Look Out, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Are On the Hunt For New Crossovers

The next major crossover for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles could already be on the horizon. The franchise is certainly no stranger to crossing over with other universes, such as the currently ongoing Naruto x TMNT collaboration. The quick success of the miniseries has had readers, critics, and even creators eagerly anticipating which franchise the Turtles could merge with next.

In an interview with AIPT Comics for their inaugural "TMNT Tuesday" column, Andy Khouri, IDW Publishing's Senior Editor behind the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book franchise, seemingly confirmed that more Ninja Turtles crossovers are coming, both between different TMNT titles, in addition to other franchises.

While Khouri does not explicitly tease any exact franchises that could be coming next in the TMNT line, his statement does ensure that more TMNT crossovers are being planned. Given the franchise's track record, it's easy to understand how a mere small hint can entice audiences everywhere.

IDW Reassures Fans That More Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Crossover Comics Are Coming In Future

The Publisher's Lead Turtles Editor Says Expect More

As part of "TMNT Tuesday," Andy Khouri responded to questions from fans, including one who asked if audiences should "expect some crossover in TMNT comics?" Khouri answered with the following:

Do you mean a crossover between the TMNT books? Yes. Do you mean a crossover with other characters from other entertainment universes? Yes.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has proven to be surprisingly versatile as a franchise. The original TMNT comics have roots in gritty realism, but thanks to its legacy in family-friendly cartoons can also remain lighthearted as well. Few franchises carry that level of versatility. That same versatility has allowed TMNT the luxury of crossovers with almost every franchise imaginable, both onscreen and on-panel.

The list of franchises to have either joined forces with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or fought them in battle is a long one. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Street Fighter, Batman, Stranger Things, Yojimbo, Ghostbusters, Garfield, and The X-Files are just a few examples of franchises that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have joined forces with. It's rare to see a franchise incorporate characters from other IP as frequently as TMNT does, but in turn, that has created an expectation for more among the fandom that IDW Publishing promises to deliver on.

Fan Theories Are Diverse & Wild

One perk about a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover is that, rather than merely being a one-off, inconsequential adventure, these crossovers are often heavily canonical. This means that they have lore-changing repercussions for either, and often both franchises, as was the case with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto in canonizing New York City into Naruto. It gives readers yet another reason why they should be so excited about the prospect of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles teaming up with any franchise.

Even now, as there is no clear indication as to who the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles could be meeting next, the options out there are endless. For decades, anyone who has owned the comics IP to TMNT has been willing to collaborate with other publishers, including heavy-hitters like Marvel and DC Comics, to make a crossover with top names happen. With IDW Publishing's ambitions to expand into even more crossovers for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles only growing, so are the possibilities for whomever the Turtles meet next.

Source: AIPT Comics

Jason Aaron's new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series is available now now from IDW Publishing.