The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are an imaginary quartet of yellow-clad, sword-wielding teenage quadriplegics who have been depicted by numerous pop culture icons as powerful, nigh-invincible superheros. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have grown increasingly popular over the decades, first appearing in their own comic book in 1984, and now continuing in multiple media forms. The original Ninja Turtles was created by artist Peter Lee and took Lee’s distinctive take on Japanese martial arts and turned it into an entertaining genre of superhero fiction. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or TM Turtles as they are more commonly known, have grown into a massive fan base of both kids and adults, including adults who have become especially attached to some of the characters, especially the older versions of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which have come to be known as the older turtles. However, there are some die-hard fans who refuse to ever adapt to modern trends, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles of the ’90s. As such, some fans have taken to collecting tiny figurines of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a way of preserving their love of the Ninja Turtles past.

In the world of pop culture, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have often been compared to the creators of the iconic Fantastic Four, with whom they have many similarities. Indeed, many who are unfamiliar with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles may have a resemblance to the Fantastic Four as well, most likely due to the uncanny similarities between the two superheroes. In fact, many people have accused the Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles of taking place in the same world as the Fantastic Four, and even taking place in the same timeline as well. For this reason, the TM Turtles has become one of the most popular of all three classic series, with a cult following even today. There are several different versions of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to enjoy today, and here is a look at each.

The most well known of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is Michelangelo. As a member of the underground organization called the Foot Clan, Michelangelo frequently goes off on extreme missions to locate and help other Turtles in need. Along with fellow Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Donatello, Michelangelo is often shown carrying an oversized sword which is much more powerful than that of his fellow Turtles. He is also shown wearing an all black ensemble which closely resembles that of the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costume.

Another version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is Michelangelo’s cousin Leonardo da Vinci. As a much younger child, Leonardo (who was named after his father who was a professional sculptor and painter) was obsessed with becoming like his dad so he could join the Foot Clan. Unfortunately, he was captured by the evil alien Shreddar and became an instant prisoner in his green and red armor. When captured, the young Leonardo was brainwashed by the Shreddar, forcing him to become the leader of the Splinter family in their quest to protect Earth. While battling the Teenage Mutant Turtles for the leadership position, many of the Turtles eventually turn to the evil Deuce Gorgon to defeat him. However, in the comic book, when the turtles arrive just in time to stop Shreddar from destroying New York, Splinter sacrifices his life to give his son and the Turtles a chance to defeat the evil menace.

In most story arcs, it is assumed that all four turtles appear at once, in an animated form. For example, in the April’s Rock and Roll Radio show, April, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Leonardo are seen fighting a good battle against the evil Deuce Gorgon. Although not seen together in this episode, it is implied that they may be seen next when the Teenage Mutant Turtles are training at the Kremenik’s Academy.

In all Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stories, especially the original six, Michelangelo is always seen as the most powerful turtle, due to his ability to duplicate himself whenever he needs to. However, it should be noted that most of these versions of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, especially the American version, have Michelangelo have some form of armor added onto his body. Most of this is seen in the movies and television series, where most of the time his outfit is made out of metal, while in the original Japanese version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles it is made out of wood. The real life version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is most commonly seen wearing a white or blue jumpsuit that has various different pieces of cloth on it. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costumes also feature various different accessories, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle helmets, jeweled bracelets, and various forms of armor.