TMNT Early Issues and Reprintings in Depth Part II of III

In Part II of my series on the early TMNT issues and reprints, we enter into Mirage Studios' years of expansion. While Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird were responsible for all of Mirage's 1984 and much of its 1985 output, in 1986 not only do they publish new, non-TMNT books but also take on new, young and talented artists to contribute to TMNT.  These years will lay the groundwork for the huge success of the TMNT as a licensed property, and it is documented in the pages of the TMNT comic book. Let's see how:

TMNT #6 1st Printing

Cover Date: 1986
Cover Artist: Laird (no signature visible, confirmed in TMNT #5 Turtle Tracks)
Cover Price: $1.50/$2.00
Publishing Date: February, 1986
Story & Artwork: Eastman & Laird
Letters: Steve Lavigne

Number of Copies Printed: 65,000
Number of Interior Pages: 48

• Inside Front Cover: Turtle Tracks & Reader Mail
• [“The Triceraton Homeworld”] (pages 1-38)
• Ad for TMNT #7 (shipping March 30)
• Ad for Gizmo #2 (shipping May 1) & Dark Horse Metal Miniatures (Sets A-C)
• Ad for TMNT #8 (shipping 2nd week of July) & Grimjack #26 (by First Comics, shipping May)
• Jack Kirby Petition
• Ad for “Prime Slime Tales” #1 (shipping April)
• “Zigbone the Cat in Catatronic Dreams” (by Rowen & Tony Basilicato & Jim Lawson, 5 pages)
• Inside Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by Willie Peppers & Jeff Gaither, 85)

This issue's Turtle Tracks is short and unsigned. This issue is identified as their first story for 1986. It talks about TMNT #7 as wrapping up the current storyline and featuring their first color story. The story is a four page TMNT collaboration between Eastman and Richard Corben, with Corben doing the inking and Eastman doing the rest. TMNT #7 is identified as the end of the current storyline. TMNT #8 is the issue which will feature the team up with Cerebus and is stated to be shipping sometime in July, after Donatello #1. Gizmo #1 and Prime Slime Tales #1 are mentioned as shipping on February 15 and April 15, respectively.

Three fan letters are reproduced. One of them mentions the TMNT buttons advertised in TMNT #4.

This issue introduces the character of Prime Leader Zanramon of the Triceraton Republic. The reporter Jim McNaughton will also appear in the next issue.

Grimjack #26 has a TMNT short story in it ("D'Ants Fever") and in color. There is artwork on the TMNT #8 ad showing Cerebus but he is drawn by Eastman and Laird, not Sim.

The Jack Kirby Petition, signed by Eastman and Laird is not the first nor the last time Kirby will be treated with reverence in TMNT. The petition was an appeal to Marvel Comics to return Kirby's original artwork to him. Marvel eventually did return some of it.

The backup story has credits for both "Toni" and "Tony" Basilicato, "Tony" is typically used for men and he is a man.

TMNT #7 1st Printing

Cover Date: 1986

Cover Artist:  Eastman

Cover Price: $1.75/$2.50

Publishing Date: May, 1986
Story & Artwork: Eastman & Laird
Letters: Lavigne

Number of Copies Printed: 95,000
Number of Interior Pages: 50

• Inside Front Cover: Turtle Tracks (Eastman)
• [“All is Revealed”] (pages 1-24)
• “You Had to be There” by Eastman & Corben (pages 1-4, color)
• [“All is Revealed”] (pages 25-37, continued)
• Ad for Donatello #1 (shipping May 30)
• Ad for TMNT #8 (shipping 2nd week of July)
• Mirage News
• "Bade Biker and Orson" by Lawson (5 pages)
• Ad for How to Draw TMNT from Solson Publishing (shipping July)
• Inside Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by Lawson, 85)

TMNT #7 is a very notable issue. It finishes the storyline begun in TMNT #3 or #4 (or arguably #2). The backup story is contained in the middle of the book for the first time instead of at the end. More importantly the story is in color, the first time Mirage or anyone else published a color TMNT story. The paper stock used for the color pages is not the standard newsprint, it uses heavy and glossy white stock. These pages do not tend to brown with age, temperature and humidity nearly as quickly as newsprint. The price increase for this issue appears to be temporary, presumably due to the color story and paper stock. Eastman contributed the pencils and the coloring, Corben the inks and tones.

