SwanShadow Thinks Out Loud

As proud as I am of the way my primary commission theme, Common Elements, has evolved over the years, I still find myself looking at the themes of other collectors and thinking, “Man, I wish I had more stuff like THAT.”

Every time I browse the galleries of such theme commission powerhouses as these –

• Michael Finn (who specializes in reimagining classic comics covers in a concept appropriately called “One Minute Later…”);
• Brian Sagar (whose collection extrapolates upon his favorite comic series from the Bronze Age, Marvel Two-in-One);
• Chris Caira (he of the wickedly inventive “Trophy Wall” theme);
• And especially my good friend Damon Owens (best known in collecting circles for his commissions featuring The Brotherhood, a cross-publisher superteam of African-American heroes and heroines, Damon keeps creating new themes all the time, each one more eye-openingly clever than the last) –

I realize that my own efforts merely scrape the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Specifically, I marvel at how these other collectors pack so many characters into their commission projects. Most artists charge for commissions based on the number of figures they have to draw, which means that an artwork featuring multiple characters can get pricey in a jiffy. For that reason, more than 90% of my Common Elements projects feature only two characters, and most of the handful featuring three or more were drawn by artists who quoted a set page rate as opposed to a per-figure upcharge.

All of this means that when I get the opportunity to commission a Common Elements scenario with more than two heroes, I thank my lucky stars.

Speaking of lucky…

…”luck” is the theme for today’s featured artwork, rendered with painstaking detail by Brazilian artist Allan Goldman. (Be sure to click on the image below to get a closer look. Trust me — you really, really want to. This is one I wish I could invite you all over to see in person, because the scan just can’t show you every nuance.)

From left to right, that’s…

Lady Luck. Created in 1940 by the legendary Will Eisner (The Spirit), Lady Luck was one of the earliest costumed heroines to headline her own comics feature.

Jack of Hearts. The brainchild of writer Bill Mantlo and artist Keith Giffen, the half-human, half-alien Jack has appeared mostly as a secondary character in the Marvel Universe since the mid-1970s.

Gambit. Familiar as a member of the X-Men, the sweet-talking, staff-wielding Cajun Remy LeBeau has the power to imbue objects with kinetic energy — most frequently, the playing cards he uses as throwing weapons.

What I love most about Common Elements — aside, of course, from the incredible images these concepts evoke from the artists who draw them — is the fact that every Common Elements scenario implies a story that in most cases would never be told in an actual comic. Because the heroes featured in a given scene are often the intellectual property of competing comics publishers — and sometimes, of comics publishers that no longer exist, as in the case of Lady Luck — there’s no way these characters would ever come together, outside of this theme.

Part of the fun is imagining what menace would unite this specific combination. In the piece we’re looking at today, for instance, why might this rooftop meeting take place? What foe might either Lady Luck, Jack of Hearts, and Gambit be confronting that would cause one of them to reach out to the other two and say, “We need to talk”? What challenge might require these three unusual and varied skillsets, and specifically, why these? And who is the implied fourth person who’s just entered the scene, from whose point of view we’re observing?

I have my own thoughts about the answers to the above questions. Allan Goldman had his, as he was conceiving and drawing the piece. You likely have yours as well. All of these thoughts are probably very different. Each of us is making up our own individual, personal, unique story as we go.

Isn’t that awesome?

That’s the hidden beauty of Common Elements. It’s one reason why my answer to Dirty Harry Callahan’s infamous query is, “Why, yes… yes, I do.”

And that’s your Comic Art Friday.

And… we’re back.

Sorry about the dearth of activity for the last little while. The Pirate Queen and I jetted off Down Under from late March into mid-April for an extended tour of Australia and New Zealand. As we chat, I’m pulling together my notes and photographs for a series of posts showcasing the highlights of the trip. Check back here next week for the first fun-filled romp.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled Comic Art Friday.

Longtime readers know that I keep lengthy lists of potential concepts for my two signature commission themes, Common Elements and Bombshells! That way, when the opportunity to commission an artist presents itself, I have several ideas ready to roll. I also keep a “wish list” of artists whose availability I monitor, in hope that I might jump on the chance to add their talents to my theme galleries.

I love it when the cosmos aligns, and the two lists intersect.

Drew Edward Johnson found his way onto my radar as one of a handful of artists who’ve been regulars on both of my favorite DC headline heroines, Wonder Woman and Supergirl. Drew’s commission list had been closed for some time, so when he began taking assignments again, I couldn’t wait to get on his list. I had the perfect Common Elements scenario in mind: a pairing of two of comics’ greatest archaeologists — Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, and Shiera Hall, the Silver Age version of Hawkgirl (or Hawkwoman, if you prefer… more on that in a moment).

