IDW keeps fan-favorite animated shows alive with exclusive April 2026 continuations

From Saturday-morning chaos to cult-classic animation and modern animated hits, IDW Publishing continues to be the home for fan-favorite animated worlds in comic form. AIPT can exclusively reveal this week’s catalog early, spotlighting a slate of April 2026 releases that expand beloved animated universes with brand-new stories and a full lineup of eye-catching covers.

Below is a closer look at what’s coming, including all revealed covers.

STREET SHARKS ANNUAL 2026

On sale: 04/29/26
Pre-orders due: 03/23/26

Writers: Stephanie Williams (main story), Jordan Morris (backup)
Artists: Ariel Medel (main story), Andrew Pepoy (backup)

Covers:

• Cover A by Philip Murphy

• Cover B by Ariel Medel (also available as full art variant RI 1:25)

• Cover C by Elizabeth Beals (also available as full art variant RI 1:10)

• Cover D: Blank sketch variant

• Variant RI 1:50 by Victor Alpi

A new shark enters the fight—and this one’s a whale.

The Street Sharks’ trusted ally Moby Lick arrives just as chaos resurfaces in the form of escaped villains Malcolm Medusa III and Clammando. Their plan? Capture a living dinosaur discovered in a deep-sea trench and clone it to fuel the future of fossil fuels. With Dr. Paradigm dragged back into the fray, the Sharks will need every ally they can muster.

In the backup story, Bends finally gets the lair to himself for a quiet dinner date—until the Seaviates crash the party.

TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #5

On sale: 04/15/26
Pre-orders due: 03/09/26

Writer: Andrew Joustra
Artist: Louie Joyce

Covers:

• Cover A by Louie Joyce

• Cover B by Chalky Wong

• Variant RI 1:25 by Jon Lankry (mural full art)

Based on the newest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, this issue brings the heat as Fugitoid and the Turtles get an unexpected visit from Agent Lonae. With the E.P.F., Bishop, Blanque, and Zog closing in, the team must decide whether to defend home—or strike first.

The issue promises bold new designs and original takes on classic TMNT legacy characters, continuing IDW’s animated-to-comics pipeline.

Note: TALES OF THE TMNT #4 (the start of the Fugitoid arc) has pre-orders due 02/09/26.

STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS #18

On sale: 04/08/26
Pre-orders due: 03/02/26

Writer: Tim Sheridan
Artist: Vernon Smith

Covers:

• Cover A by Vernon Smith

• Cover B (connecting variant) by Chris Fenoglio

The animated hit Star Trek: Lower Decks reaches a thrilling turning point as the mystery of the vanished Laapeerians comes to a head. With the Enterprise caught in a massive space battle and an entire population at stake, it’s up to the Lower Deckers to save the day, reunite their crew, and maybe—just maybe—hug it out afterward.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SATURDAY MORNING ADVENTURES #36

On sale: 04/22/26
Pre-orders due: 03/16/26

Writer: Erik Burnham
Artist: Dan Schoening

Covers:

• Cover A by Dan Schoening

• Cover B by tOkKa

• Cover C by Luciannys Camacho

Classic cartoon energy returns as Krang, Great Warlord of Dimension X, comes down with a truly miserable cold. With Shredder and Rocksteady away, Bebop is left to entertain him—and does so by spinning a fairy-tale bedtime story packed with heroes, villains, and castle-storming chaos.

With animated franchises like TMNT, Street Sharks, and Star Trek: Lower Decks thriving on the page, IDW continues to prove it’s the go-to publisher for fans who want their favorite animated worlds to live on beyond the screen—louder, brighter, and more fun than ever.