Psick

I don't know a lot about Marvel's "New Universe" initiative from the late Eighties, but I do know that if there was more than one character as badly dressed as Psi-Hawk, it was doomed to fail no matter what:

If you're the main feature in a "Upskirt Hot Shots of the Marvel Universe" calendar, you're in trouble. When you combine the man-mini-skirt with the fringe, both there and on the bare-armpit leather vest, I think you're asking a lot of your enemies to be intimidated by you.

I like to think maybe that's why he went with the all-metal Extreme Batman/Wolverine Spikey Eyed Visor Helmet. Although, maybe that's actually just tin foil he donned in an effort to keep the voices in his head from making so many rude comments about the rest of his ensemble.

This particular costume variation is from a later crossover series of some sort, but he also had a regular outfit he sported:

At least this one has his ribcage covered, and the hawk helmet thing doesn't reek of the Image Nineties. But I have to take points off for that big red doohickey on his chest, which I'm assuming is supposed to be a hawk of some sort. If that's the goal, then I think someone needed to take a trip to the local zoo, because that's a lot more like a strangled ostrich or the guy in the cube next to you's hand-shadow-puppet than it is anything like any raptor I've ever seen.

Either way, it looks shocked as hell, which given the fact that it finds itself on the deck of a fringed mini-skirt-wearing Hawkman wannabe is understandable. I mean, if you're going to copy another hero from another company, set your sights high, don't settle on Hawkman for the love of Pete. And if you do, then by the spirit of Project Runway, at least end up dressed better than him!

24 Responses to Psick

  1. Mr.MikeK says:

    Wow. That’s a lot of fail for a single costume. I remember the character a little. I think he was actually a summoned entity of pure psionic energy hence “Psi-Hawk” as the moniker. It never made sense to me.

    Anyone else notice the pink Hulk-rippoff in the background?

  2. Kytana says:

    Looks like a male version from the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull crossed with stratos(he-men). It have nothing style in there.

  3. knight26 says:

    I think I remember that comic from my brothers old collection, he had a ton of first issues from the late eighties early nineties, as just in case the series made it big type buys. That character was a sort of proto-Captain Planet, where a group of 5 IIRC teens would join their psionic powers to summon him. The spirit he embodied however was of their dead teacher, who was native american, so he looked and acted like him, just much more violent. On the whole it was pretty forgettable, but at least it wasn’t as preachy as CP.

  4. Dionne Jinn says:

    I think I see some attempt to make the character appear as something from Native American mythology or the like, but somehow it has gone completely wrong…

  5. McKnight57 says:

    Am I the only one seeing a horse (or possibly giraffe) on his chest instead of a hawk? For the love of all that’s not mentally scarring, if you’re gonna have a terrible senses-abusing costume, at least be consistent.

  6. Myro says:

    McKnight57:
    Am I the only one seeing a horse (or possibly giraffe) on his chest instead of a hawk? For the love of all that’s not mentally scarring, if you’re gonna have a terrible senses-abusing costume, at least be consistent.

    Nope, I see it too. At the very least, it doesn’t look like a hawk, because hawks don’t have necks that are that long. Maybe a crane of some sort?

    I too started to think, “Oh, native american motif.” Now I’m not so sure. Now I’m thinking, “Oh, member of the Village People.”

  7. Jeff Hebert says:

    Myro: I too started to think, “Oh, native american motif.” Now I’m not so sure. Now I’m thinking, “Oh, member of the Village People.”

    OK, that made me laugh out loud!

  8. susieq says:

    Late 80’s early 90’E-mail that’s when my brother and I were collecting. Seems like every character got a makeover. They all looked linked some version of the masked purple “rocker” in the back ground.

  9. FRM says:

    he at least needs to make his skirt longer!

  10. McKnight57 says:

    I don’t even wanna know where those feathers came from.

    Who was this guy’s costume designer. I give it 50:50 odds to being either Wonder Man or Rob Liefeld.

  11. Mr.MikeK says:

    McKnight57:

    Who was this guy’s costume designer. I give it 50:50 odds to being either Wonder Man or Rob Liefeld.

    Can’t be Liefeld. No pouches, flemings, or oversized guns.

  12. William Peterson says:

    Sadly, I DO remember the “New Universe”! And, I had almost managed to forget all about it, until you brought it up, again! Dagnab it, Jeff, I swear I’m sending you my therapy bill! 😉

  13. McKnight57 says:

    Mr.MikeK: Can’t be Liefeld. No pouches, flemings, or oversized guns.

    That still leaves Wonder Man.

  14. Myro says:

    Jeff Hebert: OK, that made me laugh out loud!

    Thank you, good sir. It makes perfect sense when you look at that second panel. Psi-Hawk is clearly the “Y” in “YMCA.”

  15. Doornik1142 says:

    McKnight57:
    Am I the only one seeing a horse (or possibly giraffe) on his chest instead of a hawk? For the love of all that’s not mentally scarring, if you’re gonna have a terrible senses-abusing costume, at least be consistent.

    I wasn’t before. But now I can’t see anything else.

  16. Lordgrimm01 says:

    How about this as a challenge, remake Psi-Hawk as he should have been

  17. McKnight57 says:

    Doornik1142: I wasn’t before. But now I can’t see anything else.

    You’re welcome.

  18. Vampyrist says:

    I see an alpaca on his chest, but that could just be me.

  19. Dan says:

    Kytana:
    Looks like a male version from the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull crossed with stratos(he-men). It have nothing style in there.

    That was the first thing I thought too. He totally looks like a rejected Masters Of The Universe character. Even his name fits MOTU too.

  20. McKnight57 says:

    Vampyrist:
    I see an alpaca on his chest, but that could just be me.

    It’s definitely not just you. I saw a horse, or possibly giraffe, which still makes me think that Wonder Man (or maybe Cyclops with his horrible depth perception) had a hand in the costume design.

  21. FRM says:

    McKnight57:
    Am I the only one seeing a horse (or possibly giraffe) on his chest instead of a hawk? For the love of all that’s not mentally scarring, if you’re gonna have a terrible senses-abusing costume, at least be consistent.

    maybe he was Psi-Giraffe to begin with, but then they changed it to hawk, and got lazy with remaking the logo. or maybe Psi-Hawk has never really SEEN an actual hawk before.

  22. Loki says:

    Hey now, that’s clearly a Mini Kilt you guys! It’s all the rage in Scotland right now.

  23. Papakrok says:

    Is it my imagination or is Psi-Hawk arroused in the first frame? That, my friends is very, very disturbing….