It's been a couple of years with a TMNT book on the shelves (2008, actually), but thanks to IDW, this August we'll be getting a "continuation" of the original series co-written by the creators of the quartet of heroes in a half-shell. Kevin Eastman--the Eastman half of the Eastman and Laird combo that created the Turtles way back in 1984--will be handling writing chores alongside regular IDW writer Tom Waltz.
From the press release:
San Diego, CA (May 20, 2011)—IDW Publishing and Nickelodeon today announced that the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic series, featuring the beloved “Heroes in a Half-shell,” will premiere in August 2011. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be back in action and ready to fight off evil once again, with an impressive creative team led by TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman!
Starting in August, IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will kick off with a brand new installment of the original series, led by Eastman and co-writer Tom Waltz (Silent Hill: Past Life, Infestation: Outbreak). Phenomenal new-comer Dan Duncan will bring the Turtles to life with dynamic interior art, while Sam Kieth and Walter Simonson provide eye-catching covers for issues one and two, respectively. Eastman will also provide layouts for Duncan's art, as well as variant covers.
This first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series will feature new and exciting storylines that maintain the “turtle power” core beloved by millions of fans. Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael reunite to bring their ninja aptitude and teenage attitude in these all-new, action-packed adventures based on the original series. The first story arc will tell the origin story of the Turtles and introduce a new villain, the fearsome mutant alley cat, Old Hob. Featuring a cast of familiar characters, including Master Splinter, April O’Neill, Casey Jones, and true to the spirit of the original comics created by Eastman and Peter Laird, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are bigger and badder than ever, and ready to rock old and new fans alike.
IDW and Nickelodeon have a long-term partnership to offer an all-new installment of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and graphic novels. IDW’s new comics are part of a larger initiative to bring Turtles to a new generation of fans, starting with these new storylines from the original series that recapture the magic of the original Turtles comics. Additionally, in fourth quarter 2012, Nickelodeon will premiere a new CG-animated version of the wildly popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
I threw continuation up in quotes because from the release, it seems like it'll be more a reboot of the gritty original 80's series more than a continuation, with a retelling of the team's origins alongside the introduction of new characters. For those readers only familiar with Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo from their late 80's TV and film incarnation and their recent animated revival, the original TMNT comics from publisher Mirage were were fairly hardcore, bearing only a passing resemblance to their animated counterparts, with the Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles companion book being a showcase for even more mature work from a diverse collection of creators.
Over the years, the Turtles have been in print through a couple of publishers including reprints of their adventures through Image back in the 90's (which has since been taken out of canon), and perhaps the most well-known iteration through the colorful Archie series which had the look and sometimes feel of the then-ongoing original TV series. They even had--and this is a surprise to me--a daily strip which ran in newspapers for a while, written and drawn by Dan Berger. The Turtles have bounced around in one form or another from Dreamwave to a manga adaptation, giving the characters one of the most diverse publication histories of any comic characters on record.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be coming to IDW in August.
Related Posts:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Returning To Comics With IDW!
Jason Biggs To Be Leonardo In New TMNT Cartoon
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