SubscribeNote: Cartoon Network’s Young Justice animated series has carried on the proud tradition of DC animation, and the character designs are a key part of that. Artist Phil Bourassa recently released the turnarounds to several of the characters he did for the show, and we couldn’t help but share. To see more, head over to Bourassa’s DeviantArt page. – Chris A.
William Hodge
/ June 4, 2012They do a fantastic job with their character designs.
Edwin
/ June 4, 2012Dick’s suit looks like some kinda spy suit and I love that. I’m not sure I’m comfortable with Beast Boy being so monkeyish. It feels like he’s even more removed from his team mates considering he’s barely more than an animal now. It’s a good design, notwithstanding. This Tim is so stiff and soldiery. I feel like his face would crack if he smiled or questioned one of Batman’s orders.
Tom Brazelton
/ June 4, 2012Normally I’m not a fan of “extra lines” on superhero costumes, but I am positively entranced by Bourassa’s work on Nightwing. It looks functional and deceptively easy to draw at first glance. But when you kind of dig into it a little bit, you can see the joint work and how things interlock.
The collar is an especially nice touch. Gives the hint of light armor without being distracting.
DonHorror
/ June 4, 2012What a cool Robin! This should be the official design from now on!
Nightwish is neat too… He totally looks like a spy…
But maybe I’d like a little more blue on his design (maybe).
Mario Silva
/ June 4, 2012Nightwing is good, very minimal, nothing new to it though.
Tim i really like, the color arrangements, the shape of the red with the rib lines, just enough yellow and the grey soles and palms… very nice.
I like the monkey look on beast boy, the red and white just doesn’t do it for me though.
Tim
/ June 4, 2012I’m a fan of the Tim Drake Robin and Beast Boy looks, but I find the Nightwing one kind of boring. It’s a bit too Batman-light.
Seni
/ June 4, 2012These are awesome stuff. This guy’s going places.
Brett Snelgrove
/ June 4, 2012Damn cool. Beast Boy has never looked better and Nightwing and Robin look right on the money.
JimmyGlenn
/ June 4, 2012I love these designs so much. This show is amazing. One thing though, as a HUGE Nightwing fan, I have never liked the animated DCU Nightwing Logo. I prefer the comics version, but its probably difficult to animate.
Edwin
/ June 4, 2012See, I love how opposed we are here. I think his suit design is keen, but I’m kinda concerned with the monkey look. He’s more animal this way and I feel like it robs him of a certain… je ne sais quoi that would make me believe him of being a romantic foil to Raven or potential leader/mentor to the team in later years. Lagoon Boy and others are generally pretty alien and thus, their form is native. By his current origin, this feels more like he’s “devolving” into this form. That’s the best explanation I can give to why the monkey thing bothers me.
On a further note, I love the aesthetic of this series in general. The designs are believable as clothes. They stretch rather than cling. they are layered and armored and woven with technology. Everything makes sense when you look at it, and the design still looks iconic. Characters look different enough that you can tell them apart in a scene. It’s the best part of a more involved design with almost none of the downside
Felix Vasquez Jr.
/ June 4, 2012WOW! Nightwing looks incredible!
Jay
/ June 4, 2012Not crazy about Beastboy ‘s “regular” form being so monkey-ish. Beside that these are great. I’d like to see the rest of the team.
DaniSpite
/ June 4, 2012This series’ designs are almost perfect for every character, and this is an example. Except the extremely monkey-like Beast Boy, the rest are recogniceable and inspired.
Andrew Kilian
/ June 4, 2012Love it, awesome. I also like how they fast forwarded to their young adulthood. I didn’t expect that.
Christiano Flexa
/ June 4, 2012Everithing is just fine, but to make Garfield Logan as a monkey as his natural form…sorry, but it doesn’ work for me. He can shapeshift, but he is a regular kid (well, as regular as a green kid can be, anyway)
It bothers me because he can chance to whatever animal form he wants…to make him a monkey, even when you keep his powers as they are, sounds to me he is a monkey-boy…it limits his potential.
Mario Di Giacomo
/ June 4, 2012I have to say, I love the way BB is channeling Sun Wukong.
Mario Silva
/ June 4, 2012Didn’t he have a pet monkey in this series? The way the series shows him he IS more human (shown once when miss martian scalds him), but he is probably monkeying around to cope with the assassination of his family. it gives him a constant edge, but it means he is constantly with his guard up, therefore afraid.
