If you’re a fan, even in passing, of either franchise, this is a crossover you have been wanting for a long  time. We’re three issues into the six issue miniseries that’s being co-published by DC and IDW now, and so the question of whether the crossover is living up to expectations can be answered with a degree of accuracy.

And it does.

As with any comic book property crossover, there seems to be at least a vague formulaic approach to the opening of the arc; Hero A meets Hero B, they fight (typically to a draw), then realize that they have a common goal, so pool resources. It’s a familiar formula because for the most part it works in allowing the reader of one property to get a bit of background on the other, and allows the fans to see the fight they wanted to see before the story proper begins.

James Tynion IV has captured the essences of the main heroic characters here with a graceful ease that allows fans, like me, who are more familiar with one publisher’s stable than the other to be able to follow and enjoy the story as it’s presented. And it’s presented very well. Perhaps one of my favourite aspects of the artwork is the hand coloured vibe that Jeremy Colwell‘s has. It feels as though he’s used coloured pencils on the pages here that gives an almost modern vintage feel to the series, which evokes memories of the last time these characters met on my bedroom floor twenty some years ago. As interesting as Colwell‘s colouring is, if Freddie Williams II‘s art wasn’t equal to the task then visually the comic would fall flat. It doesn’t. Each turtle has a distinct personality conveyed in the art, just as the innate power of the Dark Knight comes across, and the threat of Shredder.  What is happening within the story is clearly shown on the page, with none of the details being lost within panels where it would be easy to let that happen.

With the miniseries having established a simple, yet very effective reason behind the Turtles and their father needing to get home, and why they can’t stay beyond the typical “our people need us!” trope. And so, the team up proper happens and with the third issue we finally see the Heroes in a Half Shell and the Dark Knight standing on the same side.  It makes you realize just how well the characters work together, and I hope that the six issues we’re getting won’t be the only six issues we’ll get of these characters in the same comic.

It’s a glorious combination.

In all honesty, this crossover had the potential to be nothing short of a quick cash grab for both publishers, because whether you want to admit it or not people would buy it regardless of the quality of the issues (I was planning too), but when I saw that James Tynion IV was scripting the series I felt a glimmer of hope that this would be worth reading.

So far it has lived up to my hopes and dreams, which is good because I’d be buying it anyway. Like Leonardo says “this here is a…. TOTALLY AWESOME TEAM-UP!”

Story: James Tynion IV Art: Freddie E Williams II Colours: Jeremy Colwell
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Also posted on Ramblings Of A Comics Fan