Comrade Hero

Also been experimenting with the logo and title design work that Noah Lane did for me. The star arrangement is from the New Zealand Flag, representing the Crux constellation, more commonly referred to as the Southern Cross. Both Four Star and One Star Variations below:

Page 5 of Sampler Project lettered by Samuel Grey.

Page 4 of Sampler Project lettered by Samuel Grey.

Candyce Hoar work in progress on Last Avatar for her painting/art tutorial.

Big update as I've been unable to access the City of Heroes website easily.

More on my Spotlight on Comrade Hero that I've been posting on Talenthouse to raise awareness.


January 14, 2011

Interesting Facts about Comrade Hero: That Face, that Body!

Haven't I seen you somewhere before?

In Comrade Hero's case he's an amalgam of two people who I thought would make a great Comrade Hero in real life.

In terms of physique Comrade Hero is modeled on the bodybuilding competition era Arnold Schwarzenegger. Artist Luc Bégin did some amazing ZBrush model work of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The thread may be 23 pages long, but the evolution is truly inspiring: http://bit.ly/h61QoP.

Why Arnold? When I was growing up in the 1980's there were only two men who dominated the action films of that era - Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. Commando, Predator, Running Man, Total Recall, and Red Heat - Arnold chewed up the scenery as much as he did the opposition with his acerbic sense of humor and that wry smile. Whether toting a small arsenal of weapons, or slugging it out hand-to-hand, Arnold was the action man.

When it came to giving Comrade Hero a physique that was large, muscular and intimidating - Arnold was the natural choice for me.

But while Arnold had a winning body, I looked elsewhere for the face of Comrade Hero. A face with a smile that was more disconcerting than reassuring. The original inspiration came in form of Sean Bean. I was already a fan of Bernard Cornwell's books about Richard Sharpe, and seeing Sean Bean in that pivotal role was fantastic. For the longest time I had my Comrade Hero composite for reference images that I supplied to artists.

And then came a movie that cemented in my mind the face of Comrade Hero. In Eastern Promises, Viggo Mortensen portrayed the lethal Russian mob enforcer Nikolai Luzhin. Viggo looked like his face had been carved from marble - hard, cold, and unforgiving. Yet Nikolai Luzhin was as enigmatic as he was brutal, capable of great violence, but also genuine compassion. A deservedly amazing piece of acting from Viggo Mortenssen.

I had the body, and I had settled on the face. Because Comrade Hero is not a young hero. He's in his late 30's - early 40's, and had a successful career long before he became a hero. He has the scars and the telltale signs of aging.

In the world of Comrade Hero, heroes are expected to be young, glamorous, and ready to take advantage of a photo opportunity, or to snap off a pithy sound-byte for the evening news. Comrade Hero isn't any of these things.


January 15, 2011

Interesting Facts about Comrade Hero: Fictional Inspiration Part I

Previously I discussed my ideal 'real world' Comrade Hero amalgam - the physique of body-building competition Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the carved from marble face of actor Viggo Mortensen in the film Eastern Promises. But what fictional characters have influenced the development of Comrade Hero?

The first influence is Colonel Steve Austin, from the quintessential seventies action show The Six Million Dollar Man. Steve Austin is suffers a terrible accident that leaves him barely alive. But although Steve Austin is rebuilt with bionic limbs and implants and powered by a miniaturized nuclear power source, he shares a career path similar to Comrade Hero. Both men are pilots - fighter and test - and are both space explorers. Steve Austin is an American Astronaut, Comrade Hero is a Russian Cosmonaut. And both men are Colonel's in the respective Air Force's of their country.

The cause of that accident that changed the life of Comrade Hero is straight out of the pages of the Fantastic Four's origin. Exposure to Cosmic Rays/Radiation triggers the latent potential hidden within, enabling Comrade Hero to overcome the lethal environment of space, and a terrifying descent from Low Earth Orbit that sees Comrade Hero survive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere and crashing into the frozen ice and snow of Antarctica!

You can add Police Officer Alex Murphy aka RoboCop and MegaCity One's toughest lawman Judge Dredd to the list of fictional character that have influenced the personality of Comrade Hero. Comrade Hero may not enforce the law as strictly as Judge Dredd, or wield an over-sized hand-cannon with the lethal precision of RoboCop - but Comrade Hero believes in the rule of law, in protecting the People, and bringing to justice those with the intent to harm and destroy either.

