Project CBRunway 3: Challenge 3

[mattbib]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/PROJECTCBRUNWAYSEASON3.jpg
CHALLENGE 3: STATE OF THE ART

This is Project CBRunway. You're either in or you're out. Who will be CBR’s next big comic character designer?

Good morning, designers. Welcome back to the runway.

Love it or hate it the United States of America as a country is ripe with a wide variety of character, culture and tradition.

For your third challenge you must create and design a superhero native to and representative of one of the fifty states of the union.

HOWEVER, a state may only be chosen once. Each state has been randomly assigned a number between (1) and (50). Designers will choose their state by posting their pick of a number between (1) and (50), upon which the state they've picked will be added to the list below. Numbers may be picked only once, on a first come, first served basis.

You will be judged on originality and creativity, and how well your character represents the state you choose.

In addition to the required written description explaining material, functionality and design inspiration, you should include a short description of how and why your character represents the state you pick.

Submission Requirements

Artwork may be done in any medium but should be in color. In other words, you cannot submit a black-and-white drawing and claim that it's actually some other color.
Artwork may be no larger than 550-pixels wide and 800-pixels long.
Entries must be inserted into your post, as opposed to attached, using such services as Photobucket (http://photobucket.com/) or imageshack (http://imageshack.com/). If you are unable to use such a service you may e-mail (mattbib@comcast.net) your entry and we will host the image for you for the duration of the competition.
All submissions must include a written description of the costume, explaining, to the best of your ability, material, functionality, design inspiration, etc.You have only five days, through Midnight PDT of Monday, March 24, to post your design within this thread. Failure to complete this challenge will result in immediate elimination from Project CBRunway. There will be no extensions or exceptions.

Aljira, you won the second challenge and are safe from elimination... unless you fail to submit an entry.

Post any questions, comments, or concerns about this challenge in this thread, however please do not comment on submissions until the voting thread is posted this coming Tuesday.

Designers, make it work!

Designer / State:
twilight / New Hampshire (8)
Your Imaginary Pal / Utah (13)
Hi-Fi / Rhode Island (4)
atoningunifex / Alabama (12)
captainbosh / Vermont (50)
spaghettikiss / Washington (28)
ZacharyLovesYou / Kentucky (17)
Shade101 / Michigan (48)
AnkaleRa / West Virginia (22)
wshaunpennington / Hawaii (7)
deanlegion / Montana (3)
Dazzler / New York (10)
Affinity / Delaware (1)
End of Time / Georgia (23)
marvelboy2004 / Texas (5)
escapegoat / Colorado (11)
Aljira / Alaska (41)
Tre Styles / California (25)
Spidey / South Dakota (21)
DungeonmasterJim / Louisiana (38)
Solaris / Nevada (44)
WhiteRose / Arizona (14)
pryde15 / Idaho (15)

[twilight]

I pick number eight.

-Twi

[mattbib]

I pick number eight.

-Twi
New Hampshire (http://www.50states.com/newhamps.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst048.gif

[Your Imaginary Pal]

13
thirteen
XIII

[mattbib]

13
thirteen
XIII
Utah (http://www.50states.com/utah.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst071.gif

[Hi-Fi]

Twilight picked my lucky number! LOL

Ok, I'll pick 4.

[mattbib]

Twilight picked my lucky number! LOL

Ok, I'll pick 4.
Rhode Island (http://www.50states.com/rdisland.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst065.gif

[atoningunifex]

I choose 12

[mattbib]

I choose 12
Alabama (http://www.50states.com/alabama.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst002.gif

[captainbosh]

How about 50?

[mattbib]

How about 50?
Vermont (http://www.50states.com/vermont.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst073.gif

[atoningunifex]

Hmmm....this is a really interesting challenge. I have a state with a pretty iconic flag and a pretty strong reputation. But basic research is turning up some interesting twists and turns. Fun!

[Your Imaginary Pal]

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00004I9ON.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

I'll just redesign this guy.

I kid because I care.

looking at the state's homepage, lots of interesting stuff about the state.
It's more than just Mormons & the Utah Jazz.

[Hi-Fi]

Hum. Interesting stuff about Rhode Island. I think I've figured out which angle to use for my character.

[spaghettikiss]

hmmm...I'll pick 28

[ZacharyLovesYou]

I really wish there was a 69th state...

Oh well. I pick 17.

[Shade101]

I choose the 48th state.

[mattbib]

hmmm...I'll pick 28
Washington (http://www.50states.com/washingt.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst077.gif

I really wish there was a 69th state...

Oh well. I pick 17.
Kentucky (http://www.50states.com/kentucky.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst026.gif

[mattbib]

I choose the 48th state.
Michigan (http://www.50states.com/michigan.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst035.gif

[AnkaleRa]

I'll take 22, please!

[mattbib]

I'll take 22, please!
West Virginia (http://www.50states.com/wvirgini.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst099.gif

[Shade101]

Michigan (http://www.50states.com/michigan.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst035.gif

Waittaminute. I thought Arizona was the 48th state.:confused:

[Shade101]

Wait nevermind. I see that the states are randomly assigned numbers. I really don't want this flag.

[mattbib]

Wait nevermind. I see that the states are randomly assigned numbers. I really don't want this flag.
The flag doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the challenge.

[sparta28090]

Shade 101: Wait nevermind. I see that the states are randomly assigned numbers. I really don't want this flag.

Shade, I am totally out of my element so I don't have room to critique on art (except I am enjoying the !@#$ out of CBRunway) As a writer I sometimes will write about something I don't like or don't enjoy (ie putting King Tut in the script challege...how lame can you get?) Anyhoo, pushing against and through your comfort zone will make you grow. I am a N. Carolina Tarheel by residence (see you at the final 4 pals!) but Michigan has alot of good stuff going for it and a rich history. I bet you can do something intresting with the concept...so good luck.

[wshaunpennington]

seven, i chose you!!

[Shade101]

Shade, I am totally out of element so I don't have room to critique on art (except I am enjoying the !@#$ out of CBRunway) As a writer I sometimes will write about something I don't like or don't enjoy (ie putting King Tut in the script challege...how lame you can get?) Anyhoo, pushing against and through your comfort zone will make you grow. I am a N. Carolina Tarheel by residence (see you at the final 4 pals!) but Michigan has alot of good stuff going for it and a rich history. I bet you can something intresting with the concept...so good luck.

Lol, yeah I know what you mean. At first I misread the challenge thinking that we had to fashion the design after the state's flag. So when I saw Michigan's flag I was like...OH hell no. But I'm sure I'll think of something. All I can do is try my best.

[mattbib]

seven, i chose you!!Hawaii (http://www.50states.com/hawaii.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst016.gif

[deanlegion]

I request state number 3 please!

[mattbib]

I request state number 3 please!
Montana (http://www.50states.com/montana.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst042.gif

[Dazzler]

I pick 10.

And dammit, I wanted West Virginia. :evilangry

--Dazz

[spaghettikiss]

okay, at first i thought this one was going to be super tough and not cool. then i did a little research and found out how much potential this one has. excellent job again matt. Its good to see just how much you're putting into this!!

[Affinity]

Number One, yo!

[mattbib]

I pick 10.

And dammit, I wanted West Virginia. :evilangry

--Dazz
New York (http://www.50states.com/newyork.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst053.gif

Number One, yo!
Delaware!!!!!! (http://www.50states.com/delaware.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst010.gif

[End of Time]

23...

... and on a side note, this challenge offends my delicate sensibilities. I'm European, born and bred, I know there are fifty states, but of those fifty I can name perhaps ten or twelve... and why should I be able to name more than a handful? You colonials, you'll never have me acknowledge your sovereignity!

[mattbib]

23...
Georgia (http://www.50states.com/georgia.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst090.gif
... and on a side note, this challenge offends my delicate sensibilities. I'm European, born and bred, I know there are fifty states, but of those fifty I can name perhaps ten or twelve... and why should I be able to name more than a handful? You colonials, you'll never have me acknowledge your sovereignity!
Boo hoo. Last year we did flags of the world and I didn't hear any Americans complaining...lol. :)

[End of Time]

Boo hoo. Last year we did flags of the world and I didn't hear any Americans complaining...lol. :)


That's because other countries are actually cool and groovy and hip... :D


Georgia! I get friggin' Georgia!

I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies, Miss Scarlett!



*...and thus a terribly offensive idea was born...*

[sparta28090]

okay, at first i thought this one was going to be super tough and not cool. then i did a little research and found out how much potential this one has. excellent job again matt. Its good to see just how much you're putting into this!!

Agree 100%! Even though I am ignorant to the other 2 CBRunway Challenges, methinks that Matt has partaken in lotsa beer and old Roadrunner cartoons and viola! he is cranking out these concepts!



http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q308/Pahomije/genius.gif

[Hi-Fi]

I too have no clue about all the american states, since I'm not american. But I already did a little research and already created and designed my character. And guess what? it's my favorite one yet!

This is a fun challenge.

[marvelboy2004]

5 please! I have no idea about American states either!

[mattbib]

5 please! I have no idea about American states either!
Texas (http://www.50states.com/texas.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst070.gif

[escapegoat]

A-ha! I knew you gonna put up a 50 state challenge this season! Being the Avengers moderator you are... ;)

Gimme #11

[mattbib]

A-ha! I knew you gonna put up a 50 state challenge this season! Being the Avengers moderator you are... ;)

Gimme #11Colorado (http://www.50states.com/colorado.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst007.gif

[mattbib]

It's weird how the majority of the picks are between 1-25...

[Aljira]

gIMME number 41!!!!!


omg. good thing there's wikipedia...

[mattbib]

gIMME number 41!!!!!


omg. good thing there's wikipedia...Alaska (http://www.50states.com/alaska.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst003.gif

[marvelboy2004]

Texas!! Should I embrace or avoid cliche?????!!!

[Tre Styles]

OMG. Matt. I was just thinking that last year we did a superhero representing a country, and then I was thinking about the 50 state initative thing going on in Marvel Comics, and then I was thinking what if Challenge 3 involved us doing a hero from a state in the United States. MaaaaaaaaaaaN, I'm like Professor X or something son!



*ahem* I say all that to say, I select #25 since my birthday is on the 25th of this month.

lol.


Okay. I'm done. :D

[Shade101]

OMG. Matt. I was just thinking that last year we did a superhero representing a country, and then I was thinking about the 50 state initative thing going on in Marvel Comics, and then I was thinking what if Challenge 3 involved us doing a hero from a state in the United States. MaaaaaaaaaaaN, I'm like Professor X or something son!



*ahem* I say all that to say, I select #25 since my birthday is on the 25th of this month.

lol.


Okay. I'm done. :D

You're kidding right?! You're birthday is the same day as my momma's. You're the second person this month I've met with the same birthday as my mom's.

