Whenever a crossover comic is released, there are usually a few rules followed. There’s something that ties the two franchises together, whether it’s an invasion from one world into the other or two enemies joining forces. Characters may fight each other before joining forces. One or more characters receive some kind of costume upgrade. Turtles of Grayskull #1 is notable for avoiding many of these clichés.
To take one key example, the meeting between the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Masters of the Universe franchises has already happened as this issue begins: in a very short page, Michelangelo summarises how the Turtles stumbled upon a deal made between Shredder, Kraang, and Skeletor, and how they ended up being drawn into Grayskull to help Man-at-Arms and He-Man’s allies, especially since He-Man himself has gone missing.
That’s not what I expected, but it’s an approach that allows the creative team of Tim Seeley, Freddie E. Williams II, and Andrew Dalhouse to jump right into the action. This isn’t Williams II’s first crossover event; he previously worked on the Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy and Injustice vs. Masters of the Universe with Seeley. So when it comes to the big action scenes, he goes all out. The entire page is filled with characters from the TMNT universe and the MOTU world. The Turtles also get an Eternian makeover, with Raphael donning a helmet similar to Ram-Man and Donatello donning his own Man-at-Arms-esque armor. Michelangelo even sports a He-Man-esque hairstyle.
Dark Horse Comics
Dalhouse’s color work is where Williams II’s artwork really shines. He’s able to use a variety of palettes to give each character a unique look without overlapping. The Turtles’ signature colors of orange, red, blue, and purple are woven throughout their Eternian outfits, and their bright green skin stands out. The same can be said for the Andworld-designed characters; when Skeletor speaks, you know it’s Skeletor, and when Shredder speaks, he definitely “sounds” like Shredder.
But what holds it all together is Seeley’s script, which takes it in a truly unique direction. To say any more would take the surprise away, but it’s clear Seeley is trying to set this apart from the usual crossovers and provide a breath of fresh air. It’s also the type of storytelling I’ve come to expect from his work on Local Man, and the energy that can be harnessed for this kind of book. Overall, Turtles of Grayskull #1 zigs and zags as you’d expect, which is fun.
Masters of the Universe/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles of Grayskull #1 Meets and Subverts Expectations
Masters of the Universe/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles of Grayskull #1
Turtles of Grayskull #1 is willing to zig-zag predictably, and that’s what makes it fun.
Seeley’s script cleverly plays with some crossover conventions and subverts others.
Not only does Williams II depict the Turtles in their Eternian gear, but he also draws some intense fight scenes.
A color palette that gives each character a unique identity.
The ending may be a little confusing on first reading.
