We don’t have a title for this new segment yet, but as Ozzie and I have been doing livestreams for a while now (thanks to everyone who chimes in, whether you’re active in chat or not!), we wanted to show our redesigns on the blog. I started out doing streams solo, so this and the next few posts will be just on my process.
One of the first redraws I did on stream was Caitlyn from League of Legends. I read her backstory blurb, and she’s apparently a sheriff, though she doesn’t have a badge or… wear a uniform? ¯_(ツ)_/¯ Guess she’s too Strong and Independent™ for that. My redesign was basically to give her actual clothes an officer of the law in a technology-based steampunk city might wear (and a badge!). This was also the stream that started the Poofy Pants tradition of BABD streams.
Poofy Pants: For Any Occasion ~
For people interested in seeing more redraws, check out our redraw and redesign tags, which is mostly filled with fan submissions at the moment, and the Repair Her Armor blog, though it has been on hiatus for a while.
-Icy
I do like this as an example of a design that is a pretty faithful alternative gender for a male character and, as part of that, a pretty good demonstration of how little modification to costume is really needed.
The only real gripes are the reduction in muscle tone and the indication that there’s bandages/strips of cloth used to hold boobs in place: That’s actually really dangerous and something we should really stop depicting as though it were a good idea.
– wincenworks
(edit: Thank you to those who pointed out the unfortunate de-aging when compared to Hanzo’s default skin, which this is a gender flip of. Also thank you to those who wrote in to notify of Sarashi, which is a specifically Japanese technique using special bandages – while it is not clear on this model, this technique is too often depicted with regular bandages. The heels would be a lesser gripe.)
Legends of Tomorrow
@whereismywizardhat submitted:
After seeing the promotional picture for the Legends of Tomorrow version of the Justice Society of America, and specifically their version of Stargirl, I opted to do a five second redesign to make the look feel… well, more like something a superpowered woman in the 1940s would wear.
My Redesign
The source
It should be noted that Stargirl in the comics looks almost identical to the source photo, but she is also set in modern day, not 1941.
Look, I get that superhero costumes were based on the super tight outfits strongmen wore in order to show off their physique. That does not mean when transplanting a female character to WWII you can bring her costume without baggage.
I have to say, I really like the redesign – it’s nice and conveys the spirit of the era without fussing about too much with the specifics or worrying about trying to pin down a particular moment in fashion.
As for the official image.. there’s something about the super heroine costumes I just can’t put my finger on… something to do with history. Something the show probably should have come across while doing some research on World War Two era fashions, life and technology…
Seriously DC Comics, you should know better… not even Catwoman wore spandex in the 1940s and she was a femme fatale from word go!
– wincenworks
Legends of Tomorrow
@whereismywizardhat submitted:
After seeing the promotional picture for the Legends of Tomorrow version of the Justice Society of America, and specifically their version of Stargirl, I opted to do a five second redesign to make the look feel… well, more like something a superpowered woman in the 1940s would wear.
My Redesign
The source
It should be noted that Stargirl in the comics looks almost identical to the source photo, but she is also set in modern day, not 1941.
Look, I get that superhero costumes were based on the super tight outfits strongmen wore in order to show off their physique. That does not mean when transplanting a female character to WWII you can bring her costume without baggage.
I have to say, I really like the redesign – it’s nice and conveys the spirit of the era without fussing about too much with the specifics or worrying about trying to pin down a particular moment in fashion.
As for the official image.. there’s something about the super heroine costumes I just can’t put my finger on… something to do with history. Something the show probably should have come across while doing some research on World War Two era fashions, life and technology…
Seriously DC Comics, you should know better… not even Catwoman wore spandex in the 1940s and she was a femme fatale from word go!
– wincenworks
Sword Hero #1…. Real Sonja!
Billed in her Marvel profile as one of the greatest sword-fighting martial artists and in peak physical condition, Red Sonja most often appears in inane poses and wearinglingerieclothing that would get one killed in real alpine environments, let alone in combat- or just walking into a traditional village in some parts of the world.There have been exciting redesigns in recent times, yet I thought I’d contribute my own vision of what Real Sonja could be with dignity, medieval martial arts skills and sensible clothes.
Real Sonja is beautiful, but not glamorous. Her boots are muddy, her chainmail broken and rusted in places. Her skin is scarred.
Since Sonja is supposedly Russ or Ukrainian, I’ve borrowed elements of Russian infantry kit from the 13th century, whilst inventing a plausible armour rig that keeps her style of form-fitting chain/scalemail with exposed arms and loose hair. Her boots and an undershirt are lined with fur, and her hair is half-bound back from her face in a warrior’s braid.I have closed the rectangular holes in her gloves and filled them with bands of tough leather. Sonja wears a sleeveless quilted aketon beneath her chainmail, which is strapped over with several belts and a flesh-coloured gorget of un-dyed leather. Her pants are also flesh-coloured, allowing her to visually rock the traditional Sonja look but with the practicality of actual clothing.
I’d like to think that she has a big warm cloak somewhere nearby, along with a bag, more weapons, her missing dagger and a horse. This is a practical, experienced outdoor woman who would be well prepared for harsh conditions.
Sonja’s sword technique is straight from Fiore de’i Liberi’s ‘Flower of Battle’, (the Getty version) and her stance is as close as possible to the victorious figure in the original manuscript (bottom left of folio 29r).
In this section of the book Fiore is teaching close sword plays, and this is one of many variations on how to deal with an opponent whilst fighting at intimate distance. Of this move Fiore says,
“Se uno se covra de la parte riversa piglia la sua mane stancha cum la man stancha, cum tutto lu pomo de la sua spada e penzilo in dredo e cum punta e taglio ben lo po’ ferire.”
“If he (your opponent) covers from his left side, grab his left hand including his pommel with your left hand, and pull it upwards and backwards. From there you will be able to strike him with thrusts and cuts.”*(*Translated to modern English by Colin Hatcher, via the Wiktenauer)
A reinterpretation of Red Sonja by real life swordswoman Samantha Swords combined with techniques from actual fighting manuals is simply pure awesome.
I particularly like the use of the flesh toned leather to give a similar silhouette to visible mail without going for the same exposed cleavage that seems to have haunted Red Sonja for decades.
It’s a great demonstration of how even if you really want to cultivate a nod to a past look, you don’t need to perpetuate all the problems from that look.
– wincenworks