The longest running Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic in history is coming to an end, at least for now. As revealed by writer and artist Sophie Campbell on Twitter recently, IDW’s current run of the book is going on hiatus for the time being after issue #105. Though, Campbell does note that the turtles will return eventually, but the question of when is harder to answer at the moment.
Just got word that production is stopping, so TMNT is done for now. -__- I'm going to finish up issue 105, then that's it. See you guys on the other side!
— Sophie Campbell (@mooncalfe1) April 3, 2020
Hopefully things will kick back into gear soon!! I still got more Turtles to do. 😀
— Sophie Campbell (@mooncalfe1) April 3, 2020
Okay I guess my initial tweet about TMNT going on hiatus and IDW halting production came off like everything was canceled and over forever, but it's TEMPORARY!!! TMNT will be back! I don't know when exactly but it will!
— Sophie Campbell (@mooncalfe1) April 6, 2020
“Just got word that production is stopping, so TMNT is done for now,” Campbell said on Twitter.” I’m going to finish up issue 105, then that’s it. See you guys on the other side! Hopefully things will kick back into gear soon!! I still got more Turtles to do.”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became the longest-running book in the history of the beloved characters after it passed issue #72. That makes this is a particularly tough pill to swallow for many fans, especially since it alludes to the larger issues facing the industry right now. Comic book shops all around the world are shut down right now, publishers are facing uncertainty and Diamond, one of the biggest distributors in the industry, is having series issues.
This is all as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced us into a period of social distancing and self-isolation. Unfortunately, that has impacted the comic book industry and big, bad way. This is just the latest in a growing line of casualties.
Here is the official synopsis for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #105.
“Music, mayhem, and most importantly: family. The TMNT all return to NYC and begin to see a path forward for themselves in Mutant Town. The conclusion to Sophie Campbell’s first ongoing story arc ends with heart and isn’t to be missed!”
Chris Ryall of IDW had this to say in a recent statement released about the ongoing COVID-19 situation.
“We know that you’re likewise feeling the pain of the current circumstances. Trimming our line through the summer in support of the Direct Market retailers will undoubtedly impact creative workflow for the short term. We fully appreciate the difficulty that this presents to freelancers. It’s our expectation that — in the long term — the Direct Market will bounce back as a result of these steps, and we can all continue the good work of making quality comics on the other side. Our Editorial team has been reaching out to creators and licensors with these latest updates, and we’re here to help in any way we can: answering your questions, listening to your ideas, etc.”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #105 is currently scheduled to arrive on May 6, 2020.
So what do you think? Are you sad this book is halting production? Are you going to read the final issue? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter.
