Black April

[oldmanwinters]

You know, I think this Forum just needs an "I'm bored, let's talk about April O'Neil" catch-all thread.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

You know, I think this Forum just needs an "I'm bored, let's talk about April O'Neil" catch-all thread.

We.... we don't have one of those???

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

More April for me then.

I didn't say it was one or the other, sailor.

It's like Tommy Dreamer always said when in the same situation...

((INCIDENTALLY, I'll be working with Tommy Dreamer, The Sandman, and WWE Hall Of Famer Tony Atlas, THIS SATURDAY at SWF Storm Surge in Holmdel, NJ!!! ))

But yeah, it's like that.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Powder

My friends & I, a very diverse, extremely sketchy looking, multi-ethnic group, got into a LOT of sh*t back in the day, in low income communities of New York, I might add, & 9/10 times the cops would give us a break. Whether it be drugs, vandalism, violence, traffic issues, we were almost always treated respectfully, & reciprocated that, not out of fear, but appreciation for their understanding & civil conduct in the face of punishable crime.

Man, Powder, you're like the dromes very own O.G. Gangsta.

You know all about that stuff because you lived that life, haven't you, Powder? In da hood with the homies and the gangster rappers and stuff like that? I always found it fascinating that we have people who come up from that lifestyle.

Thugs 4 LYFE! YOLO!

[Sumac]

Golden words, Powder!
Keep it going, man! Less hate, more love!

Also, 80s April is sexy. She and a certain mouse inventor (I am not part of her cult, I swear) were the reasons I am partial to women in tight jumpsuits.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I didn't say it was one or the other, sailor.

It's like Tommy Dreamer always said when in the same situation...
https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/68798650.jpg
((INCIDENTALLY, I'll be working with Tommy Dreamer, The Sandman, and WWE Hall Of Famer Tony Atlas, THIS SATURDAY at SWF Storm Surge in Holmdel, NJ!!! ))

But yeah, it's like that.

Really?! You'll get to hang with all of them soon?! Totally beyond awesome!

[Leo656]

That's the plan unless it rains. I will be teaming with Atlas and others as part of an 8-man tag. So... yeah, I really hope it doesn't rain.

[CyberCubed]

I think a good black April would be one written without stereotypes. Rise' April was like every bad stereotype of a young black girl all rolled up into one character. It's as if the writers thought, "this is how black teens act" and made it a character.

A "good" black April would be one that's written indistinguishable from a white April where you wouldn't notice any difference about her personality or looks other than skin color. Sure you can throw in a few "black-isms," like "dawg," "thang" and "homie" but for the most part she would be written the same as a white April.

[Iroh]

I would love to see a Black April. I was only opposed to seeing a Black Stockman due to the fact that I hate Tyler Perry. They didn't want to cast April as a black woman at the time because toys needed to be sold. In history, everything has always been whitewashed. I have no need to explain on that because THAT is another thread on its own. Eastman loves the sistahs but introducing anything African American to racist Hollywood is a HUGE "Nah!" I bet Eastman was even ridiculed for having the idea for having April as a beautiful black woman. I would love to see Diamond Jackson as April O'Neill. YASSSSS!

[CyberCubed]

April has been black now in two incarnations in a row with Rise of the TMNT and the new upcoming CG Seth Rogen movie. Unlike the IDW comics or 2012 cartoon which predated this, now it seems like April will be remaining as black permanently going forward.

I suspect now white April will be seen as "racist" since now they "can't" go back to her original race because now it will look like "black April wasn't received well" and no way is a big company like Paramount going to let people have those views.

There is also the saying, "Once you go black you never go back" so that gives me pause as well. They can't ever "go back" now in the same manner Nick Fury is permanently black due to Samuel L. Jackson.

[Zulithe]

She was PoC twice in a row, so I think it's clear what they want for the character going forward. If they ever make her a white redhead cis female again in any new iterations it's probably a ways off.

I think they pushed things too far with the overly sexualized Megan Fox April, and we are now seeing the repercussions of that decision, with subsequent creative teams pushing things in the OPPOSITE direction. Instead of a supermodel April we get frumpy body-atypical (shorter, fatter, etc.) April.

[Cowabung-Gal]

Looks like it. Another redhead character swapped away. Won’t be the last I assure you.

People keep saying, “Well, April was originally black anyway.” I cannot stress this enough with you guys. No. She. Wasn’t. If anything, she should be Asian instead of black, since that’s what Peter Laird originally conceived her as.

Anyway, a lot of fans will call out this raceswapping b.s. and of course will be called “racists” by Rogen and the wokies. “Oh, so you don’t like diversity?” No, we just don’t condone blackfaces. Give the black fans something original and good and not just sloppy seconds.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Zulithe

She was PoC twice in a row. I'll be honest, if they ever make her a white redhead cis female again in any new iterations i'll be surprised.

Nick seemed perfectly happy to feature Classic Toon April in three consecutive video games.

[Cowabung-Gal]

Good ol’ Eric calling out the b.s. as usual:

https://twitter.com/EricDJuly/status...C-7eK15qgtAAAA

[Mondo_Gecko]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

April has been black now in two incarnations in a row with Rise of the TMNT and the new upcoming CG Seth Rogen movie. Unlike the IDW comics or 2012 cartoon which predated this, now it seems like April will be remaining as black permanently going forward.

