Kevin Eastman Returns To TMNT: The Last Ronin With Prequel and Threequel

Co-creator Kevin Eastman opens up about the next entry in an infamous saga — Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin: Training Day.

Per Bleeding Cool, fans got their first look at the upcoming series courtesy of an Entertainment Weekly exclusive, which readers can check out in the gallery down below. The new one-shot is written by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz, and will follow Michelangelo as he trains Casey Marie Jones ahead of their showdown with the dreaded Oroku Hiroto.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin: Training Day

• Written by KEVIN EASTMAN & TOM WALTZ
• Art by BEN BISHOP & ESAU ESCORZA
• Inks by ISAAC ESCORZA
• Colors by LUIS ANTONIO DELGADO
• Letters by SHAWN LEE
• Main cover art by EZAU ESCORZA, ISAAC ESCORZA & LUIS ANTONIO DELGADO

Eastman himself discussed the impetus for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin: Training Day, recalling, "While we were going through what he called the Roninverse, there were so many back alleys and stories and things that we couldn't fit into the 200 pages that we had. One of the ones was just having Michelangelo spend time with Casey Marie Jones."

Eastman continued, "He could see the spark and he could see the light and he could see the beauty in what Casey Marie Jones felt and wanted to believe in. He wanted to lean into Splinter's journal of what he trained and what he learned from that, and directing towards this protector of the city thing, which the Turtles originally grew into."

Regarding the space that the upcoming one-shot inhabits, Eastman noted, "It's kind of funny to call it a prequel because it sits between issues 3 and 4 of the original series... I guess I'd call Training Day an addendum. Why is Casey Marie Jones wearing that costume with the mask? How did that come about suddenly? Those are things that now we can answer."

The Impact Of TMNT: The Last Ronin, Explained

The world of TMNT: The Last Ronin was introduced all the way back in 2020, when the first issue of the original series gave readers a glimpse at the devastated and largely destitute future in which only a single member of the Splinter Clan remains. After decades of torment, an elder, grizzled Michelangelo made his way back to New York City in search of vengeance, only to discover a budding rebellion led by his old friend, April O'Neil, and her daughter, Casey Marie Jones.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin was one of the biggest hits in franchise history upon its release, and has since spawned numerous follow-up series ranging from direct sequels to the fan-favorite prequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin — The Lost Years. Fans are also looking forward to further releases, including a third major story arc set in the world of The Last Ronin, and even a hotly-anticipated (and oft delayed) feature film adaptation.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin: Training Day from IDW Publishing is set to go on sale in July.