Batgirl through the Ages

Posted on by luxshine

I love Batgirl. She and Wonder Woman were the very first superheroes I ever saw in my life, and both taught me that girls can be heroes too and don’t need to be damsels in disgrace.

First it was Barbara Fierro (Mexican Dubs back then changed all the names, so the Gordons became the Fierros), and her ballet dancing style. Her secret hideout behind her vanity, the fact that she could fight with a long wig… I loved her so much that I was devastated when I started reading comics and found out that I was a bit too late to read Batgirl’s adventures as she had been crippled by the Joker (Later on, I found the glorious pre-crisis stories where she fought, among other things, snake women and teamed up with Supergirl).

But as I read more and more comics, and time passed on, she became Oracle, and kicked ass. She was better than any superhero in my book, because she used her own smarts and not powers granted by biology or luck.

A new Batgirl arrived. And I have to say, I liked Cassandra Cain (not portrayed here) but she wasn’t completely my Batgirl. As much as I love Oracle, I missed Barbara.

Then came Nu52. And while I am not very happy about the way Barbara was magically cured (We do also need heroes in wheelchairs), I can’t deny I was thrilled at seeing her take the cape again, and written by the amazing Gail Simone.

But it wasn’t until Batgirl of Burnside when I got to have FUN with Barbara’s adventures again. I know it’s controversial to say this, but I adored the original run. It was everything I’d have loved in a comic when I was a teen and more.

Which is why, when San Diego Comic Con announced that they were having an anniversary special for Batgirl in their Souvenir Book, I had to participate. And I couldn’t just pick one version of Batgirl, as they all are important to me. So this piece was born.

Dream Keeper Robin 2

Posted on by luxshine

Now that Robin has the Alnitak bracelet and has sort of beaten Blaze, what he really needs are answers to his questions. Unfortunately, Gavin seems more interested in Earth’s nice food and Alex only can think about manga.  That is not going to be helpful when the next Squire comes knocking to make sure Robin is qualified for the Alnitak’s throne. 

Black and white Comic, 32 pages. English language. Soon for sale on the e-store, but for now you can get it at Spooky Empire 2017

You can also follow it one page a week at:

https://tapas.io/series/DreamKeeperRobin

The Pilot, the Wayfinder and the Dreamer

Posted on by luxshine

So once I finished Hei Hei and K2So  and started thinking about the way Moana and Rogue One managed to parallel each other, I got to Moana, Bohdi and Cassian.  And well, they do fit too! Moana is a rebel that will stop at nothing to protect the people she loves -like Cassian- and at the same time, she’s a messenger who is supposed to take the savior from point A to point B -like Bohdi.

Originally I wanted to draw them all in the boat, taking it to beyond the waves in the stars. Unfortunately, for the size of my paper, it would’ve ended up in a way where you couldn’t see their eyes. And I really wanted to show their eyes.

Guess when I finish the series, I will do that other idea. Because I still think these three would travel to very interesting places if they met.

True Heroes

Posted on by luxshine

This started as a joke.

I went to watch Moana and fell in love with the movie. But in particular, I fell in love with Hei Hei because he reminded me so much of my cat, Dakota (Seriously, Dakota will lick the floor next to her full food plate. And get lost in a straight line with a perfect view of my apartment door). Next week, I went to watch Rogue One and cried my eyes out. My favorite character there was K2SO because I love surly androids.

Then I was made aware that both are voiced by Alan Tudyk. Of COURSE I had to draw them together. And as I was doing the design, I got the idea to make it like an old time tattoo. And while I was looking for a phrase to give them, I decided that both were quite heroic in their series (although I admit, my first sketch had K2 asking Hei Hei how it was that HE survived and K2 didn’t), and thus the True Heroes was born.

But THEN I choose to do it in colored pencils, which takes a while. And while I was coloring it… I realized that Moana and Rogue One had a LOT in common besides the greatest voice actor ever. So this became a series. Next post, you’ll see what I mean with that.

Wonder Mulan

Posted on by luxshine

And here we finish the Wonder Princess saga (For now) with my favorite. Mulan.

I mean, don’t get me wrong: Moana is amazing and currently my #2. Rapunzel is really cool. Merida is great. But the very first princess that said “EFF this” to the whole “Damisel in distress/finding true love” was Mulan, and omg, I loved her from the very first second.

And well, she gets my favorite suit for Diana ever. The gorgeous Diana Trevor armor that Diana wears during the trial of the Gods arc, designed by George Perez. An arc that finally explains why Diana’s suit is based around the stars and bars.

And well, with this one being the last, I’ve got to ask: Would you like to see them ALL together in just one image?

