In December of 2015, DC Comics and IDW Publishing teamed up to create a crossover between Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. After a battle with Krang, the Turtles and their enemy Shredder are sent to an alternate universe; the DC Universe. This leads to a team-up between the Heroes in a Halfshell and the Dark Knight of epic proportions.
I was legitimately surprised how fun the first series was. I didn’t expect something as dark as Batman and as lighthearted as the Ninja Turtles to mesh so well. Not only did it come together, but it was also a fantastic story that had the characters compliment each other’s styles of heroism. When I heard there was going to be a sequel, I began to count down the days, but I was also a little worried. It’s only been a year since the end of the last series, meaning either this was planned way ahead of time or this was rushed. After reading this first chapter, I’m happy to say it feels like the former.
**SOME SPOILERS AHEAD**
Story:
Set soon after the events of the first miniseries, there has been unrest on both worlds. Batman has been investigating reports of a villain looking for the Lazarus Pit, left unguarded by Ras’ Al Ghul. This villain’s reveal is amazing and a perfect fit for this crossover. While I will not reveal who it is, I will say that it promises plenty of action in the coming issues.
Meanwhile, on the Turtles’ world, the defeat of the Shredder started a power struggle in the Foot Clan between his daughter, Karai, and a group called the Foot Ninja Elite. When the Turtles catch up, the Elite get the jump on Donatello.
While Raphael and Leonardo save their brother, Donatello is shaken by the event. He begins to see himself as the weak link of the team. Thinking Batman might have some advice for him, he uses the teleporter from the previous series to try and talk to him. Unfortunately for him, he is being tailed by the Foot.
This issue is damn near perfect in terms of storytelling. It is able to open up to new readers AND returning readers by recapping what happened previously through dialogue. Someone could pick this up not having read the previous run and still be up to speed.
Art:
The art team from the previous series has returned and continue to impress. The pencil work is an even ground that compliments the style of Batman and of the Turtles. The color work, in particular, stands out the most. The attention to detail with the shades and lighting makes the book feel alive while looking beautiful. One example has Donatello speaking to master splinter in a meditation room full of candles. The lighting effect from these candles makes the scene illuminate beautifully casting light and shadow across the characters. I stayed on this page for a while, just because of how nicely executed it is.
Conclusion:
This issue sets up the story perfectly. It promises character development, fantastic action, and overall a very good story. The art is among the best, to say the least, making the book feel alive. It’s just a fantastic issue overall with nothing to actually critique. I highly recommend this to any fan of Batman OR Ninja Turtles.
