I know what you’re thinking: the crossover that no-one asked for; and which probably only 30-something man-children will actually appreciate. And yes, you’re probably right. But the fact is that the Batman/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover published by DC and IDW in 2016 is a prime example of a product being better than the sum of it’s parts.
Regular Batman writer James Tynion IV manages to capture all the character voices, and strikes the perfect tone to blend these seemingly disparate universes. Actually, the characteristics of Batman have been deliberately softened by DC over the last 6 years or so, as Bruce Wayne has taken more of a mentoring role over his various partners; whilst the Turtles have enjoyed a resurgence from IDW, with a slightly darker take on the wackier elements from their previous cartoon runs. Tynion’s smartly paced plot recognises this resonance, and creates a mash-up that the respective fandoms never knew they wanted.
The art by Freddie E Williams II is exaggerated and caricatured, making Batman look like an action figure for a lot of time. But overall it works very well, especially in the martial-arts action scenes, which channel a lot of the spirit and energy of Eastman and Laird’s initial Turtle strips from the 80’s. As unlikely as it sounds, if the idea of Batman enjoying a hot slice doesn’t turn your stomach, I’d recommend giving this one a go.
