Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Volume 1

While Batman and Superman were screaming their mothers’ names on the big screen this summer, the Caped Crusader also joined forces with some adolescent shellheads in print. Pairing Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles works splendidly—the heroes have played both silly and straight and their villains are largely animal- and ninja-based. Writer James Tynion has a strong command of the characters’ voices and wisely lets Batman take the straight man role while the Heroes in a Half Shell hook up video games to the Batcomputer and pester Alfred for pizza. The comedy’s present in this six-issue collection—with some nice art nods to past iterations of the characters—but the story is rooted in conflict and action, with a surprisingly simple and believable premise. Though the final battles don’t quite deliver the epic feel of two icons meeting, it’s a good ride that delivers for the franchises’ fans (think Mutagen flowing freely in Arkham Asylum). Plus, no one calls out for their mommy.