Wheeljack’s Lab invites you to explore the 1988 Playmates Toy Fair Catalog. Since catalogs like this were originally distributed at trade shows, the general public rarely saw them. Thus, few could see glimpses of upcoming toy lines and products. Luckily, our high-definition scans now allow you to view the promotional images of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures.
The 1988 Playmates Toy Fair Catalog helped introduce readers to the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures. Based on the characters from Mirage Comics, this toy line was prepared to launch a mutant frenzy worldwide. With the help of Fred Wolf Films, Playmates converted the gritty world of the comics into a playful adventure ready for the toy aisle. Thus, they launched a wide variety of action of action figures and vehicles in 1988.
Turn Your Playmates Toy Fair Catalogs and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Toys into Cash Today
This 1988 Playmates Toy Fair Catalog gave a brief overview of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’s general history and character information. So, readers would be familiar with the radical mutants and their foes.
The top of the page informed readers about the evolution of the Turtles: A boy’s bowl of pet turtles fell into the stench of an underground city sewer. They landed on Splinter, a penniless but powerful Ninja master who lived in the muck. Meanwhile, Splinter’s enemy, Shredder (leader of the evil foot clan), poured a disgusting ooze over Splinter (and accidentally, the Turtles), hoping to zap him dead. Instead, the Turtle pets mutated into Turtle teens while Splinter became the biggest rat to face a trap. Then, Splinter, the big cheese leader, taught the Turtles the way of the Ninja. Together, they formed a kick-stomping fighting team for the side of good against the deadly foot clan.
The Turtle Gallery
Playmates introduced 10 whacky Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters, each with a distinct personality and weird sense of humor.
Our heroes, the fun-loving Turltes, were led by four highly individual and funny hard shells: Donatello, Michaelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael. They also had two cohorts: Splinter the Rat and the beautiful April O’Neil.
They fought the evil Foot Clan, led by Shredder, the human cheese grater. His troops consisted of the mummified Foot Soldiers, the punk pig Bebop, and military rhino Rocksteady. This toy line definitely featured the weirdest cast of characters this side of New York City.
The Turtles and their friends
Leonardo – Perfectionist and commander of the Turtle Team
Raphael – Raph cuts with rapier wit and forked Sai while keeping everyone in stitches, one way or another.
Michaelangelo – Nunchukus in one hand, pizza in the other, Mike is the original party reptile.
Donatello – Creative genius, Don is the brains behind the Turtle brawn.
Splinter – The rat mutation of a ninja master who trained the Turtles to fight for their share of pizza.
April O’Neil – The nation’s hottest TV journalist and the Turtles’ personal femme fatale.
The evil Foot Clan
Shredder – Leader of the evil Foot Clan, Shredder has slice ‘n dice armor and a heart set on world domination.
Foot Soldier – One of the dozens of skeletal subhumans who follow the will of the Shredder.
Rocksteady – Mutant GI nemesis of the Turtles whose rhino-tough body makes him a Turtle-bashing powerhouse.
Bebop – Mutant punk pig who slamdances his way through battle, resenting Turtles almost as much as his parents.
We are glad to present these exciting, exclusive 1988 Playmates Toy Fair Catalog scans. Check out even more of our scans to see the exciting promotional images from the Playmates Toy Company’s past.
Do you have old and used Playmates toys?
Do you have a collection of old and used Playmates action figures, toy fair catalogs, and other toys sitting around? You can turn those items into cash today. There is no reason to let those vintage catalogs and toys collect dust. Contact us today to start the process.
About Our Playmates Toy Fair Catalog Scans
Playmates handed out catalogs to attendees of toy fairs and other events, such as dealers and retailers, to promote their upcoming slate of products. Each catalog contained information about the company’s newest toys, even ones still in development. Thus, companies often included first looks at action figures, playsets, vehicles, etc. Therefore, they have become valuable and rare collector’s items.
These Playmates Toy Fair Catalogs featured toys from their beloved lines. For instance, the company made its mark with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures. Playmates also created multiple Star Trek toy lines. Moreover, fans fondly remember the Toxic Crusaders and Barnyard Commandos toys.
Playmates used in-production prototypes in their images as these catalogs were prepared before the lines were released. This meant that the featured toys often differed from the retail releases. Moreover, toys sometimes appeared only on these catalog pages, as they were canceled or never hit retail store shelves.
While Playmates only handed these booklets to trade professionals, we have now made them available to all. You can explore the toys featured in these catalogs with our Playmates Toy Fair Catalog Scans. This is a rare treat since catalogs like these have become increasingly difficult to locate with each passing year.