What IS Nu-Perspective you ask? Well, it's a bi-weekly column I started with my writing collaborator Fabian Wood with the purpose of revamping and updating different underdeveloped, underutilized and all-but-forgotten Nubian (black) comic book and pop culture characters.
With this repost, you get the same full bio, art and our storyline concept, but also some behind the scenes thoughts on how and why Fabian and I went about doing what we did.
And I can’t tell you how GEEKED I am to finally get a chance to draw this week’s featured character: CRIMSON AVENGER!
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| Crimson Avenger appearance courtesy from DC comics. Found on Google |
This character has long been a favorite of mine and is one who deserves to make a comeback NOW! (Get on that DC!) Truthfully, the character is damn near perfect and as a result, didn’t need too much of a revamp, so this is almost a cheat, but here we go.
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| Crimson Avenger appearance courtesy from DC comics. Found on Google |
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| Nu-Perspective revamp by Shawn Alleyne |
Real Name: Jill Carlyle
Current Alias: Crimson Avenger
Identity: Secret Occupation: Spirit of Vengeance
Place of Birth: Unknown
Base of Operations: Worldwide
Affiliations: Formerly Justice Society of America
First Appearance: Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #9 April, 2000
Original Creators: Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins
Story: Jill Carlyle was a lawyer who lost a case in which the defendant was clearly guilty. Jill lost all hope in justice and the judicial system and decided to take matters into her own hands. She obtained a pair of Colt pistols from a pawn shop originally owned by the first Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis), and used them to exact vengeance upon the criminal. The guns were cursed such that, if the possessor used them out of revenge, he or she will be damned to track and kill those who have taken innocent life. As part of the curse, an ever-bleeding bullet hole appears on her chest. Jill became a member of the Justice Society of America and fought various criminals before disappearing suddenly. But now, the Crimson Avenger has returned, last seen on the streets of Gotham. What her agenda holds is still unknown.
Powers: This Crimson Avenger is a minor spirit of vengeance and as such is fated to be forced into exacting revenge on whoever is her next assignment. Part of her "curse" is gaining the memories, skills and abilities of the deceased she has to avenge. She can become intangible and can teleport. However, the teleportation is out of her command and occurs when she is forced to teleport to her next assignment. Her intangibility does not function against her own weapons or other magical forces. Unless the curse is lifted, she is seemingly immortal.
Paraphernalia/Weapons: Enchanted dual handguns that have infinite bullets, and thus never needs reloading. They can penetrate virtually anything to reach a target, no matter how impervious. The bullets are self directional, but while they behave like ordinary ballistics, they are harmless against innocent living beings. Only recently has Jill discovered she can add an auxiliary attribute like an elemental or explosive property to the bullets with concentration. The guns never miss and have no triggers and fire instinctively against threats to the wielder. Even if separated, Jill can summon the guns telepathically, and even if someone else holds them, the guns become inert (unusable), only functioning in Jill's possession. The guns seemingly have a mind of their own, as she speaks of having to restrain them from shooting those who come between her and her target.
Fine Print: Nu-Perspective is a column focused on revamps and updates of various underdeveloped, underutilized and all-but-forgotten Nubian (black) characters specifically. We aim to showcase these chosen characters in fresh, contemporary and exciting ways both visually and story-wise to show just how awesome they can truly be. All characters are copyrights and trademarks of the respective publishers and creators. This column is used solely for artistic enjoyment.
Q&A time with Shawn and Fabian
What do
you like most about the character? – Fabian: She’s like the Punisher and the Spectre
rolled into one. So you’ve got that unapologetic gun-violence used on the
criminal element, with the supernatural aspect of being an embodiment with the
spirit of vengeance. There is a lot to be attracted to as she embodies the
sense of final justice and outcry for retribution a lot of Black people go
through on a daily basis in an unjust system.
Shawn: That's deep Fabian. For me she just looked cool as FUCK!!! lol I was immediately taken to her stunning but simple design. And then she was a natural sista too? What's not to love? And as I read more about her I appreciated the nuance of her compulsion and torture.
What
made you choose this character? - F: I kind of have a soft spot for legacy
characters, and Crimson Avenger is a modern-day version of a Golden Age (generic)
gun-toting vigilante from the Justice Society back in the 40s/50s. Shawn
himself expressed his attraction to the visual design of the character so it
was a no-brainer.
S: Indeed
Did the character pose a challenge to
update and if so what was the hardest part of the redesign? S: The hardest part was how near perfect the original design is. I really didn't have much I wanted to change and I almost felt like I didn't fulfill the goal of Nu-Perspective.
In
hindsight is there anything you would do differently now?- I might possibly
would have tried to incorporate some mythology from Dante’s Divine Comedy into
her back or fore story just to play up more of her supernatural connections and
expand on the original concept.
S: I would change the art..I don't feel I quite nailed it.
NP
Fine Print: Nu-Perspective is a column focused on revamps and updates of various
underdeveloped, underutilized and all-but-forgotten Nubian (black)
characters specifically. We aim to showcase these chosen characters in
fresh, contemporary and exciting ways both visually and story-wise to
show just how awesome they can truly be. All characters are copyrights
and trademarks of the respective publishers and creators. This column is
used solely for artistic enjoyment.
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