New Red Robin costume origin? (and believe it or not, a random Sailor Moon image)

[icon_uk]

Now, I've pondered this before, and something about Red Robin's new costume was familiar, but I couldn't place it...




Now at first I thought Marvel's Falcon, and then I thought about Seeker of the Spaceknights, but it was neither of those, THEN, being the compulsive Robin-phile that I am, I remembered THIS, a Robin redesign that George Perez did ten years ago when someone asked him how he'd redesign Robin's outfit, and I think he felt this was the last one he was going to do for a while....



Look familiar? Yes, I thought it might...

My usual ten minute paint.net job with it, led me to this rough and ready colourisation (And I cheerfully admit that I SUCK at shading and off humble apologies to Mr Perez for this chromatic hack job...)



What do you think? Pure coincidence, or maybe slightly inspired by this? (Admittedly the colours I've used are chosen to match the new Red Robin outfit, rather than what Mr Perez might have been imagining, which would I hope have included SOME green which I still think should be a requirement for a Robin outfit)

Oh, and simply because I've always loved this image and never really thought about posting it before and don't think I'll have any ACTUAL suitable post for it, a little Sailor Moon art which was an insert in Manga 14.


 

Comments

[marco]

I kind of hope that picture returns in the reprints.
Or better yet, they can make that as a larger poster available with the manga.

[marco]

I was going to say that DC needs heroes like the senshi... But maybe DC (and probably marvel) should just hire Takeuchi-sensei to write for them? I doubt she'd take as many hiatuses as her husband (is he still sick? Or is it just something else now?)

[icon_uk]

They already have the potential with Amethyst and the 12 houses of the Gemworld. A cartoon waiting to happen, as toyetic as hell, and plenty of scope for "themed" powers.

[marco]

I remember a post recently where Amethyst was mentioned (and I happened by her page on wiki last night). She sounds so awesome and fun.

DC needs to pick up the ball and the pace and realize they have a lot to work with as far as female characters go. [WW could spawn a number of different games (I have so many in mind, each to fit a different genre), Amethyst is perfect for toys and a cartoon and heck, they could be making more merchandise with their female characters. I would love a Wondy bag or something to go with my shirt.]

[heckfire]

GYAH! Rage...DC...Amethyst...grrr...

Sorry, heading off another rant before it begins. I suppose it's heartening to know that DC editorial totally ruining awesome stuff isn't a new phenomenon..? At least the initial miniseries was awesome...agreed, though, they totally had the "sailor senshi" idea in place since the 80s.

I have plans of crossing her over with Captain Marvel in my Marvel Family reboot proposal, if only for the compare/contrast of their concepts (and the joke idea of Billy and Amy liking each other well enough but, due to not knowing each others' secret identities, Cap and Amethyst snark each other constantly over differences in how a superhero and a magical warrior fight evil). Of course, since I don't work at DC, this remains firmly in fanfic territory...

[crabby_lioness]

If they'd just put out a collected Amethyst, the rest would follow so easily. They've already got the material!

[icon_uk]

The gatefold makes it a pain to scan as there is an apparent colour different between two of the pages!

[marco]

Really!? I couldn't tell~! I can see the line between the pages in some places, but it's still all perfect and awesome and beautiful looking.

[celestialchild]

I was hoping more for English publications of the artbooks. This image is contained therein. And anyway, those books are a true testament to Takeuchi's creativity and artistic ability.

[marco]

Oh my gosh, that would be so awesome. Maybe if the manga does well enough (and if there's fan demand), we'll get the artbooks. I really hope we do.
(I remember my friends and I used to collect the BSSM phone cards like mad because of the art. We would get pretty mean with each other over who had/got any of the manga art.)

[icon_uk]

I know I picked up a couple of the art books from the Japan Centre in London a while back, if there's interest, I'll see if I can scan a few pages.

[marco]

That would be awesome~!
It's been a while since I actually looked at any of the art from the artbooks.

[marco]

Also (totes sorry for spamming the post), wasn't there a cover or preview for one of the TT comics with the spider-chick seemingly crushing (going bondage mode, at least) on Tim and Cassie?
Also leads me to wonder about his wings. (How does he ensure they don't get crushed all the time?)

And I would say inspiration. (Or maybe one of those things where someone sees a pic but forgets and later when they draw something, it comes out somewhat similar. Unintentional inspiration!)

[icon_uk]

wasn't there a cover or preview for one of the TT comics with the spider-chick seemingly crushing (going bondage mode, at least) on Tim and Cassie?

