Unlike the Street Fighter figures, the Stranger Things characters have disc-and-pin elbows. Likenesses are very ’90s — they’re there, but clearly not digital scans. They feel more like comic book drawings of David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown in their season 3 outfits. And they’re not necessarily less lifelike than McFarlane’s 7-inch versions. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things #1 will be available with multiple cover variants for fans and retailers to enjoy, including Cover A by series artist Fero Pe, Cover B by Jorge Corona (Batgirls), Cover C by Jenn Woodall (Sleeping Beauties), Cover D by Adam Gorham (Jughead: The Hunger), and rare retailer incentive variants, including those by Rafael Albuquerque (Detective Comics) and Daniel Warren Johnson (Murder Falcon).

Aside from their usual weapons, the Stranger Things Turtles also get Eggo throwing stars. They don’t seem like they’d hurt much, but it’s a fun crossover touch. I see the Mirage era very much as an indie comic style,” Fero says, “grim and gritty but with a special energy and attention to detail. There’s a certain influence of Frank Miller from the 300 and Ronin era, too. I would like to balance the use of shadows with that classic touch of the halftone shadows. I have been using them a lot in the ongoing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series as a tribute to the early comics, and I think that now with this story they will fit perfectly!” SR: Stranger Things is a huge love letter to ‘80s pop culture, and the TMNT are one of the decade’s biggest icons. Did that connection to the decade help this crossover feel more natural? A further investigation finds that the noise was indeed familiar and came from a being they know only too well, the Demogorgon. This isn’t the first time they’ve had a meeting but this time certainly not expected. Out of the shadows comes help in the form of New York’s most heroic amphibians, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Making short work of the Demogorgons the attention between the two groups soon turn to the reason behind the sudden appearance of these evil predators and it seems like a certain figure from the TMNT past may have the answers. You can’t help but have a little warm feeling inside as one of you favourite ever childhood series and one of your favourite recent series collide in probably one of the most unlikely of crossovers in comics, TMNT x Stranger Things brings together these two worlds in one epic series that you never though you wanted but turns out you really do.

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Top marks. Not a combination I expected, but a combination I want more of all the same. A genius concept brought to fruition by a talented creative team, definitely one of the comics of the year. Eleven, Max, Dustin, Mike, Will, and Lucas are looking forward to a nonthreatening, fun-filled trip to New York City. With the gang hundreds of miles from the otherworldly weirdness of their hometown, they’re sure to catch a break this time…or at least that’s what they think until they encounter a threat both bizarre and familiar. To face that threat, they must unite with a fearsome fighting team every bit as bizarre…but green! IDW (NYSE AMERICAN: IDW) is a leading media company providing uniquely compelling stories and characters in various genres for global audiences across all entertainment platforms. The award-winning IDW Publishing and IDW Entertainment divisions holistically evaluate and acquire IP for franchise development across comics and graphic novels, television, theatrical, merchandise, and other entertainment platforms, in addition to bringing world-renowned storytelling to life with our creative partners. SR: In hindsight, is there a better education in the weird world of the Ninja Turtles than the adventures the Stranger Things kids have already been through? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things opens with the Stranger Things kids going on a vacation to New York City. After a brief scene getting to know their personalities, the kids are faced with a threat: A robot mouser Demogorgon. Honestly, the design was right there all along! Soon the Ninja Turtles and the Hawkins kids are interacting, and thanks to having unique info, they team up.

Out in comic shops on July 12th, there are more connections between these properties than their ’80s identifiers, and by the end, the crossover itself makes enough sense to jump in on the ride. Children of the ’80s will enjoy the connections, from the art style to both properties being from or inspired by the era. This just feels like a lazy play for cash, and they didn't even bother to include the two coolest turtles. After all, what's better than having two of the four Ninja Turtles in a Ninja Turtles toy collection? All of them, maybe. And if Raphael should be paired with any character, it's clearly the Demogorgon. Interestingly, these toys follow another collaboration between TMNT and Netflix in the crossover figures with Cobra Kai. In that instance, though, you got all four turtles paired with characters from the series--Daniel, Johnny, Miguel, and Kreese. The turtle designs they used weren't very good, but at least the set made sense. After all, they were essentially posed at martial arts showdowns--what's not to love about that? SAN DIEGO, CA (April 21, 2023) – What happens when the kids from Hawkins visit the bustling, neon-tinged streets of New York City? Their world will be turned upside down all over again as they come across four totally radical reptiles in the ultimate 1980s nostalgia crossover, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things from IDW! Pe created the primary artwork for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things issue #1, and other covers were created by Jorge Corona, Jenn Woodall, Adam Gorham, Rafael Albuquerque, and Daniel Warren Johnson. A few of those covers can be seen at the bottom of this article.Fero tells Polygon the comic’s look is very much rooted in when Eastman and Laird created the Turtles at Mirage Studios in 1984. “I see the Mirage era very much as an indie comic style,” he says, “grim and gritty but with a special energy and attention to detail. There’s a certain influence of Frank Miller from the ‘300’ and ‘Ronin’ era, too. I would like to balance the use of shadows with that classic touch of the halftone shadows. I have been using them a lot in the ongoing ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ series as a tribute to the early comics, and I think that now with this story they will fit perfectly!” Pe will provide the primary cover for #1, which will also feature covers by Jorge Corona, Jenn Woodall, and Adam Gorham. Rafael Albuquerque and Daniel Warren Johnson will also provide special retailer incentive covers for the miniseries. Cover by Adam Gorham.

SR: Can you speak a bit about the character dynamics of the Turtles and Stranger Things crew, and how that informs your story? We are thrilled to bring these icons of the ’80s together. The TMNT were born in comics in the ’80s and inspired the generation of fans to whom Mike, Eleven, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max belong. You just know those kids have that treasured issue #1 lying around. Working with our partners at Dark Horse, we’re able to unite these characters, introducing new readers to classic Mirage Studios–era TMNT, continuing to build the world of Stranger Things in comics, and celebrating these legacy franchises.”The comic has its roots in a 2022 Playmates toy line, which paired up Leonardo & Eleven, Raphael & Jim Hopper, Michelangelo & Dustin, and Donnatello & Lucas; the toys were modeled on the Turtles’ original comics designs, and the Stranger Things characters’ most ’80s-fied appearances in season three. It marks the second Stranger Things crossover comic, after IDW and Dark Horse’s 2020 release “Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons,” and the latest of several for the Turtles, who have another crossover based on a Playmates line, “ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vs. Street Fighter,” starting in May. Other Stranger Things crossovers include the games Fortnite, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, and Far Cry 6. SR: This TMNT x Stranger Things crossover brings the Hawkins kids to New York. What did that shift from small town to big city mean for the story? It feels incredible to be the artist of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things,” added Pe. “For the art on this project, I wanted to do something unique, inspired by the era when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were created and the setting of the Stranger Things series. It’s a style close to the first Turtles comics from Mirage. I hope that the fans of both worlds enjoy it very much!” Cover by Jenn Woodall.