Reading Is Scary!

Motels love their bibles. Without fail, every bedside drawer houses the thick piece of literature. Whether you're in the mood to repent or just need some light reading before bed, motel owners have you covered. What if I owned my own motel? I would model the place after The Sewer Den - Ninja Turtles everywhere. The walls would be covered in classic art, the shelves in awesome collectibles, and the beds would be draped in only the finest of TMNT sheets. As for the bedside bibles, I'd totally buck the trend. Sorry to the big guy in the sky, but my motel rooms would provide the mutated bible - the word of the sewers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History.

Have you read this holy Half Shell book? It begins with the early origins of TMNT and carries up until the 2014 movie was nearing its release. Between those big beats, smaller niche moments in TMNT history are given some love too. Fun toys, goofy merchandise, wacky events - so many iconic and not-so iconic moments are covered. Nickelodeon did an amazing job curating, fact checking, and bringing this massive undertaking from idea to book store shelves. The book truly is a beast. I still haven't finished the book after having it for years. I often poke around the pages, noticing new images and passages.

Radical Reading: Disney Adventures Magazine - May 1993

Do you remember Disney Adventures: The Magazine For Kids?

The publication mixed entertainment and education in a 90s-style format, released on a (semi) monthly basis. The material was all fluff, but it was a good way for kids to feel like magazine-reading adults. The articles ranged from pop culture events, such as upcoming movies and video games, to pieces on random topics like tall buildings and magic tricks.

And of course, there were lots of ads.

Browsing through The Sewer Den library, I discovered an old Disney Adventures issue that survived the ages. Naturally, the one I owned from May of 1993 featured the Turtles on the cover. To be more specific, these Turtles were from the third live-action TMNT film released that same year. Even though their popularity was waning by this time, the green guys were still trendy enough to land a Disney Magazine cover. I'm going to make a grand claim and say that this was their last big moment before plummeting into their dark years.

Issue 52: Radical Reading (TMHT World Atlas)

(TMHT WORLD ATLAS FROM THE SEWER DEN LIBRARY)

Toss aside your library cards and grab your passports - we're leaving the sewers! I present a Turtles gem with worldly flair.

Our favorite mutants bounce around the globe with their own World Atlas. The cover was the only image available when I purchased the book. Would the 1991 publication be packed with global Turtle Power? Or would this book gather dust on the shelf?

Issue 15: Radical Recognition

ISSUE 15: RADICAL RECOGNITION

The Sewer Den is an engulfing experience. Not sure what I was expecting when I decided to create a room dedicated to the Ninja Turtles. Can you really expect anything with such an endeavor?

Fame? Fortune? Heck no.

But, the constant re-discovery of distant memories has been rewarding. Digging up the past can be fun. And The Sewer Den certainly doesn't uncover any skeletons from my closet. Just 20 year old cookies and a few embarrassing photos.

A collection of old memories. That's what I thought The Sewer Den would be. But then, something changed...

New memories. New additions to the collection. How does this happen when I barely make any new purchases? Supporters. Kindness from those who have caught the excitement of The Sewer Den. From the rare few who have witnessed this small, jam-packed room of ninja magic, to the other supporters who have only heard about it up until this point - they've all contributed something wonderful.

 
This issue is dedicated to you - The Sewer Den Supporters. In no order, all just awesome.