Home › Forums › The HeroMachine Art Gallery › Mad Jack's World of Superheroes & -villains
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May 28, 2015 at 12:35 pm #124547
Mad JackParticipantHad to put my “Villains Project” on hold, while working on the profile cards for all my older characters, but when I started the cards for my greek gods I had the idea to create modern day cover identities for them.
And coincidentally luck would have it that last weeks CDC #122 (Secret Identities) matched this idea perfect, so I decided to enter my Zeus as a sort of “pre-publication”. Here he is:
Story:
After thousand of years of detainment on the hidden island of “At’Luan” for their ruthless interactions with humans and their excessive cultural influence on humankind, a family of powerful Nai’vil – once known as the greek pantheon of gods – managed to escape their prison when in the early 1940s, during World War Two, an exploding german battleship temporarily weakened the technological forcefield that cloaked the island and prevented its inhabitants from leaving. Over the following decades, hiding between humans, these Nai’vil built themselves a new existence in New York and became a wealthy and very influential industrialist family.
Now, in the 21st century, the former greek gods act as heads of the EOS Corporation – one of the largest industrial conglomerates with countless subsidiaries all around the world, which generates billions of dollars in profits each year in an abundance of business areas, among them a private military company called „Blackwood Worldwide“, a genetic research department, an aerospace company, nano technology laboratories, and many more.
Zeus, the family patriarch, is the main shareholder and CEO of the mother company EOS Corporation that was secretely responsible for the events that led to the emergence of the first modern day metahumans, the revealment of At’Luan‘s existence and the exposure of the Nai’vil, Grimms, and Corya’Nai to the public.
May 28, 2015 at 12:41 pm #124548
Mad JackParticipantStill working on the modern time cover identities for my greek goods, I saw this weeks CDC #123 theme (All Winners Squad) and thought to myself “self, why don’t you use some of the winner heads and kill two birds with one stone?” Well, here’s what came out of it:
What happens if you give dblade some hair? He becomes a god of rock ‘n’ roll! Or to be exact, Apollo, the god of music, light, inspiration, and medicine. He’s a doctor by day and a rock musician by night. Unlike me, who is a fribble by day and a sound sleeper by night … 😉
All the while a pioneer in medical matters, Apollo used his superior curative skills in the 21st century to become a highly esteemed surgeon and distinguished expert in multiple medical fields who operates numerous free clinics all over the world. At the same time, when he isn‘t performing as guitarist and lead singer of his own rock group, he runs the genetic research department of the EOS Corporation, trying to unlock the genetic secrets of his peoples and isolating the gene sequence that gives the Nai’vil those extraordinary abilities that sets them apart from their cousins, the homo sapiens.<hr />
And then there is DiCicatriz. Don’t know why, but using his head somehow resulted in Hermes, the god of speed, travel, and thieves, being a skater. Oh, what the heck – why not?! Just watch out for your wallet when you’re near him … 😀
Hermes is the owner of a fast-growing international messenger and delivery service that works in many areas of business, not all of of them entirely legitimate since he acts, amongst others, as a drug runner for his brother Hades and runs a gang of juvenile pickpockets.May 28, 2015 at 6:34 pm #124586
VengeanceParticipantthe last three are all very cool
May 29, 2015 at 12:51 pm #124606
Mad JackParticipantThanks V! Here is another one: Ares, the god of war …
Due to his hot-blooded, forever quarrelling nature, Ares always felt most comfortable in battle and accordingly became the most feared god of Olympus. Needless to say that when he re-entered the modern world during WW II, he immediately was completely in his element. Working as a mercenary for different warring parties, he made a fortune and established profitable contacts to military leaders all over the world. Today, in the 21st century, he is the owner and head of “Blackwood Worldwide”, a private military company which provides its armed security services not only to the United States, but to everyone who’s willing to pay their price.May 29, 2015 at 1:46 pm #124619
LefParticipantAwesome 😉
May 29, 2015 at 1:51 pm #124620
Maverik1313ParticipantNoice dude
May 30, 2015 at 12:52 pm #124689
Mad JackParticipantThanks guys! Next is Poseidon, the god of the sea, storm and earthquakes …
Not so sure what to make him in his modern day version. Maybe a fanatic eco-terrorist hiding behind the fassade of an estimable marine biologist/researcher?! Don’t know …EDIT:
Disgusted with the destructive nature of people in dealing with their life-giving oceans, Poseidon became a fanatic eco-terrorist who hides behind the fassade of an estimable marine biologist while secretly performing acts of sabotage against industrial facilities and greedy corporations all over the world with damage to property worth several million dollars each year. Of course his role in the ecological militant organization „Sons of Gaia“ often clashes with his involvement in the businesses of the EOS Corporation, but when in doubt his radical eco-conservative ideology, according to which man has to be left behind when it comes to the “survival of Mother Nature”, always gains the upper hand.
