Help! Comics, where to start...

[RainDownOnMe23]

I have been a longtime TMNT fan, I have tons of the figures as a kid and have bought them all back and then some, but my experience was mainly with the movies/cartoon.

Now I would like to go back and start with the comics, but does anyone have a guide of where to start? I know there are the ultimate collection, which I have the first volume arriving today. So I know there are those, but then there are softcover classics with random issues sprinkled in. Then I also saw there are what looks like the ultimate collection, but softcover and in color. Does anyone have a guide or suggestions where to start? Sorry if there is already a thread about this, then this can be ignored/delete, but if someone could just point me in the right direction that would be great. I'm not big into comics in general so I don't know of any good websites where I could find this info.

Thanks!

[Shred87]

You started in the correct spot.... get all five (i think) volumes of the ultimate collection. That is the main starting point. The thing with the original comic is that its not necessarily all connected and different authors took a shot at doing different things with the franchise and that’s why some of the mirage issues kind of seem out of place or not connected or look different.... the ultimate volumes essentially tell the original story for the franchise and everything after that is either based on or expanded from this original story.

Other than that its really up to you, and depending on taste, people will have very different opinions... Keep this in mind there are essentially 5 volumes of TMNT when it comes to comics

Vol 1: Grab the rest of the ultimate collection and grab “tales of TMNT” collection and your covered

vol 2: had about a year(ish) run and then ended... IMO not essential

Vol 3: produced by IMAGE... IDW is actually rereleasing these as we speak and is going to end the series (there was no official conclusion to the series)... this is a bit more extreme and is somewhat considered an “else worlds” universe as the turtles go through dramatic changes... It is being re-released now under the TMNT: Urban Legends title...maybe 13 issues have been released so if interested jump on that

Vol 4: not really my favorite... seems to be kind of forgotten since IDW started...had a 32 issue run and a longer “Tales of TMNT” run.... I don’t believe these are collected...IMO hold off on this vol

IDW: current run now and one of my favorites with vol 1.... invest in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The IDW Collection.... massive trades that collect everything.... i believe there are 9 volumes out right now.... this will catch you up with the current universe

Others... Archie comics has a cult following that is based on the Fred Wolf cartoon but with a more serious tone... they are collected in trades

Now in my official non professional opinion I’d start with the IDW and Ultimate Mirage trades immediately....since vol 3 is being rereleased jump on that with the Urban Legends series and you’ll be in pretty good shape... others will have different opinions but i think that is a solid start...catch up on the current storyline and read the OG one... good luck and have fun!

[RainDownOnMe23]

Awesome, thank you for the thorough response. I agree, I will definitely get the rest of the original ultimate collection and then go to IDW because I have heard other people say great things about it as well.

So are the ultimate collection hardcover versions only available in black and white? They’re the only ones I saw.

Thanks again!

EDIT - Also, are the IDW Volumes one and two out of print? I can't find them in stock anywhere.

[Shred87]

Yes... the originals were released in black and white... there are collections in color but I prefer to read them how they originally were

[Sharman]

Yes... the originals were released in black and white... there are collections in color but I prefer to read them how they originally were

Yeah, I don't know why IDW is obsessed with (re)colouring everything. I wish they'd reprint the original B&W versions of all the volumes of TMNT (incl "Tales ...")

[pferreira]

I'm still waiting for the Volume 2 Omnibus of Tales of the TMNT. :ohwell:

[retrohead]

I agree with Shred87 it's best to start with the original series via the IDW ultimate editions. Yes the Ultimate eds are in black and white only. Pretty sure only the "colour classic" softback trades reprinted the re-coloured versions but I could be wrong on that.

Not only are the Mirage comics contained in the ultimate editions arguably some of the best TMNT comics it's also the source material and some of the differences between the cartoons and the original comics will be fascinating if you've never read them before. My favourite issues are the ones that Eastman and Laird worked on but there are plenty of good stories by other writers and artists in there too.

Just a small correction to what Shred said, there are actually six volumes of the ultimate editions so grab those as well as Tales of the TMNT and you've got everything of importance for the "first run". While there are issues missed trust me you're not missing out on much, a lot of the issues omitted from the ultimate editions are quite disposable and I say that as someone who owns every single original issue of the Mirage series.

The ultimate editions are also a good place to start because of the size and quality of the editions and the fact it has all the bonus material.

[pferreira]

a lot of the issues omitted from the ultimate editions are quite disposable and I say that as someone who owns every single original issue of the Mirage series.Maybe he wants to experience the episodic guest stories?

[retrohead]

Maybe he wants to experience the episodic guest stories?

It's up to him of course. He can read them if he wants to, just expressing my opinion on it.

[slashpieturtlemix]

I have been a longtime TMNT fan, I have tons of the figures as a kid and have bought them all back and then some, but my experience was mainly with the movies/cartoon.

Now I would like to go back and start with the comics, but does anyone have a guide of where to start? I know there are the ultimate collection, which I have the first volume arriving today. So I know there are those, but then there are softcover classics with random issues sprinkled in. Then I also saw there are what looks like the ultimate collection, but softcover and in color. Does anyone have a guide or suggestions where to start? Sorry if there is already a thread about this, then this can be ignored/delete, but if someone could just point me in the right direction that would be great. I'm not big into comics in general so I don't know of any good websites where I could find this info.

Thanks!

You have a few different ways you can do this.

For the first, If you want to read the original stories, you have the ultimate collections (1-5), then you would need the classic collection trades (1-10 I believe). 1-5 contain all the main stories but the classics are the guest stories that still tie into the plot and all of those will give you the entire original story arc.

For the second option, you then have the archie story line that is all bound into trades as well by IDW.

For the third, you have the current ongoing IDW series with has well over 25 trades but you can find a graph of what books to buy by googling. This is a different story line but takes some amazing stuff from all of the other series.

The last is that IDW has started to rerelease the old image comics and they came out with their first trade (will be two) recently. That one is under Urban legends.

If you ever need help, feel free to email me at [email protected] and I will do my best to help. I have every trade released (current trades) because I slowly phased out what comics were reprinted and it saves some serious self space. There is at least 50 trades at the moment collecting so much of the comics.