Set Description
I was born in April of 1984...only a few weeks before the landmark Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 hit the market. That means I was in the target demographic during the height of Turtlemania in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I had the toys, the clothes, the video games, the snacks...anything TMNT related I could get my hands on, I had. I loved watching the cartoon and was sad to see it go. As I grew up, I merged my passion for TMNT with my passion for comic collecting. Now that I'm older, I've found it enjoyable to move from the kiddie-style cartoon Turtles to the grittier, more adult version from the comics. It's almost like my childhood obsession grew up with me.
In the descriptions, I’ve gone a bit further than the CGC label as far as the creative teams that worked on each issue. Most of the books in volume 1 had the same core artists and writers but their duties would change from issue to issue. For example, Kevin Eastman may do the pencils in one issue and let Eric Talbot do the inks and toning. A few issues later, Talbot would do the pencils and Eastman would do the inks. Mirage mixed up duties so often that a fan can really narrow down exactly where each creator shines.
Other than creative teams, I’ve also listed a quick snapshot of the top-graded census copies (both Universal and Signature Series) to show how rare or common a book may be in high grade. There are many books in volume 1 that have yet to get a single 9.8 and this set features several issue with only 1 copy on the census. Some of these books are tough to come by.
I’ve also included a few notes about each book, the source of the book, and a synopsis. A lot of this is more for myself than anything else as the registry serves as a quick-reference guide for Volume 1. I tried to throw a shout-out to those who helped to assemble my collection, too. This has definitely been a team effort.
I was sure to include pictures of each book as well. Front covers in the slab are a must, but I decided to play around a little with the back cover slot. Many issues in this run have wraparound covers, oftentimes with important details for the scene occurring on the back (issue #17 springs to mind). It turns out that there’s no good wraparound cover gallery for these books on the internet, so I’ve started taking scans of the raw books and putting them together so the art can be seen in its full glory. I’ll continue doing this as the raw issues become available. Others just have some boring back covers, so I decided to showcase some Original Art featuring the TMNT. I own all of them with the exception of the #2 Original Cover Art, which was found on Peter Laird’s blog and was too cool not to post. Many of the pieces are commissions that I received directly from the artists of Mirage and I hope to someday get some art from the entire crew.
I submitted several books to complete this set in time for the registry awards. Unfortunately, CGC got backed up with all the conventions they attend and they got delayed by about a month. They’re in-transit now and I hope to add them as soon as possible because I’ve got a complete set (except for the counterfeit #2), it’s just not available for viewing yet. I was able to add a few based on the serial numbers. These ones have stock photos in the front cover slot and will be updated when the books are in-hand. I can’t wait!
A few people have asked me why I named the set “Ninja kick the damn rabbit!” It’s one of my favorite lines from the original live-action movie. While watching a cartoon adaptation of the Tortoise and the Hare, Michelangelo gets frustrated at watching the hare run right by the tortoise. In a fit of playful anger, Mikey yells out “You believe this guy? Come on, Ninja kick the damn rabbit! Do something!” Still makes me laugh to this day.
Thanks for looking!
