TMNT’s New Fifth Turtle NIGHTWATCHER Is a Daring Reinvention of Turtles Lore

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are gearing up for Free Comic Book Day 2024 with a special issue focusing on the renegade vigilante known as Nightwatcher. The Turtles are no stranger to battling rogue crime-fighters and bringing them to justice. With the Turtles going through another comic reboot, now’s the perfect time to reintroduce the fans to the Nightwatcher.

IDW Publishing’s 2024 relaunch of the TMNT comics begins with this Free Comic Book Day 2024 TMNT #1 issue. With the current IDW series set to conclude with its 150th issue, it’s the start of a new chapter for the Heroes in a Half-Shell. Writer Jason Aaron will be spearheading this new era, with the first four issues of the new TMNT series featuring different artists planning individual stories for Leo, Donnie, Raph, and Mikey.

But before the fun begins, IDW’s Free Comic Book Day offering features a brand new character for comics: Nightwatcher as the issue’s cover star. Artist Juni Ba and writer Paul Allor bring this fan-favorite character to the comics, just in time for the 30th anniversary of the Ninja Turtles. Many fans believe this mysterious anti-hero to be a new fifth turtle.

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Nightwatcher Makes His IDW TMNT Comics Debut

From the silver screen to the world of comics, the Nightwatcher has deserved this spotlight. The Nightwatcher first appeared as Raphael’s secret vigilante persona in the 2007 IMAGI Studios film, TMNT. In the movie, after Leo leaves New York to train in Central America, Raph grows despondent over his family moving on from crime fighting. Raph finds a heavy black suit and helmet, a black motorcycle, and a chain to become New York’s most infamous anti-hero at night. As the Nightwatcher, Raph is able to let out his anger and frustration on the criminals of New York, and this new version of the character seems to be just as dangerous.

The Turtles have always welcomed new family members into their ninja clan, including humans and other mutants. The IDW comics are no stranger to introducing new turtle companions like Slash, Lita, and Jennika, a Foot clan ninja mutated into the fifth Ninja Turtle. However, there haven’t been any more new turtle mutants in the IDW continuity. There could be some time-travel shenanigans afoot with this new Nightwatcher turtle. The Turtles have dealt with time travel in the IDW continuity beforewith Donatello’s future daughter Lita. Perhaps the Turtles could be dealing with alternate-timeline versions of themselves. One thing is certain, the four brothers are in for a shock when they see this new Turtle in town.

The New Fifth Turtle is a Mystery For TMNT’s New Era

Whoever this new Turtle dressed as the Nightwatcher is, they will pose a threat in the upcoming TMNT relaunch. The Nightwatcher was born out of Raphael’s desperation to protect New York without his brothers. But this secret identity led to a divide between the Turtles in the 2007 TMNT movie. The new Nightwatcher could be out to either punish the criminals of the city or hunt down the Turtles. As the Turtles return for more adventures and battles in New York and beyond, the Nightwatcher is one of the first of many new characters they will face. Come Free Comic Book Day 2024, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans will soon find out what this Nightwatcher is up to.

FCBD: TMNT #1 will be released for Free Comic Book Day on May 4!