TMNT Teenage Mutants Ninja Turtles Ninja Undercover Donatello Used Figure

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: from the sewers to worldwide fame

Created in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles began as a black-and-white indie comic parodying superheroes. But the concept exploded, evolving into a massive multimedia franchise.

In 1987, the animated series launched, making Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael household names. Trained by their rat sensei Splinter, the turtles battle crime in New York City, facing off against Shredder, Krang, and the Foot Clan.

Each turtle has their own color and personality:

• Leonardo: blue, katanas, disciplined leader.

• Donatello: purple, bo staff, tech genius.

• Michelangelo: orange, nunchaku, pizza-loving jokester.

• Raphael: red, sai, hot-headed but loyal.

The mix of martial arts action, humor, and catchphrases (“Cowabunga!”) turned the turtles into a global pop culture juggernaut.

The franchise expanded with:

• Cult live-action films in the 90s.

• Multiple animated reboots across decades.

• A lasting influence, putting them alongside Transformers and G.I. Joe as definitive 80s-90s icons.

Fun, rebellious, and always hungry, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remain a symbol of geek culture at its finest.