Note: Project: Rooftop is built on the idea of good super-hero costume design — and sometimes we find something a little outside the norm but is amazing: and this is one of them. Artist Katrina Navarro has been taking the design and style of her favorite super-heroes and translating it into wardrobe choices any of us could wear. The selection below sticks to DC, but she promises more Marvel-themed attire in the future. Sweet! – Chris A.
Wonder Woman
As we’ve noted previously, this week’s Bart Allen (aka Impulse aka Kid Flash aka The Flash) redesigns are presented in honor of the character’s co-creator, artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away on August 12th. More info here and here. We ran six days of entries with review by the P:R staff, and would like to now present the remaining submissions. Thanks so much to everyone who participated in this event, and in remembering our friend.
Note: This week’s Bart Allen (aka Impulse aka Kid Flash aka The Flash) redesigns are presented in honor of the character’s co-creator, artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away on August 12th. More info here and here.
Impulse by Jon McNally
Dean: Gorgeous simplicity here! Jon’s really managed to work in the Jay Garrick helmet with a sweet redesign and a simple costume. The elbow guards are totally sensible and stylin’. I’m surprised by how clean and iconic Jon’s made this design without incorporating a logo. Very nice. I wish I was reading this comic or watching this cartoon right now.
Jessica: You and me both, Dean. I’m usually not a fan of the Jay helmet on Bart, but it really works here. I love this style, but I’d also like to see how the costume works in less cartoony art.
Vito: If they decided to add Impulse to the new Tiny Titans comic, they should go no further than John’s design here. Simple, sure…but absolutely catchy.
Joel: Yup, love the helmet. Also, this is a really nice sleeveless design. The elbow pads and gloves break up the bare arms keeps this simple design decidedly on the right side of “sporty.”
Impulse by Daniel Heard
Dean: I’m absolutely in love with this design. It’s wicked retro track. The sneakers rule hard, the ribbed shirt is awesome, and the lightning element really works.
Jessica: Agree on all points. I also love the Ringo-esque gloves and the modified goggles.
Vito: Sometimes it’s hard for me to divorce the redesign from the artwork. Daniel’s piece is just gorgeous…but the design, since that’s why we’re here, is just as fantastic. It’s titled as an Impulse redesign, but it could easily be a Kid Flash one. It’s really versatile.
Impulse by Mike Maihack
Dean: I really like the red-on-white lightning elements Mike’s used here. Looks like he’s stayed prety true to ‘Ringo’s original vibe. However, I would like to see a few more shots of this design in different actions or poses.
Jessica: I adore the energy in this piece. I’m wondering how those lightning bolts continue around the back, though – do they continue around his butt? The emphasis on the hips and rear seems very feminine.
Vito: My only issue is that if he was in motion, he’d want those goggles down because this Impulse is MOVIN’! My favorite part is that lightning coming down from the chest piece, Jessica. My advice would be to just have the one coming down and maybe instead of wrapping around, going straight down to his boot.
Joel: Nice design, marvelous drawing. Does the circle on the chest have a lightning bolt on it when Impulse isn’t zipping along? It could be a fun bit of nonsense if his icon was a captured bit of lightning crackling on his chest which then sparked his electric wake when in motion.
Impulse by Jason Horn
Joel: This costume has a structured look, almost like a nice business tailored business suit, due to its slight angularity and the emphasis on the piping. The result is a classy, jaunty look that reminds me of costumed adventurers from the Thirties. The subtle shift in reds on either side of the piping adds some nice depth to the costume. Paired down goggles leave most of Bart’s face free, which makes this superhero look open, approachable, and breezy.
Vito: You’re totally right, Joel. In fact, if you add a moustache to him and the Mercury hat, it could double as the design from JSA: Liberty Files. But where Jason’s differs is in making it less gaudy, as most costumes from back then had the tendency to do, and that belt is SICK!
