Something Good in the World

Everyone feels strongly about something. Some feel strongly about many things like myself. Sometimes you feel so strongly that saying something, anything, is better than saying nothing. So if one of my goals in life is to put good things into this world, then let this be one of them. Very soon Marvel is set to release an X-Men issue that will include the marriage of a male mutant and his gay life partner. This has caused a stir among moronic parents all over the country. I know the topic of gay marriage is sensitive to some, but it isn't to me, because I've always been intelligent and never lost sight of that. Why is this such a sensitive topic? It's because a lot of people (I will not say the majority) think gay men are gross. It's not because of the bible. It's not because they are afraid for their children. It's not because they're simply conservative and thats how it is. It boils down to an illusion. Illusions are for children. I deal in reality, and reality is, a lot of people just think gay men are gross. Now for the controversy. They are gross. Why? Because men in general are gross. At our best, with rock hard abdominals and a lean figure, well groomed, and fresh out of the shower, we are still just gross. Our genitals are gross, and our asses are gross. I don't know why straight women tolerate how disgusting we are, but thankfully, they do.  Perhaps I'm getting off topic. I'll explain what it is that has driven me to deliver an important message here. Today I read something written by an old classmate of mine. She is a mother now. Like many moms out there, she is "outraged" at Marvel for putting this comic book issue out. She followed this outrage by saying she is NOT homophobic (she is). She then begins to ask where the innocence of children has gone. Now let me give some back story, this person was a fan of the 90's X-men cartoon when we were in high school (because it was awesome). To read what she wrote tells me a number of things.  Firstly, she has no idea what she is talking about if she believes this is removing the innocence of children, as last time I checked, child molesters and the catholic priests already got hired for that job. Secondly, she has no clue about the X-men or the character getting married. Let's talk history. In 1963 the X-men were created, and with them came the characters Professor X and Magneto. These characters represent something extremely significant culturally. That's right, they weren't just children's entertainment. Who would have thought? They represent Malcom X and Martin Luthor King Jr. OHHH snap. Guess what. Mutants represent black people during the civil rights movement. Why? Because Stan Lee and his associates wanted to tell stories about how and why discrimination is wrong. Let us fast forward to the 80's when a fairly unknown mutant called Northstar comes out of the closet and shouts that he is gay for all the world to know. This happened almost twenty years ago and it never mattered to this day. Keep it moving. DC's Wildstorm imprint published a gay marriage between two characters called Apollo and Midnighter. Essentially they were a gay version of Batman and Superman. It never mattered to this day. Why the issue then? Simple, gay marriage already existed in comics and has for several years.  The multitude of reasons a person is ignorant for having outrage of this happening in an X-men comic are very telling. What it tells me is the following. One, you missed the point of the X-men's very existence for the last 49 years. The message is tolerance, acceptance, and peaceful coexistence. If this was not the case, they never would have bothered making characters with blue skin or purple hair, or characters who were so ugly on the outside they would rather live in sewers than have to put up with the stares they get in the outside world, or characters who prefer the same gender. Two, you still think comics are for children, because you don't read them. So in essence, you are for unnecessary censorship of a medium you take no part in experiencing. You are for this only because the X-men are famous and you think gay guys are gross (Mystique is into girls and you probably never knew that, because you don't read comics). This isn't the first time this happened and gay people are not exempt from the truth either. This is the same thing that happened when Eminem said things about gay people in songs and the gays came out in droves demanding apologies or demanding the songs be dropped from his extremely popular albums. The problem with this is that they never demanded the same thing from DMX or Guns and Roses or Dire Straights when they did the same things in their songs. Just like moms never cared about gay marriage in comics until the X-men (a book essentially about tolerating all types of people) did it. Three, you are showing me that you are willing to lie to yourself and to everyone else about how YOU feel about gay people, and you will use your own children to justify your innate sense of obvious bigotry (again because you think gay guys are gross, but are probably ok with lesbians, because they are women, and therefore not gross). You "think" your child is somehow in