'Walk of Shame' April O'Neil :: New from Playmates!

"Call me!"

This is Shogun April O'Neil from 1993, and one of the last waves of original TMNT action figures. Based I assume (having never seen the movie) on the TMNT III live action film, April is either lost in time wearing her traditional ancient Japanese garb, or is walking off a massive hangover of regret, hoping she doesn't run into anyone she knows on the subway ride home while wearing a stolen bathrobe and pajama bottoms taken from the bathroom floor before climbing out the window of the apartment of a guy she only knows as Tinder's @BigGunz69.

"Jose Cuervo, you are NOT a friend of mine!"

At least her make-up isn't smeared. Small favors!

I'm sure April's hair was a bit less 'Splinter's-nest-y' when new, but it's a hot mess now! I found her at the bottom of a quarter bin at the flea market last weekend. I'm sure the seller had no idea she was a TMNT as all his other TMNT figures were overpriced. In his defense, Shogun April comes across as a McDonald's Happy Meal Barbie type toy, and not one single thing about her would lead you to believe she was April O'Neil. But hey, I won't judge her. We all have our pasts.

In Space, No One Can Hear You Report The News

Robot Monster Space Superhero and Toyriffic made a toy swap the other day, and included in the box I received from John was this Space April O'Neil action figure!

Space April is one of the latest Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figure releases, and coincides with recent episodes that take place IIIIIIN SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!

I don't follow the ongoing cartoon very closely, but the idea of having April O'Neil in a space suit is too cool to pass up.

Space April's helmet is removable, which is cool for play value but unfortunately her head sits pretty low on her neck, so without the helmet on she looks a little out of proportion.

A lot of fans of the show are glad to see this head-sculpt, as it more closely resembles April's animated design than the standard April O'Neil action figure, but I actually prefer the more cartoony looking version even if it is off-model. The other headsculpt, while not cartoon accurate, certainly comes across as more lively than this one.

April looks better with the space helmet on. It fits loosely into a tab in the back and isn't as snug as I'd prefer. It could have used a couple more points of linkage to keep it more securely in place, but whatever.

Not being up on the cartoon, I am unsure if this is a camera or a blaster that looks like a camera (knowing the history of the TMNT action figure line, it could be either!) but I am guessing that it's just a camera.

Then again, who carries a camera in a hip holster? Whatever it is, it's a nice addition to the figure and fits nicely into the holster - in fact, it snaps in more securely than her helmet. Safety last!

As modern TMNT action figures go, Space April is pretty good. Her articulation is lacking (but not as much as some of the figures in the line) and while her paint apps are limited, she's pretty basically colored so it is in keeping with the animated design. The pearlescent white really pops and is a nice bonus, as they could have easily just went with basic and likely cheaper white paint.

Space April is a good looking and fun variant, and if modern TMNT figures are your thing, she may be one you'll want to add to your collection.

Thanks again to John for sending her my way!

Random Toy Pic :: April O'Neil, 1992

'This is my best 'Al Bundy' pose. Well, it was this or my hand in my pants.'

This 1992 April O'Neil came my way via an after-garage-sale free pile. She lacks all her accessories but FREE APRIL! She's in great shape, and heretofore was not an April O'Neil in my modest April O'Neil collection (I have five Aprils now...this one as well as Bride of Frankenstein April, Nickelodeon April, Classic April, and 2007 TMNT movie April.

That's a lot of Aprils!

April (O'Neil) in July

Man, the 2007 TMNT cgi animated movie April O'Neil action figure is one tall drink of water!

April is decently articulated: shoulders, neck, hips, and upper arm swivels. She originally came with a handful of weapons, but this one was found with only her sheath and one sword (that originally came with the Foot Ninja.)

April was voiced by Sarah Michelle Geller in the 2007 cgi movie, which is actually pretty darn entertaining. I'm not as impressed with the character designs as I am with most other TMNT designs, but it beats the recent movie by miles!

I don't see this series of TMNT action figures very often in my second hand toy hunts, but I plan on keeping my eyes peeled for a turtle or two now that I have April (and Casey and a Foot Ninja) which I found at the flea market last weekend.

