TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES - POP Comics N° 65 - Donatello

This Funko POP! Comics No. 65 figurine depicts Donatello in a design directly inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ comic book origins. Officially named ‘Donatello (Battle Damaged) (Comic Deco)’ by Funko, this version features a predominantly red, black, white and grey colour scheme that evokes the aesthetic of the early Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics. The figurine stands approximately 9.9 cm tall.

Donatello is depicted here in a combat pose, clutching his trusty bō. Unlike the animated adaptations, in which he is mainly associated with a purple mask, this edition features a red headband and a grey-scale colour scheme. The ‘Battle Damaged’ finish adds marks and graphic details simulating the traces of a battle, whilst the Comic Deco style accentuates the shadows and contrasts to give the figurine the appearance of a printed illustration.

The base is also a key feature of this series. Funko has designed the bases for the four brothers so that they can be joined together: when placed side by side, the bases of Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo form a complete manhole cover. Each figure can therefore be displayed individually or as part of a display featuring all four Ninja Turtles.

Presented in the traditional POP! range’s window box, this version showcases Donatello in a style much closer to the franchise’s comic book roots than the usual animated versions. It is therefore a particularly suitable addition to collections dedicated to the earliest graphic representations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Technical specifications

• Manufacturer: Funko
• Range / Collection: POP! Comics
• Number: No. 65
• Licence: Nickelodeon
• Sub-licence: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• Character: Donatello
• Nickname: Donnie
• Official variant: Battle Damaged (Comic Deco)
• Type: Collectible POP! figure
• Height: approx. 9.9 cm
• Weapon depicted: bō
• Main colours: red, black, white and grey
• Special feature: comic-inspired design with a ‘Battle Damaged’ effect
• Base: section of a manhole cover that can be combined with the bases of the other three Ninja Turtles in the series
• Funko product code: 93213
• EAN: 0889698932134

Character background and lore

Donatello is one of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brothers, alongside Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo. He is distinguished primarily by his intelligence, analytical mind and inventiveness. Nickelodeon describes him as a brilliant and inventive character, capable of anticipating problems and identifying flaws in the plans devised by his brothers. His signature weapon is the bō, which he wields with great skill.

His first name pays homage to Donatello, the famous 15th-century Italian sculptor. Like his three brothers, he is thus named after a Renaissance artist. In most modern adaptations, Donatello is associated with the colour purple, but this POP! Comics figure deliberately features a red mask to stay truer to the visual style of the original comics.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was created in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. In May of that same year, the two artists self-published the first comic dedicated to the four mutant turtles, before their creation went on to become an international franchise spanning animated series, films, video games and merchandise.

This POP! No. 65 pays direct homage to these editorial roots. Its red and grey colour scheme, graphic contrasts and weathered appearance evoke the rawer world of the original comics, whilst the bō and combat stance retain Donatello’s essential characteristics. When combined with the three other matching figures, it also allows you to symbolically recreate the manhole cover representing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ underground lair in New York.