I will say that naming their company "Mirage Studios" due to the fact that they didn't have an actual studio is pretty clever on their part.

'Grateman'? Now there's something that would lend itself to a Monty Python sketch. "I am...Grateman." "...You're not that impressive."

Interestingly enough, the closest series to the comic's origin story is the 2003 one

I just love how the big main villain in the TV show is actually a nobody that dies in the first issues of the comics.

The 2003 series was my jam in my childhood. Just the right blend of sci-fi, fantasy, humour, drama and good writing overall.

The dialogue really does sound like a Frank Miller parody.

I find it ironic how nowadays Shredder is usually the TMNT's archenemy, yet in the original comics they weren't afraid to kill him off in the first issue!

Also, the foot clan where a parody of The Hand in Daredevil.

Congrats, Lewis, this year you'll turn 30 and you'll get to join Doug Walker, James Rolfe, and Andre "Black Nerd" in the ranks of the Thirty-Something Nerdy Critics.

Oh, and since they mentioned honor... TURTLES FIGHT WITH HONOR!

Am I the only girl who absolutely LOVED Venus as a kid? I did watch the show as an adult and was surprised to discover how much of a plot device she was. Wish they’d developed her more. Would have been nice to see some female turtles around

Thumbs up on the Venus shout out, love it. My favorite bit was "We're CGI."

i watched the 2003 series as a kid and fron what ive heard its closest to the original comic in terms of tone and some continuity

The 2012 reboot is actually pretty good. Also Eastman's uncle probably got a lifetime of beer fetchings on top of that loan.

In a documentary about TMNT Peter Laird said he and Eastman were often asked why didthey killed off Shredder in the first issue. His reply was that they had no idea there would be asecond issue. Like every TMNT fan, I'm glad that they got to continue the series.

The awkwardness of splinter explaining there own orgins to the turtles is why most versions probably have the orgin explained when april meets the turtles.

Ah, so pizza has been part of the franchise since the very beginning.

7:11 re. the sword, it's all about length. 'Daito' refer to blades with a length of more than two feet, 'Shoto' refer to anything less. Anything more than two feet is called a nodachi. The classic ninja sword is usually supposed to be a shoto.

what's great about Ninja turtles as a franchise is how it reinvents itself overtime and how unique each incarnation is. My favorite though has to be the 2003 series though as I have nostalgia for it though if I am honestly the 2012 show is probably the best overall imo.

Teenage Linkara Ninja AT4W Teenage Linkara Ninja AT4W Teenage Linkara Ninja AT4W.. Bad Coimcs in a half-shell.. COMIC POWER!

You made this diehard TMNT fan very happy!

I think part of artwork looking simple is because it tries to mimic style of Frank Miller with thick ink lines. In issue 2 (first appearance of April and Baxter Stockman), when they drop the Miller pastiche, art drastically improves. Also, it might be related to Eastman and Laird not expecting it to succeed - in future issues art has more detailed backgrounds, and actual ink wash shading (and the story is much better).

The opening lines in this comic are almost word for word the same as the 2003 series, I did not know this. That is awesome.

GrateMan: The Gratest Mega Man robot master ever.

I hope my favorite comic book hero, Plastic Man, will receive a Secret Origins Month episode.

I, personally, prefer it when Splinter IS Yoshi. Makes the whole thing more personal for both tbe Turtles AND Shredder.

My tmnt will always be the 2003 version. Its the version I grew up with. It's also the closet to the comics from what I know.

I would love a Star Trek Turtles crossover. Nickelodeon Leo meeting Captain Kirk would be the funniest thing ever.

I really like how your title card artist gave you the same kind of smile as the turtles.

Wow! I've been worried about Ninja Style Dancer. He's been gone for so long.

8:35 Have you not read the current IDW series? They have a character named Alopex, a mutant arctic fox who wears nothing but a tattered cloak and some tape wrapped around her torso-area and feet! But I'm not complaining, because she's one of the most beautiful characters to be drawn and being one of the most interesting side characters I've come across! Thank you for making my day Linkara with this video, and you deserve my first ever Like for one of your videos!

8:00 Oh man, not that Argentinian porn movie again XD You should pronounce "pinjas" as "pin-has", it's a way to resemble the sound like "pingas", slang for "penises".

Who needs a TMNT/Star Trek crossover when they've traveled across space and time with THE DOCTOR/PROFESSOR?

I'm so happy Eastman and Laird continued the comic and evolved as artists and writters.

Omg. Sticks leave splinters. Splinter is a parody of stick. I literally just got that. Damn.

I would love if TMNT ever crossed over with dare devil

Tail? Something... else? Well, they're tortoises, so it's not one or the other - it's both. The More You Know!