Dean: I really like the attention to seams against a clean simple design. The over-the-shoulder lightning bolt works really well here, and the belt is wicked! Joel’s right, ‘classy’ it is. Love it. As usual, I’d like to see some more poses, but this is good stuff.
Note: This week’s Bart Allen (aka Impulse aka Kid Flash aka The Flash) redesigns are presented in honor of the character’s co-creator, artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away on August 12th. More info here and here.
Dean: Aw yes! I love the little unique things Paul’s done here. The red piping is slick, the holographic energy symbol is way cool, and mask is a real innovation. I’d like to see some color variations (yellow on red, white on red, etc), but this is really great. Paul’s drawing style really gels with this kinda fun character.
Vito: I’m a little scared of Paul’s Impulse here! It’s like this could be Bart’s Reverse-Flash (ie, Inertia). But other than that, that logo reminds me of what Ethan Van Sciver is doing on Green Lantern with Hal’s GLC logo.
Dean: Yeah it does have a kinda of evil-clone vibe! I think I like Paul’s use of a holographic symbol more than the recent Green Lantern ones, since there’s no symbol on the shirt. I really dig how the red piping frames the 3D element in this costume without overdoing it. I think Paul’s idea here reminds me more of Eric Canete’s Flash design from his Titans revamp here at P:R a while back.
Dean: Wow. Otoniel definitely went with an older Bart, but kept the sidekick name and vibe going. I dig the electrified yellow piping on the suit and the tread logos. Awesome.
Vito: I actually had to look up the word “kinetic” because I wanted to be sure that it was the right description for what this is…this is a living, breathing piece of art. That design, and the colors in it, move. Bonus points for the Flash-branding on the bottom of the footwear.
Joel: I really like the soles of the shoes, as well. I’d suggest losing the chest emblem on this one. I think the yellow piping separating the two reds can do the job all by themselves. Nice to see another take on a more-adult evolution of Impulse’s goggles. The head and ankle wing-things look sharp! Careful you don’t put anyone’s eyes out, Bart!
The Flash by Eric Newsom
Dean: Eric’s gone with a pretty slick speedskater uniform vibe. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Flash design with an ‘F’ emblem…I like it!
Vito: I had to look at it a few times before I saw the ‘F’ on it!
Joel: Visually, I like the tilted ‘F,’ too. Especially since the lightening bolt emblem is still present, just shifted over to the sleeve. It occurs to me that the letter ‘F’ has some pretty negative connotations that a superhero might want to avoid. Can you imagine the headlines J. Jonah Jameson could write about a character sporting such a costume? Nice color scheme, although I can’t tell if we’re looking at flesh or another costume color on the hands, forearms, and lower legs. I’d be curious to see how the light yellow shapes are handled when they pass over to the back of the costume.
Vito: The lightning bolts on different spots on the leg are kind of weird/interesting. I wonder what that would look like when he’s running.
Joel: Steampunk Impulse! I like the jacket design, but the cone-shaped cuffs strike me as aerodynamically unsound. I think Eric might as well go all the way and add a white silk pilot’s scarf.
Vito: Just think if Impulse went back in time to be mentored by Jay Garrick! What a fun idea! No idea if that’s what he was going for, but there’s a pulp/steampunk aspect to this that I really dig.
Joel: Ooo, I like the Garrick idea, too! It could be nice to stick some Victorian-style Mercury-wings on the ear muffs attached to those goggles.
Jessica: Jay…or a young Max Mercury? There’s another speedster I miss. I don’t think Bart works as a steampunk-esque character in the main continuity, but this is an Elseworlds I am dying to see.
Note: This week’s Bart Allen (aka Impulse aka Kid Flash aka The Flash) redesigns are presented in honor of the character’s co-creator, artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away on August 12th. More info here and here.
Kid Flash by Joel Priddy
Dean: I love the ridiculous level of fun Joel’s Bart seems to be having! The yellow sections kinda make the red center look like an old fashioned bathing suit, but the boots are super slick.
