Did black April work or not work in your opinion?

[CyberCubed]

This show made April black for the first time. Do you feel black April worked or didn't work now that the show is over?

I've seen many people say, "This isn't April" or "April in name-only" which I can see.

[The Great Saiyaman]

I liked how sassy and "take-no-s#!t-from-anybody" this April was.

It's also why I did a couple of "Rise" comics with her.

[Autbot_Benz]

April in name only felt like shameless pandering to a certain demographic of people

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Black April, white April, don't care. I didn't ignore Rise because of April, I ignored Rise because of the Turtles.

Run a black April by me in a different, better series and I'll let you know.

[AquaParade]

Sure, why not?

[sdp]

Red head adult white April who is a scientist, not a hyper active ninja. If she must be a teenager then give her real teenage things to do, no reporter either.
She should wear yellow in a subtle way if possible, purple crop tops allowed.

[CyberCubed]

I liked how sassy and "take-no-s#!t-from-anybody" this April was

That's part of the problem for me, whenever they make a black character it's always the same, "take no sh!t and speak my mind" personality because if they made her act any way else it would be perceived as racist.

[The Great Saiyaman]

Red head adult white April who is a scientist, not a hyper active ninja. If she must be a teenager then give her real teenage things to do, no reporter either.
She should wear yellow in a subtle way if possible, purple crop tops allowed.
Just for fun...

Let's see...
https://nick-intl.mtvnimages.com/uri/mgid:file:gsp:scenic:/international/nick.co.uk/shows/rise-tmnt/april-405x405_NEW.png?height=360&width=640&matte=true&crop=false
- Auburn hair, I guess that counts...
- Wearing Yellow, no doubt about the fact that she DOES.
- Real teenage things, she's seldom seen without her phone, works odd jobs, interacts with her classmates, has a BFF in Sunita.
- Having mentioned Sunita, April also made her way into a Television studio and actually did a live TV show and a weather report while she was at it.

[Torterra]

I was okay with black April, her personality was interesting compare to her predecessors and if Rise wasn't going to introduce Casey Jones at all in the series. I would have been fine with this April being the "Diet Casey Jones" of it.

[IMJ]

Black April, white April, don't care. I didn't ignore Rise because of April, I ignored Rise because of the Turtles.

Run a black April by me in a different, better series and I'll let you know.

Exactly. The question as presented in this thread is loaded, short sighted and unnecessarily provocative in it's trapping options.

[neatoman]

Did black April work or not work? I don't really care, and I don't think that is a question worth asking to be honest. Now it might be a legitimate criticism that she's annoying because she's way too hyper and April should be more calm, that refers to what she's like and actually gives me something I can debate. In fact, there's probably plenty of things we could talk about, like "Are you confused about how she met the turtles?" or "Was her constantly getting fired a funny gag?". There are definitely topics of discussion that can revolve around her.

Asking "What did you think of her being black?" is a really strange question. It's ultimately just an artistic choice and one that would (in theory) not impact plot or character interaction, at least not for something like this. Unless your answer is indifference, any answer given is going to imply some bias, so you really don't want to leave yourself open to misunderstanding when it comes to a subject like this. Please, come up with something better to ask next time.

[IndigoErth]

Indifferent. She's okay, didn't hate her or anything, but could do without the April-centric episodes... it wasn't her show. There really wasn't much that said "April" to me, to be honest, though nor does the last one a whole lot either beyond the superficial part of being a white redhead. Both got too involved and I hope we next go back to an older April. I want to see that "big sister" kind of thing back.

As others said, she could be a bit annoying... but the whole show was pretty much done in the same tone, not just her.

I'm not one of those people who gets all mad and starts screaming against "SJW" or anything, but I still think changing who characters are like this is a little lazy and more-so a loss of a chance to expand the franchise. It would be nice to see the Turtles gain new friends, and characters who are minorities and/or teens would be great candidates, but making them April just kind of ends their return when more than likely she is probably going to go back to being a grown white woman for most future versions. Same for their just barely attempt effort on "female Casey."

I wouldn't mind seeing her again, or another character inspired by her...but maybe calm down some and back off a little? Maybe the Turtles need a shyer, more subdued friend for once, who is there to watch their backs but not physically get involved with the fights.

[Powder]

This April did not work for me whatsoever, but not because they made her black. However, the way they handled that did give pause.