I wanted Comrade Hero to partially emulate the physical movement of RoboCop as portrayed by Peter Weller in the original movie by Paul Verhoeven. Every step measured and exact, the head leading the body as he turns with methodical precision. It's an affectation Comrade Hero uses to intimidate his opponents, and fuel speculation that he is more machine than man.

Like Judge Joseph Dredd, Comrade Hero will quote the letter of the law as he apprehends criminals and brings them to justice. Comrade Hero doesn't preach, he doesn't gloat, and he doesn't threaten. He calls it as he sees it. A wise criminal will take that as a warning to immediately from whatever criminal activity they are engaged in. Unfortunately, most criminals aren't that enlightened.


January 16, 2011

Interesting Facts about Comrade Hero: Fictional Inspiration Part II

Let's recap. From the small screen we have The Six Million Dollar Man, Steve Austin, and from the large screen Police Officer Alex Murphy aka RoboCop.

From those four-color pages I mentioned the incomparable Fantastic Four, and that bastion of unflinching law, Judge Joseph Dredd.

Some clever reader has already pointed out that none of the Fantastic Four plummeted to Earth after being exposed to Cosmic Rays/Radiation – so what gives?

Another savvy reader asked is Comrade Hero a mutant or mutated?

Comrade Hero was exposed to Cosmic Rays/Radiation during a routine maintenance EVA (extra-vehicular activity) outside the International Space Station (ISS). Whether by accident or malicious intent (that's a secret… shhh!) our Russian Cosmonaut found himself floating helplessly in a decaying orbit – falling gradually towards planet Earth!

At some point between having his connection to the International Space Station 'cut' and falling towards the little blue-green planet we call home from Low Earth Orbit, Comrade Hero was caught in a massive bombardment of Cosmic Rays/Radiation.

It was this exposure to Cosmic Rays/Radiation and the searing temperatures of atmospheric re-entry that unlocked the latent mutant potential that had been dormant in Comrade Hero. By the time Comrade Hero had crashed into Antarctica with enough force to create a sizable impact crater, our Russian Cosmonaut had become more than (and some may argue less than) human. The Man Who Fell To Earth had survived! A near indestructible body infused at a cellular and genetic level with unknown Cosmic Energies that coursed through every fiber of his being.

We have a classic chicken and egg scenario here, so let's just say – it's a miracle!

A Russian Cosmonaut falling to Earth and surviving - that's another direct nod to the origin of the Six Million Dollar Man, Steve Austin. While Steve Austin didn't 'fall' to Earth from the International Space Station (The International Space Station is in a Low Earth Orbit that varies from 319.6 to 346.9 kilometers or 199 to 346.9 miles above the Earth's surface), he did survive a horrific accident during a high altitude test flight that goes horribly wrong. But never fear, but in the 1970's it only cost Six Million Dollars to rebuild Steve Austin from top to bottom!

Comrade Hero, like Steve Austin, survives and is upgraded into a better, faster, stronger version.

But what other heroic characters have influenced the development and characterization of Comrade Hero?

The big two influences in terms of super-heroic stature: Captain Marvel created by C. C. Beck and Bill Parker for Fawcett Comics; and Ms. Marvel Created by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan for Marvel Comics.

Of all the heavy hitters in the comic-verse, Captain Marvel (and I will not refer to Billy Batson as the wizard SHAZAM) always stood out as the ultimate wish fulfillment. While the only magic words I knew were please and thank you, they tended to work – although not quite so spectacularly. With one word orphan Billy Batson was transformed into the World Mightiest Mortal with a chin that would make Bruce Campbell proud!

Every time Billy transformed into the adult Captain Marvel he gained the Wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage and near-invincibility of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury. And yet it was the mind of young Billy Batson who controlled this embodiment of superpower. Billy made mistakes, and villains played on his innocence and naiveté, but Billy was the true hero – the persona of Captain Marvel gave him the ability to affect true change for the good of the people.

