Welcome back to another shell-shocking edition of TMNT Tuesday! This week, we’re diving deep into the multiversal mayhem of TMNT: Battle Nexus — the all-out brawl event where legends from every era of Turtles lore collide. Fans sent in their burning questions, and the creative minds behind the series are answering them — from how the idea first took shape, to which dream characters almost made the cut, to whether Battle Nexus will leave lasting ripples across the IDW TMNT timeline.
Expect insights from Tom Waltz, Erik Burnham, Paul Allor, Caleb Goellner, and the IDW TMNT Editorial team, along with plenty of fun debate about which Turtle reigns supreme in combat (spoiler: Michelangelo might surprise you). Strap in — the Battle Nexus is open for business, and only the best fighters will make it out on top!
Important TMNT Dates:
- First issue of the bi-weekly tournament event goes on sale December 24, 2025.
- Pre-orders for the debut issue of this must-read event are due November 10, 2025! Pre-order to guarantee your copy.
- Each issue features a one-page back up story that puts fan-favorite incarnations of the Ninja Turtles against each other!
- TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES X GODZILLA #1 and TMNT: JOURNEYS #3 are on sale next week!
Plus, don’t miss exclusive art direct from IDW Publishing from the first issue!
Ninjinister asks: What was the original idea that got the ball rolling for this project, and how long has it been in the works?
TMNT EDITORIAL: We’ve been working on Battle Nexus for just about exactly a year. A lot of heavy stuff has been going on for the Turtles over that past year so we wanted to do something that was a bit more fun, in tone at least. Something limited in size and would concentrate on fights while still having some exciting character surprises. Battle Nexus is an aspect of Turtle lore that the IDW run has touched on before, but never gave it its full due. Once we realized the Battle Nexus format checked all of those boxes, we never looked back and quickly got into the fun of creating the framework for this event and what character pairings might be the most exciting to see. We didn’t really think this story was going to have much impact on the greater TMNT world, but once we started developing it more, we think some of the characters and ramifications of this event are going to carry real weight moving forward.
@FlamingGordos asks: What’s the process like for getting characters approved from different versions of TMNT history — were there any you wanted but couldn’t get?
TMNT EDITORIAL: Our brilliant partners over at Paramount are the gurus of all Turtledom; they know the status of every character from the entire canon, so we would give them a list of all the characters we wanted to use, and if, for some reason, a character was off the table, they always had numerous other suggestions for us to use.
ERIK BURNHAM: Oh, I wanted to use everybody; the others had to keep reminding me that this story only has 100 pages, and my 20 would fill up fast. That kind of thing forces you to focus. (Luckily, I got a few extra single-page strips with Sarah Myer to goof around with, and Nickelodeon couldn’t have been more generous with what they let us use in those pages!)
TOM WALTZ: There are always more characters I’d love to play with, no doubt about it. The TMNT pantheon runs long and deep. But one of the rules we’ve stuck to dogmatically during IDW’s long TMNT run is to only include characters (old and new) that make sense for – and serve – the story being told. We’ve worked hard to avoid superfluous fan service (both in service to fans and the creators, who are also fans), and I feel it’s been a big reason we’ve lasted as long as we have. That said, being able to write Ninjara for the first time was a big kick for me. She’s a character I’ve had my eyes on for a while now, and I’m glad we’ve waited until now to bring her as she makes a great special ingredient to the Battle Nexus stew we’ve got cooking up.
Courtesy IDW
Tiffany asks: Which Turtle do you personally think is the best fighter — and who is your favorite Turtle overall?
CALEB: I’ve always liked the idea that Michelangelo is maybe the most gifted fighter from an athletic and mental perspective — he’d just rather get along with everyone. There’s more than one way to fight, though, and with the strength of his heart, he can be practically invincible.
ERIK BURNHAM: I gotta agree with Caleb. Raphael abandons form for straight brawling when his emotions get in the way. I think Leo and Donnie cling to the method, maybe longer than they should. Mikey’s personality leads him to go with the flow, changing when he needs to, and getting creative. (And yes, he’d rather not fight.) But my favorite? The fella in purple, no question. (His picking my favorite color breaks what would otherwise be a four-way tie!)
PAUL: Never bet against Raphael! And my favorite turtle is whoever I’m writing about that day. I love Raph’s damaged, battle-scarred heart. I love Mikey’s fight to cling to optimism even in the worst of times. I love Donnie’s eternal quest to answer the unanswerable. And Leo is also there. No, I’m kidding. I love Leo’s struggle to be an anchor in chaos, to lead not because he wants to, but because he must.
TOM WALTZ: Honestly, I think they are all equally talented, each bringing their own personal strengths and skills to the overall team aesthetic. They certainly all fight better when they fight together – a harmonious mix that makes them more like one than four, if that makes sense. And no favorites – after all this time writing them, it feels like that would be like picking a favorite child. I will say I have a special spot for Jennika in my heart, because I helped bring her into existence. I really hope to spend some time writing about her ongoing journey as the fifth TMNT again someday.
Courtesy IDW
Continuity & Canon
Mike asks: Will the Battle Nexus mini-series be canon within the IDW Turtles timeline, or more of a fun “what if”?
IDW EDITORIAL: BATTLE NEXUS will absolutely be canon. There will be repercussions from this event that will affect the main Turtles line and beyond in some really fun and exciting ways!
@FlamingGordos asks: How is this Battle Nexus connected to previous versions (Mirage, 2003, Rise)? Are they all being merged, or is this a new, unique version?
IDW EDITORIAL: The answer is, shockingly enough, BOTH! The mysterious figure running the event–oh heck, why not, I’ll say who it is, it’s [REDACTED, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???]–is having a bit of a multiversal breakdown, and has pulled not only Turtles, but all sorts of other characters and objects from all sorts of places to have them converge here in this new, remade Battle Nexus!
Characters & Surprises
Thomas asks: Is this Ninjara the same as the one from the Archie series, or IDW’s take?
ERIK BURNHAM: I’m not going to spoil it, but I will say I’m glad she’s finally been brought into the modern IDW fold. I know Sophie Campbell and I have independently been asking for this for YEARS.
TOM WALTZ: I will say that this Ninjara is very cool, extremely dangerous…and deadly!
Courtesy IDW
Villains & Matchups
Ryan J asks: Will we learn how “bad guys” like Mirage Shredder, 2012 Metalhead, or IDW Slash ended up in the Battle Nexus?
PAUL: Wait, Mirage Shredder is a bad guy??
TOM WALTZ: Absolutely! It’s actually a key component to the overall story.
Mush asks: You chose some really inspired pairings — how did you decide on the lineups?
ERIK BURNHAM: That was 100% us writers sitting around going “you know what would be cool–” and then building from there. Everyone had a matchup they wanted to see, which were also things we were invested in as people who deeply love this world. I didn’t know I’d get to write Mikey vs. Slash when I suggested it, but the unstoppable force of Slash’s anger vs. the immovable object of Michelangelo’s hopeful optimism was something I absolutely wanted to see somewhere in this miniseries.
Courtesy IDW
Interactions & Storytelling
Cloro asks: Will the tournament crown only one winner, like in the 2003 show?
ERIK BURNHAM: Without giving too much away, this trip to the Nexus is a little bit different than ones seen in the past. Rules the audience saw in effect before may or may not apply this time around, and the stakes aren’t necessarily the same, either. The deck is truly stacked against the Turtles… and they’re fighting to survive.
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