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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History
Discover the complete story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the first time–from their humble beginnings in black-and-white comics created in a home studio in Dover, New Hampshire, to their multimillion-dollar breakout success, and their position as four of the best-loved characters of all time.
Featuring interviews with every key figure in the Turtles’ evolution, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History presents the tale straight from the mouths of those who were there, including co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, animation legend Fred Wolf, creature effects maestro Brian Henson, and even the man behind the “Ninja Rap,” Vanilla Ice.
In visually stunning detail, this book explores each iteration of the Turtles from the past to the present, including the hit animation show from Nickelodeon and the Michael Bay–produced live-action movie from Paramount starring Megan Fox. Bringing together the rarest art and artifacts from three decades of TMNT comics, TV shows, and films, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History leaves no shell unturned!
Featuring interviews with every key figure in the Turtles’ evolution, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History presents the tale straight from the mouths of those who were there, including co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, animation legend Fred Wolf, creature effects maestro Brian Henson, and even the man behind the “Ninja Rap,” Vanilla Ice.
In visually stunning detail, this book explores each iteration of the Turtles from the past to the present, including the hit animation show from Nickelodeon and the Michael Bay–produced live-action movie from Paramount starring Megan Fox. Bringing together the rarest art and artifacts from three decades of TMNT comics, TV shows, and films, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History leaves no shell unturned!
192 pages, Hardcover
First published June 24, 2014
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485 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 10, 2016
This a great book to read up on the 30 year history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
July 12, 2015
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles began their existence in 1983 as a simple sketch on paper - a joke between friends (Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird) passing the time in their cramped studio space in Massachusetts. The turtles quickly went on to become one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons of the late '80s and the early '90s. This book tells the whole story behind the TMNT franchise from its beginnings to today. Loved reading this as the turtles were a huge part of my life growing up and still today. Recommended to all TMNT fans.
August 18, 2014
If you like TMNT, READ THIS BOOK!!
February 7, 2017
He sido fan de las tortugas ninja por... toda mi vida y no tenía idea de toda la historia que se esconde detras de sus multiples encarnaciones y de sus creadores. Imprescindible para fans.
March 25, 2021
Every man who aspires toward well-roundedness should also aspire to embody all four ninja turtles.
November 21, 2023
If I could be able to rate this 4.5-4.7 ⭐ I would—giving it a perfect "5" is a tad high for me, but "4" is way too low—I guess this is from purely rounding up.
I didn't even know this book existed until I saw a listing of it online one day, and if I hadn't been on a fixation revisiting my interest in TMNT I wouldn't have given it a second look. But I guess the stars aligned on this because due to said recent fixation, I bought it for a really great deal of $5 and was an excellent read from start to finish! And I didn't miss out on anything, as this particular book I picked up was complete with all the inserts and freebies included (things that are commonly missing when it comes to secondhand/thrifted books).
It was fun reading into the long (visual!) history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise from its humble beginnings as what was essentially a shitpost shared between two friends made into an indie comic to a multi-million franchise that spanned countless toys, comic books, many movies and a handful of memorable TV shows, among many others.
I can't really speak on sections I either haven't grown up with/knew personally (like the sections dedicated 1980's cartoon, the ones dedicated to the early live action movies, etc.) but one personal gripe I have is that the book's section dedicated to the 2003 cartoon, while informative and thorough, leaned into the "Back to the Sewers" art too much. I would've loved to see more concepts and artworks for the first five seasons of the 2003 show (especially since that was what encompassed the show's run prior to the network retooling it to be lighter in tone in "Fast Forward" onward), and this strange fixation toward the BttS art kind of ruined the vibe for me.
(Especially given that, while "Fast Forward" may still have its fans, "Back to the Sewer" in particular is usually regarded as the lowest point among peers who experienced the 2003 show.)
I've seen the news that this book would be revised to include subsequent additions to the Turtles franchise—namely, 2018's Rise of the TMNT, the recent Mutant Mayhem, to name a couple—as well as reworking some of the already existing chapters, so I'm hoping the chapter dedicated to the 2003 series gets reworked as well. (Maybe mentions of some of the truly lost (unreleased) episodes and arcs? But that's just wishful thinking.)