Flea Market Haul!

I didn't make it to SDCC this year, so instead I went to my local flea market (yeah, small consolation!)

But hey, I did at least come away with a handful of fun toys to be reviewed more closely (or not) in the coming weeks.

Starting from the top:

Battle Cat. He's a little scuffed up but isn't broken or chipped, and for a dollar I can't pass up a Battle Cat even if he's sans armor.

Middle row:

Spongebob and Patrick Imaginext figures. I hate the Spongebob cartoon - mostly because his voice makes me want to kick puppies. But I like the character designs and the Imaginext aesthetic, and for a quarter each, I couldn't say 'no.' They will either be absorbed into my intern's collection or be traded off anyways.

April O'Neil, Foot Ninja and Casey Jones from the 2007 TMNT CGI animated flick. It's funny that exactly one week ago John of Robot Monster Space Superhero posted his score of a complete TMNT Casey Jones and today I find three figures from the line, including Casey! Sadly mine is missing his hockey mask, but I will just consider him an unmasked variant until I can get my hands on his mask.

Bottom row:

A rubbery (possibly squeak toy) Rocket J. Squirrel. I need to do some digging to find out the details on this guy, what he is and when he's from, but he's old (at least from the 70s I reckon) and I do love me some Rocky the Flying Squirrel!

Next are three LEGO minifigures. Obi Wan (sans hair, but that's ok, I have a grey hairpiece somewhere) and a couple random characters, one with a female head which are always a plus.

And last nut not least, Minnie Mouse as Princess Leia. My intern was way less interested in this figure than I expected her to be, but then again she had just gotten herself a Cinderella doll when I spotted this one.

Not a bad haul - and I got it (and my intern's Cinderella doll) all for less than ten bucks!

But still, I'd rather be at SDCC. Oh well, maybe next year!

Mirage Comic Book Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Action Figures by Playmates

Do not adjust your monitors. Your color settings are just fine. Contrary to what you may think, you are not seeing a quartet of Raphaels holding his brothers' weapons. What you are seeing are the newest variants of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, based on their original Mirage comic book illustrations!

These Comic Book Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are hitting stores now as part of the standard Playmates TMNT toyline. If you are seeking them, look for the white 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' header. Other figures in the line have the words printed in yellow, making these ones pretty easy to spot on the pegs even when they are hiding behind the other figures. So much for Ninja stealth!

Each of the four turtle brothers is available in this 'comic book' style, the only difference between them being their head sculpts/bandanas and the inclusion of their signature weapons. Some moms, kids and even collectors may opt to only get only one, feeling that the similarities are too monotonous to warrant buying more than one. But in my opinion having all four of these guys together makes for a pretty slick display, and seeing as how they are comparably cheap ($8.99 standard, and often you can find sales on multiple purchases), collecting them all is a hard proposition to resist.

As a small bonus, each figure comes with a card depicting some old-school comic book art. Unfortunately the card backs do not provide any details or any added info. But they look cool on the front!

Word on the streets is that Donatello is the 'short-packed' figure - appearing one per case as opposed to his brothers' two per case ratio. This seems to be pretty standard lately, with Donatello getting the short end of the proverbial Bo Staff. I guess the bean counters don't think he's as popular as his brethren, and maybe they are right. Regardless, if you see Donatello and are on a budget or on the fence about having them all you might want to grab him first, as he could turn out to be harder to find than the others.

That said, Playmates TMNT figures are rarely hard to find , are well distributed and very common at most retailers. So 'harder to find' may be relative, and Donny will probably still be pretty easy to get a hold of if you want him. You just might have to be a little patient - a trait toy collectors tend not to posess.

Speaking of collectors, a common complaint about these guys is that none of the Turtles have sheaths or any way to stow their weapons. This is a design aesthetic accurate to the original art, and perhaps a cost-cutting measure too (since all four turtles share the same body and belt), and really it isn't a big deal for Raph, Don and Mikey. But it is pretty noticeable with Leo, who was given sheaths as the comic art progressed. It would be nice for Leo to be able to sheath his Katana, but the lack of sheaths is not a deal breaker for me.

