Project : Rooftop

Superheroes, Redesigned

P:R Approved: Kris Anka’s Mr. Freeze!

Note: Not since Mike Mignola’s excellent redesign in Batman: The Animated Series have I been excited to see a new look for Mr. Freeze. P:R Regular Kris Anka delivers the goods here, making a convincing containment suit for Mr. Fries that melds his earlier look with haunting science fiction ala Fringe. And Anka went the next level with the coloring choices, with the flat colors for the suit contrasting witht he glowing blue and the haunting red googles. – Chris A.


Here’s what Anka said about the design:

Continuing as part of the daily bust series, when I approached Mr. Freeze I wanted to create some form of visual simplicity with the characters. Because of the visual nature of his power (glowing blue colour) I felt he would look great with that as a visual theme. I added the “Tron lines” to help define the figure within a silhouette. He could be drawn with his entire body fading into shadow, but the lines and the helmet would still provide enough information as to what he was doing, and it would be a cool visual look which would also contrast his red eyes.

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12 Comments by on May 22, 2013
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P:R Approved: Thomas Branch’s Spoiler!

Note: The P:R Staff are big fans of Stephanie Brown, and seeing this recent redesign by Thomas Branch hits us in our weakspot. Branch really studied Brown’s Spoiler costume, as well as it seems her time as Batgirl, giving us something great here — and the addition of the lenses is a big bonus. – Chris A.

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9 Comments by on May 21, 2013
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P:R Approved: Marvel’s Modern Drax The Destroyer!

Note: Marvel’s Drax the Destroyer is carving up aliens and enemies alike in the new Guardians of the Galaxy series, and it recently came to me just how great his current design is as compared to the retro-superhero suit he wore for most of his life. This bare-bones redesign of Drax first appeared in the 2005 Drax The Destroyer miniseries illustrated by Mitch Breitweiser, but I haven’t been able to confirm if it was Breitweiser who did the redesign. Although that’s still a mystery, this great panel by Michael Avon Oeming from a recent issue of the Guardians of the Galaxy Infinite Comics shows just how simple and iconic it can be. – Chris A.

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6 Comments by on May 20, 2013
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P:R Approved: Eric Guzman’s Robin!

Note: Eric Guzman‘s work returns to the site today, this time with a new take on an old favorite: Robin. Guzman’s designs gives him the armor a crimefighter like Robin would need, but also understands that too much armor is a bad thing for someone as acrobatic and stealthy as the boy wonder. – Chris A.

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11 Comments by on May 17, 2013
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The Garish Gear of Guy Gardner, Green Lantern

Note: With today being the final deadline for our Green Lantern: Emerald Ensemble contest, P:R contributing writer Vito Delsante shared with us some epic snafus in costuming for one particular Green Lantern, Guy Gardner. – Chris A.

As a product of the 80’s comic scene, Guy Gardner was (and still is) my favorite Green Lantern. And I have no real reason to like the guy, pardon the pun. He’s obnoxious, egotistical, and a bit of a danger to everyone around him. Those might be the very reasons why I like him, but I wouldn’t call those admirable traits.

Guy has had a rough go, costume wise, in his career. Some of his choices…hmmm, not so much. So, while they might not be as hideous as the title suggests, let’s take a look at some of Guy’s “shoulda-zigged-when-he-zagged” costume missteps.

1. Classic

While there’s really nothing wrong with the Joe Staton-designed costume, you have to point to the top of this dude’s hair and wonder, “Double u, tee, eff.” I went to school with plenty a bowlcut (and plenty a mullet, while we’re at it), but there is no good reason for a superhero to have one. A supervillain? Maybe. In looking back at it, I wouldn’t be surprised if Guy’s bowlcut was there to make us think this guy is a jerk. The way the front offsets his eyebrows…it gives his face a square shape and almost acts as a mono-brow above his actual brow. A mono-brow gives the look of no emotion, hence a villainous shape. Despite the fact that I’m not a fan of the haircut, it does work with the character, if you follow my extremely convoluted and oddball logic.

Read the full article »

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4 Comments by on May 16, 2013
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Deadlines Coming Up Soon!

Note: Listen up, P:R hopefuls! Both the deadlines for the Green Lantern: Emerald Ensemble contest and the Fan-Art Friday: Beast are imminent. All entries for Green Lantern: Emerald Ensemble are due in by 5pm Eastern time on May 16, 2013. Fan-Art Friday: Beast entries are due at 5pm Eastern time today, May 15, 2013. Good luck! – Chris A.

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2 Comments by on May 15, 2013
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P:R Approved: Kenneth Rocafort’s Cyborg Superman!

Note: The New 52 ain’t all bad. Superman artist Kenneth Rocafort has given new life to one of the most memorable (and sometimes derided) DC creations from the 1990s: Cyborg Superman. Moving past the cyborg stereotype perpetrated in the 1990s, Rocafort’s design melds Otomo aesthetics with the segmented armor approach of the New 52, making it actually work. The fact that this also looks like a Bruce Campbell gives this one bonus points. – Chris A.

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19 Comments by on May 14, 2013
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RetroFix: Patrice Martinez’ The Blue Lady!

Note: Once again we return to the dusty corners of the comics bin, finding those discarded characters that have fallen into the public domain and brought them back with new life, new vigor — and a new design! Project: Rooftop’s RetroFix returns with theBlue Lady by Patrice Martinez!

Who was the Blue Lady?

from the Public Domain Super Heroes Wikia

Lucille Martin, an adventurous novelist, was returning from a vacation in China when she met an elegant Chinese lady. This lady asked Lucille to safeguard a package for her. In the event that she should be meet with foul-play, she was to deliver the package to Chin Liang in Washington, DC. The lady also gave her a bluebird-shaped ring which was said to grant superpowers to the wearer. One night, the power went out, and Martin knew that people had come for the package. While hiding in her bedroom, she began playing with the Bluebird Ring, but it fell off and she then stepped on it in the dark. This released some of the gas within it, which Lucille breathed in, not noticing until it was too late. The gas she inhaled gave her the strength of ten men, resistance to up to .38 caliber bullets, and heightened reflexes. The effect lasted for at least a day.

Note: Check out the RetroFix and final design after the jump! – Chris A.

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23 Comments by on May 13, 2013
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P:R Approved: Kris Anka’s Ocean Master!

Note: People sometimes make jokes about Aquaman, but there’s no joking when talking about his half-brother Ocean Master. P:R Regular Kris Anka recently targeted Orm here in great new iteration of the Bob Cardy design. The buttoned cape has a certain regality fit for a member of the Atlantean royal family, and Anka’s reforged Ocean Master’s mask to make him less like Merman from Masters of the Universe and something more tyrannical and threatening. – Chris A.

We asked Anka about the design, and here’s what he said:

This was done as part of a series of daily bust redesigns. I attempted to adapt Ocean Master’s previous versions into something that wasn’t super corny that could actually be taken seriously as a villain. I adopted a lot from the Young Justice version, which I feel was the best out of his already existing designs.

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19 Comments by on May 10, 2013
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All-Ages All-Stars: Camilo Otálora’s Super Friends!

Note: Part of what makes heroes heroic is the example they make for others. And this piece by Camilo Otálora shows DC’s power trio as free-wheeling children in a heart-warming reimagination of what Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman can be. Today’s spotlighting of this is as much a ‘thumbs up’ to the regular wear design of the heroes as is the illustration Camilo did. Bravo! – Chris A.

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12 Comments by on May 9, 2013
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