[mattbib]

Texas!! Should I embrace or avoid cliche?????!!!
I'd avoid, since you're being judged on creativity. :)

[mattbib]

*ahem* I say all that to say, I select #25 since my birthday is on the 25th of this month.
California (http://www.50states.com/californ.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst0006.gif

[Dizzy D]

I'd avoid, since you're being judged on creativity. :)

But he's also judged on how well his design fits the state, which usually leads to cliche. The ancient battle starts again!

[atoningunifex]

But he's also judged on how well his design fits the state, which usually leads to cliche. The ancient battle starts again!

Part and parcel of designing a character- as opposed to designing a costume- is finding a combination of imagery and information. I have a state that is pretty easily cast in cliche. But the bare minimum of research turrned up some really interesting things. My challenge is to incorporate those things into the design and use the description to educate the voters on my design choices.

It takes nothing at all to wrap a woman in a red and white costume, have her holding a bottle of Southern Comfort, and name her Alabama Slammer. But incorporating the cultural and economic heritage of the state while attempting to address the racial issues and illustrate the interesting bipolar nature of the politics....that's a challenge.

[Hi-Fi]

I went with creativity. I actually have no idea what Rhode Island is famous for, but I picked an element from the state's history that I thought it was really interesting.

As Chad, I'm using the description to inform the voters of my reasoning and the importance of said element. Hopefully, it will be enough.

And I'm so proud of my creation! I wasn't happy at all with my first two designs, but now I finally feel like I'm bringing my A game!

[mattbib]

Part and parcel of designing a character- as opposed to designing a costume- is finding a combination of imagery and information. I have a state that is pretty easily cast in cliche. But the bare minimum of research turrned up some really interesting things. My challenge is to incorporate those things into the design and use the description to educate the voters on my design choices.

It takes nothing at all to wrap a woman in a red and white costume, have her holding a bottle of Southern Comfort, and name her Alabama Slammer. But incorporating the cultural and economic heritage of the state while attempting to address the racial issues and illustrate the interesting bipolar nature of the politics....that's a challenge.
Exactly. For instance, I can almost guarantee that a character in a grass skirt for Hawaii or an Eskimo character for Alaska will not get my vote.

Anyway...I need to figure out who still needs to pick before I offer the leftovers to the play at home thread.

[Michael P]

Anyone who wants to pick my brain about the history, culture, etc. of Oklahoma, should they be assigned that state, is free to PM me. Or if they just want to know stuff about Oklahoma.

[Aljira]

Exactly. For instance, I can almost guarantee that a character in a grass skirt for Hawaii or an Eskimo character for Alaska will not get my vote.


i was actually hoping for california so i can do porn-related super hero. i almost had to scream in disbelief here in the office when i saw alaska. i can only imagine the headaches i gotta face in thinkin for a real original design for this one...

[Spidey]

Give me 21. I'm pretty pumped about this challenge. We're going to see some very interesting designs.

[DungeonmasterJim]

I'll take number 38, please - a favored number that I wore in my American style football days.

DM Jim

[Solaris]

I pick number 44. Which state is that?

[WhiteRose]

14 for me, if it hasn't been taken already.

My jersey number, here's hoping it brings me a little luck...

As aside: well...hell. I know next to nothing about America that isn't horribly generalised or world-stage-ish. This is going to be a toughie.

[mattbib]

Sorry for the delay, been out all evening...
Give me 21. I'm pretty pumped about this challenge. We're going to see some very interesting designs.
South Dakota (http://www.50states.com/sdakota.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst067.gif
I'll take number 38, please - a favored number that I wore in my American style football days.

DM Jim
Louisiana (http://www.50states.com/louisian.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst028.gif
I pick number 44. Which state is that?
Nevada (http://www.50states.com/nevada.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst046.gif
14 for me, if it hasn't been taken already.

My jersey number, here's hoping it brings me a little luck...

As aside: well...hell. I know next to nothing about America that isn't horribly generalised or world-stage-ish. This is going to be a toughie.
Arizona (http://www.50states.com/arizona.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst004.gif

[mattbib]

So I just need pryde15's pick...

[Hi-Fi]

Pryde hasn't been online since the 18th, which is weird. He's online on a daily basis. I hope everything is fine.

[red-handed]

wow
i came back here half expecting
some designs to be up
Yeah, half expecting ^_^

you people are demons when it comes
to the designs, can't wait to see what you come up with...

[Spidey]

Man, I feel like I'm in elementary again doing a state report.

[WhiteRose]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y98/RedThorn/CCI00118final.jpg

TOMBSTONE

Back in the 40’s, Tombstone native Charlie Jae was a straight up-and-down, build-it-with-your-hands ex-lawman turned miner, until sabotage led to an explosion ripping through the old open Copper mine in Sasco he was working with his crew.

It’s said that no one survived. Charlie really, really wants to believe that.

He didn’t much think of ‘Amazing Abilities’ and ‘Superpowers’ when he was alive, and doesn’t much think of them now he’s got them. When the copper dust and strange, irradiated stone chips in the air fused with his broken, bleeding body and unique genetics, he wasn’t especially waiting for one of those star-spangled kids from the big cities out East to come out and save him and his buddies. When he was pulling himself out of the rubble and accidently grabbed a live wire to hoist himself out, he wasn’t hollering for ‘Superlad’ or ‘Wonder Lady’ or whatever the hell they call themselves to give him a boost.

And when he finally climbed out, laid a big, solid hand over his still heart and tried to take a deep breath to clear his gritty lungs…

Well, let’s just say ol’ Charlie wasn’t thinking too straight at that point, being dead and all.

It took Charlie Jae months to come to terms with it all. He was walking and talking, but hell if he was breathing and beating. Eventually, Charlie took on the name Tombstone after his hometown, thinking it be appropriate for his current…‘predicament’.

Decades later, Tombstone still roams the Arizona mines, trying to save people from the same fate he and his buddies suffered. It’s said to see Tombstone is to know your fate to be sealed in the next moments. One way or another.

ARIZONA

I knew...next to nothing. At all. Sister had to research hardcore for this one. Thanks to Mattbib for the linky-link and good old Wikipedia, I found that Arizona was the 'Grand Canyon State'. So yay! I learnt where the Grand Canyon is! Prior to that though, it was called 'The Copper State' because of it's extensive open Copper mining operations. It's dry, it's desert-like, and is the home of many a ghost town like Tombstone and Bisbee which are more tourist destinations now than anything else.

It was the ghosts, copper mines and the 'dusty West' that got to this girl.

THE LOOK

Arizona is this big, hot, gritty dustbowl of a place in the South where all the mines are. I wanted to give Tombstone here a bit more of a 'Desert Marine' look with a few Miner touches, since the boy used to be out there digging a whole lot. He's got his industrial gloves, armoured pants and steel-toe boots, and belt with all the necessities for getting into the tough spots where fellow miners might be trapped.

So he's a big dead guy that doesn't feel much of anything physically anymore, and doesn't especially need to breathe. Chances are he's not looking too pretty under the mask, but I still gave him a breathing grill over the mouth and nose just so it a) gives his dead skin a bit an airing, and b) gives the illusion that he does actually need to breathe, just like all the miners he rescues. Little reassurances like that are awfully calming to a panicky guy trapped under 2 ton of stone.

His mask flows into the stylised Copper star over his spandexed shoulders and torso; that and the 'Liberty Blue' bottom half of his costume's shirt being pulled directly from the Arizona flag. I like to think the top half here reflects the times, like he maybe had a full gasmask and overalls in the 40s, updated to a silk scarf, cowboy's hat and thick leather workman's jacket in the 50s and so on. Always with the 'Copper Star' on it somewhere.

But he's always had his Arizona belt-buckle though. Bright as the day it was bought.

POWERS

Thanks to his genetics and the bizarre, irradiated stone of the mine, Tombstone is effectively dead, but superhumanly strong and somewhat impervious to harm. The abnormal amounts of copper in his body makes him an excellent conductor of electricity.

Being dead ironically gives him an extended lifespan, as Charlie was in his late 30s when he...uh, died. The downside being, of course, his nerves are also dead and thus has lost his sense of touch, something he misses dearly.

All in all, this makes Charlie the perfect one-man rescue team for the miners of Arizona. For decades to come.

[Solaris]

I lucked out and got a REALLY good state---my problem is, there's so much available, with directions to go and elements to use, figuring out which ones to pick. :D

Nevada rocks for this challenge! :D

[spaghettikiss]

i just finished but I do not want to be a speedy poster this time. I had a crapload of fun on this one though. thanks matt!!!

[WhiteRose]

i just finished but I do not want to be a speedy poster this time. I had a crapload of fun on this one though. thanks matt!!!

Ah, see now my perceptions of time are thrown out too much not to post quickly. While the challenge is put up Thursday, it's Friday here and I keep thinking I've only got 3 days.

That, and there's a bit to do this weekend, so I wanted to knock it all over quickly.

[Hi-Fi]

It's amazing how the thing I spend more time dealing with is chosing the colors. I just can't decide of fear that the colors picked might ruin the whole thing.

[spaghettikiss]

Ah, see now my perceptions of time are thrown out too much not to post quickly. While the challenge is put up Thursday, it's Friday here and I keep thinking I've only got 3 days.

That, and there's a bit to do this weekend, so I wanted to knock it all over quickly.

that makes sense, I am not loolking forward to when stuff really gets in the way and makes this hard to keep up with!!!

[marvelboy2004]

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r147/marvelboy1977/WolfFlower.jpg

BACKSTORY

Pia Mendoza was down on her luck. Not that she’d always been, mind you. Hailing from a wealthy line of Texan oil barons on her father’s side, she had led a life of luxury until Daddy lost it all due to tax evasion and she was left literally penniless. She spent the next few years scraping money together any way she could until finally she resorted to pawning family heirlooms. In a box in the attic of her family’s rundown and abandoned home, she found a ceremonial necklace belonging to her maternal great grandmother. Little did she know the necklace was more than mere jewellery- it held a link to the spirits of her Apache ancestors and to the very land of Texas itself. Sensing the injustice in the selling of such an important artefact, the spirit of Texas surged into Pia. Seeing, for herself, injustice running amok in her home state, Pia took the identity Wolf Flower and adopted a new role.

There’s a new sheriff in town.

POWERS

Pia is very much a part of Texas, sensing pain when the land is being abused and the varied emotions of the people who live there. She is hellbent on hunting down and avenging injustice, and will react in ways relative to the severity of the crime- she isn’t carrying a gun for aesthetic reasons. Due to her link with the earth, her hair has become a kind of controllable entity, reminiscent of oil. Think of Venom crossed with Medusa. Her gun will not hurt innocents, but also- will never miss the guilty.

