You will not believe how many comics there are on this list. No. Seriously.
Originally published on 8/11/2023 at Multiversity Comics. Revision dates noted throughout article.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)
Archie Comics
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures” aka ‘Heroes in a Half-Shell!’ #1-3, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures” (1988) #1-72, “April O’Neil” #1-3, “April O’Neil: The May East Saga” #1-3, “Donatello and Leatherhead” #1-3, the “Merdude” trilogy [Michaelangelo, Mondo Gecko, Ray Fillet], “The Year of the Turtle” #1-3, “The Mighty Mutanimals” (1991) #1-3, “The Mighty Mutanimals” (1992) #1-9, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Special” #1-11, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Meet Archie” #1, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Meet the Conservation Corps” #1, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 40th Anniversary Comics Celebration”
Age rating
E for everyone. This is based on the children’s cartoon from the 80s, meaning it’s custom built for younger kids, though with anything from more than 10 years before present day, things that were “for kids” then may not be so “for kids” now. That said, it gets darker and more serious as the run goes on in the way that all the best “for kids” cartoons do. OK. Maybe it does push closer to E-10+ just a teeny bit by the end.
Start here if
You want to experience the sensation that shook the nation and rocketed the series to the stratosphere and (re)live the glory days of the Turtles’ time on the airwaves, or at least read the comics that spun out of that show and told a pretty compelling narrative along the way.
Welcome to the “Elias has never seen the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon” corner. Despite doing this whole thing, I don’t have much nostalgia for the Turtles, at least not in this incarnation. I grew up catching the 2003 series every so often and then I watched the highly underrated 2007 CGI film. All star cast that film had!
Anyway, these comics were really my first introduction to the TV show. That may be the case for many of you too! More likely, they’re a curiosity. You can also probably guess the story behind the comics.
Because the original “TMNT” comics were just a skoosh darker than the show was presumably envisioned to be and definitely allowed to be in the mid-80s, there was a market for a tie-in comic adaptation that hewed more closely to the cartoon’s choices and aesthetics, such as being in color. To that end, Mirage licensed out the Turtles to Archie Comics, who started the series off by adapting some episodes and then branching off into their own continuity, complete with a bunch of spin-offs and backups. It never quite had a true "ending" but it got close, with "Year of the Turtle," and there's been talk of finally putting together the final arc that got canned "The Forever War."
Unlike Parts 1 & 2, and to an extent 3, I’ve yet to confirm the inclusion of certain stories in the various trades; I simply haven’t had the time to read them. This will be true for most of this part, though I have done my best to check copyright pages and tables of contents when accessible and have made my way through a fair number of them. The demise of ComiXology has made it a lot more difficult.
Update August 2024: I have since read through all the trades that have been released for “Adventures” and can confirm that the backups are all there, except where noted.
Moreover, for the Archie Comics at least, they’re not organized in an easily accessible way, with no table of contents and a copyright page that cites issues but not always 100% clearly and certainly with no note about backups. They are there, however. Volume 11 had the ‘Megadeath” backups included for their respective issues, even though they were relegated to the back of the trade instead of bundled with the issues themselves, so I have little doubt the others aren’t also collected.
Update May 2025: With the release of the Compendiums, or at least the first one, this issue has been lessened since it’s got, you know, a real, fairly trustworthy table of contents. Another upshot: it’s got a bunch of previously uncollected short-stories, so there’s hope for the missing backups yet!
Even though the order is pretty straightforward, there are enough issues missing that I feel I can have two lists here: Trades Only and Marshmallow & Pepperoni Completionist.
Liking what you read so far? Want these delivered straight to your inbox or, dare I say it, early? Sign up for a subscription today! I've got two tiers: free (newsletter access, basically) and the paid one (early access and whatnot.) Just $1.50 a month and you'll be supporting an independent writer.
If you aren't able to, that's OK as well. I'm just happy you're reading and sticking around.
Trades Only
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1: “TMNT Adventures: Heroes in a Half-Shell” #1-3, “TMNT Adventures” #1-17, ‘Zen Millions Years to Birth,’ ‘The Night of Monsterex,’ ‘Metamorphosis,’ ‘A Forgotten Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Adventure,’ ‘Origin of the Species,’ ‘Metamorphosis Epilogue,’ ‘Yo-Ho-Ho! And a Bottle of Mutagen!,’ ‘Doomsday Hassle in Banshee Castle’
Digital readers should substitute in Volume 1-4 of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” which contain four issues of the series each, and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 100-Page Spectacular,” which contains the original “Heroes in a Half Shell” mini.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 5: “TMNT Adventures” #18-20, & #17
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 6: “TMNT Adventures” #21-22, “Mighty Mutanimals (Mini-series) #1-3
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 7: “TMNT Adventures” #23-27
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 8: “TMNT Adventures” #28-31
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 9: “TMNT Adventures” #37-40, “Mighty Mutanimals” (Ongoing) #6
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 10: “TMNT Adventures” #41-44, “Mighty Mutanimals” (Ongoing) #7
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 11: “TMNT Adventures” #45-50
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 12: “TMNT Adventures” #51-54
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 13: “TMNT Adventures” #55-57, “Mighty Mutanimals” (Ongoing) #8-9
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 14: “TMNT Adventures” #58-61
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 15: “TMNT Adventures” #62-66
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 16: “TMNT Adventures” #67-72 & ‘Origin of the Species’
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 40th Anniversary Comics Celebration:” The Deluxe Edition: 'The Man Behind the Mask,' & ‘Gang Wars,' 'Old Scores,' 'Alone,' 'Monsters,' 'Downtime,' 'What About Tomorrow?,' 'Splinter Forever,' 'Kraang Among Us,' 'Farewell,' ‘Splinter's Day Off,' 'Father's Day,' 'Teen Spirit'
As with the other sections that have stories from the 40th anniversary special, only the non-italicized stories are relevant to this list.
