The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated movie by Seth Rogen promises to capitalize on the franchise’s enduring appeal across generations. Like with MCU or DCEU, great TMNT comic books from the past and present, including many that fans on Reddit love, could provide inspiration for the upcoming movie.
TMNT started as an independently published comic book back in the 1980s from creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird before exploding into the mainstream with animated shows and live-action movies. Numerous publishers continued the comics over the years, producing stories Redditors return to again and again.
10 City Fall
Reddit user GambitPunk says ‘IDW’s run City Fall is one of my favorite arcs.’ This 2013 story arc in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #21–24 sees the Foot Clan replaced the New York City Police Department. This shocking development gets compounded with the clan going to war against rival clans.
These TMNT comic books from IDW took some inspiration from the classic City At War storyline from the original Mirage run, as episodes in various animated series have, especially the 2003 one.
9 Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Redditor wildfire405 feels the Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic books are ‘worth reading if you can find them!’ This anthology series started in 1987 and shined a spotlight on the supporting heroes and villains in the quickly expanding TMNT universe, building out their backstories and origins.
The first volume ran for seven issues but the second volume, also from Mirage Studios, went on for 70 issues, featuring numerous characters depicted by various writers and artists including Eastman and Laird.
8 The River
Redditor Ricky_Prikles ‘enjoys #24-26 of Mirage which is The River storyline by Rick Veitch.’ Veitch contributed to the best Swamp Thing comic books ever and helps distinguish the first TMNT volume with his distinctive art style. The story features the Turtles hunting down Bloodsucker, who drained Raphael of his powers.
This moody story plays out over three issues and likely proves a challenge for fans to track down. This storyline remains uncollected and out of print thanks to rights issues between Veitch and Eastman and Laird.
7 Change Is Constant
Reddit fan poolhouse suggests the 2011 IDW volume for the best TMNT comics as it’s ‘a reboot set in NYC with some interesting twists on the original world.’ Change Is Constant, the first storyline, updates the origin and dynamics from the original Mirage Studios run and also returns to the Mirage aesthetic which defined the comics.
IDW’s first volume ran for 100 issues, giving fans plenty to explore as well as potential inspiration for the creative team behind the upcoming animated TMNT movie.
6 IDW Micro Series
Redditor squashmaster thinks the IDW ‘micro-series and various miniseries (Secret History of the Foot, Utrom Empire, Turtles in Time) related to it have been extremely good.’ These offshoots explore the TMNT universe in greater depth, going into the Foot Clan’s mysterious origins in ways the comics or other media hadn’t before.
Utrom Empire presents a focus on Krang and his alien race that deepens fans’ understanding of the iconic villain and also continues to broaden the universe’s interdimensional scope.
5 Return To New York
Redditor jedispyder thinks Return to New York ‘was a fantastic run’ from the original Mirage Studios volume. This significant storyline begins in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #19 in 1989 and cements the comic’s more grittier vibe from the cartoons and movies that followed by killing off Shredder in issue #21.
The best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies never shied away from killing villains off, but they maintained a kid-friendly sensibility that the comics only adopted after the brand became a phenomenon.
4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures embraced the more kid-focused vibe the best original TMNT animated series episodes did. Redditor kabent01 says the Archie Comics published series ‘bridged the gap between the wackiness of the cartoon, with the drama of the Mirage series.’
The series ran from 1988 to 1995 and took place in a separate continuity from the Mirage run as well as the animated show and movies, which all ran during this time. Eastman and Laird also contributed to this series, along with other creators.
3 The Last Ronin
Reddit user Daevin_Died_Again feels ‘the recent The Last Ronin series was excellent.’ The Last Ronin takes a note from other classic comic book stories like Days of Future Past by imagining a dark, dystopian future where the Foot Clan takes over New York City and transforms it into a nightmarish stronghold.
Only Michelangelo remains standing and wages a one-man war against the Foot Clan that could easily make for a superb animated or even live-action movie in the future.
2 The First Issue
Reddit fan Jonah Hex believes ‘you definitely need to read at least the first issue of the original series.’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 introduces the now iconic characters and setting, which some fans may not realize actually began as a parody. Eastman and Laird developed the comic as a riff on the best Daredevil comic books ever.
The comic debuted in 1984 and remains among the most influential comic books ever. The series set off many imitators (like 1986’s Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters) and a black-and-white independent boom in the comics market.
1 City At War
Redditor kingmob555 thinks City At War ranks among the best TMNT comics, saying ‘City at War is my favorite TMNT comic.’ This gigantic 13-issue arc played out in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #50-63 and remains notable for bringing the original Mirage Studios volume to a close with an epic battle unlike any before.
The turtles grow up in this arc, dealing with the consequences of Shredder dying in Return to New York. These TMNT comics also mark the first arc Eastman and Laird worked on together since issue #11 and sadly, the last they would work on together.