Eastman's write up in Turtle Tracks discusses how much inspiration Corben had on him in detail, calling him "my biggest artistic influence overall." He calls the story arc (from TMNT #4) their "Secret Crisis of Infinite Wars" saga. Prime Slime Tales is shipping April 15, Donatello #1 May 30, TMNT #2 3rd print June 10 and TMNT #8 July 15.

There is also a list of distributors on the inside front cover. The geographic coverage is broad, including the west coast, Hawaii and Canada.

The "Mirage News" page makes its first appearance in this issue. Apologies were made that TMNT #7 was over three weeks late. As the book was supposed to ship on March 30, this puts the book's actual publication to April. Shipping dates not mentioned elsewhere in the book include Gizmo #2 (June 20), Prime Slime Tales #2 (June 30), TMNT #9 (September 30), TMNT #3 2nd print (October 15), Gobbledygook (Vol 2.) #1 (November 1) and Leonardo #1 (December 15). 

"Son of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness", which is acknowledged as a placeholder for the final title, ships late June. This is the second RPG book from Palladium's TMNT RPG. This will be released as "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures!" and feature an exclusive story "New York Ninja - - Starring Donatello!" by Eastman, Laird and Ryan Brown.
Grimjack #26 is given a shipping date from May 7, 1986 and the backup story featuring the turtles will be in color.

There is a full-page ad for Solson Publishing's How to Draw Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This book has interior artwork mostly by Eastman and Laird, unlike other Solson's TMNT books. Those books general limit their participation to the covers.

Donatello #1

Cover Date: None

Cover Artist: Laird

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.10
Publishing Date: February, 1986/May, 1986

Story & Artwork: Eastman & Laird
Letters: Lavigne

Number of Copies Printed: projected over 100,000
Number of Interior Pages: 40

• Interior Front Cover: Turtle Tracks (Laird)
• “Kirby and the Warp Crystal” (pages 1-12)
• Mirage News (page 13)
• “Kirby and the Warp Crystal” (pages 14-32, cont.)
• Ad for Gizmo #2 (by Michael Dooney, shipping April 30) & Prime Slime Tales #2 (by Tony Basilicato & Jim Lawson, “coming soon”)
• T-Shirt Iron-Ons (T1-T8)
• Ad for How to Draw TMNT and TMNT Martial Arts Training Manual (from Solson Publications)
• Ad for TMNT #8 (shipping second week in July)
• Ad for Dark Horse Metal Miniatures (Sets A-F)
• Ad for Grunts (publishing 1987)
• Jack Kirby Petition
• Ad for TMNT Glow-in-the-Dark T-Shirts
• Interior Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by Stan Sakai)

The Mirage publishing date and order of this book is incorrect, multiple advertisements for the book in prior issues state it will be released in May, 1986.

Mirage News is identical to that in TMNT #7.

This issue introduces Kirby.

The Turtle Tracks column is an appreciation of Jack Kirby. When Eastman and Laird first met, they discovered through a piece of art Laird had on his wall their mutual appreciation for the man. After Laird ends his singular piece, there is a plural thank you for just about every independent comic creator of note as well as famous names like Frank Miller and Alan Moore.

The number of copies is from Turtlemania Special #1 and it is the last book for which numbers of copies is given.

The pin-up page is printed on its side.

The Miniatures ad shows off Set D for the first time, consisting of 4 foot clan soldiers. It also mentions Sets E and F as available but does not show illustrations of those. Set E consists of two Triceraton Commandos and one Flying Harness seen in TMNT#5 and Set F is all four turtles in new poses with energy weapons. The order form only has boxes for Sets A-E.

TMNT #2, 3rd Printing

Cover Date: 1986 (Artwork)

Cover Artist: Corben

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.10
Publishing Date: June, 1986
Story & Artwork: Eastman & Laird
Letters:  Eastman

Number of Interior Pages: 48

• Inside Front Cover: Turtle Tracks (New, Eastman) & Ad for B-Movie Comics
• [“TMNT vs. the Mousers”] (pages 1-38)
• Ad for TMNT #8 (shipping 2nd week of July)
• Ad for Dark Horse Metal Miniatures (Sets A-F)
• Ad for T-Shirt Iron-Ons (T1-T8)
• Mirage News
• Ad for Gizmo #3 (shipping July 30)
• Backup story by Fred Hembeck (5 pages)
• Inside Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by Mark A. Paniccia 1986)

TMNT #2's 3rd print is the first time a TMNT book has a cover not done by Eastman or Laird. The scene also has two more mousers shown than the story did. The backup story in this issue has never been reprinted. The Turtle Tracks column is new and not reprinted from the prior printings.

