April O'Neil (Archie)

April began as a carbon copy of her animated counterpart, but the writers developed her into a competent warrior after training with Splinter. Years earlier in the September, 1985 re-printing of issue one, Mirage Studios artist Ryan Brown depicts April as a katana wielding ninja warrior in his back cover pin-up. Because of her frequent adventures with the Turtles, she lost her job at Channel 6 and became a freelance reporter. April received ninjitsu and katana training from Splinter, and gradually became highly proficient at fighting skills. Her remarkably quick progress was explained as being a result of her unique genetic lineage, having been a descendent of the malevolent sorceress, May East. Archie also published 2 sets of 3-part April O'Neil mini-series, the second of which dealt with the May East saga. In the Winter 1994 Archie Special, April was mutated into a turtle herself. This made April become the first official female turtle introduced to the series, three years before Venus de Milo's debut.