I would imagine I probably have no place to say so, pardon any unintended ignorance, but this April felt like a very over the top stereotype of what white people who know no better peripherally think black women are like. I've had this conversation with a few black women I'm acquainted with & they said the same, although obviously that's not representative of everyone's opinion. I dunno. I know she was voiced by a woman of color but April's portrayal here was a little sketchy to me.

Beyond that, it was her bad attitude & overpowered fighting capability that ruined the character for me. April should never be so involved in combat, let alone constantly saving the day, or besting & even bullying the turtles themselves. I realize all characters were played up to extremes for laughs, but while most were altered a bit to feel fresh & new, everyone short of April retained enough of their original qualities to meet my personal satisfaction. If she had gone by another name, I'd likely have been a lot less critical.

[ssjup81]

That's part of the problem for me, whenever they make a black character it's always the same, "take no sh!t and speak my mind" personality because if they made her act any way else it would be perceived as racist.Haven't all the Aprils been portrayed in this way to some extent, though? OT April was like that. 2012 April was like that. Not sure about 2003 April....

[victory_angel]

Haven't all the Aprils been portrayed in this way to some extent, though? OT April was like that. 2012 April was like that. Not sure about 2003 April....

2K3 April was a take no **** character too. She didn't let being a girl stop her, and she did learn some martial arts from the turtles and splinter to help them as well. While she did leave the Ninja Business to the Turtles's themselves she would put her life at risk to protect them because they matter that much to her.

[sdp]

Just for fun...

- Auburn hair, I guess that counts...
- Wearing Yellow, no doubt about the fact that she DOES.
- Real teenage things, she's seldom seen without her phone, works odd jobs, interacts with her classmates, has a BFF in Sunita.
- Having mentioned Sunita, April also made her way into a Television studio and actually did a live TV show and a weather report while she was at it.

Her hair is fine, I'm just not a fan of changing a characters race without a real reason unless it actually works and sometimes it does but it's rare and definitely not right now. I haven't watched enough of Rise but what I watched did not impress me, I might change my mind when I watch the show. Rise April did not act like a teenager, and if we aren't going to have a teenage April act like a teenager I prefer an adult one, by teenager I mean some teen drama like say X-Men Evolution had. And no, I don't want her jumping around fighting bad guys with the turtles. She can eventually train and become good at martial arts but never become say Karai's equal which sadly is what we seem to get when April becomes more involved. April can be a reporter for a bit, that's fine, cool nod but she's a scientist first and foremost.

[Leofan26]

My favorite April to this day seems to be the 2003 version, she wasn't weak but not too powerful like the 2012 or Rise version. I just feel this version of April was too perfect, she lacked flaws.

[Hans Flying Turtlenecker]

The fact that she's black doesn't bother me at all. It's her personality I can't stand. That whole extreme sassy and hyperactive personality is just so annoying to me.
I much prefer April from 2003 and 1990.

[IndigoErth]

and hyperactive personality is just so annoying to me.
That does remind me.... I do not and will not miss that last ad they were running for the past months with the clip of her getting hyper on Raph about not "making a scene." Didn't mind her when she's calm, but that stuff gets annoying... as is that jumpy animation.

And for the love of god, stop using your own name as a battle cry. (Why did she even need one and then make it as lazy as possible.) That and some of the other repeated sound bites from the Turtles needed to stop.

[Wes]

And for the love of god, stop using your own name as a battle cry.
TBH, I'm inclined read that as a dig at audiences who strongly objected to this version of the character. Like "just in case you forgot, I am who I am!" :tanime:

Anyway, I enjoyed it. I mean, I didn't always like this particular version of April in terms of personality/storylines/etc, but I had no issues with the character's skin color. Every incarnation of April is pretty different, and there's no reason April can't be black -- her whiteness is no more essential than her being a TV news reporter, and folks have been fine with plenty of versions (including the original) who weren't that. She's female and she's the Turtles' ally... and even then there's no reason April couldn't be a villain in a future series (though I wouldn't at all be surprised when she did a heel-face turn).