Uncollected main issues: “TMNT Adventures” #32-36, “Mighty Mutanimals” (Ongoing) #1-5.
Marshmallow & Pepperoni Completionist
While not as complicated as the Mirage list from the same time, the Archie continuity has its fair share of spin-offs, specials and short-stories that are either uncollected or partially collected. Below you’ll find them in publication order, unless specified otherwise. Honestly, you can read every one of the minis anytime after their original issues are published. The crosscutting is purely by date when I’m not using the Compendium order. I say this at the top so I don’t have to say it each time later on. The only exceptions are the “Mutanimals” series, which crosses over with the main title a couple times.
As for all the backups, I’m only listing them by name if I’ve separated them out from the main title. Assume that if an issue is collected, its backup is too, as they’re less ‘short story’ additions like they are in “TMNT” (Vol. 1) and more like an A story and a B story that eventually converge. At least it’s that way for #24-27’s backups which lead directly into the events of #28. For other, like ‘Megadeath’ in issues #47-54, they’re at the back of the trade instead of directly after the issue in question. I dunno what to tell you. The IDW collections of the Archie comics are weird.
Update May 2025: Now that some of the “TMNT Adventure Specials” are collected in the Compendium, I’ve split them up into their separate stories.
The “Adventures Specials” are an odd bunch in their relation to the main title. An anthology that published two stories quarterly, they’re not quite like the Mirage Specials of “TMNT” (Vol. 1) but they are essentially still siloed off from the events of the main title. It’s kind of like a “Shadow of the Bat” to the main “Batman” title situation. What makes them even odder, and worth mentioning, is that the comic had its own continuity, with recurring characters and stories that followed up on previous ones.
Placement-wise, as a quarterly I had some wiggle room and tried to place them near the start of the seasons and in a relatively unobtrusive place with regards to the surrounding main title issues/volumes. If you don’t love the placement and want to clean off a volume before moving on, that’s fine too.
“TMNT Adventures: Heroes in a Half-Shell” #1-3 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1 OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 100-Page Spectacular”
Technically, the 100-page spectacular is a large single issue that IDW put out about a decade ago. As mentioned above, it is available digitally while the compendium is not.
The now superseded rest of my original note read: This is, as far as I can tell, the only available version of this intro mini outside of the bargain bins, probably because it’s a straight up adaptation of the 1987 show’s episodes. That’s enough for me to have it be the primary means to reading the mini, even if it’s not ideal.
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cereal Mini-Comic” #1-3 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
I could have left these off the list entirely. They were prizes that came with the TMNT cereal. However, as they are “TMNT Adventures” related and came out nebulously in 1989, they fit perfectly in between the mini and the main series. This also, technically, makes them the first comics appearance of both Wingnut & Man Ray (aka Ray Fillet) so it would be silly not to have them somewhere. Bleeding Cool seems to have scans of them for the curious among us.
“TMNT Adventures” #1-4 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1 OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 1
‘Zen Millions Years to Birth’ - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1
‘The Night of Monsterex’ - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1
Here begins the work of sewing in the stories from specials, which didn’t start getting published until after issue #34. My guess as to why they made it into compendium 1 is this is where in continuity they fit best. Since this marks their first collected appearance, I have no reason to dispute the reading order.
If you’re looking for publication date order, ‘Zen Million’ should be read after ‘Fox Trap,’ which is currently after issue #61 and ‘Monsterex’ should be after issue #40.
I won’t be commenting this much on most of them. I figured I’d mention the whole story once for posterity and then bounce.
‘Metamorphosis’ Prologue - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1
Were it not for the compendium, I would have totally missed this story. I cannot tell you how I left it off originally. Yet here we are, adding it back in.
This, and its epilogue, were originally published by Tundra Publishing (Eastman’s creator-owned company that wasn’t Mirage) as part of the wildly confusingly named “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” Volume 1, not to be confused with any of the other adjectiveless “TMNT” collections put out by Mirage at the time or the earlier, smaller “collected editions.”
To make matters worse, that trade collected #5-9 of “Adventures.” That’s right. Not #1-4 or even the original mini. It starts with issue 5, hence its location here in the compendium and on the list. Bonkers.
“TMNT Adventures” #5-7 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1 OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 2
‘A Forgotten Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Adventure’ - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1
This story literally takes place in-between two panels, the first two on page 27 of issue #7. Interestingly, the inclusion of this specific story seems to pin down “Mirage Mini Comics’” release date to November or December of 1989, though it could’ve come out earlier. If you read Part 1’s Original Completionist list, this may help clarify why the “Ultimate Collection” Book 6 was so confident. I still stand by my ‘Lasagna Loves’ placement choice.
