With this year being both the 80th anniversary of Batman and the 35th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it is a fitting way to celebrate both. This opening issue settles into this new universe to show what this new world is like. Batman is still a creature of the night but now his Robins are the Turtles. His butler is the giant rat Splinter because when you have the chance to put a human-sized rat in a tuxedo you take advantage of it. Bebop and Rocksteady have merged with Clayface and Killer Croc so they are more powerful and dumber than ever before. Their limited cognitive ability is made up for by their leader, The Laughing Man, who is a combination of the Shredder and the Joker. Now each dimension’s deadliest foe is one menacing figure.
Artist Freddie E. Williams II is the one beyond creating these new characters and for the most part, makes the designs work. The Turtles make out the best especially Michelangelo as a hooded cape fits well with his general look. Batman“s design, on the other hand, has a bit too much going on to the point of distraction. He has bands wrapped around his arms that make it look like he is holding onto rubber tires for later use. It gives him an overly bulky appearance so movement is stiff, scene to scene.
Outside of some costume aesthetic issues Williams“s art does fit the tone of this series. With his pronounced lines and cartoony figures, it works for a book filled with characters many associate with their Saturday mornings. Also with a major reveal that occurs near the end of this issue, the flexibility with his artwork will be key to making this series work. When it comes to the action sequences they are easy to follow scene to scene but their choreography design lacks dynamism. When you have a series consisting off some of the greatest martial artists you have the opportunity to do something inventive with the fight sequences and that has yet to be realized.
As a first issue, this is just setting the stage. Narrative-wise there are clues to where this story is going and not much more. We see Batman and his new team taking out their arch nemesis and his mixtured minions and then things get a tad more complicated. Everything though was leading to the final moments that hint at some major things to come. Closing strong like this does is a good way to get people excited for the next issue, however, it can also overshadow a start that was somewhat lackluster before the big reveal.
Part of what is lacking with this concept is how surface-level everything is to this point. Sure people look different and have new costumes, however, personalities are so far unaffected. Michelangelo may be merged with Damion but he just acts like Michelangelo. They are two characters that are so wildly different it is an inspired choice to combine them into one being, but when nothing is done with that idea it is simply a wasted opportunity. You are left with the same type of stories we have seen just with a different coat of paint.
Overall Thoughts:
Batman / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III lives out many fans dreams by mixing both of these franchises and creating something new. On a baseline novelty standpoint, there is fun to be had as if you are witnessing the collective dreams of nitrites children come to life. With how dense these worlds are there is disappointment in how limited this idea is explored. Luckily that frustration is partially quelled by an ending that very much changes things going forward. Hopefully what it promises can be delivered upon.
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Freddie E. Williams II
With: Kevin Eastman
Colors: Jeremy Colwell
Letters: Tom Napolitano
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- A fan of all things comics. Growing up on a healthy diet of 90's Batman and X-Men cartoon series ignited a love for the medium that remains strong today.
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