Even before Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem reached theaters, Nickelodeon announced a sequel had been given the green light. Judging by the mid-credits scene, we will see two classic characters in the upcoming movie. However, there may be a modern TMNT addition in the planning phases as well.
Introduced in 2015 and added to the team in 2019, Jennika was the first official female Ninja Turtle. (We’ll try to forget Venus de Milo from the dreadful TMNT: The Next Mutation.) Audiences were divided on the change, and Jennika remains a touchy subject with some fans. Over the past four years, she has won over her share of detractors and remains part of the team in the IDW comics.
With Seth Rogen and company making significant changes to the TMNT mythos, it would be fitting for them to add Jennika to the lineup. That would reignite the fires for her key issues.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #51
Before she became a Ninja Turtle, Jennika was your average cold-blooded, human assassin. Readers caught their first glimpse of her as a villain in 2015’s TMNT #51 as part of the IDW era. Soon after she became a hero in a half-shell, this book became the top priority for collectors and speculators.
If she is featured in the Mutant Mayhem sequel, this will be the first issue to feel the heat.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #95
Next in line for Jennika collectors is TMNT #95. While the Turtles never truly lost their following, their IDW comics weren’t drawing too much attention from an investment standpoint in 2019.
Adding Jennika as the fifth Ninja Turtle brought the franchise back into the headlines. It was here that she transformed into a turtle after a mutated blood transfusion.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #97
As you piece together those Jennika keys, you’ll want to add TMNT #97 to your list. After becoming a turtle two issues prior, it was here that she donned her yellow costume and officially joined the TMNT team.
Comic collectors tend to love costume firsts, and this could be a more popular key if her earlier appearances become too pricey.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: JENNIKA #1
To complete the set, you’ll want to pick up Jennika’s first self-titled comic. Similar to TMNT #97, Jennika #1 is a low-cost investment. If we see her in a future movie, that will send buyers to the first appearances. As those prices inflate, it will send her new fans on a quest for the cheaper collectibles. On the Marvel front, first solo comics are among collectors’ favorites, and that could be the case for Jennika as well.
AN EXPANDING UNIVERSE
It’s the dawn of a new age for TMNT, but that’s nothing new. The franchise gets a makeover every few years, and it never fails to earn a new following. To make the franchise more inclusive, Jennika would help the Turtles appeal to a broader audience. She also would give the team its own identity and separate Rogen’s version from the numerous movies and shows that came before.
Put it all together, and Jennika makes perfect sense for a future movie.
