TMNT Adventures (Archie) Omnibus from IDW

[ToTheNines]

I HIGHLY doubt they would have gaf about that stuff.

This story was published in its entirety in the Russian version, uncensored.

Right on.

So it would appear that Viacom/Nick/Paramount doesn’t have a firm stance on this and the past censorship was all IDW. So there is hope. Inshallah.

[CyberCubed]

Its been awhile since I read the issues, but Murphy doesn't even paint muslims in a bad light. What Murphy was doing was trying to educate kids and broaden their horizons of other cultures throughout the entire Archie run, same reason they go to Israel later on in that second middle east arc, and of course visit Japan and other places as well.

It's funny because Murphy had no reason to be doing any of this, he was just in charge of writing a TMNT comic for kids. But he actually did his best to bring things to light about the enviornment, other cultures, religion, etc. And he did it in a way that made sense for the stories being told rather than just preaching.

Looking back I appreciate the Archie run even more now than as a kid/teen because now you can see what Murphy was trying to do with it. Like also educating kids in the 1492 issue that Columbus didn't "discover" America and that Native Americans had already lived there for thousands of years prior. And this is all back in the 90's too when kids didn't have the internet.

[ToTheNines]

Finally got my hands on Vol. 2. Haven’t had time to read it, but it seemed nice and I didn’t notice any problems.

Some extra goodies that I don’t think were advertised:

- Heartfelt forward from Dan Berger. Couple of interesting tidbits there.

- The Steve Bissette Mutanimals pin-up series, plus a couple I don’t think I recognized.

- It’s a very nice Dooney piece, but unfortunately they used the same inside cover as the first book.

Anyone seen any info on the fourth book pop up yet?

EDIT: Also worth mentioning that the spine is green and with a Lawson Michelangelo, the previous book is orange with a Lawson Leo. On the subject of the spines, Vol. 2 is visibly smaller than the first one. Roughly a quarter inch (~160 pages).

Kind of strange also that they advertised this one as “over 650 pages” but it’s more like 623. I wonder if an issue got cut last minute.

[ToTheNines]

Damn… Volume 3 is only ~575. These keep getting smaller and the price stays the same. It’s also weird that this will be the smallest one yet, but it ends on the middle of an arc for some reason.

If books 2 and 3 were the same size as the first one, we’d have roughly 360 more pages at this point. Oh well, I guess they have the entire series planned out and they have reasons for the way they’re spreading them out.

[darthsmozers]

Damn… Volume 3 is only ~575. These keep getting smaller and the price stays the same. It’s also weird that this will be the smallest one yet, but it ends on the middle of an arc for some reason.

If books 2 and 3 were the same size as the first one, we’d have roughly 360 more pages at this point. Oh well, I guess they have the entire series planned out and they have reasons for the way they’re spreading them out.

The price does drop on Amazon too, so there’s that.

[ToTheNines]

The price does drop on Amazon too, so there’s that.

True. I still don't like this trend of less and less pages each time.

[Chaotix12345]

https://i.postimg.cc/pryvs0gd/CATALOG-JULY-2026-Final-27.jpg

Courtesy of IDW's September solicitations, it looks like Volume 3's spine will be purple. (It'll also feature art of the appropriate color turtle, unlike what happened with Volume 1.) I wonder if the idea with these color choices is to do a turtle's color for one volume, then green for the next, then repeat the pattern? If so, that makes me curious as to just how many volumes we're looking at here.

[ToTheNines]

Volume 2 had a green spine, so it's already screwy. Also don't like that they're not just sticking with Lawson turtles. Who drew that Donny? Must be from a Special.

[CyberCubed]

Considering IDW has already reprinted the Movie adaptions for Movie 1 and 2, hopefully 3 comes out eventually (even if it doesn't get a re-release in theaters next year), so we don't need the Archie adaptions of the movies in these compendiums.

When you did the page count did you include the 3 Sourcebooks, Year of the Turtle, and all specials? Are we getting the Archie crossover special, I don't remember?

[Boco]

Volume 2 had a green spine, so it's already screwy. Also don't like that they're not just sticking with Lawson turtles. Who drew that Donny? Must be from a Special.

Looks like Bill Wray.

And we already got everything from the Archie special except the actual crossover; feels like it it was possible they'd have put it in Volume 1.

