How would the OT be different if April was a cop instead of a reporter?
 

David Wise said he made April a reporter so she would always be where the action was as well as be the Lois Lane type character for the Turtles. But what if she was made a cop instead?

Think of Eliza Masa from Gargoyles or Comissioner Gordon/Harvey Bullock from Batman. April would still be involved in the action and perhaps less of a damsel in distress in the original cartoon.

Burne would be the police chief, Irma the secretary, and Vernon would be the lazy glory seeking officer out to scoop April on her promotion. Thoughts?

Don't think it would've been all that much more different, short of April being a tad less helpless, and there maybe being an episode where the turtles are thrown in the slammer at Burnes behest.

^ Pretty much this.

Pretty much what they said. Just with the way the old toon operated, I can't imagine she wouldn't have been too much less of a damsel in distress. She wouldn't have been able to stop herself from being captured by Shredder, Bebop, or Rocksteady very much. She could potentially have held her own better against some of the one-episode villains though.

But then she would have to have a gun.

I can see her finding herself torn between her duty to the law and how far she can bend it. For example she knows the Turtle's need their weapons to protect the city, but yet there are human laws about openly carrying weapons (typically this law applies to guns, but there are some statutes that apply to any sort of weapon.)

And I can see Bern Thompson barking "If those freaks are going to live in this city, they have to abide by the laws of this city. No acceptations!"

With the Batman references I'm now imagining April as always having a cigarette or a doughnut.

Good idea for a new TMNT universe, even if I prefer her to be a reporter instead.

I kind of imagine a Cop April being a lot like Miranda from Bonkers; quirky but also competent. And maybe she would be more of a disciplinarian with the turtles because of her authority as an officer.

she'd probably be like this

Yep...April would essentially become Eliza, and Vernon would be Bullock. Burne....well....I guess he'd be Burne, just a cop and not a old news hound.

Psst...it's "Elisa". :tgrin:

But I think Fred Wolf April would still not be able to hold her own. Reporter April didn't have to be a Damsel in Distress, either, but the writers made her into one, and an April packing (family-friendly laser) heat would likely be the same.

Elisa, just the answer I was thinking of when I first saw this. :) Plus maybe they would've caught Shredder sooner or be like C.O.P.S. where Bebop, Rocksteady and/or assorted helpers would be caught every episode.

OT: Did Xanatos ever get caught??

April as a cop would be really interesting in a future TMNT incarnation. Elisa Maza was very capable and rarely needed rescuing and had enough to pull in the department to keep the Manhattan Clan hidden right on top of the NYPD. April would have to be a detective in order to cover the Turtles' tracks. The NYPD having Gotham City-level corruption would make some fine drama but that wouldn't sell toys.

At the conclusion of the opening arc, yes. He only got a six month sentence in-universe which then got shortened to one month.

I thought it was great how April's original action figure came with a concealed handgun. That probably wouldn't fly too well nowadays.

I like that idea. Could have been cool.

Just putting them away in jail repeatedly would be stretching belief beyond the breaking point, especially as they aren't just goofing off, they're actively aiding and abetting an extremely dangerous alien warlord and a sociopath who is bent on world domination. Just that alone would warrant a 'crimes/treason against humanity' charge and the automatic death penalty, especially as April as cop would be a damning witness with all of the evidence she has knowledge of and could easily give the location of.

Plus if she's a cop, Bebop and Rocksteady would have a bullet each in their brains or chests by now, they wouldn't be alive long enough to keeping going after an armed person. ;)

Eh, like I said, it's not the job of a character that determines their toughness: it's how they're written. FW April as a cop would be no better than what she was in canon, unless someone stepped up to the plate and did something with her actual character instead of just giving her a badge.

April would undoubtedly be as hardboiled as Lt. Joe Kenda.

this was my first thought. instead of being captured she would be hiding behind cover, pinned down with bad guys shooting at her and have to phone the turtles for help.

ps. i think i prefer it as is...

Well she probably would have known judo or some martial arts.

She would have had a blue jumpsuit like in Mirage issue #2 and it would have been interesting to see her using a pistol to get on some of the action. Instead of the Channel 6 Van, Motorcycle, and Helicopter, we would have a police car, motorcycle, and helicopter provided by the NYPD. Cops were quite prevalant on a number of episodes, so some of the plots would have remained the same. We would have still had an occasional news reporter, but the show would take the crime-fighting message a step clearer. There would have still been some comedy, but without the Channel 6 gags there would have been some better opportunities for action. I wouldn't think April would have much martial arts skills in this version, though she would definitely be faster and have better self-defense. Irma could just be April's roomate for some comedy, while Vernon would be a rival officer.