Tomart’s Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR ’97, PLAYMATES “NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION” (( April 1997 ))

Tomart's Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR '97, PLAYMATES "NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION / ..early N.M. logo  (( April 1997 ))

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★ ★

–>> Here’s some more Ghosts come to haunt the sewers from Toy Fair’s past !!

This artwork and early N.M. logo was being used by Mirage and Saban early on in the development of the live-action show. I recall seeing it multiple times on the official TMNT website.

Tomart's Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR '97, PLAYMATES "NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION (( April 1997 ))

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★ ★

This has been rescanned at a higher rez, and broken down to hi-light a better look at the prototypes and such presented within’ the magazine spread.

There’s a bit going on here including early prototypes of Venus and Dragon Lord, logos, and a very “DARTH VADER” – like, early Shredder prototype that’s quite pointy.

Pink-bandanas on Venus and a really cool paint job on DRAGON SKULL a.k.a The Dragon Lord.

The very comic-book, “DOONEY STYLED” Elite Guard in this line was the first “Shredder Elite Ninja” ever to be sculpted into a toy.

The Elite Guards don’t look like this in the show at all as they do on the fig.

It’s not mentioned much, but the story was supposed to go in that after Venus defeated Shredder and the N.Y. Foot Clan was disbanded, the Shredder’s Elite were to join Dragon Lord’s “THE RANK” army in lieu of the absence of the FOOT. Hopefully when Oroku Saki was to return, they would have rejoined him once again betraying their new Dragon master.

Tomart's Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR '97, PLAYMATES "NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION / ..early "VADER-esque" 'SHREDDER'  (( April 1997 ))

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★ ★

Connotations between “SHREDDER” and “Darth Vader” drove me nuts growing up – i heard it many times. But it’s pretty hard not to think of the Dark Lord with this early proto and SHARP version of Saki. The final figure looks immensely cool, one of my all time favourites.

Tomart's Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR '97, PLAYMATES "NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION / ..early "pink-bandana" Venus  (( April 1997 ))

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★ ★

Venus’s proto included pupils and a pink coloured banadana and wrappings.

NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION :: VENUS ..card backer ii  ; signed by Mitchell A. Lee Yuen - "RAPHAEL"  in N.M.  (( 1997 ))

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Tomart's Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR '97, PLAYMATES "NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION / ..early "DRAGON SKULL" the 'DRAGON LORD'   (( April 1997 ))

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★ ★

One of my favourites from the Teens’ Rouges Gallery. One has to presume that the Dragon Lord’s final facial look was not ready by the time he went to sculpt. The masked version would be the only version EVER to be manufactured and the same sculpt is used on his TURTLEFLAGE deluxe figure. He never wore the mask in the show, as you may recall. A “sculpted dragon-head” was promised for a future figure, maybe it was even sculpted at one point. But who knows. Again, the line went away after the second wave.

The cool paint wash on this highlights the sculpt a bit better on the prototype than on the manufactured figure. You can even see the upper “GREEN” portion of his face just a bit peaking above the face mask. The final figure just makes it look like he’s wearing a full, white head mask.

NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION :: "CAMO-CAPE TURTLEFLAGE" DISGUISING DRAGON LORD ..card backer ii (( 1997 ))

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Tomart's Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR '97, PLAYMATES "NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION / ..Eastman, vehicles & 'THUNDER THRASHERS TMNT'  (( April 1997 ))

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★ ★

 

Tomart's Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR '97, PLAYMATES "NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION / ..early Cycle assortment & 'Mutant Marauder'  (( April 1997 ))

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★ ★

The Biker , MEGA MOTORIN’ “Elite Guard” looks suspiciously like he’s wearing similar looking garb to the Rank Warriors. And none of the villains on the show ACTUALLY get a souped up ride like the cool red n’ purple, stealthy lookin’ speedster. Raph’s bike looks kinda similar to how it looks in the live show.

The big fat Mutant Marauder would be rereleased in the TMNT 2003 line tho’ it was redecorated a bit and didn’t feature in the animated show.

Tomart's Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR '97, PLAYMATES "NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION / ..early 'THUNDER THRASHERS' asst.  (( April 1997 ))

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★ ★

Early “T. Thrashers” protos include a pink-bandana Venus again, and she is wearing a top which actually looks cool on her.

For whatever reason, her final DLX Thrasher toy removed the top ( *GASP* ) and e’rythang just all umm — hangs OUT free-flowin’ in the breeze at the skate park.

Tomart's Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR '97, PLAYMATES "NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION / ..early 'THUNDER THRASHERS' "pink bandana & tank top" 'BLACKTOP BOARDIN' VENUS" Venus (( April 1997 ))

Tomart's Action Figure Digest #xx :: pgs.26, 27 TOY FAIR '97, PLAYMATES "NINJA TURTLES: THE NEXT MUTATION / ..Eastman in the showroom sewers  (( April 1997 ))..and there’s your buddy wandering his way thru’ the Toy Fair’s very own sewer system.

• •

N.Y. Toy Fair ’15 has wound down, but the hunt is just beginning for the collectors, kids, moms n’ dads EVERYWHERE !! ::

Back at Wonder Festival 2015, Prime 1 Studio showcased all four of their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014 Statues. Now we get a close up look at the Donatello Statue. **Prime 1 Studio has posted some official photos and some info for the upcoming release…-

Check out the full gallery on **TOY ARK and click ***Prime 1 Studio here for release info.

