As long as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles part of pop culture, they have always maintained a strong stance against the forces of evil. Whether it was invasions by alien armies or clashes between ninja clans, there was never an enemy that the Heroes in a Half Shell failed to ultimately defeat.
That being said, the heroes of the Splinter Clan aren’t the only formidable fighting force their world has to offer. They’re not even the only team of mutants to band together against a common enemy or in the name of a common cause. With so many different factions to keep track of, it can be difficult to tell exactly which one is the most competent, although analyzing things purely in named formations makes it a bit easier to identify the best of the best.
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The Street Phantoms used advanced technology
An Underrated Villain Team Is Obscure For Good Reason
Created for 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series, the Street Phantoms are a gang of high-tech thieves who have no problem slipping into or out of any situation. All this is possible thanks to their unique capes, which allow them to pass directly through solid matter. As such, no safes or safes can prevent them from accessing their chosen prize, although turtles usually can. When Street Phantoms debuted at IDW in 2015 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #51, they did so alongside a less cartoonish version of their former boss, Darius Dunn.
Despite all their technological equipment, the Street Phantoms couldn’t keep up with the Heroes in a Half Shell, especially not when the heroes were receiving much-needed help from their former ally, Professor Harold Lilja. Ultimately, the Street Phantoms were stripped of their powers and set free to try to create new lives for themselves. Dunn’s story didn’t end until long after his death, when his vengeful spirit was defeated with the help of an entirely different team of ’80s superstars.
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The Purple Dragons gang were soldiers in many wars
Purple Dragons Helped Define the Ninja Turtles’ World
The fearsome Purple Dragons gang has long been a part of the group Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles myth, the infamous Hun often leading the charge against any opponent. Although this is still valid true in IDW Publishing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesthe tension that surrounds them hashas grown significantly from previous iterations, largely due to Hun’s connection to none other than Casey Jones.
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Hun can go after Casey in almost any version of his character, but IDW Publishing’s take on the pair brings them closer than ever as bitter rivals and father and son. This made every instance of Casey siding with the Turtles all the more hurtful for the openly xenophobic Hun, who led his purple dragons to take murderous action against the half-shell heroes. Tragically, Hun’s hatred could not save him or his gang from passing through and escaping his control and, by extension, overcoming his inherent xenophobia for brief periods of time.
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The Gang of Four were mutants hired by Null
TMNT’s Deadliest Mercenaries Can’t Be Held Down for Long
A byproduct of the Archie Comics era of the franchise created by Dean Clarrain, Ryan Brown and Jim Lawson, the Gang of Four originally appeared as a band of cybernetically enhanced mercenaries in the employ of the demonic Mister Null of the infernal Null Corporation. Rather than being simple cyborgs, the Gang of Four were thanasoids, reanimated ancient corpses with minimal sentience and their mechanized enhancements.
Luckily for IDW Publishing’s Gang of Four, these aren’t high-tech undead soldiers but enhanced human-born mutants. Still working for Null Group, this Gang of Four has implants allowing them to switch between their human and mutant forms. As if that wasn’t enough, they have also been granted the ability to take on various mutant forms in addition to their own, making them the perfect choice for anyone looking to accuse the real Ninja Turtles of acts of despicable terrorism .
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The Nova Posse Protect Dimension
TMNT’s Interstellar Heroes Still Leave Fans Amazed
Another Archie Comics original that has made its way into the pages of IDW Publishing. Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesThe Nova Posse, is Dimension X’s premier group of outlaw freedom fighters. At least they were in their original incarnation, even if their modern counterparts aren’t that far from where they started.
Even though the current Nova Posse are generally considered a more legitimate force than their predecessors, they are still just as susceptible to getting into trouble and answering only to their own authority. Fortunately, each member of the Nova Posse is a proven hero in their own right. With only a handful of appearances in the IDW timeline, there’s still plenty of room for more Nova Posse adventures in the future, and given their invaluable assistance during the events of Rat King. Armageddon gameany story featuring them would be a surefire hit with fans.
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The punk frogs were mutated by Old Hob’s mutagen bomb
The Ninja Turtles aren’t the only amphibious heroes in their franchise
1987s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The animated series introduced a whole host of instantly iconic concepts and characters that have become indelible parts of the broader franchise in the decades since. Among these more underrated yet regularly seen additions are the Punk Frogs, who traded in their classic surfer vibes for something much more worthy of their name in the pages of IDW comics.
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IDW Publishing’s Punk Frogs were first seen trudging through the snowy alleys of New York City in 2021. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #124 by Sophie Campbell and Ken Garing. Before long, they made a name for themselves as exceptionally powerful brawlers, so much so that even the Turtles were unprepared for combat. Things took a horrific turn when it was discovered that the remains of the missing Punk Frog Bonnie had been transformed into IDW’s Venus. This could have easily led to an all-out war between the Punk Frogs and the Ninja Turtles, but the fact that they instead showed mutual respect for each other before going their separate ways shows just how amazing the former truly are.