Vito: I like the whole thing, but my eyes keep going to that subtle lightning design on the top of the boots. I like how, looking at this, it doesn’t look like anything BUT a Kid Flash costume…the colors are right, the cowl is right…it seems like such a quick fix.
Joel: I’m glad the top of the boots read, Vito! My main interest here was in capturing a sense of youthful enthusiasm. Other than the boots, I didn’t really add anything to the visual lexicon of the Flash family here. I just mix ‘n matched elements from existing costumes (can you find Jesse Quick’s contribution?).
Jessica: Ooh, ooh! Is it the shorts? (Well, the short-like patterning.) I love this. Bart’s always been very much about whimsy, and you really captured that here. I’ll go one further than Vito and say that this doesn’t look like anything but a BART Kid Flash costume. Very nice.
Joel: Bingo! I basically moved the lines from one of Jesse’s french-cut outfits south until they became decent.
Impulse by Slipstream
Dean: Ooooh, that’s a nice mask! Very clever idea, with the fading level of translucency. Love it. Gorgeous simple white stripe, and very cool footgear. I’d lose the tiny yellow strip unless it matches up with some kinda symbol on the chest. Great design.
Joel: One of the reoccurring Bartisms is the fingerless gloves. I’m not sure how much sense they make for a masked superhero, but they’re distinctive, and a lot of the designs we’ve been looking at incorporate them. Slipstream has created some interesting half-fingerless gloves, like an archer’s. I’m not sold on the practicality, but they look great. Groovy shoes. And I hope that Hurtle the Lightspeed Turtle is a permanent addition, Impulse’s own Streaky.
Jessica: I like to think the gloves were inspired by Arrowette, who seems to have gone the way of most of Young Justice. I’m also loving the footgear, and the turtle is inspired.
Dean: Maybe Bart should have a pet turtle.
Impulse by Leanne Hannah
Dean: Ooh, black! I love the clean lightning bolt elements. Very slick!
Joel: Nice color scheme, and nice decorative details. I really dig the black bolts overlapping the red gloves and boots! I’d like to see the color yellow appear somewhere on the costume other than the goggles, to create sense of balance. Even if it’s just the soles of the shoes, or some other really minor element.
Jessica: Here’s another set of boots I covet! I think Bart’s a character who really lends himself to a lot of bells and whistles (admittedly hard to balance with the sleekness a speedster needs), so I’d like to see the intricacies of the boots and gloves extend to the rest of the costume.
Note: This week’s Bart Allen (aka Impulse aka Kid Flash aka The Flash) redesigns are presented in honor of the character’s co-creator, artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away on August 12th. More info here and here.
Vito: The highest praise I can give to any of these designs, and I’m giving it here. This design is absolutely in the spirit of Mike. I guess I’m mostly looking at the head/face, but this makes me really miss ‘Ringo and I swear his spirit must have guided Darren’s pencil here. Absolutely wonderful.
Dean: Yeah, I’m totally enjoying the ‘Ringo influence here. I especially dig the boots and headgear. Great stuff from Darren, as usual.
Joel: My favorite part is the white belt. It breaks up the vertical white stripe nicely, and makes a subtle reference to the Wally West lightning belt. I wonder, does the chest emblem come off as too Shazam?
Vito: I can see where you’d think that, but look at it again. That lightning is coming from his ears. It looks like chain lightning if you add the goggles.
Jessica: I don’t think it’s too Shazam-y either – for me it evokes the original Impulse costume more than anything. And I too am digging on the boots. The wrist guards, too.
Dean: Oh man, solid wing motif, great seams, and the color choices are smooth and sweet. I also really dig the expandable-looking ribbed sections, and the fingerless gloves. Besides all that, this is just a wicked drawing with great colors. I love it to bits.
Vito: The wings on the hand are definitely a different touch. I’m not sure of the practicality, but it sure looks like fun!
