The Full Story of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

If you grew up during the 1980s or 1990s, chances are you immersed yourself in the adventures of four teenage, mutant, pizza-loving reptiles skilled in martial arts. To uncover the inside story of these beloved heroes in a half-shell, I reached out to Peter Laird, the co-creator, who generously shared insights into the franchise. For anyone seeking an in-depth look at the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this is an excellent starting point.

Originating from a Simple Drawing

In November 1983, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, two struggling artists based in Northampton, Massachusetts, conceived the Turtles. Eastman sketched a masked turtle standing upright, armed with nunchucks, as a humorous doodle. He labeled it 'Ninja Turtle.' Amused, Laird refined the sketch, giving birth to the iconic characters.

Not one to be overshadowed, Eastman sketched four turtles, each wielding a weapon inspired by ninja combat. Laird inked the group illustration and appended 'Teenage Mutant' to the 'Ninja Turtles' name.

As Eastman and Laird developed the Turtles into a comic book, they faced the task of naming them. Initially, they experimented with Japanese names, but it didn’t feel right. They then turned to renowned Renaissance artists—Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Laird shared, 'It felt just quirky enough to match the concept.'

In May 2012, the original sketch of the Turtles fetched $71,700 at auction.

The Link to Daredevil

Several elements of the Turtles pay homage to Marvel Comics' Daredevil. For instance, Splinter, the Turtles' mentor and father figure, mirrors Daredevil's teacher, Stick. The Foot Clan is inspired by Daredevil's ninja group, The Hand. Perhaps the most intriguing connection is that both the Turtles and Daredevil appear to share a similar origin story.

In Daredevil #1, Matt Murdock witnesses a truck speeding toward an elderly man and pushes him to safety. The truck swerves, causing a radioactive canister to fly out and hit Murdock in the face. The substance blinds him but amplifies his other senses to superhuman levels, enabling him to fight crime as Daredevil.

In the Turtles' origin, the same event occurs, but the canister ricochets off a boy's head and lands in a bowl of baby turtles, which then fall into an open manhole. Splinter discovers the turtles in a mysterious fluid leaking from the broken canister—a mutagen that transforms them and Splinter into human-sized heroes.

A Promising Start

In March 1984, Eastman and Laird established Mirage Studios, named ironically as it was essentially Laird’s living room. Eastman invested his $500 tax refund, Laird contributed $200 from his savings, and they secured a $1300 loan from Eastman’s uncle to print 3,000 copies of their debut comic, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. After covering printing expenses, they used the remaining funds to place an ad in Comics Buyer’s Guide Magazine, a leading industry publication.

That single ad sparked interest nationwide, and Mirage sold all 3,000 copies in weeks. With demand surging, they printed an additional 6,000 copies, which also sold out quickly. By May, they had repaid Eastman’s uncle and shared a modest $200 profit.

Originally intended as a standalone 'one-shot,' the comic’s success hinted at greater potential. By January 1985, they released issue #2, receiving orders for 15,000 copies. Distributors requested 30,000 reprints of #1 and even more for a second printing of #2. Issue #3 garnered 50,000 orders, and sales soared, peaking at 135,000 copies for issue #8, boosted by a guest appearance from Dave Sim’s character, Cerebus, a barbarian aardvark.

The debut issue of the comic initially retailed for $1.50. However, acquiring a first-print edition of TMNT #1 today could set you back anywhere between $2,500 and $4,000.

The Comic Books From 1984 to 1995, TMNT was published under Mirage Studios, releasing 75 regular issues along with numerous mini-series, one-shots, and spin-off titles. * Archie Comics adapted the cartoon Turtles into 72 issues of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, spanning from 1988 to 1995. * In 1996, the Mirage Turtles transitioned to Image Comics for 13 issues and a mini-series before being discontinued in 1999. During this period, the series took unconventional twists: Splinter transformed into a bat, Donatello became a cyborg, Leonardo lost a hand, and Raphael assumed the role of the new Shredder. * When Peter Laird revived the Turtles under Mirage in 2001, he disregarded the Image era entirely, excluding it from the TMNT canon. His new series ran until 2010, with 30 printed issues and #31 available exclusively online. Although the series remains unfinished, Laird has no current plans to continue it. * Since August 2011, IDW Publishing has been producing a new TMNT comic, featuring artwork by co-creator Kevin Eastman.

