Deja vu, dudes.
Given the critical and commercial success of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is it any surprise that DC and IDW would be so quick to deliver a follow-up? What is surprising, though, is the fact that this new project isn't a sequel. Instead, Batman/TMNT Adventures mashes together two different universes - those of Batman: The Animated Series and the current TMNT cartoon. Unfortunately, that alone isn't quite enough to distinguish this book from its predecessor.
The problem with tackling a brand new crossover is that writer Matthew K. Manning and artist Jon Sommariva have to start from scratch when it comes to bringing the Dark Knight and the Turtles together. The result is that this first issue becomes formulaic in a way that so many crossovers (including Batman/TMNT, for that matter) tend to be in their early chapters. Is it really necessary to devote an entire issue to explaining how and why these heroes cross paths? Especially when that setup process isn't even finished by the end? Given the more lighthearted nature of TMNT Adventures compared to IDW's core TMNT series, what's the harm in simply hitting the ground running?
The other weird quality about this series is that it's not as tonally distinct from its predecessor as readers might expect. It's a little sillier, perhaps, but only by a matter of degrees. Batman/TMNT already played like a Saturday morning cartoon come to life. The fact that this crossover takes place in different Batman and TMNT universes doesn't seem to make much practical difference. The Turtles themselves honestly don't change that much from one incarnation to the next. And there's nothing about the Batman characters or the Gotham setting that really takes advantage of the BTAS universe, which deflates the novelty of having a new comic set in that universe.
All that being said, it's not as if this first issue lacks entertainment value. Seeing the Turtles butt heads with Clayface is a lot of fun. Manning also cleverly ties Two-Face and his brand of madness into the idea of parallel universes crossing paths. Sommariva does a great job of merging the two franchise's distinctive art styles, with the cartoonishly exaggerated Turtles looking right at home alongside those iconic Bruce Timm character designs. The art could do a little more in terms of capturing the shadowy, Art Deco quality of BTAS, but the book at least stands apart from its predecessor visually in a way it doesn't in terms of plot.
The Verdict
Every comic should ultimately be judged on its own merits, but it's impossible not to compare Batman/TMNT Adventures to DC and IDW's previous (and very recent) crossover. Even with this book spotlighting two different universes, it doesn't do enough to stand apart from Batman/TMNT or shake up the crossover formula in general. Mostly, this first issue begs the question of why the two publishers didn't simply commission a sequel. But with Batman/TMNT taking a couple issues to find its groove, hopefully the same will be true for this book, too.
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