Zulu's Art: Superheroes, etc.

[zuludelta]

Some images I've created over the past year. Most of them were drawn digitally using a mouse (never gotten comfortable with those Wacom tablets) and Photoshop but a few are based off of pencils that I scanned and then imported. Comments, requests, suggestions are welcome.

Wolverine (based on his appearance in the Marvel Ultimate Alliance video game):


Ghost Rider 2099:


Punisher (collaboration with my brother, he supplied the linework):


Daredevil (another collaboration with my brother, he supplied the linework):

[zuludelta]

more images:

Hulk (another collaborative effort):

Storm Shadow:


my take on Brother Voodoo:


Shang-Chi, Game of Death style:

[howyadoin]

Love the Daredevil piece. Brother Voodoo is great, too.

[Pól Rua]

Nice style. The Daredevil one and the Hulk one are very striking, and I got a bit of a giggle outta the Shang-Chi.
But yeah, a nifty, unusual looking style.

[TroyCarlson]

Dude, that Punisher kicks ass! That's the way he should look...like a thug.

[zuludelta]

Thanks for the encouraging responses guys!

[zuludelta]

I'm a big Image Comics/Wildstorm Studios fan from the 1990s, although these days, I'm primarily interested in their characters more for nostalgia than anything else. In retrospect, a lot of those books were horribly written (whatever happened to Brandon Choi?), and the majority of the art was laughably derivative. Still, they were fun for the first 2 or 3 years of publishing, and the artists' and writers' unabashed enthusiasm just about made up for the sophomoric plotting, general lack of focus, and scattershot quality control.

Anyways, I'm planning on doing my version of perennial fan-favourite, the WildCATs (Ultimate WildCATs? All-Star WildCATs? WildCATs Reloaded?). I'm not sure if I'm doing re-interpretations of all the characters (I'm not too fond of Warblade), but I'm definitely doing Grifter, Zealot, Spartan, Maul, and Ladytron.

With that long-winded intro out of the way, here's a look at Cole Cash, a.k.a. Grifter:


First thing I did was replace the original oh-so-'90s mask and the "Image mullet" with a more practical "bandito" bandanna and crew cut (he was pretty conspicuous, especially considering that he was supposed to be a member of a "Covert Action Team"). Next to go was the green trenchcoat (never liked trenchcoats on superheroes), replaced with the top from a military BDU, as a nod to his days as a Special Forces operative. Finally, I got rid of the odd-looking "plasma" pistols (I remember them being drawn almost like portable steam irons at some point) and gave him a pair of Browning semiautomatics. I'm planning on doing the rest of the characters in a way that I can integrate them all into one huge group shot when they're all done.

[zuludelta]

Here's a work-in-progress of Maxine Manchester, a.k.a. Ladytron:



Haven't really done much in redesigning her aside from recolouring her eyes (for that Terminator red pupil look), it's one of my favourite superhero looks of all time, and I don't want to mess too much with the formula, and if I make any wholesale changes, it'll probably be to her wardrobe.

[Reed Richards]

"daredevil" is fantastic - great work of art!!! :)

[howyadoin]

I'm diggin' these redesigns. Can't wait to see more.

[zuludelta]

Thanks for the comments guys, really appreciate them.

Here's the completed Ladytron image:



Now, before you hit that "reply" button and start getting all indignant about the depiction of an inverted American flag let me explain my use of the image and save you the time and trouble. The practice of displaying an inverted flag is used to indicate distress in an emergency... used outside of this context, the image is otherwise considered by some as a deliberate insult directed at the institutions and entities it represents. However, the inverted flag is also used in many instances as a sign of political protest and it is in this context that I am using the image. The character has always been portrayed to be a contrarian and downright nihilist, so the decision to emblazon the inverted flag on her shirt is just my way of getting that point across with the image.

[zuludelta]

Oh, and just so I don't risk stereotyping myself as a guy who draws spandex types exclusively, here's my Warhol-esque portrait of a friend... scanned pencils, everything else done in Photoshop as per my usual:

[sabongero]

Your art is great man. That Storm Shadow is awesome. Do you happen to have a Snake Eyes as well ? Or an original Destro ?

[zuludelta]

Your art is great man. That Storm Shadow is awesome. Do you happen to have a Snake Eyes as well ? Or an original Destro ?

Thanks! I've got a Snake-Eyes (original "commando" version, not the one with the knight visor) done in a similar style, although I'll probably re-do it before posting it here and I've got a Destro and Cobra Commander in very preliminary sketch stage.

I wasn't too happy with how the final Ladytron image came out so I spent last night re-doing it:



I'm a bit more satisfied with how this one turned out but I might make some more changes to it as I round out the rest of the WildCATs team and assemble them into one larger image.

[zuludelta]

Well, here's my take on Zealot:



I really wanted to get away from the original Zealot design by Jim Lee... it's just so dated, not to mention impractical and ridiculous (even by 1990s comic book standards). Zealot is supposed to be a 5 000 year old warrior who's played a part in every major human conflict, so it doesn't make sense that she would go to battle in a lycra/spandex bikini armed with nothing but shoulderpads, a katana and some throwing blades. With the re-design, I gave her an AK-47, perhaps the most reliable firearm in the history of modern warfare (I figure somebody with her experience would prefer practicality over flashier, newer weapons) and I sort of combined the visual elements of the katana and throwing blades and gave her a kukri (Nepalese curved dagger). Her "costume" is just practical, loosefitting garb but I kept the colour-scheme from the original. I also did an "Ultimate Nick Fury" by giving her African/South Asian features. No real motivation behind it, outside of reasons of aesthetic variety (and because it fits in with the theme established by the kukri and the bindi marking on her forehead).

Here's how the composite image is looking so far (I haven't decided on a background as of yet):