Moreover: there were moments during the finale that I think worked *especially* well because of April's skin color. Most POC who inhabit majority white spaces know all too well the feeling of not belonging, so (even though the Rise context is majority-mutant/Asian) I really appreciated Karai's exchange with April. That Mikey had drawn her into his Gram-Gram family portrait was an especially nice touch. <3

[FredWolfLeonardo]

The question is framed in a really strange way, in particular the yes option which asks "Are you ok with April being black?“.

As if the problems that people have with Rise April boil down to her skin colour...

[Diorm]

The poll is missing the: "I didnt really care about it" kinda answer.
For me it's only her attitude that was annoying. She was ok in the last episodes.

[dragonside]

I thought this April was pretty cool.

At first, I didn't really see much of April in her.. she seemed like a very generic high schooler.

Season 2 April got way better. I think her being a student of Splinter was like the best part and they had that whole Karate kid episode. Also I liked that they did compare and contrast with Casey (Cassandra) Jones.

Casey wanted to so badly to be a successful member of the footclan. Obsession.
April was a little bit of an outsider and aggressive in her desire to success (i.e. selling those cookies) and needed lessons in patience and approach.

Both desired success and needed guidance. And they each stepped up in their own way when the chips were down.

Does the color of her skin matter? not really. This is the Rise version of April and I'll leave it at that.

[IMJ]

The question as presented in this thread is loaded, short sighted and unnecessarily provocative in it's trapping options.

[Coola Yagami]

Question should be more 'did Rise April'.

Her being black had nothing to do with nothing. This show was so hyper and insane. if April was still white all you would have done is replace this insane black girl with an insane white girl.


Also Cubed, never visit Harlem. You'd naive enough to start asking folks about the 'a' or 'hard r' and you'll never survive.

[CyberCubed]

This thread was made with completely innocent intentions and no ulterior motives, I can assure you.

As they say, "It is what it is."

[turtle1237]

I do not watch the show often, but maybe I am wrong but was this April biting people on the leg? I mean she seem insane as a above post said, but April biting people REGARDLESS of race is the last think I would think of when I think April O'Neil. I could be wrong or was it the arm?

[Andrew NDB]

Never watched it. Though since the show failed, I'm assuming this version of April didn't connect with people.

[Galactus]

I didn't watch it either but I doubt the show sunk or swum based on April O'Neil.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Never watched it. Though since the show failed, I'm assuming this version of April didn't connect with people.

From the little that I've watched, she was obnoxious.

I didn't watch it either but I doubt the show sunk or swum based on April O'Neil.

No but she certainly didn't help it.

[CyberCubed]

I know there's some fanart of black April on deviantart and tumblr, so she does have some fans I guess.

[King Kahn]

April in name only felt like shameless pandering to a certain demographic of people

What certain demo are you talking about?

[Teddygaming reviews]

to be honest i couldn't care less what colour her skin was. i would have preferred if she was white only because all the other versions were whit, but if she was black again i would have nothing against it. My only problem with this version of april was that she didn't feel like april

[Luckyday]

I am honestly not bother because even the turtles themselves were radically different from their original counterpart. Mostly for the better and some for the worst.

But if this same April was in 2k3 and 2012 but look and acted the same way from Rise then I would have a problem because this character simply shouldn't been April. If she just look black but acted like April, I would only think about for five minutes wondering if this was a call back to when mirage April had that jerry curl look and her skin tone was dark for one or two issues, but honestly that's how I would feel about it.

In terms of personality, Rise April is blatantly different and for good reason because her past iterations would never have the energy to deal with Rise turtles's crazy ********. Could your April be willingly to make a serious documentary of her friends doing the Lair Games or blindly jump into a fight with just a baseball bat against some lovecraftian monster

I know your April isn't a wallflower, but damn it this April was fun and just fits with this universe perfectly because everyone in this show was already crazy to some degree. :lol:

[Rooish]

Great shows don't connect with people all the time, so yeah that's not a good way to measure anything.

I don't think it was April who was the issue.

[IndigoErth]

In terms of personality, Rise April is blatantly different and for good reason because her past iterations would never have the energy to deal with Rise turtles's crazy ********.
:lol::tlol: You know, I guess that's a pretty damn good reason, else she might have just blown them off and stayed home like any sane person. lol

[CyberCubed]

I really don't like this April. I hate how she "acts tough" and is so bossy in a lot of the episodes. Like when the Turtles car/tank got stolen they accuse April and she immediately hits them in the head with a baseball bat and throws them out of her apartment for accusing her. Or the first ep with Baxter with the ghost robot, it's chasing them all down the supermarket aisle and April is laughing/cheering while Mike/Leo are scared and she screams, "Salaaaami" when she hits the meat at it.

