 1
2nd team appearance of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1st appearance of Baxter Stockman and his Robot Mousers
1st appearance of April O'Neil
2nd team appearance of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1st appearance of Baxter Stockman and his Robot Mousers
1st appearance of April O'Neil
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
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
Second Printing
Identical cover with "Second Printing" on interior cover
Second Printing
Identical cover with "Second Printing" on interior cover
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3
Mirage
•
1985
•
Vol. 1
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]
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]
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
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
Early issue of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series
Wraparound cover
Early issue of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series
Wraparound cover
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
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
Early issue of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series
Approximate print run: 60,000
Wraparound cover
Early issue of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series
Approximate print run: 60,000
Wraparound cover
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
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
1st appearance of Zanramon, Prime Leader of the Triceraton Republic
Second printing includes a back-up story that was not printed in the first
1st appearance of Zanramon, Prime Leader of the Triceraton Republic
Second printing includes a back-up story that was not printed in the first
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7
Mirage
•
1986
•
Vol. 1
Origin of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, they discover that the ooze which caused their transformation was created by the Utroms, Krang's alien race
Origin of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, they discover that the ooze which caused their transformation was created by the Utroms, Krang's alien race
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #8
Mirage
•
1986
•
Vol. 1
Crossover appearance of Cerebus from publisher Aardvark-Vanaheim
1st appearance of Renet, a human who stole the Time Scepter from Lord Simultaneous
1st appearance of Lord Simultaneous, a Time Master
1st appearance of Savanti Romero, a demon and apprentice Time Master
Crossover appearance of Cerebus from publisher Aardvark-Vanaheim
1st appearance of Renet, a human who stole the Time Scepter from Lord Simultaneous
1st appearance of Lord Simultaneous, a Time Master
1st appearance of Savanti Romero, a demon and apprentice Time Master
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9
Mirage
•
1986
•
Vol. 1
1st cover appearance of Splinter
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #10
Mirage
•
1987
•
Vol. 1
3rd appearance of the Shredder, later revealed to be a mystic worm with the ability to create a clone of a human
3rd appearance of the Shredder, later revealed to be a mystic worm with the ability to create a clone of a human
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #12
Mirage
•
1987
•
Vol. 1
Non-Key
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #14
Mirage
•
1988
•
Vol. 1
Cover art inspired by the film ‘The Untouchables’
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #15
Mirage
•
1988
•
Vol. 1
This issue went on sale after the publication of issue #16 due to scheduling conflicts which Laird is quoted as saying, "if it's not late, it's not a Mirage book."
Cover art intentionally has the appearance of being damaged
This issue went on sale after the publication of issue #16 due to scheduling conflicts which Laird is quoted as saying, "if it's not late, it's not a Mirage book."
Cover art intentionally has the appearance of being damaged
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #21
Mirage
•
1989
•
Vol. 1
Shredder appears without battle gear
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #49
Mirage
•
1992
•
Vol. 1
Non-Key
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #50
Mirage
•
1992
•
Vol. 1
City At War: Part 1 of a 13-issue story arc
The issues that comprise the City At War story arc (#50 - #63) all have black borders on the cover resulting in difficulty in attaining a 9.8 when grading. Books graded 9.8 command approximately 10x the value of ungraded issues
City At War: Part 1 of a 13-issue story arc
The issues that comprise the City At War story arc (#50 - #63) all have black borders on the cover resulting in difficulty in attaining a 9.8 when grading. Books graded 9.8 command approximately 10x the value of ungraded issues
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #51
Mirage
•
1992
•
Vol. 1
City At War: Part 2 of a 13-issue story arc
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #52
Mirage
•
1992
•
Vol. 1
1st cameo appearance of Karai, Shredder's granddaughter
City At War: Part 3 of a 13-issue story arc
1st cameo appearance of Karai, Shredder's granddaughter
City At War: Part 3 of a 13-issue story arc
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #53
Mirage
•
1992
•
Vol. 1
1st full appearance of Karai, Shredder's granddaughter
City At War: Part 4 of a 13-issue story arc
1st full appearance of Karai, Shredder's granddaughter
City At War: Part 4 of a 13-issue story arc
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #54
Mirage
•
1992
•
Vol. 1
City At War: Part 5 of a 13-issue story arc
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #55
Mirage
•
1993
•
Vol. 1
City At War: Part 6 of a 13-issue story arc
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #56
Mirage
•
1993
•
Vol. 1
1st cover appearance of Karai, the granddaughter of Shredder
Karai appears in costume
City At War: Part 7 of a 13-issue story arc
1st cover appearance of Karai, the granddaughter of Shredder
Karai appears in costume
City At War: Part 7 of a 13-issue story arc
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #57
Mirage
•
1993
•
Vol. 1
City At War: Part 8 of a 13-issue story arc
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #59
Mirage
•
1993
•
Vol. 1
City At War: Part 10 of a 13-issue story arc
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #61
Mirage
•
1993
•
Vol. 1
City At War: Part 12 of a 13-issue story arc
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