I suspect now white April will be seen as "racist" since now they "can't" go back to her original race because now it will look like "black April wasn't received well" and no way is a big company like Paramount going to let people have those views.

There is also the saying, "Once you go black you never go back" so that gives me pause as well. They can't ever "go back" now in the same manner Nick Fury is permanently black due to Samuel L. Jackson.

You know CyberCubed, I do not understand your thinking and outrage at things. First the nostrils in the Michael Bay films and now April being black

Look, I grew up with the Fred Wolf cartoon, the Turtles franchise means everything to me but there is no part of April as a character that needs to be a white redhead, as long as they keep her personality and traits, I'll deal with it.

Now, for example if Shredder was re imagined as a white guy, yeah, you're fundamentally changing him and where he came from.

There's never been a part where like April being white and redheaded is part of her identity.

Of course, I'd prefer it, and would love if they made a brand new character who happened to be black.

But honestly, there's so many grander and larger issues in our world for me to be bothered by this.

I'm more anxious about it actually being a good movie and adding something then milking the brand until it's destroyed.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Mondo_Gecko

Now, for example if Shredder was re imagined as a white guy, yeah, you're fundamentally changing him and where he came from.

There's never been a part where like April being white and redheaded is part of her identity.

But see - this is actually an example of your own racism, dude. The easiest correlation is that Shredder is a Japanese guy and that is "identity" yet April being white and redheaded American does not equal "identity" simply because you don't see it or grasp it.

I would say that April's presentation and characterization in Fred Wolf was also informed by her appearance and ethnic background - for better or worse.

But the world we live in with the woe-is-me black community is that everyone has an "identity" except for white people who can just be "swapped out for diversity".

"White" is a color too - not a non-existent, empty attribute of a blank person.
"Red Hair" is an ethnic trait - not some kind of bland "white person thing".

Your comment is actually exactly indicative of the real racism, 99% conveyed by the perspective of blacks and how they view and manipulate the world. "Shredder as a Japanese man is an identity but April as a white redhead is not and therefore can be changed".

I already know what you'll say - you'll argue that Shredder is Japanese and a martial artist from Japan and therefore his identity and nationality are tied together. But you won't see that the exact same thing is true for April and how she is presented whether or not she has an "inextricable and cliche racist skill" such as "ninjutsu" attached to her.

I think this just shows the surface judgements people make based on their own racism. The whole thing is disingenuous manipulation. F' race swaps, don't give 'em any money. The people pushing this nonsense are the racists and they don't even realize it. They live in a world where white people and white attributes are some kind of blank "x-factor" that should has no culture and no background. That's offensive.

[Autbot_Benz]

Cubed Bitching about April being Black is the new Nostrilgate like when the PD movies came out.

[TurtleManiac]

First Burne Thompson was race AND gender swapped, and now April is race swapped, and Leatherhead is gender swapped

Who’s next?

[beardcore84]

Originally Posted by IMJ

But see - this is actually an example of your own racism, dude. The easiest correlation is that Shredder is a Japanese guy and that is "identity" yet April being white and redheaded American does not equal "identity" simply because you don't see it or grasp it.

I would say that April's presentation and characterization in Fred Wolf was also informed by her appearance and ethnic background - for better or worse.

But the world we live in with the woe-is-me black community is that everyone has an "identity" except for white people who can just be "swapped out for diversity".

"White" is a color too - not a non-existent, empty attribute of a blank person.
"Red Hair" is an ethnic trait - not some kind of bland "white person thing".

Your comment is actually exactly indicative of the real racism, 99% conveyed by the perspective of blacks and how they view and manipulate the world. "Shredder as a Japanese man is an identity but April as a white redhead is not and therefore can be changed".

I already know what you'll say - you'll argue that Shredder is Japanese and a martial artist from Japan and therefore his identity and nationality are tied together. But you won't see that the exact same thing is true for April and how she is presented whether or not she has an "inextricable and cliche racist skill" such as "ninjutsu" attached to her.

I think this just shows the surface judgements people make based on their own racism. The whole thing is disingenuous manipulation. F' race swaps, don't give 'em any money. The people pushing this nonsense are the racists and they don't even realize it. They live in a world where white people and white attributes are some kind of blank "x-factor" that should has no culture and no background. That's offensive.

You have zero clue how the real world works. ****ing idiotic.

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by Mondo_Gecko

There's never been a part where like April being white and redheaded is part of her identity.

That's not how it works - everything about character is part of their identity. It doesn't matter, if said characteristics has bearing on the plot o r not.

Also, your reasoning is dumb and can justify whatever dumb **** - like making Splinter a kangaroo or a hamster. Why not? Most adaptation he sits in his lair, so why can't he be disabled bisexual non-trilinear lemur? It doesn't change anything (except creates new character), but who the **** cares about integrity of the characters this day?
Certainly not people like you.

Characters identities do matter as they were envisioned by their creators.
You want your "diversity"? Create a new character. Swapping old ones is just lazy and creatively bankrupt.

Originally Posted by beardcore84

You have zero clue how the real world works. ****ing idiotic.

But he is right.
Unless you one of the "good ones" who thinks that all Asians know martial arts and how to cook sushi, for example.