INSPIRATION

I have to admit, all the information I have came from Wiki and the site Mattbib directed us to… To begin with I wanted to show the diverse ethnicity of Texas, making Pia mixed race and related to the true natives of the area. I struggled with overall theme, but you know what? I couldn’t get away from the cowboy idea. So cliché it is- even down to the Lone Rangeresque mask. Lone Star state and all… I know very little of Native American culture, but I tried to incorporate design elements. I gave her a tattoo of a bird, meant to represent the mockingbird- Texas’ bird mascot. She wears the state flag as a belt buckle. Her name comes from the bluebonnet, the flower emblem of Texas, which is sometimes known as the wolf flower. The inspiration for her oil hair is obvious no?

[wshaunpennington]

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee210/wshaunpennington/Kahiloa.jpg

KAHI'LOA

Long ago, when the old Gods still knew every plant, animal and man by name, they would walk amongst their people and share their knowledge. Sometimes a child would be borne from this knowledge, and the people knew she was touched by the divine. Time passed, as time so often does, and the Gods no longer could name the people of the earth or the trees of the field, and as they forgot, so too were they forgotten to be replaced by the newer, chaster Gods of industry and finance.

Occasionally a child would be born from the old people who had the touch of the divine, and they were hidden away or killed by the wise women, lest the new Gods be made angry by the memory of the old Gods. Despite the efforts of these crones, two such divine-touched, a boy and a girl, met by happenstance on the beautiful beaches of Molokai. They recognized the divine in each other and fell in love. The child-result of their union was beautiful and terrible, and carried the mark of magic, the memories of her people etched in her brow.

Her parents, fearing that she would be persecuted by those who lived the old ways, took her to the mainland America, and named her Jennifer Keikilani. She was raised as normally as possible and her heritage was kept secret. She grew up feeling a sense of longing that was unbearable, and loved to hear stories of her homeland. She remained curious about her birthplace and was so insistent that she return to the islands of her birth that on her 21st birthday, her father bought her a plane ticket to Hawai'i and with a mother's kiss and a father's sincerest regret, she was sent back to Hawai'i forever.

One foot set on the soil of O'ahu, and she discovered the part of her soul that she did not know was missing. She could feel the fire, deep in the earth, and taste the brine of the oceans in her throat. She knew the ancient songs the leaves sang as the wind blew gently, and she understood the calls of the regal Nene geese that greeted her, "Welcome home, old one, you have been missed."

She spent seven long days learning the secret names of the flora and fauna, and seven more exploring the mountains and the seas, and everywhere she went, the land cried out for a champion. Recognizing her true place in the world, Jennifer relinquished her old life and took the name Kahi'loa.

Kahi'loa is the protector of the eight isles and the champion of the people, creatures, and lands that have gone for too long without the knowledge of the old Gods. She brings wisdom and balance to a world in turmoil. She is the embodiment of unity through the flow of sacred energy. She is Kahi'loa

THE LOOK

I wanted Kahi'loa to be an aboriginal native to Hawai'i, and specifically chose for her to have polynesian ancestry. I researched traditional polynesian body art and headed down to my local tribal body art shop to learn about the appropriate tattoos to give a female warrior from my tattoo artist. I chose a light colored vest with pink embellishments to mirror the state flower, the Hawaiian hibiscus that she wears in her hair, and the deep blue pants to mirror the ocean that she is surrounded by.

The Union Jack is a part of the Hawaiian flag, and is also a part of larger Hawaiian tradition and history, so I chose to limit her belt buckle to the Union Jack design. My first design did not include the lei, but after talking to a couple of Hawai'ian friends, I decided to add it. It seemed almost impossible that someone whose purpose in life is to protect the balance of the elements would not be regularly given leis as a token of the people's affection, and leis often have spiritual relevance.


POWERS

To the ancient Hawaiians everything in existence was alive and had an energy vibration. For without energy, nothing could be. They lived their lives close to Nature and perceived themselves a part of it. They thought of all of life as One, made up of seven vital elements, and had a deep understanding of the laws of nature, attributing specific functions and symbolic meanings to each of the elements, and making use of the energies of the:

* Fire and the Sun
* Water
* Wind and Air
* Earth and Stone
* Plants
* Animals
* Humans

Kahi'loa is descendent from the sea Goddess Namaka and the God of magic, Kanaloa. While there are generations of human in her ancestry, she is able to draw on the powers of the seven elements, through the traditions of magic, to protect the order and balance she values. She can control waves and take on a water form able to travel through the oceans, rivers and streams. She can summon mighty winds and become a cloud of mist, bring lava from the earth and become hard as stone. She can accellerate plant growth and control plant matter. She is an empath and can sense and effect the emotions of the people around her and she can communicate with native animals. Her powers wane, and eventually disappear when she is not in contact with the islands of Hawaii or the oceans of her divine ancestors.

[Hi-Fi]

Wow. Great stuff so far. I think this round will be the best one yet.

[spaghettikiss]

ROBOCCINO

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa53/spaghettikiss/03-ROBOCCINO.gif

Origin: Johnny Emo grew up, went to school and eventually to Argosy University in Seattle, Washington in the fall of 1984. As with every other Washingtonian, Johnny LOVED coffee. It kept him awake and alert in the sleepiest, dreariest state in the U.S. So it made sense that his first job be in the brand new coffee shop known as Starbucks. Johnny would go to school, then to work and stay long after he cleaned up to sit, drink, listen to Nirvana or Alice in Chains, and study in the warm and cozy Starbuck environment.

Then, one fateful night, as Johnny was staying late to clean up the Starbuck’s espresso maker and milk steamer, a truck coming into Seattle from Redmond, transporting experimental computer parts by Microsoft crashed through the front of the coffee shop dumping the parts over Johnny and the espresso machine. When the computer parts and espresso machine met there was a spectacular explosion. Fortunately, instead of immediately killing him, the explosion fused Johnny, the experimental Microsoft parts and the big Starbuck’s machine into one super caffeinated cyborg known to the world (or at least Seattle) as ROBOCCINO!

Now, fueled by venti triple caf lattes, Roboccino roams the streets stomping out crime with a double shot of doom! He still works at starbucks during the day though. At 8 bucks a cup, he can’t afford not to.

Inspiration: While researching Washington state both through wikipedia and by talking to a friend who lives out there, I found that the most interesting aspect of Washington to me was the social effects the weather had on the state’s inhabitants. I also didn't want to focus on the 'History book' facts of washington but the more pop culture things that make the averarge US citizen recognize Washington.

Essentially, when it’s cold and rainy all the time people find ways to be productive. For example, coffee becomes a big deal. It’s warm and cozy and it keeps you awake on those gray and sad days. Perfect. Do you know which MONSTER of a company started out in Washington? Yup, Starbucks. Coffee is life out there. Other things to be born of the weather out there…The grunge/alternative rock music. Hello! What better way to keep warm than by being surrounded by 4,000,000 watts of electric joy? Oh and the Microsoft headquarters is also located out there. No one ever goes outside anymore because they’re always glued to their damn computers. Be aware that I have only named a few of the many things people have come up with to distract themselves from the terrible weather!

Of these, I obviously went with coffee. Mostly because it’s that part of the country that made all the crazy coffee/espresso drinks famous and who made venti double caf mocha locha ccino with skim no foam lattes part of every american’s vernacular. Then I started looking at all of the machines that are used and went…”Holy crap! Those are beautiful” thus, ROBOCCINO was born.

Costume & Powers: I really wanted the suit to feel somewhere in between a suit and something grafted to Johnny. I also wanted it to be a bit goofy like the tin man since this is obviously meant to be comedic, but still cool. Other than his barista wear, Johnny’s mech parts are made from brass espresso machinery mixed with super durable Microsoft made metals and plastics. With the suit, Roboccino has incredible strength and is near invulnerable. He can also shoot jets of intensely hot steam and cook his enemies alive! His final and most important power is the ability to make the most incredible caffeinated beverages west of the Mississippi with … well, nothing but himself!

[Hi-Fi]

Oh-oh!

Spaghettikiss, our characters are related! :D

I'll post mine in a bit. I'm just finishing coloring it.

[spaghettikiss]

Oh-oh!

Spaghettikiss, our characters are related! :D

I'll post mine in a bit. I'm just finishing coloring it.

Oh no! I channeled you!!!

[deanlegion]

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7207/mountainman3hs6.jpg

Mountain Man

Origin
Miles Meadowlark was born in Missoula, Montana. As a small child, his family went to visit
Yellowstone National Park, and Miles got lost. After an exhaustive search, his family mournfully
faced the fact that he would not return to them. However, Miles was alive and well, living in
Montana's vast wilderness. He learned to survive from the various numbers of animals that live
amongst the rivers, plains and mountains. While playing amongst the grizzly bears or elk, Miles
developed strength and stamina far beyond typical humans. Because of the general openness of the
region, he grew to great size, almost seven and a half feet tall.

Because he was so pure of spirit, and open to the forces of nature, Miles became in touch with
the very energy of the Montana earth. When he'd stand, open armed, facing the famous Big Sky,
he learned to levitate. When he touched the rocks in the mountains, he could will them to
move. With practice, Miles became a swift flyer and a skilled terrain mover.

Miles' first encounter with other men was terrible... they were poachers. He was enraged when he
saw the group of hunters gleefully kill his animal friends. In his confrontation with them, he
realized that his great power made him superior to them, and had to hold back from killing as
they did. He let them go, but followed them to their home.

As of now, Miles is learning the ways of regular people. Because of his great size and mass,
he's often been called "Mountain Man." He likes it! It has occurred to him that
he may have a family to find. This is becoming more and more important to
him as he meets more people.

Costume
Mountain Man met a group of superheroes who accepted him and vowed to help him focus his
tremendous power and harness his dislike of people. A particular pretty young woman with an
extraordinary connection to horses helped him create a costume. The green represents the trees
and the plants from his home. The grey represents the rocks and mountains. His sky blue cape
represents the "Big Sky Country." Miles has learned to concentrate the gravity force from the
open sky into his cape and unleash it onto his foes. It is said to feel like being squashed, a
formidable skill. Finally, Montana's state motto is oro y plata, which means gold and silver,
so Miles' friend suggested the silver detailing on his boots, gloves and neckline, and the gold
belt.

[Hi-Fi]

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/3045/coffeemilk001wy8.jpg

COFFEE MILK

State: Rhode Island

Origin:
Hope Williams never wanted to be a super-heroine. But it certainly seems like she was destined to be Rhode Island’s ultimate and only hero. After all, she’s connected to that state in many different manners. First, there’s her name: Hope. Considered the motto of Rhode Island., the word “Hope” is even present in the state’s flag. Then, there is the fact that her past is linked to the place’s history in a big way. Born is Providence, Hope is a descendant of Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island. She discovered that bit of information while researching her extensive family tree, after 7 palm readers and future tellers told her she would soon turn into the most important person of that location, because she’s intrinsically connected to it. She was 15 years old at that time. Finally, when visiting a factory of coffee milk, the state’s official drink, Hope accidentally fell into one giant recipient of the beverage, where she remained unconscious for at least 10 minutes. When she was finally rescued, she was completely changed! Having developed amazing powers, Hope is now COFFEE MILK!

