TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (2025-) #1

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 is written by Mikey Levitt and published by IDW Publishing. Artwork and colours by Louie Joyce and letters by Brian Kolek. Main cover art (left) is by Louie Joyce.

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.

Synopsis

When Donatello is invited to a prestigious robotics camp for genius kids, he’s excited to rebuild Metalhead and compete for the camp’s prize for best robot. But when the competition goes haywire, Donnie’s forced to wonder who really invited him, and what do they want with Metalhead?

Review

Paramount and IDW continue to expand their fan-favourite line of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics today with a series set in the world of the recent Mutant Mayhem movie. Or more accurately its brilliant animated Paramount+ spin-off series Tales of the TMNT. In doing so can writer Mikey Levitt distill the uniquely energetic world of the Seth Rogen-produced movie into a comic book?

The book picks up the storytelling elements of the Tales of the TMNT series effortlessly. The ability to flex between different characters’ POV is baked in to the first panel. It instantly left me feeling comfortable that Levitt understood the assignment. Even better when the first story is being spun by easily the greatest turtle – I’ll fight you for it – Donnie. Add to that a story which ties to the events of the series and features the legendary Metalhead and you have the building blocks for something pretty cool.

This version of the TMNT universe relies heavily on its visual style. The film – and by association the streaming series – has a punk energy to its aesthetic. It’s rough around the edges, unpredictable and because of that it’s also completely electric. Many would go as far as to argue that Mutant Mayhem is even more groundbreaking than Into the Spider-Verse for animation. Louie Joyce does an incredible job of bringing that style to the book. The energy radiates from every page. In broad terms the style remains very close to what we saw in the Paramount+ series. The turtles all retain their individual styles and the world is completely familiar. But it goes deeper than that. Joyce is able to interpret that style, recreating it in a way which fits the comic book medium without compromising on quality.

There will undoubtedly be some who will gripe this isn’t a story featuring all four turtles together. But it’s hard to argue with Levitt’s approach when the results are so enticing. With Donnie away at a robot camp alongside Irma and Ian he’s left to his own devices. Rather than tell the story through narration Levitt brings us in as if events are happening in real time. It’s more immersive this way and I appreciate it punctuates the action beats more when they happen. There’s a great ebb and flow to the story which is only interrupted when Levitt turns his attentions to setting up the wider arc of the series. Prior to the final few pages Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 has a very natural, direct flow.

Levitt’s script and therefore Joyce’s artistic style brilliantly match up to both the series and the film’s frenzied editing. There are plenty of visual cues akin to smash cuts and jumps which keep the energy high. These moments are all emphasised with excellent pops of block colour which pull focus to key elements in the frame. Throughout the book there’s a lot of playful experimentation with layouts which again reflect the unpredictable nature of this interpretation. There’s an undeniable sense that all the key elements are working perfectly in tandem to create a really engaging read.

Verdict

Mikey Levitt and Louie Joyce masterfully translate the electric punk energy of Mutant Mayhem’s world into comic form, delivering an immersive Donnie-focused adventure that captures everything fans love about the franchise. Tales of the TMNT #1 proves this universe has endless storytelling potential beyond the screen.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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