Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:
The Last Ronin
LastRonin1Cover.jpeg
Cover of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin #1
Publication information
Publisher IDW Publishing
Format Limited series
Genre Superhero, science fiction, martial arts
Publication dateOctober 2020 – April 2022
No. of issues5
Creative team
Written by
Artist(s)
  • Esau Escorza
  • Isaac Escorza
  • Ben Bishop
  • Kevin Eastman
Letterer(s) Shawn Lee
Colorist(s) Luis Antonio Delgado
Editor(s)
  • Bobby Curnow
  • R. G. Llarena

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin is a five-issue comic book miniseries published by IDW Publishing. The series is written by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz, based on a story by Eastman and Peter Laird, and drawn by Esau and Isaac Escorza, Ben Bishop, and Eastman. The story follows characters from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise in an alternative future, wherein the last remaining turtle seeks to avenge the death of his brothers by killing the grandson of one of the Turtles' arch-enemies, the Shredder. Despite being published by IDW, it is unconnected to the IDW series' continuity and is set in its own universe, dubbed the "Roninverse".

Contents

The Last Ronin was followed by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin - Lost Years and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution in 2023.

A video game by Black Forest Games (to be published by THQ Nordic for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC) and a film adaptation are both in development.

Plot

In the future, New York City is ruled by Oroku Hiroto, grandson of the Shredder and son of Karai, running the city with meticulous fascism and totalitarianism. A lone turtle, haunted by hallucinations of his deceased brothers, works to end Hiroto, whom he blames for his brothers' deaths. He traverses through the now heavily guarded New York City, fighting against synthetic ninjas (dubbed Synjas) on his way to the Foot Clan headquarters. He crashes out of the building, having failed his mission, and retreats into the sewer as a teenage girl called Jones follows. She finds the turtle attempting seppuku before passing out from blood loss, and wakes up to see an older April O'Neil, who identifies the turtle as Michelangelo.

Flashback sequences in a sepia tone and in the style of the original Mirage comics reveal the events that led up to the present. After Shredder's death, the Turtles and the Foot Clan originally made a truce, which fell apart as Karai tried to end the conflict between their families once and for all. An ambush leaves Splinter severely injured, and an enraged Raphael confronts Karai in an attempt to kill her, but Raphael is stabbed in the neck and Karai is put in a coma from the fight. Baxter Stockman sends an ambush to retrieve Professor Honeycutt, which kills Leonardo and Casey Jones, and a deceitful peace meeting set up by the Foot Clan has Donatello and Splinter killed as well. Mikey left New York and lived in solitude for years, accompanied by Splinter's journal, but a fight with a gang makes him realize that it is his duty as the final remaining member of the Hamato family, the Ronin, to kill Hiroto.

Mikey catches up with April and meets her daughter, Casey Marie Jones, who is part of a small resistance movement and is training herself to fight the Foot Clan. As Mikey grapples with his feelings on the resistance movement, Casey Marie's inexperience, as well as his advancing mutation, Hiroto puts the entire city under Martial Law in order to wrestle more control over it, which forces Casey Marie to gather resistance forces to stage an assault on Baxter Stockman's Fortress to disable the technology used by the Foot Clan. April, Casey Marie, and Mikey get the remains of Professor Honeycutt to kill Stockman and send a power outage throughout the entire city.

The power outage causes a flood in the sewers that threatens to drown the resistance members and April. April reveals to Casey Marie that Casey is a mutant due to the former's extended exposure to the mutagen inside the turtles. While Casey Marie tries to stop the flooding and rescue her mother, Mikey confronts Hiroto, who kills Karai and is now equipped with a special metal suit, and they both engage in a battle. They both land in the city outskirts, where Hiroto electrocutes himself to death and mortally injures Mikey, where Casey Marie and April bid farewell as he dies. While Mikey reunites with his brothers, Casey Jones, and Splinter in the afterlife, Casey Marie begins raising a new generation of mutant turtles to train them in the ways of ninjitsu.

