#31DaysOfHalloween: Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Tuesday, October 24 2017 11:39

#31DaysOfHalloween: Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Monsters + Mutants!

Written by James Zahn

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#31DaysOfHalloween: Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Monsters + Mutants!

As the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have evolved over the past few decades, they've had a habit of stepping into their own version of the "monster mash" on more than a few occasions. Mikey, Leo, Donnie and Raph have not only battled all manor of supernatural beast, but they've also become them at times. In a tale that finds a quartet of reptiles mutated into humanoid form, few things are off-limits as the story sometimes becomes multi-dimensional. Have they really become monsters, or are they simply wearing costumes? Depends on the time, but years ago Playmates Toys issued some crossover figures in which The Universal Monsters were mashed-up with the Turtles themselves. Now, that general spirit is back with TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MONSTERS + MUTANTS, a recent four-episode arc of the hit Nickelodeon series (now in its final season), and with that comes some fantastic new action figures from the folks at Playmates!

TMNT Mutants + Monsters Toy Review (Playmates Toys)

We received a set of figures for review here at Rock Father HQ, and they were very well-received. Between The Rock Daughters™ and myself (my wife doesn't count herself a Ninja Turtles fan), our love for these is mighty - and that's only been amplified by the Halloween vibe, perfectly adding a spooky spin to things.

TMNT Mutants + Monsters Toy Review (Playmates Toys)

Here we have Werewolf Mikey, Frankendon, Mutant Mummy Leo and Vampire Raph. Additionally, both Raphael and Leonardo pull double-duty with Monster Hunter versions of each, decking them out in classic Van Helsing-inspired gear, right down to accents of garlic, silver bullets and wooden stakes.

TMNT Monster Hunters

While perfect for the Halloween season, the TMNT Monsters + Mutants collection is great fun for any time of the year, and will no-doubt become another sought-after series for kids and collectors alike. While Playmates continues to impress with new and creative action figures, this story arc has also spawned a companion Golden Book, and will come to DVD on December 12 as part of the TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE FINAL CHAPTERS collection. Look for the figures right now at your local Walmart store, and please note that those found on sites like Amazon and eBay will likely be through third-party sellers at a higher cost. MSRP for these 5.5" figures is just $8.99 each.

Check out a full gallery of additional photos below:

Gallery - TMNT: Mutants + Monsters

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James Zahn

James Zahn is best-known as The Rock Father™, a media personality, commentator, adventurer and raconteur. He is the Owner, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of THE ROCK FATHER™ Magazine. In January, 2019, after nearly a decade of publishing The Rock Father™ Magazine, he joined Adventure Media and Events as Senior Editor of The Toy Book—the leading trade publication for the toy industry since 1984, as well as The Pop Insider — a destination for all things pop culture, and The Toy Insider — the leading consumer guide for toys and games. He is also editor of The Toy Report, a weekly newsletter published by The Toy Book each Thursday. Zahn has over 27 years of experience in the entertainment, retail and publishing industries.

He regularly serves as a Brand Ambassador and spokesperson for several Globally-recognized pop culture and lifestyle brands in addition to consulting for a number of toy manufacturers.

Creatively, James has directed/edited music videos, lyric videos, and album trailers for bands such as FEAR FACTORY, has appeared as an actor in feature films and commercials, written comic books, and performed in bands. He currently serves as an artist manager and video director for PRODUCT OF HATE, whose debut album was released by Napalm Records in 2016, distributed by ADA/Warner Music in the U.S. with Universal Music handling global. A new album has been completed and is set for release this year.

Zahn and/or his work have been featured in/on CNN, NBC, ABC, WGN, CBS, GCTN, G4, The Chicago Tribune, Forbes, MarketWatch, Reuters, BusinessWire, Fangoria, Starlog and more. He's appeared as a music expert on CNN's AC360 alongside Anderson Cooper, and has been interviewed by Larry King. In the past he served as a writer for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family and PBS KIDS, penned articles for Sprout and PopSugar, and was a contributor to Chicago Parent.

Learn more here.

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