5 Attachment(s)
SDCC'09 Exclusive TMNT April O'Neil
Our favorite Channel 6 Newscaster joins the line...
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Last year, fans were blown away when NECA released highly articulated, super detailed figures based on the comic appearances of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. We became even more excited when they not only debuted an exclusive set of three Mousers to go with the Turtles, but also showed figures of Shredder, Foot Soldier, and April O'Neil. Now the feisty reporter gets her due with another great SDCC exclusive including two additional Mousers.
PACKAGING:
April comes in a packaging that is virtually identical to last years' Mouser 3-pk Exclusive. The figure comes in the typical NECA slim-style all-plastic packaging with paper inserts. The back insert features the Turtle's logo and a cityscape on the front and images of the four turtles and a photo of the enclosed figure on the back. The bottom of the front blister has a wraparound of attacking Mousers while the side has artwork of Ms. O'Neil. The two major differences are the inclusion of the TMNT 25th Anniversary logo near the bottom of the front and the movement of the SDCC exclusive sticker to the top right of the blister.
SCULPTING:
The look of April O’Neil captured in NECA’s incarnation seems to be more of a mix of the comic and cartoon looks more than strictly based on a specific page from the original comic. The hairstyle is reminiscent to her cartoon do\ shoulder-length and moppish. Her facial features are fairly plain and her expression is unemotional. April has been sculpted in her trademark jumpsuit and in this case it is form-fitting, but zipped all the way to the neck rather than leaving some cleavage showing. The suit has sculpted-in details showing wrinkles, seams, a collar, and trim at the wrists and ankles. The Mousers are fairly identical to their counterparts in last years exclusive. The main difference comes with the articulation, but one of the two Mouser has been sculpted with battle damage to show one leg severed and the body casing cracked with wire exposed.
ARTICULATION:
April has a bountiful amount of articulation including neck, waist, hips, knees, ankles, feet, wrists, elbows, and shoulders. The shoulder joints are ball-jointed and there are added points that allow for twisting at the elbow. The Mousers have been given the addition of jaw articulation this time around allowing their mouths to open and close. They also include the three points in the neck and two legs (although the one Mouser only has one leg).
PAINT:
April's paint apps or fairly simple overall., being made-up of only 4 different colors. The color scheme is muted to reflect the look of the comic’s dark black and white tones and the paint has a matte finish. The sculpted wrinkles and her facial features have all been painted carefully without any flaws. The Mousers are also painted in a matte finish and feature three different colors, but aren’t as cleanly painted as April. The insides of their mouths are completely blue, as is the motor and wires of the damaged Mouser's leg. The mechanical features and mouth line are painted in black and this is where you see the slight flaws.
PRICE AND OVERALL:
Overall, April is a welcome addition the TMNT set. While I'm disappointed by the lack of a base to add on to the Turtle's street, I'm just happy we got April at all. While there is no word if the other characters will be produced, we will be getting an extra dose of April when NECA releases color variants in green and her cartoon-inspired yellow! The figure was available exclusively at SDCC09 for $20, but you can still order her for this same low price through NECA’s Amazon store.
For more images of the SDCC Exclusive April O'Neil, CLICK HERE!
Review Sample Courtesy of NECA
Review and Photos by Michael Klein
