It's been 30 years since the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie hit theaters back in 1990--and there's a new one on the way. More importantly, though, it's been 30 years since the four mutant brothers traded in their weapons for instruments, started a band, and went on a worldwide tour. To celebrate that, NECA is releasing a very cool set of action figures.
The Musical Mutagen Tour set pays tribute to the Coming Out of Their Shells tour. If you don't know what that is, check out GameSpot's deep dive into its creation, in which we spoke at length to the two creators of the Ninja Turtles album and concert tour.
The set includes all four turtles in the same style they appeared on the tour--sneakers, denim vests, and lots of flair--with the instruments they played. You can take a look at a bunch of photos of the turtles and their instruments below.
Gallery
It's truly remarkable that this piece of Ninja Turtle history is being immortalized with its own action figure set. That said, the Musical mutagen Tour set isn't perfect. One of the biggest changes is the name of the set itself, and the art being used on it. The Coming Out of Their Shells art is nowhere to be seen. Instead, as you can see above, it's been replaced with new art for the Musical Mutagen Tour, which isn't quite as remarkable. Whether it was a matter of not being able to secure the rights or just a creative decision is unknown.
Additionally, the set seems to have mixed up the turtles. Raphael and Michelangelo have taken on each other's instruments in the photos. If you saw the tour or have obsessively rewatched the concert video, you'll know Mike is on lead guitar, while Raph is on drums. Meanwhile, the instruments themselves are a bit mixed up.
The guitar, bass, keytar, and saxophone included in the pack are from the original promotional versions of the band that was seen in the Making of the Coming Out of Their Shells Tour video. As GameSpot learned when speaking with a co-creator of the tour, those costumes were altered during rehearsals, leading to the denim vest and sneakers. The instruments featured on the actual tour are much more basic, which you can see in the concert recording.
Still, even with the inaccuracies, the fact that these toys even exist is shocking and welcome for Ninja Turtles fans. How much will they set you back, though? And when can you get them?
While the Musical Mutagen Tour set was intended to be a convention exclusive, conventions aren't happening this year. Instead, these toys will be available from Target. Beginning July 23, they'll be for sale in-store at Target, as well as via Target's website. The price for all tour turtles will be $125, including detailed packaging, the instruments, a toy pizza, and interchangeable hands. For an extra $25, the Target website will include an accessory pack that includes a T-shirt, backstage pass, bag, faux ticket, and set of guitar picks. The accessories all use the new art, rather than the original Coming Out of Their Shells art.
It's important to note Target's website is only available for those ordering in the United States. International customers will be able to order from NECA's website.