Eastman and Laird reunite for ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ 30th Anniversary

(CBR) Creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird are marking the 30th anniversary of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” in May by collaborating on a cover for IDW Publishing”s special issue. It”s the first time in more than 20 years that the two have worked together on the property that launched a multimedia empire.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 30th Anniversary Special” cover by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

“Working on the TMNT comics with the wonderful and amazing IDW team over the last three years reminded me how much I missed and loved the four green guys,” Eastman said in a statement. “Getting to work with my co-creator Peter Laird again is the icing on the cake – and then some! It really took me back 30 years, to the earliest days, with the fondest memories, and why we got into this business in the first place.”

Debuting in 1984 as a black-and-white self-published comic, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” began as a parody of “Cerebus”, “Daredevil”, “New Mutants” and “Ronin”. However, the property soon spawned animated TV series, movies, video games and endless merchandise. Laird, who in 2008 completed a buyout of Eastman”s interests in “TMNT” and Mirage Studios that began eight years earlier, struck a deal in 2009 for Viacom to purchase the property for a reported $60 million.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 30th Anniversary Special” variant cover by Simon Bisley, Eastman and Ryan Brown.

IDW”s 48-page “30th Anniversary Special” features new short stories by such creators as Dean Clarrain, Chris Allan, Gary Carlson, Frank Fosco and Jim Lawson.

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