The Turtle Tracks column tells the tale of TMNT #2's printing troubles. The short version is that for both of the previous printings of TMNT #2 the pages came in with very variable quality. Some pages were misprinted, others were misaligned and still others had non-uniform ink coverage Eastman and Laird had to go through each issue and each page by hand to cull out the unacceptable books and to get the passable ones out to customers and stores. Of the 15,000 copies they ordered of the 1st printing, they estimate they lost 2,000 due to a lack of acceptable quality. They also wanted a glossy cover stock like TMNT #1 but the printer gave them matte finish stock. The 2nd printing of 30,000 copies suffered from the same problems.

I was initially disappointed when I bought my 2nd print of TMNT #2. It has panels printed so far up on the page that sometimes borders and even a sliver of artwork is cropped off and some panels' printing start to fade as the artwork approaches the outer edge of the page. My 3rd print (in the standard comic book size) suffers from no such issues.

The Mirage News page is identical to that in TMNT #7. The Gizmo #3 ad says the book will have a pin-up page crossover with Gizmo and Raphael. The backup story has never been reprinted.

TMNT #8

Cover Date: 1986 (Artwork)

Cover Artist: Eastman

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.10

Publishing Date: July, 1986

Story & Artwork: Eastman, Laird, Dooney, Dave Sim & Gerhard

Letters: Lavigne & Sim

Number of Copies Printed: 135,000

Number of Interior Pages: 48

• Interior Front Cover: Turtle Tracks (Eastman)
• [“Team Up with Cerebus”] (pages 1-45)
• Mirage News
• Reader Letters (2 pages)
• Interior Rear Cover: Parody Comic Book Announcement

This is a crossover issue with the Turtles and Sim’s character Cerebus the Aardvark. Cerebus was a black & white comic book series first published by Aardvark-Vanaheim in December 1977. It ran for 300 issues, ending in March, 2004. Cerebus was one of the first self-published comics, undoubtedly an inspiration for Eastman and Laird’s own self-publishing venture.

Turtle Tracks is printed sideways in this issue, probably to accommodate for the sketch of Cerebus and Donatello on the side. Eastman states that he had been following Cerebus since issue #23 and was able to catch up on issues he missed through the Swords of Cerebus reprint series.

In this issue Eastman and Laird did all the artwork except for drawings of Cerebus, who was drawn by Sim. Sim also handled the lettering for Cerebus’ dialog. Sim originally handled all Cerebus comic book artwork himself, Gerhard took over the backgrounds for the Cerebus comic from issue #65 onward and tones for Sim’s artwork in TMNT #8.

Mirage News has new information in this issue. First there is an announcement that Mirage is moving from Sharon to Northampton, MA. The mailing address is for a P.O. Box out of Haydenville, MA 01039. There is a thank you to Dooney for helping them finish the inking and toning on this issue “on time.” Shipping dates include Prime Slime Tales #2 (August 10), Gizmo #3 (August 10), TMNT #9 (September 30), Bade Biker #1 (September 15), Gobbledygook (Vol 2.) #1 (November 1) and Leonardo #1 (December 15). Turtle Soup #1 and Grunts #1 are planned anthology series, both shipping mid-1987. Neither would get beyond issue #1 but there would be a second volume of Turtle Soup a few years later.

The second TMNT RPG game is mentioned but unnamed, as are Solson’s “How to Draw the TMNT” and “TMNT Martial Arts Training Manual.” A big announcement is the TMNT Graphic Novel from First Comics republishing TMNT #1-#3 in color. Finally there is a mention of a crossover with Bub Burden’s Flaming Carrot. That crossover will come but not for many years.

Over a page of reader letters are included (a lack of which in prior issues is noted), including two discussing the events of TMNT #6 and another criticizing the “space stuff – Star Wars is dead!” There is a neat fan computer art rendering of Donatello. On the second page there is a solicitation for original artwork by several artists, not just Jack Kirby. They also like artwork of dinosaurs, especially triceratops… Finally there is an apology that Brown’s Rion 2099 backup story could not make the deadline for this issue. There is a small ad for Rion 2099 #1 in a corner of the page, which will not be published by Mirage. There is a small drawing of two of the turtles saying that the backup story will be in TMNT #9. While there will be a backup story of sorts in TMNT #9, it will not be by Brown.

Rather than the usual pin-up page, the interior rear page of the book is a parody of an announcement for an “all new, original” comic book. This is supposed to be published by “Bandwagon Productions” for $950.00 (1st printing). The title is very long and covers most of the page, has the words “teenage”, “mutant” and ends with “killer kiwis” and is supposedly by “Chet Pace.” (Eastman and Laird liked the name “Chet”.)