[TurtleGurkle]

Considering IDW has already reprinted the Movie adaptions for Movie 1 and 2, hopefully 3 comes out eventually (even if it doesn't get a re-release in theaters next year), so we don't need the Archie adaptions of the movies in these compendiums.

When you did the page count did you include the 3 Sourcebooks, Year of the Turtle, and all specials? Are we getting the Archie crossover special, I don't remember?

I think it will be 6 volumes based on my page count guesses. The Archie Special has already had two of its stories reprinted in Compendium vol 1 but I don't think the story with the actual Archie characters will be reprinted at this point.

[ToTheNines]

Couple of tidbits I came across reading the fine print while researching Ninjara’s trademark owner:

IDW put this in the legal notes of the front of these collections…

These comics may include negative depictions of people or cultures that were wrong then and are wrong now. While reprinted here for historical purposes, IDW does not agree with or endorse these views.

:lol: **** off. Whatever, at least they’re doing it right this time.

I also saw that they’ve been working with Rich Horn (TMNT: A Collection), Brian Van Hooker (Turtle Tracks podcast), Ralph DiBernardo (Jetpack comics), and Elias Derby (no idea who that is) and crediting them as “assisting with tracking down missing issues”.

Pretty cool, just wish someone had put them in contact with Spengler for the reading order.

[CyberCubed]

The irony is Murphy portrayed all those cultures and religions in a positive light, and was trying to expose kids in the 90's to other cultures outside their own. I can't think of a single thing Murphy wrote that could be taken as a negative (either back in the 90's or now in the 2020's), but I guess they're covering all their bases.

I can't imagine anyone in 2026 is going to call IDW up and rant to them about islamic stuff in a TMNT comic.

[neatoman]

Couple of tidbits I came across reading the fine print while researching Ninjara’s trademark owner:

IDW put this in the legal notes of the front of these collections…



:lol: **** off. Whatever, at least they’re doing it right this time.

I also saw that they’ve been working with Rich Horn (TMNT: A Collection), Brian Van Hooker (Turtle Tracks podcast), Ralph DiBernardo (Jetpack comics), and Elias Derby (no idea who that is) and crediting them as “assisting with tracking down missing issues”.

Pretty cool, just wish someone had put them in contact with Spengler for the reading order.

They put those disclaimers in the Classics and Tales reprints as well. I'm not entirely sure what content is thought of as "offensive" or "outdated values" in all of them, I think it might just be a boilerplate thing they do for any reprints that were either published X amount of years ago outside of IDW itself and/or published independently before IDW got the rights, both of which apply to most TMNT comics.

Basically, I think it's there more so for keeping safe than any sort of statement about the content itself. It's like how every Hollywood has the "Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental" disclaimer, even when it's incorrect. Team America has that disclaimer and it's completely absurd since 70-80% of all the named characters in that movie just mockeries of real people.

[Zog The Magnificent]

It must be an industry boilerplate thing. On the recent Gargoyles reprints, they had the same message, but I read them; not one single thing in there that could possibly require it. It's entirely probable they're just covering their bases.

[Boco]

They put those disclaimers in the Classics and Tales reprints as well. I'm not entirely sure what content is thought of as "offensive" or "outdated values" in all of them, I think it might just be a boilerplate thing they do for any reprints that were either published X amount of years ago outside of IDW itself and/or published independently before IDW got the rights, both of which apply to most TMNT comics.

Basically, I think it's there more so for keeping safe than any sort of statement about the content itself. It's like how every Hollywood has the "Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental" disclaimer, even when it's incorrect. Team America has that disclaimer and it's completely absurd since 70-80% of all the named characters in that movie just mockeries of real people.

Tales has that disclaimer because "All Hallow's Eve" has Hadji quote Jambi the Genie from Pee Wee's Playhouse, and his catchphrase involves the word "Mecca".

Really.

[neatoman]

It must be an industry boilerplate thing. On the recent Gargoyles reprints, they had the same message, but I read them; not one single thing in there that could possibly require it. It's entirely probable they're just covering their bases.

Yeah, that would be the most likely reason.

There are some old comics out there that genuinely require such a disclaimer, some Captain America comics in particular come to mind, so in such cases the compromise is preferable to not having them in print at all. It shouldn't really be necessary to point out that old media may not reflect modern ideals, anyone should be able to figure out that something made a long time ago is going to be reflecting the era in which it was, but there is actually a surprising amount of people who do think that making this stuff available is an endorsement of the content in its entirety...

