The 11 Best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Crossovers

Cowabunga, dudes! It's an exclamatory word that has become synonymous with the quartet of turtle brothers bent on combatting evil in New York City and totally kicking shell. They may be named after renaissance artists, but they have moxie and a fighting spirit that's not to be trifled with. Together, Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael have defeated some of New York City's greatest threats, including hostile aliens, evil mutants, inter-dimensional conquerors, and of course, the maniacal and bloodthirsty Shredder. As far as comic book heroes go, these ooze-infused reptilians are formidable.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles originated in the 1980s as the brainchild of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. They got their start in the pages of comic books before hitting the big time as every kid's favorite animated Saturday morning cartoon. The turtles made their way into live-action with multiple theatrical films, and even toured the country side as a group of rock stars. Over the decades, they've continued to thrive in comic books, on television and film, and in video games. There's no escaping the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It's only logical, then, that these heroic brothers have met other characters in the realm of pop culture. Throughout their crime-fighting careers, they've encountered superheroes, cartoon icons, and even popular game characters. Let's take a look at some of the most interesting crossovers the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have shared with other fan-favorite characters.

When you think of superheroes who thrive off ninjutsu-style fighting abilities, the turtles aren't the only ones that come to mind. Batman is a capably adept martial artist trained in the art of fighting from the shadows. Not only does he use the darkness to conceal his movements, but it also infuses his vigilante character with an element of horror to throw criminals off their game. 

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are no stranger to the Dark Knight. In fact, the butt-kicking turtles have met Batman and shared multiple miniseries together entitled "Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" published by DC Comics and IDW Publishing. The comic book was later adapted as the animated feature film "Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," in which fans have the opportunity to witness Batman duke it out with Shredder and see the Turtles tangling with villains of Gotham.

This mash-up was a longtime coming. After all, the young sewer-dwelling warriors are kids at heart, and they've often been depicted as enjoying entertainment like comic book superheroes. There have also been multiple references in TMNT TV series and films to other crime-fighting heroes. In short, meeting Batman is like a dream come true for Mikey.

The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers have a lot in common with our favorite band of reptilian brothers. They're a group of martial artist experts who combat otherworldly threats in an effort to save Earth from destruction. When the Power Rangers burst onto the scene in the early '90s, they were all the rage. While the original cast was short-lived, other characters and actors would fill the void and begin new Power Rangers series for years to come. And did you know the TMNT actually met the Power Rangers on multiple occasions?

The first meeting of these two superhero teams came in the form of a live-action television crossover. During the '90s, the turtles had a live-action TV series titled "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation." These turtles joined the Power Rangers in their fight against evil. Thanks to the wonders of YouTube and streaming services, you can still enjoy this moment in all of its cringe-worthy glory. Let's be honest — these shows weren't exactly known for stellar acting or high production value.

In the world of comic books, the turtles most recently ran into the original Power Rangers in the IDW series "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." This 2019 limited series sees Tommy Oliver in the role of the Green Ranger, having joined forces with Shredder. The rest of the Power Rangers must obviously partner with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to bring an end to this villainous partnership. At San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, it was announced that this crossover would continue with a sequel series (per IGN).

The blue blur that is Sonic the Hedgehog has enchanted gamers for quite some time. Speeding through the twists and turns of Green Hill Zone, the loveable hedgehog races to defeat Robotnik and his minions while saving the wildlife from their nefarious plans. Despite his origins as a video game protagonist, Sonic is a true blue (see what we did there) superhero, so it's only fitting that he embarks on super heroic adventures in the realm of comic books. At one point, Archie Comics had the comic rights to both Sonic the Hedgehog and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, making a crossover inevitable. Wouldn't it be fitting to see these heroes from the animal kingdom come together? 

While there weren't any major ongoing adventures shared between Sonic and the Turtles, they have certainly met on occasion. Michelangelo has a cameo in "Sonic the Hedgehog" #2 as he tries to offer some advice to the young speedster regarding the comic book medium. Later, in #10, the four turtles can be seen in a single panel in the background trekking through the same sewer where Sonic has found himself. In "Sonic Universe" #29, Bebop and Rocksteady make a brief appearance, locked away in an inter-dimensional jail featuring other nefarious creatures.

