Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things #1: We Come From A Land Down Under

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things #1 follows the Hawkins kids who are on vacation in New York City. They run into some mechanical mouser/Demogorgon hybrids, which spring the Ninja Turtles into action, bringing these two franchises together. This crossover is one of the few that gets the ball rolling almost immediately. There is little time wasted in setting all the plot elements in motion, with this introductory issue to the mini-series reading in a well-paced and fast manner. These two groups also pair well together since they are both teenagers, giving them some sense of something to bond over. The Turtles have had their fair share of weird crossovers, but this makes sense.

What works the most in this issue is the relationship between the Turtles and the Hawkins kids. For example, Donatello and the kids immediately bond over their shared nerdy fandom. The Hawkins kids are also used to seeing crazy and horrific monsters, so it makes sense that the Turtles don’t give them too much of a shock. This also cuts out all of the fluff of watching the teens come to terms with the fact that there are talking turtles in their midst. It reads seamlessly that all serve as the best part of this issue. Yes, it will only appeal to fans of both mediums, but it also wastes no time in its flawless and endlessly entertaining execution.

Writer Cameron Chittock is no stranger (get it?) to either of these franchises, with all of these characters being written in a manner that reflects their most mainstream portrayals. This adds a layer of familiarity that melds these two worlds together logically and cohesively. This also allows many fun references to come to light, with the characters constantly bouncing fun ideas off one another. This, added to the seamless storytelling, makes this issue a bundle of joy.

Fero Pe’s art here is very reminiscent of the classic Turtles look. This gives the book a vintage feel which makes sense considering this is based around the 80’s, just like the Stranger Things TV show. The Hawkins kids are all drawn with their distinctive features to make them easily recognizable, with their looks from season 2ish serving as the basis for inspiration. Pe also does a great job designing the demo-mousers, making them look like a fun blend between the Turtles’ and Stranger Things’ worlds. Pe perfectly imagines these worlds, adding another layer of authenticity that helps this crossover work so well.

Sofie Dodgson’s colors are interesting here, with the most noticeable coloring choice being the Turtles masks. Like in the 80s, the Turtles have yet to change to the popular blue, green, orange, and purple masks they are most known for. This adds the aesthetic but is also easily readable based on how letterer Rus Wooton can position the Turtles’ dialogue to make it clear who is who. Together, Dodgson and Wooton can build upon the established narrative and art to build something spectacular.