The IDW TMNT continuity timeline

Ever since completing my Mirage TMNT reading order and Archie TMNT Adventures reading order, some folks asked that I do the same for the IDW TMNT series, which has been growing increasingly more complicated.  So what they hey.

For reference's sake, IDW has been releasing their own line of chronological hard cover collections called "TMNT: The IDW Collection".  I'll try to align with that reading order if the collections ever end up contradicting my order, but so far that hasn't been a problem.

CHANGE IS CONSTANT and A LOT TO LEARN

TMNT #1 (review)

TMNT #2 (review)

TMNT #3 (review)

TMNT #4 (review)
TMNT 30th Anniversary Special - "A Lot to Learn" (review)

ENEMIES OLD, ENEMIES NEW, HEROES MICRO (partial) and INFESTATION 2

TMNT #5 (review)

Micro-Series #1: Raphael (review)

Micro-Series #2: Michelangelo (review)

TMNT #6 (review)

Micro-Series #3: Donatello (review)

Infestation 2: TMNT #1 (review)

Infestation 2: TMNT #2 (review)

TMNT #7 (review)

TMNT #8 (review)

SHADOWS OF THE PAST and HEROES MICRO (partial)

Micro-Series #4: Leonardo (review)

TMNT #9 (review)

TMNT #10 (review)

Micro-Series #5: Splinter (review)

TMNT #11 (review)

TMNT #12 (review)

SINS OF THE FATHERS, HEROES MICRO (partial), ANNUAL 2012 and BLOOD BROTHERS

Micro-Series #6: Casey Jones (review)

TMNT #13 (review)

TMNT #14 (review)

TMNT Annual 2012 (review)
Micro-Series #7: April (review)

TMNT #15 (review)

TMNT #16 (review)

KRANG WAR, HEROES MICRO (partial) and VILLAINS MICRO (partial)

Micro-Series #8: Fugitoid (review)

TMNT #17 (review)

TMNT #18 (review)

TMNT #19 (review)

TMNT #20 (review)
Villains Micro-Series #1: Krang (review)
Villains Micro-Series #2: Baxter (review)

THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE FOOT CLAN

The Secret History of the Foot Clan #1 (review)

The Secret History of the Foot Clan #2 (review)

The Secret History of the Foot Clan #3 (review)

The Secret History of the Foot Clan #4 (review)

CITY FALL and VILLAINS MICRO (partial)

TMNT #21 (review)

TMNT #22 (review)
Villains Micro-Series #3: Old Hob (review)

TMNT #23 (review)

TMNT #24 (review)
Villains Micro-Series #4: Alopex (review)
Villains Micro-Series #5: Karai (review)
TMNT #25 (review)
Villains Micro-Series #6: Hun (review)
TMNT #26 (review)
Villains Micro-Series #7: Bebop and Rocksteady (review)
TMNT #27 (review)
TMNT #28 (review)
Villains Micro-Series #8: Shredder (review)


NORTHAMPTON and UTROM EMPIRE

Note: For best reading order, read "Utrom Empire" all together after "Northampton".

TMNT #29 (review)
Utrom Empire #1 (review)
TMNT #30 (review)
Utrom Empire #2 (review)
TMNT #31 (review)
TMNT #32 (review)
Utrom Empire #3 (review)

ANNUAL 2014 and MONSTERS, MISFITS AND MADMEN

TMNT Annual 2014 (review)
TMNT #33 (review)
TMNT #34 (review)
TMNT #35 (review)
TMNT #36 (review)


NEW MUTANT ORDER and TURTLES IN TIME

Note: #37 and Turtles in Time take place concurrently so it doesn't matter which you read first.

TMNT #37 (review)
Turtles in Time #1 (review)
Turtles in Time #2 (review)
Turtles in Time #3 (review)
Turtles in Time #4 (review)
TMNT #38 (review)
TMNT #39 (review)
TMNT #40 (review)


TMNT/GHOSTBUSTERS

TMNT/Ghostbusters #1 (review)
TMNT/Ghostbusters #2 (review)
TMNT/Ghostbusters #3 (review)
TMNT/Ghostbusters #4 (review)


ATTACK ON TECHNODROME and MUTANIMALS

Note: For best reading order, read "Mutanimals" all together after "Attack on Technodrome".

TMNT #41 (review)
TMNT #42 (review)
TMNT #43 (review)
Mutanimals #1 (review)
TMNT #44 (review)
Mutanimals #2 (review)
Mutanimals #3 (review)
Mutanimals #4 (review)


VENGEANCE and CASEY & APRIL

Note: For best reading order, read "Casey & April" all together after "Vengeance".

TMNT #45 (review)
TMNT #46 (review)
Free Comic Book Day 2015 (review)
TMNT #47 (review)
Casey & April #1 (review)
TMNT #48 (review)
TMNT #49 (review)
TMNT #50 (review)
Casey & April #2 (review)
Casey & April #3 (review)
Casey & April #4 (review)


ORDER FROM CHAOS

TMNT #51 (review)
TMNT #52 (review)
TMNT #53 (review)
TMNT #54 (review)
TMNT #55 (review)


LEATHERHEAD and FOX HUNT

TMNT #56 (review)
TMNT #57 (review)
TMNT #58 (review)
TMNT #59 (review)
TMNT #60 (review)


CHASING PHANTOMS

TMNT #61 (review)
TMNT #62 (review)
TMNT #63 (review)
TMNT #64 (review)


BEBOP & ROCKSTEADY DESTROY EVERYTHING!

Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything! #1 (review)
Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything! #2 (review)
Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything! #3 (review)
Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything! #4 (review)
Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything! #5 (review)


THE WAR TO COME and INSIDE OUT (back-up)

Note: For best reading order, read all of "The War to Come" (the main story) before "Inside Out" (the back-up).

TMNT Universe #1 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #2 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #3 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #4 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #1 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #2 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #3 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #4 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #5 back-up (review)


CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, URBAN LEGENDS, THE ROT IN THE SHELL, DESPERATE MEASURES-PROLOGUE, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA PEPPERONI (back-up), and WHAT IS NINJA? (back-up)

TMNT #65 (review)
TMNT Universe #5 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #6 main story (review)
TMNT #66 (review)
TMNT Universe #10 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #6 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #7 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #8 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #9 back-up (review)


METALHEAD 2.0 and DESPERATE MEASURES

TMNT Universe #7 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #8 main story (review)
TMNT #67 (review)
TMNT #68 (review)
TMNT #69 (review)
TMNT #70 (review)


TOAD BARON'S BALL,  PANTHEON FAMILY REUNION and NAMAZU

TMNT Universe #9 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #10 main story (review)
TMNT #71 (review)
TMNT #72 (review)
TMNT/Usagi Yojimbo #1 (review)


THE JERSEY DEVIL, KARAI'S PATH, PREY (back-up), SERVICE ANIMALS and THROUGH RED EYES (back-up)

TMNT Universe #11 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #12 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #13 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #14 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #15 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #12 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #13 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #14 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #15 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #19 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #20 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #20 back-up (review)


TRIAL OF KRANG and DIMENSION X

Free Comic Book Day 2017 (review)
TMNT #73 (review)
TMNT: Dimension X #1 (review)
TMNT: Dimension X #2 (review)
TMNT: Dimension X #3 (review)
TMNT: Dimension X #4 (review)
TMNT: Dimension X #5 (review)
TMNT #74 (review)
TMNT #75 (review)


TMNT/GHOSTBUSTERS 2

TMNT/Ghostbusters 2 #1 (review)
TMNT/Ghostbusters 2 #2 (review)
TMNT/Ghostbusters 2 #3 (review)
TMNT/Ghostbusters 2 #4 (review)
TMNT/Ghostbusters 2 #5 (review)


FROM THE HEART, FOR THE HERD, TRICERATOTS! (back-up), INVASION OF THE TRICERATONS,  MONSTER HUNT, MUTAGEN MAINTENANCE (back-up), HOW WOODY SPENT HIS TRICERATON INVASION (back-up), and LOST CAUSES

Note: "From the Heart, for the Herd" and "Triceratots!" take place in the distant past, but their narratives are a necessary companion for the "Invasion of the Triceratons" storyline.

