Nickelodeon TMNT Fan Preview Event - Report

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I suspect that I'm going to have to break this report into a series of entries over the next few days. The short of it, as you may have picked up hints of if you follow Ninja Pizza on Facebook or Twitter, or visit some of the message boards, is that Nickelodeon earlier today (it is still just barely March 30 as I type this), hosted a TMNT Fan Preview Event to give selected fans a glimpse of what they've got in development for the CGI TMNT series scheduled to debut in the fall of 2012. To give you an idea of how big of a deal this was, and just how seriously Nickelodeon is taking the Turtles, they have never done an event like this. Ever. Not for any other series, not for any other property. Never.

I'm going to show and tell you as much as I can, but all participants were required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before arriving, so please don't bother asking me questions that I just told you I can't answer. Really, I'd love to tell you everything, but hopefully you can be content with what I can present (vague as it will be).

The event took place at Nickelodeon Studios in Burbank, CA. Upon arrival, we were all given badges with our names and had breakfast provided for us. After a brief introduction from some of the Nickelodeon executives, we got a studio tour, which included a really neat peak into a recording session for Fanboy and Chum Chum.

After that, we were shown a Power Point presentation that included a look at various character designs, as well as set designs. All of this consisted of 2D stills. At the end of the slide show, we were shown a look at a short animation of CGI Leonardo swinging his sword. After that we were shown the completed 2D animatic "pilot." In this case, "pilot" didn't mean it was the first episode - it clearly wasn't based on the context. But what it did do was present what the look and feel of the show would be through the use of still drawings, complete vocal tracks, as well as a music track.

Next, we were treated to something I wasn't expecting - a look at the new toys Playmates has in development. We saw final painted prototypes for the four basic Turtles, a near-final unpainted prototype for Shredder, and a not-final sorta painted prototype for Splinter, among other things.

I have to admit that I was secretly hoping that the next surprise would happen, so kudos to Nick for actually making it happen: We were treated to a brief table read of parts of a script featuring the four voice actors for the Turtles, as well as Splinter. Unfortunately, not all of the people we saw today are officially attached to the actual series yet, so we are not allowed to reveal them. However, as they have been previously reported as being the parts of Leonardo and Donatello respectively, the group did include Jason Biggs and Rob Paulsen. During lunch I managed to get autographs from the four Turtles. *fangirl*

After lunch we split into "breakout" sessions, where we were able to give feedback on what we liked and didn't like of what we had seen. We were also able to talk some about what we wanted to see that we hadn't seen.

Next we regathered and had some questions answered by the executive producers on the show. We were also shown a short promo video that looks like something that could air on Nickelodeon whenever they decided they wanted to. It was similar to the previously released teaser video, but showed more clips of full-CGI action. And that was pretty much a wrap on the day. After receiving some goodies and taking group pictures, we were shuttled off to the airport to go home. As I go through all my stuff I'll have more images to share, but if you haven't yet you can check out some stuff provided by Nickelodeon that I've put up on the Ninja Pizza Facebook page.

In closing I'd like to just extend extreme thanks to Nickelodeon for being such fantastic hosts. They really went out of their way to make us feel welcome and important, and they took a lot of time to talk and mingle with us in between everything that they had us seeing and doing. It was a great experience and I'm really glad that I was able to participate.

Sideshow Mouser Comiquette Pre-Order on Thursday and Friday

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The time is nearly here to pre-order the San Diego Comic-Con exclusive Mouser comiquette from Sideshow Collectibles!

For convention attendees, the pre-order event is on THURSDAY at 10am Pacific time - SHARP! For non-attendees, the pre-order event is on FRIDAY at 10am Pacific time.

Because this is a Priority Pre-Order event, which is different from the previous TMNT pre-orders, to be able to participate in the pre-order you need to already be subscribed to the Sideshow weekly newsletter. Login to the main Sideshow site at sideshowtoy.com at 10am Pacific and click on the Mouser banner to go through the ordering process.

If that sounds complicated, it's not. It's actually super easy and you should be in and out within a few minutes. But this is one thing you definitely need to be on time for!

Good luck to anyone wanting to add a Mouser to their collection!

Leonardo Comiquette Now Available For Pre-Order

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If Sideshow's Leonardo comiquette is on your wishlist, time to get those orders in! Like Don and Mike, the exclusive version of Leo will feature an interchangeable blue or red mask. The regular edition only includes the red mask. Click below to the left for the exclusive, or to the right for the regular.


