As a fan of the franchise, I’ve been keeping an eye on the availability of the original TMNT comics on the open market. Until recently, the best and most affordable way to get your hands on the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics was to pick up the Ultimate Collection releases, which compiled several issues of the 80’s TMNT comic books into one beautiful hardcover book. While these physical compilations are still available, they can be somewhat cost prohibitive for fans who want to experience the origin of the turtles without spending hundreds of dollars. Thankfully, these same collections of Ninja Turtles comics were recently made available for the Kindle and Comixology app at a reduced price.
To be fair, with an average MSRP of around $50, the hardcover variants of the Ultimate Collection series are actually very well priced. Considering that these books are printed in the same high quality magazine size as the original comics from the early 80’s, you’re actually getting a lot of bang for your buck with these compendiums. That being said, I’m sure that a lot of fans who just want to read the original comics would much rather pay a lower price, despite the fact that they would be experiencing the comics on a slightly less authentic format. Regardless of the smaller screen and the lack of physical pages, these new digital representations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Ultimate Collection are still a great deal.
Currently being offered at the price of $9.99-$12.99 per volume, each collection of the original Mirage TMNT comics offers roughly 7 issues in story order, allowing you to traverse through the stories that would eventually go on to inform a variety of different interpretations of the Ninja Turtles. If you’ve ever wanted to experience the real origin story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, these digital versions of the Ultimate Collection should more than suffice. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still take advantage of this deal by downloading either the Kindle app or the Comixology app on your phone or tablet. Both options will give you access to these Ultimate Collection volumes no matter what type of device you are using.
In addition to being a lot more affordable, digital comic releases also typically provide a larger profit margin to the artists and creators who made the story possible. In other words, while buying the physical copies will more than likely continue to line the pockets of creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, they might actually make more money from the digital releases despite the lower price tag. That’s just something to keep in mind when making a decision about not only how you experience the origins of the Ninja Turtles, but also how you support the creators. At this point, it’s hard to know where the money is going, but it’s a safe bet that this affordable option will support the creative efforts that continue to bring us awesome Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stories to this day.
What do you think? Is this price point good enough to consider a purchase? Would you rather experience the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in a physical format or digital? Is price a factor in deciding how to enjoy your TMNT comics? Share your thoughts either in the comments below or via facebook/twitter.
