1984
TMNT #1
Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird self-publish the first comic.
IP ARCHIVE + SHOP
Ninja Turtles
ORIGINAL LAUNCHMay 1984 — Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles started as an indie comic parody and rapidly became one of the defining toy and animation brands of the late 1980s and 1990s. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo have been continually reinvented across comics, television, film, games and an enormous range of action figures.
SHOP NINJA TURTLES →THE TIMELINE
1987
Animated series
The cartoon establishes the colorful version that becomes a global phenomenon.
1988
Playmates toy line
The original action figures hit retail and define the classic toy aesthetic.
2023
Mutant Mayhem
A new animated film era introduces the Turtles to another generation.
IN OUR SHOP
SHOP NINJA TURTLES
Anything tagged Ninja Turtles automatically appears here.
0 ITEMS
TOY AISLE TIME MACHINE
TOYS THAT DEFINED NINJA TURTLES
Not everything here is inventory. This is the collector map: major lines, eras and launches worth knowing.
1988–1997
Playmates classic line
Figures, mutants, vehicles and playsets turned TMNT into a toy-aisle institution.
MARKET SNAPSHOT2003
2003 animated line
Playmates refreshes the Turtles around the darker animated reboot.
MARKET SNAPSHOT2012
Nickelodeon era
A new animated series drives another major mass-market toy cycle.
MARKET SNAPSHOT2020s
Collector renaissance
Playmates, NECA and Super7 serve retro, premium and animation-specific collectors.
MARKET SNAPSHOTWHAT'S NEXT
UPCOMING RELEASES + EVENTS
Known dated releases, collector drops and franchise events. We can keep this feed updated as new announcements land.
November 2026
Cowabunga Forever Raphael vs. Bebop 2-Pack
Playmates lists the retro-inspired two-pack as coming to Target in November.
SOURCE / DETAILS →Coming soon
TMNT x G.I. Joe crossover figures
Playmates has multiple mash-up figures marked as coming soon.
SOURCE / DETAILS →