Issue 3 of Batman/TMNT, which can be purchased here, has finally given fans of these two franchises what they want. This is Batman and the TMNT fighting on the same side against their enemies in Gotham. Both Batman and the TMNT are fighting for the same reason to return justice and order to their world by reopening the portal that brought them to this world. In attempting to return their respective worlds right, the one man who can do it is killed resulting in the Turtles and their enemy, Shredder, being stranded there as the Turtles face losing their mutations. The comic is a fun, crossover event that has a level of seriousness to it as Batman and the TMNT deal with threats from both worlds.
The Good:
The comic plays true to the characters of Batman and the TMNT. This is shown through the action of Michelangelo and Donnie. Michelangelo is riding Batman’s robotic dinosaur, while Donnie is in Batman’s massage chair. These two actions show that despite the situation t the Turtles are in they still have a comedic element to them. Conversely Batman remains serious and dark as he finds the Turtles in his cave. Rather than approaching the situation in a friendly way his reaction is detective like as he wants to know why they are in Gotham and their involvement in the crimes that have been occurring. The differences of these heroes creates an interesting dynamic as the comedy elements soften Batman, while the detective elements harden the TMNT. Furthermore, the comic gives Shredder a new partner as his initial plan of ruling the 2 worlds fell through. His new partner is Ra’s al Ghul, who is a greater threat to Batman and Gotham city due to his vast resources and skill set. As a result of the two villains teaming up it allows for a greater chance they will be successful in conquering Gotham. With Shredder and Ra’s al Ghul, teaming up it makes them an equal match for Batman and the TMNT, which makes the comic more interesting as a new threat has appeared.
The Bad:
The backstory of how the TMNT came to Gotham is unrealistic. They arrived due to an enemy of theirs, Krang, has transported them to Gotham so that he can rule their world. Yet if Krang had the ability to transport the Turtles to another world, then it would be probable that he also had the power to destroy them. Furthermore, there is only one man who knows how to build and operate a portal machine that can bridge the two-universes together, seems highly unrealistic. While he is being rescued he is killed, which seems too predictable and raises questions about the effort put into the plot. This seems contrary to the previous history of the Batman and TMNT franchises.
The Verdict:
The comic features Batman teaming up with the TMNT to fight Shredder and his Foot Clan. Despite this epic moment of the team up the comic does fall short in a few places as it has an unrealistic approach to the TMNT being transported into Gotham. Outside of this flaw the comic captures the core values of these superheroes, and gives fans a plot twist as the villain Ra’s al Ghul is introduced into this comic as he teams up with Shredder. Despite it’s flaws this is a comic series that should be bought as it combines the world of Batman and TMNT in a nearly perfect way that fans from both franchises have been wanting for years.
Can pick up the graphic novel of Batman: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles here.
