How did a violent indie comic become a $15,000,000,000 franchise?

How did a little black & white indie comic become a franchise bigger than the Avengers?

Photo of Peter Laird © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons

**TMNT Reading Guide**

Original Mirage Run
The classic collaboration. Vol 1 and 2 contain the legendary 15 issue run. Vol 3 has the solo material as well as the Return to New York trilogy, and Vols 4 and 5 is the epic City at War arc.

The Last Ronin
Just read it!!!

IDW TMNT
Eastman is back, with a team of excellent collaborators. The chronology of the issues themselves is confusing, but thankfully the collected editions put it in the right order with big numbers on the spine. A great place to start, especially if you’re not interested in older comics.

TMNT Volume 2 in Color by Jim Lawson
More in the Laird vein, with some superhero vibes, worth checking out if you enjoyed City at War or plan to continue onto the Laird solo run (which is considered Volume 4).

Image Run aka. Volume 3 (with a new ending from 2018 from the original creators)

Mirage Volume 4 by Peter Laird
This run is odd and fantastic, and resists the temptation to be told in easy, trade-paperback-friendly chunks. Sadly it’s not collected, which I assume is a licensing issue, but perhaps with enough interest IDW will put something out.

Archie TMNT
The first volume of this series is just adaptations of the cartoon, but starting in volume 2 the Mirage crew takes over and does some wild stuff within the cartoon world, definitely recommended, especially if you have nostalgia for the original series. I’ll list the first few here:

Also, most of these are available with a comixology unlimited subscription, if you don’t mind not owning them physically.

(As an amazon associate i earn from qualifying purchases)

Finally, there’s tons of stuff I’ve missed, so please comment down below with comics that you think should be added. There’s so much!

Further Viewing

The Toys That Made Us Season 3 Episode 1
This focuses more extensively on the toy business, but has lots of great interviews as well as the full reunion of the guys.

Turtle Power
This documentary goes way in depth on the toys and cartoon, and features a ton of great interviews, check it out especially if you have nostalgia for the original era of Turtles

Cartoonist Kayfabe

*Notes*

-There are a few numbers that change with each retelling of this story so I had to make some choices. I believe the loan from Quentin Eastman was actually $1,200, but I’ve also heard $1,000 from many sources. The initial print run has been said to be 3,000 and 3,200 issues, I believe that they may have ordered 3,000 and received 3,200. The sales numbers of subsequent issues and printings tend to move around a bit, but I believe the numbers I included are directionally correct.
-Matttt, is it really the successful comic of all time? The only comic that I think comes close is Amazing Fantasy 15, but even that would require a number of further issues to fully develop the world of Spider-Man, whereas TMNT #1 alone is the basis for so much of the subsequent media that I stand by that claim (until someone corrects me).

*Sources*

-I consider childhood lasting until the age of 35, so don’t tell me the Turtles didn’t impact your childhood.
-I relied extensively on the endnotes and annotations from both Eastman and Laird in the Ultimate Collections Listed Above, as well as Laird’s blog and the letter pages from the individual issues of Volume 4.
-Of course this story has been told many times, but the interviews in both The Toys that Made Us and Turtle Power were invaluable

Finally, shout out to my buddy Kevin, who told me to read Laird’s TMNT in 2002, but who I didn’t listen to because it looked really dorky. Sorry, Kevin.

[benmalsky]

TMNT’s origins is one of the most inspirational stories of any major, popular franchise. How two guys’ work turned into something beloved by millions of people for four decades. The lesson: never have doubts about your ideas, no matter how silly or ridiculous they may be, it just might the next big thing.

[limmynade]

this video is making me want to read the original tmnt comics...

[boundthefloor]

That episode of "The Toys that made us" was a real tear jerker. You could see the pain / hurt that Peter had.

[GingerBreadSed]

In less than twenty minutes you made me care so much about the friendship between two guys who just wanted to draw comics together that I genuinely teared up at seeing them reunite in the end. Amazing job!

[TahniZCat]

Knowing how Mikey was the original/first Turtle made by the creators as a tongue and cheek joke, the relationship of the turtles being based on the deep friendship of the two creators, and in the end, talking about how they miss their friendship and using the first turtle as the last turtle that stayed alive saying how he missed his brothers. . . 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

[gezi]

If anyone wants to see a pretty accurate adaptation of these comics I’d recommend the 2003 tv show. It’s pretty amazing how accurate it is to the original, obviously more directed towards kids but still has the soul of the original.

[channingchills]

If it wasn’t for Peter Laird, the Turtles would’ve ended up being given over to one of the large toy/animation companies very early on. Even after Laird ultimately sold his share, the contract he negotiated ultimately stipulated he would be able to publish his own TMNT comics. Laird truly lived by the Biggie quote “don’t chase the paper, chase the dream.”

[ubertechie]

This's the first time I've been brought to a tear by a totally random narrative. What prodigious storytelling! Respect.

[easternpromises]

That comic with Donatello and Kirby must have been the first TNMT I've ever read. It's still one of the best I've encountered. What a gem.

[Altorin]

the original transformers were designed and created by a literal genius japanese artisan toy maker, and weren't part of any sort of marketting campaign. They were just AMAZING toys that were unlike anything anyone had ever seen because this Japanese guy was INSANELY talented.

Should do a full video on it.

[manu_elle_gago]

That final comic destroyed me, what an amazing story, thanks for this video I’ve always loved TMNT as a kid and even today it brings me back good times seeing their stuff

[CaseySipe]

Bro just casually said “he bought a tank” 💀

[Kagiso]

The fact that The Last Ronin is also the First Turtle that they ever drew is so powerful.

[TW]

The Last Ronin blew me away, I vaguely followed TMNT growing watching the cartoon in the 90s, watched the movies, played the videogames. Thank for this video, I coincidently read The last ronin a few months ago just browsing chapters with my nephew and decided to pick it up. Incredibly beautiful comic. Those of you who havent read the last ronin, its an amazing storytelling of the last turtle fighting a hopeless war with the footclan with a great ending

[crippninja]

Fuck this made me cry at the end. my brother and I grew up with the turtles it was actually the first movie that we ever saw in the theater. Now hes serving 25 to life in prison. I was so excited to send him a copy of the last Ronin. When he called me to talk about it it was a wonderful way to bring us back to our childhood and forget about all the bullshit that life has thrown us since even just for a moment. Great video man thank you

[JoaquinTazabi]

I've told a few people that I read TMNT for the first time as a kid and it was in black and white and was definitely NOT for kids, very violent. When I saw what it became just a few years later, I have to admit I was disgusted by the commercialization. The recent graphic novels, The Last Ronin, took me back, read all of them.

Edit: As much as I was initially disgusted by the changes, I still watched and enjoyed the cartoons and movies.

[patrickowens]

I'm digging how well researched, well polished, and well thought out your videos are. The obvious passion you have for the topics is the cherry on top.

[fourcolorcommentary]

Believe it or not, as a 55-year-old lover of the medium, your video has made me want to read the original TMNT lore, which I’ve never done. Thank you!

[RolyGuacamole]

Being 40, growing up with this franchise as a huge part of my life, I thank you for this video. The end made me tear up and think of my best friend I’d creatively make music with since we were kids, who passed away years ago. I miss my bros who have passed already. Thanks for this amazing video my friend.

[dahasolomon]

The 2003 tv show will forever be the most amazing kids show ever. It had everything a kid would want out of a story.