There are so many rare and unique TMNT comics to choose from but it seems fitting to just start with the infamous Gobbledygook #1 & #2. These two Eastman & Laird hand-made comic books are among the rarest comic books in existence and to this day they still create quite a buzz in the comics industry. They’ve been called the holy grail of TMNT collecting and their place in TMNT history continues to be hotly debated. It’s this debate that still makes these such a great part of my collection.
So, what’s the debate? Well, there are actually two separate debates; both are equally interesting. The first debate centers around the “first appearance” of the TMNT and when (or where) that was. While determining the first appearance might seem like an easy concept, it isn’t always that simple. What causes the debate in the industry (and not just for the TMNT) is how one defines “first appearance.” I think it was originally designed to be the first time a character appeared in the story line of a comic book. If that’s the definition, then Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 is the first appearance of the TMNT. That is the first comic book in which the TMNT appear within the confines of a story line. However, if you define “first appearance” as the first time a character appears in a comic book period, then Gobbledygook #1 is the first appearance of the TMNT. That is the first comic book in which the TMNT appear. Their appearance is on the back cover of the comic in an ad for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1.Laird hand-made comic books are among the rarest comic books in existence and to this day they still create quite a buzz in the comics industry. They’ve been called the holy grail of TMNT collecting and their place in TMNT history continues to be hotly debated. It’s this debate that still makes these such a great part of my collection.
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Back in the early 1990s Mirage Studios began publishing a daily comic strip in newspapers all over the U.S. For years I clipped and saved every one that was published in my local paper (minus just a few I missed). Monday-Friday was the small black & white strip and then Sunday there was a full-color larger strip with either fan art or puzzles. I’ve kept them all in photo albums ever since.