The creators behind the ultra-violent fighting series "Mortal Kombat" had already made their mark on the gaming landscape, but they eventually set their sights on the broader realm of pop culture. In 2013, Netherrealm Studios in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive released "Injustice: Gods Among Us" for multiple video game platforms. The game brought together DC heroes and villains from an alternate universe where Superman has become a maniacal tyrant bent on enforcing order to eliminate criminality. The game was followed up with a sequel in 2017 titled "Injustice 2," which saw even more DC heroes once again taking center stage. But this time, Netherrealm acquired the licenses for other characters outside of the DC pantheon to join the fight, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were among the additions to the roster.

The four turtles operate as one fighter in the roster, though players can select which turtle they want to control. This is perhaps the ultimate crossover, as the TMNT go up against the likes of Superman, Joker, and The Flash. With the addition of other properties, the TMNT could also face Sub-Zero and Hellboy. To add to the fun, the game features dialogue at the onset of every fight so players can even see how the turtles interact with the various characters in the roster. It's a rather explosive crossover, and likely the biggest one the turtles have experienced to date.

What mash-up could possibly cause children of the '80s and '90s to absolutely lose their ever-lovin' minds? How about the sewer-dwellin', shell-kickin ninja turtles meeting the quirky and fearless phantom-battling quartet that is the Ghostbusters? IDW Publishing made this union possible in the limited series "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters." Over four issues, the TMNT and Ghostbusters team up to combat nefarious forces.

Of course, one might wonder how these two groups of characters hadn't crossed paths earlier, since they're both based in New York City. Well, they are completely separate properties after all, and they don't technically live in the same universe. The story of the comic mini-series involves a breach across universes as the TMNT are thrust to an alternate version of New York City, one that is home to the intrepid Ghostbusters we all know and love from the 1984 classic.

After being mistakenly sent to an alternate dimension, the TMNT must pair up with the Ghostbusters to combat an ancient Chinese deity known as Chi-You. As the evil being attempts to build an army, the heroes must find a way to stop Chi-You's advances from destroying New York City. It's a thrill-ride that fans of both franchises can enjoy.

Once upon a time, Saturday morning cartoons were all the rage. Youngsters in the '80s were likely familiar with watching the lazy, lasagna-loving cat Garfield back-to-back with the adventures of their favorite crime-fighting turtles. They both shared Saturday airtime on CBS (via Kids Block Blog), and Garfield would even sometimes make references to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on his own show.

The first actual crossover occurred in "Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue," an animated special aimed at promoting drug prevention. It aired on multiple networks in 1990 and featured a litany of characters, including Alvin and the Chipmunks, Muppet Babies, Garfield and Friends, and of course the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (In the interest of full disclosure, however, all four of the turtles were not present, just Michelangelo.)

The second crossover the rotund feline had with the turtles came in the pages of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Magazine. That's right — the righteous crime fighting brothers had their very own quarterly magazine that began in 1990 and lasted until 1993 (per TMNT: The Collection). The magazine featured articles regarding all things TMNT, and it even contained comic strips. In one such strip, accurately titled "Garfield Meets the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," Garfield makes an attempt at becoming the fifth turtle in the clan of pizza-loving crime-fighters. Of course, Garfield is far too lackadaisical to take up arms and fight crime, and clearly has pepperoni-focused ulterior motives.

Archie is no stranger to big names in pop culture swinging by Riverdale — heck, the gang has even tangled with the likes of the fearsome Predator. So, of course, it only makes sense that in the early '90s during peak TMNT popularity, Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica and the rest of Riverdale had the opportunity to meet the radical pizza-lovin' ninja turtles. This crossover occurred in a one-shot comic book entitled "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Meet Archie," in which the turtles find themselves landing in Riverdale during some interdimensional travel. At first, the denizens of Riverdale fear the turtles as a group of hostile aliens.

Eventually, Archie and friends find themselves running into the turtles at a Josie and the Pussycats concert. But what good are the turtles unless there's some ninjutsu justice that needs to be unleashed? Their talents are required when Veronica is seemingly kidnapped by the IRS. While no one really likes dealing with the IRS, it's a bit absurd to believe they'd actually enact kidnapping operations. But who knows? Pay your taxes, folks. Anyway, the captors are simply attempting to gain a quick buck via ransom money. This sets up the perfect opportunity for the turtles to go to work and do what they do best. These bad guys didn't know what him 'em.

