In an rather unprecedented team up, The Dark Knight meets the Heroes in a Half-Shell in the debut issue of DC Comics & IDW’s Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Turtles head to Gotham city, followed by the foot where they encounter Batman and Killer Croc, while Batman comes face to face with The Shredder.

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an 2015 crossover comic series featuring DC’s Batman and IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It is published by DC Comics & IDW Publishing, and it is available digitally and in print.

Good comedy and an interesting story shapes Batman/TMNT’s first issue.

Being a long time fan of both since childhood, if you told me one day that Batman and Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo would be forming the dream team in an actual comic published by their respective property owners, I’d have probably laughed in your face. However, DC Comics and IDW has done just that by releasing the first issue of an ongoing team-up between The Dark Knight and the New York mutants. That’s right, this is no fan comic, this is an actual event taking place, which I suppose you can say is apart of both franchises canon. After all, Batman is no stranger to mutants, the paranormal, and the like. In the first issue, the Turtles end up in Gotham after a strange turn of events, and meet not only the Dark Knight himself, but one of their first in Batman’s rogue gallery; Killer Croc, while Batman meets The Shredder.

Warning: This review contains complete to near complete spoilers for Batman/TMNT #1.

Batman rushes to action.

THE GOOD: Batman/TMNT seems to want to add the best of both worlds together, and in issue #1 it succeeds. TMNT’s comedy mixed with Batman’s dark and brutal action scenes is an fairly good combination. While I don’t expect things to be as grim as Batman can be, it’ll be interesting to see how dark they take the comic as it progresses down the road. The art and story felt more like it was designed totally with Batman in mind more than a mix of the two world, but the Batman art style works surprisingly well when used with the Turtles, especially with The Shredder and the Foot Clan.

The Turtles’ appearance is described to Batman for the first time.

THE BAD: For a crossover featuring two highly action packed series, the first issue of Batman/TMNT was a little limited in it. I understand it being the first issue and all, and there was only so many pages, but it felt like there could have been a bit more fight panels added in.

There’s mutants on the loose Alfred, Batman has no time for family.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Batman/TMNT #1 is a fun jump start to an long awaited team up of two iconic superhero franchises. Featuring some cool first time cameos  and meetings, Batman/TMNT will bring some fun for long time fans of both franchises. A good mix of comedy and story makes for a strong first issue, but the lack of action could be a problem if it persists in later issues. Otaku Dome gives Batman/TMNT #1 an 85 out 100.