SubscribeNote: After his win in our Aquaman: Sea Change contest and his excellent New Mutants and Justice Society collections, artist Daniel Govar has a permanent place here at P:R. Govar’s kept himself busy doing commissions, and this phenomenal piece he shared with us features a mix of classic costumes, alt-reality versions and some new designs by Govar himself. The X-Men’ s”Days Of Future Past” really set the framework for alternate reality tales in comics, and I’m glad to be taken back in this powerful pin-up! – Chris A.
Here’s what Daniel told us about this stunning illustration:
It’s a commission from Heroes Con – This one of the X-men is a revisit on a Kitty Pryde and Lockheed redesign piece I did about a year ago, set in the “Days of Future Past” storyline that was one of my first introductions to the X-men and comics. He wanted a depiction of the X-men that were left with Kitty and a grown up Lockheed, breaking out some of the heroes captured and detained by the sentinels and escaping via Magik with Hellhound Rachel tracking them. I was going for a plain-clothes/resistance style for most of them, with a few exceptions, and the “X” motif established with the New Mutants redesigns. To approach the designs I wanted them each to have a story – How did they get this way or in some cases revert back to former looks? I figure Storm in particular returned to where she was mentally when she first donned the leather and went with a mohawk (also who doesn’t LOVE mohawk Storm?!). Kitty, trained in survival by Wolverine, atop a massive fire-breathing Lockheed, is the mastermind rescuer of the scene – busting Colossus, Storm, Wolverine, and Polaris out with the help of Magik and Havoc.
DaniSpite
/ July 10, 2012Excelent piece of artwork, and good overall design. I think that I should read this story someday
Oliver Gogarty
/ July 10, 2012Punk Storm and giant Lockheed FTW!
(And judging from Kitty, it must be cold out.)
ANDREW
/ July 10, 2012WOW! Beautiful work.
Jack
/ July 10, 2012Overall I love it. You do good work sir! I just wonder why Lockheed would need reins?
JSG
/ July 10, 2012My God,geez this is amazing I love drawings that you can feel the emotion pratically leaping off the page ! This is a 10/10 for me great stuff.
Edwin Latorre
/ July 10, 2012Damnit, now I need to change my pants.
Pj Perez
/ July 10, 2012Daniel is SO good. So, so good.
Daniel Govar
/ July 10, 2012DaniSpite – Thanks! It was one of the first comic stories I read as a kid and all my little brain could articulate was “woah…”
Oliver Gogarty – Right?! Thanks much! (we’ll just call it JPG artifacting ;))
Andrew – Merci :)
Jack – :) Much appreciated! twofold: 1 – yelling “let’s bank left” over the wind is tough., 2 – I had this crazy battle sequence in mind that I storyboarded where Lockheed was grappling with 3 sentinels at once, and Kate Pryde creeps out on his neck and swings down via the reins, phasing through a Sentinel’s head and freeing up the dragon. If I ever get to draw this story, I envision Kitty something of an expert at Dragonback combat…
JSG – Thank a million :) Very kind!
Bryan
/ July 10, 2012Who’s the lady at upper left?
HH
/ July 10, 2012Polaris is the only one I couldn’t immediately tell who it was, her hair needs a bit more green maybe? It’s a completely gorgeous piece of work though. Keep it up! Loved the New Mutants designs.
Chris A.
/ July 10, 2012Polaris.
Jim Gitman
/ July 10, 2012Nice drawing, but Havok in his X-Factor kit and tank top Wolverine are major turn-offs for me. I like the idea of Polaris carrying metal weapons around with her, and the subtle redesign of Magik is very nice.
Daniel Govar
/ July 10, 2012Edwin Latorre, P.J. Perez – shucks guys – Thanks!
Bryan, HH – yup Polaris. One of the tough things about redesigns, and in greyscale is when a character is really known for a color hair or specifc outfit you are departing from. In this case the best you can do is stay in the value range for that shade of green and hope her powers can convey the particular character as well. Thanks for the kind words!
Bryan
/ July 10, 2012Would have recognized her MUCH more easily.
steve
/ July 10, 2012i love love love the art, and i actually really like the team too. I mean you got just shit tons of power and with lorna there you’ve got a ton of control too, the sentinels might be screwed
Dedpool
/ July 11, 2012Okay!! Lockheed needs to grow up!! That is awesome!!!
saulone
/ July 12, 2012Thanks and I can respect that :) Redesigns rarely please everyone. The Havok one I saw as more of a combo of all of his outfits except his oldest hula-hoop head one – not specifically the X-factor getup. I’m glad Magik and Polaris especially resonated with you. I always found it odd that those with magnetic powers never have metallic accoutrements standard.
saulone
/ July 12, 2012Steve – Yeah, I almost feel sorry for them :)…almost.
Dedpool – :) Right?!