Marvel and DC

Marvel

One of the most popular comic books ever published, well known for numerous characters with super-powers in a fictional reality (or multiple universes) called the Marvel universe, take place in Earth in almost exactly like ours but with more advance technology, fictional countries and races such as Mutants, Atlanteans and Inhumans living on Earth. Magic and supernatural exist alongside with science fiction and varied of genres in the series.

There are known superhero teams and organisations in the comic multiverse: Avengers, X-Men, X-Factor, S.H.I.E.L.D., Fantastic Four, Ultimates, Brotherhood of Mutants, Friends of Humanity, AIM, etc. 

Some famous story arcs in the series were the Days of the Future Past, Civil War, Zombies and the House of M

DC comics

DC is more of the opposite of Marvel as they also have superheroes, villains, advance technology, numerous aliens, monsters and magic that exist in the DC universe. The common appearance for heroes and villains are their costumes, wearing capes and most characters have their titles end with their gender more than Marvel would for character naming.

Superheroes like Superman, the Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Supergirl, Beast Boy and Kid Flash. What makes them different from the characters in Marvel is how they are easily by people because of their heroic deeds. Forming teams such as the Justice League that monitors metahuman, alien and supernatural related crimes and natural disasters.

The producers decide to make a reboot after the multiverse crisis, introducing the New 52 for a complete remake of the DC characters.

Differences between Marvel and DC

Most obviously differences are some characters are more god-like powerful such as the character Superman with almost no weakness apart from Kryptonite, Darkseid being a god-like being who wants to turn the universe in his image and common origins of gaining powers were chemicals and magical items that give them powers.

Some of these aren’t entirely explained how they received these from most recurring characters. These characters were born with powers and considered demi-gods with limited knowledge, being considered role models and almost perfect back in the early years of DC. Usually these characters are either born with powers or given through technology, genetic engineering or magic.

• Marvel being the opposite have their characters start out as regular people but some do have their powers through mutations as them being named Mutants and are treated by racial hatred as such is common in real life where people treat each other racial origins as Mutants are seen as freaks and usually fight for a place they could have a better life.

•  Many of the Mutants and characters related to them are usually victims of hatred by people, normally by the organization called Friends of Humanity who plot to wipe out all of mutants.

•   So far Marvel is grounded more close to our level of reality while DC is considered more of a science fiction and fantasy, more parallel to Marvel. Most of DC’s characters are more based on mythology and legends while Marvel’s are more based on historic figures to make some connections between fiction and real life.

• But the two have in common are powerful god-like characters in bother verses with Marvel having the Celestials, Thanos, Galactus, Apocalypse, the Asgard and the Elders of the Universe. DC's powerful characters are the New Gods, Guardians of the Universe, Superman, Brainiac, Mister Mxyzptlk. Pretty much many gods and mythical characters from various cultures were introduced in DC comics like the Amazons and Greek gods.

tutorial: The Red Death

For an advert page I wanted to make a character poster to go with the comic. I figured why not make a villain for the appearance, something to make the character look mysterious but having a devil-like appearance but lacking the horns and tail. I took some ideas and drew a few to build ideas for the character. 

1. I drew this fella to stand straight, one hand clutching to his coat and the other creating a mythic energy in his palm. Was drawing the face and originally wanting to give him a sinister look and

dred-locks but thought giving him a hat to hid the top half of his face to give off a mystery of him. I drew four of the scythe-shaped blades surround him as part of his powers, giving them sharp tips.

2. the background had to have a grey and dark tone to make him look dark as villains don't have light backgrounds usually to make them appear terrifying. Smudging and blending the areas together so they go well together and not make it as though they don't work together on each layer.

3. Working on the coat, giving it a dark brownish colour, adding some shading to make sure the colours  aren't too flat. Adding a new layer for the blades and cutting the areas before I would start painting the blades.

4. Going for the red skin and purple hair, thought it would make him less human as he is one of the antagonists in the New Genesis series. Going for the red colour to relate to his title "Red Death", so I started with the dark red first.

5. Added more red but lighter and pink to give it a reflective light on the surfaces, I looked at some jewellery and shiny rocks to see how the light reflects from them. replacing the black lines of the blades with pinkish red to make it more better as an actual reflection.

 

6. Replacing most of the black lines and added the title above to make it thin and gave the same tone of colour as the character's powers.