“TMNT Adventures” #8 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1 OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 2
“TMNT Adventures” #9 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1 OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 3
‘Origin of the Species’ - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1 OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 16
This story was originally part of “TMNT Meets Archie” - see notes on that below - and was also one of the few stories to then become a backup in an issue of “Adventures” - issue #71 to be precise. Clearly the compendium compilers thought both those places were chronologically bunk and it ended up here.
‘Metamorphosis’ Epilogue - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1
‘Yo-Ho-Ho! And a Bottle of Mutagen!’ - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1
‘Doomsday Hassle in Banshee Castle’ - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1
Once again, publication fiends should read ‘Yo-Ho-Ho!’ after “Mighty Mutanimals” #9 and ‘Doomsday’ after “Conservation Corps #1.
“TMNT Adventures” #10-12 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1 OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 3
“TMNT Adventures” #13-15 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1 OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 4
“TMNT Coin-Toon” #1 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
Much like the Cereal comics, this was another merchandise tie-in and I didn’t know if it should be included here or not. In the name of completion, I threw it in but just know it can be skipped and nothing is lost.
‘Twas the Fight Before Christmas’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “Ladies Home Journal” Dec 1990
You read that right. This was a “TMNT” comic in the entirely unrelated “Ladies Home Journal” magazine. It’s a short four pages, in the style of “TMNT Adventures,” and is essentially a retelling of the “Michaelangelo Christmas Special” from “TMNT” (Vol. 1.) Give it a nose if you’d like.
“TMNT Adventures” #16 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1 OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 4
“TMNT Adventures” #17 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Compendium,” Vol. 1 OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 5
“TMNT Adventures” #18-19 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 5
“Mighty Mutanimals (Mini-series) #1 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 6
I have a small bone to pick with the IDW reprint trades: they don’t make much of an effort to interfile issues. “Mutanimals” (Mini) #1 actually came out before “Adventures” #20 but isn’t collected until after “Adventures” #22 in the next volume. There’s an explicit reference and recap too! Come on. At least that’s the only real overlap between the series until the end.
‘Green Legs and Gams,’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Meet Archie” #1
‘Storm Drain Savers.’[UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Meet Archie” #1
When I first did this list, I wasn’t sure whether to put the short stories in “TMNT Meet Archie ”as the primary title or the full issue since half of the stories in the volume are republished as backups later and one is a reprint itself.
Funny story about that reprint. It’s part of a comic they did for the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project in 1990-1991: ‘Storm Drain Savers.’ Originally in black and white, it was reprinted in color both here in this issue AND in the “TMNT Classics Digest” #6 that Archie put out in August 1994, collecting issues #20-22.
Anyway, I ended up going with the single issue for simplicity’s sake. Well, flash forward two years and one of those back-ups, ‘Origin of the Species,’ got moved WAY up the list so I pulled a “Turtle Soup” and split them into individual entries. I did keep ‘Storm Drain Savers’ here rather than trying to slot it in around its original publication date because, honestly, that’s a bridge too far even for me. Why break up a good thing if I don’t have to?
“TMNT Adventures” #20 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 5
“Mighty Mutanimals (Mini-series) #2 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 6
“TMNT Adventures” #21 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 6
“Mighty Mutanimals (Mini-series) #3 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 6
“TMNT Adventures” #22 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 6
“TMNT Adventures” #23-27 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 7
“TMNT Adventures” #28 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 8
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Meet the Conservation Corps” [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
‘Paper or Plastic?’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “30th Anniversary Special”
As with the other “30th Anniversary” stories, I’m placing this one far, far away from its publication date. Slotting it in next to the “Conservation Corps” issue seemed the most logical since the two compliment each other tonally. Or at least I assume they do. ‘Paper or Plastic?’ has an environmental PSA message and “Conservation Corps” are an ecological team. A match made in heaven.
“TMNT Adventures” #29-31 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 8
“Mighty Mutanimals (Ongoing) #1 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“TMNT Adventures” #32-33 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“Mighty Mutanimals (Ongoing) #2 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“TMNT Adventures” #34 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
‘If a Tree Falls…’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #1
‘The Last Sea-Serpent’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #1
“TMNT Adventures” #35 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“Mighty Mutanimals (Ongoing) #3 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“TMNT Adventures” #36 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“Mighty Mutanimals (Ongoing) #4 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
You’re probably wondering why these issues are uncollected when all the “Adventures” issues before and after have been collected by IDW. The short answer is these issues are…kinda racist. The turtles take a trek across Asia, specifically through Tibet & China, and I think you can guess how that goes. As far as I know, it’s mostly insensitive rather than actively hateful but both are harmful.
I’m split on this because it’s good a company isn’t uncritically reproducing clearly problematic and racist stories and profiting off them. However from an archival and cultural preservation perspective, it sucks these comics can’t be readily accessed for dissection and discussion. Disclaimers before problematic media are pretty common nowadays - the 90s main-line “TMNT” titles all had them - and excising these tales from the record only serves to bury our problems & pretend our past was rosier than it was. I guess it’s more sensitive since this is for a younger audience. I get it. It’s just not ideal.
Honestly, my preferred reaction would be to release all the issues into the public domain so no one is profiting off them, they can be archived and accessed easily, and anyone wanting to take this run as a whole - the good, the bad, and the EESH - can. There’s already plenty of all three in the issues that did some out after all.
