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Character Design suggestions

Started by Failed_Hero, March 08, 2009, 05:48:20 AM

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Failed_Hero

I am working on character who is my universes equivalent to Captain America/Steel Claw.  He is an Englishman who was an adventuring mystery man solving odd ball cases, has unique talents.  The Name is John Bull.

After a few years in the limelight as London's premiere masked hero, Bull is recruited as an Mi6 operative in order to protect Queen and Country from some rather unsavory characters, Gregory Moriarty a descendant of  Professor  Moriarty of Sherlock Holmes fame, the Gibbon an acrobatic thief who dresses as an ape, and the mysterious assassin and vigilante Widowmaker.  For years he is at odds with Widowmaker who got away with his fair share of capers and murders, however over time evidence accumulated that these assassinations were justified as the leaders and people in question were either corrupt or outright criminal.  Prior to WWII a mysterious woman is found unconscious in front of Bull's Flat, under duress she admits she is Widowmaker and needs his help as she has been poisoned by Nazi Agents for a plan to killed Hitler.

Turning her in but vouching for her important, John Bull is impressed to take on a new identity during the War Mi6's agent Lion, and Widowmaker is forced to become Unicorn in exchange for a pardon.  The pair work with the Allied Super-hero team the Squadron, and ultimately fall in love.  Widowmaker is exiled from the UK as a part of her pardon agreement and emirgrates to the US, followed quickly by Bull.  Entering semi-retirement for several years until McCarthyism over takes part of the government leading to several laws that outlaw adventurering, vigilante heroics, and prohibit the public use of super-powers.  Bull believing that the US's stance on super-heroes and the recent emergance of super humans known as Novas, returns again to active duty as a hero this time flaunting his diplomatic status and supporting civil liberties.

I love this character and his personality is important to my universe, but I cannot think of an orginial design for his PRE WWII, WWII, and Post War costumes.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.
At the end of the day all that matter is that I tried, right?

tommyboy

The obvious routes would be to work in the Union Jack flag, or to play with animal motifs.
You have the bull- his surname.
the bulldog- as in bulldog british, and the original John Bull had a bulldog pet.
the Lion- symbol of the british empire.
Any of these could be worked into a chest design.
If the character has military links his outfits could be military derived, or have details suggestive of military connections (ie epaulets, army type boots etc).

UnkoMan

Wow. I love the character, too.

If I were designing him? I tend to lean towards pulp or golden age tastes in a lot of my designs.

I would probably start him off in a turtle neck, pants, and those sweet high boots. Maybe a cool belt with a gun. I might be inclined to put a union jack on the shirt, if I wanted to get crazy.

However... I could see him developing a costume when Mi6 hires him. Maybe something like this but british based. Although, even better would be to keep him the super spy type until he joins the army, gets the code name, and becomes basically a tool for British propaganda. Then, perhaps, he could use that costume. Possibly with the classicly posed lion Captain Britain once used on his costume.

Finally, when he's older, I could see him looking a bit thicker (sort of Dark Knight Returns). Hair turned white. Big sideburns. Dressing a lot more like John Bull should. You know, union jack vest, blue jacket, white pants. I'd say ditch the top hat and bowtie. Maybe more like this, actually.

Just my thoughts.

Failed_Hero

#3
Thanks for the thoughts folks its helping me get a clearer image.

The reason he is so important is his murder in 2000 jump starts the new generation of heroes to Unite, and the characters who pick up his "legacy" (not John Bull persay, but his ideals, methods, attitude) are essential to how the  modern era characters interact with one another and the non-superheroic (normal) characters and citizens
At the end of the day all that matter is that I tried, right?

DrMike2000

the Gibbon an acrobatic thief who dresses as an ape

This is sheer awesomeness. A very British supervillain for some reason I can't quite put my finger on. I love it.

Pre-WW II theres the classic "John Bull" look of waistcoat, white pants and the boater.

I'd go with something semi-military, practical pre-spandex kind of like Ultimate Captain America's earlier outfit with the helmet for WW II.

Post war, something more kind of streamlined and sixties spy sci-fi influenced. I dont think a suit would work, maybe more a bomber jacket with Union Jack motif and Doc Martens?
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Failed_Hero

thanks for all the support, I can't decide if I'm going to attempt to micro these first or what, but I'll get these mocked up soon
At the end of the day all that matter is that I tried, right?

Grand Al

Yo, Iz, it's D. I think that by the time we last see him (when he's killed), he's been wearing the iconic John Bull outfit (shirt, slacks, union jack vest) for a while, now. I like the cane in that pic, too. I really like the idea of him cracking goons on the skull with the cane before they they take him. In the end, I kinda envision him as a crotchety, old Uncle Ralph. kind of a sourpuss, but still passionate. That's how a lot of the old guard (him, Mulciber, Titan, etc) are, though.

Failed_Hero

Unicorn

Lion

Quick mock ups of the WWII spy gear
At the end of the day all that matter is that I tried, right?