ARTBLOG: Marvel Comics part 2
CHARACTERS: Iron Man, The Hulk, Capt. America, Electra
SELF IMPOSED PRETENTIOUS SELF-JUSTIFYING BRIEF/NOTES: The Avengers. What are they for? Being most familiar myself with the Ultimates "neocon bastards" interpretation, it's hard not to see them as a rich boys club and kind of establishment. I also cannot be fucked with the Wasp, unless she's some sort of actual wasp. Hence, I went with Elektra, super-assassin - Wolverine's worked with the team before, so they're not averse to killers with bladed weapons etc. If the team's only got the token memorable female in the first place, can she at least not be one that makes herself insignificantly small? It strikes me that the Avengers, even more than, say, the JLA, are professional superheroes in every sense. Tactical drills, support staff, headhunting, tactical deployment of the Hulk (the only way he makes sense in a team context, though christ knows how you get him to pose for the photo), and a degree of supposed emotional sublimation. I like the idea of a mad spandex boys' club plus Elektra, partly because it serves to offset the Nextwave characterisation of Captain America insisting that Monica Rambeau make his dinner. And obviously, make them day-glo. I've switched Captain America's ear-things around - didn't want to drop them, but they're meant to be like the chroming on the rear-end of an old car, rather than heraldic wings. Iron Man is great fun, because you can redesign the hell out of him and no-one will really notice. Tried to go for a bit of manga-esque minimalism here with a couple of nods to Ming Doyle's toyetic version. I like the inserts.
MEDIA/TIME: Gelpen on A4, 1 hour, Photoshop, 2 hours.
TOMORROW: Dr. Stephen Strange!