Long Beach Comic Con

Scotty and I will be in attendance at the first annual Long Beach Comic Convention. We'll be in Artist's Alley at booth #96. Eventhough we're DEAD FUCKING last in the listing, we gotta pretty decent spot right on the corner off one of the mail aisles. It looks like it's kind of a hike from the entrance, but hey- it'll work.

We'll keep you updated on what kinda goodies we'll have with us. Thanks for looking.

-matt

Scarabs, Beetles, colors, functions

BulletproofBeetle (yeah i finally landed on a name) is an obvious homage to the the golden age BlueBeetle. While trying to make him not look exactly like BB, I ran into the secondary issue of trying to make sure he doesn't look like the Phantom either. So I ditched the back&forth between "blue" and "emerald" naming and went with functionality.

He's the street-level member of the Super Powered Society of America. Relying on his fists and his .45

He has an enchanted stone scarab that grants him with extreme physical durability. His invulnerablity helps hand-to-hand combat by transferring his higher density to his appendages for a more powerful strike.

Remember Mike

SuperMage or SuperHyphenMage...that is the question

This is Super-Mage, he's the arcane leader of the Super Powered Society of America. He's a sorcerer supreme kinda guy- think young charismatic Dr.Strange...with some Alan Scott thrown in there.

He's the organizer and benifactor of the team. He saw the need to combone their efforts for mutual advantage and rallied the top superheroes of the time.

Super-Mage primarily throws fireballs and lightning bolts for offense but is skilled in spells and incantations as well. He hits all the basic magic hero archetypes, escape artistry, projected illusions, and extremely high intelligence.

every man's got gas

I'm finishing up the rest of the Super Powered Society of America. I'm trying to keep all the same quarter turn standing shots (in the same pose) so it's a little monotonous. But I've got the last 3 ready to scan and should be up soon.

Here's Everyman firing a gas bomb canister into the air. I'm gonna color this one too.

Everyman -man of a thousand faces (not uses)

Everyman can do some cool shit...but he's still kind of useless. He uses a chemical he developed to alter every facet of his physical appearance. In that repect he's an ingenious observer as he must articulate every epidermal imperfection of the individual that he's emulating. He can also mimmic any sound he hears, be it mechanical, animal, or most importantly a person's voice. The chemicals that he uses can be imbibed or turned into a vapor and released over his epidermis.

His primary (and only) real weaponry is his trusty gas gun. He uses the gun to weaponize a variety of canistered gases that he takes with him (knock-out, tear gas, etc). His pistol can also launch the gas canisters and act as a grenade launcher that pulls the pin as it's fired.

Everyman's primary use is infiltration and espionage and so he's not exactly an integral part of the Super Powered Society Of America. He's essentially the SuperFriends style Aquaman of the team, he can do a few cool thing, but those things are rarely needed in a super hero team scenario.

Johnny Majestic -the Flying Ace

American pilot, Jonathon Reagle volunteered to assist the French air force during World War I.

Reagle was shot down towards the end of the war. He wasn't taken down by enemy fire though. Thousands of years ago an alien space craft drifted close to the planet Earth. The alien craft hit a cosmic energy storm that tore the ship apart. The ship was made of an incredible metal and small scraps of the ship remained in earth's orbit. The cosmic energy irradiated the ship's remnants for centuries, in effect charging the already unique ore with almost mystical properties.

Over the millenia, small bits of the ship were eventually pulled into orbit and crashed to earth. In 1918, a gasket from the debris, that had been absorbing cosmic energy for thousands of years was finally pulled into orbit and started rocketing to earth. The small metal ring sliced through Reagle's plane like a white hot knife. It slammed into the bedrock and Johnathon crashed his plane just a few hundred yards from the crater. He was under heavy enemy fire as he ran to the crater to see what hit him. To his surprise, he found a small metal ring with a faint blue glow sizzling at the center of the crater. Most of the pilots were rather superstitious and as was their custom to retreive an object (ideally the cause) of a survivable crash. Reagle took off his glove and picked up the ring, as if fate had a hand in it, he put the ring on his finger instead of in his pocket, as enemy machine gun fire rained down into the crater. Reagle should've been riddled with bullets, but he emmerged from the smoke without a scratch and flew into the air with out the aid of a plane.