TMNT Universe #16 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #17 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #16 back-up (review)
TMNT Universe #17 back-up (review)
TMNT #76 (review)
TMNT #77 (review)
TMNT Universe #18 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #18 back-up (review)
TMNT #78 (review)
TMNT Universe #21 back-up (review)
TMNT #79 (review)
TMNT #80 (review)
TMNT Universe #21 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #22 main story (review)

DANGEROUS WATERS (back-up), NOBODY CARES (back-p), KINGDOM OF RATS, and DONATELLO MACRO-SERIES

TMNT Universe #22 back-up (review)

TMNT Universe #23 back-up (review)

TMNT Universe #19 back-up (review)
TMNT #81 (review)
TMNT #82 (review)
TMNT #83 (review)
TMNT #84 (review)

TMNT Macro-Series: Donatello (review)

...AND OUT CAME THE REPTILES, LIFE AT SEA (back-up), MICHELANGELO MACRO-SERIES, and SPIRIT WALK

TMNT Universe #23 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #24 main story (review)
TMNT Universe #24 back-up (review)

TMNT Macro-Series: Michelangelo (review)

TMNT #85 (review)
TMNT Universe #25 main story (review)


BEBOP & ROCKSTEADY HIT THE ROAD, BATTLE LINES, LEONARDO MACRO-SERIES, and RAPHEL MACRO-SERIES

Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #1 (review)

Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #2 (review)

Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #3 (review)

Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #4 (review)

Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #5 (review)

TMNT #86 (review)
TMNT #87 (review)
TMNT #88 (review)

TMNT Macro-Series: Leonardo (review)

TMNT Macro-Series: Raphael (review)

TMNT #89 (review)


CITY AT WAR, SHREDDER IN HELL, and TMNT 20/20

TMNT #90 (review)
TMNT #91 (review)
TMNT #92 (review)
TMNT #93 (review)

Free Comic Book Day 2019 (review)
TMNT #94 (review)
TMNT #95 (review)

Shredder in Hell #1 (review)

Shredder in Hell #2 (review)

Shredder in Hell #3 (review)

Shredder in Hell #4 (review)

Shredder in Hell #5 (review)
TMNT #96 (review)
TMNT #97 (review)
TMNT #98 (review)
TMNT #99 (review)
TMNT #100 (review)

TMNT 20/20 (review)

REBORN ERA

ANNUAL 2020, MUTANT TOWN, and JENNIKA

TMNT Annual 2020 (review)

TMNT #101 (review)

TMNT #102 (review)

TMNT #103 (review)

TMNT #104 (review)

TMNT #105 (review)

Jennika #1 (review)

Jennika #2 (review)

Jennika #3 (review)

Notations:

The placement of issues outside the ongoing series is fairly intuitive and many of the issues come with notes on the interior cover telling you where the story goes.  Still, a few of them can be a little confusing, so as always, click “review” and scroll down to “Turtle Tips” for a full reasoning of placement.  For this article, though, I’ll summarize a few of the oddities:

TMNT MICRO-SERIES: Most of these one-shots came with notes on the inside cover from editor Bobby Curnow explaining where they slot-in in regards to the ongoing series.  In the case of TMNT Micro-Series #7: April, the note on the inside cover places it between TMNT #12 and TMNT #13.  Curnow later explained that between TMNT #14 and TMNT #15 was a better placement.

INFESTATION 2: Infestation 2 was an event that affected multiple IDW titles without actually requiring any crossovers.  The event began in Infestation 2 #1, ran through the title-based Infestation 2 miniseries, then ended in Infestation 2 #2.  The Turtles do not appear in the main Infestation 2 miniseries beyond the covers and a brief appearance in a montage, so as such I felt no need to include those issues in this timeline.  The events of the Infestation 2: TMNT storyline are self-contained and thus far have not been referenced in any other issues.  The issues were also excluded from the TMNT: The IDW Collection Vol. 1 hard cover, making fans question their canonicity.

HERO COMICS 2012: “Ready Set Go!” was a short comic by Kevin Eastman published in IDW’s charity book Hero Comics 2012 #1.  It was reprinted in the TMNT 30th Anniversary Special where it was designated as being a part of the Mirage universe, rather than the IDW universe.

ANNUAL 2012: An official IDW reading guide places the 2012 Annual where I have (between #14 and #15).  However, the TMNT: IDW Collection Vol. 3 hardcover (a series that collects the ongoing and minis in a chronological reading order) places it between #20 and #21.  Presumably, the reason for this is because there wasn't enough room in Vol. 2 for the 2012 Annual, so it was shifted to Vol. 3 and placed where it works best (as a prelude to "City Fall").  Regardless, the Annual is a self-contained story and reads fine in either placement.

UTROM EMPIRE and NORTHAMPTON: The events of the Utrom Empire and Northampton arcs occur concurrently with one another.  The Turtles play a minor part in Utrom Empire, with their scenes taking place at different times throughout the Northampton storyline.  Their scenes in Utrom Empire #3 actually take place before and after TMNT #32.  Personally, I'd recommend reading all of Utrom Empire AFTER Northampton, just because the storylines would flow better that way.

X-FILES CONSPIRACY: For those wondering why that issue is not included in my timeline, the events of the X-Files: Conspiracy event were rendered non-canon by the last issue of the miniseries, essentially relegating the chapters to an alternate universe.  As a result, the X-Files/TMNT: Conspiracy comic is retroactively non-canon (which may be for the best, as the issue contained several irreconcilable errors in continuity).

TURTLES IN TIME: According to Curnow, the 2014 TMNT Annual takes place between issues #32 and #33, while the Turtles in Time miniseries takes place concurrently with #37.  It can be read either before or after that one-shot issue of the ongoing, as that story doesn't feature the Turtles in it at all.

MUTANIMALS: The events of the Mutanimals miniseries spin directly out of TMNT #43 and then proceed to go in their own direction separate from the storyline of Attack on Technodrome.  For reading purposes, as with Utrom Empire and Northampton, I'd recommend reading Mutanimals after finishing Attack on Technodrome.

VENGEANCE: According to Curnow, the Free Comic Book Day special, "Prelude to Vengeance" is intended to be read before TMNT #46 but occurs concurrently with that issue (so despite being titled "prelude" it actually takes place between chapters 1 and 2 of that arc).

CASEY & APRIL: This miniseries spins out of TMNT #47 with a prologue in the first issue that takes place on the same night.  The rest of issue #1 and all of #2-4 take place several days after TMNT #50.  As always, I'd recommend reading it altogether AFTER "Vengeance" instead of disrupting that arc's narrative flow.

BATMAN/TMNT: According to editor Bobby Curnow, the Batman/TMNT crossover miniseries published by DC Comics in 2015/2016 is not a part of the IDW continuity.  The Turtle side of it is "inspired" by the IDW characterization and setting, but is otherwise unrelated to their universe.

TMNT UNIVERSE: TMNT Universe is an ongoing anthology series featuring arcs of varying length that don't lead into one another, but tell different stories about the Turtles and the other characters from their book.  Basically, it replaces the scattered miniseries by collecting them under an ongoing umbrella banner.  The series also features back-up strips that run at a different pace from the main features.

REBORN ERA: Beginning with TMNT #101, the trade paperback collections reset their volume numbers, designating this run of issues as the "Reborn" era.