Turtles should team up with Daredevil

I loved the show as a kid and didn't even know they were comics until the TMNT/Ghostbusters crossover comic happened and I did some research on it haha Also that moment when the ad before the video is one of those "Canadians! Please for the love of God go outside and exercise!" ads xD

Ninja Turtle! *tosses action figure at Linkara*

There is a Ninja Turtles story where they did fight inbred cannibals in an issue of Heavy Metal. Irionically Kevin Eastman was the editor-in-chief at the time.

"I think it's time we finally had a crossover with Star Trek and the TMNT." Because it turned out so well when they met the Power Rangers! By the way, did you know there's a Justice League vs. Power Rangers comic out?

"Ugh Hardees...sometimes beggars *can* be choosers." XD I haven't laughed that hard in awhile.

*squeels* lets be honest: most of us didnt know the tmnt started as comic characters.... or dark ones for that matter. my turtles will always be the 2003 version. it is prolly the closest to the original comics ive seen any turtles related properties had done. (while still having twists of its own. funny how people were up in arms about the turtles being aliens but no one batted an eye at the main shredder of the 2003 series being an alien.)

My turtles will always be 2003

"Sultry Teenage Super-Foxes" So what this title is telling me is that they're trying to sexualize underage animals.

For those who don't know, The Foot is a parody of The Hand from Marvel.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Reviewed by guy named... LIN-KARA!

Kevin Eastman: I need this money so I can make this comic book. Uncle: Fine but you better give me a cut of the profit since I gave the money. *Few months after the comic was published * *Uncle looking at the check*😨🤑

14:21 Okay are we NOT going to address how cute the turtles look here? I mean come on guys! That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!!!

Nice review. TMNT was a big part of my childhood and it's nice to see their origins. Also you're a brave man for mentioning the Next Mutation considering the creators disowned it. Keep up the good work my man. Cowabunga dude.

Man do I love the teenage mutant ninja turtles. While I'm not familiar with the comics I am familiar with the their tv series and movies. Some were good. Others were not. My personal favorite tmnt series is the early 2000's one. It was action packed, dark at times, and had a really good cast of characters.

4:18 - It's funny how the original comic was a parody of Frank Miller, because the original cartoon from the 80s was also a parody, but of superheroes in general.

I had the honour of asking Kevin Eastman if this version of the franchise will get an ending his answer was that if Peter Laird is asked enough he'll finish it.

Mmmm that Phelous clip. So good.

The Ninja Turtles versus inbred cannibals? That would be a Hell of a movie!

"Shredder is a bit of a tool so he did not come alone." I mean, he was explicitly taunted to fight four guys. Even if they planned on attacking him one by one it wasn't a fair fight. I'd show up with backup too. Plus he got called out for this fight for avenging his brothers death. Yeah, his brother was a tool and Shredder also went on to a life of crime, but really in a lot of other shows Shredder and his quest for revenge would be the main plot.

"Should he deal with the corpse before or after dinner?" There is an easy comprimise for that...

I gotta admit... your normal speaking voice is what drew me in. the fact that you cbwr such a wide variety of comics is why I watched your series twice so far

YES! Ninja Style Dancer is back!! Rejoice!

Personally, I'd have made the title card a parody of the comic's cover. Linkara with the swords, 90's kid with the nunchaku, Linksano with the bo staff and Harvey with the sais, since all of them are played by Lewis. Hopefully an idea for the next time we might get a Ninja Turtles review.

I have a strange story to tell about how I came across the first issue of the original Mirage comic. At GameStop, they were offering a deal that if you pre-ordered the TMNT movie game based off the 2007 CGI movie (don't question my decision to buy the game, I was 9), you would get the first issue of the Mirage comic. At this point, the only Ninja Turtles continuities I was familiar with were the 2003 series and the live action movies, so I was used to the idea of a more serious take on the material (at least more so with the 2003 series). Imagine my 9 year-old self seeing the familiar scene of the Turtles fighting the Purple Dragons scene, only now the Turtles *killed* the gang members. Not to mention, Shredder dies in this issue. The most iconic villain of the franchise is killed off in the first issue. Sure, clones came around, but still. Reading that issue was an experience, one of the fondest memories I have with the Turtles.

What if that Renaissance painter's book was a collectionof Dr Seuss books? Samiam, Onefishtwofish, Wocketinmypocket, and Hoponpop! These are the names of the deadly Ninja Turtles!!

This is why I love stealth parodies, they tend to be as popular, if not more popular, than what they're parodying.

I guess the automatic door explains why they aren't constantly flooded with sewage and rainwater.

You know while watching the original ninja turtles movie, I constantly made a joke about how that one foot clan ninja slapped April, with "Slapping Foot Clan Joke", where whenever the foot clan shows up, I keep on saying that instead of fighting, they are slapping and I called the shredder the slapper and when the Turtles came back to their base destroyed I said they slapped everything in it and thst the sewers stenched of salmon

If Oblivion has taught me anything, a duel-bladed Katana is called a Daikatana. Not to be a Nitpicky-McGee, I just felt compelled to answer and help if I could - I love your videos.

