Origin

April O'Neil was a computer programmer and assistant to Baxter Stockman. April learns of his use of the Mousers to steal money from bank vaults. She flees and is pursued into the sewers by the Mousers. There, she was saved by the Turtles, who she helps to defeat Stockman's plans. She and the Turtles become friends, and she becomes involved in a number of their adventures.

Creation

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2

April O'Neil was created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird and made her first appearance in issue #2, TMNT vs. the Mousers, in 1984.

History

Mirage Comics

Northampton

1984 Comic Version

The Shredder's return prompts April and the Turtles to leave New York. They retreat to Northampton along with a friend, Casey Jones. April and Casey begin to develop feelings for one another. Eventually, the pair becomes romantically involved and adopt a daughter, Shadow Jones.

Nobody

April is attacked by a robot being controlled by Stockman. He injects her with nanobots that render her sterile and begin to slowly kill her. The Turtles manage to halt the deadly progress of the nanobots, but are unable to cure her sterility. Under a great deal of emotional strain from this realization, she becomes a female version of Nobody, a vigilante hero. She is stopped from continuing as Nobody when Casey discovers this.

Am I Real?

Taken back in time by Renet, April learns that she is a living drawing, drawn by her father and brought to life by a crystal. The implications of this overwhelming her, April leaves Casey and the Turtles and travels to Alaska to be alone with her thoughts.

Other Versions

Archie Comics

Archie Comics Version

April is retooled to resemble her appearance in the 1987 animated series. She is a redhead reporter, and a trained ninja.

Becoming a Turtle

April trains with Splinter and gains notable skill in fighting, particularly with the katana. She loses her job with Channel 6 because of her frequent adventures with the Turtles, and becomes a freelance journalist instead. She is mutated into a turtle by aliens, and joins the Turtles for a brief period, wearing a white mask. She is eventually returned to humanity.

Image Comics

Shadow

April's adoptive daughter, Shadow, is kidnapped by her paternal grandfather, Antoine Puzorelli, while April and Casey are at a party celebrating Casey's recent promotion. After Shadow is recovered, April and her family go into hiding to evade Puzorelli.

Dreamwave Productions

This April follows the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series.

IDW

In the reboot series, April is a computer programmer and assistant to Baxter Stockman.

Other Media

Television

Animated

Teenage Mutants Ninja Turtles 1987 animated series

1987 Version

April's a determined TV news journalist, always prepared for the late breaking news feature with her camcorder. Her eagerness, however, gets her into trouble. Still, April's no airhead and is a valuable member of the Turtle Team. Being a pretty human has its advantages, like getting into places the Turtles can't. April was normally portrayed as a capable woman, her most important contribution to the Turtles was her experience in doing research on the Channel 6 computers and alerting the Turtles to trouble and possible case leads. April is also skilled at operating a number of different vehicles such as a motorcycle, the Turtle van, a helicopter and a forklift.

April makes her first appearance in "Turtle Tracks," the first episode in the show. She is voiced by Renae Jacobs.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2003 animated series

2003 Version

April makes her first appearance in "A Better Mousetrap," the second episode in the series. She is voiced by Veronica Taylor.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Planet of the Turtleoids

April appears in this television movie. She is voiced by Renae Jacobs.

The Fight for the Fox Box

April appears in this crossover television movie. She is voiced by Veronica Taylor.

Turtles Forever

April appears in this television movie which features a crossover between the 1987 and 2003 versions of the Turtles universe. Both incarnations of April appear. The 1987 version is voiced by Rebecca Soler, while the 2003 version is voiced by Veronica Taylor.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012 CGI series

April appears in the first episode of the 2012 series, "Pilot". She is voiced by Mae Whitman.

Live Action

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Judith Hoag as April O'Neil

April appears as a Channel 3 news reporter. She is played by Judith Hoag.

Theater (1990)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Coming Out of Their Shells

April appears in a supporting role in the filmed version of the Turtles' concert tour. She is portrayed by Sherie Rene Scott.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II (1991)

April provides a place for the Turtles and Splinter to stay, and later helps them with research on the creation of the ooze. She is played by Paige Turco.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)

April is accidentally sent backwards into time to feudal Japan. The Turtles travel back to rescue her. Paige Turco reprises her role.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Legend of the Supermutants

April appears in this two-part OVA. She is voiced by Emi Shinohara.

CGI

TMNT (2007)

2007 CGI Movie Version

April, who has a job in the shipping industry, finds Leonardo in Central America. She is voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Casey Jones (2011)

April appears as the 1987 version as a Channel 6 news reporter in this short fan film. She is played by Savannah Welch.

Video Games

April appears as a character that must be rescued in the original arcade game.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

April must be rescued from members of the Foot.

April is captured by Shredder and must be rescued from the Technodrome.

April provides the Turtles with information.

Turtles in Time

April appears at the beginning and end of the game, reporting from Liberty Island, as well as acting as a prompt during the game.

The Hyperstone Heist

Like Turtles in Time, April appears at the beginning and end of the game, but this time she is reporting from Ellis Island when, in a sudden flash of light, her audience and herself witness Manhattan Island suddenly starting to shrink.

April appears as a cameo, a reporter, or a fighter depending on the platform.

April is captured by the Foot and must be rescued.

April is captured and must be rescued.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 2003 Series

April appears in a number of cut scenes. She is a fighter in "Mutant Melee". She must be escorted in "Mutant Nightmare".

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

April appears in cut scenes and provides mini-games.

April appears as a playable character.