The number of copies printed is taken from the 2023 Kickstarter for the TMNT #8 reprint. This number is well in line with the expansion of TMNT print counts as chronicled for every previous issue in Turtlemania Special #1. Extra copies for Cerebus completionists would be in order. I have read that the circulation of Cerebus was about 30,000-35,000 around this time. Sim would have access to the printing count planned for the book, whether he was paid a flat fee or a royalty for every copy sold or some combination of both, he would have to been privy to the number of copies planned to be sold. I have heard the number 135,000 bandied about but without a source I am not inclined to take that number as fact without reference to a contemporaneous source but it is plausible.

TMNT #9

Cover Date: Sept, 1986

Cover Artist: Eastman, Laird & Michael Dooney

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.25

Publishing Date: December, 1986

Story & Artwork: Eastman, Laird & Dooney, Ryan Brown & Jim Lawson

Letters: Lavigne

Number of Interior Pages: 40

• Interior Front Cover: Turtle Tracks (Laird)
• “The Passing” (pages 1-31)
• Ad for Bade Biker and Orson #1 by Lawson (shipping October 25)
• Ad for Rockola by Brown
• Ad for Dark Horse Metal Miniatures (Sets A-G)
• “Rip in Time” – excerpt from and ad for Rip in Time #2 by Richard Corben & Bruce Jones (6 pages)
• Interior Front Cover: Pin-up Page by Dooney

Turtle Tracks identifies who did what on this book as follows:

Breakdowns & Scripting - Laird

Pencils & Ink - Dooney, Eastman, Laird, Brown

Cover - Penciled by Eastman, Inked by Laird, Painted by Dooney

The credits on the title page give Eastman and Laird story credit and add Lawson to the credits for Inks and Tones.

The Miniatures ad now offers Set G, which are the four Terror Bears from the TMNT and Other Strangeness RPG. The Terror Bears also made a return appearance in the first supplement to that game, TMNT Adventures! Sets E-G are not visually depicted but the order form has enough boxes drawn on it to order any of the seven sets.

This issue introduces Gosei Hattori and his clan.

TMNT #3 2nd Printing

Cover Date: Nov. 1988

Cover Artist: Laird & Lawson, 1986

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.25

Publishing Date: October-November, 1986

Story & Artwork: Eastman & Laird

Letters: Lavigne

Number of Interior Pages: 48

• Inside Front Cover: Turtle Tracks (New, Laird)
•  [“The Great Chase”] (pages 1-38)
• Ad for Leonardo #1 (shipping December 15)
• Ad for Gizmo #4 (shipping November 15)
• Ad for Bade Biker & Orson #2
• Ad for Rockola (shipping January 1 ”1986”)
• “Complete Carnage & Radical” (by Eastman & Lawson, 6 pages)
• Inside Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by Bernie Shuman, 1986)

The cover date given on this book does not correctly indicate when this printing was published. The artwork has a signature for "Laird and Lawson" from which one can barely make out the "6" in the year. The backup story, the pinup page and almost all the ads have 1986 dates on them.

As stated in Turtle Tracks, Lavigne relettered this issue (he did not reletter TMNT #2 3rd print). Laird complains about the original printer for #3's 1st printing and tells the story of how they found a new printer. They lost 10,000 copies of their 50,000 copies ordered for the 1st print for a week. The new printer, Southern Duchess News, had been able to put out a quality book and freed them from having to pack and ship off the comics to dealers and distributors. My TMNT #3 1st printing suffers from some splotchy and fading print like TMNT #2 but thankfully does not have misaligned panels.

The ad for Rockola gives a shipping date of January 1, 1986 but considering this issue was published in late 1986, 1987 was meant to be given.

Leonardo #1

Cover Date: Dec, 1986

Cover Artist: Laird

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.25

Publishing Date: December, 1986

Story & Artwork: Eastman, Laird, Steve Bissette. Dooney, Lawson, Brown

Letters: Lavigne

Number of Interior Pages: 32

• Interior Front Cover: Turtles Tracks (Laird)
• “What Goes Around . . . Comes Around!” (pages 1-30)
• Ad for Bad Biker and Orson #2 (by Lawson)
• Ad for Gizmo #4 (by Dooney, shipping December 25, 1986)
• Interior Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by Andy, 86)

The credits on this issue are vague in identifying who did exactly what on the book. Turtle Tracks is no help here either, it mentions the same names without identifying their roles.