The mutant super cop known as Savage Dragon has been tangling with other mutants for quite some time. The character emerged as a muscle-bound humanoid dragon in early '90s comics from Image. He's mean, green, and he sports that iconic dragon fin like a killer mohawk. And above all, Savage Dragon is known for confronting mutant criminals as part of his day job as a police officer.

Since mutants are a regular part of Savage Dragon's beat, why not throw four ninja reptiles into the mix? In 1993, the five mutant heroes shared a comic book together entitled "The Savage Dragon/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." During his stay combating living gargoyles in New York City, the Savage Dragon finds the TMNT combatting the same threat. They soon learn that a sorceress by the name of Virago is bringing gargoyles to life around the city to cause mayhem and destruction. In this short single issue, the alliance between Savage Dragon and the TMNT is able to bring a swift end to Virago's tyranny. 

This wouldn't be the last time these five mutants shared the pages of a comic book. In 1995, the one-shot "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/The Savage Dragon" was released, bringing them together once again. This time, however, one of the turtles, Raphael, heads to Savage Dragon's home turf of Chicago to confront a creature known as Complete Carnage. As you can expect, another solid alliance is formed.

What's cooler than a seasoned ronin? How about a seasoned ronin who's also a tough-as-nails anthropomorphic rabbit? That's the basis of the "Usagi Yojimbo" comic book series created by Stan Sakai. It's a collection of stories that focuses on Miyamoto Usagi's adventures wandering the land and selling his abilities as a protector and bodyguard to others in need. As far as warrior animals go, Usagi and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles seem like a match made in comic book heaven.

As it so happens, Usagi has appeared in TMNT comics several times. He even made appearances on the '80s cartoon series. The ties between the turtles and Usagi are so strong that the warrior rabbit even has received his own action figures in the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" toy lines (via Fwoosh). The TMNT met Usagi as early as 1987 in a TMNT comic story titled "Turtle Soup and Rabbit Stew," in which Leonardo winds up forming a partnership with Usagi. After IDW acquired the rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and began publishing comics, Usagi's friendship with the turtles was not forgotten, and he's continued to make appearances in TMNT comics. He also appeared in several episodes of the 2003 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" animated series, as well as the video games "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare." As far as TMNT crossovers are concerned, this one is quite legendary.

If you've never heard of the Flaming Carrot, think of a man with a carrot for a head with flames at the top — pretty straightforward. He's a bit of an odd duck, but that's actually the intention behind his creation. The Flaming Carrot was meant to be a wild and zany character. In his comic book series, he even founds the superhero group known as the Mystery Men. Now, if that sounds familiar, it may be because you've seen the 1999 film loosely based on "Mystery Men" comics starring Ben Stiller as Mr. Furious, Hank Azaria as The Blue Raja, and William H. Macy as Shoveler, among many other weird heroes and villains. Ironically, the Flaming Carrot himself doesn't appear in the film. However, the movie is exactly the vibe The Flaming Carrot is going for in his weird escapades.

When Dark Horse published "Flaming Carrot Comics" in the early '90s, there were several crossovers with the Mirage-published TMNT. The Flaming Carrot and his band of Mystery Men — including The Spleen, Mr. Furious, and Shoveler, among others — all mingled with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on occasion. The five odd heroes would battle strange villains and maintain an awkward relationship. There's never anything quite typical about the Flaming Carrot when it comes to comic book adventures.

Sure, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have had multiple IDW series working with Batman. But the Bruce Timm and Paul Dini world of "Batman: The Animated Series" is an entirely different arena — one that finally collided with the Heroes in a Half Shell with "Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures." This five-issue miniseries brings the stylings of the first Nickelodeon TMNT TV series together with the classic early '90s animated designs for the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder.

In the series, the villains of Gotham City are tossed into the TMNT universe thanks to the Mad Hatter and his nefarious plans. The Joker confronts Shredder and briefly incapacitates him with Joker toxin, which is just enough time for the Clown Prince of Crime to don Shredder's helmet and take over the Foot Clan. Clayface, Poison Ivy, and Scarecrow are also on the loose causing pandemonium in New York City. Of course, Batman and Robin join forces with the TMNT to track down and apprehend these villains. 

In a further cool twist, if fans of "Batman: The Animated Series" and "The New Batman Adventures" ever wondered why Scarecrow's design changed so drastically between the two linked series, this crossover shows why that change of costume occurred. With that in mind, it seems that the TMNT crossover is truly canon alongside the DC Animated Universe.