One of the biggest comic-related announcements at Comic-Con last month was undoubtedly the news that there would be a crossover between the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Naruto franchises. We weren’t expecting this crossover, but that’s exactly what makes this pairing so exciting.
IGN recently had the chance to speak with series writer Caleb Goellner via email to learn more about TMNT x Naruto and how the book connects two very different ninja universes. First, check out our updated preview gallery below to see exclusive new concept art for the series, then read on to learn more.
In addition to working on previous IDW titles like Sonic the Hedgehog and the TMNT comics, Goellner has plenty of experience in the anime and manga space. He tells IGN that experience was a huge advantage when it came time to throw his hat in the ring and promote TMNT x Naruto.
“I’ve been writing various TMNT stories and other comics at IDW for about a decade, and my background has roots in anime and manga in the media, entertainment, and technology sectors (I also had a translated version of one of my books at Comiket in 2016), so I’m really excited that the stars aligned so that my name was put forward for the project,” Goellner tells IGN. “Hearing from my editor Thea Cheuk was really exciting, and the combination of TMNT and Naruto is so natural that I almost took their genius for granted, like, ‘Yes. Very good. Of course.’ The coolest thing for me was just knowing that Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto was OK with the combination.”
Comic book crossovers can be very entertaining in theory, but they haven’t always been very successful when executed. The TMNT franchise is a bit of a rarity in that it has a proven track record of crossovers. Take DC and IDW’s Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy (which later inspired an animated film adaptation) or IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters, for example. What makes the TMNT franchise so chock-full of crossover potential?
“I think there are a few reasons why the TMNT are kind of collaboration icons,” says Goellner. “Back then, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird were self-publishing indie comic book writers who collaborated with their colleagues and friends pretty much from the beginning. Cerebus and Usagi Yojimbo and a lot of cool artists showed up very early on in the series and gave it a wild energy. Later, after the Playmates toy line went through a few waves, the Turtles wore Star Trek costumes and all kinds of fun stuff, so both long-time fans and new fans always felt like these mutants just keep mutating. That’s part of what makes the TMNT fanbase so open-minded and cool.”
One of the most important narrative decisions in a crossover like this is how exactly the two universes will intersect. Will the interdimensional barriers between the two worlds be broken, allowing two groups of heroes to suddenly meet, as was the case with the aforementioned Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Or will the creative team try to reinterpret both worlds and imagine a scenario where they naturally exist in the same world? Goellner and artist Hendry Prasetya have opted for the latter approach in this case.
“There are a lot of cool ways this crossover could have gone, but as a huge fan of shonen manga, I was leaning towards doing the TMNT ‘Naruto,'” says Goellner. “That was the most fun, kind of like a Naruto anime movie. The Naruto universe is so aesthetically compelling to me with its kind of retro-futuristic fantasy vibe that incorporating the TMNT was kind of my personal answer to the question, ‘What would make for the coolest action figures?’ Hendry and the team blew me away with their designs.”
Goellner further elaborates on Prasetya’s work, saying, “Hendry is a unique talent whose lines have energy on a whole new level. His art complements both the TMNT and Naruto in a way that blends the sensibilities of manga and Western comics – plus his own cool style – that I know fans everywhere will really appreciate. I certainly do. It’s a privilege to be a part of this book with him, and I hope everyone enjoys looking at it.”
A big part of the appeal of a story like TMNT/Naruto is seeing how the respective groups of heroes interact with each other. We were curious to see if Goellner found any of the character pairings in the series to be particularly entertaining or memorable.
“I mean, Naruto and Michelangelo are soulmates, as fans might expect, but I think people will especially enjoy seeing Sakura in action in this series,” Goellner teases. “Being around guys like Raphael brings out the best and the worst in her.”
Goellner and Prasetya were able to choose the iconic villains that TMNT/Naruto’s storyline would revolve around, but the series pits our ninja heroes against Shredder and the Foot Clan. As Goellner explains, there was never really any other choice.
“Look, I’d be willing to write 110 volumes of this team-up with every character you’ve ever loved from both series, but I got word from Viz that Kishimoto Sensei likes Shredder. If you hear that and have four issues to tell an entertaining story, cast Shredder.”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto #1 will be released on November 13, 2024.
In other TMNT news, the voice cast of TMNT: Mutant Mayhem returns for the spin-off series Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. There is also the sequel to Mutant Mayhem will be released in 2026 and an R-rated live-action adaptation of The Last Ronin is in progress.
Jesse is a mild-mannered editor at IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by Follow @jschedeen on Twitter.