A Shift in Tone

The original Mirage comic wasn’t designed for children. The Turtles often engaged in violent confrontations, occasionally using strong language, and their ally Casey Jones, a vigilante in a hockey mask, frequently attacked criminals with bats and sticks. However, when Playmates Toys sought to create TMNT action figures in 1986, the comic’s mature tone clashed with their target audience of 4-8-year-olds. Additionally, the planned animated series had to meet TV censorship standards. To appeal to younger viewers, the Turtles underwent a significant transformation.

Key changes included turning the Turtles into pizza-loving, joke-cracking characters, transforming the Shredder into a comical villain, and replacing Foot Clan members with robots to avoid parental concerns about violence. Instead of expletives, the Turtles adopted kid-friendly catchphrases like 'Turtle Power!' and 'Cowabunga!'

One of the most significant changes was to the Turtles’ outfits. While the comic’s interior art was black-and-white, the colored covers depicted all Turtles wearing red masks, with their weapons being the only distinguishing feature. To move away from weapon-based identification, each Turtle was assigned a unique color for their masks and pads: blue for Leonardo, orange for Michelangelo, red for Raphael, and purple for Donatello. They also sported belt buckles featuring their initials.

Tough Choices

As the franchise owners, Eastman and Laird had the ultimate authority over changes to their creations. However, neither was entirely pleased with the compromises made.

In a 1998 interview with The Comics Journal, Eastman remarked, 'At the end of the day, even though Pete and I agreed that there were things we didn’t like and decisions we regretted, we reminded ourselves that we still had our black-and-white comics to tell the stories we truly wanted.'

To this day, Laird remains vocal about his dissatisfaction with many elements of the 'softened' Turtles. In March 2012, he expressed his feelings on his blog:

'...had I (speaking only for myself, not Kevin) been in charge of the creative decisions for the first animated series, it would have been VERY different. For instance, there would have been no dim-witted henchmen like Bebop and Rocksteady. The Shredder would have been genuinely menacing. April wouldn’t have been a reporter constantly needing rescue by the Turtles. The Turtles wouldn’t have been absurdly fixated on pizza, and the Shredder wouldn’t have owned a restaurant called ‘Ninja Pizza.’ Additionally, the show wouldn’t have relied on jokes or gags every few seconds.'

The Animated Series

Before committing to a full toy line, Playmates tested the market with a five-part cartoon mini-series. It premiered in December 1987 and had to air three times before gaining an audience. Once it caught on, Playmates ordered more episodes, and the series ran from 1988 to 1996, totaling 188 episodes.

The show featured voice performances by many renowned actors.

Raphael was voiced by Rob Paulsen, who later became known for roles like Pinky and Yakko Warner in Animaniacs, as well as countless other animated characters. *Townsend Coleman portrayed Michelangelo and later voiced the animated version of The Tick, another indie comic that achieved mainstream success. *Cam Clarke, a seasoned anime voice actor, lent his voice to Leonardo. Clarke also starred as Kaneda in the English dub of the anime classic Akira. * Donatello was voiced by Barry Gordon, whose career includes roles in Leave It to Beaver, Archie Bunker’s Place, and numerous animated series like Swat Kats and Pole Position. *

Additionally, James Avery, known as Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince, provided the voice for the Shredder.

Eastman and Laird faced a $5 million lawsuit from Buffalo Bob Smith, the host of the Howdy Doody Show, who claimed they had taken the phrase 'Cowabunga!' from his show. The term was originally used by Chief Thunderthud, a Native American character, but had been popularized by surfers in the 1960s. After months of legal disputes, Smith settled for $50,000.

The Turtles made a comeback in an animated series by 4Kids Entertainment, which aired from 2003 to 2009. This time, co-creator Peter Laird played a significant role in the production, resulting in a series that stayed truer to the original comic book.