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The Ghostbusters officially exist in a connected reality
Another team of ’80s icons are officially the Ninja Turtles’ favorite allies
It might seem strange to hear the Ghostbusters mentioned in a discussion about the greatest teams in the world. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. Still, New York’s first team of spectral stompers became important in IDW Publishing’s vision of the series. The first time the teams crossed paths was in 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters by Tom Waltz and Erik Burnham, the latter of the two eponymous teams legitimately changed the course of the former’s entire world, all without either of them realizing it.
When the two teams crossed paths again three years later, the stakes weren’t as high as the first time, but the joy shared by everyone involved absolutely was. As a single unit, the Ghostbusters and the Ninja Turtles have worked together seamlessly in the face of all manner of interdimensional and spectral threats. Better yet, the follow-up series gave fans the chance to get acquainted with an amalgamation of the two in the form of the Ghostbusturtles, who stood out as exactly the kind of fan service readers had been hoping to see all along.
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The Mighty Mutanimals welcomed some big hitters
The mighty Mutanimals are almost as strong as the Splinter clan
Throughout their original incarnation in the Archie Comics timeline, through every television appearance and subsequent iteration, the Mighty Mutanimals have always been a group of strong, capable, and quick-witted mutants who came together to protect their species as best they knew. Unsurprisingly, this hasn’t always led to the Mighty Mutanimals playing the role of heroes in their own story, which is especially true in IDW comics.
Founded by the ruthless Old Hob and the oversized Slash, the Mighty Mutanimals of the IDW timeline have long been a force of nature in their own right. While they have always looked out for their fellow mutants, they have also committed villainous acts. The most devastating was the explosion of Old Hob’s mutagen bomb above New York, which gave birth to Mutant Town. Fortunately, almost everyone involved found a way to accept the role they played in this event and its repercussions, so much so that even Old Hob himself found an unexpected chance at redemption.
The Ninja Turtles’ oldest enemies have always been a force of nature unto themselves
Ever since the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles appeared on the comics page in 1984, they have been at war with the Foot Clan in one form or another. Even when tensions between the two eased, a cloud of doubt lingered over how long the peace between the Foot and Splinter clans would last.
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Across IDW Publishing’s business Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtleswhether it is the continuity of the main line or the dark future of The Last Roninthe Foot Clan either waited for their opportunity to strike or actively engaged the Heroes in a Half Shell in combat. That being said, IDW Publishing has pushed the Foot Clan in bigger and bolder directions than any other company that has taken the reins of the group. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and it’s hard to imagine they’ll tone down that trend anytime soon.
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The Pantheon is a powerful family of ancient legends
TMNT’s Immortal Entities Are Nearly Unstoppable
The Pantheon is quite possibly the most powerful group of all iterations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, not to mention the IDW. Comprised of eight immortal deities, the Pantheon ruled the Earth for eons before stepping aside to watch humanity take charge of its own destiny. And while they generally stayed out of the rest of the world’s affairs, they were also the center of many stories in their time.
With IDW’s Hall of Fame consisting of key characters such as Shredder’s former wife Kitsune, the villainous Rat King and Chi-You, and the always confusing Toad Baron, readers would truly be missing out on something special if the Hall of Fame didn’t didn’t have the chance. to step into the spotlight from time to time. At the same time, considering the damage caused by certain members of the Pantheon, namely the Rat King, the Turtles are probably better off without having to face them so often.
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The Hamato Clan eventually evolved into the Splinter Clan
TMNT heroes will always be better than the competition
It should come as no surprise to anyone that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is at the very top of their franchise. The Foot Clan may be ancient, the Nova Posse may be interdimensional, and the Pantheon may be immortal. Yet Heroes in a Half Shell will always be the best by such a wide margin that the differences don’t matter. There’s certainly an argument to be made that the Turtles are only as great as they are because of their allies, not to mention the occasional plot armor fight. Yet IDW Publishing has proven that these old tropes can be subverted and achieve great success.
In IDW’s main continuity, the Hamato clan, aka the Splinter clan, is almost as old as the Foot. Their intertwined fates are an interesting take on the Splinter Clan, while opening them up to almost anyone who wants to join pushes them to an edge that fans didn’t even know was there to cross. At this point, the Splinter Clan of the IDW comics has come to encompass more characters than most fans can keep track of, and visions of their future only include more. That’s to say nothing of all the massive strides these specific Ninja Turtles have made when it comes to their personal prowess, relationships, and overall place in the world.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Brothers Leonardo, Raphael, Michaelangelo and Donatello are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, fighting evil in comics, TV, movies and more.
- Created by
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Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird
- First TV show
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Latest TV Show
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- First episode broadcast date
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December 14, 1987