With some of the most beloved properties around, IDW Publishing is looking to continue strongly into 2025, whether by expanding its plans for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or launching an interconnected line of Godzilla comic books. Through it all, editor-in-chief Bobby Curnow oversees a growing line of titles spanning both original comics and licensed fan-favorite properties. And as the year nears its halfway point, IDW shows no signs of slowing down as it continues to gain momentum as a popular comic book publisher, cementing its popularity with readers.
In an exclusive interview with CBR, IDW Publishing editor-in-chief Bobby Curnow shares the major titles that the company is publishing throughout the year and beyond, explains the appeal of their biggest properties, and teases what IDW has coming in the months to come.
CBR: TMNT is fresh off its 40th anniversary and only continuing to build momentum. What are some of IDW’s big plans for the franchise looking at the rest of 2025 and beyond?
Bobby Curnow: This past year, for our relaunch with Jason Aaron, has really been about getting back to the basics: reintroducing readers to the core four Turtles brothers and diving into not only what makes them tick, but also their relationship with New York City and its inhabitants. With the Turtles themselves on the track to becoming resolidified, Year 2 of the relaunch will see us spend time with key members of the Turtles supporting cast, both hero and villain.
Expect to see some announcements of new miniseries starring fan-favorites in the near future. These stories will have big impacts on the ongoing TMNT line and that universe as a whole. I can also tease that, towards the end of the year, the Turtles will be going off-world for an adventure that will make Turtles fans of all types very, very happy.
With so many different iterations of TMNT, with The Last Ronin and crossovers with properties like Naruto. What are the things you’re mindful of in staying true to TMNT‘s core ethos across all these versions?
TMNT is about a lot of things: fun adventure, growing up. There are two related things that, to me, really sum up what the story is all about: being an outcast (mutant) in society and finding refuge in your family, be it your blood family or found family. The Last Ronin, for instance, explores what happens to an individual when their family that they have relied on for so long is taken away.
Jason Aaron’s current ongoing TMNT run is all about what happens when your home (NYC) turns against you, and you have no safe haven. I think as long as we stay true to the characters and remember the core elements that make TMNT such a beloved institution, we will be able to keep telling stories that resonate with readers.
IDW is also doubling down on horror, especially through its partnership with Paramount. What is the most exciting element of translating some of the biggest horror movies of the past several years into the comic book medium?
For myself, the most exciting thing about getting to work with properties like Twilight Zone, Event Horizon, Sleepy Hollow, not to mention newer hits like A Quiet Place and Smile, is discovering how exactly we can find new magic in the medium of comics.
A Quiet Place is a great example: I had concerns about how well that property would play out on the printed page. Sound, or lack thereof, is such a crucial element of why those films work so well. While we cannot duplicate the exact same tricks in the comics that the movies do so well, we can utilize the unique elements of comics, especially pacing and allowing the readers’ imagination to fill in certain blanks, to create different, but no less effective, thrills and chills.
That’s the takeaway I’ve had reading the first issues of these books: I think we’re doing a remarkable job capturing the spirit of these films while also finding ways to forge new ground. Our original horror titles, like Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees and 30 Days of Night: Falling Sun are also pushing the boundaries of what’s been done in comic book horror, finding new ways to build suspense and shock the reader.
When you’re dealing with an established horror franchise, what do you keep in mind when finding the right creative team for the adaptation?
It’s a tightrope walk. You want to have a creative team that understands the source material inside and out, but also has the creative confidence to explore and push the concept, to dig deep into the crevices of the lore and come back with something that brings new insight to the property. Of course, you want an artist whose work fits the tone and style of the original film.
Sleepy Hollow has a very different aesthetic than Event Horizon, so just because an artist may be good at one type of horror doesn’t necessarily mean their skill will translate into another type. Having a good understanding of both what the creative team has accomplished in the past, and what they want to accomplish in the future, is key to finding the right match on an established property.
Godzilla is also fresh off a big anniversary, his 70th. How did you want to explore the franchise with something as ambitious as an ongoing series?
Not just an ongoing series, a whole interconnected line! Obviously, Godzilla has had an oversized impact on popular culture over the seventy years of its existence, but over the last decade, that presence has only grown. About ten years ago, I was editing the Godzilla line and I think we put out some great books. But there wasn’t the same kaiju fever that we’re seeing today. So the cultural relevance, along with our success with the property so far, has opened some doors for us to go after a bigger Godzilla program as a whole.
Our Godzilla editor, Jake Williams, has done a fantastic job of not only assembling a fabulous roster of creative talent but also creating titles with distinct flavors that will appeal to any kaiju fan. In addition to monster twists and turns, of which there will be many, these books also have a fantastic human cast, something that’s not always the strong suit of these types of stories.
Being able to create this engaging, multi-layered world with our Kei-Sei era, where the actions of both monsters and humans have real consequences on each other, is a pleasure, and I’m certain that will translate into an exciting experience for the reader. A Godzilla story of this scope has never been attempted before, and I can’t wait to see how folks will respond to it.
Star Trek has consistently been adding fan-favorite stories to the mythos as the franchise expands on television. How has it been working with the various creative teams to find new directions to explore, and what can you tease in the wake of Lore War‘s conclusion?
I don’t think it’s possible to be a fair-weather of Star Trek. At least that’s certainly not the case with our creators. I’m consistently impressed that they have full command of the language of Trek, both verbal and visual, while maintaining an accessible and exciting storyline. I certainly don’t know how the difference of rank is illustrated on a Federation uniform, but I guarantee our creators do!
Lore War is going to wrap up a fantastic few years from writers Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly and Chris Cantwell in an extremely memorable fashion. But this story is more than a closing of a storyline. We hope this storyline also serves as the launch point of a new beginning for our Trek efforts. We’ve shown we can create epic Star Trek stories that pull from all corners of the known Trek Universe. Now comes the fun part, where we take things to the next level and boldly go to places where Trek has never gone.
We’ve got some fantastic miniseries coming up this year and even bigger plans for 2026. We’ve had the Star Trek license for a while but in some ways it feels like we’re just getting started unpacking the brand’s true potential in comics. I know Group Editor Heather Antos and her team are aiming to build not just great stories, but something that will be a key part of Star Trek mythos for many years to come.
What’s a dream IP you’d love to add to IDW’s arsenal?
I actually can’t say the true answer – because we are in active negotiations for that very IP! (Seriously, I’ve been keen to get into this license for at least a decade!) I can say that we will have some very exciting announcements (emphasis on the plural!) for new properties very soon, in the lead-up to San Diego Comic-Con.
I will say I’m a huge David Lynch fan. I would LOVE to do some Twin Peaks comics!
Bobby, what else has IDW Publishing got cooking that you can tease for your readers in the months to come?
I’d be a fool if I didn’t mention Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring, which is the sequel to our smash hit from last year. The sequel is even more twisted and enthralling; creator Patrick Horvath is doing fantastically creepy stuff in that book. In the «creepy but not THAT scary» department, I’m excited for a bigger, better and more spooktacular program for our Monster High Comics.
With Sonic the Hedgehog #75 behind us, we are now speeding down the path to the #100 milestone, and there’s going to be many twists and turns and loops on that road. Lastly, we’re also doubling our efforts in the creator-owned realm. Expect to see new developments there before too long.
In short, it feels good to be at IDW right now. Our creators and staff are hitting a wonderful groove, and you can feel the creativity crackling across the company. I believe we’ve got something for everyone, so I hope everyone will check out our books. I know they won’t be disappointed.
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