Planet Comicon Special Guest Announcement | Kevin Eastman

Co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, publisher of Heavy Metal

Kevin Eastman is a comic book artist and writer best known as the co-creator the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Peter Laird. He is also the publisher of the Heavy Metal magazine.

Eastman and Laird self-published the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1984. They picked the company name Mirage Studios because, Eastman said, “there wasn’t an actual studio, only kitchen tables and couches with lap boards.” By September 1985, their first issue had received three additional printings. The comic book was extremely popular. The later television show and movies cemented the Turtles as one of the most popular pop culture franchises ever.

Eastman was a long-time fine of the fantasy magazine Heavy Metal. Eastman purchased the magazine in January 1992, revitalizing it with a new editorial vision. Eastman sold the magazine in January 2014. Eastman continues to serve as publisher and investor in the magazine.

Welcome to the team | Dustin

Hello fellow nerds and nerdettes! Dustin here! The newest addition to the LTNL family! I know you have lots of questions about who I am, where I come from and what makes me the nerd I am today. So allow myself to introduce....myself.

As I said, my name is Dustin and I was born and raised in Jefferson City, MO.For as long as I can remember, superheroes, comic books and science fiction have always been apart of my life. My dad and uncles read comics when they were kids and some even still read them to this day. I remember being Superman two years in a row for Halloween and I never missed an episode of the TMNT cartoons on Saturday mornings. That was really the beginning of the "nerditude".

My cousins and I would play ninja turtles for hours. Whether it be with all the action figures we had or making our own bandanas and weapons and hitting the back yard to fight off the evil Shredder and his foot soldiers. I never actually knew that they were based off of a pretty violent comic book until I got a little older. I loved the movies. I still do. But then, something happened. A muscle bound cyborg, protecting a 13 year old kid, shooting big guns and riding a motorcycle changed the way I would look at sci-­fi. Yes, the terminator. My all time favorite movie, Terminator 2, was my first experience with not just one of the best action heroes of all time, but to a movie franchise I cherish to this day. Sure, some may not be as good as others but, that's what happens with a franchise that's as old as I am. Another franchise I fell in love with took a little time to develop. Star Wars came along when I was around 11. And, like almost every other fan of Star Wars, Boba Fett became my favorite character. A man of few words with one of the most badass ships, the Slave 1, and no regard for life. How do you not like someone like that? I think that's why I like the Punisher, as well. He'd rather shoot a criminal in the face than give them the time of day. As time has gone on and more comic book movies, TV shows and games are being released, being a nerd has never been more difficult. But I wouldn't have it any other way!

Batman and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Crossover Announced

From ComicBook.com

DC Comics and IDW Publishing are teaming up for a six-issue miniseries kicking off in November starring two of their biggest superhero properties: Batman and the Heroes in a Half Shell. Sure, he's fought the crocodile monster living in the sewers and mutated Man-Bats, but can he team up with the Turtles from underground, too?

In the simply titled Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, jointly published by the two companies, the TMNT and their villain Shredder get transported to an alternate universe by General Krang. Here, in Gotham City, they meet Batman and clash with a series of his famous Rogue's Gallery while attempting to find their way home. James Tynion IV will write the series, with Freddie E. Williams II on art. TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman (and others) will provide variant covers.

This is probably the closest fans will get to a "Batman/Daredevil" crossover that was teased to no fruition a few years ago at various conventions. The TMNT originally started out as a parody of Daredevil, with their origin initially stemming from the same chemical that burned a young hero's eyes, then pouring into the sewer. Where Daredevil fought the ninja clan known as the Hand, the Turtles fought the Foot clan. Daredevil was trained by Stick, the Turtles trained by Splinter.

Tynion says that the book is "a fanboy dream come true," and loves looking at "the world of Batman through new eyes" in a press release. Stay tuned for more on this crossover as it approaches its November 2015 release.