The French brass put him in charge of his squadron, not willing to look a gift superhero in the mouth. They called him Johnny Majestic and his squadron the Flying Aces. They dominated the French sky for what little time they had left in the war.

LadyLightning -the fightin flapper!

She was the first costumed super heroine to ever appear in Major City. A single lightning strike turned her into an almost unstoppable powerhouse. She gained unmatched physical strength and speed. Unbeknownst to her, the energies that gave her her powers were that of a stray lightning bolt from the hands of Zeus himself.

The idea of costumes and logos weren't prevalent yet, in the 1920's when she got her powers, so her costume was more of functional choice than a statement. Her then trendy flapper style dress was not without it's meaning though, she had idolized the free spirited women of her time who had made the style popular and to her it helped amplify her tremendous physical strength to use her sexuality as well.

From bookworm to bombshell, LadyLightning, forged a new path for future super powered females.

The Inspectre: YEAR ONE

I realized there's quite a few old characters that I might've drawn and posted randomly online without ever really revealing any of their backstory.

This is the Inspectre within his first human host, Steve Harlow. Steve was a down-on-his-luck security guard with a bit of a gambling problem that helped out his drinking problem.

Unlike the pesent day Inspectre, who has developed the ability to remain solid and be seen and heard by the living, back in the 1920's he was forced to possess someone in order to interact with the physical world. Over the years he had come into contact with unique people who could see and hear him without any arcane assistance. He found that these unique individuals could also give themselves over to him and through possession grant him access to the physical world while still being able to apply his ghostly abilities to his host. The hist would take on some of the ghost's featureless characteristics and most prominently his giant glowing eyes.

ModernBlueBeetle stage2

So here's the last one in my "Beetle Retrospective."

This is last individual (for now) to bear the name Blue Beetle. I really dig the raping of the original concept, only because they stumbled onto something pretty cool. Eventhough there are a couple leaps that spit in the face of even the most elastic comic book logic. The whole "this is the same scarab the original golden age Blue Beetle used" but this time around, it's all space agey and high tech. It bugs me (ha) but not because I don't like the new suit, I don't like the "it will be explained in time" or the "that's one of the mysteries" defenses.

I really like Reyes as the new BB, he's young, energetic, and brings more richness to brazenly retarded changes to the character over the years. He's got some cool Spidey elements to him with the "figuring out his powers" thing and he's a little more lighthearted in all the gloom and doom. His costume could very easily lean towards the dark and brooding side, so I hope they reserve that for when he's older (if the poor guy survives).

So until Kord comes back as the new Parallax, I approve of the new Beetle legacy.

ModernBlueBeetle stage1

So here's our dearly departed Ted Kord. This may sound jacked up...but I hope he stays dead. Let him go down tragically while being a smart guy (like he was supposed to be). This was the guy who introduced me to the idea of the BlueBeetle WAY back when with a DC Heroes trading card. I knew SHIT about DC's stable of characters (outside the main biggies) so it was kinda funny that I instantly identified with this guy that i'd never heard of before.

I may even blame some of my archetype-casting obsession on BB here. I remember looking at that trading card and thinking. "This guy is part Spiderman and part Batman, this is so cool!" So, you wanna blame somebody? Blame him.

ClassicBlueBeetle stage3

Now THIS version is probably the most common look for what folks would consider the "classic" look. He spent most of his career in these threads (which was actually thread at this point...or at least spandex). They didn't really make any more reference to the "light as silk" chainmail anymore.

We also had the widest array of powers and minor costume variations when he looked like this. Sometimes he had a domino mask, sometimes sunglasses type goggles, etc. Sometimes he could fly, sometimes he couldn't. Amazing what was acceptable when any editorial questioning on gehalf of the readership was answered with, "Shut up, they're just kids."

ClassicBlueBeetle stage2

This here is the costume that's primarily considered his FIRST costume, mostly because the hat&jacket look only lasted for a split second. This one is the one that was specifically referred to as a chainmail type fabric that was "as light as silk and as strong as steel."

Other than the fact that it's just SO damn classic, I don't know why I dig it so much.

Again, sorry about the quality...speed sketches, folks!