Also don't like her voice actress. She emphasizes her words to give her that tough black slang and it rubs me the wrong way. It's hard to describe into words but anyone who watches the show knows what I mean.

Besides that I don't care for her design. The red glasses, the green/yellow outfit, her hair in buns at the top, it's all a major turn-off. She's not even pleasant to look at like other April's and she's an eye sore mainly.

Worst. April. Ever. Hopefully the next April is white as nature intended.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Pretty much sums it up about her. It feels like she adds nothing to the dynamic. I didn't think we'd get an April worse than Megan Fox's but here we are.

[CyberCubed]

It is kinda disappointing, I would have been cool with a black April or a dark-skinned April in general, as long as she was likeable and had a fun personality and some dynamic with the Turtles.

This April did not. I mean I don't even want to call her April because she might as well been anyone else in name-only. They could have called her Lydia and nobody would know the difference.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I guess they could have made her Angel but even this character would be an insult to her.

[oldmanwinters]

To answer the OP's thread question: Rise April held a variety of jobs throughout the show... Pizza parlor host, babysitter, shoe salesperson, the list goes on and on, really...

[miru]

I was "meh" on this choice. I see the reason why they did it though, but she didn't really catch on with me in any way.

[sdp]

She's not black, just super tanned, it's still the white april we know and love. Just like this model is white:
https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/super-tanned-hannah-22-pictured-inside-tanning-salon-supertanned-picture-id1131488679?s=594x594


Casey Jones is trans so technically still male and Leo becomes the leader. Rise is just another traditional TMNT with no real changes.

[Papenbrook]

Although I didn't mind April being black, I did think that it was poorly executed.

Did the showrunners ever hire any writers/storyboard artists who happen(ed) to be people of color?

[superstaff]

Her race wasn't the problem.

I didn't like her characterization. Even if they had made her a carbon copy of the typical April (red hair, pale, blue eyed, etc), I would've still found her very one note and unfunny. I also didn't like how they often propped her up to make her look 'cooler' than the TMNT (in the Baxter Stockboy ep, for example, Leo and Mikey are terrified of the ghost but she's all "WHOO HOO" about it...ugh).

[PizzaPower1985]

It is kinda disappointing, I would have been cool with a black April or a dark-skinned April in general, as long as she was likeable and had a fun personality and some dynamic with the Turtles.

This April did not. I mean I don't even want to call her April because she might as well been anyone else in name-only. They could have called her Lydia and nobody would know the difference.

It's not often that I agree with this person, but this post kinda nailed my feelings.

[TMNachoT]

Her skin color is not an issue for me, I like this April, her energy, the actress that give her voice, I am coool with all that

[M.O.D.O.K.]

She's not my favorite April, but I did like her more than in 2012, at least.

[Warhorse]

Her race wasn't the problem.

I didn't like her characterization. Even if they had made her a carbon copy of the typical April (red hair, pale, blue eyed, etc), I would've still found her very one note and unfunny. I also didn't like how they often propped her up to make her look 'cooler' than the TMNT (in the Baxter Stockboy ep, for example, Leo and Mikey are terrified of the ghost but she's all "WHOO HOO" about it...ugh).

Heck, even her character wasn't the problem. It was the Turtles that I didn't like. I just could not connect to any of them, and she didn't make things better, whether she was Black, White or Asian. The April I know is the one that is caring and supportive of the Turtles. If they wanted someone to fight with that was a friend, that was Casey Jones job! Heck, even Irma could come in and do that job. But April is supposed to be the one rock or big sister that they could look up to. Nothing more obnoxious than a big sister that is bullish.

[CyberCubed]

It doesn't work at all.

[IndigoErth]

She worked perfectly fine. In the context of a show that wanted to be obnoxious on all fronts and succeeded...

Feel like that show could have been better off with her as a big sister type adult April (no matter her skin tone), rather than a teen peer, to be a counterweight to all the craziness going on, the part of the Turtles' lives that keeps them grounded and a place to turn to.

[Drose18]

One of the best takes on April for sure. In the context of the show she was perfect, funny, and her evolution throughout the show was done well.