danger because a character who has been known as a homosexual for about 20 or so years is getting married and it has clouded your logic so much you forgot about conventional wisdoms like, oh I don't know freedom. Freedom to realize that comics are not really geared towards small children anymore unless otherwise specified (again, because you don't read them). Freedom to have a conversation with your child instead of holding their eyes and ears shut in hopes that they stay as close-minded as you are. Freedom to, I don't know, NOT PURCHASE THE ISSUE! As opposed to thinking logically and doing any of those things, like an intelligent person, you instead think it would be a better idea that Marvel not put the issue out, causing them to lose money, or cut that part out by way of censorship. Because Punisher blowing the heads clean off people graphically is less offensive than, a guy in love with another guy. There is also of course the possibility of option four, you are conservative or evangelical. Not unlike those who use their kids as an excuse, many out there use religion as an excuse to just hate. It would be less offensive if a person like this just told the truth about their own feelings (that they think gay dudes are gross), instead of using a God as an advocate. Speaking of which, while the Bible does say a few things against homosexuality, Jesus himself says absolutely nothing about it. He was probably too busy befriending a prostitute and being kind to people who don't deserve it, or allowing himself to die for the sins of everyone.  I am not here to tell people what to believe, nor am I writing to back an agenda. I am instead here to just tell you that if you are any of the people described in what you've just read, you are wrong and you need to look at yourself closely. Whomever you are, you have a great deal of anger or hate within yourself and you have chosen the easiest target to discriminate against because it is common to dislike that which we think is repulsive. The things I read today filled me with sadness because I expect better from people of conventional intelligence. Your children will lose no part of their innocence by simply knowing two gay men or characters got married. You know this, but if you say it, you won't have that reason to say the dumb things in your head. So instead you say the opposite. The illusion again, is that children will be scarred. The REALITY is you don't want to think of the possibility of your child being gay. You are afraid because you don't want to fail as a parent but you know you won't love your child the same if he or she is gay, which means you already know you might fail as a parent, and you don't want to face that possibility. You don't have to want your kid to be gay, to not be a hateful of homosexual. I don't want my kid to be gay any more than I want him or her to be short, or fat, or weak, or stupid, or deformed, but guess what, that might happen. For all the effort I may put into preventing it, it still could happen, and I am prepared to love my child irrelevant of any of these things. That is the reality of homophobia. That is the reality of bigotry.  Unfortunately, bigotry is immortal. If tomorrow homosexuality and homosexual marriage was accepted by all people, then the next day, someone will find something else to hate people for. It is the people like you, whomever you are who fall into this category, that have made the world worse. Not the gays, not the blacks, not the jews, not the latinos, not the muslims. The bigots. Every last one of you who is unwilling to accept an image that differs from your mirror, or your minds eye. It is this attitude that covers your thought process and makes you forget the fact no matter how many rights you take away from people, you can never take their behavior away. If you let men marry men than they might marry dogs. What you are saying is you don't believe gay people are human the same way straight people are. At the very least, you think they're crazy in some way. Which is funny, because people who are deemed crazy, are still allowed to get married legally. Someone actually asked me today "well some people love children, should they marry them?". Guess what, in some states that is still allowed, as is marrying your cousin. Why are mother's bent out of shape about this and why do they want to censor one of the mediums I care about, but the Jersey Shore is acceptable entertainment. You are responsible for societies downfall. You are the reason being a teacher is no longer a worthwhile profession to go into because you have given your own children no credit for being able to grow up and learn. Instead you have given them excuses to not have homework, not pay attention in class, and treat anyone however they feel like treating them. You feed your children fast food and lies and you teach them that no matter what the situation is, if they feel a certain way, it is everyone else's fault. It's gay people's fault that marriage has no meaning today, not adultery, or communication skills. Now that I've finished I believe I can sleep tonight knowing that maybe I put something good in the world. I wonder if any of the One Million Moms can say the same thing.

