Interestingly, these toys follow another collaboration between TMNT and Netflix in the crossover figures with Cobra Kai. In that instance, though, you got all four turtles paired with characters from the series--Daniel, Johnny, Miguel, and Kreese. The turtle designs they used weren't very good, but at least the set made sense. After all, they were essentially posed at martial arts showdowns--what's not to love about that? SR: In hindsight, is there a better education in the weird world of the Ninja Turtles than the adventures the Stranger Things kids have already been through?

The comic has its roots in a 2022 Playmates toy line, which paired up Leonardo & Eleven, Raphael & Jim Hopper, Michelangelo & Dustin, and Donnatello & Lucas; the toys were modeled on the Turtles’ original comics designs, and the Stranger Things characters’ most ’80s-fied appearances in season three. It marks the second Stranger Things crossover comic, after IDW and Dark Horse’s 2020 release “Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons,” and the latest of several for the Turtles, who have another crossover based on a Playmates line, “ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vs. Street Fighter,” starting in May. Other Stranger Things crossovers include the games Fortnite, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, and Far Cry 6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things #1 will be available with multiple cover variants for fans and retailers to enjoy, including Cover A by series artist Fero Pe, Cover B by Jorge Corona (Batgirls), Cover C by Jenn Woodall (Sleeping Beauties), Cover D by Adam Gorham (Jughead: The Hunger), and rare retailer incentive variants, including those by Rafael Albuquerque (Detective Comics) and Daniel Warren Johnson (Murder Falcon). It feels incredible to be the artist of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things. For the art on this project , I wanted to do something unique, inspired by the era when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were created and the setting of the Stranger Things series. It’s a style close to the first Turtles comics from Mirage. I hope that the fans of both worlds enjoy it very much!” Eleven, Max, Dustin, Mike, Will, and Lucas are looking forward to a nonthreatening, fun-filled trip to New York City. With the gang hundreds of miles from Hawkins, they’re sure to catch a break this time! That is, until they encounter a threat both bizarre and familiar…and some allies that are just bizarre! This summer, the kids from Hawkins meet the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!Aside from their usual weapons, the Stranger Things Turtles also get Eggo throwing stars. They don’t seem like they’d hurt much, but it’s a fun crossover touch. A further investigation finds that the noise was indeed familiar and came from a being they know only too well, the Demogorgon. This isn’t the first time they’ve had a meeting but this time certainly not expected. Out of the shadows comes help in the form of New York’s most heroic amphibians, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Making short work of the Demogorgons the attention between the two groups soon turn to the reason behind the sudden appearance of these evil predators and it seems like a certain figure from the TMNT past may have the answers. Things are going to be getting a little stranger under the streets of New York City this July, with IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things.

This just feels like a lazy play for cash, and they didn't even bother to include the two coolest turtles. After all, what's better than having two of the four Ninja Turtles in a Ninja Turtles toy collection? All of them, maybe. And if Raphael should be paired with any character, it's clearly the Demogorgon. It feels incredible to be the artist of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things,” says Pe. “For the art on this project, I wanted to do something unique, inspired by the era when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were created and the setting of the Stranger Things series. It’s a style close to the first Turtles comics from Mirage. I hope that the fans of both worlds enjoy it very much!”“We are thrilled to bring these icons of the ’80s together,” says IDW editor Jonathan Manning. “The TMNT were born in comics in the ’80s and inspired the generation of fans to whom Mike, Eleven, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max belong. You just know those kids have that treasured issue #1 lying around. Working with our partners at Dark Horse, we’re able to unite these characters, introducing new readers to classic Mirage Studios–era TMNT, continuing to build the world of Stranger Things in comics, and celebrating these legacy franchises.” It feels incredible to be the artist of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things,” added Pe. “For the art on this project, I wanted to do something unique, inspired by the era when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were created and the setting of the Stranger Things series. It’s a style close to the first Turtles comics from Mirage. I hope that the fans of both worlds enjoy it very much!” Cover by Jenn Woodall. I see the Mirage era very much as an indie comic style,” Fero says, “grim and gritty but with a special energy and attention to detail. There’s a certain influence of Frank Miller from the 300 and Ronin era, too. I would like to balance the use of shadows with that classic touch of the halftone shadows. I have been using them a lot in the ongoing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series as a tribute to the early comics, and I think that now with this story they will fit perfectly!”In terms of an unlikely of combinations this has to be up there with one of the ones I didn’t really expect to see but it turns out it’s a combination I never knew I needed but I certainly did, the two character groups work surprisingly well together combining their unique personalities to create an epic story.

Fero Pe does an impressive job bringing the Ninja Turtles, Demogorgons, and Hawkins kids to life. Whether it’s the Turtles busting up Demodogs or Eleven going into The Void, the illustrations hold great weight to the story. I love even more that Pe chose to illustrate the Turtles in their original forms, where they all wore red bandanas. This makes sense because the animated television show came out in 1987, and this book takes place in 1985. Complementing his art well in the color choices laid out by colorist Sofie Dodgson, who brings a solid balance between light-hearted panels where the Turtles and Hawkins kids are talking and darker panels where the Demogorgons are trying to strike.IDW (NYSE AMERICAN: IDW) is a leading media company providing uniquely compelling stories and characters in various genres for global audiences across all entertainment platforms. The award-winning IDW Publishing and IDW Entertainment divisions holistically evaluate and acquire IP for franchise development across comics and graphic novels, television, theatrical, merchandise, and other entertainment platforms, in addition to bringing world-renowned storytelling to life with our creative partners. SR: Stranger Things is a huge love letter to ‘80s pop culture, and the TMNT are one of the decade’s biggest icons. Did that connection to the decade help this crossover feel more natural? The part of the book after the comic was especially my favourite part as it allows the reader a unique look behind the scenes of how it was all put together. Verdict Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things opens with the Stranger Things kids going on a vacation to New York City. After a brief scene getting to know their personalities, the kids are faced with a threat: A robot mouser Demogorgon. Honestly, the design was right there all along! Soon the Ninja Turtles and the Hawkins kids are interacting, and thanks to having unique info, they team up.