2012 April was an abomination, back story was a mess and giving her access to the force made her the most frustrating plot device.

[CyberCubed]

The difference is 2012 April actually had a personality, chemistry with the Turtles and was generally likeable. Her psychic powers didn't really kick in till halfway into the show, and even then they were only the focus point of a few episodes, and she barely saved the day in others and was usually knocked to the side as the Turtles came through.

[Sumac]

One of the best takes on April for sure. In the context of the show she was perfect, funny, and her evolution throughout the show was done well.

2012 April was an abomination, back story was a mess and giving her access to the force made her the most frustrating plot device.
They both were bad.

[Barkworm]

I've only seen "Rise" (which I thought was really good) and the character is pretty annoying, just overall obnoxious. In this particular case the race-swapping is part of the problem because they made her a stereotypical "sassy black girl".

[TheLabRat]

I'm curious if one of April's incarnation will be turtle's aunt or granny in future new series.

[Cowabung-Gal]

I'm curious if one of April's incarnation will be turtle's aunt or granny in future new series.

Well, she’s a granny in The Last Ronin Lost Years

[Coola Yagami]

Did black April work? I think she had several jobs in Rise didn't she? She worked plenty.

[Wolfie65]

About as well as Dolph Lundgren playing Malcolm X.

[CyberCubed]

Now we have two black April's, and the second is a middle age fat woman. :(

[Autbot_Benz]

Now we have two black April's, and the second is a middle age fat woman. :(

https://i.imgur.com/lFIYQxv.gif
https://i.imgur.com/lFIYQxv.gif
https://i.imgur.com/lFIYQxv.gif
https://i.imgur.com/lFIYQxv.gif

[CyberCubed]

Some of us wanted to watch April O'Neil, not Shoshana O'Neil.

[Coola Yagami]

https://i.imgur.com/lFIYQxv.gif
https://i.imgur.com/lFIYQxv.gif
https://i.imgur.com/lFIYQxv.gif
https://i.imgur.com/lFIYQxv.gif

I mean, what do you want Benz? It's not like they're removing her the same way they removed Sachs as Shredder. They chose to go that route with 'April', they left themselves open to criticism.

[Autbot_Benz]

I mean, what do you want Benz? It's not like they're removing her the same way they removed Sachs as Shredder. They chose to go that route with 'April', they left themselves open to criticism.

Criticism is fine but Cubed is beyond obsessed with her being black and fat. It's his new Nostrilgate from the PD movies

[CyberCubed]

I mean she's just so overweight, why make her look like a fat black middle age woman?

If she was around 17-20 but still black and reasonably attractive, I probably wouldn't have much of a problem. Rise's April was annoying personality-wise and another kid, and now we have a fat 40+ year old April.

[IMJ]

I mean she's just so overweight, why make her look like a fat black middle age woman?

If she was around 17-20 but still black and reasonably attractive, I probably wouldn't have much of a problem. Rise's April was annoying personality-wise and another kid, and now we have a fat 40+ year old April.

Ironically none of the leftist nuts seem to have a problem with the black-girl archetype being used as flailing, sarcastic, fat girl with junk in her trunk.

Shouldn't they be revolting against this portrayal of April as a black women? It's hardly stunning and brave, and it's not powerful at all. It basically says that normie black girls are fat.

[Sumac]

Ironically none of the leftist nuts seem to have a problem with the black-girl archetype being used as flailing, sarcastic, fat girl with junk in her trunk.

Shouldn't they be revolting against this portrayal of April as a black women? It's hardly stunning and brave, and it's not powerful at all. It basically says that normie black girls are fat.
It reminds me of Ghostbusters 2016, which SJWs hailed as amazing epic of "Fuhmenism", while token Black woman on a roster was one of the most stereotypical portrayals of Black woman ever possible in American media.

Apparently Racist stereotypes are good, when SJW do it!

[Andrew NDB]

As always, just run it through the simple thought experiment. If April had originally and always been black (and no, she wasn't black in early Mirage (http://tmntentity.blogspot.com/2018/02/was-april-oneil-originally-black-in.html)) and now a new project came along that made her white, would that be OK and acceptable? If the answer is no, then the same applies for the opposite.

