SubscribeNote: We’re fortunate enough to have two major series of Denis Medri to showcase for you this month, and we couldn’t delay any more in showing this one for you. After bringing to you a rockabilly take on Batman and a steampunk take on Spider-Man, Medri has come back with a wild western rendition of DC’s Justice League. That Smallville farmboy Clark Kent looks right at home transported to this era, and his Green Arrow gone native is positively inspirational. – Chris A.
Neil Burke
/ August 14, 2012Goddamn! I’ve been a fan of Mr Medri’s since you showcased Rockabilly Batman and everything I’ve seen of his rocks. These are equally brilliant, my favourites being Green Lantern and Green Arrow. I’d read the Hell out of a book with those two in it.
DaniSpite
/ August 14, 2012I think that, with every new design, I love more this guy. Every character is recogniceable and really fits the theme, both of the character and the era chosen by Denis.
If I have to choose one, Wonder Woman look almost perfect. Give her some out-of-date weapons, and she will be a winner.
Liam
/ August 14, 2012These are great, though something feels wrong about seeing Batman with a bunch of guns! Maybe should have given him throwing knives or something? Love the S-shield neckerchief
Chris Gonzales
/ August 14, 2012Most of these are alright, and I definitely appreciate Denis’ other work around here, but even a wild-west Batman shouldn’t be carrying guns.
Trace
/ August 14, 2012This is really good work. I love that you chose John Stewart as the Green Lantern. Classy design work on all the costumes. The only thing i would have like to have seen would be a more “Zorro” look to Batman, as a shout-out to his “Mark of Zorro” roots.
Tim
/ August 14, 2012I just love his style.
hatmantc
/ August 14, 2012wow this were very well done. all of the designs seem to fit all the characters.
Jim Gitman
/ August 14, 2012These are almost perfect, and definitely my favorite of Medri’s concepts. I’d prefer to see Batman with throwing knives or something, though, as I just can’t get on-board with him using guns. And Green Arrow is a little odd, though a bit of explanation might bring me around.
The others are just great, though. Each character is true to his or her essence while still looking as if they would be at home in the chosen era. There’s a tremendous amount of emotion and information communicated by each drawing.
Dedpool
/ August 14, 2012Really love Medri’s work. I love all of these, i can even forgive Batman having guns, as it IS the wild west.
Jason Todd
/ August 14, 2012I don’t care what time period it is, Batman with guns is just wrong.
13strong
/ August 14, 2012Love Green Arrow as a “Dances With Wolves” style civil war soldier. Awesome idea that really plays on the Robin Hood aspect of the character.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
/ August 14, 2012Green Arrow is instantly my favorite. Sorry, Supes. I love that whole Native American vibe he has.
Oliver Gogarty
/ August 14, 2012The Green Lantern looks like a mash up of Django Unchained and Lucky the Leprechaun: Django Uncharmed!
Casey E. Palmer
/ August 14, 2012BUT BATMAN. HE HAS GUNS.
I wonder how a Wild West Batman could operate WITHOUT guns? Hm.
Jay
/ August 14, 2012Nice work, as usual from Denis. Most of these don’t do much for me as they feel … I don’t know … predictable? …. obvious? Something along those lines.
A “bank robber” mask over his mouth & nose would have served Batman better than the Zorro look. Also the feather in his hat is confusing, but I’m glad Denis didn’t give him bat ears by making the hat pointy or something.
Supes, WW and GL seem like circus performers.
The two that work best for me are Green Arrow and Flash. The “Injun” elements on GA are awesome but not over-done … and he just looks scary.
Flash’s look is subtle but effective in making him look like a cocky quick-draw. He could be a great “Billy The Kid” type. Also would be cool if he operated (or owned) a locomotive that was known to be fastest around. Just spit balling on that idea…sorry!
Seems like these two could have really interesting back stories that readers wouldn’t be too familiar with.
G.D.
/ August 14, 2012I would read that GL/Flash team up Elseworlds book in a heartbeat!
MattG
/ August 14, 2012I love this and I was totally with you until…
Batman is holding guns? Seriously? You couldn’t have given him a bullwhip or something? Batman does NOT do guns. Ever.
David Goodner
/ August 14, 2012Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Flash give me a feeling like this is the cast of Clark Kent’s World’s Finest Wild West Show who travel the country entertainin’ folks with their amazing skills and battling evil along the way.