Of all the powerhouses from across the ages, Captain Marvel is my ideal of the classic superhero.

You can mirror most of Captain Marvel's powers in Comrade Hero. Yet unlike Billy Batson, Comrade Hero comes into his superpowers relative late in life. Comrade Hero is a man who has lived, loved, and lost. He has known great happiness, and tragic loss. And it is as an adult that Comrade Hero has true greatness thrust unexpectedly thrust upon him.

This also happened to US Air Force Major Carol Danvers. Carol Danvers would achieve fame as the one of the premier heroines of Earth 616 in the Marvel-verse as Ms. Marvel. Ms. Marvel's first appearance was in 1968 and since then the character has attracted its fair share of admirers and detractors.

Through it all though, Ms. Marvel has emerged as a great heroine of the modern age. Ms. Marvel's powers initially came from energy bombardment and a merging of her own genetic material with that of the alien Kree, Mar-vell. Carol Danvers became a human-Kree hybrid with amazing powers and abilities. Again these powers are almost mirrored completed in Comrade Hero.

But like Comrade Hero, Ms. Marvel had a led a full life before she became a hero, and has continued to use the experience, knowledge and skills she had in her pre-hero life to assist in her in the good fight. Ms. Marvel, like Comrade Hero is fallible and makes mistakes. Even when Ms. Marvel tries to do the right thing, or follow what she believes is the best course of action. No matter how hard Ms. Marvel gets beaten back, or beaten down, she finds a way back. Sometimes she does it alone, but she also has friends ready to lend her a hand.

There's one more hero I'll add to this list who has had a fundamental impact on Comrade Hero. And I'll duck now before you start hurling virtual tomato's at me.

Roger Ramjet – that quintessential American Hero from the 1960's television show of the same name directed by Fred Crippen and written by Gene Moss and Jim Thurman. Roger Ramjet – patriot and moral stalwart – was another aviator who fought freedom on the small screen on syndication in 1965. Roger Ramjet wasn't the brightest hero – but he had no qualms about popping a Proton Energy Pill and gaining the strength and power of twenty atom bombs for twenty seconds, and soundly thrashing all manner of villains who threatened America.

Why Roger Ramjet? Well, out of my childhood hero viewing lineup consisting of Danger Mouse, Atom Ant, and Hong Kong Phooey, Roger Ramjet always struck a chord with me and I remembered that name, and the television theme song right up to this present day.

So there you have it some of the figures that that have influence the development and characterization of Comrade Hero.


January 17, 2011

Interesting Facts about Comrade Hero: Origins

Comrade Hero was born on paper back in the early 1990's when I got hold of the Marvel Superheroes RPG by TSR Inc. This role-playing system enabled you to create your own heroes, villains, or vigilantes in the Marvel-verse from a variety of backgrounds and origins, and with familiar powers and abilities, and custom designed ones as well.

Marvel Superheroes RPG wasn't the only role-playing game that caught my interest back in High School and College. I dabbled in Middle Earth Role Playing, Twilight and Merc 2000, Paranoia, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Fuzion system, and Vampire the Masquerade.

But of all the role-playing systems I invested in, the one I kept coming back to over the years was the Marvel Superheroes RPG. It was this great role-playing game that got me interested in creating my own heroes to fight the good fight..

In 2002, I picked up a copy of a computer game called Freedom Force. What set this apart from all the other computer strategy and role-playing games was that you stepped into the shoes of Golden Age heroes from the 1950's complete with hokey dialog, flamboyant costumes, and evil Cold War shenanigans! But Freedom Force worked, and as a bonus you could create your very own avatar of justice, complete with custom physique, costume, and powers. Freedom Force was fantastic!

Only two years later, City of Heroes burst onto the MMORPG scene in 2004. City of Heroes was clearly different from the proliferation of fantasy and war based online games at the time. Until City of Heroes came along my experience with MMORPG's had been limited to Meridian 59, Asheron's Call, and Medal of Honor.

Just like Freedom Force, City of Heroes gave you the ability to craft your own heroic avatar from a wealth of character customization options. The level of customization and the options available to players has increased over the past six years, as has the wealth of game content in the form of nineteen free Issues (to date), and two expansions, City of Villains, City of Heroes: Going Rogue.

