IDW Publishing will release an expanded Director's Cut version of the first issue of its smash-hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles limited series The Last Ronin, which depicts a future world where the last living turtle embarks on a mission of revenge against the Foot Clan.
Created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird with layouts from Eastman, script from Tom Waltz; pencils and inks by Esau Escorza, Isaac Escorza, and Ben Bishop; and colors from Luis Antonio Delgado, TMNT: The Last Ronin is based on a concept Eastman and Laird thought up all the way back in the TMNT's '80s heyday.
The Director's Cut will include backmatter material dating all the way back to the original pitch.
"Featuring never-before-seen layouts from Kevin Eastman, story notes that date back decades, character designs, script pages, and much more, the Director's Cut delves deep into the lore of The Last Ronin's future New York City, where a lone surviving Turtle goes on a seemingly hopeless mission to obtain justice for his fallen family and friends," reads IDW's description of the expanded release. "This 64-page special issue is a must-have for any TMNT aficionado who wants to discover the story behind the story!"
The Last Ronin took TMNT fans by storm with the first issue's release earlier this year. In addition to announcing TMNT: The Last Ronin #1 - Director's Cut, IDW Publishing has updated TMNT: The Last Ronin #2's release date to February 17, pushing it back again from its previously scheduled January 27 release date.
"The creation of The Last Ronin has been — and continues to be — an excitingly collaborative experience, with tons of creative designs and decisions happening behind-the-scenes and during production," states Waltz in the announcement.
"The Director's Cut gives us a cool opportunity to intimately share with our many wonderful readers the creative process that’s been driving this newest TMNT tale, all the cool extras that happen before we even get to the printer and into stores."
"We expected this to be a popular book, given its history and concept. Nonetheless, the fan reaction to The Last Ronin has far exceeded our expectations," adds TMNT group editor Bobby Curnow. "This Director's Cut Edition is a great way to give back to those fans and give them a behind-the-curtain look at what went into making this monumental issue."
Catching up on TMNT: The Last Ronin? Here's what you need to know so far.
