SDCC: BATMAN Meets the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES…?


A lot of cool stuff has come out of Comic-Con this year. A new trailer for Doctor Who Series 9, a clip from the upcoming Sherlock Christmas special set in Victorian England, the news that Ben Affleck is making a Batman movie, a new trailer for The Walking Dead Season 6 and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. All of that is awesome, but this might just top it all.

Comic Book Resources reveals that DC Comics and IDW Publishing have joined forces to deliver fans the ultimate crossover: Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. No, we’re not joking.

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If you say that you’ve never hoped that this would happen, then you’re lying. Think back to your childhood where you concocted stories based upon whichever toys happened to be near you at the time. We live in a world where those child-like dreams are starting to come true (LEGO Dimensions anyone?), and this is yet another example of that.

“In the ongoing power struggle between the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, General Krang, and the Foot Clan, allegiances have shifted and the battle lines have been drawn. Krang concocts a plan to rid himself of both the Turtles and Shredder by transporting them to another dimension, where they land in the dark and dangerous streets of Gotham City. It isn’t long before they encounter Gotham’s most famous resident, Batman. The Caped Crusader may be their only hope of overcoming their enemies and getting back home. But not before they encounter a whole cast of Gotham’s most infamous rogues.”

I would just like to say that this might be the weirdest fucking news story I’ve ever written – and I’ve written a lot of weird shit for this site. It really is the type of story you come up with when you’re 6 and bored on a Sunday afternoon, not something which would become a limited series and get a top-tier creative team (writer James Tynion IV and artist Freddie E. Wiliams II, along with TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman). Despite all of that, there are a lot of similarities between the two franchises; they’re both quite dark and gritty, they both deal with low-level street crime, they both have ninja organisations and Raphael is pretty Batman-esque.

“I’ve been extremely lucky to spend so much time working in Gotham City, but it’s always a thrill to see the world of Batman through new eyes. Taking the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on a Gotham Adventure is a fanboy dream come true.” -James Tynon IV

If you’re an average resident of Gotham City then the landing of four fully-growin humanoid Turtles who wear colourful bandanas and carry ancient ninja weapons probably won’t feel too weird. In a city of giant crocodiles, psychopathic clowns, killer scarecrows and gimp-masked weightlifters, what’s so weird about the Ninja Turtles? It would be hilarious if the citizens of Gotham aren’t all too bothered about their arrival in the comic.

What are you looking forward to seeing in the comic? As long as there’s at least one scene where Batman eats pizza with the Turtles then I’ll be a happy man.

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