‘The Wrath of the Fire God’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #2
‘The Ghost of 13 Mile Island’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #2
“TMNT Adventures” #37 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 9
“Mighty Mutanimals (Ongoing) #5 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
Even though this issues is uncollected, it leads directly into the events of “Adventures” #38. As such, it doesn’t have the same luxury as some of the other minis or specials in terms of placement wiggle room.
“TMNT Adventures” #38 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 9
“Mighty Mutanimals (Ongoing) #6 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 9
“TMNT Adventures” #39 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 9
“TMNT Adventures” #40 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 9
‘Monsters are the Rage’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #3
“April O'Neil” #1 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“TMNT Adventures” #41 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 10
“April O'Neil” #2 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“Mighty Mutanimals (Ongoing) #7 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 10
“TMNT Adventures” #42 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 10
“April O'Neil” #3 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“TMNT Adventures” #43 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 10
“Mighty Mutanimals (Ongoing) #8 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 13
‘Louie's Pasture’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #4
‘Pig Heaven’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #4
“April O'Neil: The May East Saga” #1 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“TMNT Adventures” #44 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 10
“April O'Neil: The May East Saga” #2 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“TMNT Adventures” #45 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 11
“April O'Neil: The May East Saga” #3 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“Mighty Mutanimals (Ongoing) #9 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 13
I honestly have no idea why IDW chose to collect the final two issues in volume 13. It makes no sense. But that's where they put them.
‘The Darkest Hour’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #5
“TMNT Adventures” #46 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 11
“Donatello and Leatherhead” #1 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“TMNT Adventures” #47 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 11
“Donatello and Leatherhead” #2 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“Conservation Corps” #1 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
This is probably the most tangential of all the minis on this list. I dunno if it “counts” but at only three issues, I would be remiss if I didn’t include their series here. You can probably skip all three issues seeing as how I think not a single “TMNT Adventures” character appears outside of the flashback to the “crossover” issue from earlier. BUT Eastman and Laird apparently inked issue 1. So. You know.
‘The Darkest Hour II’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #6
“TMNT Adventures” #48 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 11
“Donatello and Leatherhead” #3 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“Conservation Corps” #2 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“TMNT Adventures” #49 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 11
“Merdude and Michelangelo” #1 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“TMNT Adventures” #50 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 11
“Conservation Corps” #3 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
“Merdude and Mondo Gecko” #1 - “The Best of TMNT Collection,” Vol. 5
Truly buck-wild that this is the first place this issue - and only this issue - is collected. It also makes my job so much harder that I have to check these best of collections. Shakes fist.
“Merdude vs. Ray Fillet” #1 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
I moved up the final “Merdude” one-shot a little since putting it after “Adventures” #51, which came out the same month, would otherwise split volumes. I also figured it’s better to finish the two at once than have the “Special” interrupt.
‘The Return of Monsterex’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #7
‘It Takes Guts…’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #7
“TMNT Adventures” #51-54 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 12
‘Cleaver's Critters’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #8
‘Ninjara Vs. Mondo Dog Catcher’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #8
“TMNT Adventures” #55-57 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 13
‘Gary’s Gag Pages’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Archie Digest Trade Only - “TMNT Classics Digest” #5
Much like “TMNT Meets Archie,” ‘Gary’s Gag Pages’ is actually four different one-page stories. Unlike that issue, this was a backup set for one of the digests released by Archie collecting three “TMNT Adventures” comics, in this case #17-19. Two of the stories were apparently used back in issue #45 (‘Meanwhile in Dimension X’) and #48 (‘What the Shredder Did for a Living Before He was an Arch-Villain’) while the other two (‘Ninja Nuttiness!’ and ‘Kooky Krang’) are unique to the digest. All four, however, are uncollected in the IDW "Adventures" trades.
‘Full Circle’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #9
‘Be a Star’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #9
“TMNT Adventures” #58-61 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 14
‘Fox Trap!’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #10
‘A Perfect Ending’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #10
“TMNT Adventures” #62-66 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 15
‘The Fifth Turtle’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #11
‘E = MC Zip Lock’ [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - “TMNT Adventures Special” #11
“TMNT Adventures” #67 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 16
'North to Alaska' Part 1 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - "TMNT Adventures" #67
“TMNT Adventures” #68 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 16
'North to Alaska' Part 2 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - "TMNT Adventures" #68
“TMNT Adventures” #69 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 16
'North to Alaska' Part 3 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - "TMNT Adventures" #69
“TMNT Adventures” #70 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 16
'North to Alaska' Part 4 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - "TMNT Adventures" #70
As it turns out, 'North to Alaska' is the only backup that's not collected in these trades. My guess is that because it's not plot relevant like most of the others, they chose to leave it out. It also features Inky, a dog who debuted in issue #32 and only appears in that batch of issues that were left uncollected. So...
“TMNT Adventures” #71-72 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 16
‘Red Sails at Sunset’ - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures,” Vol. 16
This was the other short story from “TMNT Meets Archie” that became a backup. As it is collected with said issue, “Adventures” #72, I left it next to the issue. We’ll see if it moves with a second compendium.
‘The Man Behind the Mask’ - “40th Anniversary Comics Celebration: The Deluxe Edition”
While this short was published way after “The Year of the Turtle,” it’s set after the events of issue #70 (#71 and 72 are flashback issues.) Since it stands on its own, it makes for a pretty good bridge between the end of the original run and the mini-series below.
