So I'm looking to get into the comics

[Archon_Turtle]

I've decided that I need to broaden my turtles knowledge base...so I'm going to start getting into turtles comic collecting. I'm trying to decide on a series to start with...any suggestions?

[Kendamu]

The original TMNT Vol. 1.

[GordonUniverse]

The one negative thing about collecting turtles books is that a lot of the books are hard to find (though they're not terribly expensive if you don't care about printings), so even when you buy everything you can find, you'll have a lot of story holes for a while before you eventually fill them. So sometimes you don't always decide what to read first, the comics choose YOU!

This can also be positive because it drives you as a collector/reader and its rewarding when you find that one missing book.

Anyway, to answer your question, I would definitely say you should start with Mirage Volume 1, that's where it all began for our turtles, and if there's ever a class on the TMNT, it would be required reading.

I would also go ahead and pick up the current "Tales of the TMNT" volume as the books come out and sign up at Wowio to at least read Mirage Volume 4, in the same continuity as volumes 1 and 2, so you can stay up to date with the current TMNT Universe.

A lot of fans, including myself, also like the 72-issue Archie-published series (titled "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures", which is based on the 1980's cartoons, but about halfway through the series they started taking it to new heights. Unfortunately, that last half of books can be a bugger to track down (though ninjaturtles.com has a lot of them in stock).

[Roseangelo]

I definitely agree with Gordon that you should start picking up the current Tales series as it's released. Especially as some of them have turned into buggers to track down if you didn't buy it immediately.

For the Mirage books, here's what I would consider to be reading that is essential to the overall story:

(Volume 1)
1-11 + the 4 Micro Series books - These are essentially the Eastman & Laird collection.

(Tales of the TMNT Vol. 1)
1-7 - (the whole series)

(Volume 1)
19-21 - Return to New York
48-62 - Shades of Gray + City At War

Now, this isn't to say there aren't excellent stories in between, because there are, including some of my favorites. But the stories above will give you the general, overall idea of the characters and world of the Mirage comics.

I also can't recommend the Archie books highly enough. The whole run is fantastic, although it really shines in the second half. The defining moment of that series for me is The Future Shark Trilogy when, basically, everything changes.

And don't forget that many of the early Volume 1 comics are available to read for free on ninjaturtles.com. :)