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 |
0501330001
|
9.4
| 4000 |
| 10/19/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 Second Printing |
0501149001
|
9.6
| 100 |
| 6/10/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 Third Printing |
0969887003
|
9.8
| 96 |
| 12/14/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 Fourth Printing |
0175831002
|
9.8
| 64 |
| 5/22/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 Fifth Printing |
0175831003
|
9.8
| 64 |
| 4/21/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 Sixth Printing |
0501491002
|
9.8
| 15 |
| 4/4/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 |
0993814001
|
9.8
| 520 |
| 4/30/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 Second Printing |
0152468010
|
9.8
| 80 |
| 6/14/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 Third Printing |
0164834005
|
9.8
| 64 |
| 5/31/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 COUNTERFEIT |
No Comic
|
| |
| |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 |
0501370001
|
9.8
| 360 |
| 4/30/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 Variant Cover |
0074215001
|
9.2
| 158 |
| 1/14/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 Second Printing |
0167738001
|
9.6
| 40 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Raphael 1 |
0931190002
|
9.8
| 88 |
| 4/30/2010 |
| Raphael 1 Second Printing |
0178251001
|
9.6
| 25 |
| 6/17/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4 |
0501276005
|
9.8
| 240 |
| 4/30/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4 Second Printing |
0722969003
|
9.6
| 50 |
| 4/12/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4 Second Printing/MANUFACTURING ERROF |
0971033002
|
9.6
| 248 |
| 1/14/2011 |
| Fugitoid 1 |
0992361001
|
9.6
| 100 |
| 1/4/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 5 |
0160657003
|
9.8
| 200 |
| 4/30/2010 |
| Michaelangelo, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle 1 |
1001248014
|
9.8
| 80 |
| 4/30/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Christmas Special 1 |
0159166010
|
9.8
| 64 |
| 1/4/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 6 |
0940761006
|
9.8
| 120 |
| 4/30/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 6 Second Printing |
0722969004
|
9.6
| 25 |
| 10/19/2010 |
| Donatello, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle 1 |
0162123003
|
9.8
| 88 |
| 5/31/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 7 |
0930515010
|
9.8
| 80 |
| 5/18/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 7 Second Printing |
No Comic
|
| |
| |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 8 |
0158671026
|
9.8
| 64 |
| 5/18/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 9 |
1020825007
|
9.8
| 53 |
| 7/14/2010 |
| Leonardo, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle 1 |
0167087003
|
9.8
| 80 |
| 8/2/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 10 |
0162123001
|
9.8
| 53 |
| 5/31/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11 |
0151063030
|
9.8
| 48 |
| 6/14/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 12 |
0157938025
|
9.8
| 48 |
| 5/18/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 13 |
1020825006
|
9.4
| 20 |
| 7/14/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 14 |
0767857006
|
9.4
| 18 |
| 4/11/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 15 |
0156366018
|
9.8
| 48 |
| 6/14/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 16 |
0178251002
|
9.6
| 25 |
| 6/17/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 17 |
0162123002
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 6/1/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 18 |
1023124007
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 7/2/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 18 Second Printing |
1023124005
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 7/14/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 19 |
0167737004
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/8/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 20 |
0982802004
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 8/10/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 21 |
0178251003
|
9.0
| 5 |
| 6/21/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 22 |
0167738002
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 23 |
0167738003
|
9.6
| 25 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 24 |
0167738004
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 25 |
0985860003
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 5/18/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 26 |
0969112001
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 5/31/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 27 |
0969112002
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 5/26/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 28 |
0178251004
|
9.4
| 15 |
| 6/21/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 29 |
0167738005
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 30 |
0969112004
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 5/26/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 31 |
0151085021
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 4/30/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 32 |
1023124002
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 7/2/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 32 Second Printing |
1023124003
|
8.0
| 2 |
| 7/2/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 33 |
0167738006
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 34 |
0151084022
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 5/18/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 35 |
0178251005
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/21/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 36 |
0166419017
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 8/3/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 37 |
0969299015
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 5/26/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 38 |
0156732002
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/14/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 39 |
0972671024
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 5/14/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 40 |
0949958015
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 5/2/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 41 |
0151065006
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 4/30/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 42 |
0167738008
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 43 |
1630641002
|
9.6
| 28 |
| 6/1/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 44 |
0151065020
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 5/2/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 45 |
0982802005
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 8/10/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 46 |
1020825004
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 7/19/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 47 |
1020825003
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 7/14/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 48 |
0178251006
|
9.6
| 25 |
| 6/17/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 49 |
0178251007
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/21/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 50 |
0167738009
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 51 |
0178251008
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/21/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 52 |
0178251009
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/17/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 53 |
1024828001
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 12/22/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 54 |
0167738010
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/17/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 55 |
0178251010
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/17/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 56 |
0178251011
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/17/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 57 |
0178251012
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/21/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 58 |
0167738011
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 59 |
0167738012
|
9.6
| 25 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 60 |
0178251013
|
9.2
| 8 |
| 6/17/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 61 |
0167738013
|
9.4
| 15 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 62 |
0167738014
|
9.8
| 40 |
| 6/15/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 Limited Edition (4/05) |
0983029004
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 11/29/2010 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 (2007) |
0797983001
|
9.6
| 25 |
| 4/4/2011 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 Free Comic Book Day Edition (5/09) |
0718637009
|
9.8
| 44 |
| 11/29/2010 |