Yup, in this post

[marco]

Ahh, right, thank you.
Makes me wonder what they're going for with the team.
(It already dawned on me the other day that Cassie being a thief probably means she won't be raised as a spunky girl by her awesome mom, etc.)

[zenbro]

Intrigued by Cassie's star field outfit, lol'ing at Connor's duct tape job.

[long_silence]

The star field is just such a Donna thing. And the hood looks like it comes out of nowhere (it's not even connected to a cape or a cloak or anything)

[big_daddy_d]

That is a nice looking costume. And as I said before I actually like Tim's new look and think the wings is a fitting addition.

[mullon]

Why the Hell does he have wings? Robin doesn't fly? Why does he need to fly?

[icon_uk]

He's been using a glider cape as Red Robin since he started in the role, I suppose this is a variant on that (though I agree a flying Robin doesn't really work for me... I was never a fan of Nightwing's gliderwings back just post Disco!Wing)

[whitesycamore]

I've never seen anything really wrong with the Red Robin redesign, except that it doesn't really fit Tim's character. Looks like the kind of thing that'd be worn by someone more flamboyant and metahuman, to me.

Also, I dislike him co-opting red, which is Jason (and Kate's) colour. Red has a flashy, special, ooh-look-at-me quality to it.* If everyone is just going to jump on the red bandwagon that CHEAPENS IT.

*Except at night-time I guess, when red actually appears much dimmer than blue, but wth we don't read comics in the dark so my point still stands.

[icon_uk]

Given he's a Robin, I don't think having a red costume is really co-opting anything, it's more of a requirement

[marco]

I think since Dick was blue (Nightwing) and Jason got red (Red Hood), with Tim taking some red now too (and heck, nu!Dick is too now, red is the new black?), it's less of a Robin thing and more characteristic/representation.

Being red Robin, Red is obvious. But it's even pointed that he's wearing the 'bad Robin's outfit'. So it doesn't feel like it's really his color (or costume).

I think I see whitesycamore's point, but even if I don't, I do agree. But he does wear the costume and the color quite well~.

[icon_uk]

I have a bigger issue (to the extent of me having any actual issues about such things, I mean it's not like I'm going to lose sleep either way) with Dick wearing red again. The blue (and robins egg blue at that) was his signature colour, the red just looks... vaguely wrong on him.

[marco]

I agree entirely. The blue is so perfect for him. Red just doesn't match him. Not like that. (But I guess they're going for him symbolism or some nonsense with it, so meh.)

[darkblade]

Well if we go by it saying Dick is blue and Jason is red then shouldn't Tim have a Green post Robin costume?

[marco]

Well, I was thinking that actually. It can even be minimal (or mostly) green. After all, both Dick and Jason's outfits aren't bursting with their colors.
(...Where did the Robins' colors come from anyway?)

[darkblade]

Dick's Robin costume was based on what he wore at the Circus (Secret Identity what's that?) and the others wore similar costumes because that's just what Robin wears.

[marco]

Oh, no, I mean the Dick=Blue, Jason=Red, Tim=Green, Damian=Yellow. x'D
(I mean, if we go in Robin color order starting with or after Jason, it kind of makes sense, especially since Steph being purple goes with her Spoiler and Bat Girl costumes, but where/when did the color coding originate I mean.)

[icon_uk]

Given the number of circus posters over the years which have gone so far as announce "The Flying Graysons, with Dick Grayson, the Boy Wonder of the Flying Trapeze" and the like, it's amazing he ever bothered with a mask.

[arbre_rieur]

Aren't the underarm wings pretty much the only element in common?

[icon_uk]

Perhaps, but still fairly distinctive wings.

[sethgray]

Speaking of good king George redesigning outfits, why was he never put in charge of designing Wonder Woman's?

[icon_uk]

I think they wanted to leave the costume alone in the relaunch in 1987, but he did design a rather fetching battle armour version early on, plus he design the costume ethos in the revamped Themiscyra... sorry shouldn't try to spell that on a Monday morning.

[arbre_rieur]

He's said that he suspects one of the reasons he got the Wonder Woman revamp gig is that his was one of the only proposals that didn't want to radically alter her costume.

[sethgray]

Yes, but why didn't they ask him to do it now? It seems like a no brainer to me.

[leikomgwtfbbq]

I had that Sailor Moon picture tacked up on my wall from sixth grade to the day I moved out of my mom's house. It's one of my favorites; zomg pretty watercolory-ness!

[celestialchild]

If Perez's costume was the inspiration, then I'm relieved at the modifications they made.

[icon_uk]

I dunno, the new one is just too... 90's. (I know that the Perez one is probably too 80's, but I'm an old fogey so feel justified in my chronological prejudices :) )