With a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie quite recently in theaters, it makes sense that IDW would take advantage of the season to launch some new TMNT comics. June’s weekly Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything was a wonderfully bonkers story with a fantastic creative line-up, and this week sees the debut of the Ninja Turtles’ second ongoing series: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe. Over the last five years, the main TMNT title and its many tie-in miniseries and one-shots have built a rich mythology and expansive cast for IDW’s Turtle-verse, and TMNT Universe is dedicated to exploring that sprawl.
Having worked on an assortment of TMNT miniseries, writer Paul Allor has a strong understanding of both the continuity and the atmosphere of this world, and artist Damian Couceiro proved to be a great fit for the Turtles with his dynamic, expressive work on the aforementioned Bebop & Rocksteady book. This preview of TMNT Universe #1 shows how well Allor, Couceiro, and colorist Ronda Pattison gel as a team, but the most exciting thing about this first issue is that it features a back-up story partnering TMNT creator Kevin Eastman with the legendary Bill Sienkiewicz on art. Sienkiewicz’s scratchy finishes add a wildness to Eastman’s energetic layouts, and this inspired creative pairing makes TMNT Universe #1 a must-read for Ninja Turtles fans.