On the flip-side, Leonardo does have two different sized Katana. They could have easily just packed the same Katana in twice, so there's a point for Playmates.

Mikey's Nunchuku correct an earlier issue for many of his action figure releases by making the 'chain' very thick and not easily bent/stressed/broken. They don't move or bend, but they won't easily break either, or get that hideous stress-induced lightening of the plastic, so that's a plus in my book.

Michaelangelo (or is it Michelangelo?) has the best face sculpt, with his grimacing teeth showing on each side of his grizzled, edgy hard-core schnoz.

But of course Raphael is my favorite, because he's always my favorite. He comes with two good and solid Sai and a bad attitude.

The turtles are well articulated, with swivel shoulders, swivel elbows, swivel hips, swivel knees and a ball-jointed head. Some folks lament the lack of wrist articulation, but whatyagonnado? Lack of wrist articulation isn't a deal breaker for me either.

The original pre-production pics appeared to show dark paint in the sculpted scribble-marks. This paint application is not included on the figures produced, and while it looked good I am actually ok with how they look without it. I enjoy how light and shadow play on the hash-marks; it adds depth and presents a more subued effect. Anyways, it's an easy 'fix' if you are so inclined.

I know collectors are finding a lot of reasons to gripe about these guys, and invariably the comparison to the Collecotr's Grade NECA Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which is a bit unfair to be honest. Are these guys perfect? Not quite. Are they NECA quality? No, not any moreso than JLU figures are DCDirect quality. Apples and Oranges.

For what these are, the Playmates Mirage Comic Book Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are not only a mouthful to say, but they are totally radical, dude! They are eight-ish bucks, available darn near everywhere, well made, solid and durable for kid's play (which is the target market, as much as collectors want to argue otherwise), completely unexpected and finally...

...they are in scale with original Playmates TMNT figures! And let's face it, Casey Jones here is the 'Mirage Comic Book' version too, because there was no other source material to draw from when he was designed. He looks absolutely GREAT next to these new comic book ninja turtles.

Being able to pair Raph and Casey together on my shelf is worth the price of admission alone!

I highly recommend you grab at least one of these guys for your collection. And if you are even a fair-to-middlin TMNT fan, you should probably grab them all. They are really fun to have around, inexpensive, durable, and you can team them up with any iteration of the Turtles and their cohorts for all sorts of parallel universe hopping good times!

COWABUNGA!

TMNT April O'Neil War Fan Accessory Hack!

I rarely get the chance to watch the modern iteration of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. Still, I am a fan of many of the action figures that correspond with it, including April O'Neil, who was one of the first I picked up when the new line was released (shortly after obtaining all four turtles.)

April is a great figure, her likeness to the younger, teen version of the character is pretty close to her cartoon appearance and fits in nicely with the Turtle action figures from the same toon. She originally came with a few ninja weapons, but it was brought to my attention recently that in the cartoon she has started using a 'War Fan' as a signature weapon ala Leo's katana, Raph's sai etc.

It struck me that I had a Playmobil fan or two that had come with the Fi?ures series Geisha (which I had parted out to make my Playmobil Harley Quinns) and voila! I was able to give April her signature weapon!

Playmobil stuff really comes in handy sometimes.

I probably won't go so far as to paint these designs onto the fan, but who knows. At least she has her war fan, decorations or not!

Weird Science, or: More Fun with Muck Man, Mutagen Man, and Slime!

...and Legos!

I built this Lego slime pit ages ago. It was so long ago, in fact, that it is all dusty! But I am only now finally getting around to a photoshoot, thanks to the inspirational voices of Muck Man and Mutagen Man!

"Is our victim ready, MM?"

"Ready, unwilling, and unable...to escape, MM!"

"Okay MM, you man the outflow modulator..."

"...while I monitor the carbonator catalyst!"

"It's slime-time!"

Gloop Glork Glop Glip...

