Thanks, guys. I tweaked the transparency of the Items in the background. The glow is the color showing through.
Weilyn, yes, the tentacle is grabbing the earth like in one of Oracle Girl’s visions.
Character Contest 64 – Legionnaire
Final entry and a surprise win. The metas in the Legion of Super-Heroes get their powers from within. They don’t use technology and are all human or humanoid. Why not go in the complete opposite direction with a non-human technology-based character. Plus, a well-rounded team has a scientist / researcher.
Irony is, I went for an incredibly simple design. Something that was tacked together with the obligatory chest insignia. To be honest, look at how mass-produced and thoughtless a lot of comics and cartoons are. The characters are simply cranked out of a mill to sell stories and toys aimed at high energy kids with short attention spans. Especially the delightfully tacky pulp of the 1940s and 1950s. In fact, “Lepus” is the Latin word for “rabbit” and “Arneb” is a star in the Lepus constellation. “Arneb” is the Arabic word for “hare.”
What won Jeff over was not the design by itself but his story. Which I enjoyed writing. Lepus and Oracle Girl are what drive the storyline of my Legion of Super-Heroes. The five members together are their own team. I had a lot of fun creating them.
My prize for winning this Character Contest was the stegosaurus companion. Jeff went on to add a whole Dinosaur section to the Companions. Way cool!
So, here he is. The prize-winning rabbit, Lepus of Arneb.
Lepus of Arneb
Origin
Standing on earth, look to the constellation of Orion. Move your eyes directly south. Should the inhabitants wish it, there you will find the Arneb solar system. The Arnebians are semi-pedal lagomorphs. They are timid, but highly intelligent. They are masters of interstellar travel.
Their technology is a fiercely guarded secret. The galaxy would be open for plunder should it fall into the clutches of evil. Knowledge of its existence has spread. The peaceful Arnebians have gone into isolation. They cloaked their world, shut off all communication to the outside, and destroyed their trans-dimensional “rabbit holes.” Stranding thousands of Arnebian colonists and explorers.
Separated from his family, a young Arnebian named Lepus was found by earth’s mightiest defenders, the Legion of Super-Heroes. He joined them as their interstellar guide and research scientist. Lepus is able to transport the Legionnaires through trans-dimensional portals. However, without beacons, he relies on interstellar maps and calculated guesses to plot courses. Often having to “hop” to destinations. Sometimes, he is not able to use the exact same route back to earth.
Being an Arnebian, Lepus is inquisitive and resourceful. He is also skittish. This was a problem for the Legion at first. Lepus would lead them to strange worlds only to flee at the first sign of trouble. Leaving the heroes stranded.
Lepus has grown to trust the Legionnaires and their ability to protect him. He is a budding scientist, always building and refining various gadgets. As with all Arnebians, he is a pacifist. His creations are defensive, such as shields and nets.
The Arnebian is also homesick. He spends most every waking hour of free time searching for the beacon home. Lepus also knows that there are others in diaspora. He fears that those who wish to possess Arnebian technology seek them as well. When he can, Lepus tries to rescue his people before evil can find them. With the help of his fellow Legionnaires, he will find a way home.
