Category: Comic Book

What you are looking at is a (very rough) colour study for half of the cover of the World Wildlife Federation of Justice supplement for Mutants & Masterminds.

How many characters can you name? I’ll give you a minute to try – click the image for a larger version!

Give up?

Top row: Shockatiel, Woolly Marmot

Second row: Salamancer, Hypnopotamus, Doctor Gnucleus

Third row: Tarmadillo, Earthquack

Bottom row: Rhinosferatu, Velocelot, Cardinal Sin.

Not all of these characters are going to be in the supplement, but we (that is to say Atomic Overmind Press and I) will be releasing additional PDFs as time goes on.

What I learned doing the colour study was a) I put two very dark characters (Tarmadillo and Rhinosferatu) right next to eachother, b) I have no idea what colour Salamancer’s costume should be (I do like the orange skin with dark spots), c) I need to do a lot more work, such as nail down the costume colours for Shockatiel, Velocelot, Dr Gnucleus (also his fur colour) and Earthquack.

You may be asking “where’s Elk Diablo, Elephantom, Chinchiller and Clock-A-Doodle-Doo?” and to that I reply “mfirldlbx.”

Also I thought of two new really crappy character names today: Contortoise and Plantypus. Yes, a stretchy tortoise and a platypus that controls plants. Only slightly better than plantelope, don’t you think? Or VegetaBull – the bull who’s in a terminal coma! Oi.

When I was originally sketching up the World Wildlife Federation of Justice I couldn’t get a handle on Octopussycat’s design. Here’s the last one of that old series:

Here’s some reworking I did on the weekend:

Not sure about the colours but I’m reasonably happy with the design.

I’m really happy with how great Shockatiel looks as a gal. As I was blocking the cover for the M&M book I realized I don’t have enough female characters. Some didn’t convert well but Shockatiel is a natural she-bird – I think it’s the hair.

And I think she’ll look even better with colour.

Here is the cover for Funday Sunnies, the book which my “Go-Rilla VS Elk Diablo” comic strip will appear. I’m getting 3o-something copies and they’ll sell for $6. RESERVE YOUR ISSUE TODAY! They’re currently at the printer which means I’ll have them before Emerald City Comicon.

Anyone have ideas for a launching party venue? Apparently Jem Gallery is closing down which is a real shame.

A cardinal.

First draft of Cardinal Sin

Sketches for new version. There’s so many hilarious things I could include in the design, but again simplicity is key and I don’t want to make it too busy with bandoliers and chains and nooses and vests and whatnots.

Final sketch. The stogie is key, the board with the nail through it definitely is his signature weapon. I think this character is unlike the typical supervillain – he’s not defined by his costume so he probably dresses differently from day to day. I’ve got to think of something hilarious that he can have on a patch on the back of his vest. Maybe a hand flipping ‘the bird.’ Haha – get it?

What are yours?

Today I made a ‘bare bones’ version of Crackerjackal and Dupligator. Like a paper doll, I am going to try on various costume designs and colour schemes. While I’m working on Crackerjackal, I wonder what you might do to Dupligator of the opportunity was presented?

Click on the pic to make it BIG! Print it out or Photoshop the bitch!

I think I’m about 60% done on Crackerjackal.

I wanted to give him a hat but I couldn’t think of anything that wasn’t Robin Hood, and he already looks too much like Disney’s Robin Hood (fox). Especially because of the shirt. It’s a challenge to reconcile the superhero costume and the funny animal motif of shirt with no pants (a la Porky Pig & Donald Duck) but I am erring on the side of funny animal, generally. I don’t want to get too complicated in these designs.

YES.

NO.

DEFINITELY NO. WHO LET THIS GUY IN HERE?