In 2000, Eastman sold his share of the Turtles to Laird, who later transferred the rights to Viacom in 2009. A few years later, in 2012, Viacom, through Nickelodeon, launched a new CGI animated series. The voice cast included notable stars such as Jason Biggs as Leonardo and Sean Astin as Raphael. Rob Paulsen, who originally voiced Raphael in 1988, took on the role of Donatello. Greg Cipes, famous for his role as Beast Boy in Teen Titans, voiced Michelangelo, while Mae Whitman, known for Parenthood and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, played April O’Neil. The series concluded in 2017.

The Toy Line

Before TMNT, Playmates Toys primarily produced dolls and playsets for young children. However, they aimed to break into the profitable action figure market, and when TMNT’s licensing manager Mark Freedman approached them, it was an ideal partnership.

Between 1988 and 1997, Playmates created approximately 400 TMNT action figures, along with numerous vehicles and playsets. During the peak of Turtlemania, the franchise generated $1.1 billion in toy sales, securing its place as the #3 top-selling toy line at the time, trailing only G.I. Joe and Star Wars.

With the Nickelodeon cartoon revival, the Turtles have returned to toy shelves. Beyond toys, the heroes in a half-shell can be found on a wide range of merchandise, including birthday party supplies, beach towels, lunch boxes, and even toothbrushes. It seems Turtlemania is here to stay.

While Playmates has been the primary producer of Turtles toys, LEGO began licensing the franchise in 2013. During the 2012 New York Comic-Con, LEGO released two exclusive mini-figures: a battle-damaged Kraang and an all-black Turtle named 'Dark Leonardo.'

The Films

In 1990, the Turtles made their big-screen debut with the live-action movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Made on a $1 million budget, the film grossed over $200 million worldwide.

Director Steve Barron was behind some of the most iconic music videos of the MTV era. His portfolio includes Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking 'Billie Jean,' the surreal animation of A-ha’s 'Take On Me,' and the computer-generated laborers in Dire Straits’ 'Money for Nothing.'

The Jim Henson Creature Shop utilized an advanced system called 'puppetechtronics' to animate the Turtle costumes. A single puppeteer controlled facial expressions using a joystick for the eyes, an electronic glove for the jaws, and a headset with infrared sensors to sync lip movements with the puppeteer’s face.

The film featured Elias Koteas as Casey Jones, Corey Feldman voicing Donatello, Kevin Clash (known as the former voice of Elmo) as Splinter, and an early appearance by Sam Rockwell, who later starred in the acclaimed 2009 film Moon.

Tatsu, the Shredder’s right-hand man, was portrayed by Toshishiro Obata, a genuine martial arts master. Obata founded his own style of Japanese swordsmanship, Shinkendo, which is now taught in 90 dojos worldwide.

The movie led to two sequels: 1991’s Secret of the Ooze and 1993’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III. Both sequels saw declining box office success, earning $78 million and $42 million, respectively.

Vanilla Ice’s cameo and his 'Ninja Rap' in Ooze are unforgettable highlights.

In 2007, the computer-animated movie TMNT was released, featuring a star-studded cast including Chris Evans (Captain America), Zhang Ziyi from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kevin Smith, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Patrick Stewart, and Laurence Fishburne. With a $34 million budget, the film grossed $95 million worldwide.

The Turtles made a live-action comeback in 2014, directed by Jonathan Liebesman (Battle: Los Angeles, Wrath of the Titans) and produced by Michael Bay. The film faced early controversy when Bay suggested renaming it Ninja Turtles and hinted at an alien origin for the Turtles, sparking fan backlash. Bay’s response was simply, 'Take a chill pill.'

The backlash led Bay to pause the project for a script rewrite. After revisions and restoring Teenage Mutant to the title, filming began in April 2013. The cast included Megan Fox as April O’Neil, William Fichtner as The Shredder, and Will Arnett as Vernon Fenwick. The Turtles and Splinter were CGI creations, with voices and motion capture provided by lesser-known actors Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, and Danny Woodburn, known for his role as Mickey on Seinfeld.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Official Trailer #2

The Turtles were depicted as significantly larger and with a more human-reptile hybrid look, which received mixed reviews from fans.

