The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles started as a parody! In 1983, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird created the turtles as a satirical response to the gritty, overly serious superhero comics of the time. Their original concept was a mix of popular elements — ninjas, mutants, and turtles — all thrown together in a way that poked fun at the comic book industry.
The TMNT brothers are named after famous Renaissance artists:
- Leonardo: Leonardo da Vinci
- Michelangelo: Michelangelo Buonarroti
- Donatello: Donatello di Niccolò di Betto Bardi
- Raphael: Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino
The first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic was self-published in 1984 by Eastman and Laird. Initially, they printed just 3,000 copies, but the comic's dark and quirky appeal led it to sell out quickly. This unexpected success led to more issues and eventually the multimedia empire we know today.
After the comic series took off, a toy line was created, which caught the attention of the creators of the 1987 animated series. However, the initial pitch for the cartoon was rejected multiple times because of its odd combination of elements (turtles, ninjas, pizza, etc.). Eventually, it was greenlit, and the show became an instant success.
While the turtles are now famously associated with pizza, the love for the food wasn’t present in the first comic. The pizza obsession became part of the cartoon show, which was partly to appeal to kids and create a quirky, relatable trait for the characters.
The 1990 live-action movie was a massive hit, grossing over $135 million worldwide. It was the highest-grossing independent film of its time and helped cement the Turtles' status as pop culture icons. The movie's success also led to several sequels and spinoffs.
Over the years, each turtle has been voiced by several different actors, both in cartoons and in live-action adaptations. In the 1987 animated series, for example:
- Leonardo was voiced by Cam Clarke.
- Raphael was voiced by Norman Reedus.
- Donatello was voiced by Barry Gordon.
- Michelangelo was voiced by the late, great Robbie Rist.
While the turtles are all named after famous artists, their bandanas also correspond to their personalities:
- Leonardo: Blue, symbolizes leadership and responsibility.
- Raphael: Red, symbolizes passion and aggression.
- Donatello: Purple, symbolizes intelligence and innovation.
- Michelangelo: Orange, symbolizes fun and spontaneity.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been featured in everything from video games to theme parks. They’ve crossed over with other iconic franchises like Power Rangers, Batman, and even the Ghostbusters. They’ve also influenced everything from skateboarding culture to hip-hop, thanks to their catchphrases and '90s attitude.
In the original comics, Splinter was a human martial artist who was transformed into a rat after being exposed to the same mutagen that mutated the turtles. However, in the 1987 animated series, Splinter’s backstory was simplified: he was always a rat and learned martial arts by mimicking his owner, Hamato Yoshi.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the TMNT became a cultural phenomenon. This period, known as "Turtlemania," included not just comics and cartoons but also action figures, video games, lunch boxes, and even a rock band (yes, the turtles had their own band in the 1990s called "The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Musical Tour").
In 2009, the comic series introduced a “fifth turtle” named Jennika. She’s a female turtle who was created after a character named Jennika underwent a transformation from human to turtle. She wears yellow and is skilled in ninjutsu, often joining the team in their adventures.