May 30, 2015 at 1:44 pm #124693
Maverik1313ParticipantNice modernization of an ancient greek god.
May 31, 2015 at 12:02 pm #124755
Mad JackParticipantWell, you have to keep up with the times. FYI: For a better visual differentiation between their “divine” and civil identities, I changed the pictures a bit… 😉
Here is Hades, god of the dead and the underworld:
In the 20st century the meaning “underworld” became a whole new meaning, and so Hades simply adapted by becoming the head of a vast criminal organization hidden behind a tightly knit tapestry of countless shell companies. Today, in the 21st century he is the indisputable king of New Yorks criminal underworld. And it really must have its benefits to work for him, since the guys in his employ are apparently hard to die and can just go on forever, though most of the time a bit slow and sparing with words…May 31, 2015 at 1:39 pm #124767
djubyParticipantThese updates are great!
June 1, 2015 at 12:27 pm #124814
Mad JackParticipantThanks djuby! They’ve been fun to make… 🙂
Since we already have Apollo here, it’s time to introduce his twin sister Artemis, goddess of the hunt and the moon:
In her modern day version she is the owner and guardian of a huge game preservation in Africa, where she keeps a wary eye on many otherwise endangered species. She gained a reputation to make short shrift of poachers after many ivory hunters, who dared to set foot on her animal sanctuary, were never seen again. If anything, the wildlife stock seems to even grow with every disappearing poacher …Fun Fact: Artemis once vowed to always remain a virgin and never marry. Well, she kept her promise, but her girlfriend doesn’t seem to mind… 😉
June 1, 2015 at 12:36 pm #124815
NugParticipantCool, MJ! What exactly am I seeing here though? Are the faded poses old characters, and the others remakes? Or is it like God fashion/ and civilian clothes pose? Either way… pretty epic! Good job as always!
June 1, 2015 at 1:03 pm #124818
Mad JackParticipantThanks Nug! I think it’s a bit of both.
I created these characters almost exactly two years ago and since my “technique” improved between then and now (or at least I hope so) I now dislike some of the old designs (doesn’t Artemis “old” head seem way too big?!). But then again I’m kind of a hoarder and don’t like to discard something entirely if it can still be used someway. So yeah, to cut a long story short, the idea is that the faded poses are what they look(ed) like when they act(ed) as the ancient greek gods and the other (newer) poses are what they look like today.
Any maybe, just maybe, some of them will use their old attire once again when they are forced to choose a side in the inevitable war between the superheroes and villains of “Earth Zero” (our world) for whose emergence they are at least partly responsible. But that’s another story for another time … 😉
June 2, 2015 at 11:46 am #124907
Mad JackParticipantHere comes Hera, goddess of women, marriage and fidelity:
Hera is Zeus’ wife (but not his biological sister – even if Nai’vil tend to consider themselves all brothers and sisters regardless of their family tree) and concurrently vice president of the EOS Corporation. Primarily responsible for EOS’ public relations, she ensures that the company’s not so legitimate activities remain hidden in the eyes of the government by secretly pulling the strings of many political decision makers. As a very prolific lobbyist, she is about to make a stellar career in the political theatre of Washington.June 3, 2015 at 1:10 pm #124962
Mad JackParticipantNext up is Athena, goddess of wisdom, war, arts and crafts:
As the mistress of all forms of wisdom, such as philosophy, psychology, problem-solving and rational strategy, Athena is the most trusted advisor of her father Zeus and as such became, amongst others, both the CTO (chief technical officer) and the CIO (chief information officer) of the EOS Corporation. Beyond that she is also responsible for marketing strategies, information procurement, below-the-line advertising efforts, and many things more. She is a sort of whizz kid when it comes to corporation management. -
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