Saturday, June 4, 2011

2010 Martian Manhunter Brightest Day Character Design by Joe Prado

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I've been working furiously to stock up on blogging material for the next few months, as my new semester starts next week, and looks to be the hardest yet. I also suffered through a full day without air conditioning, which seriously hampered by progress, as the needle was buried on my thermostat. Then of course there's our ongoing fear of a Jim Lee Martian Manhunter redesign involving J'Onn losing his cape for a v-shaped dickey, sleeveless vest, and camo pants. Who would have though I'd already be nostalgic for the spring of 2010, when Joe Prado came up with this sleek, elegant, and perhaps short-lived design for the Manhunter from Mars? Let's all cross our fingers and toes in hopes Prado wants to do some more penciling, because I think he cuts a fine Alien Atlas, and maybe he can just stick to his own take...

6 comments:

Ryan said...

I loved this redesign as soon as I saw it on the four-page splash in Blackest Night #8--the open chest and arms evoked the classic J'onn, while the pants just made him more... "serious". Like King Faraday's line in "The New Frontier" upon seeing J'onn in hero form: "S'okay, but real men where pants."

From the covers of Justice League #1 and Aquaman #1, it doesn't look like Jim Lee redesigned Aquaman, so maybe he won't touch J'onn either. If he does, well, I think Martian Manhunter could afford to lose the pirate boots now that he's got pants. That's the one part that seems out of place with his new look.

See, Frank, I told you I'd post here! ;)

Anj said...

He looks lean and mean and like he means business.

I like this look and hope he lands somewhere appropriate in the new DCU.

Diabolu Frank said...

Anj, I like the chest piece like this, without the stone. Maybe throw the pie slices in there. It's a good look.

Ryan, I love that Faraday line, and believe it in this case. You just can't respect an extraterrestrial investigator in swim trunks. I like the pirate boots, though. There's a tendency to try to turn J'Onn into a joyless stiff ala the Vision. Extravagant flair like that helps remind people J'Onn speaks sarcastically in conjunctions when it suits him.

Anonymous said...

He needs the pie slices. As stupid as it might sound I have a hard time liking any MM costume without the pie slice logo.

Ryan said...

I understand the Vision analogue comparisons of the two, but--as I said from the beginning--J'onn's Brightest Day costume gives me an odd Brother Voodoo/mystic vibe. That's not a bad thing; I like it and, honestly, I would rather see him as a kind of paranormal investigator than super-team-war-coordinator.

Diabolu Frank said...

Gah-- now I'm picturing tassels blowing over the cusp of the boots! I don't need pirate boots, so long as from the waist down he stays dark blue/black. Knowing Jim Lee, he'll get strappy knee-highs or army boots.