The Archie TMNT Adventures continuity timeline

Foreword:

After I completed my previous research article, “The Mirage TMNT Continuity Timeline”, I began receiving requests to construct a similar chronological reading order for Archie’s TMNT Adventures series. For the most part, the Archie series is a far more intuitive, cut and dry read than the Mirage series. As such, there’s no need for a complex Key and color-coding system this time around.

Really, the primary confusion of the TMNT Adventures series involves discerning where the abundant miniseries and Specials should go in relation to the ongoing series. This would often prove more difficult than I had anticipated, as the stories published in the Specials tended to contradict the ongoing series from time to time. Additionally, the ongoing series featured a very tight-knit narrative, allowing for a slim number of storytelling gaps where the miniseries and Specials could place. As such, you’ll tend to find a lot of these stories bunched up in certain places.

For rationalizations on why I placed each story where I did, click “Review” and then scroll down to the “Turtle Tips” section of each individual article. Many stories are rather ambiguous and could take place more or less anywhere in the timeline (providing gaps in story serialization), so I often placed those tales where they “felt right”.

I’ve also included some notations at the end of this article for convenience, detailing certain anomalies or points of interest.

Anyhow, with IDW currently rereleasing Archie’s TMNT Adventures catalog in trade paperback form, the material is now easier to find and afford than ever before. They likely won’t be publishing them in proper story chronology, so with any luck, this reading order will prove a useful resource to collectors trying to read the whole story in sequence.

Enjoy!



HEROES IN A HALF-SHELL (AND OTHER ADVENTURES)

TMNT Adventures (miniseries) #1 – “Heroes in a Half-Shell! Part I” (review)
TMNT Adventures (miniseries) #2 – “Heroes in a Half-Shell! Part II” (review)
TMNT Adventures (miniseries) #3 – “Heroes in a Half-Shell! Part III” (review)
TMNT Adventures #1 – “Return of the Shredder, Part I” (review)
TMNT Adventures #2 – “Return of the Shredder, Part II” (review)
TMNT Adventures #3 – “The Incredible Shrinking Turtles, Part I” (review)
TMNT Adventures #4 – “The Incredible Shrinking Turtles, Part II” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #10 – “Zen Million Years to Birth” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #3 – “The Night of Monsterex” (review)
TMNT Meet Archie #1 – “Origin of the Species” (review)

THE FINAL CONFLICT (AND OTHER ADVENTURES)

TMNT Adventures Vol. 1 – “Metamorphosis” prologue (review)
TMNT Adventures #5 – “Something Fishy Goes Down” (review)
TMNT Adventures #6 – “Of Turtles and Stones and Mary Bones” (review)
TMNT Adventures #7 – “Intergalactic Wrestling” (review)
Mirage Mini Comics Collection story #3 – “A Forgotten TMNT Adventure” (review)
TMNT Adventures #8 – “Wild Things” (review)
TMNT Adventures #9 – “Codename: Chameleon” (review)
TMNT Adventures Vol. 1 – “Metamorphosis” epilogue (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #5 – “Yo-Ho-Ho! And a Bottle of Mutagen!” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #6 – “Doomsday Hassle in Banshee Castle” (review)
TMNT Adventures #10 – “Going Down?” (review)
TMNT Adventures #11 – “White Light” (review)
TMNT Adventures #12 – “The Lost World” (review)
TMNT Adventures #13 – “The Final Conflict” (review)

THE MIGHTY MUTANIMALS (AND OTHER ADVENTURES)

TMNT Meet Archie #1 – “Green Legs and Gams” (review)
TMNT Adventures #14 – “Leave Heaven Alone” (review)
TMNT Adventures #15 – “The Howling of Distant Shadows” (review)
TMNT Adventures #16 – “Dredging the Ocean Blue” (review)
TMNT Meet Archie #1 – “Red Sails in the Sunset” (review)
TMNT Adventures #17 – “Fight the Power” (review)
TMNT Adventures #18 – “Mondo Metal” (review)
TMNT Adventures #19 – “The Man Who Sold the World” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals (miniseries) #1 – “The Wild Angels” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals (miniseries) #2 – “Under a Big Black Sun” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals (miniseries) #3 – “Ride of the Ruthless!” (review)
TMNT Adventures #20 – “Sun and Steel” (review)
TMNT Adventures #21 – “Space Junk Face Funk Cyber Punk Thief” (review)
TMNT Adventures #22 – “Rat Trap” (review)

THE SLASH TRILOGY (AND OTHER ADVENTURES)

TMNT Adventures Special #4 – “Louie’s Pasture, Part 1” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #4 – “Pig Heaven, Part 2” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #8 – “Cleaver’s Critters” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #5 – “The Darkest Hour” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #6 – “The Darkest Hour II” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #3 – “Monsters are the Rage!” (review)
TMNT Adventures #23 – “Search and Destroy” (review)
TMNT Adventures #24 – “Gimme Danger!” (review)
TMNT Adventures #25 – “Raw Power” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #9 – “Full Circle” (review)
April O’Neil: The May East Saga #1 – “Lost Island of Past Lives” (review)
April O’Neil: The May East Saga #2 – “The Battle for Splinter’s Brain” (review)
April O’Neil: The May East Saga #3 – “Splinter’s Wicked Headache” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #7 – “It Takes Guts…” (review)
TMNT Adventures #26 – “The Keeper” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #1 – “If a Tree Falls…” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #1 – “The Last Sea Serpent” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #2 – “The Wrath of the Fire God” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #2 – “The Ghost of 13 Mile Island!” (review)
TMNT Adventures #27 – “In the Dark” (review)
TMNT Meet the Conservation Corps #1 (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #9 – “Be a Star” (review)
Unpublished – “Coney Island Days” (review)

MIDNIGHT SUN (AND OTHER ADVENTURES)

TMNT Adventures #24 (back-up) – “It Started in… Chinatown” (review)
TMNT Adventures #25 (back-up) – “Dragon Rage” (review)
TMNT Adventures #26 (back-up) – “Questions” (review)
TMNT Adventures #27 (back-up) – “The White Ninja” (review)
TMNT Adventures #28 – “Midnight Sun, Part One” (review)
TMNT Adventures #29 – “Midnight Sun, Part Two” (review)
TMNT Adventures #30 – “Midnight Sun, Part Three” (review)
TMNT Adventures #31 – “Turning Japanese” (review)
TMNT Adventures #32 – “The Good, the Bad and the Tattooed” (review)
TMNT Presents April O’Neil #1 (back-up) – “Oo-La-La, Part One” (review)
TMNT Presents April O’Neil #2 (back-up) – “Oo-La-La, Part Two” (review)
TMNT Presents April O’Neil #3 (back-up) – “Oo-La-La, Part Three” (review)
TMNT Adventures #33 – “The Karma of Katmandu” (review)
TMNT Adventures #34 – “The Search for the Charlie Llama” (review)
TMNT Presents April O’Neil #1 – “You’re Fired!” (review)
TMNT Presents April O’Neil #2 – “The Chinatown Connection” (review)
TMNT Presents April O’Neil #3 – “Big Trouble Under Chinatown” (review)

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL (AND OTHER ADVENTURES)

TMNT Adventures #35 – “The Black Stone” (review)
TMNT Adventures #35 (back-up) – “Mah Name!” (review)
TMNT Adventures #36 – “Steel Breeze” (review)
TMNT Adventures #37 – “Stump’d Again!” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals #1 – “The Mighty Mutanimals!!” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals #2 – “Snake, Rattle & Roll” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals #3 – “Deadheads” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals #4 – “Days of Future Past” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals #5 – “Bad Attitudes” (review)
TMNT Adventures #38 – “United we Stand, Divided we Fall: Part One” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals #6 – “United we Stand, Divided we Fall: Part Two” (review)
TMNT Adventures #39 – “United we Stand, Divided we Fall: Part Three” (review)