New Guy Gardner: Two for One

Guy is sort of a cult fan favorite for the Green Lanterns. Considered to be sort of Dennis Leary with a power ring he brought a rebellious attitude to what would otherwise stand for order. Initially he just wore the standard suit until it was decided Green Lanterns could personalize their look. His redesign reflected the style of a biker... Sort of. It was more like a biker vest over super hero tights. When he wasn't a lantern anymore and got a yellow ring he even went further and wore a biker jacket and the tightest jeans imaginable. Regardless of his look, it was agreed that the mushroom haircut had to go first. Again a green lantern, he wears this same suit which still clashes for a lot of people. My suggestions may be more well suited for him.

This one makes it a full jacket and normal pants while keeping the exact same color scheme and symbol placement as his current and most recognizable costume. White gloves, green boots and chest, black for everything else, and a much less silly act of not tucking in the biker jacket.













This one modernizes the look entirely. The jacket is more along the look of a leather racing jacket. The dual tones pay the slight homage to the previous while the shirt underneath supplies the symbol.

Martian Manhunter: Alien Detective

Martian Manhunter has a plethora of powers. Among them is shape shifting which he uses to be a legitimate police detective. He makes a deliberate choice to look human as a cop, and compromises his alien look to appear more heroic. I propose the idea that he is open to the public with his powers and status as a Martian who lives and works on earth. He is respected for being good at his job and doesn\'t feel the need to compromise or hide.

I read DC too. Here is Firestorm.

Firestorm is probably the most powerful character in Dc that no one cares about. I think the outfit has something to do with it. There's no sense of having to contain radiation and the outfit looks extremely outdated even at its sleekest.

If he's supposed to be able to hang with the Justice League he should look the part. He doesn't have a small easy to remember symbol but the design on his shirt doesn't need to change. Essentially any exposed skin should have fire or energy waiting to escape.

Sabertooth from MvC2

Just wanted to see a cleaned up version of the small sprite from Marvel vs Capcom 2.

Gambit as a team player.

The 90s was the decade of dark and mysterious characters to the point where potentially interesting characters had to just conform to nonconformity. Deadpool started out as just a tribute to Deathstroke with a cool red and black color scheme. Tell his story years later and make him funny, and he becomes one of marvels most popular characters. Gambit started out as a mutant thief with a past he wanted to escape. Throw in a relationship with someone he can't touch and over time he becomes a forgettable member lost in the shuffle. Remove the drama of his past and let him be with his woman and he becomes popular enough to get placed in several marvel/capcom fighting games. Somehow he's been thrown back into the "let's feel sorry for him" crowd. The idea is that he supposed to be cool and a different kind of antihero. He needs a do-over to compliment a new story. If he no longer has anything to hide he can feel free to relax, be free, and concentrate on being a hero. These reflect him as a team player. Putting weapons and trench coats on a character doesn't automatically make them cool anymore.

My Ultraman tribute to Chrisopher Reeves.

If DC wanted to integrate a new version of the Crime Syndicate I would like to see more thought into really making them "anti" versions of the DCnU heroes. If the new Superman is sort of a new status quo for a superhero who stands for good, then the opposite should be an evil whose design is traditional. So here is Ultraman with a new look of the same colors as Superman but in reverse, with a return to tights and undies outside of them. The greeting hair reflects the older sensibilities of a tyrant. This also reflects Christopher Reeves in age had he not passed away. The face I used was from evil superman in superman 3. Yes I know, that movie was terrible.

Iron Fist

I did a sort of villain design for Iron Fist. I used Ryan Phillipe as the model.

Luke Cage is Power Man starring Isaiah Mustafa

The Old Spice guy is awesome and wants to play Luke Cage. I don't think this should be in a movie, but I think a Heroes for Hire TV show starring Power Man and Iron Fist would be a great idea. For those unaware Power Man was Luke Cages original hero name. I think today if he were to adapt a more traditional "super" attire while still maintaining a modern sense, it would look kinda like this. I used Isaiah Mustafa's face as the starting point.

Using his traditional color schemes I used yellow with either black, blue or green. This is the blue series.

This is the green.

This is two color and high contrast.