The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were first introduced to the world way back in 1984. The original, Mirage Studios comic, created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, was a parody of several existing comic franchises. The success of the comic later spawned a syndicated cartoon program, and from there, Turtlemania swept the nation.

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TMNT Visual History 13 IMAGES

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Suddenly the Turtles were everywhere, from video games to breakfast cereals, to an increasingly baffling line of action figures. The first live-action movie, way back in 1990, was a run-away success and spawned two follow-ups.Here's a look at the Turtles' humble, surprisingly violent beginnings as comic book characters, all the way through to their upcoming appearance in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan The Turtles' shine dimmed, but never extinguished, and the four mutated brothers lived on in the shadows, like the ninja they are. In 2003, a new animated series warmed a new generation of kids to the Ninja Turtles, and more toys, movies, and games would soon follow. Is there such a thing as "peak Ninja Turtle?" It's hard to say, but more accurately, it's easy to say: there is no such thing as "peak Ninja Turtle."

Seth Macy is IGN's weekend web producer and just wants to be your friend. Follow him on Twitter @sethmacy myIGN , or subscribe to Seth Macy's YouTube channel.