Who the Clix? Group Edition: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.
Appearances in Heroclix: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
First Appearance: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1
Notable Members: Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael
Created by: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
Artwork and characters are copyright/trademark Nickelodeon; used under Fair Use
Note: The Turtles have been adapted more times than most characters. As such, their origin and stories are variations on a common theme. To that end, I am going to cover the basic original source tale of the Turtles. I encourage any of you more interested to look at some of the great collections of Turtles to see some of the strange and wondrous versions of their story.
A long time ago, a young boy walks out of a pet store with four new baby turtles. At the same time, an old blind man is crossing the street unaware of a large truck carrying toxic waste speeding toward him. A brave young man dives at the old man and pushes him out of the way. The resulting accident leaves the young hero blinded by the toxic waste and four pet turtles covered in the same in the sewer.
The four baby turtles are soon found by the abandoned pet rat of slain martial arts master, Hamato Yoshi. Exposed to the strange "ooze," all five animals soon begin to grow and have their brains mutated into something resembling the human mind. The rat, named Splinter by his dead master, begins to look after the turtles as sons. He names them after his master's favorite Renaissance artists: Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael.
As they grow, he begins to teach them the art of ninjitsu that Splinter himself had learned from watching his master. Splinter uses these exercises to focus the energetic minds of these young boys as well as train them for the mission that has haunted Splinter for years: avenging his fallen master.
After more than a decade of intensive training, Splinter sends his young pupils on their first mission. They go to the surface and face the dreaded Foot Clan and their leader the Shredder. Or as Splinter remembers him, the rival and killer of Hamato Yoshi: Oroku Saki. Though the Shredder is a formidable opponent, together the four brothers are able to best him and avenge the fallen Hamato Yoshi.
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