Two decades after their last encounter, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will step foot into the world of Usagi Yojimbo once again this summer for a special once-shot comic from IDW Publishing.
“I had wanted to reunite Usagi and the TMNT for awhile, but these are not the Turtles that he knew,” said Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai. “Relationships have to be reestablished, suspicions overcome, and trust earned. The survival of all Japan literally rests on them working as a team.”
“Stan and I both started out the same year, 1984, and here we are still living the dream telling stories with characters we created over three decades ago,” added Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. “I love the fact that our two creations were intertwined from the beginning and could not be more thrilled that Stan is coming back to tell a new story in the IDW TMNT comics universe.”
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Usagi Yojimbo franchises have a long history, previously appearing together in their respective comics, animated television series, and the popular TMNT line of toys.
The new adventure will be written and illustrated by Sakai, and sees ronin rabbit Miyamoto Usagi cross paths with Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Miyamoto Usagi has embarked on a quest to save Japan, and combining forces with the Heroes in a Half-Shell to take on the maniacal Jei may be the only path to coming out of this alive.
Originally published April 2, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
