IDW Reveal Big Name Artists Joining Jason Aaron On ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’
by Olly MacNamee
After the announcement that writer Jason Aaron was heading up the relaunch of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at IDW, we now get the artists. Step forward Rafael Albuquerque, Joëlle Jones, Cliff Chiang, and Chris Burnham. Each artist will illustrate one issue each of the series’ initial four issue story arc.
Here’s what each revealed artist had to say about their memories of the Heroes in a Half-Shell and this exciting new gig:
“I’m thrilled to be working with Jason on such a special project, with so many talented artists. 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!” – Rafael Albuquerque
“I am SO excited to be working on the Turtles! 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!” – Chris Burnham
“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. 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.” – Cliff Chang
“For me, working on TMNT was first a nostalgia hit – being an ’80s kid, I consumed it all! 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!” – Joëlle Jones
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Alpha #1 is on sale this June with a 10-page prelude story, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 will go on sale this July from IDW.
