Two of the 80s most iconic franchise come together in Turtles of Grayskull. When the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles came across Krang and Shredder making a deal with some otherworldly ‘demon-mage’ named Skeletor, things got hella-weird and they ended up in ETERNIA! It turns out, when you mix Utrom mutagen with demon magic you get a nasty purple poison—and it’s brought Eternia to the brink of chaos. So, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo are teaming up with The Masters of the Universe to kick some blue boney butt. The only problem is…He-Man is missing in action.
In recent times, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have crossed over with almost every franchise imaginable including Batman, Power Rangers, Ghostbusters, Stranger Things and – most recently – Naruto. Now, they find themselves up against one of their biggest competitors from the 80s. It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that both TMNT and The Masters of The Universe were two of the dominant rulers of the toy aisles in that decade. However, this marks the first time both iconic franchises have come together, and together they come in a big way.
It helps that Dark Horse has assembled a perfect creative team that are well versed in the art of crossovers. Writer Tim Seeley has such titles as G.I. Joe vs. Transformers and Injustice vs. Masters of the Universe to his name whilst artist Freddie E. Williams II has worked on all three Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, He-Man/ThunderCats and Godzilla vs. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Both creators know how to play to each franchises’ strengths to create a story that is both a fun read and packed with fanservice for longtime fans.
The premise allows Seeley to take He-Man and The Turtles through multiple different universes and timelines which gives him licence to revisit specific eras for both characters. Seeing the Turtles in a classic Masters of The Universe setting going against Skeletor and Krang whilst He-Man find himself in the sewers of New York against Shredder and The Foot Clan is exactly what fans would want, and Seeley pulls it off in style whilst giving a strong voice to each character. Likewise, Williams II is on fire when it comes to the art. He’s proven to be a deft hand with both franchises, and he continues to flex his skill here. His Turtles are larger than life and packed with personality and his He-Man has all the musclebound charm you’d expect. He’s no slouch when it comes to the action department, with the opening chapter depicting the Turtle’s initial battles with Skeletor’s army being particularly strong.
In short, this is a highly memorable team-up which will satisfy all TMNT and Masters of The Universe fans. Seeley and Williams II continue to be on a roll in the crossover department.
Masters of the Universe/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles of Grayskull is out 11 November from Dark Horse (9781506744827, p/b, £16.99)
Or support your local bookstore.
Want regular updates and weekly reviews on the latest in graphic novels and manga? Follow us on Twitter @turnaroundcomix.