Powers:
COFFEE MILK has the ability to claim the powers of coffee and milk and use them as her will. With her left hand, she can send milk energy beams, which make all the people affected by it automatically fall asleep (you know, like that warm milk before bed!). With her right hand, she can send coffee energy beams, which make all the people affected by it automatically wake up, if sleeping or in a coma (because that's what coffee do. It keep us up!). She was also able to resurrect two dead people with her coffee beams in two different occasions, but the strain was almost unbearable. Also, when releasing each power, COFFEE MILK smells like the respective type of drink, be it coffee or milk. This has proved to be a bad thing, since her enemies can now sense her coming from a short distance.

COFFEE MILK has been fighting crime and waking up people from their coma for a while now. She has been sued by at least two men, who claimed they were in an induced coma because they wanted to experience being a decade outside the world. While loved by the majority of Rhode Islanders, many dislike COFFEE MILK, as they were waiting for a nautical hero to surface.

COFFEE MILK does have the power to kill. All she has to do is use both her coffee and milk powers at the same time and the target will have a convulsion until he/she dies. Hope Williams rarely does that, though. She is not comfortable about killing.

Costume/ Inspiration:
While researching about Rhode Island, I found out about coffee milk. It’s similar to chocolate milk, but it is made with coffee syrup and it was first introduced to Rhode Islanders in the early 1920's. It became so popular that in 1993 the Rhode Island state legislature voted coffee milk as the official state drink. I thought that could be a great lead-in for a super power. COFFEE MILK’s costume is brown and white to represent the coffee and the milk. I thought at first that it would be better if it was black and white, but I soon realized that brown reflects the coffee and milk mix better. I included many kinds of brown as coffee can be a very colorful drink, depending of what you order. Her white cape is actually held by a line of coffee beans, glued to her costume. The headgear and the belt are also made of coffee beans. The flag is present on the cape, because COFFEE MILK is Rhode Island’s official hero and treated as such.

[spaghettikiss]

hi fi: you're right, we're relsated without being at all related! thats awesome, we have 2 totally different takes on the same concept!

[red-handed]

looking good people,
looking good...

and how cool is Matt for all the flags... :D

[Tre Styles]

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/TreStyles1/PrincessCalifia2Blue.jpg

Origin-Khalifah Angela Cortez always felt that there was more to her life. Indeed, growing up for most of her childhood in South Central Los Angeles could do that. She was known for always standing up for others. She also had a stunning beauty due to her mixed heritage that she usually hid behind. After her mother got another job in Sacramento, Kalifah still had to overcome many odds and obstacles to finally get to attend UCLA. Earning her way through school as a model/actress, her life would be forever changed on her way to an audition to play the legendary Queen Califia. Her mother had given her a necklace that was said to be a family heirloom. The necklace was perfect for her role, so she wore it along to her audition. As she walked to the audition, a sudden explosion in her dorm room behind her caused her to stop and run back to check on her roomates. As the fire began to rage, the necklace on her neck began to glow. As she ran, she felt herself becoming lighter, as she looked, she had on golden like armor and a strange staff appeared in her hands. As she landed inside the dorm, she could hear several people trapped in one of the lounges. She could not find them, when suddenly a huge, talking grizzly bear appeared. Thinking she had finally gone delusional, the bear assured her that it was not so. He guided her to the door where she was able to, to her surprise, rip the door hinges off, and fly the people down to safety. She was approached immediately by officers, police, members of the media questioning her on who she was and how she got these powers.....Khalifah herself had no idea and instinctively flew off into the night. She would come to find out later that she was the true descendent of the legendary Amazonian Queen Califia, the queen of the "island" of California. Gudied by Bruin her bear guide, Khalifah soon becomes Princess Califia (aka Princess Cali), the guardian of California.


Inspiration-
I was truly inspired by the story of "Black Amazons" and a mythical verison of California. I was surprised to find out that California is most likely named after this mythical Queen Califia. I think that this piece from Wiki explains it all:
The name California is most commonly believed to have derived from a storied paradise peopled by black Amazons and ruled by Queen Califia. The myth of Califia is recorded in a 1510 work The Exploits of Esplandian, written as a sequel to Amadís de Gaula by Spanish adventure writer García Ordóñez Rodríguez de Montalvo.[4] The kingdom of Queen Califia, according to Montalvo, was said to be a remote land inhabited by griffins and other strange beasts and rich in gold.

“ Know ye that at the right hand of the Indies there is an island named California, very close to that part of the terrestrial Paradise, which was inhabited by black women, without a single man among them, and that they lived in the manner of Amazons. They were robust of body, with strong and passionate hearts and great virtues. The island itself is one of the wildest in the world on account of the bold and craggy rocks. Their weapons were all made of gold. The island everywhere abounds with gold and precious stones, and upon it no other metal was found.[5]


You can find more information about Queen C here : http://www.carnaval.com/sf/98myth/califa.htm


Design :
In researching California, I saw one common theme. And that was gold(which is the state mineral). Gold is a theme which is many of the state's symbols, such as the Golden Poppy (which is part of her headgear), the California Gold Rush, etc. Gold played in perfectly with my character. First, she is a Spanish-African-American-Indian mix...which represents a very large amount of the state of California. Her necklace is a modified design from a picture I saw with Queen Califia and her servants.

The middle jewel is the Benitoite, which is the state gemstone. I modified her staff to include the benitoite, outlined with gold. Her outfit is mainly golden armor that she was given by Minerva and Queen Califia herself. (Minerva is found on the state's seal). Her headgear was also inspired by this mythic queen, from a mural that is hanging up at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco.

She also wears a version of the state flag as a cape, but usually only for ceremonial purposes. The colors are blue and gold and represent the state's chosen colors. I also had her be a model/actress working her way through school to tie in with some more pop culture familiarity with California. But she's no "airheaded diva" so let's make sure that we understand that. ;)

Powers:She has golden wings of light (that only appear when she becomes Princess Cali). Bruin, is her connection to her Native American heritage, and he is her guide throughout this supernatural mystical journey. He can't be seen by anyone else though until she calls on him into this dimension. He is also a symbol of California. As Princess Cali, she has the power to (as long as she has on that necklace)harness various light and solar energies through her staff (which is also blue and gold), incredible strength, warrior woman skills(she eventually spends some time training in the mystic land), and the ability to teleport....so she can protect the major cities of California.

[Your Imaginary Pal]

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h125/Baqula/The-Trapper.gif
The Trapper
State: Utah

Name: Grant Snare

Story:
The Trapper is the hero of Utah. He is the heir to a large fur trading family fortune. The great explorers who were the first white men to see the great expanse of the Great Salt Lake and Utah were hunters and fur trappers, and his family was among the more successful at that trade. His father took him hunting from a young age, rifles and shotguns were for lesser hunters. Grant along with his father and longtime friend, Tom Eagle of the Native American Ute tribe as their guide, used more rustic and antiquated methods of hunting. They knew how to get in close with blades or their bare hands. Saving rifles for larger and more aggressive predators. But he mastered marksmanship as well. His father was gored to death by a bear on one expedition and put grant into a coma Tom Eagle, killed the bear with his hands and transfered it's spirit energies into Grant hoping to resuscitate him. It did that and more, not only did he recover, but his strength and vitality increased to beyond human levels. But his Consciousness was elevated in the trade, he discovered the bear was only so aggressive because it was protecting it's young. Grant began to see the value in all living things. So he decided to use his new strength and hunting skills to prey upon the Criminals of Utah. Thus the Trapper was born.

Costume:
His costume is comprised of various animal skins and dyed leathers. The stylized over coat has the hide of the bear that killed his father, and also gave him his strength dyed blue, adorned with the pelts of foxes as trimming. The buttons on the coat are made from the teeth of the great bear that felled both Grant and his father. He also learned some tricks along the way from Tom Eagle. Eagle gave him many talismans and a necklace that has a phial that contains the spirits of many animals he can call upon when he needs them for added strength or speed, or even the cunning of a fox. He dons a raccoon hat in the tradition of many famous trappers and American pioneers. when hunting in the woods and mountains he uses more subdued colors, but as a crime fighter he knows he is a symbol for justice and chose to dress in the colors of his beloved state, where his family earned it's fortune. He carries the weapons of the fur trade, knives, various snares and traps and a rifle to hunt the criminals of Utah, in the cities, towns and wild land of the state.

State Inspiration:
Researching the state I learned it was found by explorers and hunters. Jim Bridger and Jedediah Smith were part of the expedition and were referred to as Mountain men. SO I went with that aspect of the History of Utah. Utah is a reference to the Ute Tribe of Native Americans. Utah's translation is "People of the Mountains." I avoided my initial impulse to make a Super Mormon. I felt no matter how I went about it it would be in bad taste.
So I hope you like the Trapper guardian of Utah.

[Vegetarian Goat]

COFFEE MILK

State: Rhode Island

Origin:
Hope Williams never wanted to be a super-heroine. But it certainly seems like she was destined to be Rhode Island’s ultimate and only hero. After all, she’s connected to that state in many different manners. First, there’s her name: Hope. Considered the motto of Rhode Island., the word “Hope” is even present in the state’s flag. Then, there is the fact that her past is linked to the place’s history in a big way. Born is Providence, Hope is a descendant of Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island. She discovered that bit of information while researching her extensive family tree, after 7 palm readers and future tellers told her she would soon turn into the most important person of that location, because she’s intrinsically connected to it. She was 15 years old at that time. Finally, when visiting a factory of coffee milk, the state’s official drink, Hope accidentally fell into one giant recipient of the beverage, where she remained unconscious for at least 10 minutes. When she was finally rescued, she was completely changed! Having developed amazing powers, Hope is now COFFEE MILK!

Powers:
COFFEE MILK has the ability to claim the powers of coffee and milk and use them as her will. With her left hand, she can send milk energy beams, which make all the people affected by it automatically fall asleep (you know, like that warm milk before bed!). With her right hand, she can send coffee energy beams, which make all the people affected by it automatically wake up, if sleeping or in a coma (because that's what coffee do. It keep us up!). She was also able to resurrect two dead people with her coffee beams in two different occasions, but the strain was almost unbearable. Also, when releasing each power, COFFEE MILK smells like the respective type of drink, be it coffee or milk. This has proved to be a bad thing, since her enemies can now sense her coming from a short distance.

COFFEE MILK has been fighting crime and waking up people from their coma for a while now. She has been sued by at least two men, who claimed they were in an induced coma because they wanted to experience being a decade outside the world. While loved by the majority of Rhode Islanders, many dislike COFFEE MILK, as they were waiting for a nautical hero to surface.

COFFEE MILK does have the power to kill. All she has to do is use both her coffee and milk powers at the same time and the target will have a convulsion until he/she dies. Hope Williams rarely does that, though. She is not comfortable about killing.