Development

In December 2019, it was teased that a new TMNT project, dubbed The Last Ronin, would begin publication in mid-2020. [1] In April 2020 the series was properly announced, Kevin Eastman revealing the story was based on an old story outline written by Eastman and Peter Laird back in 1987, before he updated it with Tom Waltz. While Laird did not write the series, he is credited with the story behind it along with Eastman and Waltz. Andy Kuhn was set to be the original artist for the series, before being replaced with Esau and Isaac Escorza, with Ben Bishop joining the project to illustrate the flashback sequences. [2] [3]

The decision to make Michelangelo the last of the surviving turtles was made by Eastman and Waltz. [4] When asked why Michelangelo was chosen by the writers, Waltz stated:

The simplest answer is that Mikey was the brother we figured nobody would expect. The happy-go-lucky party dude is now Rambo? What?! Raph seemed too obvious, Leo wasn't too far behind on the obvious scale, and Donnie seemed like someone who would've gone more tech than conventional in his revenge, and we really wanted this to be a grunt's story. [...] Plus, Kevin really liked the idea that Mikey, who was the first TMNT ever drawn, was also the last to be alive. Thematically, Mikey gave us the opportunity to explore the irony of the one person in the family who never truly bought into the clan-war aspect that exists at the foundation of their lives – being the only one left alive and stuck with the mission of ultimately winning said war, or dying trying. [5]

Follow-ups

In July 2022, it was announced that a prequel/sequel, dubbed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin - Lost Years would release in 2023, and follow Michelangelo's training leading up to his confrontation with Hiroto interspliced with Casey Marie Jones mentoring the next generation of Turtles (Odyn, Moja, Uno, and Yi). Eastman and Waltz would return to write, with S.L. Gallant serving as the primary illustrator and Ben Bishop drawing the flashfowards with Casey Marie. The series would begin publication in January 2023, before concluding in August that same year. [6]

In July 2023, a sequel was announced, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution, and will follow the events of The Last Ronin and The Lost Years as Odyn, Moja, Uno, and Yi protect the streets of New York with their sensei, Casey Marie Jones. Eastman and Waltz will return to write, along with the Escorza brothers and Ben Bishop drawing the series. The series began publication in March 2024. [7]

Adaptations

Video game

A third-person action-RPG video game adaptation of The Last Ronin is in development by Black Forest Games, with THQ Nordic set to publish for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. [8] [9] [10]

Film

A film adaptation of the graphic novel was announced to be in development by Paramount Pictures in April 2024. The film, produced by Walter Hamada and written by Tyler Burton Smith, will receive an R-rating and be live action. [11]

Related Research Articles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, commonly abbreviated as TMNT, is a media franchise created by the comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo, four anthropomorphic turtle brothers trained in ninjutsu who fight evil in New York City. Supporting characters include the turtles' rat sensei, Splinter, their human friends April O'Neil and Casey Jones, and enemies such as Baxter Stockman, Krang, and their archenemy, the Shredder.

Donatello (<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i>) Fictional character

Donatello, nicknamed Don or Donnie, is a superhero and one of the four main characters of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media. He is the smartest and often gentlest of his brothers, wearing a purple mask over his eyes. He wields a bō staff, his primary signature weapon in all media.

Raphael (<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i>) Fictional superhero

Raphael, nicknamed Raph, is a superhero and one of the four main characters of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media. In most iterations, he is depicted as the most aggressive of the turtle brothers, physically the strongest, and often at odds with his brother, Leonardo.

Michelangelo (<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i>) Fictional superhero

Michelangelo, nicknamed Mikey, is a superhero and one of the four main characters of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media. Characterized as the most naturally gifted of the four brothers, Michelangelo prefers leisure to training martial arts. The most jocular and energetic of the team, he is shown to be rather immature; he is known for his wisecracks, quick-wit, optimism, and love of skateboarding and pizza. He is usually depicted wearing an orange eye mask. His signature weapons are a single or dual nunchaku, though he has also been portrayed using other weapons, such as a grappling hook, manriki-gusari, kusarigama, tonfa, and a three-section staff. He is commonly portrayed in media as speaking with a California accent and is most associated with the "Cowabunga" expression that became a pop culture phenomenon.

Shredder (<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i>) Fictional supervillain in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise

The Shredder is a supervillain and the main antagonist of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles media franchise created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The character debuted in the Mirage Studios comic book Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, and has since endured as the archenemy of the turtles and their Master Splinter.

<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> (2003 TV series) Animated television series

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series developed by Lloyd Goldfine and based on the characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The series premiered on February 8, 2003, as part of Fox's FoxBox programming block and ended on February 28, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">April O'Neil</span> Fictional character in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe

April O'Neil is a fictional character from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics. She is the first human ally of the Ninja Turtles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foot Clan</span> Fictional ninja clan in the TMNT franchise

The Foot Clan is a fictional ninja clan in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media and are the main antagonists. It is led by the devious Shredder and his second in command Karai. The Foot Clan was originally a parody of the criminal ninja clan The Hand in the Daredevil comics published by Marvel Comics. In addition to the obvious similarity in their names, both clans originate from Feudal Japan, practice ninjutsu and black magic, and are now powerful global organized crime rings who are familiar with multiple illegal activities such as drug smuggling, counterfeiting of money, gunrunning, murder, assassination, computer hacking, theft, and terrorism.

