so yeah, that tmnt rumor

[onions]

can't really post it on the front page since nothing's been officially confirmed yet. but doesn't mean we can't talk about it here. if the rumors are correct, there's going to be a new license based on the nickelodeon cartoon. and that we should find out more come NYCC.

i have mixed feelings about this should this be true. i grew up on ninja turtles, but not the pizza loving, colored bandana wearing, cartoon turtles. i fell in love with the original black and white comic. so every iteration after that has been a hard pill to swallow. cartoon, multiple movies. couldn't stand any of it. i missed the cartoon when it was on fox, and now the new one on nick, i haven't seen anything on it yet so i don't know if they'll have the same 'cowabunga' attitude as before. but regardless, i think i'm looking forward to it.

[Flynn]

I predict molded parts and high prices.

If we're lucky, we'll get decent sets, too.

[crazybirdman]

the 20xx Turtles cartoon was good (most of it anyway). Kind of in between the comic and the 80's cartoon. And the Turtles Forever movie was great.

[MrCRskater]

I am very hopeful about the possibility of all this. It looks like TMNT is in the middle of a full-blown reboot, with a new cartoon, new action figures, new comics line, and reprinting/collector's editions of the original comics, not to mention a possible (probable?) 2014 movie. If LEGO wants to bank on this, now's the time.

I love the turtles so much that they pushed me to purchase my one and only MegaBloks set years back, when MB had the turtles license. After rebuilding it recently, it really sunk in just how SHAMEFUL the quality of the bricks and the model were. But while the set was quickly torn down (and probably headed to the thrift shop), the figures are proudly displayed on my desk.

The turtles were a highlight of my childhood. Unlike Ace, I was brought up on the cartoon and loved the films. That said, I've recently been digging into the comics and all I can say is, WOW! In all honesty, the thought of a TMNT license for LEGO makes me so giddy I may wet myself. It practically doesn't matter what the iteration is, I'm on board.

[onions]

so now that you've been exposed to the original comics, do you have a preference of which turtle interpretation you prefer?

[Ibiscribe]

Lego TMNT could be... interesting, actually. I admit to having mixed feelings too, though they are primarily optimistic.

What comics are these, onions? I also grew up with the original cartoon and wouldn't mind getting a feel for what their origins were like.

[onions]

they were published by mirage studios back in the day, eastman and laird's teenage mutant ninja turtles. IDW is reprinting all of the original comics and have also released trade paperbacks in hardcover form:

ultimate collection 1
ultimate collection 2
ultimate collection 3

i guess idw is rebooting the series with eastman doing the pencils and the writing by someone else. i have not yet picked that up but am interested in it.

[sparkart]

One of my favorite takes on the TMNT was artist Michael Zulli's rendition, that portrayed them as beaked, hulking monstrosities, barely recognizable as the TMNT, until you saw them grouped and armed, together with a ratty Splinter.

I can imagine that a LEGO set won't feature minifigures but the larger, more dynamically poseable build-a-figures. It would be cool to see minifigures. I'd definitely pick up a set with TMNT minifigs, and I'm not a minifig fan.

[MrCRskater]

so now that you've been exposed to the original comics, do you have a preference of which turtle interpretation you prefer?

Now, I'd have to say that I probably prefer the comics, especially the first several issues drawn by Eastman and Laird. The grittiness of the artwork is so great, and the paneling seems very dynamic (at least, to a comic noob like me) - makes it feel very film noir. My first exposure has been through the Ultimate Collection series, reading all of the original black and white first. But I'm also collecting the color classics, as well. The old cartoon will always be nostalgic, but watching it now, it's very juvenile. It's as you said in some other thread, Ace - best to live on with just your memories and not revisit it

i guess idw is rebooting the series with eastman doing the pencils and the writing by someone else. i have not yet picked that up but am interested in it.

The reboot is also very good. Eastman is writing, the art being left to other folks. They started off with long-time Mirage and TMNT artist Dan Duncan, but he was replaced in #13 by Steve Kuhn (who's art is not nearly as good). New origins, but very believable and still enjoyable for seasoned fans. I definitely recommend it.

I can imagine that a LEGO set won't feature minifigures but the larger, more dynamically poseable build-a-figures. It would be cool to see minifigures. I'd definitely pick up a set with TMNT minifigs, and I'm not a minifig fan.

The big action figure-type sets would make sense, but I REALLY want some quality TMNT minifigs. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

[mjacobson]

Do we know that this new license is going to be a minifig scale theme? I'm just thinking, what if it was TMNT but in a Ben 10/DC/Marvel/Hero Factory/Bionicle style? You've got 4 turtles, Splinter, Shredder, and maybe a foot clan ninja. Hmm, maybe Splinter is the odd one out. But, there's the line right there.

[JamesBenjamin]

The rumors include keychains, which only makes sense to be minifig keychains, so yeah... it's probly going to be minifig scale.

I'm just wondering if it'll be a small line like Spongebob or a full one like the Marvel/DC line?

[Crusader]

It would be shame if they weren't minifig scale. Kam set me up with one of his very limited run heads/shells a few years. I finished him off as Raphael and that is my younger son's most-treasured fig to this day. He has been asking Santa for the remaining figs for a while now.

After all the shelf-warming the Ben 10 sets did, I hope Lego has learned that minifigs sell sets.I can understand having the larger figs as a supplement to a line though.

For the record, I was too old for the eighties cartoon but I did watch the 2000's version with my sons and they were pretty decent.

[Flynn]

If all people really are the Turtles, logically it would make the most sense to go the Hero Factory route.

If LEGO can find a way to produce compelling sets as well, awesome, but if not it's just gonna be the same as about half of the recent licenses- dull sets with good minifigures.

[onions]

yeah i can't see the line having much longevity. if the show's a hit, it may be like another spongebob where we get two or three sets a year.

[sparkart]

As long as the minifigs get maufactured. Minifigs are like Star Wars. They are forever. :P
Just check Bricklink. I can't believe some of the things that've been made over the years.

No turtle minifigs, no peace!