          

Sideshow Leonardo Comiquette Gallery Now Available

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Sideshow Collectibles has released the full gallery for their upcoming Leonardo Comiquette, which will go up for pre-order Thursday June 3 with the release of their weekly newsletter.

The release of the full picture gallery has caused fans and collectors to emit a collective, "Hmmm," as this statue is quite obviously different in style from the other three. The most obvious detail that stands out is Leonardo's lack of visible teeth and how the shape of the mouth actually makes it look like he actually has no teeth.

With closer inspections, other details stand out that make Leo the "One of these things is not like the other" in the set of four Turtles. The plastron seems especially bubbly/cartoony, the fingers and toes seem to be webbed, and Leo has developed some sort of skin disease, seeing how he has warts.

The warts bit is actually what bothers me the most, as it is evidence that the sculptor really wasn't all that aware of the source material he/she was sculpting, and no one along the chain of approvals knew any more to be able to say anything of it. ETA: Going through the other galleries I did find some signs of warts on the other Turtles; I guess they just stood out more in the Leo pictures.

Most disturbing, however, are reports that Sideshow is deleting negative comments about the comiquette on their website. One would hope that a company would use comment moderation to keep their site free on inflammatory comments, and not constructive criticism.

I suppose I'll go ahead and pre-order on Thursday, but I think it's very possible that I cancel the order before it ships. This just sits that bad with me. Hmmm, indeed.

Sideshow Leonardo Comiquette Preview!

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With tonight's newsletter, Sideshow has previewed the upcoming Leonardo comiquette! The last of the four Turtles to be offered, Leonardo will go up for pre-order with the launch of the June 3rd newsletter.

Sideshow's Raphael Comiquette Shipping Soon

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Sideshow Collectibles today sent out e-mails announcing the upcoming arrival of the Raphael comiquette to their warehouse. According to the e-mail, Raph is due to start shipping in approximately 16 days. So, if you've got Raph on order, make sure those credit cards are set! If you don't have a pre-order and aren't yet on the wait list, now's the time to do it!

You can click below to the left for the exclusive edition, or to the right for the regular edition. There is currently no wait list for the regular edition!


          

Sideshow SDCC Exclusive Mouser Pre-orders on June 10 & 11

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With the release of their weekly newsletter tonight, Sideshow has revealed a (slightly) better picture of their upcoming 2010 San Diego Comic-Con exclusive Mouser comiquette, as well as the pre-order dates you need to know if you want to get one of these.

The pre-order for Comic-Con attendees will be at 10:00am pacific time on June 10.

The pre-order for Comic-Con non-attendees will be at 10:00am pacific time on June 11.

IMPORTANT! If you are not going to Comic-Con, there is no way to fudge the system and pre-order as an attendee and still get the Mouser. You will need to pre-order on June 11.

I highly recommend that whichever pre-order event you participate in, you BE PUNCTUAL. This is likely to sell out quickly.

If you are attending Comic-Con but miss the June 10 pre-order event, you could still pre-order as a non-attendee on the 11th. However, you will have to pay a slightly higher price + shipping. There is no way to fudge the system and pick up the item at the Con if you do not pre-order it as an attendee.

I'll put up a reminder the week of the pre-order events - Good luck!

Sideshow Comic-Con 2010 Exclusive Mouser Comiquette

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Today, Sideshow Collectibles revealed the first glimpse of the exclusive items they will be offering as part of this year's San Diego Comic-Con event in July, and a TMNT Mouser comiquette is one of the four items!!


We'll have to wait until April 15th for further details, but it is very exciting for Sideshow to be making their TMNT line part of their Comic-Con event!

For those not familiar with Sideshow's convention exclusives and not fortunate enough to attend Comic-Con this year, fear not, you're not out of luck! Sideshow always makes a small percentage of each exclusive available to non-attendees. But you will have to pay VERY close attention to the forth-coming details, as there can't be any slacking if you want to snag one. Attendees should also be prepared and alert to pre-ordering details, as all of these will be sold out before the convention starts.

Stay tuned to SideshowToy.com or Ninja Pizza to get the details as they're made available!

Sideshow's Donatello Comiquettes Shipping Soon

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Sideshow Collectibles has started sending e-mail notices that their Donatello comiquette, both the exclusive edition and the regular edition, is expected to be in their warehouse in approximately 20 days. These e-mails request that you verify your payment information by February 27, as the cards will be charged soon after as the statues start shipping out to their awaiting homes.