Conclusion

For what I've been working on for the last several weeks including the holidays was working on a comic book. This is actually the second time I've done a comic for an assignment and took what I learnt from my skills and mistakes on the first one. Began writing the story down and thought about the characters along with the plot. Decided to go for a science fiction genre with a touch of alternative history and mythic touch, used the name from the original comic but made it more different as it's part of a series I've been working on one for awhile now.

It was hard working on the panels for each part to tell the story and what to draw in them, I had to look into a lot of my comics and manga to get an idea. Keeping it a minimum of pages, depending on the story and add gallery pages seeing it as an experiment for the comic. I didn't want to do anything random so I used one side of the page for the sketches and page layouts and the other for the transcript for what the characters say and where the story goes, that way it helps me remember what to sketch. Did some research on Mars as it is the main setting of the project, about it's popularity in fiction and thought what sort of aliens I could use,

Originally intended to have a group of parasitic aliens but scrapped the idea for another story and thought of making tall spindly humanoid plant-like creatures that have slept for thousands of years and make it seem to them they were invaded rather then the usual alien invasion and make it a bit of a twist. It was a little tricky to picture what they look like, wanting to make them completely alien and each one being slightly different to each other.

What was considered the hardest of the module was printing it out as the printer didn't do what I ask for and had to do it a few times until it was done. SO far I'm glad how it turned out and felt relieved to finish it.

Manga

Japan's comics have been one of the major popular type of illustrations for readers and fans to read from the opposite direction and usually in black and white, but some are printed in colour. They are grouped together in books called volumes rather than issuers mostly.

The medium in maya works in mange ranges of genres: action, sci fi, fantasy, history, romance, comedy, horror, sexuality and drama, etc. Japan has been printing manga books for decades, going back to the 19th century and in the late 20th century began animating them into anime series but usually either go on break or make original episodes not relating to the story until the number of chapters or new plot has been published.

Not all of them follow the same direction of the manga such as Fullmetal Alchemist and Shaman King that usually differ from the plot, create original characters and a new story arc.

They are found in magazines, book shops and places that sell them and have been ground over the decades. Being one of the most popular books in the market for their unique style and being different from comic books and graphic novels. They are translated into many languages for readers that are unable to read Japanese kanji.

Comic book design

So I took thought what my characters are gonna be, some would be human and alien. Working out what their appearances will be and weapons or abilities they possess. I will only show a few pages and drawings of my comic so far what they are about. To explain about the story I will add some backgrounds about the comic to save the confusion for readers on the back and in the advert page



Alien species:

The aliens that would be encountered on are something I took thought of, originally I intended them to be some hostile forces before an invasion but been given alternative ideas and suggestions, decided that Mars was once home to an ancient civilisation. I took thought of my alien and went with them being a sentient plant, as Mars has a lighter gravity then Earth they have to be tall and slender built.

Given various appearances but many would be humanoid but some minor differences like extra limbs, lacking a face to express physical emotions. Wanting to give them features of many plants then just roots.

I had decide to give them a name, Dryads from the Greek folklore of tree spirits or tree nymphs as I wanting to add some ancient astronaut genre as I have always been interested in that sort of stuff since watching Ancient Aliens that gave me new ideas.

I decided to have a full page to show an introduction to this species, it was not easy getting all the details on their bodies and create strange forms, like the one on the right has a large pincer-shaped appendage and a blade for arms. The one on the left that stands near the three would be some sort of organic-like growth that would display a projection of the planet, either it be mars, Earth or something else.

So for this character in the page is taken by surprise by the appearance of tendrils coming towards him, but reacts instantly by drawing his sword and cuts them before they could reach him. Howeevr in the panel on the bottom, more are coming out of no where and they are decide to run for their lives or fight.

Characters:


Ryac Long-Blade
Ryac Long-Blade was born on Earth before his family left for the Ark colonies when he was seven years old. Did not entirely enjoyed being on a colony with no natural air and only seeing his home world from orbit until when he turned 13, Ryac immediately developed special abilities and classified as an Edre when it was revealed that his grandmother was exposed to a Genesis Artifact some time ago and was offered training in the academy for people with abilities. Took the offer immediately as he wanted to see many worlds and travel across the system and beyond someday.

Developed kinetic abilities to control Earth-based elements and skilled with a sword, Ryac earned the family name Long-Blade to distance himself from his estranged parents due to their view on ‘non-purity’ ideals but didn’t affect him on wanting to follow his own ideals.

Sereene Hirian
A Lemurian female of the Hirian Clan, born on the Martian colony during its terraforming process until she was assigned to the Society to help learn to defend her home colony on Mars and to the Lemurian Empire like many of her clan has for generations. Like Ryac she has developed psionic abilities that have helped her earn a high rank status and earning the name "Siren" by her comrades due to her beauty and aggressive behaviour in combat.