I didn't even know this book existed until I saw a listing of it online one day, and if I hadn't been on a fixation revisiting my interest in TMNT I wouldn't have given it a second look. But I guess the stars aligned on this because due to said recent fixation, I bought it for a really great deal of $5 and was an excellent read from start to finish! And I didn't miss out on anything, as this particular book I picked up was complete with all the inserts and freebies included (things that are commonly missing when it comes to secondhand/thrifted books).
It was fun reading into the long (visual!) history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise from its humble beginnings as what was essentially a shitpost shared between two friends made into an indie comic to a multi-million franchise that spanned countless toys, comic books, many movies and a handful of memorable TV shows, among many others.
I can't really speak on sections I either haven't grown up with/knew personally (like the sections dedicated 1980's cartoon, the ones dedicated to the early live action movies, etc.) but one personal gripe I have is that the book's section dedicated to the 2003 cartoon, while informative and thorough, leaned into the "Back to the Sewers" art too much. I would've loved to see more concepts and artworks for the first five seasons of the 2003 show (especially since that was what encompassed the show's run prior to the network retooling it to be lighter in tone in "Fast Forward" onward), and this strange fixation toward the BttS art kind of ruined the vibe for me.
(Especially given that, while "Fast Forward" may still have its fans, "Back to the Sewer" in particular is usually regarded as the lowest point among peers who experienced the 2003 show.)
I've seen the news that this book would be revised to include subsequent additions to the Turtles franchise—namely, 2018's Rise of the TMNT, the recent Mutant Mayhem, to name a couple—as well as reworking some of the already existing chapters, so I'm hoping the chapter dedicated to the 2003 series gets reworked as well. (Maybe mentions of some of the truly lost (unreleased) episodes and arcs? But that's just wishful thinking.)
November 27, 2023
This is the second visual history of Mr. Farago's that I've read, the other being the incredible visual history of Batman, and man what an absolute treat these books are! In the edition that I read, you are getting the complete history of the TMNT: from their humble beginnings as a comic book created by 2 aspiring artists sharing a house in New Hampshire to the absolute entertainment behemoth that most of us grew up with and still love to this day. The edition that I read ends with the first Michael Bay produced TMNT film. There is an updated version being released in the near future that runs all the way up to Mutant Mayhem, so you might want to hold off and wait for that edition to come out.
This book is so much more than the already intriguing history of the turtles, as almost every page has inserts stuck to them like replications of original fan mail letters, vintage Comic-Con flyers and more. It even comes with a reproduction of the very first issue of the TMNT comic! For Turtles fans or anyone interested in how pop culture icons came to be, this is an absolute no-brainer purchase.
This book is so much more than the already intriguing history of the turtles, as almost every page has inserts stuck to them like replications of original fan mail letters, vintage Comic-Con flyers and more. It even comes with a reproduction of the very first issue of the TMNT comic! For Turtles fans or anyone interested in how pop culture icons came to be, this is an absolute no-brainer purchase.
August 17, 2025
For anyone interested in the history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the creative history - not the narrative), this book will pretty much give you all the info you might wish to know. It’s also relatively “unpolished” (which is to say, it acknowledges the tensions and intermittent frustrations of the various creative forces behind the property, without ever degenerating into mud-slinging) in its portrayal of real people dealing with (at first) a (seemingly) overnight sensation.
There are some sections which will appeal to greater or lesser degrees - depending on the reader’s preference for “Turtle era”, but even the sections dealing with eras that might not be to the reader’s particular taste, the overwhelming love of everyone involved toward the property, and the evident desire of everyone to create “the best Turtles for their moment in time” always comes through.
Throw in wealth of imagery, sketches, and art, and the book lands solidly as “must read-must have” for TMNT fans of any era or age.
There are some sections which will appeal to greater or lesser degrees - depending on the reader’s preference for “Turtle era”, but even the sections dealing with eras that might not be to the reader’s particular taste, the overwhelming love of everyone involved toward the property, and the evident desire of everyone to create “the best Turtles for their moment in time” always comes through.
