What is your favorite TMNT universe?
 

Forgive me for posing such a broad, general question (and maybe it's not fair) that I'm sure might have been asked or polled at some point in the Drome's near decade of life, but I'm curious what the mass majority of TMNT fans think in the here and now.

Archie took everything adult about Mirage, and mixed it with everything mutant about the old toon*Yes more mutants can be good!* and made one bad ass comic.

Agreed. Archie all the way.

You'll get no argument from me. Archie found its footing fairly quickly, and as soon as it decided not to be grounded in either the Mirages or the original cartoon (it was originally heralded as just sort of some kind of comic book sidestory to the cartoon) it went on to greatness.

It's very easy to thumb your nose at the Archies as "Oh, that's just the cartoon Turtles and cowabunga and crap," but if you really get into them you see that's absolutely not the case. They deal with very real, very pertinent issues even in today's day and age (ecology, the loss of our rainforests, endangered species), yet don't shy away from some pretty surprisingly gritty material -- who saw the brutal gunning down of the MutAnimals coming?

Forever War should be at least solicited this year, if not published, according to Dan the Man. Might get some closure yet.

While all of that is very true of the Archie series, what gives it mega bonus points for me is that absolutely no part of it sucks and no part of it has ever had to be "erased" from the overall story. This is the definitive TMNT comic book for me - the kind of book that I would like to see on shelves right now.

As much as I love the Mirage books, there really aren't that many that fit into the original tone that was established in the first 11 books. And then there's Volume 4, which I won't even get started on.

I had to vote for the OT universe just because it was my first introduction to the TMNT & for that reason, I will always love it :) Now, if I had been old enough to get into the comics, I probably would have voted for one them. As I get older, I find myself wishing I had read the comics.

It's not too late! :)

where would be a good place start? well, duh, probably the beginning :lol: should I try finding older ones or just start buying new ones?

Ehhh, the current Tales of the TMNT Vol. 2 notwithstanding, you might avoid the later stuff until, well, later (it gets a little controversial), but the barebones essentials in getting started should be :

TMNT Vol. 1, #1-12, #19-21, #24-26, #48-62.

If you just want the collected books, for starters I'd say :

TMNT Collected Book 1 (that collects 1-11 plus all four Leo, Raph, Mike, Don specials)

TMNT Collected Book 2 (optional, but still good)

TMNT Collected Book 4 (must-have, collects the 3 part "Return to New York" that is TMNT gold)

TMNT Collected Book 6 (optional, but I think you'll like "The River")

Unfortunately, not much else is collected. To collect the also must-have "City at War," at present you have to buckle down and buy the individual #50-62 issues of Vol. 1.

Good stuff...I have many questions...I'll pm you.

The new/current cartoon is still "TMNT Lite" in my book, but I can't praise enough how much they were able to sneakily adapt things into it straight from the comics, even if in altered/filtered form. For a kid's show it's still probably the truest incarnation in the mass-media we've seen yet to the source material.

I haven't voted yet because I don't feel I have enough of a background in anything to have a favorite.

I do like the Mirage comics I've read, but I'm not a big comic book person. I'd much rather get to actually see action. I'm leaning towards 2k3, but, as I said, I don't have enough to form a sound opinion.

If you got the cash to spring every week on Ebay I see people selling all 62 Volume 1 issues plus tons of bonus ones. Usually around 500 bucks.

If I were you I'd just get as many from phone order Mirage and then get the rest off Ebay.

I recommend the Image ones their awesome.

My favorite has to be a tie between the movies, the orignal Mirage comic, and the 2k3 series (I'm not to sure if I want to include Fast Forward or not, since it just doesn't appeal to me at all). Dark, gritty, taking in the very grim colors of New York city (if not, dulling them down). That's what I love. Then again, the old cartoon had that going for them as well, just not as dramatic. And I can't speak about the Archie comics, since I haven't read them at all, but I love what I have seen of it so far.

So, basically...any universe that is dark and has mutant turtle teens trained in the art of the ninja roaming about in it is good enough for me :D

Holy cow. Every universe has its pros and cons.

I have hybridized them all into my own little universe inside my head. Hardest issue to consolidate would be Splinter's origin story. Everything else is reconciliable.

Reasons I like each one:

- OT was my introduction to TMNT. The character designs are the best. It always gets a gazillion laughs out of me.

- NT is very faithful to the comic. Not to mention there is plot and character development.

- Movies were my second exposure to TMNT. Not to mention that through them I got to know more about the comic and the original background story of Splinter and the Foot.

- Mirage Comics are the original story, although I am glad some changes were made that have remained. Don't care for Image from what I have read.

- Haven't read the actual Archie comics, though I have read all the synopses of all the volumes on Ninjaturtles.com.

- Haven't played the video games (except the first one back in the 7th grade) or watched The Next Mutation (which I pretend simply does not exist).

I probably cannot vote yet. Perhaps once I watch the NT (which I just won on Ebay, hehehe) I may be able to rank things better.

Boy this is tough. I like them all for different reasons. I like the dark feel of the original stuff, movies and 2k3 series. Yet the lightheartedness of Archie (at times), FF, and the original cartoon are also very soothing, if that makes sense. I don't think I could pick just one, kinda like the Pringles lol

The movie universe, the first and fourth movie are my favorites. I'll take 2 & 3 fine as well, but TNM does NOT exist in this continuity for me, sorry.

2k3 is my other favorite, even FF is okay.

So if you force me to take TNM, then I say 2k3 is my fave, if I can leave TNM then I say the movies.

The OT is the gateway drug! :)