Comic Book Battles: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs Kraven the Hunter

Sergei Kravinoff, aka Kraven the Hunter, prides himself on being the best hunter in the Marvel Universe. He loves nothing more than the thrill of the hunt and he’s set his sights on Spider-Man, Tigra, Black Panther, Daredevil, Black Widow, Scarlet Spider, and many others. What would happen if this formidable foe bumped into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from the IDW Publishing series, though? Would Kraven’s tactics allow him to defeat the four mutant brothers, or would the Heroes in a Half Shell take down Spidey’s savage villain? Will my favorite team or my favorite villain be left standing when the dust settles?

To keep the fight as fair as possible, let’s imagine this encounter takes place in a generic city setting at night and, aside from the combatants, it’s unpopulated. This is a totally random encounter, meaning the two sides know nothing about each other and they’ll have to learn more about what they're facing throughout the brawl. The Ninja Turtles just know that a guy in a lion vest is looking at them and clearly ready to attack, so it’s time for them to defend themselves. All Kraven knows is that he’s spotted four mutants and he’s eager to add their heads to his wall. Again, this is the IDW version of the Ninja Turtles and Kraven does not have the healing factor he obtained in Grim Hunt.

Friendly reminder that IDW Publishing has been doing phenomenal stuff with the Ninja Turtles for years now. If you consider yourself a TMNT fan, you need to make it a priority to check out the series – you can thank me later. As for Kraven, I strongly recommend reading Kraven’s Last Hunt and its follow-up, Grim Hunt. If you want more reading recommendations, reach out and I’d be happy to offer more options. Now, let’s analyze this battle!

FIGHTING SKILL

Kraven the Hunter has decades of combat experience and he’s a major fan of using nerve strikes that can make an entire limb go numb. He’s no slouch in hand-to-hand combat and, thanks to his speed and reflexes, he’s especially dangerous with his melee weapons. Speaking of melee weapons, the Ninja Turtles are masters of their respective weapons. They’ve received extensive training from Master Splinter and they absolutely have more experience facing opponents that are skilled in hand-to-hand combat, plus Master Splinter has stressed how important it is for them to recognize an opponent’s style and adapt to it. Whether or not they can do that well is a whole other story, though.

There likely isn’t a significant skill gap between these two sides, but one very important question must be asked: Kraven’s good, but is he good enough to counter attacks from four opponents in close quarters combat? I believe the answer is “no” and Raphael or Leonardo having the opportunity to land an attack with their weapons could be a huge game changer. After all, Cyclops was able to blast Kraven when the villain took on another talented group of heroes, the X-Men. Kraven performed well and accomplished his task (he needed to get a sample of blood from each of them for Mr. Sinister), but his momentary focus on one target left him vulnerable, and that could be a huge mistake in this fight.

Daredevil also pointed this out when he and Black Widow faced Kraven, stating that Kraven was “too used to tackling one prey at a time” and that he “gets distracted too easily!” Kraven agreed before arrogantly claiming that’s his “only weakness.” The Ninja Turtles each have their own level of skill, but combined, they’re bringing more versatility to this fight, especially since they’re able to use teamwork. Kraven will need to adapt and switch things up, but that'll be difficult since the Turtles thrive in a city setting.

Edge: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

EQUIPMENT

We all know what the four mutants are bringing to this battle. Each one has their signature weapon(s), plus a grappling hook and throwing stars - they’re simple yet effective options. Kraven’s impressive durability against blunt force trauma means Michelangelo and Donatello’s weapons probably won’t knock out Kraven, but they can faze him and leave him vulnerable to other attacks by momentarily tripping him or stunning him. Leonardo and Raphael’s weapons are the biggest factors since Kraven’s vulnerable to stabbing and slashing damage, and Leo and Raph are no stranger to disarming and incapacitating their enemies when necessary. Additionally, Splinter’s sons are agile, but the grappling lines will help their mobility in this setting – a place where they already feel at home when it comes to combat – and while throwing stars likely won’t be the tool that brings Kraven down, anything that can keep him distracted helps.

Kraven brings a lot of pointy objects to his fights, and sometimes they’re laced with poisons and hallucinogens that would certainly have the potential to hinder or eliminate a Hero in a Half Shell. One good slash or stab with a laced weapon could be critical. In addition to knives, spears, and tusks that he can remove from his belt, Spidey’s angry adversary also tends to carry a net, bolas, and darts that can be fired through a blowgun or his gauntlet.

