Welcome to TMNT Tuesday #10 here at AIPT, your monthly dive into the totally tubular sewers with editor Andy Khouri and the team behind the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics line! This week, we’ve got a killer installment packed with fan questions, behind-the-scenes insight, and a first look at exclusive preview art from across the TMNT universe—including major finales and pivotal moments you won’t want to miss.
Get your first look at:
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TMNT: Nightwatcher #7, wrapping up the action-packed mini, out April 9th.
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TMNT #8, as Juan Ferreyra continues to redefine the Turtles’ world with his stunning visuals, out April 16th.
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TMNT: Saturday Morning Adventures #24, out April 23rd with art by the always excellent Sarah Myer and Luis Antonio Delgado.
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And The Last Ronin II: Re-Evolution #5, the explosive series finale, out April 30th.
Andy dishes on what it’s like to work with this dream-team of creators, teases what’s next for the Roninverse, and reflects on the garage band-style collaboration driving TMNT’s current golden age. Plus, we check in with TMNT editors Dave Wielgosz and Thea Cheuk for some big reveals on Last Ronin and Saturday Morning Adventures canon.
AIPT: Andy, welcome back to the column!
Andy Khouri: Thanks. I’ve missed you.
Question: Tiffany Ugwu asks: What is the best part about helping to create the TMNT comics?
Andy: I’ve been trying to answer this for almost ten minutes! It’s just really hard to choose the best part. I suppose it must be the fact that everyone working on the line right now is a very experienced storyteller, writers and artists and editors alike, which means we speak the same creative language, can finish each other’s sentences, and can kind of see the Matrix code of everything we’re trying to do. Which is a big help when you’re working on a cohesive line with punishing deadlines. But the real pleasure is riffing off each other, inspiring each other. I like to create an atmosphere that’s kind of like a garage band, where everyone feels like they can share an idea and if it works, it works. There’s no egos, it’s just a lot of fun.
A page from TMNT #8.
AIPT: Love the openness, Andy!
Next, Amir asks: How was the process of bringing Juan Ferreyra as the new regular artist of the series?
Andy: Juan was actually hired a few weeks before I was, so credit to my predecessor Maggie Howell for that amazing piece of recruitment. But I’ve worked with Juan on many projects in the past, most prominently GREEN ARROW REBIRTH, and I can honestly say that if it had been up to me to hire the ongoing TMNT artist, Juan would have been my choice as well.
That’s the truth.
He’s one of the most gifted storytellers working in comics today, incredibly collaborative and always excited to do the best job he can. He has an amazing attitude, he’s astonishingly fast, and his work looks like no one else’s. I hope I’ll be working with Juan on many more projects for the rest of my career. Turtles fans have seen what he brings to these characters and their fictionalized New York.
It’s gratifying to see readers and critics describe Juan as one of the best TMNT artists of all time right out of the gate. I certainly agree.
AIPT: Ditto on being a fan of Juan’s since Green Arrow (I reviewed most of that run!). Brad Thorn wants to go back in time asking: Any chance of seeing any mini-series set in previous incarnations of the Turtles such as 2012 or the Archie version
Andy: There is always a chance – those incarnations appeared in the 40TH ANNIVERSARY COMICS CELEBRATION, after all – and you might be seeing something else sooner than you think!
AIPT: Ohhh, teaser!
Owen asks: What has it been like getting to work with The Last Ronin team and helping them build out the Roninverse?
Andy: My colleague Dave Wielgosz has been the point man on THE LAST RONIN II: RE-EVOLUTION, so I’ll hand this one over to him.
Dave: Thanks, Andy. And thank you for the question, Owen!
Like everyone else in the world of comics, I was blown away by The Last Ronin. Coming to IDW and getting to work with Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Isaac and Esau Escorza, Ben Bishop, and Luis Antonio Delgado has been a dream come true.
The team is building a rich, fearless future for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. They’re honoring the journeys of all the characters in the franchise and bringing them somewhere I couldn’t have imagined. It’s also been an honor getting to see TMNT co-Creator Kevin Eastman add so much more to this universe he built, and to help guide the next generation of talent while he does that.
A double page splash from the Last Ronin II finale.
AIPT: That reminds me, don’t miss our big Last Ronin TMNT Tuesday with tons of your questions answered!
But wait, Owen had a follow up: Speaking of the Roninverse, is there a chance we may get a Last Ronin III or is it too early to be discussing that kind of stuff?
Andy: LAST RONIN II is still releasing so it’s too early to announce details to fans, but we can confirm more of The Roninverse is in development!
For now, the final issue of LAST RONIN II is on sale April 30 and fans will want to read it for themselves before they see spoilers.
AIPT: Next up, a repeat question-asker Spicy Turtle wants to know: Is Saturday Morning Adventures in canon with the 1987 TV series?
Andy: Let’s see what TMNT SATURDAY MORNING ADVENTURES editor Thea Cheuk has to say.
Thea: Yes, it’s mostly canon but we’ve updated and introduced some elements (the TMNT call each other by nicknames, Splinter refers to them as “my sons”). We’ve also never given a specific date of when the comics fit in with the show, though internally we’ve discussed it as between season 7 and season 8.
A page from SMA #24 (art by Myer and Delgado).
AIPT: In canon is always better, am I right TMNT fans?
Last question, Johnny asks: Hi, thanks for all your hard work. TMNT comics are currently the best quality they’ve been since the Mirage days. I’m wondering if anyone working on TMNT comics is being consulted for the upcoming Last Ronin movie adaptation. Thanks for any info you can provide.
Andy: Thank you, we’re glad you’re enjoying the comics so much. Paramount have been great partners and always keep us in the loop about everything going on with TMNT outside of the panels.
A page from the TMNT Nightwatcher finale!
Courtesy IDW
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