A brand-new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series has kicked off today with its first release, bringing Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael back together for their next wild adventure. While there is still much to be seen when it comes to the direction this new era for the four brothers will take, the first installment already gets a major thumbs-up from us.
IDW Publishing, in partnership with Nickelodeon, brought fans the first issue of Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coastal Chaos today. If “Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” sounds familiar, it should. TMNT fans will remember that in 2024, Paramount+ kicked off the two-season animated TV series Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, originally intended to bridge the first Mutant Mayhem (2023) movie and its anticipated 2027 sequel.
IDW Publishing eventually brought this iteration of the Turtles back in October 2025 with a series of the same name. Now, IDW Publishing is continuing Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with writer Andrew Joustra and artist Louie Joyce’s brand-new Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coastal Chaos, which, based on the first issue, has already earned Screen Rant’s stamp of approval.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Return Kicks Off Today, And It’s Already Cowabunga Awesome
Main Cover by Louie Joyce for Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coastal Chaos #1 (2026)
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coastal Chaos #1 kicks off with the Turtles enjoying a chill day at the beach, with Mikey stealing the spotlight of the narrative as he learns to surf. During this learning experience, Mikey has one major concern: a shark attack. It doesn’t take long for that fear to become a reality when Mikey is attacked by a shark… with limbs.
This leads to some major confusion between the brothers, with Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael even doubting what their brother saw. However, long-time fans of the franchise immediately knew that Mikey wasn’t mistaken about what he saw. Rather, this was the series’ first appearance of Armaggon, the iconic mutant shark of the TMNT franchise.
Armaggon isn’t yet named in the first issue, as the brothers are still wrapping their heads around the idea that there is possibly a mutant shark patrolling the waters of their home. However, from the outside perspective, fans know this is exactly what is going on, with the synopsis for issue #2 confirming this theory: “Sharks can sense a drop of blood in the water, and if the mutant shark Armaggon has his way, the Jersey Shore will run red!”
With issue #1, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coastal Chaos is off to a strong start, wasting no time incorporating legacy characters like Master Splinter and iconic villains like Armaggon. Andrew Joustra also does a superb job grounding this TMNT series in the modern era, with dialogue that reflects today. However, the true standout that makes this issue a must-read is Louie Joyce’s art.
His unique art style and character designs add a lot to the series’ vibe, with the raw, bold, and slightly chaotic art feeding into the comic’s overall aesthetic. It’s fun, unique, colorful, and everything one would want to set this chapter of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles apart from previous eras and stories.
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coastal Chaos #1 from IDW Publishing is available to read now!
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem – The Game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Radical Rescue, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger Of The Ooze, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: The Manhattan Project
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
