IDW Publishing is set to usher in a new era for its flagship Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic series in 2027, with new creative leadership taking the helm and the "The Last Ronin" storyline continuing.

Current writer Gene Luen Yang will conclude his tenure with TMNT issue #24. Following his run, Matthew Rosenberg, known for his work on Astonishing X-Men, will take over as writer for TMNT #25, collaborating with artist Juann Cabal, who previously worked on All-New Wolverine. This transition marks a significant shift for the ongoing series. Rosenberg expressed his excitement about taking on the franchise, acknowledging the strong work of his predecessors.

"There's a lot of runs I love, but the thing I'm really excited about is that in the past two years, a large group of my favorite comic creators have had the book between Jason Aaron and Juan Ferreyra and Gene's run," Rosenberg told IGN. "It's so exciting. And I think the thing I love the most was seeing what Jason did was different from what Sophie Campbell was doing or anyone else was doing. And then seeing what Gene did was like a reinvention again, but all still true to it."

Rosenberg plans to bring his own distinct vision to the series, aiming to innovate while respecting the established continuity. "For me, I wanted to study what Gene was doing and then be like, 'But he changed the game, so I have to do that. I can't just run with that.' And that's really fun to me, to be like, 'I want to honor everything he's done because I love it, but also don't want to do a cover band of it.'"

Yang reflected on his time with the Turtles, emphasizing the collaborative nature of such a long-standing property. "You know when you're working on a property as big as the Ninja Turtles that it doesn't belong to you. It's sort of a melting pot of creative energy," Yang stated. He also highlighted the franchise's unique ability to adapt to various tones and genres, from the gritty original Mirage comics to the more colorful animated series.

"I'm a huge fan of the Turtles from when I was a kid," Yang said. "And I remember encountering the old black and white Mirage comics in my 6th grade classroom. One of the kids had, I think, maybe a third print of #2 or something. And then I also remember watching the cartoon and seeing that contrast between the grittiness of [Kevin] Eastman and [Peter] Laird's comic and then the colorfulness of the cartoon. And both of those are fundamentally Turtles."

Rosenberg, a native New Yorker, plans to integrate the city more directly into his narrative. His first arc will feature the Turtles navigating familiar New York City landmarks over a chaotic 24-hour period, exploring both the city as a battleground and as a home for the characters. "I'm going to start them in the Bronx, start them in Pelham, and they're just going to be in a trip through New York," Rosenberg revealed. "And the thing about the Turtles that's great is that you can have them fighting in the sewers, fighting on rooftops, but also they're fun. They're teenagers. They're joking and they're distracted and they're not. There are all these things that they're adventurous when they're kids."

Rosenberg also intends to delve into the characters' teenage personalities and their familial dynamics, drawing on his experience writing young characters. "I love a family dynamic. I love writing young characters. Being a teenager is an amazing moment in your life as you're transitioning from one worldview to the other. And I think that the contrast of those two things fighting inside of being a teenager is fundamental to the Turtles."

In addition to the new creative direction for the main series, IDW confirmed that the third and final volume of the TMNT: The Last Ronin trilogy will debut in 2027. The entire creative team from the previous volumes is set to return to conclude the futuristic storyline. The first issue of this new volume, TMNT: The Last Ronin - Return for New York #1, is slated for release in 2027.

Rosenberg also teased that he and Cabal plan to incorporate a wide range of characters and eras from the franchise's extensive history. "You're going to see a lot of folks you don't expect to see or folks you haven't seen in a while. You're going to see some people you've never seen. We're trying to do all of it. I'm trying to at least touch on every era. And for me, that's always something I love."

Fans can anticipate both Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #25 and TMNT: The Last Ronin - Return for New York #1 to arrive in stores in 2027.