If you have an order placed, make sure those credit cards are in order! If you don't have an order placed, it's not too late to get on the wait list. Right now is when cancellations are most likely as people decide whether or not they can actually afford what they pre-ordered several months ago.

Regular Edition Wait List
Exclusive Edition Wait List

Michelangelo Sideshow Comiquettes Now Available For Pre-order

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The Michelangelo comiquettes from Sideshow Collectibles are now available for pre-sale. Unlike the previous two pre-sale events, both the exclusive edition and the regular edition are concurrently available to order. The exclusive edition features Mike in his trademark orange bandanna, while the regular edition has him in classic red. You can click your preferred flavor (or both!) below to place your order.

Sideshow Michelangelo Comiquette Preview

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Hey there, folks! It's been awhile since we visited. Truth is, there hasn't been much in terms of TMNT news to report (specifically, none). Further truth is that this will probably be the case for the foreseeable future, as things are still in flux with the whole Nickelodeon thing. Also, I've been a little lazy, but I do have some TMNT Flashback features planned that I hope to use to supplement all this down time.

However! Tonight we do have the first preview image of Sideshow Collectibles' upcoming Michelangelo comiquette, the third in a series of four. YAY! (If you live under a rock, you may not have figured out that Mike is my favorite.)

Mike will go on sale with the launch of the January 28 Sideshow Collectibles newsletter. Be alert, as that exclusive edition is likely to sell out within an hour or two!

Exclusive Sideshow Raphael Comiquette Sold Out, Regular Now Available

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The exclusive edition of Sideshow's Raphael comiquette has sold out. If you missed it, you still have a chance at getting one if you get on the Wait List ASAP, or you can simply opt for the regular edition. Either way, you don't want to delay!

Sideshow Raphael Comiquette Exclusive Edition Now Available for Pre-sale

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Sideshow Collectibles' Exclusive Edition Raphael Comiquette is available for pre-sale RIGHT NOW. These won't last long, so grab it now!

The exclusive edition varies from the regular edition with the inclusion of a switch-out hand with duel summons (as seen in TMNT Vol. 1 #1) wrapped around a sai.

Here is the regular edition, which will be available for pre-sale once the exclusive edition sells out:


And if for some reason you're still wasting your time here, go get Raph now!

Sideshow Raphael Comiquette Preview

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Sideshow Collectibles has released the first preview image of their next TMNT comiquette, Raphael. The statue will go up for pre-sale on December 10 with the launch of the weekly newsletter.

Sideshow also revealed that the edition size of the regular edition Donatello comiquette has been set at the low, low number of 600 pieces. The exclusive edition Donatello comiquette, which features interchangeable red and purple bandannas, is set at 425 pieces. Both editions are sold out, but if you get on the wait list(s) ASAP, you may still have a chance of owning these amazing collectibles!

Pre-order the Exclusive Edition Donatello
Pre-order the Regular Edition Donatello

Sideshow Collectibles' Donatello Comiquette Now Available For Preorder!!

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It's here! Sideshow Collectibles' first TMNT comiquette statue, Donatello, is now available for pre-order. If you are at all interested in owning this piece pre-order NOW! Why should you pre-order RIGHT NOW, even if you're not sure that you want it and/or you're not sure that you have the money for it? Let us count the ways...

1. The item isn't due to ship until the 2nd quarter of 2010 at the soonest. That gives you at least 6 months to save the money, since you won't be charged for it until it ships.
2. It is likely to sell completely out. The exclusive edition was sold out within an hour of being available on the site, so the regular edition isn't likely to stick around for too long either.
3. Um, seriously, what reason do you have to not pre-order?

Going back to bullet #2, let's discuss the exclusive edition vs. the regular edition. The exclusive edition of any Sideshow product is more limited in production size and also includes an exclusive feature (hense the name) not available with the regular edition. In the case of Donatello here, you get the option of either swapping out his mask to be red like in the comics, or purple like in... well, everything else. If you want purple, you'll have to get an exclusive edition.


"But how can I get purple if it's already sold out?" you ask? Get on the wait list! NOW! Orders get canceled and Sideshow has a fantastic system in place to fill those orders for people who indicate that they want a particular sold out item. This list works! In fact, I don't think I've ever not gotten an item I went on a wait list for. But the sooner you do it, the better your chances.

So that's it! Click any of the pretty pictures to be taken to the corresponding order page.