[Zog The Magnificent]

As always, just run it through the simple thought experiment. If April had originally and always been black (and no, she wasn't black in early Mirage (http://tmntentity.blogspot.com/2018/02/was-april-oneil-originally-black-in.html)) and now a new project came along that made her white, would that be OK and acceptable? If the answer is no, then the same applies for the opposite.

EXACTLY. But people always fall back on the same trite "why does it matter to you so much?" Because people who complain about this sort of thing MADE it matter. There was a time when I wouldn't have cared. When Harvey Dent was black in the Burton Batman movies, I didn't think twice about it. But it used to be that sometimes they would just hire someone they liked in the part, but now they go out of their way to race or gender swap characters, and make sure to tell EVERYONE all about it. Gotta get those brownie points, after all. And as has been mentioned numerouse times, it's only acceptable one way. White to black? A triumph! Black to white? HOW DARE YOU!?!?

[Sumac]

EXACTLY. But people always fall back on the same trite "why does it matter to you so much?"
Its funny, because, if you address this question to SJW in such manner, they start foaming at the mouth or blabber something about "diversity is our strength".

[Zog The Magnificent]

Its funny, because, if you address this question to SJW in such manner, they start foaming at the mouth or blabber something about "diversity is our strength".

Bingo. The double standard is strong with that crowd.

[Barkworm]

More diversity is a good thing, I'd have been thrilled about more coloured superheroes when I was a kid. HOWEVER, forcing diversity into existing franchises with race and gender swaps is just lazy and bound to piss people off. MAKE NEW STUFF!

[Andrew NDB]

More diversity is a good thing, I'd have been thrilled about more coloured superheroes when I was a kid. HOWEVER, forcing diversity into existing franchises with race and gender swaps is just lazy and bound to piss people off. MAKE NEW STUFF!

Quite right. You want to make a black Little Mermaid movie? I'm sure with the right writers you can just do that. Surely there's room for two mermaids? Same thing with stuff like Batgirl, April, and so on. Because anyone with two brain cells to rub together is going to realize this is SUPER insulting. Not only to the actual character, but to the race(s) they're trying to appease or just generally virtue signal for. "We don't trust that this race-specific thing will succeed if we do an original project, so it can ONLY succeed if we hijack and replace an old white thing." Like, yikes!

[Cowabung-Gal]

I showed a picture of Mutant Mayhem April to my black coworker, who grew up watching the Fred Wolf cartoon. I was curious to how he would react to such “representation” (though I had a pretty good idea of what his reaction would be). As soon as he saw it, he frowned, shook his head and said, “That’s not April O’Neil.”

I guess only the supportive black voices matter.

a34nCY_Lqpo

[Sumac]

More diversity is a good thing
Depends on place and time.
Like, forcing "diversity" into setting where it is improbable (like rural medieval Europe or story based on it) is dumb.

The latest example of it Final Fantasy XVI: game explicitly based on medieval Europe and closely deals with a concept slavery. It predominantly features White characters, which of course se fire under tails of SJW freaks and their allies.

[Coola Yagami]

One thing with the Little Mermaid movie was..... well, nobody really asked for it. There was no huge need for a remake. Even when Disney made live action remakes of Lion King and Aladdin, no one was really saying 'I can't wait for Little Mermaid's turn!'.

They could taken this chance to make a whole new story about a black mermaid with new songs, new characters, a new classic. But NOPE.

As for Harvey Dent, I'm sure Billie Dee slipped through the radar cause back then the common normie only knew Batman from the Adam West show in which Two-Face was never in. Aside from a speech here and there, Dent barely did anything of note and literally could have been played by anyone. He was more of a 'is that Billie Dee Williams? lol' kind of sneak cameo in that movie if anything. Kinda like John Candy just appeared out of nowhere in Home Alone, cept even he had a bigger role.

I remember back then I was the only one in my friend group confused about why he was black and was asking myself 'so will Two Face be black in a sequel?' and that was only because I happened to pick up a Batman annual at the time that re-did Two-Face's origin. Had I missed that issue, I would have been left in the dark just as most everyone else was.

It's funny. Had I not found that random issue of Mirage TMNT where Karai kidnaps Leo, I wouldn't have know who Karai was in Tournament Fighters either.

[CyberCubed]

Black Harvey Dent would have been cool in Batman Forever, especially if Tim Burton got to direct. Always kinda sad we didn't get that.

