Kim Jacinto draws the variant cover for issue #1 on November 13
IDW Publishing has given ANN an exclusive first look at its variant cover and Viz Media's upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto crossover four-issue comic series.
Kim Jacinto drew the artwork for the variant below, which will be 1:50 scale (meaning retailers will receive one copy of the variant for every 50 copies they order in the first issue).
Image provided by IDW Publishing
(Click on the thumbnails below to see larger sizes.)
Image provided by IDW Publishing
Caleb Goellner (Sonic the Hedgehog) is writing the comic, Hendry Prasetya (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) is drawing, Raúl Angulo is coloring, and Ed Dukeshire is lettering. Jorge Jiménez and Prasetya did the main cover art for issue #1, which will be released on November 13.
Goellner provided ANN with comments on the variant cover above:
Can you believe it? Kim Jacinto's amazing cover? It's humbling to be a part of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto crossover and to see artists like Kim, Hendry Prasetya, Jorge Jiménez, Felipe Smith, and more put their respective spins on works by Masashi Kishimoto, Kevin Eastman, and Peter Laird. We've been working hard to bring pure joy through the power of friendship and can't wait to show everyone what we've cooked up.
IDW describes the story of the crossover comic:
This is the most exciting ninja battle you've ever dreamed of, dare you! The heroes in the half shell meet the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox in a crossover that everyone will be talking about.
When teenage reporter April O'Neil has a secret meeting with Tsunade, leader of the Hidden Leaf Village, it attracts the attention of Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi. However, they are not the only ones wondering what the two women are discussing. The evil Foot clan has its own interest in April's visit, as they believe she may hold valuable information about the mutant research being conducted by scientist Baxter Stockman. With April caught between the forces of the Hidden Leaf Village and the Foot Clan, it's not long before the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show up to lend her a hand!
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Naruto have previously collaborated on merchandise at the Box Lunch retail chain.
Masashi Kishimoto launched the ninja manga Naruto in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1999 and ended the series in November 2014. The manga has spawned the Naruto and Naruto Shippūden animated television series, OVAs, several animated films, spin-off manga, the Boruto anime and sequel manga series, a series of novels, stage plays, and video games.
Source: Email correspondence