While newer MMORPG's boast improved graphics, updated combat systems, and superior features, I've always found myself coming back to City of Heroes over the years. There have been other MMORPG games that I have tried, but none have kept my interest for longer than six months or held the appeal of City of Heroes. That simple premise – be your own hero (or villain) – is one that City of Heroes has managed to do well.

With City of Heroes I found myself going full circle. Pulling out the character sheets, notes and scribbling I had made years before for the Marvel Superheroes RPG, and recreating heroes in City of Heroes. Some were successful adaptations, others were not. But by recreating a virtual avatar in City of Heroes my own creative imagination started to fire once again.

Comrade Hero was not the first hero I recreated in City of Heroes, and in fact Comrade Hero wasn't even the first choice of name. (I'll keep that tidbit for another future reveal!)

My first character was actually Graviton Girl, a Controller with the ability to control Gravity and generate Force Fields - a combination of powers similar to the villain Graviton, and the Fantastic Four's Invisible Woman, Susan Storm.

Comrade Hero was my second character in City of Heroes and a radical departure from the support and defensive role that Graviton Girl played.

Comrade Hero was an Invulnerability and Energy Melee Tanker. He could wade through a crowd of no-goodniks, ignore the blows raining down upon him, and methodically dispense justice one opponent at a time. Comrade Hero was up close and personal, fighting toe to toe with Arch Villains and gangs of criminals alike.

I originally wanted Comrade Hero to be a Super Strength Tanker, similar to the power-set I had envisioned in the Marvel Superheroes RPG. But, while Super Strength looked great on paper, it was ponderous, slow, and frankly painful to watch.

Energy Melee, with the requisite glowing pom-poms of doom around the hero's fists, was heavy hitting, fast, and fluid. Exactly how Comrade Hero should be. This change in power-sets for purely aesthetic purposes would later come to influence my creative development about the origin and nature of Comrade Hero's powers, details of his physical appearance, and the impact on how Comrade Hero interacts with others.

Updated the Comrade Hero Needs Your Support post with information as requested.

James aka Comrade Hero.

Updated the Comrade Hero Needs Your Support post with information as requested.

James aka Comrade Hero.

January 13, 2011

Interesting Facts about Comrade Hero: Costume Detail

The metal belt buckle emblazoned with the Communist Hammer and Sickle and centered inside the Soviet Star: http://bit.ly/gxjowM

A reminder of Communist-era Russia, and a link to Comrade Hero's past. While the yellow five point star on a crimson background is symbolic of the old regime, the belt buckle that Comrade Hero wears represents a close familial connection.

Comrade Hero was raised by his paternal grandparents in the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Both his grandparents were veterans and heroes of the Great Patriotic War against the German Fascists. His grandmother had served as an aviator in the Soviet Air Force, while his grandfather had been a sergeant in the Red Army.

Comrade Hero would listen enthralled as his grandmother recounted her exhilarating - and terrifying - combat experiences during the War years. Comrade Hero's grandmother became the driving influence behind the young boy's own desire to become a pilot.

In later years, after his grandfather passed away, Comrade Hero personally administered to the care of his grandmother. On her passing, Comrade Hero came into possession of a number of his grandmother's personal belongings - amongst them a battered belt buckle bearing the faded symbols of Russia's yesterday. The warped and cracked leather belt the buckle was attached to was too worn to be wearable, but all the dulled metal of the buckle needed was a little polish and care to restore its former shine.

Comrade Hero has worn this belt buckle and others of similar design for nearly a decade. The original belt buckle that belonged to Comrade Hero's grandmother is now rarely seen in public, and is only worn to mark special occasions. But whether it is his grandmother's original belt buckle, or a more sturdier buckle of the same design, Comrade Hero wears the Hammer and Sickle in the Soviet Star to honor the woman who inspired him to reach for the skies, and ultimately the stars...

January 13, 2011

Interesting Facts about Comrade Hero: Costume Detail

The metal belt buckle emblazoned with the Communist Hammer and Sickle and centered inside the Soviet Star: http://bit.ly/gxjowM

A reminder of Communist-era Russia, and a link to Comrade Hero's past. While the yellow five point star on a crimson background is symbolic of the old regime, the belt buckle that Comrade Hero wears represents a close familial connection.