Kraven has more options but the Ninja Turtles’ few options are highly effective and, thanks to each mutant brother being an expert with their respective weapons, each one has the potential to play a key role in this fight. I’m calling this a draw because the turtles are masters with their weapons, but Kraven's poisons should not be underestimated.

Edge: Draw

MENTALITY

This is a tough one because the Ninja Turtles’ distinct personalities are, in my opinion, a double-edged sword. Raphael’s anger could make him sloppy but, in the right moment, it could lead to their victory. If Kraven stabs or seriously hurts one of his brothers, there's going to be no controlling Raphael. Tactics will go out the window and he'll be focused on ripping Kraven apart. Mikey’s personality means he may not take the fight as seriously as he should right away, but his banter could also get under Kraven’s skin. Leonardo and Donatello are more balanced in fights, thankfully.

Kraven has his eye on the prize. He’s focused and, unless it’s very personal (i.e. Spider-Man), he doesn’t hold back. Sure, he's arrogant, tends to babble, and it's possible he can lose his cool, but for the most part, he’s looking to win the fight right from the get-go and he’ll have no remorse whatsoever. The Ninja Turtles have the potential to work together and unleash some great teamwork, but Kraven will likely stay tactical and driven throughout the entire fight, so that gives him the edge here.

Edge: Kraven the Hunter

PHYSICALITY

Awhile ago, TMNT artist Mateus Santolouco confirmed that the Ninja Turtles are low-level superhumans, and they definitely have the feats to back it up. They’re capable of enduring some serious blunt force trauma and their speed and reflexes makes them very difficult to tag with projectiles and the heroes are even capable of deflecting lasers. They’re stronger than humans, too.

Kraven is also quite agile and stronger than humans – he’s listed as being capable of lifting two tons – but it’s his durability and raw speed that gives him the edge in this category. Harry Osborn claimed that slugging Kraven in the face was like “hitting an elephant’s hide” and the villain “doesn’t even feel it!” Kraven can also run in bursts of 60 mph. Scarlet Spider has talked about how he’s faster than Spider-Man yet Kraven was still “tearing him apart” during their vicious fight.

It’s worth noting that the Ninja Turtles have experience facing durable enemies, though. Thanks to their own impressive physicality, they can slug stone soldiers and they’re clever enough to find alternate ways of taking down their enemies if unarmed combat doesn’t cut it. Still, Kraven takes this edge.

Edge: Kraven the Hunter

WILD CARD

Kraven’s vest can unleash a projectile attack that temporarily stuns his opponent or a knockout gas. If he uses this, it’s a cheap shot that immediately eliminates at least one of his opponents; however, he does not use this weapon very often.

Kraven’s in this fight because he wants to win. The Ninja Turtles are fighting to survive and protect one another. They’re family and they’d do anything to protect each other, no matter what the cost may be. They’re fighting to stay alive and seeing a sibling in danger could make them truly let loose. Kraven may have the edge in mentality, but the Ninja Turtles have the potential to become more invested and determined as the fight progresses, and this drive has allowed them to overcome Shredder and other huge challenges.

Edge: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

VERDICT

Going into this fight, I was leaning towards giving Kraven the win. He can keep pace with Spider-Man and endure the hero’s punches, he’s quite skilled, and he’s sporting some seriously dangerous weapons. But as I thought more and more about the fight, I realized that the Ninja Turtles’ numbers advantage really is a huge factor, especially when two of them have weapons that can really hurt Kraven. Individually, Kraven could hold his own and defeat any of them – I have no doubt about that. But as a team? Kraven’s good, but he’s not good enough to block, counter, and dodge hits from all of them at once, and I think that’s going to play a significant role in the fight – the guy even admitted that’s his weakness when duking it out with the Man Without Fear.

Donatello may just have a staff, but he could sweep Sergei or knock a weapon out of his hand, or even strike the guy in a weak spot, like this throat or eye. The same applies to Michelangelo, and, without a healing factor, hits from Leonardo and Raphael are going to add up. Sergei will undoubtedly get some good hits in and maybe take down some of the Ninja Turtles, but they’ve proven to be incredibly tough and capable of withstanding a lot of punishment. It’s a good fight and Kraven absolutely has the potential to win, but for now, I think Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s Heroes in a Half Shell earn an incredibly hard-fought victory. The four dudes definitely deserve some pizza after this brawl.

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