Issue 7: One Cool Irish Chick

ISSUE 7: ONE COOL IRISH CHICK

Forget to wear your green today? Have no fear - the Turtles are always in fashion for St. Patrick's Day. Although the brothers are never seen throwing back pints of Guinness, they sure do evoke the ways of the Irish. They know how to party, they eat pizza like it was potatoes, and they've got a huge family. Not to mention they pal around with one of the coolest Irish gals in the Big Apple - April O'Neil.

In the 1987's cartoon, April was a dedicated TV reporter; always equipped with a video camera and donned a full-bodied, yellow jumpsuit. In the 2003 cartoon, April went through a metamorphosis. Gone were the form-fitting jumpsuit and On-Air ambitions. April was now closer to her character from the original comics - acting as an assistant to the crazed scientist, Baxter Stockman.

In both renditions, April remained a slick mix of girl next door, witty, and intelligent. The Turtles thought she was cool and so did I (in both 1987 and 2003). So on this St. Patrick's Day, The Sewer Den presents a comparison piece from the TMNT collection. An in-depth look at the April O'Neil action figures from 1987 and 2003 cartoon series.

 

To our left, we've got April from the original 1987 cartoon series. To the right, we've got April from the 2003 series. Side by side in all their glory.

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The Face - April 1987

Wow...this action figure is definitely NOT in mint condition. Aside from the paint coming off, April still looks a bit weird here. Her blue eyes are bugging out - like some sort of sleep-deprived drug addict. Her hair is brown, dirty-looking, and matted down. Where's the fluffy, fun, and orange hair she had in the cartoon? This face doesn't even look like the April I remember from the 80's cartoon...

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The Face - April 2003

With only 12 years under her belt, opposed to over 25, this April is a little easier on the eyes. It also helps that she managed to put on some makeup this time around. Her hair is officially red and up in a ponytail instead of lying flat on her head. Also left behind are her blue eyes - they're green now. On top of the new color, she also manages to avoid looking straight ahead. Maybe they thought it was "edgier" in 2003 to not make eye contact with people (even if you're an action figure).

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The Torso - April 1987

Dang - this woman is curvy! Her waist is super tiny, accented by a small white belt. She also lets herself be a little flirtatious with that jumpsuit unzipped just a bit to show a tad of skin. Her sleeves are slightly rolled up too. Although with shoulders and arms like that...I'd be nervous this April might beat me up.

Oh, and she has man hands.

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The Torso - April 2003

Sex sells, kids. This isn't your grandpa's yellow jumpsuit. In 2003, April was baring it all. Significant wardrobe changes were made to the midriff and arm areas...basically they were completely eliminated so you could see some April skin. Her waist and hips are similar to her 1987 size (with a black belt this time around), but her arms and shoulders have definitely become more slender. Although for all the addition skin that was put on display, she seems to have lost the flirtatious looks of an unzipped jumpsuit...

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The Legs - April 1987

I have to hand it to the April of 1987 - these pants are awesome. She's rocking a sweet Han Solo/Bruce Lee-like stripe down the side leading to some stellar boots. Equipped with cargo pockets too! Tight, but not too tight.

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The Legs - April 2003

Look at this image for a moment. Really look at it. Now...let me ask you something. Don't these legs look like a man? Baggy pants, boring boots, bland colors. Ugh, it's terrible. All the sex appeal has been lost. We got rid of the yellow jumpsuit for this?!

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The Accessory - April 1987

Being a TV reporter, April brought her trusty video camera everywhere. She was always on the scene - always looking for a scoop.

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The Accessory - April 2003

Like I mentioned, in the 2003 cartoon series April worked as an assistant to a scientist. So clearly the best accessory for her would be...a steel pipe? In just under 20 years, April went from an innocent video camera to a blunt object. Maybe if April put on a shirt that covered her midriff, she wouldn't need a steel pipe.

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So there you have it - April O'Neil. From yellow jumpsuit to exposed stomach, she's one cool Irish chick. Happy St. Patrick's Day from The Sewer Den.

AND speaking of sex appeal...here's a photo from Halloween a few years back. Be happy I went with April from 1987 and not April from 2003.