Unmade Films

A live-action movie titled TMNT: The Next Mutation entered pre-production in 1994 but was never completed. The plot involved the mutagen altering the Turtles’ physiology. Leonardo could transform his skin into a nearly unbreakable chrome-like surface. Michelangelo could disguise himself with human features to blend into society. Donatello developed psychic abilities but lost his eyesight. Raphael turned into 'Raptor Raph,' a monstrous version with sharp claws and teeth. Splinter could become a massive, muscular 'super rat mutant.'

Eastman and Laird revealed that, early in the comic’s history, Roger Corman’s New World Pictures proposed a comedy adaptation featuring comedians like Gallagher, Sam Kinison, Bobcat Goldthwait, and Billy Crystal wearing turtle shells and green makeup.

Another unrelated concept was an R-rated film featuring roller-skating, partially nude nuns armed with Uzis, engaging in battles with the Turtles.

The Gaming Legacy

Since 1989, the Turtles have starred in 23 arcade and home video games across nearly every console and computer system. Their first self-titled game is one of the top-selling NES titles not produced by Nintendo, with around 4 million copies sold, despite being notorious for its difficulty.

Turtles on the Road

In 1990, Pizza Hut sponsored the Coming Out of Their Shell Tour, a stage musical where the Turtles performed as a rock band. The show premiered at Radio City Music Hall before embarking on a 40-city nationwide tour. For those who missed it, a live recording and a behind-the-scenes special were released on VHS.

The soundtrack was available in stores, but you could also snag a copy at Pizza Hut for free with the purchase of a large one-topping pizza and a special collector’s cup.

The Fifth Member

Eastman and Laird were often told, 'If four Ninja Turtles are great, five must be even better!' While they initially resisted, they eventually developed a concept for a fifth Turtle that nearly became a reality.

For the scrapped fourth Turtles movie, they designed Kirby, named after comic book legend Jack Kirby, who co-created The Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and other superheroes. Kirby would have been introduced through a magical crystal that brought drawings to life. Concept art of Kirby, which sold for $500 at auction, depicted him as a fierce-looking Turtle with striped skin and four fingers instead of three.

The 'more is better' mindset prevailed in Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation (unrelated to the unmade film), a live-action TV series that aired from 1997 to 1998. Produced by Saban Entertainment, known for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the show shared the same low-budget, rubber-suited aesthetic. It introduced Venus de Milo, a female ninja turtle with shell breasts, who was retroactively added as a previously unknown fifth turtle from the original bowl.

The series failed to resonate with fans and was particularly disliked by Laird. When asked about regrettable Turtles merchandise, he stated, 'The only licensed product I truly regret is…Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation.'

Turtle-Related Controversies

Despite the 1988 cartoon’s lighthearted tone, it faced heavy censorship in the UK and much of Europe. Strict regulations required trimming action scenes to reduce the Turtles’ weapon use. Michelangelo was hit hardest; nunchucks were banned in the UK, so his fights were edited to show him using a grappling hook instead. The show’s title was even changed to Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles to avoid the violent implications of the word 'ninja.'

In 1990, around 250,000 turtles were imported into Britain to meet the demand from young fans wanting them as pets. Sold for just a few pounds, many children were unaware the turtles would grow to the size of dinner plates. When the novelty wore off, the turtles were often released into rivers and ponds, wreaking havoc on local ecosystems. The issue became so severe that the European Union banned the sale of red-eared terrapins, the most popular breed, in 1997.

In 1991, the Turtles faced criticism from the American Farm Bureau (AFB) for their role in the Random House book Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ABCs for a Better Planet. The book addressed environmental concerns, such as the use of cancer-causing growth hormones in animals and the allocation of grain to livestock instead of hungry populations. It also highlighted pesticide residues on produce. The AFB criticized the publisher for using a children’s book to promote what they called a 'biased and inaccurate portrayal of American agriculture.' Whether due to AFB pressure or not, the book was never reprinted.

An episode of the 4Kids cartoon series, 'Insane in the Membrane,' was deemed too dark for American audiences and pulled before airing. In it, the Shredder tortures scientist Baxter Stockman by gradually dismembering him. Stockman creates a clone to transfer his consciousness, but the clone’s body deteriorates, revealing muscle and bone, forcing him to reattach lost body parts.

Special thanks to Peter Laird for his collaboration. For an extensive dive into TMNT history, visit his blog. A condensed version of this article was published in 2012. This piece was updated in 2021.