Preview of Sideshow Collectibles' Donatello Comiquette

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With Thursday night's weekly newsletter, Sideshow Collectibles revealed the preview for the upcoming Donatello comiquette statue, the first in what is sure to be a series of at least four statues.

As stated on the graphic, Donatello will go up for pre-order when the newsletter is released on September 17. If you're not already a subscriber to Sideshow's newsletter, you can easily do so on their Web site. And if you're not familiar with Sideshow and/or have never ordered from them before, I definitely recommend that you get your pre-order in ASAP once you can. Better safe than sorry, even if you have to cancel the pre-order for whatever reason before the item ships, which will be at least several months from now.

SDCC 2009 Recap: Sideshow Collectibles Announces TMNT Comiquettes

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While it was not an unexpected announcement due to Sideshow's participation in the button run that helped you win a ticket to Friday night's Galabunga party, it was an announcement that sort of fell under the radar during the busy Comic-Con weekend. But I managed to keep on top of it for you.

Here's the short announcement that happened during Sideshow Collectibles' panel Saturday evening. I've replaced my shaky handy-cam video with the video since released on Sideshow's Web site. And since the audio at the end is hard to hear, I've provided text balloons.

Chrome Fugitoid Figure Available For Pre-Order

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This showed up on Entertainment Earth a few days ago, but was then quickly taken down. Well, it's back - Chrome Fugitoid! Better get your pre-orders in now, as this is destined to ultimately be one of those ultra-rare figures. How else will it be available? No idea! Retailers that carry Playmates' TMNT figures are dropping like flies (Target recently dropped them, seeming to leave only Toys R Us left), so it's not going to be on a store shelf (or peg) near you. This could very well be the last TMNT action figure until they no doubt release movie tie-ins in 2011. Am I sad about that? No, I'm laughing because the fans that Playmates was pointing and laughing at were right and they were wrong. Too bad for them.

But if you dig Chrome Fugitoid, best get your order in now.

Link was found on Twitter via @geekgirldiva - Thanks!

SDCC Exclusive Figure: April O'Neil

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A "nifty nugget" of SDCC news comes to us tonight from Randy Falk at NECA via Peter Laird:

"I just wanted to send over an image of our SDCC exclusive for this summer. It will be a brand new April O' Neil figure that comes with a Battle Damaged Mouser and a Regular Mouser with a new head featuring an articulated jaw.

This is the first non Turtle figure in the NECA TMNT collection

This version of April will be available at San Diego Comic Con this July.

We are going to try to make arrangements to offer a small amount of figures online for those who can not attend SDCC."

So there ya go - April figure for Comic-Con! (Now where's my Foot Elite, hmm?!!)

NYCC: Playmates' Comic-Based Figures

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New York Comic-Con opened today, somewhat acting as the true kick-off of the TMNT 25th's anniversary "shell-abration." There is a handful of news and pictures being reported around the Interwebs, but I thought I'd start with a look at Playmates' new action figures that are supposedly based on the TMNT comics. Yes, I had to interject a "supposedly" in there.

Since I'm so often accused of being overly negative, let's start with the figure I can say positive things about. Splinter here is really quite nice looking. Does he at all resemble any artistic interpretation of Splinter in any of the comic books? Nope. But that's ok in this case; if the final product looks even a fraction as good as this picture, I'll likely be buying it.

Here's Raphael, who seems to be the only Turtle representing (perhaps Playmates didn't want to deal with any "Why are they all wearing red?" questions?). Again, this is a good looking figure, though not really based on any of the comics.




You'd think it'd be easy enough to get a Foot Soldier right, but this just seems to be a checklist of wrong. What's with the color choices? Why don't his knees bend? And what's with the pig nose? This figure is most unfortunate.






But alas, even more unfortunate is Shredder. I don't even know where to start with this one. Absolutely no part of this figure is proportional with another part, his sword looks like a toy, and that helmet couldn't shred cheese. Oh, and based on the comics? Hell no! Turtle fans need to super glue their fingers crossed that the second wave of NECA figures eventually come out, because, in the ever-wise words of Princess Leia, they're our "only hope."

Here's one more picture from the Playmates booth. I guess this is supposed to be April, but it doesn't take a genius to know that's Uma Thurman's outfit from Kill Bill. Here's a tip: Costume shops may not have generic yellow jumpsuits, but thrift stores do. But at least they have proper TMNT costumes, unlike what we saw at San Diego last summer.

All pictures were stolen from Toy News International. You can visit the link to see more of their pictures from the Playmates booth. I'll be posting more New York Comic-Con news throughout the weekend.