April O'Neil

Few characters in Bronze Age comics have proven as enduringly beloved as April O'Neil, who burst onto the scene in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2 back in 1984, courtesy of Peter Laird. Over an extraordinary four-decade run stretching all the way to 2026, she's remained a constant presence in the TMNT universe, sharing pages with an iconic cast that includes Splinter, Casey Jones, Michelangelo, Karai, and even the legendary Miyamoto Usagi. Born from the scrappy, black-and-white indie comics world of Mirage Studios, April is one of those rare characters whose staying power speaks for itself — 66 catalog appearances and still going strong, with a key issue to her name that any serious collector will want on their shelf.