THE FUTURE SHARK TRILOGY (AND OTHER ADVENTURES)

Mighty Mutanimals #7 – “Armaggon…” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals #8 – “The Cruel Sea” (review)
Mighty Mutanimals #9 – “Slash!” (review)
TMNT Adventures #40 – “1492” (review)
TMNT 30th Anniversary Special – "Paper or Plastic?" (review)
TMNT Adventures #41 – “…And Deliver us from Evil” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #7 – “The Return of… Monsterex!” (review)
TMNT Adventures #42 – “Future Tense” (review)
TMNT Adventures #43 – “Past Lives” (review)
TMNT Adventures #44 – “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” (review)
TMNT Adventures #45 – “Mutations” (review)
Donatello and Leatherhead #1 – “Hassel in the Hollow Earth!” (review)
Donatello and Leatherhead #2 – “Found: One Lost World!” (review)
Donatello and Leatherhead #3 – “Attack of the Amazons” (review)

THE BLACK HOLE TRILOGY (AND OTHER ADVENTURES)

TMNT Adventures #46 – “Fox Hunt” (review)
TMNT Adventures #47 – “The Eyes of Sarnath” (review)
TMNT Adventures #48 – “Out of the Blue (Into the Black)” (review)
TMNT Adventures #49 – “The Dream of the Blue Turtle” (review)
TMNT Adventures #50 – “Kill Them!” (review)
TMNT Adventures #51 – “Chameleons are Forever” (review)
TMNT Adventures #52 – “Shattered” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #10 – “Fox Trap!” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #10 – “A Perfect Evening” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #11 – “The Fifth Turtle” (review)

MEGADEATH (AND OTHER ADVENTURES)

TMNT Adventures #48 (back-up) – “Megadeath, Part 1 of 7” (review)
TMNT Adventures #49 (back-up) – “Megadeath, Part 2 of 7” (review)
TMNT Adventures #50 (back-up) – “Megadeath, Part 3 of 7” (review)
TMNT Adventures #51 (back-up) – “Megadeath, Part 4 of 7” (review)
TMNT Adventures #52 (back-up) – “Megadeath, Part 5 of 7” (review)
TMNT Presents Merdude and Michaelangelo #1 – “Dawn of the Kraken” (review)
TMNT Presents Merdude and Mondo Gecko #2 – “Voyage to the Bottom of the Barrel” (review)
TMNT Presents Merdude vs. Ray Fillet #3 – “The Last Tsarnian: Introducing Bloho” (review)
TMNT Adventures #53 – “The Animus War, Part 1 of 2” (review)
TMNT Adventures #54 – “The Animus War, Part 2 of 2” (review)
TMNT Adventures #53 (back-up) – “Megadeath, Part 6 of 7” (review)
TMNT Adventures #54 (back-up) – “Megadeath, Part 7 of 7” (review)
TMNT Adventures #55 – “Terracide, Part One of Three” (review)
TMNT Adventures #56 – “Terracide, Part Two of Three” (review)
TMNT Adventures #57 – “Terracide, Part Three of Three” (review)

THE MOON EYES SAGA (AND OTHER ADVENTURES)

TMNT Adventures #58 – “Adrift”/“How the Pre-TMNTs Got Their Colors” (review)
TMNT Adventures #59 – “Blind Sight, Part One of Two” (review)
TMNT Adventures #60 – “Blind Sight, Part Two of Two” (review)
TMNT Adventures #61 – “Once, Again, Always” (review)
TMNT Adventures #67 – “Of Wolves and Men” (review)
TMNT Adventures #68 – “The Howling of Distant Tomorrows” (review)
TMNT Adventures #69 – “Twilight” (review)
TMNT Adventures #70 – “A Dusk, a Dawn” (review)
TMNT Adventures #67 – “North to Alaska, Part One” (review)
TMNT Adventures #68 – “North to Alaska, Part Two” (review)
TMNT Adventures #69 – “North to Alaska, Part Three” (review)
TMNT Adventures #70 – “North to Alaska, Part Four” (review)
TMNT Adventures #71 – “How the Turtles Got Their Weapons, Part 1” (review)
TMNT Adventures #72 – “How the Turtles Got Their Weapons, Part 2” (review)
The Year of the Turtle #1 – “Chapter One: Go, Go, Mutant Turtles!” (review)
The Year of the Turtle #2 – “Chapter Two: Snow Way Out!” (review)
The Year of the Turtle #3 – “Chapter Three: Story’s End!” (review)

DREAMLAND (AND OTHER ADVENTURES FROM THE FUTURE)

TMNT Adventures #62 – “April O’Neil: The Angel of Times Square, Chapter I” (review)
TMNT Adventures #63 – “April O’Neil: The Angel of Times Square, Chapter II” (review)
TMNT Adventures #64 – “April O’Neil: The Angel of Times Square, Chapter III” (review)
TMNT Adventures #65 – “April O’Neil: The Angel of Times Square, Chapter IV” (review)
TMNT Adventures #66 – “April O’Neil: The Angel of Times Square, Chapter V” (review)
Furrlough #47 – “Ninjara, Part 1” (review)
Furrlough #48 – “Ninjara, Part 2” (review)
Furrlough #52 – “Chapter Three: Seed of Destruction” (review)
TMNT Adventures #62 – “Dreamland, Part 1 of 5” (review)
TMNT Adventures #63 – “Dreamland, Part 2 of 5” (review)
TMNT Adventures #64 – “Dreamland, Part 3 of 5” (review)
TMNT Adventures #65 – “Dreamland, Part 4 of 5” (review)
TMNT Adventures #66 – “Dreamland, Part 5 of 5” (review)

NON-CANON ADVENTURES

TMNT Meet Archie #1 – “Storm Drain Savers” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #8 – “Ninjara vs. Mondo Dog Catcher” (review)
TMNT Adventures Special #11 – “E = MC Zip Lock” (review)



Notations:

*TMNT ADVENTURES: The main TMNT Adventures series was mostly written by one man: Steve Murphy (using the pseudonyms “Dean Clarrain” and “J.D. Vollman”). As such, the narrative is heavily serialized, with one story leading directly into the next. However, wherever there were breaks within the pacing, that’s where I found it best to place stories from the miniseries and Specials. You’ll likely notice quite a few stashed around the “Slash Trilogy” (after TMNTA #22 but before TMNTA #28). That’s because, the trilogy aside, several one-shot stories were utilized as monthly filler during this period while the back-up serial caught up with the schedule so as to prelude the “Midnight Sun” arc. As such, that left plenty of room to throw in stories from the Specials.

*TMNT ADVENTURES SPECIALS: The TMNT Adventures Specials were a series of quarterly editions, each containing two to three stories. The stories in these Specials often occurred in different eras across the timeline of the ongoing, and the letters page even stated as such to soothe confused readers. These proved the most difficult to slot-in, as some contained contradictory elements (the 4-part arc between Special #1 and Special #2 was said to take place prior to TMNTA #5 in the letters page, but the stories-themselves contained references to later events) while others featured guest appearances from characters when there’s scarcely any opportunity for them to show up (Man Ray’s appearance in Special #6 is especially problematic). Still others contained an art style very chaotic and different than that seen in the ongoing. Be that as it may, I endeavored to include everything unless it made a positively irreconcilable contradiction to the series.

*THE MINISERIES: Perhaps the most important of the ancillary TMNT Adventures comics were the miniseries, which often acted as epilogues to story arcs in the ongoing or weaved in and out of issues, containing vital chapters. The placement of some could be a little bizarre (the Merdude miniseries acts as an interlude during the “Megadeath” back-up serial), but they were perhaps the easiest to fit, as they contained specific references to stories and events.