The Turtle Tracks column says that the book did not meet its original ship date of December 1, but it is planned to be at the printer by December 15 and printed and shipped by Christmas. The column notes that it is written before the book is completed due to the covers needing to be completed before the insides. The Turtle Track column also complains about a plethora of low quality black and white comics jumping on TMNT’s bandwagon. Laird predicts these will eventually be driven out of the market due to their low quality and cheap marketing gimmicks, taking down some overstocked comic book stores with them. This rather ties in with the parody which took over the spot where the pinup page would normally be in TMNT #9.

This issue marks the third appearance of The Foot and the second appearance of The Shredder.

TMNT #10

Cover Date: April, 1987

Cover Artist: Laird

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.25

Publishing Date: April, 1987

Story & Artwork: Eastman, Laird & Dooney, Ryan Brown & Jim Lawson

Letters: Lavigne

Number of Interior Pages: 44

• Interior Front Cover: Turtles Tracks (Eastman)
• “Silent Partner” (pages 1-5)
• Ad for Tales of the TMNT #1 (shipping mid-May, 2 pages)
• “Silent Partner” (pages 6-37, cont.)
• Ad for Rockola (by Brown)
• Ad for Dark Horse Metal Miniatures (Sets A-G)
• Ad for Gizmo #5 (by Dooney, shipping April 10)
• Ad for T-Shirt Iron-Ons (T1-T8)
• Ad for Tales of the TMNT #1 (shipping mid-May)
• Interior Front Cover: Pin-up Page (by Richard Konkle & Jim Groat, 86)

Turtle Tracks has announced a new format starting with this book with credit to Brown. Leonardo is shown at the bottom of the page and his katana has all the publishing and copyright information contained therein.

The issue was supposed to be released two months later than originally intended. Tales of the TMNT is announced with the intent that Mirage would publish a TMNT book monthly as of mid-May, with the main book and Tales alternating months. An eight page preview is said to be included in TMNT #4, 2nd printing, shipping May 1.

The third Palladium Books TMNT RPG product, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Guide to the Universe is mentioned. It will have art by Eastman and Laird and a new 10-page TMNT story. The second First Comics graphic novel, reprinting TMNT #4-#6 and the epilogue from TMNT #3, all in color, is scheduled to ship in June.

Page 20 of this issue (shown above) is unique of any TMNT book of this time in that it is three times the width of a normal comic book page. Two-page spreads are not rare in early TMNT books but three-page spreads are unheard of and will not be repeated. This page folds out on the right to give a full overview of the Shredder and the Foot on the left side of the Second Time Around Shop and the TMNT on the right side of the shop. The paper stock is not the normal newsprint but slightly thicker white stock not unlike the pages used for TMNT #7’s color story. Pages 19, 21 and 22 are also white due to the way the pages were printed. When page 20 is printed in a collected book, it has to be “letterboxed” so the full artwork fits on two pages.

Casey Jones is reintroduced in this issue. If you had not read Raphael #1 (and if you caught up on the original stories by reading the First Comics’ Graphics Novels like I did, you would not have read that story in them) then you may have wondered who he is (like Donatello), why he shows up to help the TMNT or how Raphael knows him.

TMNT #4 2nd Printing

Cover Date: May 1987

Cover Artist: Dooney

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.25

Publishing Date: May, 1987

Story & Artwork: Eastman & Laird

Letters: Lavigne

Number of Interior Pages: 48

• Inside Front Cover: Turtle Tracks (New)
•  [“Rescuing Master Splinter”] (pages 1-37)
• “The Survival Game” (by Brown & Lawson, pages 1-8)
• Ad for Tales of the TMNT #1 (shipping mid-May)
• Ad for TMNT #11 (shipping June 1)
• Ad for Bade Biker and Orson #4 (shipping June 1)
• Inside Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by Kip Omolade, ‘86)

TMNT #4's 2nd printing is an example of a rare event where a 2nd printing may be more valuable than a 1st printing. This is due to the cover. While Dooney's art is not original in its conception because he reworked Laird's original cover for TMNT #4, it is especially iconic because the Dooney version was used for the box and label art for the US releases of the Konami's first NES TMNT game.

The new format of the Turtle Tracks on the inside front cover now gives the month and year of publication. The Turtles Tracks column says the remaining issues of the TCRI story arc will be reprinted later this year (TMNT #5-7).

