IDW Publishing recently announced that it will bring back the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in a way not seen since their cartoon heyday in the 1980s. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures will be a new four-issue limited series that will continue the original animated series with new stories.
Any child of the 1980s is familiar with the Ninja Turtles, and IDW has been putting out stories about Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo for years now. The publisher recently finished the series, TMNT: The Last Ronin. Tonally the Ronin comics are far different than the old cartoons, as they were written for a mature audience. The more serious content is closer to the original comics by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, who created the Turtles as a parody of other heroes. They even had the Turtles share Daredevil's origin story. However, this new series will be aimed at recapturing the nostalgic antics of the show that debuted in 1987, and introduced the majority of the world to the pizza loving ninjas.
The new comic series will be written by Erik Burnham and illustrated by Tim Lattie. In an announcement by IDW, the creators revealed that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures will feature concepts that are “awesomely absurd,” and are reminiscent of the famous Saturday morning cartoon show. “Humor, action, and plenty of high concepts were packed into each episode, and we’re following that path,” said Burnham in the announcement. “I'm not sure if anyone in comics is having as much fun as Tim Lattie and I are with these done-in-one stories!”
An icon of pop culture, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have seen many iterations over the years in both cartoon and comic form. The Heroes in a Half Shell still remain hugely popular. Even Seth Rogan is creating a new TMNT movie franchise, but it is fitting that they return to their cartoon past, where they can skateboard, eat slices of pizza, and battle wacky villains in a series that is sure to not take itself too seriously. All too often comic creators have felt a need to get gritty and dark with their properties —and TMNT is no exception— which is why it is refreshing to have a new series that plans to just have a little fun with the bright and colorful amphibious brothers that many fans still remember. “Growing up in the late '80s, nothing was like the experience of discovering TMNT: playing with the toys, watching the show, or waiting in a crowd with the hopes of getting a chance to try your luck at the arcade game," said Lattie. The only true downside, of course, is that the comic will not feature one of the best cartoon theme songs ever created.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #1 will be out in September, with main cover art and an additional variant cover by Lattie, as well as variants by Kevin Eastman and Tony Gregori. This IDW announcement is great news for anyone who is looking to recapture a bit of their youth, or for anyone who just wants to experience the original '80s cartoon for the first time. It promises to be a lot of fun and be full of brand-new hijinks for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. There is nothing left to say but, “Cowabunga, dudes.”
Source: IDW Publishing
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