*THE MAY EAST SAGA: The lone exception is the May East Saga, which was originally published as canon to the TMNT Adventures ongoing (characters exclusive to the miniseries received biographies in the Mutant Universe Sourcebook #2) only to later be rendered non-canon by Special #11 (the events being written off as nothing more than a dream). “It Takes Guts…” is the only story to directly reference the events of the May East Saga, meaning it must be considered nothing more than a “dream”, as well. I refrained from placing both stories in the NON-CANON category simply because they were initially written to be part of continuity and were removed after the fact. And if you haven’t guessed, it’s because they were terrible.

*THE FUTURE: Toward the end of the ongoing, Murphy began writing several stories taking place in the not-too-distant to very-distant future. I grouped them here in chronological order: The April story takes place in 1999, the Ninjara story in a non-descript high tech future, and the “Dreamland” story a hundred years from the present of TMNT Adventures.  The Ninjara serial was published after the cancellation of TMNT Adventures in an... "adult" magazine.  As a result, it contains nudity, cursing and gore and will likely never be reprinted with the rest of the TMNT Adventures material.  It was also never completed and ends on a cliffhanger.

*THE FOREVER WAR: “The Forever War” was originally intended to be Steve Murphy’s story arc spanning TMNT Adventures #71-75. However, editorial issues at Archie resulted in the cancellation of that storyline. It was later intended to be completed by Mirage Studios in 2009, but the sale of the TMNT brand to Viacom resulted in the story being mothballed once again. It is as yet undetermined if it shall ever be completed and published. For more, see my article, “Whatever Happened to the Forever War?” then e-mail IDW and tell them how much you want it.

*NON-CANON: Generally, I tried to avoid labeling something “non-canon” as much as possible. TMNT Adventures featured a wide array of artists, each with their own radically different visual style. So with that in mind, I didn’t feel it appropriate to designate something “non-canon” just because it looked weird (the issues by Milton Knight, for example). The stories under this category were placed there because they contained fourth wall-breaking elements (“Storm Drain Savers”), cartoonish gags incongruous with the atmosphere of the series (“E = MC Ziplock”) or positively irreconcilable contradictions in character origins (“Ninjara vs. Mondo Dog Catcher”).

The Mirage Comics continuity timeline

Foreword:

As you may well know, a very healthy portion of the Ninja Turtles stories published by Mirage Studios were not written in anything approaching a coherent chronological order. The primary TMNT volumes were, of course, but even then, you have to weed out the non-canon “guest” issues from the purely canon “in-house” issues before you can get a reliable reading order. Then there’s the matter of both volumes of Tales of the TMNT, each telling stories that take place at different points across the Turtles’ timeline, having to be slotted in-between issues of the primary TMNT volumes. And lest we forget, there’s also a metric ton of back-up strips printed as bonus material in trade paperbacks, as guest content in other indie books and as episodes in various anthology publications, including those from Mirage.

The Mirage Comics Ninja Turtles continuity is anything but linear. However, that doesn’t keep some of us from trying our damnedest to make sense of the whole thing. In April of 2007, after completing my collection of all Mirage Turtles publications under the sun (or at least, so I thought at the time), I decided to take it upon myself to spread all the pieces of the puzzle out before me and assemble them into a competent, chronological timeline. It proved a daunting task and far beyond the means of a single mortal. So I made this thread over at The Technodrome forums and soon dozens of helpful Turtles fans came to my aid, pointing out inconsistencies in my timeline, offering recommendations and alerting me to any hyper-obscure pieces of Turtles fiction I was unaware of.

Later, Mirage freelancer Tristan Jones took my timeline and asked if it could be used for the then-upcoming “Mirage Universe Sourcebook” publication. After much fuss and hard work, we hammered out an even more thorough chronology to be used in an actual Mirage guidebook. Then Laird sold the Turtles to Viacom and the “Mirage Universe Sourcebook” got cancelled. Bummer.

Regardless of that, the timeline still stands three years later. And after all this time, it continues to be improved upon by helpful fans at The Technodrome forums who are still finding minute inconsistencies in story placement. The Timeline below is subject to change as new material is written or as new inconsistencies are discovered, so don’t feel like you’re losing your mind if issues move from place to place while you were busy blinking. The goal is to make this as complete and accurate as possible, and perfection is not something that can be achieved overnight (no, it takes three years and two dozen nerds for that).

Enjoy!

KEY

White: Officially verified Mirage canon from in-house creators, freelancers and guest contributors.
Red: Guest stories published between TMNT (Vol. 1) #21 and #45 and other guest stories that are not officially verified or are considered "non-canon" despite no contradictions in content.
Green: The Image series.
†: Indicates back-up strip, short comic or anthology installment.


The Mirage Comics continuity timeline

THE EARLY YEARS

Tales Vol. 2 #44 – The Amulet (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #50 – Threads † (review)
Big Bang Comics #10 – Galahad † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #25 – My Hero! † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #38 – Triptyche (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #38 – Awww... rats! † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #44 – The Lessons † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #13 – Loops, Part 1 of 1 (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #14 – Loops, Part 2 of 2 (review)
Shell Shock – Bottoming Out† (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #4 (2nd printing) – The Survival Game † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #2 – Seeds of Destruction (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #9 – The Passing (review)
Tales Vol.2 #1 – Not Forgotten (review)  
TMNT Adventures! – New York Ninja † (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #6 (2nd printing) – It’s a Gas † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #35 – The Pantheon (review)
TMNT Book I – Night Life † (review)
Shell Shock – Junk Man † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #52 – The Mission † (review)
Tales Vol.2 #55 – A Day in the Life (review)
Hero Comics 2012 #1 - Ready Set Go! † (review)
Creed/TMNT #1 – Dream Stone (review)


LIVING WITH APRIL: YEAR ONE

TMNT Vol. 1 #1 – The Turtles’ Origin is Told (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #4 – Fifteen Years Later... † (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #2 – TMNT Vs. the Mousers (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #3 – The Great Chase (review)
Raphael (microseries) #1 – Me, Myself and I (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #4 – Rescuing Master Splinter (review)
Fugitoid (microseries) #1 – The Fugitoid’s Origin (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #5 – Teaming Up with Fugitoid (review)
Grimjack #26 – D'Ants Fever † (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #6 – The Triceraton Homeworld (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #7 – All is Revealed (review)
Grunts #1 – The Lesson † (review)
TMNT Guide to the Universe – Terror by Transmat! † (review)
Tortugas Ninja Vol. 2 – The Paradox of Chudnovsky (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #3 (2nd printing) – Complete Carnage an' Radical † (review)
Raphael (microseries) #1 (2nd printing) – Fun With Guns † (review)
Bodycount #1 – Bodycount, Part One (review)
Bodycount #2 – Bodycount, Part Two (review)
Bodycount #3 – Bodycount, Part Three (review)
Bodycount #4 – Bodycount, Part Four (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 1 #1 – Apparition † (review)
TMNT & Other Strangeness – Don't Judge a Book... † (review)
Michaelangelo (microseries) #1 – The Christmas Aliens (review)


LIVING WITH APRIL: YEAR TWO

TMNT Vol. 1 #1 (5th printing) – Not One Word † (review)
TMNT Book I – New Comic Day! † (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #8 – Team Up with Cerebus (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 1 #1 – Turtle Soup and Rabbit Stew † (review)
Usagi Yojimbo (Vol. 1) #10 – The Crossing † (review)
Shell Shock – The Treaty † (review)
Usagi Yojimbo (Vol. 2) #1 – Shades of Green part 1 (review)
Usagi Yojimbo (Vol. 2) #2 – Shades of Green part 2 (review)
Usagi Yojimbo (Vol. 2) #3 – Shades of Green part 3 (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 1 #1 – Turtle Dreams † (review)
Donatello (microseries) #1 – Kirby and the Warp Crystal (review)
Gobbledygook (Vol. 2) #1 – Crazy Man † (review)
Gobbledygook (Vol. 2) #1 – Technofear!!! † (review)
Tales Vol. 1 #5 – Complete Carnage and Radical (review)
Anything Goes! #5 – The Road Trip † (review)
Tales Vol. 1 #7 – The Return of Savanti Romero (review)
Tales Vol. 1 TPB 2007 – Spinal Tapped † (review)
Shell Shock – Meanwhile... 1,000,000 B.C. † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #3 – Sweat, Sweat, Sweet Renet † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #2 – Raphael: Snapper † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 1 #1 – The Howl † (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #5 (2nd printing) – Ghouls Night Out † (review)
Tales Vol. 1 #3 – All Hallow’s Thieves (review)
Leonardo (microseries) #1 – What Goes Around… Comes Around! (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #10 – Silent Partner (review)