“The Year of the Turtle” #1-3 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
DAN SLOTT wrote this capstone mini series. 10 years of “Spider-Man” Dan Slott. “Silver Surfer” with Allred, Dan Slott. I cannot believe it hasn’t been collected and also that this is an early Dan Slott comic.
IDW Comics
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures” (Mini-Series) #1-4, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures: Halloween Special” #1, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures: Endless Summer” #1, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures: April Special” #1, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: Saturday Morning Adventures” #1, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 40th Anniversary Comics Celebration,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures” (Ongoing) #1-Present
Age rating
E for everyone. Not much more to say because it’s a homage to the previous comics but modern.
Start here if…
You’re looking for a modern take on the classic turtles, want to introduce a younger generation to the 80s version without some of the baggage, or are looking for a well-done nostalgia trip.
Oho. You didn’t think we were done with the 80s yet, did you? Now is prime nostalgia time so of course IDW is going to capitalize on that and on the new film that was, at the time, only recently announced. Basically, “Saturday Morning Adventures” is a new take on the Archie series & the original 1980s show from 2022. It was a mini that was successful enough to spawn a brand new series. The reading order below reflects that lack of complicatedness.
Update May 2025: Or at least the now slightly more complicated current position of an ongoing with some specials.
Ice Cream & Anchovy Completionist
“TMNT: Saturday Morning Adventures” (Mini-Series) #1-4 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures,” Vol. 1
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures” (Ongoing) #1-3 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures,” Vol. 2
‘What About Tomorrow?’ - “40th Anniversary Comic Celebration:” The Deluxe Edition
The first 40th Anniversary story that I can awkwardly place by publication date in the middle of some issues instead of at the end! Who knows if this’ll end up collected. From what I can tell, this can be read whenever.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures” (Ongoing) #4-5 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures,” Vol. 2
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures: Endless Summer” [UNCOLLECTED] - Single Issue Only
Shockingly, this special wasn’t collected with the first five issues or any of the ones after. Not sure if that was an oversight or what. It seems like it was part of a linewide initiative, kinda like “IDW 20/20,” where a bunch of titles released one-shots on a theme. Perhaps that means it’ll be collected one day in a separate trade?
I had to fudge its location a little to keep the list simple. “Endless Summer” actually came out on the same day as issue #4 of the ongoing so it can be read directly before or after.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures: Halloween Special” - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures,” Vol. 3
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures” (Ongoing) #6-8 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures,” Vol. 3
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures” (Ongoing) #9-11 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures,” Vol. 4
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures: April Special” - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures,” Vol. 4
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures” (Ongoing) #12-16 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures,” Vol. 5
(Everything below here is solicited but not out as of writing. It’s probably correct but may change once the volumes come out.)
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: Saturday Morning Adventures” [UNCOLLECTED] - Single Issue Only
Another special I opted to place after the trade rather than by its publication date. This one would have split up the three-parter ‘Ogg-lympics’ by coming between #13 and #14.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures” (Ongoing) #17-20 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures,” Vol. 6
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures” (Ongoing) #21-24 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issues only
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003)
Dreamwave
“TMNT: Animated 2003” #1-7, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 40th Anniversary Comics Celebration”
Age rating
YT for younger teen. You could probably get away with young readers (7-10) but this is geared more towards middle school and up, complete with 2000s kid-friendly edge. It hews closer to the tone of the original comics.
Start here if…
You’re looking for some history and a little more Turtles action. Mostly read this as a curiosity since it never went anywhere or if you’re really nostalgic for this series.
I referenced this in the prologue and told you all not to worry about this era. The reason for that was it’s a strange footnote in the development of the Turtles comics, written by Peter David no less. An adaptation of the then-most-recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated show, it only lasted seven issues before being canceled and was put out by a little known publisher called Dreamwave.
Dreamwave is best known for having the “Transformers” comics in the early 2000s before going bankrupt in 2005 and then having a ton of legal issues stemming from bad contacts. The more things change…
One other fun note: it is technically the fifth “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” volume owing to the series originally being published with no modifiers in the title. However, it never calls itself “volume 5,” and, more damningly, is clearly a TV-tie-in series as stated above. The “TMNT: A Collection” blog has a fun article breaking this down, though I think it’s silly to even consider this a “volume” in the same sense.
Only one list this time: the full series broken out by trade. Oh, yes. They got two trades courtesy of Titan Books in 2007, the latter of which actually collects the unfinished issues 8-10 at their varying levels of completion. Sadly I could not independently verify this fact.
Good news is that the series is not, in fact, lost to time. IDW re-released them a few years back as “TMNT: Animated 2003” and they’re available for purchase digitally on their site. Why they didn’t put out a single collection confuses me though. Perhaps Titan still has those reprint rights?
Reboot Completionist
“TMNT: Animated 2003” #1-4 - Titan Books Trade Only - “TMNT: Attack of the Mousers”
“TMNT: Animated 2003” #5-7 - Titan Books Trade Only - “TMNT: Out of the Shadows”
‘Splinter Forever’ - “40th Anniversary Comics Celebration: The Deluxe Edition”
One of the easiest stories of the 40th Anniversary collection to slot in.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012)
IDW Comics
“Tales from the Turtles Lair” #1-6, “TMNT: New Animated Adventures” #0-24. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures” #1-14, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures - Carmelo Anthony Special” #1, “Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures” #1-6, ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures - Robotanimals!” #1-3, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 40th Anniversary Comics Celebration”
Age rating
E for everyone. The show is aimed at the same audience as the other two shows but hits more like the 1987 series without the darker themes the Archie comic gets into by the end.
