Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, teenage mutant ninja turtles, tmnt

IDW to Shake Foundations of TMNT with Super-Mega-Event in August

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are getting their own event comic from IDW this August. We were just about to head to bed for the night when we noticed IDW sent a press release after we logged off earlier announcing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game. And since Rich Johnston is still sound asleep in his bed in jolly old England, presumably (though we are legally required to state we cannot definitively prove this) currently having romantic dreams about Boris Johnson, that leaves it our solemn duty to report on this comic book not-a-crossover, even if it is after midnight.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game is not a super-mega-crossover event because it is not crossing over with anything else. However, we know that it is certainly a super-mega-event because the press release, sent at 5:06PM New York Time inconsiderately of the fact that we are obviously going to clock out twenty minutes early on a Tuesday like any red-blooded American, notes that it will "shake the foundation of TMNT's comic book continuity as years of intricate planning—whether it be in-universe by the manipulative Rat King or behind the scenes by longtime scribe Tom Waltz—come to fruition monthly in eight explosive issues, exquisitely illustrated by Vincenzo Federici (Red Sonja)!" Now that's a super-mega-event if we've ever seen one.

Here's what it's all about, from the press release:

In The Armageddon Game, the Turtles—under the leadership of the Shredder—begin a dangerous quest to seek out allies against Rat King's trio of terror: LeatherKrang, Baxter Stockman, and Madame Null. It's a mission that will see our heroes spread out across New York City…and across multiple dimensions! But they'd better hurry because their enemies are already on the march, and with the Turtles absent, Mutant Town is ripe for false flag attacks, mysterious new villains, and unexpected alliances. The time has come at last to find out who is playing the game…and who is being played!

The groundwork for The Armageddon Game has been over a decade in the making, beginning with the epic world-building collaboration between Waltz and TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman over the series' initial 100-issue run, continuing under the skillful direction of Sophie Campbell in the ongoing series since 2020, and boiling over most recently with the two-issue lead-in storyline, The Armageddon Game: Opening Moves.

Further cementing the super-mega-event status of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game, IDW Editor Charles Beacham called the event "huge," promised the ending"will mark the beginning of a whole new era for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," and called the event "not to be missed." Now, you know if you've ever read one of our articles that Bleeding Cool has a policy against editors, and we would no sooner reprint one of their press release quotes than hire one to proofread our work, but as it was relevant to the story, we made an exception.

We've already hit the minimum word count on this article but we are feeling generous so here are some more quotes copied and pasted from the press release, first by writer Tom Waltz:

It's an absolute honor and privilege to return to IDW's main TMNT continuity, and to have the opportunity to do it as the creative lead on a huge multilayered event like The Armageddon Game (which has been bouncing around in my brain ever since I stepped away after issue #100) is the veritable icing on the cake. I can't wait for fans to see what we've been cooking up. We've got a big story to tell and some amazing collaborators joining us in the telling. Let the games begin!

And by Vincenzo Federici:

When I was seven, I decided that I would become a comic book artist when I grew up…and the credit for that decision goes to TMNT. I was obsessed with them and still am. My personal vision of TMNT is forged in the television series and films of the '80s and '90s, but I also take inspiration from those who have worked on the IDW series from the beginning, such as Mateus Santolouco or Sophie Campbell. In the tradition of those great artists, I'll be giving my very best effort for this series. Readers will be delighted!

But wait… A super-mega-event needs one more important ingredient. It's got to have variants. Thankfully, the press release delivers once again.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game #1 will be available in stores with three cover variants, one featuring art by series artist Vincenzo Federici, a second featuring art by legendary TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman, and a third retailer incentive edition featuring artwork by Pasquale Qualano.

It's safe to say that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe will never be the same again!

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