Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, IDW | Tagged: chris burnham, cliff chiang, jason aaron, Joelle Jones, Rafael Albuquerque, teenage mutant ninja turtles, tmnt

Albuquerque, Jones, Chiang & Burnham on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Rafael Albuquerque, Joëlle Jones, Cliff Chiang and Chris Burnham join Jason Aaron on the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles relaunch.

Published Mon, 22 Jan 2024 12:12:09 -0600

by Rich Johnston

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Article Summary

Jason Aaron writes new TMNT series with IDW for the 40th anniversary.
Artists Albuquerque, Jones, Chiang, and Burnham tackle the first four issues.
The team shares their personal excitement and history with TMNT.
TMNT: Alpha #1 launches in June 2024, with a new #1 following in July.

Last week, Bleeding Cool scooped the world (and ComicBook.com) on the news that Jason Aaron would be writing a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 in July from IDW Publishing for the fortieth anniversary of the TMNT franchise. IDW has given IGN the press release that the artists on the first four issues will be big name creators Rafael Albuquerque, Joëlle Jones, Cliff Chiang, and Chris Burnham. Each of these artists will illustrate one of the first four issues of the new series, one per turtle. But no, Rafael will not draw the Raphael issue. That will be Joelle Jones, Rafael will have Michelangelo anfter each artist chose their favourite turtle and Rafael will then draw the second Turtles story arc.

"For me working on TMNT was first a nostalgia hit, being an '80s kid I consumed it all!" Jones tells IGN. "But at its heart, and why I think it still resonates with people today, is that it's a story about a family of outcasts brimming with personality and the conflicts that come out of it! Or maybe I just like the giant rat father figure, which might be something for me to unpack with a therapist at a later date!"

"I'm thrilled to be working with Jason on such a special project, with so many talented artists," Albuquerque says. "Being a child from the '80s, the TMNT cartoon has a special place in my heart, so having the chance to draw them for the first time kind of completes a full circle, full of nostalgia and excitement. I can't wait to reveal what we're working on!"

"I still remember the thrill of reading those early black-and-white issues and how they ushered in a new wave of independent comics, and I'm incredibly excited to be a part of this next chapter for the Turtles," Chiang tells IGN. "Even better, Jason and I have been friends for a long time but haven't yet worked together, so I get to kill two Mousers with one sword."

"I am SO excited to be working on the Turtles!" Burnham says. "I've been a TMNT fan since the black and white days – Fugitoid is one of the first comics I ever owned, and the original Donatello One-Issue Micro Series is one of my favorite comics of all time! I discovered so many amazing artists as a kid reading the Turtles – beyond Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird there's Mark Bodé, Rick Veitch, Mark Martin, Richard Corben, Michael Zulli, Eric Talbot, Jim Lawson, Sophie Campbell… the list goes on and on and it's a great honor to add my name to it!"