Joel: Now this is the version of Impulse I’d love to see DC do a 52verse story about. I am crazy about this wonderful design. The construction lines of the suit add both visual interest and verisimilitude. And who knew there were any new takes left on the lightning bolt chest emblem? I love the three pairs of wings. I agree, of course, that the hand-wings are entirely goofy and impractical (can you imagine how annoying it would be to have those things hanging off the heel of your hand?), but dang, I’d hate to lose them. They really add to the fun of the design. Maybe they use Future Technology (TM) to recede into gold circles on his gloves when he’s not at super-speed, and are then deployed when he needs… uh… super-stabilization? Palmaerodynamics? Personality-wise, this strikes me as an Impulse who made it into his later teen years with any kneecap-trauma, and, so, is still a complete goofball.
Vito: I’m totally enamored with this design. Like Joel’s, it’s such a subtle fix. I look at this and I say, “Kid Flash.” There’s no way this could be any other character. What I love, and I have no idea if Adam intended this…but I love the emblem. It’s a subconscious nod to the fact that Bart is related to The Reverse-Flash. I am praying that Adam meant to do that because it’s 100% genius.
Dean: Bounding into action, Adam’s Bart design is rocking a seriously smooth Silver Age vibe. Great subtle nudges to the classic Kid Flash design here.
Joel: The Reverse-Flash bit is an interesting point, and one that I missed. Nice. As a Silver Age costume, this costume hits just the right note. For a contemporary costume, however, I’d like to see the yellow broken up a bit more.
Vito: I think there are too many edges to be a true Silver Age costume, but I can see where you guys are going.
Jessica: Agreed. It’s more Silver-Age-meets-the-future…which is exactly right for Bart!
Note: This week’s Bart Allen (aka Impulse aka Kid Flash aka The Flash) redesigns are presented in honor of the character’s co-creator, artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away on August 12th. More info here and here.
Joel: I keep thinking that this is the Impulse that would appear in the super-hero equivalent of Teen Beat. He’s so stylish and suave for a kid! I can imagine the DCU’s population of twelve-year-old girls swooning over his picture, and writing “Impulse+Mary Sue=Tru Luv 4evah!!!” on their notebooks. Or am I projecting?
Jessica : Coming from a girl who is still secretly twelve years old at heart, I can say that you are definitely not projecting. This Bart is totally swoonworthy.
Dean: Hahaha, awesome. I mostly wanted Bart to look like a sprinter waiting to race between missions, so I gave him the jacket. I also ditched the mask in favor of simple shades. I figured Wally worked best with the semi-open secret identity, and so could Bart.
Vito : I want that jacket ASAP!
Dean: I’m freaking floored by Tom’s design. Slick translucent helmet, gorgeous super-sized logo, wicked forearm lightning bolts, and cool boots all add up to a killer design…I want to draw this so bad. I think the vibe Tom was going for here is ‘armored,’ like the costume is tough leather and the helmet is an obvious necessity for crime-battlin’. I love it.
Joel: Whoa! I love that helmet design! That is very cool. The enlarged chest emblem is bold, and works well in this design. Are those rivets along his waist? I’m guessing that the lightning motif is asymmetrical on the legs, but I can’t really tell.
Vito: The thing that strikes me is that this looks like a kid. He looks like he’s having fun, and that is what Impulse is all about. The way that top half meets the bottom half…this could easily have been a Kid Flash redesign. I also like how bold and large that chest emblem is. If you look at this closely, and use a little imagination, when he runs, you’ll get the lightning effect that we always see. He wouldn’t need the Speed Force to represent itself as lightning, because the costume, with the yellow lightning motif, would do it for him.
Jessica: There’s something very super-soldier about this – I’m picturing an army of Bart’s clone “scouts” (remember those?) in this design. What a visual punch!
Joel: This is a very strong design, and one that makes good use of Bart’s history as Impulse to bring new visual motifs into play. The unbroken expanse of white provides a streamlined look. I really like the dropped-out circle for the chest emblem. I’m not sure how I feel about the distinct slant given to the goggle lenses. On the one hand, it makes Kid Flash look a bit insecty. On the other, it makes Kid Flash look like he’s trying to take himself more seriously than the wide-eyes, round-goggled Impulse, which strikes me as appropriate as the character ages.
