Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Evolution

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back again, even though they never truly disappeared. In 2024, IDW Publishing released the longest-running comic book in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, which celebrated its 40th anniversary that year. Following this, IDW Publishing reintroduced its ongoing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series with a new first issue, and Jason Aaron, an acclaimed writer known for his work on Marvel Comics titles like Star Wars and Avengers, took over as the writer. The initial four issues of the revamped series had Aaron collaborating with top-tier artists to explore individual stories for each Turtle. Interestingly, these once tight-knit brothers have grown apart following an unspecified rift.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles came back in a new comic series written by Jason Aaron, and the first four issues focused on each turtle individually because they had a disagreement that caused them to separate.

Starting from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles issue #6, due out later this month, the whole team reunites. The sudden resurfacing of the Foot Clan compels the brothers to find one another and revisit New York City, now under the Foot Clan’s control. Aaron remarks that this development, with the Turtles’ traditional home turning hostile towards them, symbolizes a maturing phase for our turtle heroes.

As a father of an 19-year-old son, Aaron finds himself reflecting on his own experiences at a similar age. He sees the Turtles, who are no longer just teenagers but have matured significantly over time, as embodying the struggles and uncertainties of youth. He notes that even though they’ve grown, they, like most people their age, are still figuring out who they are and have a lot more growing to do as they navigate the complexities of the adult world.

Aaron’s connection of the Turtles to his family underscores the unique essence of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) amidst a growing market of comics where updated versions of iconic characters are prevalent. Unlike other teams such as the Fantastic Four or the X-Men, who have an atomic or found family structure, respectively, the TMNT stands out due to a distinct, four-brother family dynamic that sets it apart.

As a film enthusiast, I’d like to highlight that this story revolves around brothers, more specifically, sibling dynamics. Growing up, my older siblings were so much older than me that it sometimes felt like I was the only child. Yet, I was old enough to comprehend and recognize their frequent disputes. This love-hate relationship between siblings intrigues me, and I believe this narrative is pushing these complex feelings to their extremes.

Andy Khouri, the newly appointed Senior Editor of IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, explains that the turtles are actually four orphaned brothers who are going through their teenage years. He emphasizes that this dynamic is different from other solo characters in DC’s Absolute line or nuclear families like those seen in Ultimate Spider-Man. Instead, these turtle siblings have a complex relationship filled with strife, yet still brimming with love. The storyline is packed with action, adventure, and mystery, but at its heart, it tells a tale of a family struggling to mend itself.

As a devoted fan, I can’t hide my excitement about diving into the latest issue #6 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, knowing that it marks the debut of our new regular artist, Juan Ferreyra. His art style echoes the same gritty, raw spirit as the original TMNT comics by legends Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird – a touchstone that Aaron has always emphasized for his work on this series. I can’t wait to see how he breathes life into these iconic characters!

As a film enthusiast, I’ve been utterly impressed by Juan at every turn. In my opinion, he’s absolutely the ideal choice to bring this particular tale to life.

Khouri didn’t join the series until after Ferrerya was selected, but he has collaborated with the artist before. As he puts it, “If I had been responsible for choosing the ongoing artist, he would have been my top pick. That’s the honest truth.

Previously, Khouri was employed at DC Comics, where he edited various comics for their main series (such as Suicide Squad) and mature readers imprint, DC Black Label (like Wonder Woman: Death Earth), along with special projects (Batman ’89) and anthologies (Batman: Black and White). For Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, he’s adopting a strategy similar to the one he used for DC Comics’ collection of superhero characters.

Speaking of working with iconic characters steeped in decades of history, Khouri notes that the real challenge lies in highlighting aspects of these characters that resonate most strongly today, while giving them a contemporary feel as if they were newly created. At the same time, it’s crucial to respect and reference the past, ensuring continuity with what has already been established. Regarding the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Khouri clarifies that their new book isn’t a reboot but rather a revival of an ongoing series that maintains its 13-year-long canon.

He goes on to say, “Whatever has occurred in the past remains relevant and important, and this is a logical progression of those events. This is something I used to do frequently at DC when working with established characters, aiming to update them for new readers while also providing long-time fans with unexpected and enjoyable elements. Essentially, it’s the same task.

With a background on “Star Wars” and various Marvel Comics heroes, Aaron is transferring a similar expertise to TMNT. He expresses his role as, “Bring these characters who’ve been around for ages, and explore what they signify to me, what relevance they hold today, and aim to capture all that’s transpired before, while making it feel contemporary.

Aaron remarks that working on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is particularly meaningful for him because it allows him to revisit his childhood. As a child, he was reading the Turtles’ comics as they were being released in the 80s, and now, as an adult, he can reconnect with that part of himself and appreciate these characters from his own personal perspective. This makes the experience more enjoyable for him because it allows him to tap into the excitement and appeal that these characters had for him when he first discovered them.

For Aaron, it essentially comes down to: “What catches my interest? What feels personal to me? I’m not sure about controlling anything else. After 20 years, I’ve been crafting a career by creating comic books that resonate with me. I believe this is the best approach. The work should touch me, it should echo within me. This is what I love most about these characters.

IDW’s choice to restart the TMNT series while preserving its ongoing narrative contrasts with a recent pattern in comics. Publishers like Image, Marvel, and DC have recently introduced new continuities for famous characters with completely fresh versions. However, IDW’s decision, made before Khouri joined the company, was highly commended by him for the “exceptionally good” series that came before this new phase. He believes that retaining the established storyline is advantageous because it provides Aaron with a wealth of history to draw upon.

Khouri explains that Jason’s book will serve as our guiding light for all releases this year. He plans to adopt a simplified, fundamental approach across new projects. The goal is to highlight the most compelling aspects of these legendary characters while maintaining consistency with their established stories. They aim to make these characters feel contemporary yet true to their original canon. Khouri also mentions that they will provide an engaging entry point for new readers, and encourage them to explore the rich backlist as well, which is filled with incredible titles.

Khouri assures us, “We’ve got something for all kinds of fans in store for 2025. We plan to highlight some beloved IDW characters and venture into more fantastical territories, not as closely tied to reality as Jason’s work. When we say ‘back to basics,’ it can mean various things in the context of the Ninja Turtles.

Although the consistent run over the past decade continues, when writing the new series, Aaron keeps in mind potential readers who may be unfamiliar not only with IDW’s TMNT comics but also with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a whole. As he explains, “I don’t presume that everyone already knows and adores the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Although most readers are likely familiar with these characters from various forms of media, Aaron writes for someone who has just emerged from a cave and is encountering the TMNT for the first time. His goal is to demonstrate what makes them appealing and why one would want to spend time with them.

To sum up, it’s worth mentioning that in recent times, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have participated in numerous collaborations with characters from other companies, including Power Rangers, Naruto, and Batman. When asked about potential properties for future crossovers, Khouri simply replied, “Yes.” Upon further questioning, he playfully hinted, “If you’re wondering if there will be more inter-company collaborations in the future, the answer is indeed yes.

The sixth issue of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series will be available for purchase on January 29th. The seventh issue, introducing a fresh storyline and marketed as an ideal starting point for new readers by IDW, has its final order deadline on Monday, January 20th.

2025-01-17 19:40

Read More