Batman and the Ninja Turtles are used to facing off against horrifying monsters, but in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #6 the Dark Knight and the Heroes in a Half Shell join forces to become one. And we mean that literally, as in their physical bodies... fuse together into one.
In their latest crossover comic book series Batman and the TMNT face off against the brain-shaped Turtles villain Krang, who has merged with the universe-devouring Anti-Monitor in order to remake the Multiverse like a rogue god. Fans will already know that Krang, a pink tentacle monster with razor-sharp teeth is typically seen as the grossest character in a standard TMNT story. But when Krang’s deadly alliance with DC’s “Crisis level” baddie the Anti-Monitor gives him the power to reshape reality, Batman and the Turtles become much closer than they ever intended to be. Holy mutation, Batman!
The combination of the five characters is something out of David Cronenberg’s The Fly. While Batsy and the Turtles are no strangers to body horror in their respective titles--facing off against Gotham City monsters like Man-Bat and a menagerie of ugly goons from Dimension X--the Bat-Turtle brings the body horror element to a whole new and unholy level.
Sporting five heads, several flailing arm-like appendages with clawed hands, and screaming mouths where there should be no screaming mouths, Bat-Turtle is a heaping mess of twisted, agonized flesh. He seems unable to communicate through any means other than gargled, choked pain. In short, this is not the sexy type of fusion seen in the the Dragon Ball universe. The only thing not vomit-inducing about this creature is the nifty Bat-shell emblem on its chest. Maybe try to focus on just that:
Thankfully, Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III offers more than just nightmare fuel for its readers. The main arc of the story involves the worlds of Batman and the Ninja Turtles colliding and creating amalgam versions of the characters not unlike that previously seen decades ago when Marvel and DC joined forces. Splinter becomes Batman’s butler and the Turtles become Batman’s sidekicks, taking on the traits of the Robins. But the real winner of the fusion lottery is the Laughing Man, an amalgam of TMNT villain the Shredder and Batman villain the Joker. Also noteworthy, the original Eastman and Laird TMNT from the Mirage Universe show up to kick shell in the final battle.
Fans of the animated film Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles may want to consider reading the comics. The DC/IDW published series began in 2015 and has only gained popularity over the years. The comics maintain the off-the-wall weirdness of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but with the heart-and-soul of a Batman title. Fan favorite heroes and villains also make frequent cameos throughout the comic book trilogy series including most of Batman’s Rogues’ Gallery as well as April O’Neil and Casey Jones. The dialogue between characters, especially the 'odd couple' pairings, is what makes the series a must-read for die-hard fans of the two widely popular, yet widely different franchises.
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III #6 is available now from your local comic book shop, or direct from DC Comics.
Source: CBR