It doesn’t matter how many times NECA has dug deep from the Ninja Turtle archive for new figures, but I’m genuinely surprised when characters from the Archie comics are chosen for new action figures. In that department, we’ve been eating good in 2024 with the releases of Bellybomb, Mondo Gecko, Stump Arena Leatherhead, and the Stump Arena Turtles.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures from Archie Comics are some of the most important comics to me personally. They helped encourage me to learn to read as a child and as a result, the characters featured in the books and their designs are some of my favorite of all time. Reading (and reading and reading and reading) those comics endeared me to the Archie versions of the characters, even more than the cartoon or the Playmates action figure incarnations.
The Stump Arena Leatherhead is NECA’s third Leatherhead action figure, following the Turtles in Time Leatherhead revealed in 2018 and the cartoon Leatherhead and Slash two-pack revealed 2019, which shared the sculpt. Since then, NECA announced a Mirage Leatherhead at 2023’s San-Diego Comic Con and showed it off again at 2023’s New York Comic Con, but the Archie comics version jumped the line at 2024’s San Diego Comic Con and was released by NECA along with the Stump Arena Turtles, Mondo Gecko and Belly Bomb from the Archie comics. I got mine through an AliExpress seller, but distribution in the United States has mostly been through Target and their “Cowabunga Corner” promotion.
I adore this figure. It’s big and bulky when standing with other figures, the skin is texturized to give Leatherhead feel of being scaley, the line work on the figure itself really brings the comic book feel to the action figure. Tomasz Rozejowski absolutely knocked this sculpt out of the park. Articulation is solid, although I’ve had some issues with the head popping off due to how large it is with the jaw that opens and closes, but it easily pops back on without issue.
Unfortunately there are few accessories with this figure, although being true to the comics there wouldn’t have been much to include anyway. Two additional pairs of hands, one open and with a semi-closed fist are included. The tail is softer than the rest of the figure and has a wire inside of it for posing. It’s not the easiest thing to move around and pose, but it’s also still a meaty piece of the figure. NECA seems to have learned their lesson when it comes to these figures and having large shoes to keep them balanced. The comic-accurate hightop Converse that Leatherhead is rocking keeps him stable when posed..
My ONE complaint about the figure, and it’s a minor one, is that the design for the Stump Arena Leatherhead from NECA deviates from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Stump Leatherhead design when it comes to the eye mask. In the comics and the packaging art, by Ken Mitchroney, you can see Leatherhead’s eye mask, but the wrap around band is missing from the figure. The paint still features the heavy black around the eyes but it misses the rest of the eye mask. The other deviations are that the sneakers aren’t ribbed along the soles and the stripe on the side of his shorts doesn’t continue to the waistline, but the strip could be an issue with the legs moving anyway.
| Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Director | Randy Falk Trevor Zammit |
| Sculpt & Fabrication | Tomasz Rozejowski Kushwara Studios |
| Paint | Geoff Trapp Mike Puzzo |
| Photography | Stephen Mazurek |
| Illustrations | Ken Mitchroney |
| Packaging | Travis Hastback Gary Fields |
I love this action figure. I’m a sucker for a bulky boy, and Leatherhead is a bulky boy for sure. He’s highly posable and the sculpt is top notch. I can easily see another TMNT Adventures Leatherhead coming with the non-Stump Arena outfit, especially if they want to complete the Mighty Mutanimals. NECA revealed a Stump Wrestling Ace Duck at SDCC 2024, which was said to be “maybe before the end of the year or early next year.” That might mean Target’s Haulathon 2025? I’d expect to see announcements of the vest and hat Leatherhead and Wingnut in 2025 to round out the Mutanimals line in 2025 as well. With another TMNT Adventures Leatherhead and a Mirage Leatherhead, we may be headed for a true Leatherheadaissance in the near future.