Comrade Hero was raised by his paternal grandparents in the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Both his grandparents were veterans and heroes of the Great Patriotic War against the German Fascists. His grandmother had served as an aviator in the Soviet Air Force, while his grandfather had been a sergeant in the Red Army.

Comrade Hero would listen enthralled as his grandmother recounted her exhilarating - and terrifying - combat experiences during the War years. Comrade Hero's grandmother became the driving influence behind the young boy's own desire to become a pilot.

In later years, after his grandfather passed away, Comrade Hero personally administered to the care of his grandmother. On her passing, Comrade Hero came into possession of a number of his grandmother's personal belongings - amongst them a battered belt buckle bearing the faded symbols of Russia's yesterday. The warped and cracked leather belt the buckle was attached to was too worn to be wearable, but all the dulled metal of the buckle needed was a little polish and care to restore its former shine.

Comrade Hero has worn this belt buckle and others of similar design for nearly a decade. The original belt buckle that belonged to Comrade Hero's grandmother is now rarely seen in public, and is only worn to mark special occasions. But whether it is his grandmother's original belt buckle, or a more sturdier buckle of the same design, Comrade Hero wears the Hammer and Sickle in the Soviet Star to honor the woman who inspired him to reach for the skies, and ultimately the stars...

Some little updates I've been posting on my Competition Profile Page...

January 12, 2011

Interesting Facts about Comrade Hero: Costume

The details and colors of Comrade Hero's uniform have pretty much stayed the same since 2004.

The major change has been the adoption of a military style tactical belt and the addition of a Soviet-era Belt Buckle with Hammer and Sickle Emblem.

In 2010 I updated the uniform along the lines of modern soft body armor concepts currently being developed and utilized by military and law enforcement personnel. The boots and gloves were based on Soviet-era designs.

The Domino Mask that Comrade Hero wears is a deliberate throwback to the early costumed crime-fighters of the 1930's and 1940's.

Initially I wanted Comrade Hero's uniform to reflect the colors of the Russian Federation - Red, White, and Blue. But they kind of clashed rather horribly. Red and Yellow/Gold was chosen instead - another nod to Soviet-era colors. Red and Black is a nod to the Tino Rangatiranga Flag in Aoteaora/New Zealand.

The addition of green was a personal choice. Green is my favorite color, and I find that looking at fauna and flora when I'm suffering form a migraine is a great way to deal with the pain.

Black was the obvious choice for gloves, boots, mask and tactical belt.

The glowing red eyes reflect the 'energy' that courses through Comrade Hero, and is also a nod to James Cameron's Terminator.

Some little updates I've been posting on my Competition Profile Page...

January 12, 2011

Interesting Facts about Comrade Hero: Costume

The details and colors of Comrade Hero's uniform have pretty much stayed the same since 2004.

The major change has been the adoption of a military style tactical belt and the addition of a Soviet-era Belt Buckle with Hammer and Sickle Emblem.

In 2010 I updated the uniform along the lines of modern soft body armor concepts currently being developed and utilized by military and law enforcement personnel. The boots and gloves were based on Soviet-era designs.

The Domino Mask that Comrade Hero wears is a deliberate throwback to the early costumed crime-fighters of the 1930's and 1940's.

Initially I wanted Comrade Hero's uniform to reflect the colors of the Russian Federation - Red, White, and Blue. But they kind of clashed rather horribly. Red and Yellow/Gold was chosen instead - another nod to Soviet-era colors. Red and Black is a nod to the Tino Rangatiranga Flag in Aoteaora/New Zealand.

The addition of green was a personal choice. Green is my favorite color, and I find that looking at fauna and flora when I'm suffering form a migraine is a great way to deal with the pain.

Black was the obvious choice for gloves, boots, mask and tactical belt.

The glowing red eyes reflect the 'energy' that courses through Comrade Hero, and is also a nod to James Cameron's Terminator.

I corrected the first post because it wasn't clear from my directions that this is a two step process to support Comrade Hero.

Instead of directing everyone else back to the first post (which has been amended) I'll post the updated information below.

Thanks for your patience.