Start here if…
You loved the 2012 show or want a semi-modern, lengthy-ish run to give to your kids.
Another decade, another “TMNT” adaptation, another comic book tie-in. This is the first series to be done after the Viacom buy-out and thus the first of IDW’s adaptations of a then-contemporary TV show. Interestingly, it’s actually two separate series with two minis to finish up the run - one being a crossover with DC Comics as a family friendly alternative to the “Batman/TMNT” comic Tynion & Williams were doing for the main-line comics and the other a regular capstone mini adventure.
As for why there were two series, the second was a reboot intended to try and boost sales by loosening the hold the TV’s canon had on the series. At least that’s the reason given why the first series ended: low sales attributed to being stuck in the canon of the TV show and unable to branch off on its own like other series before it.
For the reading order, I’ve decided it’s complicated enough to have two again: Trades Only and New Amazing Completionist.
Trades Only
For this order, I chose to use the biggest collection of issues whenever I could i.e. Omnibus vs Trade. I won’t be listing alternates so if you have the original trades, look to the New Amazing Completionist list or just read them in numerical order. Nothing really breaks them up for “New Amazing Adventures.”
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures Omnibus,” Vol. 1: “New Animated Adventures” #1-12
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures Omnibus,” Vol. 2: “New Animated Adventures” #13-24
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures,” Vol. 1: “Amazing Adventures” #1-4
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures,” Vol. 2: “Amazing Adventures” #5-8
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures,” Vol. 3: “Amazing Adventures” #9-12
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures,” Vol. 4: “Amazing Adventures” #13-14, “Carmelo Anthony Special” #1
“Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures:” “Batman/TMNT Adventures” #1-6
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures - Robotanimals!:” “Amazing Adventures - Robotanimals!” #1-3
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 40th Anniversary Comics Celebration:” The Deluxe Edition: 'Kraang Among Us' & ‘Gang Wars,' 'Old Scores,' 'Alone,' 'Monsters,' 'Downtime,' 'The Man Behind the Mask,' ' What About Tomorrow?,' 'Splinter Forever,' 'Farewell,' ‘Splinter's Day Off,' 'Father's Day,' 'Teen Spirit'
As with the other sections that have stories from the 40th anniversary special, only the non-italicized stories are relevant to this list.
New Amazing Completionist
Because this is a more jump around-y list, I’ll be adding any alternate trades to the main list while any alternate trade names will be in the notes. You’ll see what I mean in a minute. I’ve also abbreviated where possible.
“Tales from the Turtles Lair” #1-6 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only - Preserved via the Technodrome Forums
These six issues were motion comics released on Nickelodeon’s website as a prologue to the TV show. As far as I know, they’ve never been released on their own and sadly are no longer hosted on Nick’s website. The good people at the Technodrome Forums seem to have preserved it, though for how long is anybody’s guess.
“New Animated Adventures” #0 [POTENTIALLY UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
I feel like a real fool. When I first did this list, I said this:
“This was the 2013 Free Comic Book Day prologue to the comics and it’s not available on IDW’s website or on any of the digital comics retailers I checked. I could not, for the life of me, find out what was in this issue. I keep finding references to it being a preview, which I take to mean it’s a repeat of pages from issue #1. But since I can’t see if the pages match, I’m at a loss.”
Turns out, I’ve owned a copy of this issue since 2015 but because ComiXology had imploded by mid-2023, I had no easy way of figuring that out. Flash forward two years, I’m doing my due-diligence and I find a 5-page preview on the FCBD website that I think is the whole story. It’s saved under a different name, and not listed on the main 2013 FCBD page, so I think, why don’t I check again for the issue again on Amazon with a different title. Lo and behold, there it is, sitting in my library with the title “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: FBCD Special (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Animated Adventures.)”
Now that I’ve gotten a good look, I can confirm it’s not collected in Volume 1 nor does it appear to have been re-released as one of the main issues - which was my other theory - and the creator credits on the rest of the volumes don’t match either. However, I’ve yet to check the omnibus to confirm if it’s in there but not properly credited, in part because the omnibus is very out of print. Dang.
“New Animated Adventures” #1-4 - “New Animated Adventures Omnibus,” Vol. 1 OR “New Animated Adventures” Vol. 1
“New Animated Adventures” #5-8 - “New Animated Adventures Omnibus,” Vol. 1 OR “New Animated Adventures” Vol. 2
“New Animated Adventures” #9-12 - “New Animated Adventures Omnibus,” Vol. 1 OR “New Animated Adventures” Vol. 3
“New Animated Adventures” #13-16 - “New Animated Adventures Omnibus,” Vol. 2 OR “New Animated Adventures” Vol. 4
“New Animated Adventures” #17-20 - “New Animated Adventures Omnibus,” Vol. 2 OR “New Animated Adventures” Vol. 5
“New Animated Adventures” #21-24 - “New Animated Adventures Omnibus,” Vol. 2 OR “New Animated Adventures” Vol. 6
“Amazing Adventures” #1-4 - “Amazing Adventures Omnibus” OR “Amazing Adventures,” Vol. 1
The trade was also released as “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures: The Meeting of the Mutanimals.” It’s identical save for the name.