EXILE TO NORTHAMPTON

TMNT Vol. 1 #11 – True Stories (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #33 – Credo † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #4 – Thoughts on Paper † (review)
Tales Vol. 1 #1 – A Tale of the TMNT (review)
Challenges – Origin † (review)
Challenges – Splinter † (review)
Challenges – Michelangelo † (review)
Challenges – Leonardo † (review)
Challenges – Donatello † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #30 – The Mother of All Anger † (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #12 – Survivalists (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #13 – The People’s Choice (review)
Mirage Mini Comics Collection story #11 – Casey Jones, Private Eye † (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #14 – The Unmentionables (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #15 – Dome Doom (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #17 – Distractions (review)
Tales Vol. 1 #2 – Nobody’s Fool! (review)
Tales Vol. 1 TPB 1989 – "untitled Nobody story" † (review)
Tales Vol. 1 #4 – I, Monster (review)


RETURN TO NEW YORK

TMNT Vol. 1 #19 – Return to New York, Book One (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #70 – Zog (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #20 – Return to New York, Book Two (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #21 – Return to New York, Book Three (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #3 – The Worms of Madness, Part One (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #4 – The Worms of Madness, Part Two (review)
Digital Webbing Presents #24 – Digital Webbing Presents
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #26 – The Value of Gold (review)
Casey Jones #1 – North by Downeast, Part One of Two (review)
Casey Jones #2 – North by Downeast: The Conclusion (review)
Tales Vol. 1 #6 – Leatherhead (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #37 – Casey in Point (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #25 – Kung Fu Theater † (review)
TMNT Book III – 49th Street Stompers † (review)
Challenges – Raphael † (review)
Muscle & Faith (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #3 – The Ring of Death † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #1 – The Name is Lucindra † (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #44 – The Violent Underground (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #45 – Leatherhead, Too (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #8 – Virus (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #23 – Attack of the Replicants (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #34 – Splinter Cell (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #30 – Circle of Darkness (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #21 – A (Bull) Wrinkle in Time (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #7 – You Had to be There † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #3 – Bearing the Burden † (review)
TMNT (Vol. 1) #33 – Turtles Take Time (review)
The Savage Dragon #2 (review)
The Savage Dragon/TMNT #1 – Enter the Savage Dragon! (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #11 – The Quick and the Dead (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #50 – World’s Deadliest (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #63 – Monster Island (review)


RETURN TO NORTHAMPTON

TMNT Vol. 1 #24 – The River Part 1: Down to the River (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #25 – The River Part 2: River Hymn (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #26 – The River Part 3: Old Man River (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #28 – Sons of the Silent Age (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #27 – Dreams of Stone (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #29 – Men of Shadow (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #30 – Sky Highway (review)
Shell Shock – O-Deed † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #1 – The Purpose of Fear † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #3 – Crack in a Hard Heart † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #1 – Donatello: The Ring † (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #37 – Twilight of the Ring (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #42 – Juliet’s Revenge (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #43 – Halls of Lost Legends (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #1 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Attack!!! Part 1 † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #2 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Attack!!! Part 2 † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #3 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Attack!!! Part 3 † (review)
Turtle Soup Vol. 2 #4 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Attack!!! Part 4 † (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #46 – Masks Part I (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #47 – Masks Part II (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #19 – A Ghost Story (review)


CITY AT WAR

Tales Vol. 2 #22 – Change of Power (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #48 – Shades of Gray, Part One of Two (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #49 – Shades of Gray, Part Two of Two (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #50 – City at War, Part 1 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #51 – City at War, Part 2 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #52 – City at War, Part 3 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #53 – City at War, Part 4 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #54 – City at War, Part 5 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #55 – City at War, Part 6 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #56 – City at War, Part 7 (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #46 – Temps (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #57 – City at War, Part 8 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #58 – City at War, Part 9 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #59 – City at War, Part 10 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #60 – City at War, Part 11 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #61 – City at War, Part 12 (review)
TMNT Vol. 1 #62 – City at War, Part 13 (review)


VOLUME 2

Tales Vol. 2 #20 – The Trophy † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #41 – Fathers and Daughters † (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #1 – Memories of the Future (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #2 – Winds of Change (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #3 – Evolution (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #4 – Intruders (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #5 – Death Race (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #6 – Killer on the Loose (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #7 – Confrontations (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #8 – Face Off (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #9 – Victory? (review)
Donatello #1 – The Brain Thief, Part 1 (review)
Donatello #2 – The Brain Thief, Part 2 (review)
Donatello #3 – The Brain Thief, Part 3 (review)
Donatello #4 – The Brain Thief, Part 4 (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #10 – Descending into D.A.R.P.A. (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #11 – The Rescue (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #12 – The Escape (review)
TMNT Vol. 2 #13 – The Battle (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #49 – Mined Games (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #33 – The Bait (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #48 – The Decider! (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #43 – The Proposal (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #20 – The Cure † (review)
TMNT/The Savage Dragon #1 (review)
The Savage Dragon #22 (review)


THE GANG WARS

Tales Vol. 2 #36 – To Serve and Protect (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #56 – Hun (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #59 – Expose (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #61 – Sometimes They Come Back (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #48 – One’s Shadow! † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #64 – The Burning Man (review)


IMAGE VOLUME 3

Shattered Image #2 (review)
The Savage Dragon/Destroyer Duck #1 (review)
Mars Attacks Image #1 (review)
TMNT (Vol. 3) #24 – TMNT vs. Spawn † (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #1 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #2 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #3 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #4 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #5 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #6 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #7 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #8 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #9 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #10 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #11 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #12 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #13 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #14 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #15 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #16 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #24 – Conflict Resolution † (review)
The Savage Dragon #41 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #17 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #18 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #19 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #20 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #21 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #24 – Christmas Past † (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #22 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #23 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #25 – Practical Jokes † (review)
TMNT 30th Anniversary Special – Rest in Pieces † (review)

Unofficial Vol. 3 conclusion:

TMNT Vol. 3 #24 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #25 (review)

Official Vol. 3 conclusion:

TMNT Vol. 3 #24 (review)

TMNT Vol. 3 #25 (review)
TMNT Vol. 3 #26 (review)


MIRAGE "VOLUME 3"

Tales Vol. 2 #9 – Community Service † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #57 – Gangs All Here (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #67 – Schooled (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #51 – Night of the Living Gingerbread (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #53 – Alien Invaders (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #65 – Cold, Cold Ice (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #68 – A Klunk Adventure † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #9 – The Path (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #3 – Green † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #5 – Blind Faith (review)
Tales of Leonardo #1 – Blind Sight, Part 1 (review)
Tales of Leonardo #2 – Blind Sight, Part 2 (review)
Tales of Leonardo #3 – Blind Sight, Part 3 (review)
Tales of Leonardo #4 – Blind Sight, Part 4 (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #35 – Secret Spirit † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #10 – Kaddish (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #20 – The Rippling † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #24 – Rock of Ages (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #32 – The Eye of Aga-Moo-Tou (review)
Michaelangelo (microseries) #1 (2nd printing) – A Christmas Carol † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #53 – Ghosts of Christmas Past † (review)