GL is nice on his own. With the lamp, I’m reminded that quite a few post-war African Americans ended up working on the railroads. Green Arrow is really awesome. Batman is also pretty cool. I’m getting the vibe that he’s a bounty hunter with a reputation for being able to take down criminals who believe they can hide from the law.
Those three don’t fit the “wild west show” theme, but they’re cool individually.
There’s really nothing amazing or totally unexpected here, but it’s really neat stuff anyway. Of course, DC already did a wild west elseworld. Now DC needs to catch up and do a 50s drag-racing elseworld with Batman, because that was just a totally fun and off-the-wall reimagining. :)
David G.
BJMcG
/ August 14, 2012Man I love Denis Medri’s style! But The Batman doesn’t seem right to me. I know it’s the old west and it’s all gunslingers and what have you, but giving the Bat guns seems such a huge departure from his current character. Some Eastern (or American Indian) influence in his design would make him more of an alternative warrior than regular outlaw, which is what he seems here. Maybe a sword, or a spear. Throwing knives, face paint. He just seems like a bank robber here. The rest are spot on!
Toom
/ August 14, 2012AMAZING overall, though I’m not entirely sold on Batman (always going to be a tough redesign though, that). The Zorro bandana fits with the character really nicely, but the hat doesn’t work for me (to a certain extent the firearms, too – would throwing knives have worked, or even leaving him barehanded to emphasise him as a brawler?). Completely bananas for the rest of them, though. I’d love to see this happen.
G.D.
/ August 14, 2012Wow. A lot of naysaying on the Batman design here. I’ve been staring at it again for minute or two, and I’m really less bothered by the guns here (I mean this is a kooky western motif, NONE of these guys actually tote firepower)– but instead, what I’m not crazy about is the nondescript look of Batman’s headgear. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first, but it’s the lack of the distinct bat silhouette that throws me. No matter what redesign or ‘what if?’ artist throw at Bats, I think the ears have to be there in some way, shape, or form– or else we lose the character.
Imagine if he had the black bandito/Zorro style mask that actually covered the crown of his head (think Dread Pirate Roberts a’la Princess Bride) and tied a pair of black feathers in the knot on back. Maybe that’s a little hokey, but you get the general idea.
No disrespect to Denis Medri’s designs, they’re kickass– it’s just a thought I had.
Alex
/ August 14, 2012While I generally don’t like Batman with guns, the original incarnation, “the Bat-Man” used them, and different takes — like the Batman/Doc Savage one-shot — depict him more in that vein. I think Wild West Batman could easily be more “Bat-Man” than “Dark Knight”.
Joshua
/ August 14, 2012JFC, this is one talented motherfarmer. Seriously skilled. I want him making comic books now.
Hey! Is there anyone from a comic company reading the comments page of Project Rooftop? If so, listen to me, some random guy on the internet, and give this guy a job already.
And everyone running their mouths about Batman having guns can sit on it. You heard me. I don’t often pull out the swears, but sometimes it’s warranted.
Listen, Batman had a gun before he didn’t – If this site existed in the 50s, when Batman gave up the guns and killing, people would be like “Where are Batman’s guns? BATMAN HAS GUNS. PERIOD.” And similar nonsense. It’s like when Bruce Willis went from comedy to doing Die Hard and people were all “Bruce Wills can’t do action,” but then he went and did that shit. Plus, this is the old west, and everyone had guns. Even grandmothers and kids had guns.
Dillon
/ August 14, 2012Well in Year Two Batman uses the gun that killed his parents AND teams up with Joe Chill. Actually, forget I even mentioned that run :P
Rolando Garcia
/ August 15, 2012Denis’ take on Wild West Batman is so overtly inspired by “The Return of Bruce Wayne” that I can’t help but think of this as “what if these other characters found themselves in that time era?” To that extent, these designs are fucking rule. No wait, I take that back. To ANY extent these designs fucking rule. Wonder Woman is my favorite because the art makes me have a crush on her.
Bret
/ August 15, 2012Original incarnation means 3 times, when he was basically The Shadow fanfic.
After that it’s one of the building blocks of the character. I mean, degree varies like crazy from “Just doesn’t use them when he’s crimefighting.” to “Active mental issues”, but it doesn’t fit.
Especially the carbine. Pistols have a tradition with the Lone Ranger of non-lethal heroes packing ‘em. Impossible trick shots, KOing dudes, whatever. It’s impossible, but it’s accepted, like punching dudes out cold for hours just making them groggy instead of permanent brain damage.
Rifles, though? Those things are treated like guns. You use one, you’re willing to end someone’s life.