[Cowabung-Gal]

The next thread should be: Did female Leatherhead work or not work in your opinion?

Genderbending sucks too.

[Stu_Padasso]

Rise “April” was a spunky fun character.
Just one problem: she was not April O’Neil. She was basically a brand new character.

It’s the same problem as when they casted Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury. A black guy who came of age during the height of the Vietnam War and the civil rights era is not going to be the same person or have the same experience and worldview as a white guy who fought in World War 2 during the FDR administration.

[Shark_Blade]

I didn’t know Nick Fury used to be a white guy…

Not surprised if some people today didn’t know April used to be a white girl either…

[Zog The Magnificent]

Rise “April” was a spunky fun character.
Just one problem: she was not April O’Neil. She was basically a brand new character.

It’s the same problem as when they casted Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury. A black guy who came of age during the height of the Vietnam War and the civil rights era is not going to be the same person or have the same experience and worldview as a white guy who fought in World War 2 during the FDR administration.

That one I give a pass, because it was based specifically on an alternate universe version of Nick Fury from the comics, who in turn had been based on Samuel L Jackson in the first place. There was precedence, unlike 99% of the time where it's just a straight up diversity hire and you're a bigot if you don't like it.

[CyberCubed]

I didn't like Rise' April's personality at all. She had that "large and in charge" vibe to her where she had to be "always right" and anyone who disagree with her got beaten up. I also really didn't like the way her voice actress emphasized her words either. Even if she was an all new character named, "Shoshana" instead of April, I still wouldn't have liked her.

Judging by what we know about fat April from Mutant Mayhem she seems kinda boring since she's just a middle age schoolteacher, so there's probably not much to say about her. Her being fat and black is a problem but I doubt she'll be interesting anyway.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I didn't like Rise' April's personality at all. She had that "large and in charge" vibe to her where she had to be "always right" and anyone who disagree with her got beaten up. I also really didn't like the way her voice actress emphasized her words either. Even if she was an all new character named, "Shoshana" instead of April, I still wouldn't have liked her.

Judging by what we know about fat April from Mutant Mayhem she seems kinda boring since she's just a middle age schoolteacher, so there's probably not much to say about her. Her being fat and black is a problem but I doubt she'll be interesting anyway.

Is she middle-aged? I thought she was a teenager yet again.

[CyberCubed]

Is she middle-aged? I thought she was a teenager yet again.

The one from the new movie is a middle age school teacher. She's an adult, fat and black. You can also see how much older she looks compared to the Turtles since they're drawn like actual 15 year olds.

[Shark_Blade]

April is a teenager not a middle age woman.

FAST FACTS ABOUT APRIL:
Unlike the majority of Mutant Mayhem's major characters, April O'Neil is a human and the first teenage girl any of the brothers have ever met. April is voiced by Ayo Edebiri in the Mutant Mayhem movie. Weapon of Choice: A good ball-point pen and the TRUTH!
https://www.nick.com/stories/myksd7/tmnt-mutant-mayhem-april-oneil#:~:text=FAST%20FACTS%20ABOUT%20APRIL%3A,poin t%20pen%20and%20the%20TRUTH!

[Cowabung-Gal]

I didn’t know Nick Fury used to be a white guy…

Not surprised if some people today didn’t know April used to be a white girl either…

Who’s next? Annie the orphan? Anne Boleyn? Joan of Arc?

Oh, wait…

[Coola Yagami]

April is a teenager not a middle age woman.

FAST FACTS ABOUT APRIL:
Unlike the majority of Mutant Mayhem's major characters, April O'Neil is a human and the first teenage girl any of the brothers have ever met. April is voiced by Ayo Edebiri in the Mutant Mayhem movie. Weapon of Choice: A good ball-point pen and the TRUTH!
https://www.nick.com/stories/myksd7/tmnt-mutant-mayhem-april-oneil#:~:text=FAST%20FACTS%20ABOUT%20APRIL%3A,poin t%20pen%20and%20the%20TRUTH!

If that's a teenager, Shoshana is aging horribly.

[Andrew NDB]

It says that Leonardo has a crush on her? :x

[CyberCubed]

Leonardo has a crush on a fat middle age black woman? WTF?

At least in the previous cartoons April was a teen like the Turtles so it fit better.

[TheLabRat]

Why can't we have a asian April?