TMNT: The Last Ronin returns as a gritty crime thriller — here’s a preview
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, the bestselling 2020 comic limited series from IDW Comics, is being adapted into a noir novel by Abrams Books, with Polygon publishing an exclusive preview of the adaptation.
The story follows the last surviving ninja turtle seeking revenge against the grandson of the Shredder, who has inherited his criminal empire in a dystopian, crime-ridden future New York City. This represents a darker, more mature take on the TMNT franchise compared to traditional interpretations.
The original concept was conceived by TMNT co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in the late 1980s. Eastman rediscovered their original notes for the story in the late 2010s, eventually leading to the development of the comic series. The 2020 limited series was created by Eastman alongside Tom Waltz, a longtime collaborator on IDW’s ongoing TMNT comic line.
The adaptation from comic to novel format extends the reach of The Last Ronin beyond comic book readers to a broader literary audience. The original comic series achieved significant commercial success, establishing The Last Ronin as one of the most acclaimed recent works in the TMNT franchise.