Lara Croft is familiar to most as the lead character from the Tomb Raider video game franchise, as well as a pair of live-action feature films starring Angelina Jolie in the title role. Lara, however, has also enjoyed a successful history as a comic book heroine. She starred in a monthly series published by Top Cow Productions from 1999 to 2005, as well as several miniseries and one-shot specials during that period. Most of these comics presented Lara in different storylines from either the video games or films. (Drew Johnson was one of the pencil artists on Tomb Raider: Journeys, a 12-issue limited series that began in 2001.)

Although Lara began life as little more than a distaff Indiana Jones knockoff, I find that her comics capers have developed her into a vital, unique, and compelling character — a tough, resourceful, and brilliant scientist-adventurer who fearlessly engages any foe. Most of the writers who’ve scripted her books have attempted to give her a quirky British sensibility, which provides an interesting texture. Much is made of Lara’s appearance — she’s an attractive, athletic woman, usually drawn with a prominent bustline — but in the main, her stories in the comics don’t focus on exploitation. I think she’s a terrific heroine, one who’d make a great lead for a weekly TV series.

Hawkgirl suffers from the same insanely convoluted continuity that has plagued Hawkman, her frequent partner in life and combat, over the decades. In fact, it’s more accurate to speak about Hawkgirl in the plural than in the singular, because there have been several versions (often conflicting in origin, backstory, and name) since the character debuted in 1940. At times, she’s been presented as Shiera Hall, a reincarnated princess/goddess from ancient Egypt; at others, she’s been Shayera Hol, a police officer from the planet Thanagar; in still other versions, she’s been Kendra Saunders, a tormented young woman possessed by the spirit of a previous Hawkgirl. Umm… yeah. I won’t even attempt to untangle all of that twisted history in this space.

In recent years, Hawkgirl underwent yet another revision, this time as a member of the Justice League of America as shown in the animated TV series Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. Her television persona possessed organic wings — historically, Hawkgirl’s wings have generally been explained as prosthetics, fashioned from the mysterious Nth Metal — and developed a complex, realistic romantic relationship with Green Lantern John Stewart. In my opinion, this Hawkgirl combined the best elements of the character’s potential, allowing her to flourish as an independent entity freed of her status as Hawkman’s significant other and sidekick.

Back to our earlier point: Depending on which iteration of the female Hawk we’re discussing, the character has employed both Hawkgirl and Hawkwoman as her code name at various times. Throughout most of her history, however, she’s been Hawkgirl — which, sexism aside, does roll more trippingly off the tongue. Since Hawkgirl is her most familiar nom de guerre, and the one most fans would associate with the uniform she wears here, that’s what we’ve used. I hope this doesn’t cost me decades of feminist street cred.

Uniting these two heroines is, for me, a chance to extol the virtues of the multidimensional superheroine. Neither Lara Croft or Hawkgirl is just a hot chick in abbreviated attire. They’re scientific explorers with expertise in an academically rigorous field. I believe it’s important that we have female role models in our culture who embrace a broad array of skills and disciplines. Young girls need to see that women can be smart and talented, and not mere eye candy. If heroes are crack shots and expert fighters, why not have heroines — such as Lara Croft — who can outshoot and outfight the best of them? And if a hero can swing a medieval mace, why can’t a heroine — a heroine who also can explain the historical significance and context of that weapon? If there’s an Indiana Jones, there ought to be a Lara Croft. If there’s a Justice League, there ought to be a Hawkgirl (okay, okay… Hawkwoman) in it.

As for the argument, “But do they have to be gorgeous?” well, that’s how we like our heroes, regardless of gender. There’s a reason why Harrison Ford nabbed the Indiana Jones role (which was originally intended for Tom Selleck, by the way; he couldn’t get out of his Magnum P.I. contract fast enough to make Raiders of the Lost Ark) and, say, Steve Buscemi or Rick Moranis didn’t. If masculine heroism is going to be typified by Harrison Ford, it’s hard to say that the ladies shouldn’t be represented by the likes of Angelina Jolie.

For this commission, Drew Johnson decided to create a look for Lara Croft that differs from her classic image — no braid, no sunglasses, no cargo shorts — yet keeps her clearly identifiable. I like Drew’s approach a great deal — retrospective yet sleekly modern, and beautifully heroic. I also appreciate that he gives her a more naturally athletic frame, without the exaggerated proportions (read: mammary appendages) that people sometimes associate with Ms. Croft. Together, we decided to use Hawkgirl’s Silver Age costume — both of us favored that particular look among the multiple designs she’s worn during her decades-spanning tenure.

The scenario portrayed here, incidentally, is all Drew — with a single exception that he revealed on his blog. After he originally sketched the layout, Drew showed his rough draft to his studio mate, Chris Moreno. Chris thought Drew’s first take on Hawkgirl felt a mite too static, so he suggested a different pose. Drew liked Chris’s retooling, and used the alternate Hawkgirl positioning in his final pencils. Nothing like a little collaboration between two titanic talents.

And that’s your Comic Art Friday.