8:00 Why has Phelous and/or Brandon Tenold not reviewed that movie yet?! It looks like something that's right up their alley.

Being an avid fan of the 2003 turtles series, I just realized the first episode of the series has the same opening of the first ninja turtles comic (fighting purple dragon gang members accusing them of wearing costumes)

“Master, Master Yoshi has been avenged!” “Very good, my sons.” “Yo, dudes, what do we do now?” “I was thinking, maybe get a TV show on the air about our skirmish with Saki, and make a hip-hop Christmas album too?” “Sounds good to me.”

been waiting for this for a long time

I knew you couldn't stay away from TMNT comic books. 😉Linkara on KZfaq ! Yes!👍

“We strike hard and fade away… into the night.” We hit something or someone with so much force it causes us to dissolve from the pages.

Linkara - You should totally do a more industry/history focused series. I really liked your breakdown of this comic's origins, and generally find your behind-the-scenes tales that you use to establish the specific 'aspect' of comics which birthed whichever issue you're reviewing to be the best part of any episode.

I gotta say, your Splinter voice (when you're reading, not making fun) is really spot-on!

the acid that blinded the Daredevil gave the turtles their power

This comic is one of the most brilliant parodies of all time

TMNT was the first graphic novel I ever got for Chistmas. My mother ruined it by blacking out the curse words.

Turtles to me is like Power Rangers is for you Linkara. II watched both series religiously as a kid but Turtles is the series i ended up sticking with. Though i have no ill will toward Power Rangers and enjoy the nostalgia of it. The main reason I think I stayed with Turtles is because the Turtles tend to explore, and be, darker and more mature themes then the Power Rangers. The 87 cartoon was fun as a kid, but teenage me greatly appreciated the darker and more comic accurate 03 series and how it just felt less childish. Not saying Power Rangers can't be mature, just that they rarely attempt to do so. Something that I think is due largely to the two series vastly different origins.

If you haven't read the first run of these comics, they're EXCELLENT. Highly recommended.

Woo! Ninja Turtles. I'm so happy, now.

It's about damn time Linkara. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics are all amazing. When are you going to cover the multidimensional talking cow head?

Great job as always, gotta love some TMNT action, I've wondered if there has been studies done on title naming. TMNT, MMPR, aGoT, a lot four word titles.

LOL Miami Connection and Phelous references.

10:25 the build up has been YEARS in the making!

Linkara, you never disappoint.

It's great to finally see the start of one of my favorite franchises.

Curiously, my first exposure to TMNT was the original cartoon (probably in syndication) and a bubblegum package parody that proudly proclaimed "Heroes that are half-wits!" Also, the Japanese sword is an annoying maze of blades that all kinda look like each other and that are all sorta the same length. There's katana, okatana which are katana but kinda bigger, zanbato that are really big katana with really long handles to match, tachi which look like big katana and are proportioned as such and not like zanbato so they're different, otachi and nodachi which look like...big katana, and a few semi-mythical weapons like Sasaki Kojiro's drying pole sword, which...looks like a big katana, because it is a big katana. That's not even counting the swords some sword makers put in Shinto shrines, which were colossal and not even really meant as weapons, just as showcases of the smith's skills...

I think TMNT’s hiding place is a very good hiding place because what kind of weirdo would ever go in the sewer it stink

Star Trek has crossed over with the X-Men, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Green Lantern (I think that one is getting a sequel), and Planet of the Apes. I want to see the Enterprise gang meet the Ninja Turtles.

You're Splinter impression is scarily good.

So some of the gang members fist-fought them but the rest just opened fire? Guess friendly fire was off...

Actually Linkara you're right about the tails, they never show up again in other versions.

Back then the action figures, some anyway, actually did have the tails. You could even move them a tad. Good review! Always wondered about this comic.

I remember reading this at a library when i was a kid and i still think it is pretty much the best TMNT comic out there. I really hope someone would make this darker style Turtles into a cartoon or something, after all aren't ninjas supposed to be assassins anyways?

Bit of a missed oppurtinty for a joke using the Secret origins montage. Also, since you done Deadpool, you certainly changred your mind on latar characters. :V

I’d love for you to dive back in to the Mirage Series and check out the Leonardo Micro-Series. Probably the pinnacle of Eastman and Laird’s original run.

And so Shredder joins the Joker and professor Moriarty in the one-shot villains who became recurring foes.

WHY HAS THEIR BEEN NO TMNT/DARE DEVIL CROSSOVER?!

I love your Rowlet on the shelf, it is so cute. And I love your nickname for it - Doctor Hoot ^__^