Well another FCBD (free comic book day) has come and gone and I hope you all went out and grabbed a comic or two.  This was your chance to find something new or something old like in my case, which brings me to yet another edition of ‘it’s new to me dammit’.

While Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is not necessarily new to me, the turtles as they appeared in Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s first comic incantation of the now iconic foursome is something I’ve never had the chance to see before( I was to young to read it when it first came out); and before you write this off as a kids comic (if you haven’t read it) know that this comic was definitely not meant for kids.   Check out how the turtles originally dealt with gangs on the first couple of pages if you need proof.  This is a 40 page black and white ass kicking comic and has reminded me of how much i used to love (I still do to some extant) TMNT.

Eastman and Laird re-released the first issue of TMNT for FCBD, and if you missed it head down to your local comic book shop and see if they still have a few kicking around.  This was a great comic, something I wish that I had gotten a chance to read sooner (and you can’t argue with free).  It amazed me that the first comic and movie were so close in terms of story and fighting with the comic edging out in violence.  But we still get the epic fight scene between The Shredder and the Turtles on a roof top followed by the Shredder’s swan dive off the roof.

The reason I bring this all up is because this May is the Turtles 25th Anniversary (well actually last November was there 25 birthday but who’s counting) . What you ask does that mean to turtle fans everywhere?  Well let me tell you friend;  it means all things green with a shell are gonna hit you hard.

First we have the release a 25th anniversary edition (at least in the UK) of the original cartoon, this collection will bring you all the episodes of the first and second series (I’m sure North America will get on their store shelves eventually) as well if you are all ready collecting the show the 7th season parts 1-4 are out this May.

We also have the on-going Tales of the TMNT (which I hear good things about still haven’t read it) although if you own an ipod touch or iphone you can now read these comics with UCLICK app and for only 99 cents each. I know I will be reading these comics soon (just search TMNT in the app store on your iphone or ipod touch).

July will bring us TMNT Future Tense, 200 pages of black and white goodness which is a collection of TMNT #42-45 and 62-66 or Archie comics Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures which features the future Turtle story arc and helps lead into the new TMNT Forever War mini-series.  Something that after reading Eastman and Laird’s TMNT I for one am looking forward to like crazy.  Now some of you might be saying but why read this stuff when you said Eastman and Laird’s comics were great?  These new ones aren’t by them so why should we care?  well quit your belly aching you damn sissys because for the 25th anniversary in July you can buy TMNT Collected Book Volume #1 (first 11 issues) which will bring you over 540 pages of Ninja Turtle action (god I can’t wait).

Now if comics aren’t your thing I bear more gifts.  In gaming news, this fall Ubisoft will release TMNT Smash-Up for the Wii (from the creators of Super Smash Brothers Brawl) where judging by the video you fight each other as Ninja Turtles (sweetness).

Now like all of this wasn’t enough, August will bring us the release on DVD and Blu-Ray (that’s right I said Blu-Ray folks) of a collected Box set featuring all Four Theatrical movies.  I know most of us would like to forget the second and third movies (Ninja rap and time traveling did not work for me either folks) but the first and last movies were great fun which is why I will pick up this Box set when released, and if you haven’t seen the last film do yourself a favor and pick it up it really was much better than anybody at ESG ever anticipated.

Now after all of this, there is one last piece of green covered ooze news.  The Mirage group have given the green light for another live action TMNT movie to be released sometime in 2011.  Mirage is teaming with producers Scott Mednick (300, Superman Returns, 10,000 BC) and Galen Walker (who produced the last theatrical movie).  Mednick was quoted as saying “The original dozen comics created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman are some of the best source material one could hope for,” and “We’re excited to bring this story to a whole new generation of moviegoers as well as the legions of fans that have made the Turtles – Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael as well as Splinter, April O’Neil, Casey Jones and, of course, the great villain Shredder – a part of their world for 25 years.” Now if they stay true to the originals (I know I’ve only read issue #1) this could shape up to be fucking awesome.

So when all is said and done the rest of this year is shaping up to be very green in my eyes, so for all of you who missed it or forgot it remember the Turtles never left and it looks like they aren’t going anywhere any time soon.