Colin
/ June 4, 2012Just to nitpick (and I’ve only seen a few episodes of the show, so this is a coincidence) but Beast Boy’s “normal” form looks more like his comic counterpart – normal but green – and he just chooses the monkey-ish form. I rather like it, as I think it stands out.
thestray
/ June 4, 2012I actually dig the monkeyish Beast Boy, it fits with the character within this series.
Well, I think it’s fine because he’s a kid right now. He can seem like a romantic foil to Raven or a potential leader/mentor to the team LATER when he’s matured a bit. I mean look how silly Dick Grayson was. I don’t think it’s hurts anything to start out as a goofy kid.
Personally I dig it, and I think it really fits in well with his character and origin within this series.
Seamus Mac
/ June 4, 2012A NOTE ABOUT BEAST BOY’S MONKEY-LOOK:
The monkey-look is not Garth’s natural form. As someone who watches the show, in episode two of the new season, he reverted from the monkey look to his regular default green boy look during a traumatic flashback. So he can look like normal Beast Boy, but the monkey motif IS A CHOICE – I think he digs the extra mobility, and it lends to using his abilities for personal expression. That’s something I really dig about the character, though he may grow out of it later.
Robin and Nightwing look really slick – the detailing is indicative of Waynetech dollars, and I’m crazy about the Bruce Timm Nightwing logo. I’d love more grey/blue motifs on Dick and the holster for the escrima sticks feels ad hoc, and I feel that Tim’s design hints at a fear of underwear-on-the-outside, but as I said about a year ago I’ll take these designs over the New 52 look any day.
Edwin
/ June 5, 2012That’s fair enough. You guys have brought me around.
Dedpool
/ June 5, 2012The show is top notch and the designs are as well. My only issue was with Wonder Girl wearing the calf length tights and sneakers, and yet when i see her in action it totally works. The design work has all been utalitarian as well. Nothing is done just for the look.
Ren Malone
/ June 5, 2012For the most part this is completely off topic, but I wanted to ask if you P:R admins had seen the character designs for the new DC fighting game ‘Injustice: Gods Among Us,’ and suggest that you possibly post reviews for said designs. I’d really like to hear what you guys think of them. Thanks!
Chris A.
/ June 5, 2012Ren: We have looked them over but P:R’s goal is to focus on the things Dean and I really enjoy in superhero design. We’ve done reviews outside that from time to time, but we don’t make a habit of it if we can help it.
Ryan
/ June 7, 2012I really like the Nightwing costume. I always thought it was just weird that his emblem wasn’t a bird in the comics. With just a little tweek it could be a bird so it just seemed really odd that they didn’t just go ahead and make him have his own shield. This design does that perfect. It’s not a glaring difference but it has a huge impact.
Beast Boy looks great but it doesn’t seem like that much of a change.
Red Robin is such an improvement on the current design. I’m thinking he needs a new emblem/shield himself. Maybe something along the lines of the Kingdom Come symbol. It definitely needs some updating but a bird over the R might be needed now that he isn’t Robin.
Ryan
/ June 7, 2012And I get that this Robin isn’t the comic book Tim Drake so my symbol comments don’t work for the tv show. I just think this look should be used in the comic. The current Tim Drake just looks too busy and while I get what they were going for with his new cape/wings I just don’t think they work… at all.
Toyebot
/ June 12, 2012Great designs and an excellent show!
Zacula
/ June 14, 2012I’m a big fan of this Young Justice show, and a great deal of that is just because of the excellent designs.
Monetly
/ September 18, 2012You know what the saddest part of it all is? That the thing that bugs me the most about Red Robin’s design….is his hair. I love Nightwing’s hair along with BBs, but something about his just annoys the crap out of me. Anyone else agree? or am I the only one?
oz
/ January 17, 2013Robin looks better than beast boy and nightwing
oz
/ January 17, 2013Robin has lots of move than anyone else
Mr. Ghostal
/ February 2, 2013Phil Bourassa’s design work is unparalleled when it comes to the DCU. The Nightwing and Robin designs are possibly the best those two characters have ever had in any medium. Also Garfield’s update is a perfect halfway point between his original design and modern interpretation.
So sad that YJ is cancelled. If it were up to me, Bourassa would be the new Jose Louis Garcia Lopez at DC and establish the new style book. Everything he has done for YJ is considerably better than what has been done in the New 52.