There was an error when this book came back from the printer initially as it used the wrong cover, the cover for Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (by Brown and also released in May, 1987) instead of the Dooney cover. Of the 60,000 copies erreonously printed, 1,000 copies managed to escape destruction and these copies are significantly more expensive than TMNT #4 with either correct cover. The erroneous cover still has a white No. 4 box and "Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" title. The backup story “The Survival Game” is a preview of Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

TMNT #11

Cover Date: June, 1987

Cover Artist: Eastman

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.25

Publishing Date: June, 1987

Story & Artwork: Eastman & Laird

Letters: Lavigne

Number of Interior Pages: 40

• Interior Front Cover: Turtles Tracks (Eastman)
• “True Stories” (pages 1-38)
• Ad for Gizmo (by Dooney, no issue number given but #6 is due, coming in June)
• Ad for Turtle Soup (by various, shipping July 15)
• Interior Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by T.S. Brown & Kerry Moody)

Turtle Tracks explains that TMNT #10 took place on Christmas Eve, but due to the delays occasioned by too much work (TMNT Book II and TMNT & OS: Guide to the Universe), they were unable to ship the book until April. Hence TMNT #11 was written to explore the characters over a significant passage of time. They announce their convention appearances, they will be at Chicago Comicon from June 3-5 and San Diego Comic Con from August 6-9.

April’s first journal entry is dated January 15, 1987 and her last is on May 1. They have moved to Northampton, Massachusetts (where not concidentally Mirage was located). Both this issue (page 10, intersection of Main, King & Pleasant Streets) and TMNT #14 will have illustrations of the real Northampton in them.

TMNT #12

Cover Date: Sept, 1987

Cover Artist: Laird

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.25

Publishing Date: October, 1987

Story & Artwork: Laird

Letters: Lavigne

Number of Interior Pages: 40

• Interior Front Cover: Turtles Tracks (Laird)
• [“Survivalists”] (pages 1-36)
• Ad for Tales of the TMNT (#3 shipping October 30)
• Reader Letters (pages 38-39)
• Ad for Mirage Mobs Mid-Ohio, Turtle Tour 87, November 7-8
• Interior Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by Francis Mao, 1987)

This issue’s Turtle Tracks officially announces the new division of labor, Eastman and Laird will reduce their workloads by trading off issues. Eastman is said to be working on a new twelve page story to premiere in First Comics TMNT Book III, which republishes TMNT #7-#9 in color. Their “top-secret black and white TMNT graphic novel project”, which will become the TMNT Limited Edition Hardcover, is mentioned. Laird also mentions collaborations, Laird with Bissette on what would become Commandosaurs and Eastman with Melting Pot on which he will be joined by Eric Talbot. Finally he discuss Dooney’s nearly sole production on TMNT #13 but notes that there were contributions to the story by Brown, Eastman and himself.

This story does not have a title given in it which is unusual by this time. The term “survivalists” is used several times in the story but not on the title page.

The Reader Letters make a return appearance after four issues without them. There are ten published here and the issues discussed range from TMNT #8-#11. Reader opinions were mixed on the "Teamup with Cerebus" in TMNT #8 but more than one letter praised TMNT for a realistic portrayal of martial arts.

Raphael #1 2nd Printing

Cover Date: Nov. 1987

Cover Artist: Eastman

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.25

Publishing Date: November, 1987

Story & Artwork: Eastman & Laird

Letters: Lavigne

Number of Interior Pages: 40

• Inside Front Cover: Turtle Tracks (New)
• “Me, Myself and I” (pages 1-26)
• “Fun with Guns” (by Eastman, pages 1-14)
• Inside Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by Chris Baldwin)

Eastman did the covers for both the original and the reprint of Raphael #1, this printing shows an image derived from the backstory and is in full cover. Curiously, Raphael has a purple bandana on the cover art. This just before the time of the release of the TMNT toys by Playmates and cartoon TV mini-series by Murakami/Wolf/Swenson. Perhaps the colorization was of an early color scheme that was ultimately rejected that would have assigned Raphael the purple bandana. This reprint cover is almost unique in that the same artist, Eastman, did both the original and the reprint cover.

This issue's unattributed Turtle Tracks was full of enthusiasm for the Playmates toy line and the cartoon TV series from Murakami/Wolf/Swenson. These deals were acquired through the salesman talents of their licensing agent Mark Freedman, whom Eastman and Laird met through the introduction of Kevin Siembieda of Palladium Books in August of 1986.The author states that they (Eastman and Laird) had input into the design of Rocksteady and Bebop and noted that Krang bore more than a passing resemblance to the TCRI aliens. The five episode cartoon mini-series was slated to air in late December (it aired from December 28-January 1) and the toys would be available in February, 1988. The merchandising does not stop there, coloring books, puzzles, board games, a fan club and a comic book series based on the TV series are all mentioned.