Costume/ Inspiration:
While researching about Rhode Island, I found out about coffee milk. It’s similar to chocolate milk, but it is made with coffee syrup and it was first introduced to Rhode Islanders in the early 1920's. It became so popular that in 1993 the Rhode Island state legislature voted coffee milk as the official state drink. I thought that could be a great lead-in for a super power. COFFEE MILK’s costume is brown and white to represent the coffee and the milk. I thought at first that it would be better if it was black and white, but I soon realized that brown reflects the coffee and milk mix better. I included many kinds of brown as coffee can be a very colorful drink, depending of what you order. Her white cape is actually held by a line of coffee beans, glued to her costume. The headgear and the belt are also made of coffee beans. The flag is present on the cape, because COFFEE MILK is Rhode Island’s official hero and treated as such.

Truly amazing, Vic. It shows that you did some research here-

However, i think her super villain should smell like fish. Because all of Rhode Island smells like fish. And maybe he/she has something to do with Portugeuse food. Or Hot weiners. And her 1950's pet sidekick can be a talking Rhode Island Red chicken- THAT CAN SHOOT LASER BEAMS OUT OF ITS CLAWS! Man, Rhode Island is hilarious. Good job, man.

[mattbib]

Save the comments and discussion for the voting thread, please.

[pryde15]

I just got back from New York, lol. I need to think of the state I would like to choose though.

[pryde15]

lol nevermind, I just finished actually reading the rules.

I choose lucky number 15 :D

[captainbosh]

http://www.patdavid.com/cbrpr/gmg1.jpg

Green Mountain Girl
Erin Allen is a direct descendant of Ethan Allen, the legendary Colonel who led the Green Mountain Boys to success against the British during the American Revolution. All her life all she wanted to do was honor her Great Great Great Great Great Grandfather.

Erin dedicated her life to studying military strategy and tactics. She trained herself to become a master of hand to hand combat and honed her body physically to the level of an Olympic athlete.

Upon earning her Masters degree in chemistry from the University of Vermont, Erin was ready… and Vermont’s first superhero was born.

Enter Green Mountain Girl.


Skills:
Green Mountain Girl possesses the normal human strength of an Olympic level athlete who engages in intensive regular exercise. She is at the peak of human physical performance. Green Mountain Girl is also highly intelligent. Her knowledge of strategy and combat coupled with her mastery of chemistry make her a formidable opponent.


Weapons:
Green Mountain Girl employs only non-lethal force and carries two specially designed revolvers called Hubbardton and Bennington, named after the two battles where her Great (x5) Grandfather defeated the British. Hubbardton is loaded with rounds that contain a derivative of Vermont Maple Syrup. When struck, the intended target will succumb to slowed breathing and eventually pass out from lack of oxygen. The victim will regain consciousness within 15-20 minutes . Bennington carries a similar load, but it’s rounds are a mixture of Vermont cheeses and grains that create a low grade version of botchalism. A victim hit by one of these rounds will become completely paralyzed, but retain their consciousness and have a limited ability to speak. Like the Hubbardton rounds, the effects last roughly 20 minutes.

Inspiration:
Originally settled by the French, the land was dubbed… Les Monts Verts, which translated in English means the Green Mountains. That along with the tales of Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys during the American Revolution were what inspired me to create Green Mountain Girl. Her outfit and weapons are reminiscent of the Revolutionary War period, and also pay tribute to Vermont’s more famous exports… maple syrup, and cheddar.

[mattbib]

lol nevermind, I just finished actually reading the rules.

I choose lucky number 15 :DFinally! I knew you were going away, but I was still getting worried.

Idaho (http://www.50states.com/idaho.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst017.gif

[Aljira]

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w159/psiwar/Polestar.jpg

POLESTAR

It has been almost 2 years since 12 year old David Lee lost his father and some of their dogs, including his favorite – Steiner, in a freak dog mushing accident. He has been living with his grandpa months after the accident because his mom had to work somewhere in California, where she has been offered a salary she could not refuse. She tried asking him to stay with her, but he chose to stay in Alaska.

On the eve of the 2nd year anniversary of his father’s death, a Siberian husky appeared on their front door, looking like and behaving like his Steiner. It will be days later when he would discover that this “Steiner” could talk. Steiner told him that his father was murdered by the corporation he was working for, and he that was killed through a combination of mystical arts and alien technology. Confused, David tried to dismiss all of these information, until Steiner “merged” with him.

From this “merging” came forth a super powered being, possessing super human strength, speed and agility, animal keen senses, a destructive sonic howl, martial arts expertise, "gliding" on snow and ice, and debilitating puppy dog eyes for the ladies…

Going by the name Polestar (Northstar is taken so is Polaris), David and Steiner started their campaign against this diabolical corporation…saving captives…preventing murder attempts…destroying facilities… Everything seems to be going well, until David discovered that Steiner had a part in the murder of his father…

The look.

White like the snow. The star for the north star on their state flag. The dark blue fur for the sea. The belt bag for trinkets. The whip for my S&M tendencies. Hahahaha! No, seriously, the whip’s a cool weapon…and it seemed to go well with my character being a husky and all.

The almost all white costume seemed really nice. I mean it worked for Emma and Agent Diana Prince. I just got to break the white-ness with patterns, like with the stylized A, and stuff.


Alaska.

It took me quite sometime to get an idea for this challenge, being here in asia and all… I first thought of going with their state insect, but it looked like Wasp when I started drawing it. I even printed out Alaskan heritage art stuff…but to no avail. Then I saw Balto in wikipedia, and I thought to myself, why not? I just gotta make a nice backstory to support my canine approach. I was just going for the dog the first time, but alas! What is Krypto?

So, I tried making the character look more like a man with a husky’s head...just the head...and the fur. It would be too cliché if I give him paws and padded feet.

As for the backstory, I was aiming for more conflict before the hero of Alaska emerges…kinda like what a sword goes through…with the flames and hammering and stuff.

and yeah...they can un-"merge"


So that’s that! Hope ya like it.

[pryde15]

Finally! I knew you were going away, but I was still getting worried.

Idaho (http://www.50states.com/idaho.htm)

http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst017.gif

lol fun... I know nothing about Idaho :(

Anyways yeah, I had to go away, but it will be done!

[mattbib]

About 32 hours left to post your entries, designers. Carry on.

[End of Time]

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg58/EndofTimeIX/aaay.jpg

Vermillion Midnight.

Born into a once wealthy family the girl who would one day become Vermillion Midnight was raised on a sturdy diet of old pride and lost glory. Her parents mostly absent during her years as a youth, she was raised by her African American nanny, who had been with the family longer than anyone could remember.

When one night news broke that her father had died in a fire, Vermillion Midnight ran into the garden behind the family mansion, a garden that had not been tended to in ages. It was here where she discovered that her innocent nanny worshipped strange gods.

The woman seemed surprised to see Vermillion, and muttered a curse under her breath. Vermillion felt her mind expand and her body break, but by some miracle she survived the experience. The old woman was everything but pleased with seeing Vermillion still standing, and was struck with the fear of god when she gazed into the girl’s eyes. Hardly human.

Vermillion collapsed, and as her nanny stood over her, she could hear the old woman explain her story. The poor woman had been a servant to her family for nearly three full centuries, and had forged an alliance with a strange demon when her two daughters were raped. One of them was promptly killed by Vermillion’s great grandfather after he had had his way with her. The other girl fled into the garden where she vanished from the face of the earth.
Nanny had sworn to stick with the family and make sure that the family would never have anything other than misery and pain.

Vermillion however broke the strange spell. The woman, upon seeing Vermillion’s new eyes, thought that the demon, who had given her immortality ages ago so she could fulfil her curse, had crept into the girl’s body. Thinking her demon lord had taken a vessel so he could roam the earth, she nursed Vermillion back to health.

When Vermillion woke from her strange sleep she slew her nanny in a fit of blind rage, every ancestral memory and cell screaming for retribution.

Vermillion Midnight was born when the long-lived woman’s blood seeped into the ground, and Vermillion swore to battle the black arts and those who practised them.

The costume.

Fiery colour scheme which represents a fiery spirit, for Georgia is known for its fiery women, but red and yellow bleeding into each other also offers a peach-like motif. The coat is a throwback to the days of the Confederacy, when women dressed up for an occasion in large extravagant dresses. The entire costume is a throwback to the era of plantations, shady gentlemen, and gossiping women moving in upper class social circles. The blue is there to break the spell of read, with ruffles for the old-school feel.

The coat accentuates the waist and I tried to work in the style of women’s dress into the coat. It’s not practical to wear ornate dresses while battling evil, but a coat doesn’t It also offers protection for the wearer.

Vermillion wears her top like Scarlett O’Hara wears her dresses, with her shoulders bared.

She has glorified horseback riding boots. She rides her horses like a man, shameful! Ever the feminist.

State inspiration.

I wanted to do something with the colour red from the onset. After all, it’s a colour that Georgia has a cute little connection to…

Scarlett O’Hara - ” Scarlet” is of course a shade of red.
Rhett Butler, at least phonetically, “Rhett” resembles “Red”.

Vermillion is a shade of red.

Gone with the Wind, a classic if there ever was one, and set in Georgia during the Civil War no less. A confederate state, slavery and plantations instantly spring to mind, as does a reluctance to give up those days of glory long since past.

And old pride and glory is something Georgia has an abundance of.

The voodoo elements and dark accents came from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Again a novel set in Georgia, and a novel that brings to the forefront Georgia’s colonial past, their loyalty to the Confederacy (they were last to return to the Union) and the magic of those old-world wonders (as one of the first colonies established by the British).

I managed to blend the red with yellow, the effect might seem like fire to some, or it might remind some of a peach… after all Georgia is known as the Peach State.

A peach, the colour red, voodoo, confederate history.

A woman, fiery, passionate, mythical and strange, and clinging to old glory days long gone.

[DungeonmasterJim]

The Louisiann' Swamp Rat
http://www.comicspace.com/jamesroberts/uploaded/19087/1206366884_8a2XgWPYde.jpg

The Louisiann’ Swamp Rat

Bobbi Jo Cheryl

Born in Chalmette a town south east of New Orleans Cheryl has a heritage of French, Spanish, American Indian, and Haitian in her blood. She is mainly French Creole. Early on her family moved even further south and lived mostly along the coast of Breton Sound. In her childhood and early teens Bobbi Jo spent much of her time in the swamps to the point of almost becoming a modern day Tarzan. Today she is not entirely comfortable in cities and greatly prefers the tranquility and life of the swamps in southern Louisiana.

Powers:

Bobbi Jo has a range of talents and powers melded together from her multinational heritage.