 

 

Wonder Pocahontas

Posted on by luxshine

Another honesty moment: I don’t like Pocahontas. It’s my third least liked Disney Movie, one that I haven’t been able to watch complete (I have to stop around Colors of the Wind. Beautiful song… the context makes me ugh). Mostly because it’s based on a real story of a real girl who definitively didn’t go the way Disney says, and then because it’s kinda… whitewashing all the horrors that native americans went through.

That said: Her character design is GORGEOUS. Sure, the clothes need a bit of work to avoid the sexy savage trope, but her face, her hair, her movement… everything looks so beautiful. If she was in a completely different story, I would love her to pieces.

Of course, I couldn’t put her in the american flag colors. Call me old fashioned but… I feel that’s kind of disrespectful to what Native Americans go through even to this day. So thinking about how to include her in the Wonder Princess line up without putting her in red, white and blue, I remembered Maria Mendoza.

Created by Stan Lee for the Just Imagine Stan Lee creating the DC Universe, Maria Mendoza is a different Wonder Woman from Diana. She’s a native from Peru, she’s an activist against the people who want to destroy her Incan roots, and with the help of the staff of Manco Capac, she gets the powers of the Incan Sun God. Tell me that’s not really cool?

And of course, as her suit doesn’t involve the american flag… She was perfect for Pocahontas.

Wonder Tiana

Posted on by luxshine

I’m going to be frank here: I only watched Princess and the Frog in Netflix about seven months ago.  When it was in the theaters it didn’t call my attention (I am not a fan of the original tale of the spoiled princess and the dead frog) so I just let it pass. Man, was I wrong. After I watched it, Tiana became one of my top five favorite princess, hands down. She’s perfect in every way, and the only thing I am not happy with is that she spends about 90% of the movie as a frog (Also, Alan Tudyk made me cry, but that’s for a different post).

On the other hand, I adore the DC Bombshells. Every single issue is perfect, and all the stuff changed is great. I am pretty sure that no one at DC editorial reads DC Bombshells because there’s no way they would let a comic so perfect to keep on, with all the lesbian and bisexual heroines that are so cool. Diana in particular is amazing. And her suit is my favorite WW alternative uniform, so of course I had to give it to Tiana.

We’re almost done with the Wonder Princesses, so I hope you have enjoyed this ride.

See you at Spooky Empire

Posted on by luxshine

As I write this, I am a little nervous. See, although I have been to a whole lot of conventions in my country, and I love going as an attendee to San Diego Comic-con, I’ve never had a table at an American convention. Well, until now.

I’m very happy to tell you guys that if you happen to be in Florida from October 27 to October 29, please come to Spooky Empire, the greatest Horror-themed convention in the USA.

(no, seriously, they have the BEST guests)

http://www.spookyempire.com/

And once you’re there, please come to visit me at the Kaliko Dragon table in the Artist Alley (I will be doing an announcement about Kaliko Dragon pretty soon too). We (that’s Mandi Gordon and I) will have Writer’s Block merchandize, Dream Keeper Robin #1 and #2, Traveling Seers books 1 and 2, and a lot more! Including a set of 4 absolutely new and never seen horror-themed prints. This is a detail of the first, and I’ll show details of the others in myfacebook page and instagram, but to see the full thing (And buy it if you like it), you’ve got to be at Spooky.

See you there!

Wonder Jasmine

Posted on by luxshine

Choosing Jasmine’s outfit was hard. I had already used the one with a bare mid-drift, and while there are a ton of other elseworlds outfits, none really fit the princess who wanted a bit more than just being trapped in a palace while being forced to marry a prince because that’s what the rules said.

Diana’s Amazonia’s outfit was chosen by accident, but as I reread that particular elseworld -which I don’t really recommend. I find it to be a bit of a waste of a lot of great ideas-  I found out that they do have some bits in common. Especially the point about how women have to submit to a lot of rules that society doesn’t impose on men.  Unfortunately, Amazonia doesn’t have many male characters that one would actually like, so that’s where the parallels end. Aladdin has some great male characters, and a villain you don’t want to be shot to the moon in the third page of the script.

Copic markers, glitter pen, and copic sketch paper.

Wonder Rapunzel

Posted on by luxshine

It took me a while to watch Tangled. Mostly due to the fact that most of the people who talked about it before it premiered made it look as if Flynn was the focus of the story, and I wasn’t a big fan of the original tale.  I was a fool, because Rapunzel is amazing, and Maximus is incredible, and yes, I also like Flynn.

To be honest, my only complain about the movie is that I didn’t like the songs that much.

Anyway, after a lot of thought, I gave her the Post-crisis, George Perez-desinged Wonder woman outfit. Because, well, let’s be honest, that was when Diana’s hair went from longish to REALLY long (Not as long as Starfire, but still, long). It is not THAT different from the pre-crisis one (The one I used for Belle), but it still has some new details.

Made with copic markers, glitterpen and in copic sketch paper.