The inside front cover says "Month 1987" instead of actually giving the month of publication.

TMNT #5 2nd Printing

Cover Date: Nov. 1987

Cover Artist: Dooney & Laird

Cover Price: $1.50/$2.25

Publishing Date: November, 1987

Story & Artwork: Eastman & Laird

Letters: Lavigne

Number of Interior Pages: 48

• Inside Front Cover: Turtle Tracks (New, Laird)
• [“Teaming up with Fugitoid”] (pages 1-32)
• Special Announcement & Ad for Playmates Toys (3 pages)
• [“Teaming up with Fugitoid”] (pages 33-37, continued)
• “Ghouls Night Out” (by Eric Talbot, 1987, pages 1-8)
• Inside Rear Cover: Pin-up Page (by Daarc, 87)

There is no artist signature for this reprint, and the Mirage site states that Dooney did the artwork but TMNTPedia says Laird on one page and Dooney on another. I am inclined to think that both men had a hand in the cover, there are stylistic similarities to the cover for TMNT #9 and both are credited for that one.

In this issue of Turtle Tracks, Laird discusses how Mirage has grown from him and Eastman to a stable of four other creators, Lavigne, Brown, Lawson and Talbot were persuaded to relocate to Massachusetts. They hope to get Dooney there too (and they will eventually). They mention that they have two TMNT books coming out bi-monthly plus special issues and a TMNT/Bade Biker cross-over that coming out next summer (it never did). They also mention Freedman's licensing deals.

The big event in this issue is the "Special Announcement" of the Playmates toy line and TMNT cartoon mini-series. Most of the text of this announcement is identical to the one given in Raphael #1 2nd print but it says here that the Playmates toys are to be released in January, 1988. The two-page spread that follows this announcement page shows all the earliest figures, the four Turtles, Splinter, April, Shredder, Rocksteady, Bebop and a Foot Soldier.

It is difficult to determine whether this book or Raphael #1 2nd printing was published first. If their reprints were published in order that their original printings were published, then their 2nd printings would follow the same order. They may have been published simultaneously. Both "announce" the same things but this book does it more prominently than Raphael #1 2nd printing. This suggests that TMNT #5 2nd printing may have been published first.

The main story seems to have been published in this printing without any toning work, there are no real grays, just inks. Fortunately this is a one-off issue, the other reprints have proper tones.

The inside front cover says "Month 1987" instead of actually giving the month of publication.

Bonus:

Turtlemania Special #1

Cover Date: 1986 (Artwork)

Cover Artist: Eastman & Laird

Cover Price: None

Publishing Date: March-April, 1986

Stories & Artwork: Eastman & Laird, Sim, Burden, Corben

Letters: Lavigne, Sim, Burden

Number of Interior Pages: 30

• Interior Front Cover: Editorial (by Robert Wilson, page 2)
• Table of Contents (page 3)
• Turtletalk (pages 4-5)
• TMNT Pinup Gallery (pages 6-12)
• Corben TMNT Preview (pages 13-14)
• Rogues Gallery (page 15)
• TMNT/Cerebus/Flaming Carrot Poster by Bob Burden (pages 16-17)
• Rogues Gallery (page 18-20)
• TMNT/Cerebus Preview (pages 21-26)
• Donatello Preview (pages 27-30)
• Interior Rear Cover: Ad for Metropolis

Even though this book was not published by Mirage, it cannot be left out of the discussion of early TMNT due to its historical importance.

Turtlemania Special #1 was fanzine published by Metropolis, a comic book store chain in Florida using the iconic robot from Fritz Lang’s 1926 classic silent film of the same name as its logo, and Wilson. It may have released in March 1986 according to a Laird letter dated March 1, 1986. However Bob Burden dated his artwork to April 28, 1986, so that release date is in question. It came in three editions as stated in the Editorial:

• Regular/White Cover, 3,000 copies
• Silver Cover, 100 copies, autographed and numbered
• Gold Cover, 10 copies, autographed and numbered with an original sketch on the back of the cover

The covers have the backgrounds given above but even the white cover edition commands high prices. The sketches on the ten Gold Covers are each unique. Don "Orapallo" is given credit for the cover color overlay (green on white). His surname was misspelled in the book, it is Oropallo. He did a "Hand-Colored Edition" of the book limited to 100 copies, but these are not new copies, they were colored from the 3,000 copies printed of the Regular/White Cover edition. This book is also smaller than a typical comic book.