ClassicBlueBeetle stage1

In celebration of my rekindled love of classic GoldenAge characters (or to exercise the demons) however you wanna look at it. I've done a bunch of speed sketches of different guys...and then colored'em so they'd be semi-worthy to post. A couple years ago I had a rash of mini-obsessions with certain characters. BB here always comes back to haunt me.

This is how Blue Beetle first looked when he appeared in MysteryMen in 1939. This look didn't last long, but it resonates for me because it's a signpost for the spirit of the Blue Beetle. The character has always been treated with a "willingness-to-change" and distort to keep the character going. It's interesting to watch, not just the physical changes, but the back story alterations too.

This is the first in a series

Buffy theEmeraldScarab

I got carried away with the musculature on this one. I usually kee it pretty simple as to not reveal my limited knowlege of human anatomy.

Apparently deep down inside, I still wanted people to know.

Been writing...no drawings

Sorry for the lackin posts (i love apologizing to myself) I have had a personal goal to post every day....I had it there for a week or two.

I've been writing and tweaking a bunch of different shit, so there's been considerably less doodling.

Last week sucked beyond reason and had totally awesome shit go down too. I got to see this band that I really dig for the first time and they were great. I didn't show up for work one day because they fucked up my scheduel, so it looked like I just abandoned my job, no call in, no nothing. I hooked up with TWO new collaberators and within HOURS one of them is already showing me what a badass he is. My freakin awesome grandmother passed away and because she was sick for a while, I was able to build up this preparative wall and just make myself numb to it. So now i feel guilty that I'm not crushed, I've always been able to compartmentalize emotions if given enough time to prepare and I think some of my family is confused by my lack of emotion about the situation.

Now like any time when shit sucks, the inspiration comes flowing. I nailed the shit out of a song that i've been trying to do for a while. On the comic book front, I've been able to write some stuff completely in character and some that's completely OUT of character, which is a nice change. We've got some great movement on MAM and things are looking up.

A new fisherman

Amongst other crap, I've been mulling over the third and final installment of the Fisherman's story.

I don't believe this image will really betray anything even with the second story not out yet. Hopefully some smart cookie out there will see a little something in THIS image once they read the featured story in th MAM Summer issue.

-matt

Dammit, Dick!

Nothing extra to add...this is the last one. Just to go along with the Bat-rantings.

Batboys

DISCLAIMER: I have not read this new crop of Bat-books, so if you want to dismiss my uneducated and uninformed opinions, I give you the opportunity to disregard this and not waste your time reading it.

That being said...I understand many of the choices made in the latest changes to the Bat-family universe were made for dramatic impact OR to draw out the whole shittery as long possible. I'm throwing this out there again, I DO NOT read all 12 of these books on a regular basis, so I don't know if they've morphed these characters INTO the types of characters that would do these sort of things, but it seems like some of the actions don't stand to reason. It feels to me, like some of the character's actions are soley to move the story in the direction that's wanted, NOT to service the character's true motivation.

Dick Grayson, happy go fuckin lucky boy wonder turned darker solo hero in a different city. To me, I always thought some of the entitlement went to his head. To storm off in a huff and quit being a sidekick because he doesn't want to play second fiddle anymore, seems to be the seed of not wanting to be a team player. There's already multiple issues against THAT theory w/ him staying w/ the Titans and whoever the hell else. The problem that I see (which is a common one) the guys in charge think "No, this will be cooler." Regardless of whether it stands to reason with the characters true motivation. I don't think Dick would take over the Bat-mantle...for a couple reasons: One, if he was so disenfranchised with the whole hero/sidekick arrangement, why would he choose to become a part of one? Two, I don't think Dick has it in him to take over for the identity that (whether he likes it or not) has a God-like status in his eyes. Now I realize the new Batman&Robin dynamic that everybody loves wouldn't work w/o Dick as Bats and that Damian kid as the new Robin. But whether he's known Bruce the longest or not, he was RAISED by Batman, he was trained throughout his entire life by this mythic figure. I think it's more realistic to say he would be one of the people saying that NO ONE can fill those shoes and show a great disapproval towards whoever did take on the cowl.