PRELUDE TO VOLUME 4

Tales Vol. 2 #69 – Dark Shadows (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #7 – Darkness Weaves (review)
Raphael #1 – Bad Moon Rising, Part 1: The Calling (review)
Raphael #2 – Bad Moon Rising, Part 2: The Taking (review)
Raphael #3 – Bad Moon Rising, Part 3: The Catch (review)
Raphael #4 – Bad Moon Rising, Part 4: The Win (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #6 – Scars (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #15 – Hell’s Blacktop (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #28 – Channeling † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #42 – The Curious Case of Mr. Jones (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #66 – There's No Place Like Home (review)


VOLUME 4

TMNT Vol. 4 #1 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #2 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #3 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #4 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #5 (review)
Michelangelo #1 – The Third Kind, Part 1 (review)
Michelangelo #2 – The Third Kind, Part 2 (review)
Michelangelo #3 – The Third Kind, Part 3 (review)
Michelangelo #4 – The Third Kind, Part 4 (review)
Michelangelo #4 – Life on Earth † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #16 – Sins of the Past (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #54 – Mere Appendix (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #62 – Adventures in Bunnysitting (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #18 – The Blue Hole (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #12 – Paris Nocturne (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #28 – Shanghaied (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #29 – Soul Survivor (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #45 – Rocks (review)
Go Green Machine TMNT Tribute (unpublished) – Slash! † (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #6 (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #47 – The Secret Origins of the Super Turtles!!! (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #7 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #8 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #9 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #10 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #11 (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #17 – Wrong Turn (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #52 – The Crystal at the Heart of the World (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #58 – All Tomorrow’s Yesterdays (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #39 – What Wolves Wear (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #12 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #13 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #14 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #15 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #16 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #17 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #18 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #19 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #20 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #21 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #22 (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #53 – This Mortal Shell † (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #23 (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #60 – Nobody Does it Better (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #24 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #25 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #26 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #27 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #28 (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #27 – White Horses (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #29 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #30 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #31 (review)
TMNT Vol. 4 #32 (review)


THE ADVENTURES OF PROFESSOR OBLIGADO

Tales Vol. 2 #4 – The Grape † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #6 – The Raisin' † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #8 – The Risen † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #10 – The Question † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #14 – First Mud † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #15 – Apocalypse Vow † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #18 – Altered Fates † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #25 – The Doors of Deception † (review)


POST VOLUME 4

Tales Vol. 2 #68 – Heroes in a Half Cell (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #31 – Reflections (review)
TMNT 30th Anniversary Special - Night of the Ninja Girl † (review)

TMNT 2030 (review)


THE FUTURE

The Collected Gizmo – King for a Day (review)
Gizmo and the Fugitoid #1 (review)
Gizmo and the Fugitoid #2 (review)
Plastron Café #1 – Old Times † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #40 – Silent Night (review)
The Puma Blues #20 – Choices † (review)
Tales Vol. 2 #41 – Swan Song (review)
Tales Vol. 1 TPB 2007 – Frontispieces and Epilogue † (review)


Notations:

The Mirage chronology for the most part holds up fine, thanks to the episodic nature of much of the storytelling. However, there are continuity errors that cannot be rectified by even the cleverest of story placement. In such cases, those instances must simply be overlooked in absence of a better option. Additionally, many TMNT stories that could easily work with Mirage continuity, and indeed, have been published by Mirage, have been the work of outside “guest” creators, making their canonicity questionable due to Peter Laird’s opinions toward Mirage stories not written by in-house Mirage staffers. Additionally, some stories that were canon when they were written were later retconned out of continuity at Laird’s behest. These stories have been included for the sake of completion, but with proper notations indicating their canon-status. The following is a detailed account of these discrepancies and incongruities as well as rationalizations for various timeline placements.

*PETER LAIRD'S QUOTE ON CANONICITY: So just to clear up the facts, here is Peter Laird's personal quote on what counts from the letters page of TMNT (Vol. 4) #9: "The current Mirage TMNT comic, which we refer to as volume 4, is a continuation of what I call 'Mirage continuity' -- which is basically the issues of the original comic series that Kevin Eastman and I worked on, along with about a dozen other issues, the TALES OF THE TURTLES series, the short-lived color TMNT series, and some various short stories that appeared in different publications".

*THE EARLY YEARS: These stories take place before TMNT (Vol. 1) #1, dealing with various points in the Turtles’ childhoods. They’ve been arranged by ages given in the issues or just by “eyeballing” the size and intelligence levels of the Turtles. So far as discrepancies are concerned, there are a few that should be noted to prevent confusion. Karai is much, much older than the Turtles in this continuity, thus her origin story takes place first. “Loops” brings together four Leonardos from four different points in the character’s timeline. However, since the primary perspective is from the youngest Leonardo, the story is slotted into this era. The back-up strips printed in “Shell Shock” and other books could conceivably take place just about anywhere in the Turtles’ timeline, but have been placed here for lack of a better idea. They’re all mostly goofy and fun stories and fit well with the more carefree days of this era.

*LIVING WITH APRIL YEAR ONE: This era covers their first year living in April’s apartment as well as their space adventure with the Triceratons and the Utroms. It ends with the Michelangelo (microseries) #1 issue, as it is established as taking place during a different Christmas from the one seen in TMNT (Vol. 1) #10 (which is established as being their second Christmas with April). Many of the Raph/Casey adventures that lack definitive evidence for timeline placement have been grouped here to illustrate their time spent bonding as friends. Stories like “The Lesson” and “Terror by Transmat!” also lack definitive evidence for placement and have been grouped here for the sake of theme. Some stories, such as “Fifteen Years Later” and “D’Ants Fever” take place between pages of actual issues and as such have been placed below the issue in which their events transpire.

*LIVING WITH APRIL YEAR TWO: This era covers their second year living in April’s apartment. Only the first and third Usagi Yojimbo crossovers offer timeline placement evidence, showing the Turtles living in April’s apartment. The other Usagi crossovers were grouped here for sake of theme. Various horror-themed back-up strips with no concrete evidence for placements were grouped around the Halloween issue, “All Hallow’s Thieves”, for sake of theme.

*EXILE TO NORTHAMPTION: This era covers their banishment from New York at the hands of the resurrected Shredder. Most of these stories were specifically written to take place in this era with others simply being placed here due to location and theme.  As TMNT #10 takes place on Christmas 1986 and TMNT #19 takes on Christmas 1988, the Exile spans a full two years in story-time. Issues #16 and #18 have been skipped as they were guest stories not written to work with the continuity of the series. The Tales (Vol. 1) stories that take place in this era have been placed primarily based on the seasonal settings.

*RETURN TO NEW YORK: This era covers the Turtles’ return to New York City following their exile and the subsequent defeat of the resurrected Shredder. This is where things start to get tricky. To keep the Turtles from constantly bouncing back and forth between Manhattan and Northampton, the stories taking place in those locales have been separated where applicable. Additionally, the story “Leatherhead” has been shuffled down the line to undo a rather infamous continuity error (at the end of that story, the Turtles give their sewer lair to Leatherhad, yet they are repeatedly shown living in their lair later with no Leatherhead in sight). Additionally, several short strips featuring the Turtles battling sloppy and pitiful groups of Foot Soldiers have been placed here, as established by “City at War”, the New York branch of the Foot became pathetic and disorganized following the death of the Shredder, despite their lame attempts to obtain vengeance on the Turtles.

*RETURN TO NORTHAMPTON: This era covers the Turtles’ return to Casey’s farm in Northampton and the adventures they encountered while staying there. Again, these stories were separated by location. As color-coded, a large number of these stories were written between TMNT (Vol. 1) #21 and #45, thus making their canon status questionable.

