Remembering TMNT

I remember being in Cosco in 87 shopping with my parents. I always hated going there cause there was no toy section but I remember my parents promising me if I behaved I could get a video. So try with all my little five year old might i fought the urge to run around and be wild. I remember going over to look at the videos and there it was. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I had never heard of this before, but it came with an action figure! After all that is what I really wanted not a video. They had four different ones a blue one, a red one, a purple one, and an orange one. I chose the red because it was my favorite color.

Getting home I sat down to watch this video, to see what it was this turtle action figure was part of. I was blown away. My little mind just was amazed by the fact that these Turtles where Ninjas and kicking bad guy butt. I was hooked. As the show came on TV and the toys began flooding the shelves I got my parents to take me out each week for doing chores to get a new figure. I was hooked.

I followed that show all the way tell the end even when it started jumping around time slots in my area. I went and saw all the live action movies in theaters, read the Archie comics. Heck I was even Raph for five Halloweens that I can remember. For me Turtles has been a part of my life for almost as long as I've been alive.

While I have not always followed all the different branches it was nice to know they where there in case I wanted to. As I got older my taste changed and the Mirage comics became my universe of choice. Yet to original cartoon still brought joy when I would pop it in.

It was in 2009 that TMNT celebrated its 25 years, 25 years of it being creator owned and published. I couldn't believe it. It had been so great I couldn't wait to see what the next 25 held. I was shocked when I heard that Peter Liard, one of the original creators and owners, had sold the rights to Nickelodeon. I felt betrayed. I don't know why I felt this way but I did. My first reaction was to sell my collection and move on. I actually did sell a few things. But I just stepped back and let my self calm down.

I started reading Mr. Liard's blog and realized that these four turtles had taken up most of his adult life. That he had grown away from his family and wanted time with them. That he was burnt out and wanted out. After finding out his thoughts and feelings I began to understand. I am happy that he has started a new page to his life. In fact I wish him well and hope that can enjoy his retirement.

Should he ever chose to use to option to print more comics that he retains then I will be there. If not well I wish him well and thank him for the memories.