Living Legend Stan Sakai Presents The Last Ronin's Spiritual Predecessor 'TMNT: The First Ronin'

LIVING LEGEND STAN SAKAI PRESENTS THE LAST RONIN’S SPIRITUAL PREDECESSOR TMNT: THE FIRST RONIN

FEATURING BREATHTAKING ARTWORK BY SOO LEE

IDW (Cover B by Stan Sakai, Emi Fujii)

LOS ANGELES, CA (October 8, 2026) – Renowned comic book creator Stan Sakai and Bram Stoker Award-winning artist Soo Lee are honoring the legacy of the chart-topping triumph TMNT: THE LAST RONIN with a captivating spiritual predecessor.

Variant cover by Stan Sakai, Emi Fujii

With the debut issue slashing into comic shops March 2027, TMNT: THE FIRST RONIN transports readers to 1600s Japan as the fearsome warrior and tactician General Kameyama is facing impossible odds in a great war. When his allies fall and he becomes the last man standing, the tide swiftly changes when four yōkai – supernatural creatures and monsters from Japanese folklore – who resemble humanoid turtles leap to his aid and defeat his foes. But Kameyama’s battle is far from over as the epic yōkai war approaches…

TMNT: THE FIRST RONIN is a showcase of Sakai’s unforgettable impact on the medium, presenting new character designs, writing, page layouts and an entirely new mythology from his rich imagination. Combined with Lee’s astonishing artwork, this is a must-read series for fans of TMNT: THE LAST RONIN and the visual storytelling that only comics can provide.

 

Cover A by Soo Lee

“As you may know, I have been a huge fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles​ (TMNT) since 1984 when both the Turtles and Usagi made their debut,” said Sakai. “I enjoyed all of their incarnations, including THE LAST RONIN, so I am really excited to be writing THE FIRST RONIN. It will have new variations of the Turtles, not mutants this time but yōkai. That is just one of the surprises in store.”

“I am so excited and honored to be a part of this new installment of the TMNT universe. And to be working with the comic legend, Stan Sakai, is an absolute dream come true,” stated Lee. “If there ever was a TMNT story that I would want to draw, this spin on the Turtles team is it. We’re adding a new vision and lore to the already beloved gang so I hope the fans will welcome this new journey and enjoy the adventure with us.”

“Thanks to the exceptional work of Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird and the full creative team, THE LAST RONIN is an undeniable pop culture phenomenon,” commented Davidi Jonas, IDW CEO. “Expanding on its legacy, especially with new creators, is not something we take lightly. But if there’s one person up to the task, it’s living legend Stan Sakai. Along with the amazing artist Soo Lee, we are absolutely blown away by the story they’re crafting. It’s sure to keep fans guessing until the final issue.”

Contact a comic shop near you to pre-order all five issues of TMNT: THE FIRST RONIN and other TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES comics. It’s the only way to guarantee your copies. TMNT: THE LAST RONIN III – RETURN FOR NEW YORK, the final chapter of the smash-hit saga from Eastman, Tom Waltz, the Escorza Brothers, Ben Bishop, and Luis Antonio Delgado, will also be released in 2027 with more information and art to be revealed in the coming months.

• TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE FIRST RONIN #1 (of 5) Cover A by Soo Lee UPC: 82771403640400111
• Cover B by Stan Sakai, Emi Fujii UPC: 82771403640400121
• Cover C by Ito UPC: 82771403640400131
• Cover D by Fero Pe UPC: 82771403640400141
• Cover E by Andrew K. Currey UPC: 82771403640400151
• Cover F Sketch Variant UPC: 82771403640400161
• Variant RI 1:10 by Julie Sakai UPC: 82771403640400171
• Variant RI 1:15 by Soo Lee (full art) UPC: 82771403640400181
• Variant RI 1:25 by Godtail UPC: 82771403640400191
• Variant RI 1:50 by Tokitokoro UPC: 82771403642800111
• Variant RI 1:100 by Ito (full art, red moon) UPC: 82771403642800211

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The Last Ronin was a five-issue comic book series published between 2020 and 2022, written by original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Eastman and Tom Waltz, based on an outline that Eastman had cooked up with fellow co-creator Peter Laird back in 1987. It is set in the future, in an alternate TMNT timeline, with Michelangelo the last remaining turtle as he decides to track down and kill Shredder’s grandson. Notable for its markedly darker tone and nihilistic ending, it was, nonetheless, a critical and commercial smash. It inspired two more series (The Last Ronin – Lost Years and The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution in 2023 and ’24), while a novelization was released earlier this year and a video game is in the works. There was also, of course, tons of merchandise.

In 2024, a movie adaptation of The Last Ronin was announced, with Walter Hamada producing, Tyler Burton Smith writing and Ilya Naishuller directing. The movie would have been an R-rated, live-action adaptation, complementing the more family-friendly Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem sequel (which is still set for release next year). By 2025, Paramount had decided to install Neal Moritz, who oversees the studio’s popular Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, to instead reboot TMNT and plans for The Last Ronin film were quietly canceled.

Official IDW Publishing press release courtesy of First Comics News; Imagery courtesy of TheWrap; H/T: The Old Turtle Den.