TMNT Creator May Bring The Turtles to Marvel Universe in Elektra Story

The creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have famously tied the turtles’ origin to the story of Daredevil, and now Marvel is teasing a potential tie-in with Elektra for next year. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have always been closely connected to the story of Daredevil, but with one of their creators writing for Marvel, it was only a matter of time before their connection would be referenced on the page. In the solicit for an upcoming Elektra comic, plenty of not-so-subtle references to the Turtles were dropped, leading to speculation they may be making their debut in Marvel comics soon.

Dating back to their origin, the TMNT have been a loose parody of Daredevil. In their debut, the turtles are exposed to chemicals in a sewer from the same spill that blinded a young Matt Murdock. Their mentor, Master Splinter, is a play on Stick, Murdock’s mentor figure. Even the evil team of ninjas they frequently face off with, The Foot Clan, is a nod to the ninja assassins Daredevil frequently tangles with, The Hand. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have crossed over with a bevy of other universes, including DC, the Power Rangers, and the Ghostbusters, but have never made an official appearance in the Marvel Universe. But if Marvel’s teases are to be believed, that may change very soon.

Kevin Eastman, one of the TMNT creators, is a writer for issue #4 of the upcoming Elektra: Black, White & Blood series. In the official solicit for the issue released by Marvel, they don’t shy away from this. “Kevin Eastman’s fondness for the Marvel U is the stuff of legend!” the solicit reads. “Here he gets to turn Hell’s Kitchen into his playground, and the results are as radical as you’d expect! Cowabunga! Let’s get pizza!” If these aren’t direct references to the Heroes in a Half-Shell, then it is one truly strange ad for what’s been a set of dark and violent miniseries’. Starting with Wolverine, the Black, White & Blood series takes a closer look at the origins and histories of select Marvel characters, with the pages colored completely in black, white, and red. With Daredevil, and by association Elektra, having a bloody and violent history throughout the comics, it’s a natural fit to see them in this unique series.

While the link to their creator makes for a ripe opportunity to finally bring the Turtles into the Marvel Universe, doing so in what is bound to be a very dark run for Elektra seems a bit odd at first. But the pizza-loving turtles have had plenty of dark storylines themselves, including the currently running Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, also by Eastman, as well as Peter Laird, Tom Waltz, Ben Bishop, Esau and Isaac Escorza, wherein one Ninja Turtle is the sole survivor left to avenge his brothers’ deaths. This storyline harkens back to their first issue, when they were dark, edgy assassins carrying out revenge for Splinter. While they’ve largely shed this brooding style in favor of their colorful personas and light-hearted, kid-friendly stories, there is still plenty of potential for the Turtles to find a home in the violent alleys of Hell’s Kitchen.

It’s often a delight to see properties cross over with one another, and getting one of the original writers involved is often a dream come true for fans. With Kevin Eastman co-writing Elektra: Black, White and Blood, this is no exception. The (albeit one-sided) shared origin of the Turtles and Daredevil makes this series a natural fit for the mutated reptiles’ Marvel debut, so it feels like a wasted opportunity if they aren’t at least mentioned. That being said, whether or not the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles appear in this story, seeing Elektra get the Black, White, and Blood treatment in 2022 is sure to be radical!

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