*CITY AT WAR: This era covers the massive “City at War” epic. It includes “Change of Power” and “Shades of Grey” as they were both written as prologues to the event. The Tales (Vol. 2) story, "Temps", takes place between TMNT #53 and #54, but features April back in New York before she fully decided to return following her father's funeral in #57. Due to the lack of snow on the ground and the Turtles' water tower base being intact (it was attacked in #56), the story cannot take place after #57. April was possibly just "visiting" New York at the time, if one must explain away the continuity glitch.

*VOLUME 2: This era covers the events of Mirage’s Volume 2 series as well as those written around them. At this point, stories are slotted into this era either by theme or solely by judgment of Shadow’s age. Following TMNT Vol. 1, her growth would play a major factor in determining how many years have passed between stories and thus where a story should be placed.

*THE GANG WARS: This era covers the events of the Gang Wars. Unfortunately, due to the Viacom buy-out and the cancellation of Tales of the TMNT (Vol. 2), the Gang Wars arc never received a conclusion, leaving this era rather open ended.

*MIRAGE “VOLUME 3”: This era covers the stories retroactively written to fill the void between Mirage’s Volume 2 series and Mirage’s Volume 4 series. There was no actual Mirage Volume 3 (hence the quotations), as the official Volume 3 was published by Image and, as per Laird, that volume is no longer canon.

*IMAGE VOLUME 3: This era covers the events of Image’s TMNT series. When the Image series was originally written, it was the official continuation of the Mirage storyline, even covering several plot threads that Laird and Eastman had established in their previous volumes. The volume was canon until the publication of Mirage’s Volume 4 series. By that point, Laird had decided he did not approve of the direction Image’s Volume 3 had taken the series and chose to ignore it completely with his new volume, thus retconning it out of continuity. However, as it was canon once, it has been included here for posterity. The volume was originally cancelled without closure. An unofficial conclusion was published, created with direct input from Vol. 3 writer/artist team Gary Carlson and Frank Fosco. A few years after that, IDW published an official conclusion under the title "Urban Legends" which feature story and art from Carlson and Fosco. Both conclusions splinter from the same point (issue #22) and end at the same place with the same splash page, so they're essentially two diverging paths to the same destination.

*PRELUDE TO VOLUME 4: This era covers the years taking place just before the beginning of Mirage Volume 4. As has been stated, the chronology of Mirage “Volume 3” is determined primarily by Shadow’s age. However, there is a wide gulf of years between those stories, as Shadow is written as either a little girl or a teenager/young adult. Her teenager/young adult stories must take place several years away from her “Volume 3” stories and almost directly before Volume 4. As such, they have been grouped with stories that pertain directly to the events of Volume 4 and have been dubbed a “prelude” to that series.

*VOLUME 4: This era covers the events of the Volume 4 series. Due to scheduling conflicts and, it seems, a lack of interest, issues of TMNT (Vol. 4) were first delayed and then put on an “indefinite hiatus” status by Peter Laird. The volume is currently incomplete with no indication that the hiatus will be lifted. Several Tales of the TMNT (Vol. 2) stories were written to elaborate upon or continue plot threads within this volume due to the series itself being postponed indefinitely. Additionally, issue #5 of the series featured a six month gap in the narrative to allow for the Utroms and other aliens to establish their presence on Earth and integrate with the masses. Stories placed here feature a heavy alien-on-Earth presence or major cooperation between the TMNT and the Utroms. The short, "This Mortal Shell", was a guest story specifically noted in the opening editorial to be "non-canon". However, the actual content of the story contradicts nothing in the series.

*POST VOLUME 4: This is a precarious era to place stories since, as of this writing, Volume 4 has not been concluded.  However, these particular stories simply don't fit snugly anywhere during the Volume 4 storyline and aren't far enough in the future to qualify for being in that era, either.  We'll just have to wait and see on these stories.

*THE ADVENTURES OF PROFESSOR OBLIGADO: This “era” simply contains all the Professor Obligado back-up stories. They do not interact with the TMNT in any fashion and could conceivably take place during the six month gap or after the events of Volume 4 or sometime long afterward. Due to a lack of interest, the storyline was never completed by Stephen Murphy.

*THE FUTURE: This era covers stories specifically written to take place in the vague and possible “future” of the Mirage TMNT. Tales (Vol. 2) #69 establishes that all these future stories are merely "potential" outcomes and may not all even be related to each other in the same timeline. So with that in mind, determining chronology for these stories is difficult. Some can be placed due to how old the Turtles appear, where they’re living, references to the events in other stories or, in at least Donatello’s case, how depressed they are. The “Gizmo and the Fugitoid” miniseries has been placed here since the Gizmo series by Michael Dooney takes place in Earth’s future. Additionally, the miniseries ends with a glimpse of an Earth-like street corner populated by humans and aliens, fitting in with what we know about Volume 4 and the Mirage future. For reference’s sake, the stories “Loops”, “A Christmas Carol” and "Dark Shadows" also feature looks into this future of the TMNT, but the primary narrative of these stories is set in the past or present, hence why they are not included in this era.

*The Volume 1 “guest era”: Between TMNT (Vol. 1) #21 and #45, the book was handed over to a series of guest creators with little to no regard for continuity. Stories like “Spaced Out” and “Soul’s Winter” are too bizarre (each in their own way) to possibly be part of the Mirage timeline, while others are simply too contradictory or silly. Several stories, however, were written to function with the Mirage continuity of the day. However, Peter Laird has stated that with the exception of “Dreams of Stone” and “Sons of the Silent Age”, all stories published during this period are of dubious canonical status, if not outright non-canon. This is partly due to creator ownership rights, as Mirage does not own any of the characters created for these stories by the guest artists. Oddly, this non-canonocity decision also includes “The River” trilogy, which is directly referenced in “Sons of the Silent Age”, a canon story. For the sake of posterity, all stories written during this period which are non-contradictory to the Mirage canon have been included, but with proper notation of canon status.

*"Turtle Soup": The "Turtle Soup" series was an anthology title containing short TMNT related stories by both in-house creators at Mirage and guest contributors. Many of the guest contributions were too "out there" to qualify for inclusion in the Mirage timeline, while others were either harmless or prologues to stories written during the TMNT (Vol. 1) "guest era". All stories capable of existing within this timeline have been included and color-coded where applicable.

*”Bodycount”: The “Bodycount” storyline, written by Kevin Eastman, was originally intended to be published by Mirage as “Casey Jones & Raphael”. The first issue was released, but when publishing of the TMNT series was shifted to Image, the series was retitled “Bodycount” and finished release under that publisher. Although it was primarily published by Image and boasts at least one Image-exclusive element (Casey’s star-spangled hockey mask), the fact that it was penned by a franchise co-founder and initially intended for publication under Mirage lends it credence for primary Mirage canon status.

*The Savage Dragon crossovers: Likewise the same can be said of the Savage Dragon crossover. Both two-part crossover arcs were co-published between Mirage and Image and before the publication of TMNT comics became strictly the duty of Image. The events of the first crossover are referenced in TMNT (Vol. 2) #3, while Radical’s depowering in the second crossover is referenced in Tales of the TMNT (Vol. 2) #41. This, as well as involvement from Mirage in-house staffer Michael Dooney, would appear to make these crossovers Mirage canon.

*The back-up strips: short TMNT comics have been published within anthology books, reprints of old material, trade paperback collections, other indie publications, role-playing game guidebooks and just about everywhere else under the sun. Some of them are important to the narrative of several storylines, while others are merely comedy relief filler. Most do not offer any evidence as to where they take place in the Turtles’ timeline due to their brief length. For the purposes of this timeline, those with evidence for placement have been slotted in where they belong. The remainder have been dropped in where they “feel” best, carry on a theme or simply can do no harm. Back-ups that were too silly or contradictory have not been included.