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Write a Review link for that item. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Playmates)The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been crossing over with other properties for years, even before the toyline began, crossing paths with fellow indie comic heroes Miyamoto Usagi and Cerebus the Aardvark. Come 1993, Playmates was able to get hooked up with Universal to turn their half-shell heroes into horror icons. They did two small waves of them, and they tend to go for high prices, especially the later ones, but I was able to get my hands on their Dracula Donatello. Because both their names start with "D," I guess. Playmates sure knew how to do some attractive packaging back in the day, and the Monster Turtles are just some of that fine work. The front of the card has art of the four turtles, and while looking different from their figures, are nicely drawn and painted. The back is no different from anything else back then, with a group shot, clip-out character bio, and one of those "Pizza Points." Tape and a plastic bag are used to keep the accessories from jumbling around inside the bubble, and it's easy to get everything out, with no annoying ties like Playmates' current output. Also inside is a $3 off coupon for admission to Universal Studios, but it's long expired. It's just as well, as I'm not planning a trip back there any time soon. As the Count, Donatello looks different from how he usually does, being given hair rather than being bald. The design is supposed to take cues from the Bela Lugosi Dracula, albeit the hair isn't that accurate. He does have fangs, however, alongside some expressive eyes. There's sculpted/painted eyebrows as well, to add to the sinister appearance. I noticed the mask knot is a separate piece glued into the back of the head, I guess because Varner Studios thought it's be easier than sculpting it as part of the rest of the head. Speaking of, the card art depicts Donnie without a mask, and I guess it was kept on the figure to make him more recognizable. Standing about 4 1/2" tall, Donatello is given Drac's outfit, but with a bit of his own flair. The winged medallion sculpted onto his torso is adorned with a D, and he still wears his elbow and knee pads over the suit for some reason. There's also his cape, and rather than being part of the torso, it's a piece of rubber held onto him by the neck. Making it rubber was a smart choice, as it keeps it from interfering with articulation. The black suit has various purple and amaranth areas, and to add to the spooky factor, all the white areas are glow-in-the-dark paint; put him in the dark and watch his eyes, teeth, nails, and then some shine an eerie green. The paint has some slop and uneven edges, and the soles of his footwear aren't painted, but for what was a $4-5 mass market figure at the time, it's good work. The usual articulation for vintage turtles is present, with swivels for the neck, shoulders, right elbow, and left forearm, and ball-jointed hips. The hips may rotate in a V-fashion, but being able to tilt in all sorts of directions is a big plus. They are sorta tight, however, and if you get one that's the same way, I'd advise you to work them carefully, since this figure isn't cheap to replace nowadays. Being Donatello, he has a bo staff, but with bat-shaped ends to fit with the vampire theme. Also going along with his blood-sucking nature are a "wacky wooden" stake (aren't those supposed to be used against vampires?) and a bat buddy that can clip onto the forearms. Lastly, there's a large bat medallion not meant for Donnie, but rather for the buyer; just pull a string through the hole and tie it for wearing. The accessories came in many color variants: red, blue, yellow, purple, and orange. Man, that's a lot, and probably a nightmare for completionists. The red and purple accessories are the most fitting, and the former's what I have. Granted, NECA's own TMNT/Universal Monster mash-ups are more detailed and fun than what Playmates put out in the 90s (though I've been passing on most of the line; gotta draw the line somewhere), but have they put out a Dracula mash-up yet? No, even though we all know it'll be Shredder. Playmates' Dracula, turning one of the good guys into him, and while completing that sub-line isn't a priority of mine because of how much they sell for nowadays, but having my second-favorite Turtle as the most iconic vampire in pop culture is enough to satisfy me. - 10/31/24    by RMaster007 |
| Furious Homer |  | Submission Order |  | Treehouse of Horror 3 (Ironic Punishment) |
| Movie Star Don | | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series | | None |
| Furious Homer | | Written by RMaster007 | | Treehouse of Horror 3 (Ironic Punishment) |
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