Dean: Mike’s design looks made to move!. Great windswept hairstyle, cool treads, functional googles, and the red-on-white lightning bolts on the calves are wicked. I also like how Mike kept Bart’s original ‘Ringo-designed gloves.
Vito: If Bart ever joined his cousin XS in the Legion, this would be the perfect costume for him, hands down.
Chris: Amazing. I can’t find a single thing wrong with this, when it’s all soo right.
Vito: [praying] Dear Jesus, please let DC do a Kid Flash story within the 52 Earths and have Mike Norton draw it. Thanks and Amen.
Note: This week’s Bart Allen (aka Impulse aka Kid Flash aka The Flash) redesigns are presented in honor of the character’s co-creator, artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away on August 12th. More info here and here.
Impulse and The Flash by Joel Carroll
Dean Trippe: Mr. Carroll went the extra mile here and worked up Bart’s teenage and adult costumes, using sweet visual cues to link them up. Both designs rock, but I think I’m particularly impressed with The Flash. Joel’s really done a great job of making the open mask work on an adult character. The big opaque goggles are great, and the short hair looks really cool on Bart. Beside that, the over-sized chest logo and racing stripes are are too slick.
Joel Priddy: This is something that keeps coming up in the designs we received: the reoccurrance of visual motifs across the different stages of Bart’s career, and how his own imagery interacts with the previously established Flash iconography. Looking at all these great ideas, it seems a shame that DC just stuck post-Impulse Bart in Wally’s old clothes. I like the jacket, but there is a kinda Marlboro-Man thing going on there that might want to be reconsidered. The high waist seems like a good choice for a runner. Great use of white piping on the Flash costume, especially on the shoes.
Vito Delsante: Almost all of the artists who submitted this week seem to be thinking very smartly about the footwear a speedster would wear. Joel’s are phenomenal…the graduation from high tops to hero boots is in line with the graduation from sidekick to outright hero. I’m a huge fan of the track jacket, as I was in all the other designs, but looking here, Bart doesn’t need it. In fact, it looks like it would make him fidgety. Add an emblem to that costume, sans jacket, and it’s golden. The Flash design takes its cues from what sprinters wear in the Olympics, which is a smart angle. My favorite part is how the sleeves come to the hands.
Impulse by Rick Cortes
Dean: Whoa…probably the biggest departure of the bunch in terms of color, Rick’s design’s rocking a wicked retro future vibe, which could work in a number of different story ideas. In any case, it’s fun as all get out.
Vito: This reminds me of the future Flash, John Fox. Blue isn’t a color you would usually associate to someone whose nickname is, “The Scarlet Speedster,” but I like it. A blue blur is just as effective as a red one, right? Again, check out the footwear on these redesigns! It looks like everyone is conscious of the effects of the Speed Force on feet!
Joel: I really like this costume, especially for fresh-from-the-future Impulse. Great helmet, great shoes, great use of the lightning motif. I’m not sure I’m getting head around the blue color scheme, though. I keep thinking of electricity-based characters who use blue jaggy-bolts on their costumes: Black Lightning, Lightning Lad, Livewire, etc.
Kid Flash by Alexandre Louzada
Dean: Wow, what a fun design! Alexandre’s take on Bart is even more “track-and-field” than mine (check back tomorrow)! The slick lightning edges keep the suit looking appropriately superhero-y. I’m surprised that the shorts look is actually possible! I love it.
Vito: I’d actually like to see it with long pants, instead of shorts. Shorts only work on Robin, and they changed that. But I do like the look of the short sleeves. That seems very doable for a kid hero.
Dean: Dude, it’s 95 degrees where I am. I say, if Bart wants to battle evil in shorts, he should go for it.
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