IDW has announced two new The Last Ronin-related projects, with a new Director’s Cut edition of the first issue out in April and a new one-shot Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin—Lost Day Special out in May. The director’s cut will feature never-before-seen supplemental materials from TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman and series artists Ben Bishop and SL Gallant. The announcement comes just a few days before the five-issue prequel series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin—Lost Years launches on January 25th.
The director’s cut will look at the concept’s evolution from a speculative draft composed by Eastman and Laird in the nascent days of TMNT’s indie comics era to a New York Times best-selling, internationally beloved phenomenon, as well as the new, expansive universe that has emerged as a result. The new one-shot, set for release in May straddle both the past and the future of the Last Ronin universe, setting the stage for thrilling new tales to come.
So what’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin—Lost Day Special about?
In Lost Day, longtime resistance leader April O’Neil finds herself and her loved ones—including the four young mutant turtles she and her daughter, Casey Marie Jones, are raising and training together—once again caught up in the battle for the soul of New York City. When April takes the turtles with her on a supply run into the city, they get lost and risk becoming collateral damage in the newest power struggle overtaking the streets. Old memories mix with new realities as April and her four small charges race to get back home before it’s too late.
“The creation of the Last Ronin Universe with Peter Laird and Tom Waltz has truly been an amazing journey through and through,” says Eastman, “and one of the best parts has been all the nooks and crannies we left open to go back and explore, given the chance. Lost Years is the first trip back.Iit has been incredible, and with the Director’s Cut, you’ll get to see a bit more of that world.”
“Just like with TMNT: The Last Ronin, there is a ton of development work taking place on Lost Years that is just as entertaining and exciting as the story being told in the comics,” said Waltz. “In particular, the art designs—both characters and settings—have been a joy to watch unfold, and I couldn’t be happier that our many loyal fans will get a chance to peek at the amazing work being done behind the scenes.”
For more on this news, read the official press release below.
With the highly anticipated debut of TMNT: The Last Ronin—Lost Years slated for January 25th, IDW has also announced an expanded Director’s Cut edition of the miniseries’ first issue, which will be available in April. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin—Lost Years #1 Director’s Cut will feature never-before-seen supplemental materials from legendary TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman, as well as series artists Ben Bishop and SL Gallant.
“The creation of the Last Ronin Universe with Peter Laird and Tom Waltz has truly been an amazing journey through and through,” says Eastman, “and one of the best parts has been all the nooks and crannies we left open to go back and explore, given the chance. Lost Years is the first trip back.Iit has been incredible, and with the Director’s Cut, you’ll get to see a bit more of that world.”
For fans hungry for more insight into the creative process behind Last Ronin’s runaway success, Lost Years, Director’s Cut offers an exclusive look at the concept’s evolution from a speculative draft composed by Eastman and Laird in the nascent days of TMNT’s indie comics era to a New York Times best-selling, internationally beloved phenomenon, as well as the new, expansive universe that has emerged as a result.
“Just like with TMNT: The Last Ronin, there is a ton of development work taking place on Lost Years that is just as entertaining and exciting as the story being told in the comics,” said Waltz. “In particular, the art designs—both characters and settings—have been a joy to watch unfold, and I couldn’t be happier that our many loyal fans will get a chance to peek at the amazing work being done behind the scenes.”
Springing from a lost 1987 storyline by TMNT co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, The Last Ronin tells the heartrending revenge story of a sole, shrouded Turtle in a dark, possible future, undertaking a seemingly hopeless mission to obtain justice for his fallen family and friends. The kinetic layouts from Eastman, atmospheric illustrations from Isaac & Esau Escorza and Ben Bishop, thrilling script full of surprises from longtime TMNT scribe Tom Waltz, and bold hues from colorist Luis Antonio Delgado instantly resonated with fans and critics alike. Debuting in October 2020 as a quarterly periodical in a prestige oversized format, The Last Ronin took the comic world by storm, eventually leading to over 840,000 units of the individual comic books in print and New York Times best seller status for its hardcover collection with more than 125,000 copies sold.
For information on how to acquire the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin—The Lost Years five-part miniseries and its special one-shot tie-in, please visit Penguin Random House or www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.
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