Posted in: Comics, IDW | Tagged: blind bag, teenage mutant ninja turtles, tmnt

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Blind Bags Turning Retailers Hands Green

Published Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:57:04 -0600

Article Summary

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13 launches with a new creative team and a high-profile blind bag promotion
Retailers report green-stained hands from handling hundreds of the comic’s colorful blind bags
The blind bag release pushes TMNT #13 orders over 100,000, reflecting huge fan and retailer interest
Multiple exclusive TMNT #13 variant covers, including rare blind bag and high-ratio editions, excite collectors

This week saw the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13 with a new creative team of Gene Luen Yang and Freddie Williams II. As well as a blind bag promotion which pushed orders north of 100,000. But also, it seems, pushed comic book retailers hands, who had to handle hundreds of copies, up the colour spectrum, a tad.

"When I heard Gene and Freddie were kicking off a new run for our flagship TMNT series, I knew this was the perfect opportunity for us to commemorate their debut issue with a blind bag," remarked Ryan Balkam, IDW Director of Sales. "Listening to the retailers and fans is something that's very important to us, so we made sure to line up an incredible roster of cover artists and kept these bags affordable for everyone. We're extremely humbled by the giant response to the launch of this new run and so appreciative of all the support you've shown us. We can't wait for you guys to get your hands on the comic this December."

Well, because the blind bags were all green, and because the printing process may have been slightly unstable, this is what a retailer's hand looked like…

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Blind Bags Turning Retailers Hands Green — Retailer hand for Bleeding Cool, tinged with TMNT blind bag.

A blast from the past for newsprint perhaps? It's been a while since retailers had to cope with inky fingers… and at least, with those kind of sales, it's not the only green retailers were handling this week.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13 by Gene Luen Yang, Freddie E. Williams II
A new era of TMNT begins! Acclaimed Eisner-winning writer Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Superman Smashes the Klan) takes on writing duties for TMNT! Following the stunning events of TMNT #12, the Turtles face a different New York…one where they are viewed as heroes! The celebration will be short-lived as new threats vie for control. The mutant yak Papa Beng is determined to widen the power base for his gang. Yet little does he know that he and other TMNT villains are being stalked by a powerful new assassin…Ujigami!

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

: Teeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #13 cover C (holiday theme variant) by Jared Cullum
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #13 cover D by Clayton Crain
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #13 cover E by Daniel Warren Johnson
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #13 1:25 full art variant by Kevin Eastman & Ben Bishop
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #13 1:50 full art variant by Clayton Crain
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #13 1:75 full art variant by Daniel Warren Johnson
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #13 1:100 variant by Dustin Nguyen
Blind Bag Exclusive: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #13 1:25 variant by Nathan Szerdy
Blind Bag Exclusive: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #13 1:100 variant by Rahzzah, first cover appearance of new villain Ujigami

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