"AHHHHH! What are you doing to me?"

"Don't fight it, Miss O'Neil. We promise, this is for your own good!"

"Just you wait until the turrppplllssmhhmnnhmnn...."

"It's working, MM, it's working! The mutagen is taking hold of her DNA and the results are...are..."

"...OUTSTANDING!"

"And I assure you, Miss O'Neil, your turtle friends will be most pleased indeed!"

April (O'Neil) in December

For as many original TMNT figures as I have accumulated, there was one that I had, until this weekend, never picked up - that spunky reporter and friend to a quartet of teenaged terrapins, the inimitable April O'Neil:

But I couldn't pass up this fine example, in pretty near perfect condition for under a buck.

I know there were a couple versions of April, with stripes, without stripes, etc etc, and even a re-release or two. Don't know if this is an original or a re-release, but she's in pretty good condition, so I assume that she is. Which is fine, it was time to add her to the club.

She's a cute figure, and reminds me a bit of the original Teela. She's in great condition, with a little scrape on the paint of her hair but nothing too dramatic.

I'm only bummed that her action feature doesn't work.

What action feature?

I don't know...I kept pressing where it said to do so, but nothing happened...

Bride of Frankenstein April :: Countdown to Halloween 2012

"Wait, does this mean I'm marrying Michelangelo?!?!"

Bride of Frankenstein April O'Neil was actually part of the second wave of TMNT/Universal Monsters figures. She's the only one I have from that series, but I hope to someday rectify that issue! Other figures in the series were Invisible Man Michelangelo, Creature from the Black Lagoon Leonardo, and Metaluna Mutant Raphael. Yeah, they hit the bottom of the barrel on that one. Which probably explains why there wasn't a Donatello in the second series. Still, they are all pretty neat looking and I hope to gather them all together someday soon - maybe by next Halloween?

April here doesn't glow in the dark at all, like the series one figures, unfortunately. But she did come with a lot of themed accessories, including a can of 'scare spray' to keep that 'do in check.

She also came with a trading card and she (and/or the series one turtles) all came with a discount coupon to Universal Studios, which I added to the shot for posterity's sake. It expired in 1995.

Interesting that they made her hair black instead of red. Not sure why they went that way, except that maybe a huge red bouffant looked even more ridiculous than she already does.

Thus concludes my collection of TMNT/Universal Monster figures (EDIT: Not true, I was able to procure two of the three I needed, tune in later this month to find out who!)

And tune in tomorrow for more creepy goodness as Countdown to Halloween 2012 trudges on through the fog!

The Fifth Turtle

Meet the fifth Turtle - April O'Neil: Loyal Turtle ally from above the sewers!

Nickelodeon's new take on TMNT's April O'Neil is a nice reboot: April is now a teen like her turtle contemporaries and is also in training with Splinter to be a fellow ninja!

I haven't seen the new show yet, I don't think it's even out, but this concept for April seems much more accessible to kids than a buxom TV news reporter.

April is sturdy and well designed. She lacks knee and elbow articulation as her thin limbs wouldn't have supported them without sacrificing durability, and I'm fine with that, as I imagine most kids are too. Expect adult collectors to bitch about it though ;)

April's primary weapon is the Bo staff, like Donatello, and I imagine this means there will either be jealousy between the two or a stronger connection than between April and the other turtles. We'll see.

I like the '5' on her shirt and believe it alludes to the fact that April is (or will be) the fifth member of the team. Also, she has a yellow headband and a ponytail that harken the design aesthetic of the Turtles' masks. I sure hope April's ninja training leads to her inclusion in the team proper, as well as a nifty yellow eye mask!

April, like the other toys in this line and classic TMNT action figures of decades past, comes with a sprue of ninja training weapons to wield and share. Not sure what those 'egg' shaped things are - smoke bombs maybe?

"Hey Don, wanna practice with me?"

Check out some more Turtle Powered posts:
Nickelodeon TMNT Raphael.
Classic Giant Android Body Krang.
Raphael...troll doll?
Axel Rose hates this turtle!