Throw in wealth of imagery, sketches, and art, and the book lands solidly as “must read-must have” for TMNT fans of any era or age.
September 7, 2020
I really enjoyed learning more of the history of this franchise. I was a fan early on, back around the 5th issue and way before the toys or the kiddie version. It was all the buzz in my local comic book store in Somerville NJ. (Quality Comics was the name). If you like the turtles I highly recommend this!
June 17, 2023
A must have book for fans of all Ages, nicely illustrated, well-written and sympathetic to the franchise. Not in depth but good, with supplements in the book pieces of paper and end of book has a large envelope with poster and replica of first issue of series comic. I am glad I got one at a good price.
July 13, 2017
Was very interesting to see the history of the franchise, I also enjoyed all the pull outs samples of old fliers and the like. Was a nice touch.
November 20, 2017
Essential for fans of the Turtles as well as fans of comic book artwork in general. Tons of fantastic pieces in here.
December 10, 2018
This is a totally tubular tome!
Cowabunga!
Cowabunga!
May 8, 2020
Brief, but I liked the visual artifacts.
October 30, 2022
Lots of attachments and photos. Sometimes hard to follow, but enjoy reading about the movies, toys, comics, and tv series
August 22, 2024
This was a lot of fun!
A must-have for any shellhead's bookshelf!
A must-have for any shellhead's bookshelf!
March 19, 2017
A great collective that shows the origin and eventual takeoff of America's four favorite turtles. Fans will enjoy the various "extras" and artwork add-ons included in this gem.
July 30, 2016
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History is a great source not only to learn how the Turtles began and changed over the years but also to get the stories of those who worked on them. Each chapter was fun and I loved the pictures and inserts (except a couple of times I was afraid I might pull one out by mistake). All through the book, everyone told their stories and journeys with the Turtles and I liked how no one was villainized when things and relationships changed between the people (I don't know why they would but it just seems to happen in some books). The book comes with a post and a copy of the original comic. I was first introduced to the Turtles by TV Teddy and the 1980's series episode where Leo thinks he is a Musketeer. Years later, I looked into them again and found the 4Kids version running on TV and really got to know them and loved the adventures. After reading the original comic, I was surprised how dark it originally was and wonder if I would have continued to have an interest in them if I had read that first (I honestly don't see the difference between vengeance and revenge which is a big part of the first comic). But, I think I will continue my interest in the turtles and will read the comics. One thing I wish had been done differently (and this is just a personal opinion) was the chapter on the 4Kids TV Series because I would have like to have known more about it and I would have preferred the animation before the last season's instead of what they had. This is my preference because this was the version I really got to know the Turtles in so it is kinda important to me. Beautiful, colorful, and detailed book on the history and growth of the Turtles and I am looking forward to where they are headed next.
July 15, 2014
While this is called "The Ultimate Visual History," when I pre-ordered it, I always thought it would be like a DK book. But it's far more than that.
This book IS The Ultimate Visual History. Sure there are pictures from the cartoons, comics, and even sketches, but it has far more than that. There are scripts, letters from fan cards, press releases, flyers, and so on. And they're not part of the actual page like you might think. They're glued(?) to the page. They're not too obtrusive nor will they fall or tear off though they do feel that way.
However, I think the one thing this book does best is that it doesn't matter what type of Turtle fan you are. It doesn't matter whether you're a fan of the comics, movies, games, or cartoons. It takes you through it's entire history and will show you how ALL of the different aspects of TMNT. How it changed over the years and more importantly, influenced and took hold of the world. So if you have ANY interest in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you should pick up this book!
There's also one last thing that I almost forgot to read. At the end of the book, there's a reprinting of the first TMNT comic. While I read the current IDW comics, I came in through the 80s cartoon and watched the live action movies. The original comic was radical departure from what I was used to, but it was still awesome. I can see how a comic like that kickstarted everything.
Cowabunga dude!
This book IS The Ultimate Visual History. Sure there are pictures from the cartoons, comics, and even sketches, but it has far more than that. There are scripts, letters from fan cards, press releases, flyers, and so on. And they're not part of the actual page like you might think. They're glued(?) to the page. They're not too obtrusive nor will they fall or tear off though they do feel that way.
