Completed Set: 1989-90 Topps Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Series 1

Have you ever wondered why some story ideas turn into smash hits while others don't? 

The story itself has to be a good one, of course. But there must be other factors, too, like having a connection in the industry, or presenting the idea to the right person when they're having a good day. And part of it might simply be a matter of timing. (Who knows if that same story idea would have taken off had it launched a year earlier, or a year later?)

Oh. And a catchy theme song helps.

So can a good-looking line of toys, and an arcade cabinet that has four joysticks, one for each turtle, so you and three of your friends can fight Shredder and his goons together.

And if you're a card collector, a set of trading cards might seal the deal.

I was a middle-schooler when the Turtles took off, so I was just a little too old to really be swept up by the phenomenon. But it sure was a phenomenon. 

For those around my age, it's safe to say it was the biggest thing since The Transformers. If you're from previous generations, I can imagine it was as big as Jonny Quest, Speed Racer, or the Super Friends. And for those of you a little younger, think Dragonball Z or Power Rangers.

So why did I, a kid who wasn't really into the Turtles, decide to put this set together after all this time? As is often the case, it stems from a moment of nostalgia. A few months ago I found some of these cards in an old box, and they brought back the following memory.

One weekend during that era of turtle-mania, dad and I went to a trading card show at a big banquet hall/catering hall called Leonard's. We started to browse around the many, many tables together, and soon realized it would be a long journey.

So, we devised a plan to split up in order to cover more ground, agreeing to meet back up at a designated location an hour later in order to share our findings. Looking back now, maybe we should have fueled up with some pizza first thing that morning.

I arrived at the meeting spot first, and waited for dad. Just a few minutes later I saw him walking toward me with a big grin on his face. He reached into a bag and pulled out a sealed wax box of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trading cards he'd purchased for less than 10 dollars. 48 packs of Turtle Power for such a small price? This was our kinda card show.

I think we put together more than one complete set from those packs. I gave one of them to my younger brother, who was just a toddler at the time. Fast-forward about 30 years and he's still got it, but I couldn't tell you where the other set went. So, I thought it would be fun to put one together to replace it.

Thankfully, one of the nice things about oddball sets from the time is that quantities are plentiful, so you have a good chance of finding a trading partner who'd be more than happy to send you a stack (to help get rid of some of their clutter, if for no other reason). And so after just a few trades, I've got the whole set again. You could say I'm savoring it.

The illustrations on these cards are taken directly from the animated show that got its official start in October of 1988. There are 88 cards in series 1, and each card advances the story of the Turtles. 

Good points scored for the design here. Note the turtle-inspired borders on the front, and how the card number on the bottom left (inside a turtle shell) ties into that theme. The text box across the bottom—white letters on a red background—stands out nicely.

I also like how the back of the card provides a detailed description of what you're seeing on the front. 

There's also some good action captured in this set. 

As well as some clear shots of the major players.

In each wax pack you'd get 5 cards, 1 sticker, and 1 stick of bubble gum. There are 11 different stickers. Here's an example.

Flip over the stickers and you'll find a puzzle piece. Put 'em together, and this image will be revealed.

And there you have it. 88 cards and 11 stickers, for a total of 99 pieces of cowabunga goodness. (That's the perfect number to fill some 9-pocket pages, by the way.)

This is by far the goofiest set of cards I've ever completed, but for the dose of nostalgia it was completely worth it.

Were any of you readers swept up in Turtle-mania back then? Did you have a favorite character? 

Share some stories in the comment section, and thanks for reading.

 

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