“Amazing Adventures” #5-8 - Amazing Adventures Omnibus” OR “Amazing Adventures,” Vol. 2
The trade was also released as “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures: Tea-time for a Turtle.” Just like above, it’s identical save for the name. It seems like these were earlier editions of the trades. Why they changed the names? I have no idea. It does make it easier to find when listed by volume # though.
“Amazing Adventures” #9-10 - Amazing Adventures Omnibus” OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures,” Vol. 3
“Amazing Adventures: Carmelo Anthony Special” #1 - “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures,” Vol. 4
I have no idea why this wasn’t collected with the rest in the omnibus, or why it was in volume 4 instead of 3. I guess they needed to pad the page count?
“Amazing Adventures” #11-12 - Amazing Adventures Omnibus” OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures,” Vol. 3
“Amazing Adventures” #13-14 - Amazing Adventures Omnibus” OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures,” Vol. 4
“Batman/TMNT Adventures” #1-6 - “Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures”
“Amazing Adventures - Robotanimals!” #1-3 - Amazing Adventures Omnibus” OR “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures - Robotanimals!”
‘Kraang Among Us’ - “40th Anniversary Comics Celebration: The Deluxe Edition”
This appears to take place after the end of the series so I figured I’d place it there on the list. That’s about all I got.
IDW Comics
“Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Animated” Vol. 1-7
Age rating
E for everyone.
Start here if…
You really want to read the TV show instead of watch it.
I’m going to be honest with you all. I don’t think these comics needed to exist. They’re literally just stills from the episodes arranged as a comic with the dialog added in. They were released as single volumes and there are seven of them. I have little more to add and there’s just the one list: Screenshot Completionist.
Screenshot Completionist
“Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Animated” Vol. 1: Rise of the Turtles
“Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Animated” Vol. 2: Never Say Xever/The Gauntlet
“Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Animated” Vol. 3: The Showdown
“Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Animated” Vol. 4: Mutagen Mayhem
“Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Animated” Vol. 5: Choosing Sides
“Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Animated” Vol. 6: Vengeance is Mine
“Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Animated” Vol. 7: The Invasion
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2017)
IDW Comics
“Rise of the TMNT” #0-5, “Rise of the TMNT: Sound Off!” #1-3, “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Halloween ComicFest 2018”, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 40th Anniversary Comics Celebration”
Age rating
E for everyone. Same as above.
Start here if…
You love the 2017 show or want the most recent (as of writing) comics run tie-in that’s not 100% a nostalgia trip. No shade to “Saturday Morning Adventures” though.
Here we have the final cartoon and the final adaptation, at least as far as TV is concerned. Where we go from here with the success of Mutant Mayhem is an open question.
A question that JUST got answered in 2025 with a new “Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” series that’s in the Mutant Mayhem continuity.
Now, “Rise” is not a sequel series to “Animated Adventures” but it was released right on the heels of that series’ completion. It’s pretty simple, all things considered, so there’s only going to be one list: Rising Completionist.
Rising Completionist
“Rise of the TMNT” #0 - ”Rise of the TMNT: The Complete Adventures” OR “TMNT: Rise of the TMNT,” Vol. 1
“Rise of the TMNT: Halloween ComicFest 2018” - ”Rise of the TMNT: The Complete Adventures”
I said this would be simple but then I found out about this issue and I nearly lost my mind trying to verify its contents and where/if it was collected. I finally managed to peek into the “Complete Adventures” and lo-and-behold, there are the credits for this comic - ‘Getting Meat Sweats,’ not to be confused with issue #4’s subtitle ‘A Bad Case of the Meat Sweats’ - and a copyright entry for “Rise of the TMNT Promo,” which is this issue.
Additionally, the story that supposedly is included in this volume - ‘The Hidden City’ - does not exist. There is no story titled ‘The Hidden City’ in the volume nor is there any evidence of one being published elsewhere. It seems to be a typo on official solicitation, which is what was used for Amazon and the like. The back of the collection simply has it listed as a “never-before collected short story from Rise co-creator Andy Suriano with Dale Malinowski, Ida Hem, and Brandon Cuellar.”
As for placement, since it came out in October of 2018, I’ve put it between #0 & #1. The “Complete Adventures” has it at the start. It doesn’t really matter where you read it.
“Rise of the TMNT” #1-2 - ”Rise of the TMNT: The Complete Adventures” OR “TMNT: Rise of the TMNT,” Vol. 1
“Rise of the TMNT” #3-5- ”Rise of the TMNT: The Complete Adventures” OR “TMNT: Rise of the TMNT,” Vol. 2
“Rise of the TMNT: Sound Off!” #1-3 - ”Rise of the TMNT: The Complete Adventures” OR “Rise of the TMNT: Sound Off,” Vol. 1
‘Farewell’ - “40th Anniversary Comics Celebration: The Deluxe Edition”
Once again, the shorts from the 40th anniversary special seem to slot in right at the end.
The Movies (1990; 1991; 1993; 2007)
Mirage Comics
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Secrets of the Ooze,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Turtles in Time,” “TMNT Movie Prequel” [Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, April, Leonardo,] “TMNT - Official Movie Adaptation”
Age rating
PG. I mean, that’s what all the films are rated after all. Just note that PG in 1990 still ran the gamut of tones.
