Artist Juni Ba (Monkey Meat, Kayin and Abeni) has caught turtle fever, showing off awesome new art as proof he should be hired for interior art duties on IDW Publishing's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. A young artist who has already produced cover art for the fan-favorite series, Ba recently took to Twitter to show off some impressive character sketches from his portfolio in what became a boast-worthy bid for a part in the franchise's future, and it looks like he's more than up to the task.
The comic version of TMNT has undergone a renaissance in recent years, with the introduction of the hard-hitting female turtle Jennika and the return of the original Eastman & Laird partnership for the blockbuster miniseries Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin. The ownership of TMNT currently lies with ViacomCBS, with the comic license currently held by IDW Publishing which, in 2021, is their best-selling franchise. Attracting all manner of talent to take up art responsibilities in the pages of their world-famous franchise, the Turtles appear to have one fan who thinks he deserves a shot at adding his name to the list.
Currently in the midst of promoting his new graphic novel djeliya from TKO Studios, Juni Ba took to Twitter in order to share a decidedly creepy take on the arch-villain Shredder, before sharing even more impressively contoured art from his previous covers and portfolio work. Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael all appear in images brimming with the individual personalities that make them so beloved. "Gimme a TMNT story to write and draw!" he wrote, adding, “Adventure, action and monster smashing! ... I mean I already made covers for IDW."
Though it may appear a harmless bit of fan art or social media posturing, the fact of the matter is that Ba's style would likely be a perfect fit for a TMNT book, and this has already been suggested by his contributions. A relative newcomer to the industry, Ba might be able to provide a certain perspective on the characters that has not yet appeared in the comics, and clearly has a rock-solid grasp on what makes these characters so distinctive. Packed with personality, each character portrait suggests its hero's skills, outlook, and even unique fighting style. Tiny details like Michelangelo's band-aids and Raphael's torn mask nevertheless stand out in these kinetic but stripped-back gems.
Ba's first long-form graphic novel, djeliya, a futuristic take on popular West African folk tales, released last July to positive reviews. Only time will tell if this impromptu audition will pay dividends, but for now Juni Ba is making his case to be the next artist for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Source: Juni Ba