Hexing: Bobbi Jo’s deep family history has many a Voo Doo priests in it. Bobbi Jo’s mutant-like DNA is so imbibed with magic that she can cast curses on her opponents with concentration. These hexes and curses are short term and almost instantaneous. Bobbi Jo is careful in using this power believing that if it is used for evil purposes that the curses will be rebound to her with thrice the potency. Thus, Bobbi Jo usually limits her curses to minor inconveniences such as someone tripping or a gun jamming.

Tracking skills: Again, Bobbi Jo unique DNA has taken the years of training and developed skills of her American Indian ancestors and turned them into internal skills virtually inscribed into her own cells. Bobbi Jo can spot clues and situations as if she had spent over 50 years of learning to track and analyze prey in the swamps and surrounding lands.

Persuasion: From her French heritage Bobbi Jo can use her voice to cloud the minds of others and make them follow her suggestions. The weaker the mind the more powerful the persuasion that will be followed. Bobbi Jo is careful in using this power because she cannot always pick out specific opponents and innocents or people that she does not wish to persuade may fall victim to her words.

Wardrobe: Bobbi Jo’s wardrobe are basic every day clothes with the exception of her blue jeans. Bobbi Jo has ‘Swamp’ and ‘Rat’ stitched into the outer thigh of her right and left pants legs respectively. She’s rarely seen without some sort of baseball style cap. She also keeps her shoulder blade length blond hair in some form of braid to keep it from being a distraction or hindrance.

Personality: Bobbi Jo likes athletic endeavors that challenge her. Her love of the swamps regularly challenge her this way and in a mental capacity as well. She’s ‘one of the guys’ and has few female friends generally preferring the company of men. She’s trying to quit smoking and drinks like a fish but is loyal and good natured tending to seek the best in people.

Inspiration: I wanted a different type of character for this entry. I came up with Swamp Rat fairly quickly and enjoyed the concept quite a bit. I understand the costume may not be much but spandex, leather, long coats or armor just seemed really out of sorts for this character. I see Swamp Rat as a character that works in concept as pretty much a loner with her own comic book. I could not see Swamp Rat the character working well in a book like Avengers or something world or even space traversing. I see her in a spooky setting in her own little niche in order to buy into the concept. I guess I’m just worried that people will see the costume and think ‘what a lousy job’ while I want them to see the whole character.

DM Jim

[pryde15]

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k303/cpsm1092/scan0073copy.jpg

Inspiration/ Design
Well, to start this off I will let all of you know... I know nothing about Idaho other than the fact that its capitol is Boise. So I did some research and found out that the state raptor is the Peregrine Falcon. When I saw the name, it instantly started a spark; I decided I would model the costume off the falcon. Another thing I found out about Idaho is that it is the Gem State, which I incorporated into the headpiece and into the belt less buckle.
I chose to use blue as the primary color because the flag (provided by mattbib) was predominantly blue. I used silver as the secondary color, because it is a color that tends to make everything look very sleek and would compliment the blue nicely. The chest plate is the emblem of the bird; it also connects to the cape (which has layers of feathers going down it). I made an allusion to feathers with the top of the opera gloves & mid-thigh boots. I also included a picture of the chest plate alone so that you could see everything (since the leg is covering part of it, in the actual picture).

With superheroes who are modeled or homaging states, countries, etc. I feel that they should be very clean & iconic, which is the feeling I was trying to convey through this piece.

Backstory
Born in Boise Idaho, Aurora Dawn was raised by the remnants of the Shoshoni Indian tribe. Ever since she was a little girl, Aurora, was worshipped as a goddess because she was assumed to be the "Legend of the white man's daughter". It was foretold that when the time came, the White Man's daughter would be able to call upon the lost souls of the Bear River Massacre to help her.

On the eve of her 18th birthday, Aurora Dawn ventured a way from home. She traveled long and far looking for help, but found none. Once she had given up, a menagerie of voices called to her in the form of a Peregrine Falcon made out of energy. The light-formed falcon intertwined with her soul, giving Aurora Dawn a psi-link with the falcon. Thanks to this experience, Aurora Dawn now has a plethora of powers. When using her powers a light based falcon appears around her body. Now Aurora Dawn protects the innocent as the Silver Peregrine.

Powers
- Ability to speak to the dead.

- Has a 6th sense that allows her to tell when death is near.

- Flight

- Light Manipulation. Granting her the ability to create force fields, create blinding lights, and fire concussive beams from her hands. Due to her light manipulations, she can also create illusions that will affect anyone she chooses.

[mattbib]

Eleven hours to go, people. Make it work.

[AnkaleRa]

The Mountaineer

http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs30/f/2008/084/6/1/Challenge_3__The_Mountaineer_by_jelloconcoction.jp g

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Flag_of_West_Virginia.svg/760px-Flag_of_West_Virginia.svg.png

History:
Cliff Reddington was born in the small West Virginian town of Harman. Growing up alongside the Appalachian mountains, Cliff was drawn to hiking and rock climbing. At an early age, he had already become quite an avid climber. On one trip into the mountains, Cliff became separated from his group during a snow storm. Panicking, he fell into a crevice, breaking his leg. In pain and agony, all he thought of was dying right then and there. However, in that crevice, many years before, a small meteor had hit, and now an alien microbe was stirred by Cliff's presence. The microbe began to infect Cliff's body. But instead of causing disease, the microbe acted more as a stimulant. Cliff's leg quickly healed and his body's natural abilities amplified, supplying him with the speed, strength, and protection to climb his way out and rejoin his group. Upon rejoining them, he kept his "adventure" a secret, claiming to have just gotten lost. And upon returning to Harman, he created for himself the guise of the Mountaineer! As the Mountaineer, Cliff dedicated himself to protecting those of his state, keeping the paths and mountains safe, as well as the cities.

Powers:
When the alien microbe infected Cliff's body, it augmented his body tremendously granting him:
-Superhuman strength, speed, agility, and regeneration
-Protection from the elements

Costume:
The Mountaineer dresses in a costume that takes elements from climbing gear:
-Ice picks/axes
-Climbing boots
-Climbing pants
-Backpack with additional climbing gear
-Rope
The Colors reflect those of the West Virginia stage flag.
The Mountaineer wears a mask to protect his identity, and the ones he loves.

Inspiration:
Before researching West Virginia, all I knew was from the bias source of Pittsburghians. So all I knew was that West Virginia was a state of hicks, rust, and burning couches. And I knew of an evil place called West Virginia University. Deciding that I wanted to go the good route, I decided to research the state. I found out that it's a big outdoors state thanks to the Appalachian mountains that run through it. It's big for hiking, rock climbing, white water rafting, and so on. I thought someone based around this would be a great way to create a superhero and a great way to represent the state. The inspiration for the costume came from rock climbers and modern day mountaineers. Plus I implemented the colors and style of the state flag: the blue border, white background, yellow and red designs. Plus the mountaineer is on the flag itself, along with the latin slogan "Montani Semper Liberi" which means "Mountaineers always are free." So, I thought it was would fun to use the mountaineer to keep the state free.

[spaghettikiss]

14 so far, with each challenge, we get closer and closer to the edge! I hope we don't lose anyone, its so fun to see all the entries!!!

[Aljira]

whoa! i keep F5-in' this page eversince i got in the office and it's still up to page 7.

c'mon guys hurry up!!! i can't wait to see your designs!!!

[Solaris]

http://album.hanamoira.com/albums/userpics/10003/sageguardian.jpg


The Sage Guardian (Protector of Nevada)

Costume:

Native clothes of Mountain Sheepskin and deerskin. Bow is Pacific Yew and Silver. The pair of dice on her necklace symbolizes Luck. Headband plate contains the state flag with a nuclear symbol overlaid on it, and the headband is decorated with turquoise and native (red/yellow) beads in symbols from the rock art (petroglyphs) done by ancient Native Americans in the region. On her belt buckle is the sageflower wreath and white star of Nevada. In the pic she’s surrounded by the radioactive glow she can manifest.


Origin:

Sara Yowell was a Western Shoshone (Newe Sogobia: “People of the Earth Mother”) woman who went to work for a casino to make money to help support her family. She also belonged to a group who protest the open mining in Nevada, the government’s Yucca Flats nuclear testing site, and the plans to turn Yucca Mountain into a nuclear waste repository.

Seven of them tried one night to infiltrate Area 51 (located inside the Nevada Test and Training Range), hoping to gain access to government records. However, the guards saw the group; while they were running from the guards, Sara tumbled into a hole, hidden by sagebrush. The guards caught the rest and escorted them out; Sara awoke alone in a hole over twenty feet deep.

She had a flashlight with her, and discovered that there was a crack in the wall which led into a series of tunnels. Hoping to find a way out, she followed the tunnels, winding ever deeper under the desert. Eventually she emerged into a vast underground complex. Avoiding the military guards, she explored, finding many strange devices, including what looked like a partial alien ship, which she entered.

On board the ship, she walked into a smooth-walled, spherical chamber. The door whooshed shut behind her, and she was lit by a greenish light---it felt like every cell in her body was on fire! She screamed in anguish and passed out.

When she awoke, she was lying on the surface, somewhere in the mountains. A mountain bluebird [the state bird] lit on a bristlecone pine [the state tree] and began speaking to her. It told her that she had been chosen by the sun [the Great Spirit] to serve as a protector for the people and the lands, and said that the Great Spirit had used the white man’s radiation and the alien technology to change her for this role, and that her gifts would be many, to meet the many needs of the land.

Sara thought she was going crazy---until her body sank into the earth and she found she could swim through it like water. The bluebird (who somehow stayed with her, flying through the earth), said that this was the gift of the ancient fish fossil Ichthyosaur, who once swam but now lives in earth.

“Just as your ancestors enjoyed the gifts of the land, you too will enjoy gifts from the land and powers that move around you,” the bird continued. “You will regenerate quickly, and can grow to enormous size [a hundred feet tall], because this state has the fastest growth in the land. You can manifest weapons and armor made of silver and pacific yew; these too are here. As the sagebrush leaves bring healing, so can you, both to people and to the land. You will have strength and endurance, as gifts from the mountain sheep [state animal], and the toughness and long life from the bristlecone pine [state tree], which is the oldest living thing on Earth [some specimens in Nevada are more than 4,000 years of age]. You can change instantly to the form of the Sage Guardian and back again---a gift from the Great Spirit himself. Lastly, two gifts from the meddling of the white man: You may create, channel, direct, or make inert, nuclear radiation; and, because of the casinos here you may sometimes affect the energies of chance, either for or against, friend or foe.”

So saying, the bluebird left Sara, and she swam to the surface, where the ground once more felt solid beneath her.

In her new role as a protector and healer, The Sage Guardian uses her powers to thwart the plans and activities of the U.S. Government that would harm the people or environment: somehow their equipment breaks down (bad luck), or becomes radioactive. Conversely, many areas that suffered from radiation are now clean. Native American horses and livestock that have been government impounded are mysteriously freed and returned to their owners. Native Americans who are ill find gifts of sagebrush leaves that somehow heal the worst ills, and those who have been fined with grazing fees, collection notices and the like, find gifts of money which pay these fees (Sara wins the money at the various casinos throughout Nevada). Those who attempt to restrict her people’s hunting and gathering activities have a tendency to get lost or suffer minor and inconvenient accidents (such as flat tires), and to never apprehend the people.

