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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first appeared in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, cover-dated May 1984, from Mirage Studios, created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The first printing had a run of about 3,000 copies; later printings are common and clearly marked.

First appearance
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1
Cover date
May 1984
Publisher
Mirage Studios
Creators
Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles guides

First appearance, key issues and what drives the prices.

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  • Characters

    What is the first appearance of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

    The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first appeared in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, cover-dated May 1984, self-published by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird as Mirage Studios in Dover, New Hampshire. The first printing was a black-and-white, magazine-sized comic of about 3,000 copies. Later printings from 1984 and 1985 look similar but are clearly marked, and only the first printing carries the high value.

    Updated Sep 14, 2026

  • Key issues

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1: printings explained

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 was printed at least five times by Mirage Studios between May 1984 and 1985, and the printings look alike at a glance. Only the first printing, of about 3,000 copies, is the high-value key. Later printings state the printing in the indicia and are collectible in their own right at much lower prices. Read the indicia before you buy, and grade or authenticate a claimed first printing.

    Updated Sep 14, 2026

  • History

    Mirage Studios: the publisher of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

    Mirage Studios was the name Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird gave the company they formed to self-publish Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 in May 1984 from Dover, New Hampshire — a mirage because there was no studio. The black-and-white comic's success made it the model for the 1980s independent boom, and the licensing that followed built a global franchise. Laird bought out Eastman in 2000 and sold the property to Viacom (Nickelodeon) in 2009.

    Updated Sep 14, 2026