This book is especially notable because it contains, in the Turtletalk section, printing numbers for all TMNT books and printings which had been published by this time. This covers TMNT #1, 1st printing to Donatello #1. I have used this source for the printing numbers given for the earlier issues in their header section but have included other contemporaneous evidence which may qualify the "official number."

Laird says he reads Love and Rockets, Nexus, Swamp Thing and Flaming Carrot on a regular basis, Eastman reads Dark Night, Daredevil, Fish Police, Nexus, Megaton Man and Cerebus.

The column talks about upcoming projects including Gobbeldygook Vol. 2, #1 and a new RPG with the working title of “Turtlestrangeness.” They also outline the plots for TMNT #8 and Donatello #1.

Publishing numbers are also given for Gizmo #1 (32,000) and Prime Slime Tales #1 (35,000). Both of these books’ second issues are projected to have print runs over 40,000.

The Turtletalk column, (clearly written by Wilson but no explicit credit is given) ends by stating that Eastman and Laird will be taking a break from TMNT #9 to leave the artwork to Dooney.

The previews show penciled but not inked panels except that Cerebus is fully inked and toned in the panels in which he appears. The work-in-progess of the TMNT #8 panels suggess that Eastman and Laird penciled in their portion, then Sim and Gerhard then fully implemented Cerebus onto the panel. Alternatively Sim could have done his artwork completely on empty panels using rough layouts as a guide but that would be much harder to do. Sim and Gerhard were located in Kitchener, Ontario while Eastman and Laird were still in Sharon, Connecticut at the time they collaborated in early 1986. Collaboration would have mainly been through the mail and telephone calls outside a few day’s visit.

Like Gobbeldygook #1-2, the front cover is considered page 1. The rear cover has the same illustrations of Leonardo and Raphael toward the bottom as seen on page 5, just slightly larger. This left a large empty space needed for the original sketches and the autographs.

Gobbledygook #1 (Vol. 2)

Cover Date: December, 1986

Cover Artist: Eastman & Laird (stated in the Index)

Cover Price: $3.50/$4.90

Publishing Date: December, 1986

Stories & Artwork: various, see below

Letters: Eastman, Lavigne, Laird, others

Number of Interior Pages: 92

• Welcome to Gobbledygook (Eastman)
• "Don’t Sleep on Main Street" (Eastman & Laird)
• "I’m Only a Loser"  (Eastman & Laird, 2 pages)
• "Technofear"  (Laird, 7 pages)
• Gallery (Laird, 4 pages)
• "The Crossing"  (Eastman, 7 pages)
• "The Adventures of Splat & Beggar" (Eastman & Laird, 5 pages)
• Splat and Beggar in “The Louder the Better” (Eastman & Talbot, 9 pages)
• Gallery (Laird, 5 pages)
• "You Had to be There" (Eastman & Corben, 4 pages)
• "The Cosmic Crows" (Lavigne, 7 pages)
• "Before the Cola Wars" (Eastman, Lawson, 6 pages)
• Gallery (Laird, 4 pages)
• "The Cosmic Crows" (Brown)
• "Pursuit" (Laird, 10 pages)
• "Out on a Limb" (Dooney)
• "That Old Sinking Feeling" (Dooney)
• "A Few Well Chosen Words" (Dooney)
• Gallery (Laird, 4 pages)
• Gizmo in "Shopping Spree" (Dooney, 4 pages)
• "Crazy Man"  (Eastman, Brown & Lawson, 8 pages)
• "The Cosmic Crows" (Brown)
• Index
• Ad for Bade Biker & Orson #2
• Barbarian (Laird)

This publication was not officially called volume 2, the original Gobbledygook #1-2 publications were extremely obscure and had a very low print run.

"Don’t Sleep on Main Street" & "I’m Only a Loser" were previously published in Gobbledygook #2. "You Had to be There" was previously published in color in TMNT #7 1st printing, here it is in black and white. Along with that story “Technofear” and “Crazy Man” are the other TMNT stories in this book.

Certain illustrations in the Galleries, which is exclusively Laird's artwork, had been previously published in Gobbledygook #1’s section “The Farout Art of Peter Laird.” These include the Triceraton battling octopoid robot, the dragon with spectacles illustrating a scroll and the five grotesque creatures in front of a stone arch.

8 interior pages from Gobbledygook #1 and Gobbledygook #2 have never been republished as far as I can tell.