200703301328ICv2 had this little bit yesterday reporting that Kevin Eastman had had some success with an eBay auction:

Kevin Eastman has sold the original art for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 on eBay for a winning bid of $250,099. The auction, which ended on March 25th, provides some idea of the potency of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a cultural phenomenon. The latest TMNT film topped the weekend box office derby last weekend, earning over $25 million (see “Turtles Win the Race”).


If you’re wondering why Eastman finally decided to sell off the artwork, it may partially be because Eastman’s involvement with his creation is quite distant these days: he sold off his half of the rights to TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES a few years ago…to Peter Laird, his co-creator. We’ll refrain from commenting on Eastman’s business sense over the years, but he’s no Ike Perlmutter, that’s for sure.

1 COMMENT

  1. At the New York Comic Con I finally got to meet Eastman. I’m from Western Mass and the Turtles have always been a big part of the local culture. I remember, as a youngin’, going to the now online Words and Pictures Museum. It was always an amazing place full off comic art and full-sized Ninja Turtles climbing on the walls. Plus, I got to meet Denny O’neil which was kind of a big deal to my young Batman-loving self.

    Anyway, I always see Peter Laird at local comic shows, I’ve even seen him on the street a couple times. But Kevin Eastman had eluded me. He was really cool. We chatted about Massachusetts while he signed some of my old Turtles books. He even sketched a quick Raphael for me and a pretty sweet Shredder with an action pose for a friend of mine.

    All in all it was a good time. Bummer that he’s not involved in tmnt anymore.

  2. Kevin really seemed to dislike this comic in the later years, and seemed only to want immediate profit from it (toys, shows, etc.).

    He may have thought himself too big for it and took up the trophy wife and only stayed in the comics game as EIC for Heavy Metal. I think it’s kinda sad that a creator would have so much hatred for their own creation, but I’m glad to see that Peter may be profiting very well for his staunch dedication to TMNT.

  3. Kevin Eastman not only sold off his interest in TMNT, but also famously lost $14 million publishing alternative comics with Tundra. I hope he got a good deal for his half of the TMNT rights; this is the first I ever heard of it.