The most frequent question I get asked on CV is "Where should I start reading IDW TMNT?". My answer is always that issue #1 is the only real spot to start from. This series is now the longest running TMNT comic series ever, and it builds off itself as one very long story, so no jumping on points are really included. It can be complicated for a new reader though, since over the course of the series, there is always some sort of extra book being printed along with it, that ties into the main story. Some of these extra books are optional reading, but many are required to understand the story. It would be difficult to know when to read those without a good list, so...this thread.

I will make notes where a book could be considered optional reading, if it isn't essential to the main series. I'll also include both issues and volumes, depending on how you like to read back issues, but I will leave notes where you should switch between volumes after reading specific issues collected in a volume, if another book has an issue that should be read before continuing. I'm also only including issues that are canon, so the Batman crossovers are not included.

1. 
   Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (Issues 1-4 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Change is Constant)


2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2


3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3


4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4


5. 
   Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 30th Anniversary Special (Collects a series of brand new one-shot stories from various versions of the ninja turtles over their 30 year history. The story you need to read for the IDW series is titled "A Lot to Learn".)


6. 
   Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5 (Issues 5-8 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Enemies Old, Enemies New if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


7. 
   Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #1 - Raphael (Issues 1-4 of the micro-series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #1 if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #2 - Michelangelo


9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6


10. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #3 - Donatello


11. 
    *optional readingInfestation 2: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 - 1 of 2(This issue was part of the Infestation 2 event IDW did, where Lovecraftian horrors invaded several of their series. This is part of the main canon, but it's never referenced again. Raphael has a very brief cameo in the main book Infestation 2, but it's hardly worth reading if you just want to read the IDW story)
    


12. 
    *optional reading Infestation 2: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 - 2 of 2
    


13. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7


14. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #8


15. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #4 - Leonardo


16. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #9 (Issues 9-12 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shadows of the Past if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


17. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #10


18. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #5 - Splinter (Issues 5-8 of the micro-series are collected in Teenage Mutant NInja Turtles Micro-Series #2 if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


19. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #11


20. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #12


21. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #6 - Casey Jones


22. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13 (Issues 13-16 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Sins of the Fathers if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


23. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #14


24. 
    *optional readingTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2012 #1 (Although I marked this as optional, I still recommend reading it. It's done completely by Kevin Eastman, which is awesome having one of the original creators write and illustrate it, and it is referenced in the main series and has a lot of main characters involved. I only call it optional because it's a one-shot, and you can likely understand the rest of the main story without reading this.)
    


25. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #7 - April


26. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #15


27. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #16


28. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Micro-Series #8 - Fugitoid


29. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #17 (Issues 17-20 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Krang War)


30. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #18


31. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #19


32. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #20


33. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #1 - Krang (Issues 1-4 of the Villains Micro-Series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #1 if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


34. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #2 - Baxter


35. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret History of the Foot Clan #1 (Issues 1-4 of Secret History of the Foot Clan are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret History of the Foot Clan)


36. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret History of the Foot Clan #2


37. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret History of the Foot Clan #3


38. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret History of the Foot Clan #4


39. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #21 - City Fall Part One (Issues 21-24 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: City Fall, Part 1 if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


40. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #22 - City Fall Part Two


41. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #3 - Old Hob


42. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #23 - City Fall Part Three


43. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #24 - City Fall Part Four


44. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #4 - Alopex


45. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #5 - Karai (Issues 5-8 of the Villains Micro-Series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #2 if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


46. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #25- City Fall Part Five (Issues 25-29 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: City Fall, Part 2 if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


47. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #6 - Hun


48. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #26 - City Fall Part Six


49. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #7 - Bebop & Rocksteady


50. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #27 - City Fall Part Seven


51. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #28 - City Fall Part Eight


52. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Micro-Series #8 - Shredder


53. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #29 - Northampton Part 1 (Issues 29-32 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Northampton)


54. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #30 - Northampton Part 2


55. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #31 - Northampton Part 3


56. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #32 - Northampton Part 4


57. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Utrom Empire #1 (Issues 1-3 of Utrom Empire are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Utrom Empire)


58. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Utrom Empire #2


59. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Utrom Empire #3


60. 
    *optional reading The X-Files/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Conspiracy #1 - Conspiracy Part 3 of 6
    


61. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Annual 2014 #1


62. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #33 (Issues 33-36 are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Monsters, Misfits, and Madmen)


63. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #34


64. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #35


65. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #36


66. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #37 (Issues 37-40 are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: New Mutant Order if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


67. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time #1 (Issues 1-4 of Turtles in Time are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time)


68. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time #2


69. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time #3


70. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time #4


71. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #38


72. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #39


73. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #40


74. 
    *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters #1 - Part 1: Crossing the Divide (Issues 1-4 of TMNT/Ghostbusters are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2) (Although this is marked as optional reading, I highly recommend this book, and events are referenced briefly in the main series. But if you don't want to read this extra book, you can understand the main story easily enough)
    


75. 
    *optional readingTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters #2 - Part 2: The Meeting of the Minds
    


76. 
    *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters #3 - Part 3: Showdown In Chinatown
    


77. 
    *optional reading Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 - New Friends, Old Ghosts
    


78. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #41 - Attack On Technodrome Part One (Issues 41-44 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Attack On Technodrome)


79. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #42 - Attack On Technodrome Part Two


80. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #43 - Attack On Technodrome Part Three


81. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #44 - Attack On Technodrome Part Four


82. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutanimals #1 (Issues 1-4 of Mutanimals are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutanimals)


83. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutanimals #2


84. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutanimals #3


85. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutanimals #4


86. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #45 (Issues 45-47 of the main series and the Free Comic Book Day book are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Vengeance, Part 1)


87. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #46


88. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles FCBD #1: Prelude to Vengeance


89. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #47


90. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey and April #1 (Issues 1-4 of Casey and April are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey and April if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this list)


91. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #48 (Issues 47-50 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Vengeance, Part 2)


92. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #49


93. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #50


94. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey and April #2


95. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey and April #3


96. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Casey and April #4


97. 
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #56 - Leatherhead Part 1 (Issues 56-60 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Leatherhead)


98. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #57 - Leatherhead Part 2


99. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #58 - Leatherhead Part 3


100. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #59


101. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #60


102. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #61 - Chasing Phantoms Part 1 (Issues 61-65 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chasing Phantoms)


103. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #62 - Chasing Phantoms Part 2


104. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #63 - Chasing Phantoms Part 3


105. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #64 - Chasing Phantoms Part 4


106. 
     *optional readingTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything #1 (Issues 1-5 of Bebop and Rocksteady Destroy Everything are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything)


107. 
     *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything #2
     


108. 
     *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything #3
     


109. 
     *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything #4
     


110. 
     *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything #5
     


111. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #1 (Issues 1-5 of Universe are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe - Volume 1: The War to Come if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this)


112. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #2


113. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #3


114. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #4


115. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #65


116. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #5


117. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Inside Out Director's Cut #1 (This is a collection of the back issue story in TMNT Universe 1-5, so if you read those, you really don't need this issue unless you want the extra stuff included in it)


118. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #6 (Issues 6-10 of Universe are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Univese - Volume 2: The New Strangeness if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this)


119. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #66 (Issues 66-70 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Desperate Measures if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this)


120. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #7


121. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #8


122. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #67 - Desperate Measures Part 1


123. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #68 - Desperate Measures Part 2


124. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #69 - Desperate Measures Part 3


125. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #70 - Desperate Measures Part 4


126. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #9


127. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #10


128. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #71 - Pantheon Family Reunion Part 1 of 2 (Issues 71-75 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Trial of Krang if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this)


129. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #72 - Pantheon Family Reunion Part 2 of 2


130. 
     *optional readingTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo #1 - Namazu or The Big Fish Story
     


131. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #11 (Issues 11-15 of Universe are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe - Volume 3: Karai's Path)


132. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #12 - Karai's Path Part 1 of 4; Prey Part 1


133. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #13 - Karai's Path Part 2 of 4; Prey Part 2


134. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #14 - Karai's Path Part 3 of 4; Prey Part 3


135. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #15 - Karai's Path Part 4 of 4; Prey Part 4


136. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Free Comic Book Day 2017 #1


137. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #73 - The Trial of Krang, Part One


138. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dimension X #1 (Issues 1-5 of Dimension X are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dimension X)


139. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dimension X #2


140. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dimension X #3


141. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dimension X #4


142. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Dimension X #5


143. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #74 - The Trial of Krang, Part Two


144. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #75 - The Trial of Krang, Part Three


145. 
     *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2 #1 (Issues 1-5 of TMNT/Ghostbusters 2 are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2) (This is optional reading, but this series is referenced in the main series, but you can still fully understand the main series without reading this)
     


146. 
     *optional readingTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2 #2
     


147. 
     *optional readingTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2 #3
     


148. 
     *optional readingTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2 #4
     


149. 
     *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2 #5
     


150. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #16 - From the Heart, For the Herd Part One; Triceratots! (Issues 16-20 of Universe are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe - Volume 4: Home if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this)


151. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #17 - From the Heart, For the Herd Part Two; Triceratots! Part Two


152. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #76 - Invasion of the Triceratons Part One (Issues 76-80 of the main series are collected in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Invasion of the Triceratons if you like to read in trades, but you may want to read some of the other books in between issues as shown on this)


153. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #77 - Invasion of the Triceratons Part Two


154. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #18 - Monster Hunt; Mutagen Maitenance


155. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #78 - Invasion of the Triceratons Part Three


156. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #79 - Invasion of the Triceratons Part Four


157. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #80 - Invasion of the Triceratons Part Five


158. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #19 - Service Animals Part One; Kingdom of Rats Prelude


159. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #20 - Service Animals Part One; Through Red Eyes


160. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #81 - Kingdom of the Rats Part 1 (The trade for the remaining issues of the main series are not out at the time of this list being written)


161. 
     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #21 - Lost Causes; How Woody Spent His Triceraton Invasion (The trade for the remaining issues of Universe are not out at the time of this list being written)


162. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #82 - Kingdom of the Rats Part 2


163. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #22 - Lost Causes Part Two; Dangerous Waters


164. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #83 - Kingdom of the Rats Part 3


165. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #23 - ...And Out Came the Reptiles Part One; Nobody Cares


166. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #84 - Kingdom of the Rats Part 4


167. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #24 - ...And Out Came the Reptiles Part Two; Life At Sea


168. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #25 - Spirit Walk


169. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #85


170. 
     *optional readingTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #1 (The trade for Hit the Road is not out at the time of this list being written)


171. 
     *optional readingTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #2
     


172. 
     *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #3
     


173. 
     *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #4
     


174. 
     *optional reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #5
     


175. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #86 - Battle Lines, Part 1

or you can read Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection Volume 1-8, it's got it all with the tie-ins.

I also suggest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Color Classics, Vol. 1-? (ongoing), collecting the original TMNT (from Mirage Studio) in collorized versions by IDW. The stories are awsome and much darker than the 90's version.

Wow cool list, I remember you from the past. The big TMNT fan dude lol. I lost track of the comics, so many but am a casual TMNT fan, I tend to read every crossover tie in lol like Batman/TMNT I love. And I loved that story where Leo gets brainwashed for a while, then Donny kind of dies but is really comatose and they transfer his mind/conscious into Metalhead's body a while. Favorite turtle is Raph though

@lubub55 - Here's a complete order of issues.

My hero.