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The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are turning 40 in 2024, and to mark the occasion, IDW Publishing is relaunching the entire TMNT comic line with some new additions, including a new title for Nightwatcher, a mysterious superhero guarding the streets of New York City who has a connection to the Turtles.
Writer Juni Ba and artist Fero Pe, along with colorist Luis Antonio Delgado, will reintroduce Nightwatcher, who has a history in older TMNT lore, into the current world of the Turtles to protect the citizens of Mutant Town. And with a preview in IDW's Nightwatcher FCBD release already on the books, the stage is set for some one-of-a-kind TMNT superhero action.
Newsarama caught up with Juni Ba and Fero Pe ahead of Nightwatcher #1's August 14 release to dig into the mysteries around the rising hero, including his connection to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, his mission, and what he's up against in his new title. And we've also got some brand new uncolored art from Nightwatcher #1.
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Newsarama: Juni and Fero, you both have worked on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics in the past, but this is a little different. How does it feel to be creating a brand new title as part of IDW's big TMNT relaunch?
Juni Ba: It’s daunting! When I was approached and told who it would be about, who would be in the suit and the format it would be, I think I saw it as a challenge. There’s a big playground to explore with Mutant Town, and it’s like a semi uncharted landscape you get to build in. Every issue is going to explore some more of that world through the adventures of this new folk hero.
Fero Pe: For me it is a great honor to be part of both the end of the series and the beginning of this new era. At first, when they offered it to me, I immediately accepted it with excitement. But now that I think about it better, I see that it is a great responsibility to start a new title and it makes me give my best and a little more.
Nightwatcher revives a superhero identity that has been used by Raphael in the past, but the new Nightwatcher's identity is a big mystery. What clues can you give us about which Turtle is under the mask? Is this incarnation of Nightwatcher connected to any of the past versions?
Ba: I can’t say anything lest the Nickelodeon hitmen come after me. I can, however, say that because this is in the IDW world, there’s an opportunity for a fresh start and reinvention. And I hope it’s looked at that way.
Pe: Oh, I can't say anything, I already had a Tom Holland-type incident, but it was a misunderstanding and I don't want my bosses to stop telling me things.
On that note, how does Nightwatcher tie in to the other titles in the new TMNT line? Do the rest of the Turtles know that one of them has a secret identity?
Ba: The idea so far is to let the book grow on its own terms, and let the main title do the same. There have been talks of connections, though! I think the best way to explain would be to compare it to the Buffyverse, with Buffy and Angel having characters move from one to the other, or the events of one impacting the other in little ways.
Pe: Considering that it is the first appearance in the TMNT universe, I don't know how much connection it may have. But at least visually I always try to include things that can connect them in some way and make reference, mostly as Easter eggs.
What went into the design of the new Nightwatcher costume? What's it like designing a convincing superhero costume for a Turtle, rather than for a human?
Ba: Before I gave my initial concepts to Fero, the idea was to lean into the mix of medieval knight and leather biker. Some new elements came in that are story related so I can’t say much for now.
Pe: It was a lot of fun, Juni had some design ideas and gave them to me to interpret in my style, but he also gave me the freedom to make changes to the design that I wanted. And little by little the final idea that we will see in the comic grew and took shape.
The preview we've seen of Nightwatcher delves deep into the hero's role as a protector of mutants in New York, from people who would prey on them because they're different. What makes that such an important and poignant theme for the Turtles right now?
Ba: I think the impetus for this is that the world of TMNT suddenly has a new group of people whose entire existence wasn’t planned for, and has no social or legal basis or protection.
And in this world, just like ours, there’s precedent for what happens to people who are too poor, too low in number or too different to be cared for by the powers that be. In fact, being so vulnerable makes them easy targets for the corrupt and the opportunists.
And Nightwatcher comes in to make up for the lack of a structure helping the weak navigate the world, and protecting them from danger.
Pe: I felt that after being among clan fights and intergalactic fights, with celestial entities and destroyers of time and space, I believe the most unprotected and poor were neglected in pursuit of saving all of humanity. And I think it was time to look back and remember who they do things for.
Juni, you're a visual artist yourself. How does that play into the working relationship the two of you are developing on this title?
Ba: The big test for me is managing to convey the story without encroaching on the art side too much. I’m a visual storyteller and so it’s tempting to over-detail the image description. It’s a special pleasure seeing the pages coming afterwards. Fero has a great sense of both cartooning and atmosphere and I’m trying to lean into that.
Fero, how does it feel focusing on just one Turtle rather than all four? How does that consideration play into your visual storytelling?
Pe: Oh! feels good in a certain way, hahaha. Since I started with ninja turtles in Armageddon Game Opening Moves, I have had comics with many characters per panel, from the triceratons, the Utroms, the riotous mutants from Mutant Town, not only the four turtles, but also the false four turtles.
So when I only have to draw one or two characters in a panel, I feel like I have more space to show the scene, work a little more on the expressions and even a little extra on the art.
But also, there are times when I miss drawing them all together.
Every hero needs a good villain, so what can you tease us with about what Nightwatcher is going to be up against?
Ba: The biggest villain is the pitfalls of Mutant Town, so we will gradually see more and more characters, both humans and mutants, who embody the darker and more complex sides of being a person in that world.
What do you want fans to know about Nightwatcher going into the first issue?
Ba: I would say go at it as a fresh thing! I’m really curious to see how people feel about this reinvention on its own terms, as it builds into its own corner of the TMNT world.
Pe: There will be a lot of action and street fighting. And if you enjoyed the story of the FCBD, know that you will have the same team in # 1, Juni writing, me drawing and Luis with his incredible colors too.
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