Every year, in the aftermath of San Diego Comic-Con, those who were lucky enough to attend (or snag the item of their choice online) marvel at the exclusive toys, apparel, statues, models, and just about everything else that’s released specifically for the convention. The exclusives are aimed at different fandoms and this year, if you ask us, Super7 won SDCC with their lineup of Ninja Turtles figures, themed to a pizzeria conceived by the party dude himself, Michelangelo.
The Mikey’s Pizza toy line released at the convention not only included new figures from Super7’s Ultimate lines, including a Michelangelo figure packaged in a pizza box, but also specially packaged variants from their ReAction lineup. The crown jewel, however, is the Pizza Party Wagon. Super7 provided one of their Pizza Party Wagon’s for review and, to put it bluntly, it’s fantastic.
Previously, Super7 released their take on the iconic Party Wagon the turtles used in the original animated series. Theirs was styled to resemble an upgraded version of the 1989 toy. Comparatively, NECA released their own take on the Party Wagon, but much like their animated Ninja Turtles figures, it was meant to resemble the cartoon itself, rather than the original action-figure line, which Super7 emulates.
Of course, both companies’ offerings are bigger in scale than the original Ninja Turtles figures–and the Party Wagon is no different. Super7’s Turtle Wagon is over 20 inches long and nearly 14 inches tall. It makes the original look like, well, a toy.
Now, with this year’s Comic-Con, that item’s gotten an upgrade. The new Party Wagon from Super7 gives the iconic van a pizza delivery truck makeover. Gone are the missiles and bombs–now you have slices and boxes of pizzas to dispense, along with a single canister of the turtles’ signature ooze. Paired with a brand new red and white paint job (which is shaded and weathered to give the vehicle a bit of an aged look) and spinning pizza hubcaps (yes, this Turtle Van has spinner rims), and you’ve got a visually striking toy for your Ninja Turtles collection.
It is canonical to, well, anything? Absolutely not, but that’s the beauty of toys–and especially a toy line like Ninja Turtles. The original Playmates toyline was stuffed to the gills with a random range of themed turtles–from Star Trek and music themed, to turtle-themed Troll dolls (seriously, the ’90s were a weird time). That’s why, in the long run, adding these elseworlds little pieces of Ninja Turtle ephemera to the endless list of toys produced is fun.
All that also helps make the Pizza Party Wagon an S-tier convention exclusive. Each year, Comic-Con offers hundreds of exclusive items, big and small. The Pizza Party Wagon is unique, wildly detailed, and rather limited. Best of all, though, it exists outside of canon. This won’t infringe on any potential future Super7 releases, because the company tends to stick to recreating existing items and characters. Now, with the Pizza Party Wagon and the entire Mikey’s Pizza line, they’ve carved out a small new space for TMNT superfans who want to go the extra mile for a collectible item that looks cool and is a bit outside of the box.
And luckily, the Pizza Party Wagon fits perfectly in that space. It’ll look good on a shelf or wherever you keep your collection. And if figure photography is your thing, this looks great on camera. What’s more, this vehicle is as sturdy as they come, meaning you could probably give it to your kids to play with and they wouldn’t instantly destroy it.
And if you want to play with it, that’s fine too. After some very scientific experiments, it’s clear that this will not only fit Super7’s Ultimate line of figures , but NECA’s Ninja Turtles , as well. And, strangely enough, Playmates Ninja Superstars crossover TMNT/WWE figures are also a pretty good fit. So you really can put together the Avengers of high-end Ninja Turtle action figures for whatever adventure crosses your mind.
Of course, just because we love this item doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. It’s all a matter of how you collect. If you have rules to your collecting (as most of us probably should), it may not fit in your collection. Or perhaps the price tag ($450) was too high for you. That’s the joy of collecting; there’s something for everyone. Walk the aisle of any Walmart or Target and you’re going to find a litany of far more affordable Ninja Turtles toys and vehicles–both re-releases of the original line and toys pinned to the latest movie. Even Mondo has its own line of Ninja Turtles figures coming out.
There’s never been a better time to be a Ninja Turtle fan, save for opening day of the first movie back in 1990. Regardless of how you collect or celebrate your fandom, there’s plenty at your disposal. And for those that truly love the more abstract side of Ninja Turtles (those of us who are thrilled NECA is releasing a We Wish You a Turtle Christmas four-pack of figures), the Pizza Party Wagon is a serious win and will be hard for Super7 to top in 2025.
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