~ t

 

ACTION FIGURE NEWS & TOY REVIEW : “PLAYMATES TREKS ON INTO 1997” pgs. 6 & 7 (( 1997 ))

ACTION FIGURE NEWS & TOY REVIEW : "PLAYMATES TREKS ON INTO 1997" pg.7 / .. MUTANT MASTERS TMNT (( 1997 ))

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ACTION FIGURE NEWS & TOY REVIEW : "PLAYMATES TREKS ON INTO 1997" pg.6 (( 1997 ))

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ACTION FIGURE NEWS & TOY REVIEW : "PLAYMATES TREKS ON INTO 1997" pg.7 (( 1997 ))

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ACTION FIGURE NEWS & TOY REVIEW : "PLAYMATES TREKS ON INTO 1997" pg.7 / .. DINO TMNT (( 1997 ))

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 • •

Enough with a blast from Toy Fair’s past; we’re not just yet at Toy Fair 2015 and there’s already some striking images in the RELATED NOTES via Toy Ark. Starting off with the uber-limited and expensive; but beautiful ( pending your point of view ) PRIME 1 Studio offerings from Japan  starting off with peeks of production sample shots of the next two brothers in P1’s TMNT ’14 movie series..   ::

Prime-1-Studio-TMNT-2014-Michelangelo-Statue

~ t

“NINJA TURTLES” Movie :: SHREDDER { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } i (( 2014 ))

☣ ☣

–>> Neither movie accurate nor inaccurate;Varner Studio’s 2014 MOVIE shredder represents earlier ILM designs for Saki’s armor. One of the more talked about elements of the new film, thankfully this Shredder would reflect ‘somewhat’ more traditional incarnations of the character – if not an amalgam of many earlier incarnations.

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } ii (( 2014 ))

Like VARNER’s Foot Soldier in the line, the final look of the manufactured figure may not represent the final look of the characters depicted onscreen, however with some effort and modification ( and imagination ) one CAN amazing things with these toys to better reflect the images in the actual film.

Presented here is a Shredder not entirely accurate to the film, but perhaps a blend of those earlier designs Varner Studios worked off off for the villain and a color scheme & wash similar to the effect of the final version of the Samurai inspired armor. Along with some original elements Tokka added to enhance the toy.

 

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } ii (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER i (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER ii (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } iii (( 2014 ))

The studded cape of the figure is not present in the live-action portions of the film. However the illustrated / animated intro during Splinter’s voice-over features Shredder flanked by some armed Foot Soldiers. That image DOES feature a studded cape on Saki. From a certain point of view: the figure in reality emulates the early concept work for Saki, Eric Sacks mentions in the movie “upgrades” to the armor Shredder dons in the live-action. Retconning these facts in the movie, the figure hypothetically could be featuring an earlier version of Shredder’s armor PRE- the upgrades made by Eric Sacks and his crew.

 

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } iv (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } v (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } vi / ..accessories  (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } vii / Studded Cape (( 2014 ))

Tokka’s presentation also gives a nod to a late great movie-inspired toy-line of the late 1990s & early aughts.

Seen any good MOVIE Turtles customs ?? Share ’em in the comments section !!

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } viii / ..Nodachi Long Sword (( 2014 ))"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } ix / ..Nodachi Long Sword (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } x / ..Nodachi Long Sword (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xi / ..Kusarigama (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xiii / ..Kusarigama (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xiv / ..Kusarigama (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xv /  Movie marquee & poster (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xvi / ..with Basic MOVIE SHREDDER '14 (( 2014 ))"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xvii / ..with TMNT MOVIE SHREDDER '07 (( 2014 ))"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xviii / ..with 4KIDS SHREDDER '03 (( 2014 ))"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xix / ..with NT:The Next Mutation SHREDDER '97 (( 2014 ))"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xx / ..with Chef Boyardee SUPER SHREDDER '93 (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xxi / ..with Original SHREDDER '88 (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xxii (( 2014 ))"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xxiii (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xxiv (( 2014 ))

"NINJA TURTLES" Movie :: SHREDDER  { tOKKustom MOVIE MANIAC } xxv (( 2014 ))

• •

Related notes ::

November, 2014
12Secret History of the Foot Clan, Workprint Edition HC; TMNT New Animated Adventures #17; Tales of the TMNT, Vol. 6 TPB
19TMNT Legends: Soul’s Winter by Michael Zulli
26TMNT #40; TMNT/Ghostbusters #2

December, 2014
03TMNT/Ghostbusters #3; TMNT/Ghostbusters #1, 2nd printing
10TMNT New Animated Adventures #18; TMNT Animated, Vol. 5 TPB; TMNT Classics, Vol. 9 TPB; TMNT Annual 2012 Deluxe Limited Edition HC; TMNT/Ghostbusters #2, 2nd printing
17TMNT: Turtles In Time TPB
31TMNT #41

January, 2015
07TMNT Adventures, Vol. 9 TPB; TMNT Color Classics, Vol. 3 #1; TMNT #42
14TMNT New Animated Adventures #19; TMNT New Animated Adventures Vol. 4 TPB
21TMNT/Ghostbusters #4

 

~ t