Batman (after the first year), as much as Superman, isn’t.
It’s a shame to spend so many words on it, since the other designs are so nice (Really like the Green Lantern), but it draws focus.
Colin
/ August 15, 2012Love all of them, but GA takes the cake.
By the way, if you haven’t already, head over to his site and check out his Star Wars high school drawings. So so so so cool.
Jacob
/ August 15, 2012Sweetness.
Love the Green Lantern, the Maverick/gambler look is awesome on him. Wonder Woman looks like something is missing, it’s… lacking, whereas the others are western-enhanced versions of themselves, she’s just kinda… boring. She’s a ranch hand with a bit of coloring similarities. It feels like there needs to be more “omphf”.
Green Arrow is my least fav. I get that it’s taking the original characters for a spin, but I’d've liked to see a Native American as GA. If you’re gonna go with a Native theme anyway, just go full bore instead of just dressing up a white dude.
…Hey, maybe that’s what WW needs, shake her up and make her Latina. Her backstory can be she’s out for justice/revenge after having her family’s land stolen.
Adam Murray
/ August 15, 2012Batman? With guns? COME ON
CoreyL
/ August 15, 2012I’m loving Green Arrow!
Jay
/ August 16, 2012Adam Murray:
Batman has used guns on quite a few occasions he just doesn’t use them to kill … for the most part. Here are lots of examples with pics, my favorite caption from this article is “In Detective #404, Batman uses a rifle to shoot some dolphins”
http://sacomics.blogspot.com/2005/08/batman-and-guns.html
And that’s just the comic version of Batman, how many of his movie/TV vehicles are equipped machine guns?
Jacob:
P:R Guideline #3 states ” For our regular P:R Redesigns feature … it is important to keep in mind that the task is not to re-imagine the characters, but to revise ONLY their costuming…”
But, we have seen that P:R is flexible on this. That being the case I’d like to see Mexican Manhunter (obviously Martian Manhunter as a Mexican bandit type) with crossed bandoliers emulating his classic suit.
Karriem
/ August 18, 2012i think people harp on the “no gun” aspect of Batman too much. These designs rock, Batman included. the original Batman carried a gun. And we see him using explosives and rocket launchers on his planes. In an era where everyone is armed, it’s just not reasonable.
Itlas
/ August 19, 2012As ever Denis Medri did a great job.
I love Superman,he totally looks like the “always good and always right” chief a la John Wayne.
Wonder Woman is also great,the way he played with her original costume’s elements is very brilliant.
Green Harroe is very cool,he looks like a white grown up among native americans
Green Lantern reminds me the Doc,the doctors of the frontier,an intelligent and cultural man.
Flash,of course he is the quick drawer,”the right hand of the devil”,Trinità(I’m sure Denis will understand my comparison ;) )
Batman,well he looks the avenger and the fool killer,maybe he’s too much heavily armed to respect his character and he looks like more a sort of Punisher this way…
BUT,as you can see EVERYONE is armed here,yeah Batman don’t use guns,but neither Superman,Wonder Woman,Flash and Green Lantern but they all have belts and guns.Probably Medri has imagined a powerless western setting when JL are all heroes without powers so fireguns are essentials for them to survive in the Wild Wild West.
Jamie
/ August 23, 2012Major plus points for having wonder woman NOT be a bar wench! I would have liked to see her transponded perhaps as a native American princess however,otherwise very cool!
Tim
/ September 1, 2012I like them all save Batman. He should have been like Zorro. Seeing how in some incarnations that is the movie he was watching before his parents are murdered. Also him having guns is against his character in a huge way!
B
/ September 10, 2012Love love love the Wonder Woman.
blair
/ October 2, 2012i have only one problem. batman with guns.
Edwin
/ October 5, 2012I have read both sides of the Batman with guns divide, especially since its my only quibble. In the end, i’ll accept the guns for Wayne, but it still doesn’t feel Batman to ma. Mind you, I always push for people to up the detective instead of the brawler
Redtoade
/ April 12, 2013Batman with steam punk gadgets on buffalo leather utility belt definitely.
Guns of any sort? Nope.
H. E. Griffin
/ April 17, 2013So amazing. I’m writing a novel with western superheroes and this is so perfect for what I imagined. It’s nice seeing it like this.
Tristan Renn
/ April 28, 2013I think it’d be cool to have Supes wearing redish pants with blue chaps (like he gave Batman), making a shape reminiscent of super underpants, without *being* underpants.
Super cool stuff, as always from Mr. Medri.