Although she mostly helps the Native Americans in Nevada, Sara also knows that by saving, healing, and preserving the environment, she also helps her brethren of other races within her state, making it a better place for all.

State Inspiration:

Mountain Bluebird: State Bird
Mountain Sheep: State Animal (bighorn sheep)
Bristlecone Pine: State Tree
Sagebrush: State Flower
Ichthyosaur: State Fossil
Turquoise: State semi-precious gem stone
Silver has long been mined in Nevada, and the state contains casinos, nuclear test sites, and Area 51.

She is, of course, a Guardian, but the name "Sage" refers both to the state flower (sagebrush), and is also a play on words, because "sage" also means "wise."

The Sage Guardian’s powers and abilities are all drawn from state symbols noted above, and from two overwhelming powers of the white man present in Nevada: gambling, and nuclear experimentation (and, of course, Area 51). Her race is also representational, because a wide strip of Nevada, north to south, was once an area the Newe Sogobia roamed…


[I]Newe Sogobia encompasses approximately 60,000,000 acres of land that includes most of the western half of the state of Nevada, stretches north in Idaho, east into Utah, and extends to the Mojave Desert in California. These boundaries were delineated in the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley.

The treaty was one of the only treaties that did not cede land. Instead it guaranteed safe passage of non-Indians through the land. Over the years, the United States has violated the treaty and illegally entered Newe Sogobia. Among other facilities it has established the Nevada Nuclear Weapons Test Site, the proposed Yucca Mountain High Level Nuclear Waste Facility, Nellis Air Force Base, and various other military facilities.

In recent years, various multinational mining companies have desecrated Newe Sogobia with large open pit mines, especially gold mines, ruining the land and poisoning the water and air for people and animals. Last year, one area of Newe Sogobia, sacred to the people, was found to be the second largest gold discovery in the world. These things have made the arid Shoshone land that was once considered a waste land, to become desirable to the U.S. government and multinational corporations.

---The Official Web Site of the Western Shoshone National Council

"The Treaty of Ruby Valley, 1863 is in full force and effect."

---Judge Bruce Thompson, Nevada Federal District Court

To end hostilities, in 1863 the United States government sought out the Newe for the purpose of making a treaty of peace and friendship. The 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley is still in full force and effect (U.S. v Dann, 1983), and no land has ever been ceded to the United States.

---"Newe Sogobia History and Culture"---Copyright - 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002,, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 - Dr. Bonnie Eberhardt Bobb

[atoningunifex]

http://alyxchance.com/cbrunway3/descant.jpg

Descant
1. also dis·cant (dĭs'-) Music
a. An ornamental melody or counterpoint sung or played above a theme.
b. The highest part sung in part music.
2. A discussion or discourse on a theme.

When I found out I had chosen Alabama as the state I would be designing for my first thought was "Oh &*(#$&^%&*$&$^$".

Luckily I did some research before giving in to despair. I found that there are many weird and wonderful things about Alabama. And since I didn't want to design a "Captain Alabama" kind of character I decided to create a character that incorporates the unexpected whiles till commenting on the expected. I also wanted to avoid anything overly negative or stereotypical. Hence Descant; a counterpoint melody played above a theme.

The Character
Jarrett Santangelo was born in Mobile, Alabama sixteen years ago. His father, Alfonse Santangleo, is a former Catholic priest who abandoned his collar while suffering a crisis of faith. He journeyed to Mobile to seek counsel from a former mentor. It was in Mobile that he met Alexandra White, a metallurgist working for an international cartel. They fell in love, got married, and had a son.

Jarrett was raised Catholic and treasures his faith very much. He sings in the choir and celebrates his faith with humor and sincerity. But he also inherited his mother's scientific passions, her drive to understand the workings of the world. Jarrett has attended Space Camp several times and was part of group of young science students studying the Wetumpka astrobleme.

While studying the crater he was exposed to alien technology. This technology introduced itself into his bloodstream and gave Jarrett several superhuman powers. When he concentrates he can cause technological "tattoos" to appear on his head and hands. These bits of mek can interface with data systems; this allows Jarrett to see and control dataflow.

Jarrett can also create three different "auras" around his body. The green aura allows him to fly. The white aura makes him invisible. The red aura has concussive force.

Jarrett was thrilled with his newfound abilities. A lifelong science fiction and comic fan, he immediately decided to create a costume and become a superhero.

Jarrett's activities as a hero drew the attention of the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission. The ASSEC is a cover organization for a think tank devoted to understanding alien technology and culture. The ASSEC wants Jarrett to work for them full time. He wants to be a hero. And his parents don't know a thing. Or do they?

Welcome to the world of Descant!

The Costume:

In designing the costume I wanted something simple and direct. A body suit in black with colored accents. I felt that a simple design would highlight the more dramatic bits- tying into my name choice.

I didn't want to create something that was too matchy matchy with the Alabama flag, but I did want to use the red cross on the white background. So I designed a shirt underneath the "superhero" bit. I thought the brightness of the red and the white would look good against the black of the costume and Jarrett's skin tone.

I also added a cross to the design as a reminder that Jarrett is a spiritual person as well as a science hero.

How It Ties In
Alabama is an interesting state. Formerly an agricultural economy, it is now moving more and more towards industry. While Alabama votes Republican in national elections there is often a strong Democratic presence on the state level. Religion is very important to most Alabama residents.

Alabama has some cool space-type stuff as well. Besides the astrobleme and Space Camp there is also the Marshall Space Flight Center. The Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission is a real commission. Alas, I don't think they are a front for a secret think tank.

I chose to make Jarrett biracial as a nod to the history of strained race relations in Alabama and also as a hope for the future. I chose to incorporate his religion for much the same reason, a commentary on the science vs. religion debates that happen everywhere.

I hope that Jarrett is a good conglomeration of the many interesting things of the state of Alabama.

[Affinity]

The Collector
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/646/challenge3ba6.png

Trapped in a hostage situation at the bank in which she worked, Elinor Hogarth's decent paying job as a teller seemed insignificant when a bizarre experience led the bank to be transported to Hell and back! When she returned, she felt a craving for the souls of the rotten, evil seeds in Delaware and beyond! She became, THE TELLER!!!

The Collector and her creepy, monotonous tone:

"Hello. i. need. your. loan. payment."

Then she sucks out your SOUL.

DELAWARE
Delawhere?? Located snugly in it's own corner of the States, Delaware is both the first state and the forgotten state!

For THE COLLECTOR, I wanted something that played off the motifs I drew while examining the state. She couldn't have been fun and exciting, full of flair and fabulous hair or anything of the sort, for the forgotten state is, forgotten. I totally wanted to avoid something crazy like shaping her hair after the state's boundaries, so I picked up on the following!

THE COLLECTOR is tiny. Simple and petit, she's thin and waifly and might tip over if you look at her too intensely. Her petit nature is reminiscent of Delaware's miniature size, cute but not very expressive or noticeable. Similarly, the first state is the oldest state, but the relatively young United States (at 200 some odd years) hardly makes THE COLLECTOR a battle hardened widow, but rather that smart and wise forty year old we all know.

Elinor's powers are a play on Delaware's large banking institutions, sucking out her enemies for all they're worth much like real big banks! Her gold skin, too, works off the state's banks, money, and economy. Her petit nature happens to contrasts with her great power, representing the great population density of the state!

Long, thin fingers exemplify Delaware's historical roots and financial reach, which she uses to suck out your soul (and then display in fantastic visual energies).

I totally went the ordinary route because of what Delaware is; unassuming, unexpected and often ignored. Delaware isn't flashy. It's not the EMPIRE STATE like New York, or the AUTOMOTIVE State or the SOUTHERN BELLE or MOUNTAIN WEST states. It's just there. She's just there, chilling with her golden skin and long fingers and she will collect her debts.

[mattbib]

Less than three hours, designers. Use your time wisely.

[Dazzler]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2114/2359544823_f2c202d08e_o.jpg

EMPIRE

Origin:
Meghan Cunningham was born to a typical Irish-American family in New York City, and was the first member of her family to graduate college, thanks in large part to the amount of sacrifice her family made to help her dream come true. They were elated when she landed a job as a curatorial assistant at Ellis Island, the very place where Meghan's ancestors entered into the United States to pursue the American Dream. Of course, it wasn't all glamor and glitz, but Meghan loved her job because she had always been proud to come from Ellis Island immigrants.
Then, one day, something strange happened. As she was waiting for the ferry home from work, Meghan heard voice in the distance...and it seemed to come from Lady Liberty herself. She found herself suddenly face to face with
"Meghan, millions of people looked on me with hope and renewed spirit. Millions of whispered prayers for strength and help at the start of this exciting and frightening new life infused me a life of my own. Over the years, I have watched this beautiful city become tired and hostile toward even its own citizens who need the most help. I made a promise to protect the tired, the poor, the tempest-tossed, and anyone who yearns to be free. You will be my agent to live up to this promise."
Immediately, and thinking of her hard-working parents, Meghan agreed.
Lady Liberty bestowed upon Meghan armor made from her own metal skin and a strength equal to that of every worker who had helped build her. Meghan became as hard as Liberty herself.
In times of need, Meghan need only speak the name of a person who entered the United States through Ellis Island, and instantly, she becomes Empire, Protector of the Huddled Masses!
True to her New York heritage, Empire can be brusque and opinionated, but she's ultimately strong-willed, compassionate, and possesses a strength of character that makes her an excellent fighter for the underdog.


Inspiration:
Initially, I was worried about the cliche of using the Statue of Liberty to represent New York. Then, I thought, the Statue is a symbol for hope for a reason. Literally millions of people looked at her as the hope for a new and better life. She represents the best of the United States and hard work and determination.
I tried to think of some other way to represent New York than focusing on just one city in the state, but I kept coming back to NYC. Nothing says New York State like NYC, and nothing says NYC like the Statue of Liberty. Rather than try to encapsulate every little thing in the state, I wanted something instantly recognizable, that stands for the state immediately.


--Dazz

[LewMoxinsghost]

Wow this thread has a whole lot of great designs!!! This will be very hard pick only one to vote for. Right now, for me it's a toss up between Captain Bosh's and Spaghetti Kiss's designs.

If anyone is curious what I did with Iowa, just click here (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=134555&page=21) and scroll towards the bottom! I should have the sketch of the villians uploaded before the buzzer! (Yes, I realize I'm not even in the running, but I'm having fun trying to meet the demands of the challenge and watching you all attempt the same)

Good luck everybody! I would love to hear from your feedback on the design, especially if you are from Iowa!