Tim, even though his "stuck as a 14 year old" status wouldn't physically work for the new Batman, I think he's the ONLY choice for the Batman takeover. He's the only faithful ward to ever come into the Batman/Robin relationship on a more equal footing. Obviously no Robin will ever be EQUAL to Batman, they're called a sidekick for a reason. But Tim was a partner and is the only one that has the makings to produce a quality Dark Knight. I hope that in the worldly travels that they're sending him on, have him return seeming older and more suited for the role than he already is. Tim made the Robin character kick more ass than it ever had before. The skills that he had even before Bruce's training set him on the path to become someone LIKE Batman already. I think that the hurt Bruce feels from losing Dick and Jason (as different as the losses were) would make him have much less of an "old chum" sort of relationship between he and Tim. That would allow for a hardening of Tim that would facilitate the transformation into Bats even more.

I like the simplistic design of Tim's costume and the old school comic booky illiteration of the adjusted name, RedRobin. The direction that they're taking him now has the possiblity of being cool, but i have a feeling that regardlesss of the mysteries he uncovers, the glory of uncovering those mysteries will be left to Dick because he's the one in the BatSuit. It'll be more graphically dramatic to have Batman on his knees holding the recently recovered body (alive or not) of Bruce Wayne. I personally don't think Dick has the chops, if they're true to the characters, Tim would blow the lid off whatever their plans are...whether he'll get to do so, though? Doubtful. I've seen a whole bunch of folks pissed because Tim is not the new Nightwing....WORST IDEA EVER! If there was a better way to completely invalidate Tim's character? I can't think of it. They made the right choice by having Tim make his OWN new version or darker version of Robin. Nightwing is Dick Grayson, and there's nothing wrong with leaving it that way. DC pulling back on the whole "rotating indistinguishable white guy in a mask" thing is not a bad idea. The Flash has the market cornered on his end, let's not let that weakness into the Bat-family.

I love reading all the nerd detectives exposing the timeline discrepancies and age inaccuracies. I'm not being sarcastic, I enjoy that chore in fiction of keeping the history accurate and so I appreciate the work that these guys do when they uncover something decent. I think job one of this whole mess of crap should be to start skewing Tim older. He should be reflected as at least 19 or 20 by now. All the adventures he's had with Batman, not to mention all he's had on his own, in his own book, can service to age him a little. We also have a new kid in the mix- this Damian kid is now the kid, Tim doesn't have to be anymore. Speaking of Damian and his age, I'm understanding he's supposed to be 10 years old. FUCKING TEN YEARS OLD! What the hell is wrong with these writers? The question every character has should be, "What the fuck is Dick thinking letting a 10 year old jump out of a fucking plane, let alone suit up and fight crime?" I realize Batman started all this young boy sidekick stuff, but Bruce would roll over in his temporary grave if he saw that. How would Gordon of all people be cool with that? I can just SEE Bruce smacking Dick in the back of the head (when he gets back) and saying, "What were you thinking?"

Last tidbit- I don't know, because again, I havn't read every page of the 9 ongoing books that catalogue these events, but they should have these guys stick to their weapons of choice. They (the writers) should pay a little more attention to the man/boy BENEATH the mask and not just the mask itself. Dick has been jumping off rooftops for YEARS as Nightwing using to batons two crack heads. What about a cape and pointy ears would make him, the man beneath the cowl, give that up? I havent' seen one shot of new (more slender Bats) brandishing batons like he has for years. What's up with that? Tim kept his staff. I don't know, I like details like that.

I welcome your insights (those of you that do pick these up on a regular basis) lemme know your thoughts and whether your empty wallet is justified.

-matt

Emerald Scarab II

So this is Scarab's wannabe sidekick turned replacement. He's a bit of a technical whiz and invented scarab-themed gear to assist him in his superheroing. He also updated the rather plain classic look of the Emerald Scarab and incorporated a little more flash and spectacle.

If it wasn't for his hero worship of Emerald Scarab, he could have created a rather unique identity all on his own. Teddy has expanded on the original scope, using scarab-themed non-lethal weaponry like gas bombs and graplers. His most astounding achievement is the light weight anti-gravity shield skiff. When not in use, the shield is worn like a backpack (visually mirroring a scarab shell) and can also be held as a shield. There are two pressure plates that depending on shifted weight controls the skiff funtion of the shield allowing close-to-the-ground flight.