Last few days have been really hectic as I am preparing for a new action character for my comic.
Imaging the Superhero
I first need a superhero and the traditional superheroes the likes of Superman and Batman are often big sized, muscular and look like a bodybuilder. The character and the size will make you feel safe and believe that they can save you. But that may not always be the case, I see that the world of cartoon has caught us by surprise. A superhero can be anything from a cute animal (pikachu), a beautiful girl, a lazy boy or a small child. Astro Boy is one example of a superhero in a child's body. Doesn't mean that he is any inferior to the superheros that we know.
This is my rough sketch of my superhero.
I always start with the heroes superpower. They are called superheroes because they have super powers of course. So depending on their ability and super power, it is easier to determine the body. I give you and example, if you call someone an Incredible Hulk, you can't expect him to look like the Mario Brothers. He has to be big so that when he says,
'Hulk, Smash!' you believe that he will smash.
But if you have a superhero like Dr. Strange whose powers are magical. Then it is perfectly fine to have him in a well-toned physique. So, if there is a weapon involved and the weapon is one big one, then the muscle has to match up to the weapon.
Here my character is a normal human, he does not have any superpowers, he can't see thru walls or turn into a human torch. But he is as nimble as a cat. He has martial art skills and he depends on gadgets and weapons in his crime fighting spree.
He needs to have an emblem. That is like a logo that defines his principles, his values and his origin.
One important aspect of creation is the attention to the hero's lifestyle, his origin and his past life (if he has one).
The lifestyle and culture is deeply rooted in the character's physical appearance. If the character is a girl from an Asian family, he will very likely have long black hair and is thin. If the character has a tumultuous past such as drug addition or he is from the hood, he may have scars on his face or even spot a few tattoos. If the character is into junk food, then it is okay to have a beer belly. Well, we fit our characters to their lifestyle.
This character of mine has a normal life as a writer for paranormal and strange activities book. There is a story to his job!!..the hero must also have his superhero's vehicle. It must be cool, almost as cool as the superhero.
Here are some pages for my comic that i've done to test the art style concept with some flow of the background mood.This page test will show me if all of it blend together nicely or not.
The important tip is to be a good detective. Your characters has to be believable. Many stories are focused on the superhero in their superhero mode but loses the plot when it comes to them in civillian mode. If Bruce Wayne wears business suit, it makes sense because he is ultra rich. If he is dressed down like Peter Parker, he has to be poor. Like they say, the cloth maketh the men. In his case, his suit is made of special material sourced from outer space material that has alien technology and it can protect our hero from any climate and it keep him from catching the cold.
My character of creation is an adventurous one. He likes to research and investigate. He must have a logo and a costume with the logo to complete the plot. Of course, the epic post that will be the face that will sell merchandise. That must be the face that the audience remember. If there is a tag line, that will be helpful.
For Superman, the call him, 'The Man of Steel' and for Batman, they call him the 'Caped Crusader'. I have yet to think of a name, but it has to be super cool.
I will updating more the progress of this project once in a while in my future post.If you have any idea of characters,villians,designs or a story plot..feel free to share with me if you like.
CAPTAIN MYSTERY..SIGNING OFF!!..thanks for your time!!