K’Te
K’Te is a Djinn who was born in a military family that served the Djinn Regime for centuries. When he was 12 years of age his home was attacked by Purists but were saved by the Society’s selfless act of protecting them and other races. Inspired by their ways and respect they earn by the Djinn, K’Te saught to become a Samurai soldier to strengthen the relations between the races after their part in fighting the War of Ignorance.

K’Te had became very skilled and rose to the rank of commander in the few years and service to the organization after the Charon Skirmish. He was fascinated of human history and mostly towards Japan’s history of the original Samurai with their code of honour that almost relates to his people’s belief system, including their mythology and respect towards dragons then their western counterparts.



Panels:

It is important for the comic book, a major huge impact for readers to understand what is happening in each one and get a feel of the experience. Like if for example you see a huge giant towering over the character, or a vehicle in a dramatic entrance, or a fight the readers would feel more anxious to know what happens next in the comic. Not everyone realises that panel arrangement/size/position is one of the important things when making a comic and makes a good story, pictures and writing isn't enough to make a successful comic.

I knew it is important when I read a few comics and manga see why the panels were important so I had to know where the arrangements go and what happens in each one of them. 

Story plot:
In this issue, it focus on three main protagonists who landed on Mars to investigate the disappearance of the researchers a while ago. When they arrived to the outpost, they find the place torn and in a state of chaos but no sign of anyone. Until they were recently attacked by living vines and tendrils trying to snare them, possibly what happened to the missing colonists. While they manage to escape and figure out what they were, the colonists deep below have been held prisoner of the aliens, proclaiming Mars as their home planet and them being the invaders upon their 'awakening'.

DC Comics

DC comics has numerous stories about superheroes protecting the innocent from super villains and doing what is right. Forming crime fighting groups like the Justice League, Green Lantern Corps, Teen Titans and Young Justice. It is one of the most popular comic book series and has been published for nearly a century since the first issues of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman show ere the original and common members of the Justice League.

Many characters in the DC universe have super human abilities, wear fancy outfits and disguises to conceal their identities but the villains are well known in public when arrested. But not all characters are entirely human as the majority of them are mostly alien, supernatural entities, gods, mutants or meta-humans. Although not all of them have background histories to know how they received superpowers in the first place.

That wouldn't have been a problem in the past but over the years, fans want solid info on how the characters came to be as they are like Superman who was a baby being sent to Earth after Krypton blew up and recieved his powers under the exposure of a yellow sun.

Batman became a crime fighting vigilant after witnessing the death of his parents while under the impersonation of a multi millionaire Bruce Wayne.

The Green Lanterns use their rings made from an energy source made by an ancient race of small blue skinned humanoids known as the Guardians of the Universe and allow the users' will to manifest whatever they think off so long as they wear them. It is also same for the other power rings but are different by emotions and formed their own groups like the Sinestro Corps, Red Lanterns, Orange lanterns, the Black Lanterns, Indigo Tribe and Blue Lanterns.

There are many characters who use magic from their and others from chemicals either from experiments or accidents which in real life would've been fatal but they're more popular in fiction in other comics also.

But what I can't stand is how too powerful some characters are like Superman who was the most powerful hero in his time, doing things impossible with super strength, incredible speed and flight to defend the world. But over the years the comic writers did seem to give him weaknesses like Kryptonite and knowing that there are other characters as strong as he is. It should be important for characters like DC not to have overpowered heroes and villains as they would have to learn to adapt their abilities.

New project Comic illustration

On to our next brief, we have been given multiple choices of what to do, it was a little hard for me to choose which one but felt like I wanted to do the Travelling Man brief where it has more freedom of ideas and imagination, the other comic brief was more towards social live which to be frank, didn't suite me at all so I thought I give this another go to make a comic but better then the first one I did. Those of you who don't know I did one two
30. years ago on a final major project in Graphics CCAD, looking back from my latest work it was not as good as I imagined but got the story good. It was meant to be a teaser for the series I'm dedicated to make become a series.

so for my idea, it possibly be some scifi fantasy, like an introduction to a series

Below: This was what I made and thought of using the same title but change it a little, something to recycle for future ideas. what I plan to do is by drawing the sketches of the pages and write down the transcript to plan out the page on the other using my sketchbook. Make advert pages related to the comic issue.

http://soulslayer317.deviantart.com/art/New-Genesis-comic-cover-376230862.