The Many Looks of Black Alice: The Return: The Sequel

[kamino_neko]

Continuing my irregular series showcasing the many costumes worn by Black Alice, seen here, and here, as well as this post by gargoylekitty, which has a couple that I didn't post as I hadn't read the issue, and this one by icon_uk which kicked the whole thing off.

A smallish post, this time. Lori's not been wearing a lot of different costumes for the last few months - and the last SS arc had her powers borked, so she only gets to change once, once she's in Skartaris.

But, anyway...To the images! (Each will be preceded by a link to the character she's swiping for comparison's sake.)

FIRST! We have her swiping from Circe:



I was a touch disappointed by Ted Naifeh's art on the Coven backup in Teen Titans, because I'm a big fan of his stuff, in general. The costume designs for Lori were a big part of that. The headdress and the change of the tights into ripped stockings are the only 'Lorizations' of the costume, and aren't terribly impressive. Too bad.

Next, also from the Coven, Traci 13...



You may have noticed that, contrary to my earlier statement, I didn't include a link to what Traci looks like. Because the look of Traci's she's swiping (the look that she's wearing at that story)...is exactly like that, only with different hair - you can just vaguely see her in the bottom of the frame. Not very much Lori in it, at all.

OK, and the last non-repeated character in this post...Lord Deimos (image taken from the same issue as the Black Alice image), a tyrant from Skartaris.



This one is interesting - she's actually pulled Deimos himself out of Machiste, who he'd been possessing. So, it's not quite a traditional stealing of powers. Lori remains somewhat in control - and influences the final appearance of her transformed self - the black scales, the ragged crest - but Deimos is also influencing her (she's very upset about having killed the people she's frying in that image, when she lets Deimos go). I'm not going to rank it against the others, for just that reason.

OK, now we get some further variants on characters she's swiped from before!

First, Doctor Fate...

First, from Naifeh in the Coven:



Better than his designs for Circe!Alice or Traci!Alice. At least he varied it some more. I think the face-baring helmet kind of misses the point of Doctor Fate's costume, but I like the boots, and detailing on the bodice, and the skirt isn't bad. Thumbs up on the whole, but some generalized disappointment.

Now by Marcos Marz in Secret Six:



A slightly toned down version of her first Fate costume. The loss of the 'how does she not skewer herself' level of spikiness is fine by me, but I am very disappointed by the helmet going full face, rather than vertically bifurcated like the earlier version. For some reason I can't quite put my face on the shape of the helmet makes me giggle.

Now, Blue Devil:




All told...not bad. Blue Devil's a good character for Alice - assuming, like all artists seem to who've done her with his powers, she gets a variation on his original costume, not his new one. That said, I like what Naifeh did with it here more than what Nguyen did with it in Secret Six - not that Nguyen did badly, or anything. Naifeh just did better, IMO.

And finally, some more of the ever popular Green Lantern:

First, Naifeh's take from the Coven (two shots, since neither showed it well enough for my taste on its own):




Serviceable, IMO - there's definite Alice elements - the skirt, the garters, the tattered collar. But, on the other hand, it almost feels like a generically feminized version of Alan's costume, even so. Nothing to the level that I'd complain, but...I dunno, it could be better.

Next, Calafiore, from Secret Six:



I like it a little better than Naifeh's, though the same mini-complaint does hold - with some minor changes, I could see a female version of Alan, or an heir of his, wearing exactly this. That said, the Alice elements are enough to make it hers, and it's a very nice design in general.

And, finally, Marz from Secret Six:



I wish we'd gotten a better view of this one, but, from what we see. Very generic, and not much of either Lori or Alan in it. By far my least favourite Black Alice costume, yet.

So, there you have it...part three of The Many Looks of Black Alice. Random single panels from Secret Six 25, 29, and 30, and Teen Titans 84, 85, and 87.

Comments

[ravenous_raven]

Really? That's difficult for her to use them then. What does she do, memorize all the powers of the magical superheros and their costumes so she can identify them when she gets them?

Also, didn't she once purposefully steal Banshee's powers when Banshee was being snarky to her?

[bewareofgeek]

First person to draw fanart of Alice chanelling the X-Man Banshee wins a cookie.

[icon_uk]

IIRC she just triggers her powers and a random magic user is depowered and their powers given to her.

If she did manage to take someone's powers specifically then that's certainly an interesting development, but I don't think it's standard.

[valtyr]

I remember her saying 'Wonder Woman coming right up' once? And then she found her powers were borked?