However, I think the one thing this book does best is that it doesn't matter what type of Turtle fan you are. It doesn't matter whether you're a fan of the comics, movies, games, or cartoons. It takes you through it's entire history and will show you how ALL of the different aspects of TMNT. How it changed over the years and more importantly, influenced and took hold of the world. So if you have ANY interest in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you should pick up this book!
There's also one last thing that I almost forgot to read. At the end of the book, there's a reprinting of the first TMNT comic. While I read the current IDW comics, I came in through the 80s cartoon and watched the live action movies. The original comic was radical departure from what I was used to, but it was still awesome. I can see how a comic like that kickstarted everything.
Cowabunga dude!
April 17, 2015
I have always considered myself something of a Turtles fan (which might have been a bit optimistic as I haven't read the comic books). Between the various TV series and movies and reading up on them on Wikipedia, I had thought myself pretty knowledgeable. Wrong! There was so much I didn't know. I thought this would take me forever to read, but I blew threw it in less than two days, somewhat surprised at my own ignorance. It was informative and interesting and chock full of artifacts. It is a great resource to any existing can looking either to fill out their knowledge base or merely reminisce or to new fans looking to understand the phenomenon.
June 30, 2014
I was a huge fan of the Turtles as a child, so this compendium was largely a blast from the past. This book tells the entire history of the Turtle franchise from the Mirage Studio comics up to the Nickelodeon kids show and the up-coming movie, the 8os and 9os franchising madness, the low points such as the Saban show....it's all here. The book is heavily illustrated and features inserts such as sample letters from the Fan Club days, fliers, and concept drawings. This book is a must for Turtles fans.
August 6, 2016
Aside from the unpleasant reminder that Corey Feldman and Megan Fox have both dabbled in ruining the Turtles universe, this is a very fun read. Most TMNT fans will enjoy a look back at some things they remember fondly (or had forgotten, as was often the case for me). With both a comprehensive overview of past incarnations and a decent peek at the upcoming release, there should be something in here for most fans.
October 19, 2015
In full disclosure, I'm a fan of the Turtles but only of the 90's cartoon and the first three feature films. This is an extremely comprehensive book designed for a die hard fan. It goes into the history of the Turtles, explains how the turtles kept getting reinvented. It comes with all sorts of cool mini attachments, such as a copy of the letter you received for joining their fan club. All in all, an excellent book, but one that wasn't for me.
October 5, 2014
Essential reading for any Turtles fan, particularly if you want to learn about the early history of the comics. It's a very quick read if you're just going through the text, and is probably best for flipping through the images, as it collects a good amount of art (including concepts) from each version of the franchise.
September 21, 2017
WARNING! The pieces aren't glued well onto the pages and will come off after heavy use. They also block text and pictures in some pages. The construction of this book is completely senseless, there's so many other "artifact" books that are produced far better! The art, pictures and text are amazing though. This book had amazing potential, but was brought down by lazy design. So annoying...
June 17, 2023
A must have book for fans of all Ages, nicely illustrated, well-written and sympathetic to the franchise. Not in depth but good, with supplements in the book pieces of paper and end of book has a large envelope with poster and replica of first issue of series comic. I am glad I got one at a good price.
August 5, 2015
I'm so glad that I'm older and am the target market for things like this. I will gladly give them my money in exchange for thick pages full of great illustrations, historical documents, pictures, quotes and more.
June 16, 2017
If you LOVE TMNT like me, READ THIS BOOK!! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History is a great source not only to learn how the Turtles began and changed over the years but also to get the stories of those who worked on them. Absolutely Awesome!!! :)
November 25, 2019
Like Hyrule Historia, this reveals so much insight on the franchise. From how it all started to where it is currently. After reading this, I recommend watching The Toys That Made Us episode on TMNT to get an even better idea on how the marketing side of this franchise works.
March 28, 2025
Completely comprehensive from the birth of the idea all the way to the newest movie/tv show, and literally everything in between. Beautiful presentation and fun inserts including a great poster and a reproduction of issue #1 tucked in the back!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews