Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Visionaries of Tomorrow Barry: Costume Designs?

Hey Barry,
Thanks for being such an active, generous participant on this message board.
Definitely got my interest up for this new iteration of the Legion.

You had mentioned on another thread that we could ask you questions about the character's costumes.

I guess I just wanted to make a space here for it.

--andy

I'll start: Star Boy, Lightning Lad, Phantom Girl, Dream Girl, Karate Kid, Projectra - all leapt out at me. Very hyper-modern, reminescent but not slavish to the superhero prototypes we're familiar with.
A few stand apart - Saturn Girl is clearly seperated from the others, stylistically; Brainiac 5 stands apart technologically; Lyle is clearly more 'explorer-adventurer' than superhero IMO; Chameleon Boy is bald (I think that's how one refers to antannae-less Durlans).
I was more concerned with the "Star Wars"/"Lord of the Rings" blends on Triplicate Girl and Element Lad. What's up with that?

THANKS
--andy

Hi Andy
Thanks!

I'm not quite sure what you're referring to as far as Triplicate Girl goes... her look was really an amalgam of her previous costumes for me...with a few new touches to emphasise the ability to triple herself.

With Element Lad I wanted to reflect his personality...of course you'll have to read more to discover that... but I thought his almost magical ablility to transmute elements suited a cape well and the symbols on his costume are a mixture of old alchemical signs for the elements and a few I've created for elements that have been discovered since the 20th century out in space. They will also alter from time to time, again echoing his power - something we're introducing is clothing with changing images ...it's bound to happen soon!

Barry, I'm a little wary about you taking Element Lad on the mystical/magical route but I suppose it's a lot better than the whacked-out space cadet or insane demi-god route. Thank you (and Mark) for restoring Element Lad to life.

Regarding costumes with shifting images -- it's a great idea and you might consider taking the concept even further, like clothing that changes color depending on the wearer's whim. I imagine 31st century clothing would have a variety of built-in tech including telecommunications, a mathematical calculator, a basic knowledgebase, and personal security and entertainment systems. German designers are already producing prototype jackets with integral cell-phone and mp3 technology so it's not too far off.

I'm also very curious about where you're going with all the gentech references. It sounds like a society where there is a great deal of security, but very little personal privacy. Do they practice eugenics?

Barry-

The changing images are great -and probably add some fun to your work. Now Cham's little geometric shapes make a lot of sense (though the balding thing... - i'll take a 'wait & see' on that).

An alchemical bend to Jan's character/culture/powers is a logical outgrowth of previous incarnations, as is the shifting costume/colors/shapes on him. It puts my style-sense to rest knowing that, like everything else around Element Lad, his costume will change.

I thought Triplicate Girl was wearing a hooded outfit like in Star Wars or something, but it was just real dark on the bus last night. I'm looking at it in the daylight - and you made no such custume. A trick of the light and excited bouncing eyes.

By the way, the more you talk, the more excited I get (and I'm fairly certain most of the others do too). The way you talk about the factors you took in designing EVERYTHING - from characters to costumes to the environment - reveals an immense knowledge & love of the Legion, and an inspired creative process. Your amalgamations - in the short bit that's been released - are fun, complex, fresh and remain true to the heart of it. For me anyway.

Thanks for the info and all the hard work -- you must be having a blast putting your mark on the 30th century. It's good; and it's gonna be great, right?

--andy

Hey Barry a quick thought for the FUTURE.

The costumes with the glowing energy ROCK. Sun Boy's emblem, Garth's lightning, etc.

Also seems like a nifty idea for a group of future superheroes, also is pretty different IMO, and can be made into a trademark for the Legion.

What if they all had their emblems glow a certain color? Obviously some more than others (like Dirk and Garth). But Vi having a small symbol patch on her shoulder that glows, etc.

Plus kids would probably love that.

Jorge

Hello Mr Kitson, sir. Not to bother you, but a few of my favorite characters are missing from the reboot at this point. I'm not going to whine about it (I have other boards to do that in), but I was wondering: If you were to design costumes for Matter-Eater Lad, Ferro Lad, and Chemical King, what would they look like in this reboot?

I got the Special today and enjoyed the preview. I was taken back a little with some of the costumes. I guess my question to you Barry, When you design a costume..What is your process??

By the way..I loved Empire!

Element Lad? I like him with the chin hair and apparent blue underoos. The red and yellow is too much like Sun Boy. Sure the blue/yellow is too much like Dr. Fate...but the Doctor isn't on the team. Plus blue/yellow are complimentary.

Jorge

Hi Andy - I can't imagine any greater compliments about my Legion work - thanks!

Hi Tromium - good call on the nature of society, but you'll have to 'wait and see' I'm afraid as far as your specific question goes.

I hope I haven't misled about Element Lad, we aren't literally treating his power as 'traditional magic or mystical' in nature. It was just that his abilities and living in a universe where everything can change or be changed so fundamentally at his 'whim' - seemed to me his perspective would be quite removed from the norm of those living in a 'standard' physical world. (Sorry about all these woolly terms). Anyway, so I wanted something that suggested his mind might work on a slightly different plane to many of the others - and a more elaborate, hinting-at-mystical approach seemed a good way to go.
It will all get clearer as we go along...I hope

Glad you like the 'shifting-images' idea!

Hi Jorg-El - Glad you like the image shifting idea too and the glowing effects - these are already in place as you'll see more in #1!

Hi Gold Leader - no bother at all! To be honest - each costume takes me a day or two to come up with playing with ideas and seeing what works etc so I can't really answer your question....yet

Hi Stragazer - well I guess really I start by trying to get clear in my head what the essence of the character is - personality, powers, etc. Then factor in environment and motivation. With the Legion generally we knew they wanted to look like super-heroes, rather than say 'scary-warrior-types' we knew they were in the 30th so that needed to be reflected. I also wanted to at least 'tip the hat' to the previous versions of the characters...and in the case of some I felt I loved the costumes so much I hardly wanted to change them at all! Lastly in the case of a group of heroes and especially in Legion's case I was trying to come up with a range of costumes that would pass the 'silhouette test' - so that hopefully each character will be recognizable and distinguishable from each other even if you only saw them in silhouette. Finally, I guess I also try to come up with designs I think will be fun to draw!

How close I got to achieving all these aims is, of course, going to be debatable - but overall I'm pretty happy with how they all look...but don't be surprised if a few tweaks occur as we go along!

Regarding Element Lad. I've always seen his powers as purely scientific but he is a very "spiritual" character...which makes things interesting.

Kinda of the oppossite of Marvel's Black Knight...a scientist with a magic sword, etc.

Barry...i love the glowing stuff!!!

Jorge

Barry, is there an overall theme for the costume designs that will come through in the stories?

Running with Waid's SCA analogy, do the Legionnaires research heroes of history and develop costumes representative of their favorite anachronisms?

Barry, I'm grateful that you've at least given serious thought to Element Lad's personality. The character's perspective *is* different for the very reasons you state. Levitz suceeded in revealing the alien aspect of his nature without making him a wierdo but, needless to say, later writers took exploited his differences in a completely different manner. That's what scares me, I guess, but I'll leave him in your good hands for now.

I assume the shifting images also apply to the costumes of Chameleon Boy (as he morphs) and Lightning Lad, among others. I love LL's neon glow but I imagine it could be quite taxing on the eyes of his fellow Legionnaires after a while. The glitz also suggests you're bringing back the "showman" (as Shooter once described it) aspect of LL's personality. Saturn Girl's neck-to-toe coverage, when most of the other females are showing skin, implies she's as repressed as ever. Light Lass's sassy outfit reveals her inner "spark" despite the power change. I look forward to hearing your take on each character, once you're ready to reveal your thought processes.

Hi Jorge - It is indeed that 'spiritual' side of EL that I wanted to express in his costume.

Hi Doublechinner - Yes there is an overall theme, issue #1 will contain more answers to your speculation but careful examination to the background details in some pages of the preview will go someway to giving you an answer

I'm cross-posting this from the main Legion thread. Thanks for the time you've taken to respond to us, Barry. It does make a difference to many fans.

