Volume 4 or Tales?

[A little *too* Raph]

Hey everyone. I am just starting to get into the comics ( I know, shame on me) and am currently buying issues of volume 4 and tales from the Mirage site. I was just wondering if I need to read volume 4 first or if the two series are independent of each other. Sorry if this is already in a thread somewhere, thanks!

[Cipher]

You don't need to read one to enjoy the other, but it helps.

A lot of Tales stories draw heavily upon the existing canon, so they're better read if you've gone through all the main volumes anyway.

On the other hand, Volume 4 introduces some characters who are expanded upon or given origins by Tales, so it helps to read those issues.

On the whole, though, Tales is a lot better if you go through Volumes 1, 2 and what there is of 4 first.

[CyberCubed]

The problem is if you read Tales before Vol. 4, it "spoils" some of the plotlines going on in Volume 4.

Meaning some plots from Vol. 4 are continued in Tales, and if you haven't read it prior, you'll be like, "Why are aliens on Earth?" or "Why is Raph mutated into this gamera form?" or "Why is April on a voyage of self-discovery?"

So as said, Tales carries on a lot of Vol. 4 plots.

[Cipher]

Yeah, just remember that Tales is the side-book. It expects that you're reading the main book; but the main book doesn't necessarily expect you to be reading Tales.

By the way, if you're just getting into the comics, Volume 4 is a kind of a rough place to start. Expect a lot of "Who's this character?" moments to come at you. Not exactly friendly to new readers.

[Powder]

Just read the plot synopsis' for tales issues on the old ninjaturtles.com site. That way you can figure out which ones you'd be more familiar with... such as stories about the turtles when they were very young, or issues pertaining to an event that focused on one turtle etc, non canon kinda stuff. (Well canon nonetheless but nothing that effected the ongoing storyline, you get me?)

[CyberCubed]

Just buy every issue and try to get them in order. If you're willing to spend the money you might as well get a complete collection.

I am a completest and I have to have every issue of every series. TMNT comics aren't all that rare anyway, especially the newer issues from the 2000's.

[Venom]

Tales was more of a one-shot titles used to fill in plot holes, expand some stories, and close off otherwise open-ended stories. As mentioned, there are some that tie directly in to the events happening in Volume 4 but for the most part the stories are either one-shots or continuations from previous Volumes.

If you get the entire Volume 4 and Tales Vol. 2 run and want to read them in order then have Dr. Spenglers "Mirage Timeline" thread, stickied toward the top of this section, open to help you along.

[A little *too* Raph]

Thanks for all the input. I am planning on buying all of the issues sooner or later. I am just buying 3 or 4 at a time from the mirage site starting at issue 1 and working my way up. From the sounds of things I think I'll start with volume 4 unless I decide to start getting volume 1 and 2 first. Decisions, decisions...

[Roseangelo]

Thanks for all the input. I am planning on buying all of the issues sooner or later. I am just buying 3 or 4 at a time from the mirage site starting at issue 1 and working my way up. From the sounds of things I think I'll start with volume 4 unless I decide to start getting volume 1 and 2 first. Decisions, decisions...

Volume 4 is really not a good way to start reading TMNT comics, IMO.

The honest truth is that you can pretty much read everything in any order and be fine. I read so much of Volume 1 backwards the first time and I was fine. Yeah, you can get greater understanding and meaning if you read them in a certain order, but it's nothing a second read won't fix. It's not like Lost, where you're going to be completely confused out of your mind if you don't start at the beginning.

[Powder]

Volume 4 is really not a good way to start reading TMNT comics, IMO.

The honest truth is that you can pretty much read everything in any order and be fine. I read so much of Volume 1 backwards the first time and I was fine. Yeah, you can get greater understanding and meaning if you read them in a certain order, but it's nothing a second read won't fix. It's not like Lost, where you're going to be completely confused out of your mind if you don't start at the beginning.

Believe it or not, this is very true. I too can say I know first hand that its a fact. I read so much out of order and it never mattered at all.

& Like Rose said, you don't wanna start with vol.4 really... its uber confusing and not by any means the greatest of turtle comics.

[ToTheNines]

Volume 4 is really not a good way to start reading TMNT comics, IMO.

The honest truth is that you can pretty much read everything in any order and be fine. I read so much of Volume 1 backwards the first time and I was fine. Yeah, you can get greater understanding and meaning if you read them in a certain order, but it's nothing a second read won't fix. It's not like Lost, where you're going to be completely confused out of your mind if you don't start at the beginning.

This.

I collected way out of order, no biggie.

[Venom]

Even though I read some of the comics before Volume 4 my local comic shops never had many Turtle books so I basically began reading the comics anew with Volume 4 #1 and I was fine. I pretty much knew the previous storylines basic premise and what-not from the website and lurking but as long as you know the Turtles fought Shredder, killed him, then a big fallout between the various gangs took place then the Turtles fended off a Triceraton invasion and drifting apart you're good to go lol.

[A little *too* Raph]

Well I decided to just start from the beginning. I have Book 1 of the vol 1 TPB's so I'm gonna go ahead and start there.

I do have another question though. Is there a website that shows what each printing of a comic book looks like? I have a few TMNT Adventures #1 and I want to know which, if any, is a first print.

[Venom]

Yeah dude, hop on to ninjaturtles.com or miragelicensing.com for that info.

[A little *too* Raph]

Never thought of ninjaturtles.com... I've been buying from mirageliscensing, and I might just be looking in the wrong spot but I just see a cover for the book and a buy button.

Anyway I found a site called comicbookrealm.com that has all of that info, plus it has an area where you can find books you own and add them to a collection and it keeps track of value and other stuff. It's kinda neat.