Picture the scene, a hard-up comic book creator desperately seeking a new character for his struggling book. The deadline is looming, and his job is on the line — he needs help, and quick! Frantic eyes dart around the room, hoping against hope for some sort of inspiration. Nothing on the book shelf, he’s already done something with the clock, ditto for the calculator and calendar, no way “Staple Remover Guy” is going to work, there’s my leftover bowl of Top Ramen …

And BAM! Just like that, the day is saved! See, his name is Prince Ra-Man and he has mental powers. Get it? He messes with your noodle. Brilliant!

(Image and character ©1986, DC Comics, Inc., from “Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe”, Number 18.)

(Edited to change a couple of words in the post and title, as Prince Ra-Man is actually a hero, not a villain. Apologies to him and the deceased soul of Merlin which lives in him.)

Every day seems to bring more news indicating that we will sometime soon see a real-life super-hero. The latest? Scientists have produced adhesive strips that work just like a gecko’s, possibly allowing people wearing boots and gloves featuring the material to climb walls like Spider-Man.

Now if only someone would just invent the ability to have the proportional sexual attractiveness of a spider, maybe we could all land supermodel girlfriends like Mary Jane Watson, too. Now that would be news-worthy!

I’ve posted about this before elsewhere, but I thought you might enjoy seeing how an illustration for a magazine or role playing game happens from start to finish. I begin with the art specification (spec) from the art director:

Character illustration — [super villain]: [super villain] is an enormous brute of a man, 6′8″ tall and with the super-muscular build one would expect of a man who can lift 400 tons. He’s technically white, but the internal solar fires that give him his powers have “burned” his skin a sort of charcoal grey and caused all the hair on the top of his head to fall out. His costume is a sort of gold-colored leotard and tank top that resembles a professional wrestler’s outfit; he doesn’t wear gloves or a mask, but does have oversized black boots (”the better to stomp you with,” as he sometimes puts it).

And here’s how I proceeded.

(more…)

Memo to all super-powered individuals contemplating logos:

Painting a target over your heart makes you — wait for it — a target! And while Frank Miller’s Dark Knight can get away with claiming the heavy Kevlar vest he wears is the reason for his bright yellow insignia (draw fire to the most protected area), you and I both know most modern super-heroes couldn’t hide a sheet of paper beneath the skin-tight spandex of their costumes, much less body armor.

Looking specifically at Geo-Force’s costume here, I have to worry particularly about the red line pointing down from the target insignia, as if to say “Hey, if my heart isn’t a tempting enough target for your super ray beams of death, take a look at this fantastic alternative!”

First we had Whoopi Goldberg showing up as one of the cosmic powers, and now apparently Scarlett Johansson’s lips have been turned into an android:

This is actually the Mad Thinker’s “Awesome Android”, but surely only the sultry Ms. Johanson’s pouty mouth has the power to inspire someone to create a super-villain whose entire head is nothing but lips. I’m tempted to say this evil-doer “sucks”, but that would be beneath me. I would, however, pay cash money to have him say “Kiss off!” as he pummels his enemy to smithereens.

(Image and character ©1985, Marvel Comics Group, “The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe”, Volume 2, Number 7.)