It's been a while, but I will now continue with what I started long ago.... discussing what made me into the "man" I am today.
Last time I discussed BATMAN: The Animated Series, a show that, seemingly overnight, turned me into a cape wearing, clown punching, shadow dwelling 9 year-old. I haven't looked back since...
But what was I before Batman stole my heart? The answer won't really shock you...
I was Lean, Mean, Green Pizza Eating Machine, Dudes!!! Of Course!!! What kid my age WASN'T around 1988? If my butt wasn't planted on the couch, watching my VHS sets of the classic TMNT show, eating Crunch-a-bungas, screaming
COWABUNGA, having epic Foot Soldier/Mutant Battles with the old Playmates action figures or Blasting
THIS IS WHAT WE DO! from my Sony Boombox, I was probably sleeping.... in Turtles Jammies, no less.
Yes, Dudes and Dudettes, my life was CONSUMED by those 4 Heroes on the half-shell.... CON-SOOOOOOOOOM'D!!!
I don't remember how I first was introduced to them, it's a bit blurry... but what I do remember is going to
Children's Palace (an old toy store from the '80's) and getting my first 2 TMNT figures. They were Raphael and Leonardo... I was bummed, Donatello was and still is my favorite. Still, I was totally pumped that I had 2 Turtles to tear into when I got home. Soon came the other 2, Splinter, Shredder, April, Casey, Bebop, Rocksteady, Krang.... you get the picture...
Yep... I had the sickness, and no cure was wanted.... I doubt any existed, and if you ask my wife... none exists still to this day. I still have them all, and still search eBay, Garage Sales, Conventions, Flea Markets and Thrift Shops for Ninja Turtley goodness. I even have a dream of one day getting Donatello tattooed on my arm... I know, BADASS, right?!? lol....
Anyhooo.... I could bore you with cool memories of how when I was hospitalized at age with a ruptured appendix (for an entire week), the only thing that brightened my mood, between the twice daily shots, was my TMNT Travel Bag FULL of my TMNT toys. Or how my Dad drew all the Turtles and Splinter on the dry erase board in my room. I could tell you how when I made all A's in 2nd grade, my Mom sent me a card with the return address "NYC Sewers" on the envelope to congratulate me... it was even a TMNT card, signed by all 4 Turtles!!! ... oddly enough, they had similar handwriting to my Mom... hmmmm.... OR, how whenever I walked over a sewer lid, I'd try to see down there and hope with all my soul to hopefully see a purple bandanna with eyes staring back at me.... I'm not gonna say I still don't. ;)
The highlight of Turtle fandom came years later, when I was in my early twenties. At Wizard World Chicago, I got to meet KEVIN EASTMAN... one half of the dynamic duo that created my heroes!!! He lived up to my own hype and dreams. THE NICEST GUY IN THE WORLD!!! He hooked me up with a
FREE Donatello Sketch (which now hangs framed in my theatre room at home) and a couple signed books. I just was happy enough to shake his hand and tell him THANK YOU, and I meant it... with all my heart.
(YES, this is me...)As a kid, you sometimes feel awkward, weird, out of place and lonely... so, to have a group of friends that you know will always be there for you is nice. YES, I knew that they were fictional, and YES I knew that Turtles didn't eat Pizza or grow big when exposed to radioactive waste, but it was a comfort to think that Donnie, Mikey, Leo and Raph always had my back and knew just how to make me laugh. PLUS, if I dreamed
REALLY hard, maybe... just MAYBE they'd pick me up in their SWEEEEEEET Party Wagon and we'd all go out for a slice.
A BOY CAN DREAM, CAN'T HE?!?!
