New Additions to the TMNT Collection III

Over the last few months I have succumbed to the addiction that is on-line shopping. Seriously, once you start you find so many other cool things and you just can't stop...that is until your wife reminds you that you have children and bills to pay. This realization led me to be pretty selective of what I've purchased recently and as a huge fan of the Green Machine there are a ton of options. So without wasting anymore time, here is part 3 of the newest additions to my TMNT collection!

TMNT: The Incredible Shrinking Turtles Book

I had some of these books as a kid, but never this one. This book came as a gift in a package from the ultra-cool Hoju Koolander! If you want to check out some of his radical retro flavored articles or videos you can check them out at RetroDaze.org or on the WIZARDS! Podcast on Youtube.

TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze VHS Tape

I have extremely fond memories of owning this VHS tape as a youngster. Me and my brother would watch this movie daily. This copy is a special one though. It comes from the Mirage Studios Archives and was in the collection of TMNT Co-Creator Peter Laird! Don't believe me?

I bought it off the Mirage Studios website and it came with this sweet Certificate of Authenticity! It only cost me about $10 and I love it! If you would like to own a piece from Mirage Studios, they typically hold weekly ebay auctions. You can view the items available by clicking HERE.

TMNT Party Wagon: Hot Wheels

I kept seeing this mini version of the Turtles' Party Wagon pop up in my Twitter feed. People were finding it everywhere. I searched my local Walmarts, Targets and Dollar Tree stores, but had no success. Instead of continuing the trend of disappointment, I decided to buy this off ebay for $5. After I made that purchase, I began finding these all over the place. I picked up a few extras and gave my son one, Ieven sent one to a collector in Canada who was having trouble locking one down. I really like the details and for $1 or less, you can't beat the usual Hot Wheels quality of this toy!

Funko Pops!

My wife scored me the Target exclusive Metalhead figure for Christmas. This was a big surprise for me and she was really proud of herself for tracking him down. She's a keeper. The Casey Jones, I found in a clearance section at Walmart. This was odd to me since they had just recently came out. I didn't have a Casey in my Pop! collection yet, so I took advantage of the possibly mislabeled figure and now he stands proud next to my Turtles on the shelf in the basement!

TMNT Valentines

I found the vintage looking TMNT Valentines on clearance for around $1 and my wife found the other 2 boxes for me. Of course the kids wanted to use some of these for my friends and I let them go to town. I remember what a thrill it was to receive a Ninja Turtles Valentine. I received a card featuring something I loved on the biggest love day of them all and it was AWESOME! Who am I to keep another child from experiencing that same thrill?

Thanks for bearing with me and checking out some of the latest additions to my TMNT collection. I gotta say, I'm running out of room and may have to expand my basement collection area because I'm sure there is more to come for this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fanatic! COWABUNGA!!!!

Valentine 2021

Valentine's Day never really has been anywhere close to one of my favorite holidays. I get it, it's fun to receive Valentines cards from your friends and eat candy hearts, but it just never clicked with me. That being said, I always try to make a big deal of it since my wife likes it. I buy the flowers and get the card and some years I will make her dinner or take her out to a favorite restaurant. This year though, with COVID and the -20 temperatures, we will probably be staying in. I'm sure we'll find something to do. It won't be the same, just different. At least we will be together and my family has stayed healthy, so I am thankful for that. Hope you guys have a great weekend and share the love with someone close to you. Could be a spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend even family members and pets need to know they are loved! Have fun, stay safe & have an enchanted evening!

It Came From The Attic: Part III

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Valentines

Well, here we go, one last time! Staying with my Mom at my childhood home for a few weeks brought back a ton of memories and nostalgia, but looking through all the totes of stuff I own that have been stored in her attic really kicked those feelings into high gear. Today I will share a few of these TMNT items I have saved for decades with you.These Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Valentines are from the early 90s and there actually were still a few uncut cards left in the box. Was I the only one who picked out my favorite Valentine card from the box and gave it to myself? Also, why don't they include "Teacher's cards" on packages anymore? What up with that?

 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pencil 

I remember getting this from a local Hallmark store back in the mid-90s. It was quite a tough decision on which Turtle to pick. I usually go with my favorite, Donatello, but this time I went with Leonardo. Not sure why? I remember my Mom bought it for me to use for schoolwork, but it was used sparingly since this thing was like gold to me!

 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Burger King Toy
I remember these being a big deal on the playgrounds back when they hit Burger King in 1989. This was right before the movie came out at the height of Turtle-mania! I even remember them previewing the TMNT movie in their BK Kids Club Adventures Magazine!

 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Handheld Game
This bodacious Konami handheld game came out in 1989. That was the same year Nintendo introduced the Gameboy to America. Even though these LCD handheld games were fun, the Gameboy came along and they became an afterthought. Before that time though, these games were the only way you could play your favorite games on the go. This Turtles game was a little tricky, but it definitely killed a few hours while on those family road trips during spring break! 

 Topps Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Card Set
This set was released by Topps in 1989. This was the first set of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cards ever released and contained 88 base cards, 11 stickers and 22 Mirage Studios Art cards. This set was special because it was the only way you could get these Mirage cards that featured artwork from the original comics. Each card was also given an upgrade from their standard release and came with a glossy finish. This is a very cool set that I am glad is in my collection!

Leonardo Cyber Samurai Action Figure
A lot of people did not care for the Cyber Samurai Turtles, I on the other hand liked the futuristic take on our heroes in green. This series of figures came with the 4 Turtle brothers, Bebop, Rocksteady and Shredder. The figures by Playmates were also accompanied by a 5 part comic story that started in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures published by Archie comics with #62. Check them out in all their radical glory in the commercial below! COWABUNGA!!!!

Happy Valentines Day 2019!!!

It's been crazy cold all over the United States these last few weeks, so hopefully taking a look at these retro Valentines Cards from the 80s & 90s will help to spark some warm memories of years past. When you handed out cards of your favorite cartoon characters to your friends, teachers and special someone. I love seeing the faces of my kids as they fill out their cards for their classmates. It brings me great joy to know the tradition of handing out Valentines still gives kids joy today. A few years ago the fine people at the website Top Hat Sasquatch wanted to bring back that fun to it's readers and wouldn't you know it, I was one of the lucky ones to receive some Valentines! They sent a great selection and now I am sharing them with you. ENJOY and HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

You can check out all the fun at Top Hat Sasquatch by clicking HERE!

Happy Valentines Day!

Hoping everyone has a great and happy Valentines Day from your friends at 20 Years Before 2000!

Enjoy some of the best love jams from the 80s & 90s!