Start here if…
You’re really curious what the live action & early CGI movies would be like if they were illustrated instead. Also if you want to read the prologue to the aforementioned CGI film.
We’ve tackled the small screen. Now it’s time to look up and see what the silver screen has to offer. I decided to lump each of the movie adaptations together instead of splitting them up like the TV series because what good is it separating them out? They’re all one-shots, save for the 2007 film which has an accompanying prequel mini/set of 5 one-shots. Besides, you’re either gonna read none or read them all.
And I know what you’re thinking: what was the point of a comic book adaptation of a film? A TV show makes sense. Both are serialized and they can complement each other. But a film? Well, the basic answer is, before you could watch anything on demand, before Blu-rays and DVDs and even VHS’s, this was the only way to experience a story if you happened to miss it in theaters. Now by the 90s, VHS existed and films regularly played on TV albeit chopped to bits. Still, the impulse didn't go away and it was often cheaper to get the comic than to buy the VHS (and player) and was more convenient and lasted longer than renting it or catching it on TV.
Plus, as a comic first property, isn’t it cool to see the same adventures taken out of the budget restricted zone of live action and back into four color wizardry? Probably depends on the quality of that wizardry and the story it was trying to recreate.
So here we are, with four adaptations of four movies, all done by Mirage. This makes sense since by the time IDW got the license, comic adaptations of films had pretty much died out since, well, it’s easy to see the movie itself at one’s leisure and there’s not much of a market for them anymore. For the list, there’s only one this time around - Silver Screen Completionist - since there’s really no difference between reading them in singles or in the (mostly) non-existent trades. As always, I’ll have my notes as needed beneath the issues.
Silver Screen Completionist
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie” [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
Technically, this issue was collected in 2014 as “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Original 1990 Motion Picture Special Edition.” It had the main issue, new digital coloring, as well as a host of backmatter. But it’s long, long out of print and was really just a deluxe, bound version of the original comic.
It should be noted too that there are actually two different versions of this comic: one from Mirage and one from Archie. OK, two from Archie but the content is basically identical save for a different style of coloring - painted vs flat - and colorist. The Mirage trade was in B&W and had additional bonus backmatter while the Archie version was bare-bones and, as I just said, in color.
Moreover, if the description for the IDW version is to be believed, the Archie version was missing some “cut scenes” that were part of the Mirage edition. It seems that the bonus material in the Mirage edition was, or at least contained, some deleted scenes, either from the film or from the comic for page count reasons. So if you’re looking for a definitive edition of the comic, sadly there really isn’t one.
May 2025 Update: Later this year will be the 35th Anniversary special edition of the comic. Not sure yet how different it will be. I’ll update the list when I find out.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Secrets of the Ooze” [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
Once again there were two editions of this: Prestige (painted colors and bonus pages) and Regular (flat colors and no bonuses.) This time, however, the prestige version came out from Tundra publishing instead of Mirage while the other was once again Archie Comics. Since they sit somewhere between the TV series and the Eastman/Laird run issues of the comics tonally, this makes sense.
What’s Tundra, you ask? It was a short-lived company headed by Kevin Eastman that sounds like it would’ve been a very interesting creator-owned publisher ala Image had it survived past 1993. My guess is that this came out through them in order to help shore-up the finances and to get the name of Tundra on the map. Alas, it was not meant to be.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Turtles in Time” [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
And for the final time, there were two editions created - prestige with painted colors and better paper & a regular edition - though both were put out by Archie this time. Probably because Tundra was struggling by this point in 1993.
Fun fact: this issue was handled by the “TMNT Adventures” team whereas the first adaptation was done by the main “TMNT” (Vol. 1) team and the second was a merging of the two: Dean Clarrian from “Adventures” and Jim Lawson from Mirage.
“TMNT Movie Prequel: Raphael” - Mirage trade only - “TMNT - The Collected Movie Books”
“TMNT Movie Prequel: Michelangelo” - Mirage trade only - “TMNT - The Collected Movie Books”
“TMNT Movie Prequel: Donatello” - Mirage trade only - “TMNT - The Collected Movie Books”
“TMNT Movie Prequel: April” - Mirage trade only - “TMNT - The Collected Movie Books”
“TMNT Movie Prequel: Leonardo” - Mirage trade only - “TMNT - The Collected Movie Books”
“TMNT - Official Movie Adaptation” - Mirage trade only - “TMNT - The Collected Movie Books”
Of all the adaptations, this one is the most interesting to me and not only because I have a soft spot for the TMNT film. It’s actually based on an earlier version of the film’s script, has an entire prequel mini series, and is entirely in black and white. It’s also the only one to have a proper collection which IDW has sadly yet to re-release.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate (2023)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate (2023)
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate” #1
Age rating
E10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Language. To quote the ESBR: “The word “hell” is heard in the game.”
Start here if…
You played Splintered Fate and wanted to read the one-shot tie-in.
That’s right, folks. There’s one last entry on the tie-in list and it’s for the beat-em-up roguelike Splintered Fate. There was a prequel tie-in issue, originally published digitally and then expanded for print (10 pages to 20 pages.) Not much more to say about this one. As such, there’s only one list and only one item on said list.
Battle Cartoony Enemies Completionist
“Splintered Fate” #1 [UNCOLLECTED] - Single issue only
Next time, we finally arrive at the modern day and the second main-line series to be done outside the auspices of Mirage.
Elias Rosner
Comments ()