I've never read any TMNT comics before and this was an enjoyable read for me despite being an anthology of stories rather than a chronological, cohesive story arc. I had people warn me about how gritty the older comics were, but I found that I really didn't mind it. At some point one of the characters breaks a rat's spine in a fight. I know, that sounds strange out of context, but my point is, it is kind of gritty. I actually want to start reading the 2009 run so I can get a greater feel for the comics.