I don't think many TMNT comics really do fall into this category, the issue with the depiction of Mohammed technically does and that's just because of some incidents that have happened since then that made people afraid of even doing it in a neutral way, and I don't think many will anytime soon. That said, the reason genuine examples of comics having outdated values is because they didn't know it wouldn't be seen as OK in the future. Nobody knows for sure what will and won't be OK in the future, meaning there are probably comics being published this year that will be seen as awkward in like 50 years...

... Maybe... Maybe all new comics should have a disclaimer that they may not reflect future values if we take this to its logical extreme?

Tales has that disclaimer because "All Hallow's Eve" has Hadji quote Jambi the Genie from Pee Wee's Playhouse, and his catchphrase involves the word "Mecca".

Really.

They published eight volumes of Tales reprints containing four issues each and they all have that disclaimer, so it can't be just that one thing, either its boilerplate precaution or somehow 8 to 32 issues of Tales all have something wrong with them.

[CyberCubed]

There's a later issue in Archie where the Turtles got to Jerusalem and the creature in that 2-parter force all the Jews and Muslims to fight each other on the streets in a brawl. I imagine that is going to be one of the controversial issues especially in these days.

I'm really surprised Murphy got away with writing a story like that in the 90's, even back then Israel and Muslims were killing each other.

[ToTheNines]

Vol. 3 is up for pre-order at mycomicshop.com

Only $70, plus shipping. And it's a better way to show IDW your support. Win-win.

The irony is Murphy portrayed all those cultures and religions in a positive light, and was trying to expose kids in the 90's to other cultures outside their own. I can't think of a single thing Murphy wrote that could be taken as a negative (either back in the 90's or now in the 2020's), but I guess they're covering all their bases.

I can't imagine anyone in 2026 is going to call IDW up and rant to them about islamic stuff in a TMNT comic.

Hey, you finally used the word "irony" right! I'm so proud of you!

It is funny to see the culture shift in some ways, but Murphy's work still being considered somewhat controversial. First it was right-wing Christians in the 90's mad that he was simply featuring concepts of other religions from around the world and making up crazy sh*t about Bellybomb and what not.

Fast forward to modern clown world and IDW refused to reprint entire issues for simply taking place in the Middle East. I fully understand their hesitation with #35 (although they could have simply censored one panel, or even omitted the entire page), but there is zero excuse for them to have skipped any other issues.

But whatever, they're making it right. Hopefully.

There's a later issue in Archie where the Turtles got to Jerusalem and the creature in that 2-parter force all the Jews and Muslims to fight each other on the streets in a brawl. I imagine that is going to be one of the controversial issues especially in these days.

I'm really surprised Murphy got away with writing a story like that in the 90's, even back then Israel and Muslims were killing each other.

I doubt it. As someone with strong opinions on that particular conflict who just recently read that arc, there's really nothing objectionable there.

[Coola Yagami]

Vol. 3 is up for pre-order at mycomicshop.com

Only $70, plus shipping. And it's a better way to show IDW your support. Win-win.



Hey, you finally used the word "irony" right! I'm so proud of you!

It is funny to see the culture shift in some ways, but Murphy's work still being considered somewhat controversial. First it was right-wing Christians in the 90's mad that he was simply featuring concepts of other religions from around the world and making up crazy sh*t about Bellybomb and what not.

Fast forward to modern clown world and IDW refused to reprint entire issues for simply taking place in the Middle East. I fully understand their hesitation with #35 (although they could have simply censored one panel, or even omitted the entire page), but there is zero excuse for them to have skipped any other issues.

But whatever, they're making it right. Hopefully.



I doubt it. As someone with strong opinions on that particular conflict who just recently read that arc, there's really nothing objectionable there.

Yeah but twitter alone is full of people that clutch their pearls ten times tighter.

[Heyowakka]

Only idiots care about what people on Twitter think!

[ToTheNines]

Yeah but twitter alone is full of people that clutch their pearls ten times tighter.

Ehhhh... if the Chinese writer took the TMNT to Israel in the current ongoing, I think there would definitely be a stink.

But $100 hardcover reprint collections of a beloved comic from 30 years ago? No one will bat an eye.