PS- I didn't mean to pwn mattbib's last post- he just stated there is only three hours left to submit.

[escapegoat]

Boulder Colorado

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s201/tylerragan/BoulderColorado.jpg

Origin:
Boulder Colorado is a stadtgeist – “Stadt” being the German for “city” and “geist” meaning “spirit” The idea behind this is that every city out there has a certain identity to it – a character that is reflected by many elements. All cities have a stadtgeist, formed over time by the inhabitants, geology, and architecture of the area.
One day, the stadtgeist of the city of Boulder, Colorado decided that it wanted to go out and see the ocean. It had heard many great things about the ocean, overheard by several of the inhabitants within Boulder, Colorado who have been to the ocean, but the ocean is very far away from the city. It doesn’t even connect to the state of Colorado. So the stadtgeist of Boulder, Colorado begins to communicate to a local artist/sculptor by the name of Steve Pope to build it a body so that it may go out and see the ocean. He communicates to Steve Pope first via his dreams, which eventually progresses through his everyday thoughts. Steve Pope slowly comes to grips that he’s acting upon the request of the actual city of Boulder, Colorado to build it a body. The body eventually gets sculpted. Steve, along with a couple of his friends, set out to assist the stadtgeist of Boulder on its trek to see the ocean. Upon their return, Boulder Colorado decides to remain in its physical form to assist his own city and act as its protector.

Powers:
Boulder Colorado is made of solid rock, carved from an actual boulder found at the Flatirons outside of the city of Boulder. He is very durable and resistant to damage. However, a fall from a high distance would most likely shatter him. He is fairly heavy, so he tends to avoid heights anyways. He is super-class strong, and able to lift several tons. As a “stadtgeist”, he is completely in tune to what goes on in his root city. He can communicate to inanimate objects anywhere, and also has a degree of psychometry (Reading the past of objects). This localized omnipotence makes him a valued resource to the police, fire, and emergency departments of Boulder. Boulder Colorado also possesses a high degree of telekinesis over any object localized within the city of Boulder. It is unclear what affect he would have on the city if he were gone for an extended amount of time. The only time that he did disappear to go to the ocean was only for a month, and nothing too out of the ordinary was reported then.

Inspiration:
I’ve always had an idea for this character called “Boulder Colorado” in the back of my head for a couple of years now. So when I discovered I got the state of Colorado for this round, I was pretty excited. I had worked out a lot of the character concept already, but I had yet to do a drawing of him. The amount of various rock characters in the comic medium have always deterred me away from a clear idea of how he should look like. I wanted some exaggeration to the form, but not too much. I wanted the big chin…. with a name like “Boulder” I knew he should have a big chin. ;) I left out the nose on the face because Steve Pope accidentally chips off the nose during the initial sculpting stage due to a distraction (There is a lot humor I want to incorporate into the story).

Costume:
My original vision for this character was a straight-up solid-rock statue without any clothing, which really wouldn’t score well in a competition like this. So I decided that as he adopts his role of city protector, he decides to take on a uniform. Since the actual city sports a high-end of outdoor recreation (Such as rock-climbing, cycling, and hiking), I decided to outfit him in a sport-like uniform and blend into it the colors and design found on the Colorado state flag (One of the amazing few state flags that has a simple design and color scheme).

[Shade101]

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg116/Dukkus/Cadence1.jpg

Cadence

Justine Hightower was an aspiring singer who lived in the city of Detroit, Michigan. She always had dreams of making it big in the music industry, and what better place than to start in the city she grew up in? Motown! After returning home from a long day at work, doing nothing but manufacturing and engineering Ford vehicles, Justine popped in a CD, and took a long hot shower. Justine began trying to hit her favorite Mariah Carey high note until her shower head crumbled to her feet and water began rushing out of the pipes. She raised her hand to reduce the impact of the water hitting her face. To her amazement she felt no water at all. She looked around bewildered and convinced that she was being haunted by a ghost until she observed the water out of the showerhead rotating in circles around her hands. She couldn’t believe it! She was actually manipulating the water! And her Mariah Carey high note must’ve been so high pitched it shattered the showerhead! She was amazed! She decided to fund her way to the top of the music industry by protecting Michigan’s citizens. But first she needed a secret identity and costume! She came up with the name Cadence since she was an exceptional songstress. She also used her engineering talents with assembling Ford cars to assemble herself two bracers. The bracers were used to help channel, direct, and better control her newfound sonic powers. After adopting a new costume and secret identity, Justine set out to let the world hear her amazing voice, and to fight crime on the gritty streets of Detroit, and all of Michigan.

Costume

Cadence’s costume was mostly inspired by Michigan’s state bird, the robin. Since the robin’s colors are more commonly a dark gray or black with a reddish color breast, I wanted to add that element of design and color to Cadence’s look. I chose the name Cadence because I thought it suit her well. Since she’s a musician, I thought it only fitting that she has a name relating to music. The costume is supposed to be a simple body suit made of 95% unstable molecules, 3% cotton, and 2% nylon. When Cadence needs a quick change, all she has to do is use her sonic vibration powers to alter and rearrange the molecules in her costume to form anything she wishes. The bracers are meant to help channel her powers to a more direct target, instead of harming helpless bystanders or causing property damage. I also wanted to do something unique, so I opted for a asymmetrical one sleeve body suit. I liked it very much. I wanted a more simpler look altogether, so I hope people like it.

Powers

Cadence has the gift of sonic vibrations emitted from her vocal cords. With these sonic vibrations, Cadence can cause destructive waves of vibration, therefore causing severe damage to anything within it’s radius. The sonic waves are also capable of disorienting enemies and knocking them out cold. Her sonic powers also have an empathic aspect to them. Cadence is able to sing her enemies into a multitude of conditions, ranging from sleeping, to feeling happy or sick. She also has the power of hydrokinesis. She has to be in the vicinity of bodies of water in order to use this aspect of her powers. She can create icicles and freeze her enemies.

Inspiration

When I got Michigan, I instantly thought Motown! So I wanted her to be a singer. My sister suggested that she have sonic powers so I did that in regards to her Motown aspirations. Also her control over water is in regards to the great lakes. I thought she must be a water elemental to signify the great lakes!:D

[Spidey]

I really didn't want to go the Indian route, but South Dakota has a strong Sioux history and is what stood out the most.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y93/Spyderizzle/Round-3.jpg

Bio
This is Red Sun. His name comes from the red sun that we see at dawn and dusk, representing life and death. He is indigenous to the Dakotas 20 generations in, when his people migrated to the land. He is a descendant of Sitting Bull, the Sioux Chief that died in the battle of Wounded Knee. As he learned of the history of his people he began to dawn the costume and deal out his own brand of justice. He is very proud of his people and has low tolerance for anybody that endangers them. He is also extremely territorial, in his mind most of the Dakotas still rightfully belong to him and the many tribes of the old Dacotah. His heroic ways border on vigilantism and is very selective of who he choses to protect and punish.

Powers
He has no problem killing others with extreme prejudice via his own two hands. He is a lot stronger than a normal human being which he gets by invoking the spirit of the buffalo.
He also has the power to bring people and animals back to life with his Ghost Dance. A dance that originated with Wovoka a native of Dacotah that started the dance after he had holy visions. Red Sun cultivated this spiritual dance into a twisted spell with the aid of Necromancy. People resurrected with the Ghost Dance are basically zombies, however they do not rot, they stay in a preserved in the state they we brought back. They also have limited brain activity, but are susceptible to suggestion. Red Sun uses these zombies to aid him in his biased agenda.

Costume
His suit is black, because of his dark demeanor. The red arc on his chest represents a red sun with rays. The blue is partially from the flag, because although he does not agree with the way his land was overtaken by settlers, he believes in the freedom that the blue sky in the flag represents. Th feathers on the skulls are of the state bird, the ring necked pheasant. The buffalo loincloth is for all the buffalo that the natives used to survive. The face paint and feathers on his head are traditional Sioux warrior attire. The miniature bull skull on his belt represents Sitting Bull, his brave ancestor. The four skulls strapped to back represent a somber effigy of Mt Rushmore. Although he fights for Dakotas, he believes that monument represent a replacement of all the natives in favor of the settlers. He wants to let people know that he does not agree with the essential invasion of his precious land and will kill anybody that stands in his way if thats what it takes to restore proper ownership.

[ZacharyLovesYou]

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w30/ZacharyLovesYou/kIDkENTUCKY.jpg

KID KENTUCKY:
Mother was a famous Bluegrass musician, father was a hard working coal miner. That's all Luke Casting ever knew. He couldn't tell you if he had any relatives because he really had no idea. He'd ask about his grandparents on either side, but his parents would always get uncomfortable and find a way to change the subject.

"Ma... Pa...?" he'd begin.

"What is it darlin'?" they'd reply.

"Could you, uh...Maybe... Tell me about my nana and papa?"

His mom would handle this. His dad wasn't much for heart-to-hearts.

"We can't, hun... I can't... I... What's there to know? Aren't you plenty happy with just the three of us?"

"Of course I am, ma. You know that. I just thought I might be old enough. I'm 16 now. It's not gonna hurt me if you tell."

They knew there was no fighting this. Not like before. He knew there were secrets. He knew that there was a threat. He wasn't sure about the details, but there had to be a reason his parents tried to keep him protected from the world - including his own family.

That night, Luke's father sat him down on the porch. He looked at his son with fear in his eyes... But there was also hope. He looked away from his son and pointed to the sky.

"Pa, I don't get it... Why are we out here? And where the heck is ma, anyway?"

Luke felt a strong wind rush past his face. He was nearly knocked onto his face by the force of air and sudden blur of motion.

"JESUS CHRI... ?!"

Barely coming to his senses he looked up to the stars in utter shock. There, above his head was his mother in mid air. She wasn't falling or asking for help. She just kind of hovered there.

"Son..." she said tenderly.

"What the hell's going on?!?!"

"This is our family. My father and his father before him... Probably before that... We're... Special."

Luke looked to his Pa for some kind of explanation, but his father continued to look to his wife with pride.

"We didn't want to say anything because... We were afraid of what you might do. We were afraid that you might try to run off to the city and fight 'bad guys' when you've got no reason to fight for, or something silly like that. You just get so excitable all the time... We'd never try to keep this from you if we didn't think it was for your own good."

Luke's parents proceeded to tell him everything. About the family legacy of super powered crime fighters that they descended from. About there secret lives as heroes, doing good when unimaginable forces stood against them. About a life that they eventually gave up so that they could raise a son. About the family and friends that they gave up so that they could protect their loved ones.

"You hate us, dontcha? You absolutely hate us..." his mother choked through tears.

"Hate you?" Luke asked, "Hate you? This is the neatest thing I ever heard! My parents are superheroes!!!"

"What about you, Pa? What can you do? Laser vision? Invisibility? Super speed??"

"Well..." he began reluctantly, "Superhuman strength, truth be told..."