OK-- here's my Calling the Roll for the new costumes...

LYLE: I'm sure a headband's a' comin' since I'm guessing this outfit's casual.

ATOM GIRL: Uh-- guess we can't believe everything we read (ie-- Vi being hidden from the rest of the team). Glad the green's in her costume and not in her hair.

PRINCESS PROJECTRA: Does 'princess' meet the standards of the boy-girl-lad-lass committee? What is that atop her shoulders and behind her head? I like the purple with her white hair against it.

KARATE KID: Puzzling race change since Asian characters are even more under-represented in the Legion than blacks. Guess he could still be south Asian or Polynesian, come to think of it. Costume-wise... I need to see a full pic.

SATURN GIRL: Maybe she'll look more modern in full-figure. A glowing Saturn emblem? I'd imagine Cos's uniform would look similarly simple if seen in a pic as tiny as Imra's.

DREAM GIRL: Like the top... can't quite make out the pants/leggings.

PHANTOM GIRL: My fave of this batch. She looks in costume and in pose the part of a diplomat's daughter (assuming she still is one...) fresh from finishing school here . I appreciate the stylized 'P' and the matching black gloves. Looks she's got *long* hair.

ELEMENT LAD: Red/orange and yellow are a definite change for Jan. I'd still like to see a pastel blue and green uniform for him, but I'm intrigued by the symbols and the cape. I kind of wish he had curlier hair...

COLOSSOL BOY: Kind of boring... it'd be interesting if detail appeared in his costume when he was at taller heights that doesn't show in his six-foot state.

TRIPLICATE GIRL: I liked the coat-skirt better. It could've been updated to orange instead of the cape. On capes, in general... yes for E-Lad, Shady, Star Boy and Projecta... no for Saturn Girl and Luornu.

SUN BOY: What happened to his red hair!? Hope this is an effect of the 'glow' the Legionnaires seem to be traveling in. I think his original costume from way back when just can't be beaten.

COSMIC BOY: Very 'New Gods'ish. I like it. But there really should be some metal on it *somewhere*. He looks like a young William Shatner to me, here.

LIGHTNING LAD: Love the glow. Not sure about the lightning stripe down the arms, though.

LIGHT LASS: Hmmm... it's been *so* long since we've had a Light Lass. Don't dislike this, but I'm not particularly fond of it either.

BRAINIAC 5: *Really* don't like the crew cut or the olive green.

CHAMELEON BOY: Weird symbols... appearing alien... just looks wrong without the antennae. Maybe he has to earn them?

STAR BOY: Great looking character design and costume.

SHADOW LASS: Longish Lousie Brooks bob. Very stylish. Wish she could have 'peekabo' cold shoulders like Tinya. I think the pale skin is caused by the 'glow' (generated by the flight rings?).

Can't wait to see Lyle's uniform and the owner of the mystery-boots.

Please visit the Time Institute here on Legion World for CALLING THE ROLL for each Legion-packed issue.

Thanks,
Todd

Hiya Barry

I your art in the preview, and am really looking forward to whatever is to come.

I've got a few questions/ comments about the costumes we've seen so far, hope you don't mind.

My first one is about Nura's leggings - it looks from the little we can see on the splash page as if they have ciruitry in them - is this to reflect the idea that Naltor is a centre of High Science (and from that we can infer that she's being returned to her former technical brilliance?), or is she just wearing groovy techno-pants?

The group on the whole look fantastic! Ayla, Brainy, Thom (?) and Jan are especially gorgeous. Not too sure about Shady - she reminds me off Halle Berre in Xmen.

Hope you have every success with this new interpretation

Bxx

Hi B - thanks!

Nura's leggings have a cloud/sky design on them - intended to reflect the visionary nature of her powers and their 'intangibilty' - the pattern will shift rather as Star Boy's star field will.

Hope that makes sense - with a bit of luck it will all come together when you get to see a clearer image of her.

Hey Barry I also have some questions:
Is this Star Boy really Thom
Is Colossal Boy the official code-name or is Micro Lad?
Who's your favorite Legionnaire to draw?
Is it possible for Superboy or Mon-El to show up under your run?Not straight away of course

Hi Valor the M'Onel - I wish people had shorter names on these boards

The first couple of your questions are 'wait and see' answers I'm afraid...at least one will be answered in #1

I don't have an absolute favorite, I'm pretty happy with most of them... and haven't had enough chance to draw all of them yet to form any definite 'first choice'.

ANYTHING can happen in the new book!

Wow - it's great that you've braved the possible perils of Legion World to give us an insight into the creator's side of the beginnings of the 'new' Legion.

I must say as an avowed Star Boy fan, I was (to put it mildly) surprised to see Thom's (if it is indeed him!) new look. I hope that Mark will retain Thom's true hard-luck (but still upbeat) attitude, rather than having him descend into 'angry black man' stereotypes.

But that's beyond your control, and I wanted to talk about the new costumes, which I assume are...

Once I looked beyond the (arbitrary?) race change for Star Boy, I saw a great costume. I don't normally like capes on superheroes (the Invisibles will demonstrate many of my sentiments, from clips I've seen), but you've given Thom a dynamic look that I can't wait to see in action. How do you do the starfield effect? Is it a Photoshop image dropped into an area and modified? Is it a secret artist trick? Is it done by colourists after your pencils are done?

Cosmic Boy - love the new look. Very streamlined. I wish that look had been carried across the rest of the team, but I'm more of a fan of the 'uniform' style of Legion suit rather than the 'home-designed' look that the new Legionnaires will have.

Lightning Lad - AWESOME!!!

Chameleon Boy - while some lament the loss of antennae, I like the new look. Some put him down as a 'Muppet', while I consider that a bonus.

Brainiac 5 - very stern. Very Vril Dox. Wanna see more.

Light Lass - Excellent! Sassy! Sexy...

Sun Boy - Ummmm. He looks like he left the HQ half-dressed. I'm just sayin', is all.

Dream Girl - I like Nura to seem a bit more regal, but this look is fresh and energetic. Can't wait to see Moving-Cloud Pants in action!

Phantom Girl - If it was a pure white, I'd say it was perfect. As is, it's merely fantastic.

Colossal/Micro Boy/Lad - I like it. Looks dangerous.

Karate Kid - I wanna see more, but from this I like the looks of things. KK should have loose clothing. Very cool.

Triad - Wanna see it close up. Like the cloak.

Shadow Lass - Excellent. Love the dark look. Tell the colourist to give her some blue tho.

Element Lad - Excellent. Can't wait to read more about this version based on your look for him. And see those roving symbols.

Princess Projectra - Very regal, yet sexy. C'est magnifique!

Saturn Girl - Ummmm. I'd be happier without the cape.

Atom Girl - I wanna see her close up! (As usual...)

Invisible Kid - is that his permanent look? If so, I like the minimalism.


All told - excellent designs, Barry. It'll be a pleasure to pick up your Legion week after week... provided Mark holds his end up to the standards you've set.

Thanks for putting up with the ravings of a resident Aussie Legion Worlder!
Cheers,
Wayne

Hi Wayne - Thanks!
Glad you like the majority of the costumes!

I'll be honest - Mark and I always work together on the stories, so changes and characters are our collective responsibility...
#1 will answer your questions about Star Boy's character

Hey Barry,

Will you be able to put up scans of your sketchs for us in the near future or will you wait until the first issue is out?

Thanks

The only 2 I don't like are Saturn Girl's and Projectra's....

The rest are awesome!!!!

You can shorten them if you like. Lots of people do around here.

Not that it'll do any good, but me too!

Thanks Danny!

Hi RTVU2 - I'll try to post them ASAP, but with the trip to Wizard World coming up I'm pushed for any spare moments right now...lots of drawing to do, but I hope it'll be before #1 hits the stands!

Hi Arachne - You'll have to be patient for that close-up, sorry