Casey Jones (<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i>) Fictional character

Arnold Bernid "Casey" Jones is a fictional character that appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and related media. Created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, he first appeared in the one-shot, Raphael: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Like the turtles, Casey Jones is a vigilante, and was created as a parody of vigilante characters that were popular in comics at the time. Casey usually has long dark hair, wears an ice hockey mask and cut-off biking gloves, and carries his weapons in a golf bag over his shoulder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bebop and Rocksteady</span> Comics character

Bebop and Rocksteady are a fictional duo of a mutant warthog and mutant rhinoceros that have made appearances as characters in various media releases of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. The two characters are henchmen who follow the orders of the franchise's chief antagonist, Shredder, the leader of the Foot Clan. Their names are both derived from genres of music: bebop is a style of jazz, while rocksteady is a Jamaican music style, a precursor to reggae.

Leatherhead (<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i>) Comics character

Leatherhead is a fictional character in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) comics and all related media. The character first appeared in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6 and was created by Ryan Brown. He is depicted as a mutated humanoid-alligator.

Karai (<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i>) Comics character

Karai is a fictional supporting character appearing in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and related media. She is usually a high-rank member of the Foot Clan outlaw ninja organization. She was originally introduced in Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's comic book series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1992. Since then, she has appeared in several different Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics, television series, films, and video games. She is depicted as Shredder's second-in-command or adopted daughter in most versions and shares a rivalry with Leonardo and is at times considered his love interest. In one version of the comics, she is the granddaughter of the immortal Shredder, while in the 2012 series, she is Hamato Miwa, the only child of Hamato "Splinter" Yoshi and the late Tang Shen.

<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> action figures Action figures based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

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<i>Mighty Mutanimals</i> TMNT comic book-spinoff

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<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> (IDW Publishing) Ongoing American comic book series

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series developed by Ciro Nieli, Joshua Sternin, and Jennifer Ventimilia for Nickelodeon, based on the characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The series begins with the Turtles emerging from their sewer home for the first time, using their ninjutsu training to fight enemies in present-day New York City. The series ran in the United States from September 28, 2012, to November 12, 2017.

<i>Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> Crossover comic book mini-series

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a six-issue intercompany crossover comic book miniseries featuring fictional heroes Batman and the IDW incarnation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The series was written by James Tynion IV and illustrated by Freddie Williams II.

References

  1. ↑ Hilgenberg, Josh (December 16, 2019). "Syndicated Comics". The Beat. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  2. ↑ McMillan, Graeme (April 27, 2020). "The Future of 'Ninja Turtles' to Be Told in 'The Last Ronin'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  3. ↑ "The oral history of 'The Last Ronin,' the biggest TMNT comic since 1984". Inverse. July 22, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  4. ↑ DeArmitt, Grant (December 7, 2020). "TMNT: Last Ronin writer on how they found the right R-Rated tone for this hit series". GamesRadar+ . Archived from the original on September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  5. ↑ Rooney, Tim (May 30, 2022). "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Writer Tom Waltz Looks Back on The Last Ronin". Comic Book Resources . Archived from the original on September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  6. ↑ Brooke, David (July 23, 2022). "SDCC '22: IDW announces TMNT 'The Last Ronin–The Lost Years' • AIPT". aiptcomics.com. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  7. ↑ Schedeen, Jesse (July 24, 2023). "Comic-Con 2023: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The Last Ronin Sequel Revealed". IGN . Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  8. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (March 23, 2023). "Beloved TMNT graphic novel The Last Ronin is becoming a video game". Polygon. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  9. ↑ Lyles, Taylor (August 11, 2023). "Destroy All Humans! Studio Announced As TMNT: The Last Ronin Developer". IGN. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  10. ↑ Shea, Brian. "TMNT Co-creator Kevin Eastman On Why The Last Ronin Is Being Made Into A Game". Game Informer. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  11. ↑ Kit, Borys (April 11, 2024). "Live-Action, R-Rated 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Movie in the Works From Producer Walter Hamada (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 11, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
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