In case you didn’t know, 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of one of the most iconic franchises in pop culture. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are turning 40 and to celebrate IDW Publishing is going all-out to celebrate. The publisher has now detailed five upcoming releases which will help celebrate the landmark birthday of the Heroes in a Half Shell.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Sourcebook #1 (available now), The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution #1 (debuting March 3), The Untold Destiny of the Foot Clan #1 (March 20) and the all new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 ,which is slated to hit comic book stores just in time for SDCC in July, all form part of the birthday celebrations.
But that’s not all. Leaping into comic book stores on May 8 is a brand-new indie anthology series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Black, White and Green. Featuring a radical lineup of acclaimed writers and artists on every new issue including Declan Shalvey, Paulina Ganucheau, Javier Rodriguez, and Jock, this series will unleash visually striking short stories using only black, white, and green.
“Getting to work on the Turtles is an absolute dream come true,” commented Shalvey. “I was a total Turtles nut as a kid (had the Turtle Van, the sewer playset, the works) and have always loved the characters. It’s amazing to see the passion behind these characters, even through all the different iterations over the years. I’ve been hoping someone would invite me to do something with them for a long, long time. For it to happen on the Turtles’ anniversary is a real treat… the cherry on the cake, or the pepperoni on the pizza, if you will.”
This June will see the release of two oversized one-shot issues. On June 5, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Alpha will set the stage for the future of the TMNT universe. Featuring a story by fan-favorite creative Tom Waltz with art by rising star Gavin Smith, their Turtles tale will explore the aftermath of the epic and emotional Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #150 (4/10), including an appearance from the fan-favorite fifth Turtle Jennika. Plus, this issue will see the debut of Eisner Award-winner Jason Aaron’s TMNT writing with a 10-page prelude drawn by New York Times bestselling artist Chris Burnham. This gripping story will set the tone for Aaron’s relaunch in July.
On June 12, everyone’s favorite honorable samurai and rabbit out of time will meet with the Heroes in a Half Shell again… but this time in a whole new dimension! TMNT veteran writer Erik Burnham and animated artist Jack Lawrence proudly present an oversized adventure inspired by the classic 1987 cartoon series: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yo Yojimbo: Saturday Morning Adventures.
Violence and discrimination against mutants is running wild, and a new vigilante will rise up to combat it… but who is this fearsome fighter standing bravely against those who wish to harm mutants? From the inventive mind of writer Juni Ba and the brilliant artist Fero Pe comes TMNT: Nightwatcher, a new ongoing series this August. “I find the world of TMNT extremely fun and fascinating, and I want to use the character of Nightwatcher as an anchor to explore that world in an action-packed adventure format that I hope people will love,” said Ba. “While it’s a spin-off series, I do want it to stand on its own as something you like for itself, and not just because it’s tied to TMNT. Expect some heartfelt stories, Saturday morning action cartoon vibes and cool vigilante badassery!”
The IDW TMNT universe is full of compelling and exciting characters, and this September, the TMNT: Mutant Nation ongoing series will bring that amazing array of characters into the spotlight! Tom Waltz, the co-writer of more than 100 issues of TMNT and The Last Ronin, will be joined by spectacular storyteller Sophie Campbell and more fan-favorite TMNT creatives to continue exploring the rich universe and its many mutants.
“With Mutant Nation, we have the opportunity to further expand our long-running IDW TMNT universe alongside Jason Aaron’s relaunch of the main ongoing TMNT series,” remarked Waltz. “We’ve built a massively diverse and exciting ensemble cast of characters and settings over the years, and I’m ecstatic to remain a part of its continued evolution alongside fellow creators, telling more TMNT stories that we all hope will continue to entertain our amazingly enthusiastic and loyal readership… both old and new!”
“You can’t remain as popular and exciting for four decades without having variety, and if TMNT has proven anything since its debut in 1984, it’s that the characters can adapt to all kinds of stories in comics, from the ultra serious to the hysterically funny, aimed at young, old, and everyone in between,” stated IDW Editor-in-Chief Jamie S. Rich. “What we wanted to do over the course of this year was build out the line so that there is a Turtles book for everybody. If you’re a fan of cool art and high concepts, you will like Black, White and Green, for instance. If you’re a superhero fan, Nightwatcher might scratch a particular itch for you. And Mutant Nation is our celebration of the long history IDW has with TMNT, giving our regular readers all the characters they have come to love over those first 150 issues and maintaining the continuity as we enter a brand new phase of Turtles storytelling.”
IDW Co-Publisher Mark Doyle is proud of the storytelling and talent that IDW will offer TMNT fans during this milestone year. “One of the great things about being at IDW is seeing all the amazing and diverse talent working on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles over the years. We wanted to create a slate of books that reflected that talent and allow them to tell a wide range of stories that would thrill all kinds of fans.” Doyle added, “It’s an honor to be publishing TMNT comics during the iconic franchise’s 40th anniversary and we’ve gone all-out to truly celebrate Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s unforgettable creations.”
There are more TMNT comics on the way, but those reveals will be saved for another day, shellheads. In the meantime, contact a comic shop near you to learn how to pre-order these upcoming releases. For updates on everything regarding TMNT comics, be sure to follow IDW and the official TMNT accounts on social media.