[ToTheNines]

Alright folks, we got another volume on the horizon:

https://images3.penguinrandomhouse.com/cover/9798887245621

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/838417/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-adventures-compendium-vol-4-by-dean-clarrain/

- Due out April 2027

- #36-45, Mutanimals #1-9, “Paper or Plastic” (yay!), “The Return of Monsterex” short. I don’t expect any funny business with the reading order.

- Cute cover from Kazaleh. I guess Allan is doing the odd number volumes and they’re mixing it up for the evens? Who will do the sixth book? Brian Thomas? Jim Lawson?

- Yet another slight page reduction, this one coming in at 525. Oh well, looks like they’re still on track to finish this in 6 books. I’ll take it!

- These should be done in early 2028. Just in time for the 40th anniversary of the first issue. Crazy.

[Chaotix12345]

Great to see that the anniversary story wasn't left out. (This is its first time being collected anywhere!) Also love the Mutanimal focus on the cover (including Slash!) Very fitting given that their entire main series is collected here. (Having Mike Kazaleh, essentially the book's main artist, do the cover is the cherry on top.)

[IMJ]

The irony is that by the time all of these compendiums come out you might have actually been able to buy the full run of the original books for less money. And if not, it'd be close.

[ToTheNines]

The irony is that by the time all of these compendiums come out you might have actually been able to buy the full run of the original books for less money. And if not, it'd be close.

If you’re talking just the 70 issues of TMNTA, that’s probably in the ballpark of $600 if you have some success in the back issue bins.

But factor in the all the Mutanimals issues, Year of the Turtle, and some pretty rare/expensive Specials, and you’re making out pretty good with these.

[IMJ]

If you’re talking just the 70 issues of TMNTA, that’s probably in the ballpark of $600 if you have some success in the back issue bins.

But factor in the all the Mutanimals issues, Year of the Turtle, and some pretty rare/expensive Specials, and you’re making out pretty good with these.

Oh wow are they really selling that high now?

I figured 300 bucks for the run - just a matter of patience for some of the last few issues as opposed to dropping 100 bucks each on them....

Admittedly it's been a bit since I've looked at the recorded sales from both Archie and Mirage....

[Zog The Magnificent]

Most of them you can get fairly cheaply, but the Future Arc and the final two issues, as well as a couple of the specials, especially #11, really run up the numbers. It took me years to find those, after getting most of the run in a long box for a good price.

[IMJ]

I've said this before but - it's an entirely different run to build when you start trying to account for direct market/newsstand variants and even more so when digging up the multiple printings that were sent to Kay-B-Toys as ongoing inventory.

Totally different kind of difficult when you start accounting for that.

[CyberCubed]

So with the reduced page count, can we calculate the correct page count for the rest of the issues and mini's to make sure everything is included? I'm curious if they'll cut the 3 Sourcebooks.

[darthsmozers]

Alright folks, we got another volume on the horizon:

https://images3.penguinrandomhouse.com/cover/9798887245621

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/838417/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-adventures-compendium-vol-4-by-dean-clarrain/

- Due out April 2027

- #36-45, Mutanimals #1-9, “Paper or Plastic” (yay!), “The Return of Monsterex” short. I don’t expect any funny business with the reading order.

- Cute cover from Kazaleh. I guess Allan is doing the odd number volumes and they’re mixing it up for the evens? Who will do the sixth book? Brian Thomas? Jim Lawson?

- Yet another slight page reduction, this one coming in at 525. Oh well, looks like they’re still on track to finish this in 6 books. I’ll take it!

- These should be done in early 2028. Just in time for the 40th anniversary of the first issue. Crazy.


Assuming the TMNT and mutanimals will be mixed properly to account for the 4 horsemen crossover?

[Chaotix12345]

Assuming the TMNt and mutanimals will be mixed properly to account for the 4 horsemen crossover?
Even the trades alternated between issues for the crossover, so I wouldn't expect any different here, even with the rest of the run thrown in.

[CyberCubed]

Man I forget the main series is only 72 issues, so with them collecting up to 45 here, that means only 26 more main series issues after this. And then the 3 "Year of the Turtle" issues.

They're halfway through the main series. There's just the last few Archie specials stories they sprinkle through here, and the last few mini-series. As I said, I hope they do not forget anything. This is probably as good as well ever get an Archie collection so it's now or never if they skip or miss anything.

[ToTheNines]

Unfortunately something tells me they’re going to skip The Forever War :lol: