Issue 8: Play Ball

ISSUE 8: PLAY BALL

Step up to the plate - baseball season is here. From now until the chilly autumn days of October, fans of America's favorite past time are treated to the magic of the game. Unfortunately, with a grueling schedule of 162 games stretching over the long season, you can easily find yourself frustrated with your team's performance. Poor pitching, awful plays, players getting injured - it can make any sane person rip their hair out.

But over here at The Sewer Den, we are Team Turtles. And those green machines never let ya down. In honor of the baseball season kicking off, I've dug up a few items from my collection that seemed all too perfect for the occasion. Play ball!

Issue 7: One Cool Irish Chick

ISSUE 7: ONE COOL IRISH CHICK

Forget to wear your green today? Have no fear - the Turtles are always in fashion for St. Patrick's Day. Although the brothers are never seen throwing back pints of Guinness, they sure do evoke the ways of the Irish. They know how to party, they eat pizza like it was potatoes, and they've got a huge family. Not to mention they pal around with one of the coolest Irish gals in the Big Apple - April O'Neil.

In the 1987's cartoon, April was a dedicated TV reporter; always equipped with a video camera and donned a full-bodied, yellow jumpsuit. In the 2003 cartoon, April went through a metamorphosis. Gone were the form-fitting jumpsuit and On-Air ambitions. April was now closer to her character from the original comics - acting as an assistant to the crazed scientist, Baxter Stockman.

In both renditions, April remained a slick mix of girl next door, witty, and intelligent. The Turtles thought she was cool and so did I (in both 1987 and 2003). So on this St. Patrick's Day, The Sewer Den presents a comparison piece from the TMNT collection. An in-depth look at the April O'Neil action figures from 1987 and 2003 cartoon series.

 

To our left, we've got April from the original 1987 cartoon series. To the right, we've got April from the 2003 series. Side by side in all their glory.

Issue 6: Land Of The Logos

ISSUE 6: LAND OF THE LOGOS

A slight change of pace here. Short, simple, and sweet. Nothing from The Sewer Den's collection, but some cool stuff to still keep your eyes happy.

Nickelodeon recently unleashed a few images from their upcoming Ninja Turtles television series that kicks off in 2012. Aside from getting a peak at what our favorite ninjas will be looking like this time around, we've also been treated to a new show logo. This is the fourth time the Turtles will be hitting the airwaves (well, actually cable this time around). The brothers have been in both cartoon and live-action form.

In honor of their new look, I thought it would be nice to pay our respects to the show logos of the past. We've seen them plenty of times, but what do they look like back to back?

2012 - ???

2008-2009

2003 - 2008

1997 - 1998

1987 - 1997

When all these logos are put together, they resemble one of those charts showcasing evolution. You can see where the Turtles have been and where they are going. Also, the logo for The Next Mutation is atrocious. I could've predicted that show was destine for failure back in '97 just by looking at that logo. But, I've got to hand it to Nickelodeon - they stayed close to the original (and 2003) television series logos. Do they value TMNT nostalgia too? Either way, my love for the 90's really digs that neon green text...

It's also worth pointing out Nickelodeon is keeping the Turtles as teenagers. In the spirit of re-inventing, they could have easily made them adults. But, The Next Mutation took that route and, well, it flopped.

Oh, and here's the first glimpse of Nickelodeon's new ninjas.

Issue 5: Where's The Bathroom?

ISSUE 5: WHERE'S THE BATHROOM?

In the summer of 2010, I ventured off on a cross country road trip with my buddy, Frank. The journey lasted an incredible six weeks - where we camped in most of the states this country has to offer. When you cover that much ground, you're bound to stumble upon a few roadside attractions. Most of the time these places are the ones you've heard about your entire life - like Mount Rushmore, Four Corners, etc.

But, then you'll stumble upon a place that is off the beaten path. Unique, fun, and even weird (I'm talking to you Corn Palace in South Dakota!) Although bizarre, these places inspired me to some degree. I found myself appreciating whatever thought process spawned such extraordinary creations. Fred Smith's Wisconsin Concrete Park, South Dakota's Corn Palace, Pennsylvania's Shoe House - these places are hilariously brilliant.

Roadside attractions are fun. You can only smile and laugh. From their silliness and originality, I was inspired to create The Sewer Den. When this Ninja Turtle collection-filled room is complete, I'd love to open it up to the masses of America to come and scope out. I hope they would find the same appreciation I found on my road trip.

So, that's the goal. Turn The Sewer Den into an awesome roadside attraction. My parents live in Cape May, NJ - which is a pretty stellar beach town and destination hot spot in the summer. So as crazy as it sounds, this whole idea is actually plausible.

Say when The Sewer Den opens, people actually start to visit. I've got to make sure I can accommodate these folks. What if they need to use the bathroom? The room has a million Ninja Turtles items, but no bathroom. BUT, I did dig up a little collection of Ninja Turtle Bathroom Accessories!