An Alex Ross eye view on a certain little bird (and a bigger bird too... but not THE Big Bird)

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Just found these up at Sal Abatinni's CAF page and thought you'd like to see them too.

Alex Ross has noted that he's always found Robin to be a VERY tough character to draw, as much because he doesn't warm to the concept of Robin (a risk he can never accept Batman taking) as anything else, so I can see the logic of, if he IS going to draw him, beefing up the costume's protective properties.



Not sure about the Nightwing bit, it's a little... Raven-ish to me, but not bad. This Ross fellow shows promise! :0

Oh, and for legality, here's the cover for Legends of the Dark Knight #100, also showing young Mr Grayson.

Comments

[volksjager.insanejournal.com]

I just don't like the facial expressions Alex Ross uses. They have always turned me off.

[shanejayell.insanejournal.com]

They have this kinda 'axe crazy' look at times.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Robin probably SHOULD have the "axe crazy" look a lot of the time, it would be the best way to disconcert the bad guys who are three feet taller and outweigh him by four hundred pounds.

"Geez, it is obvious to even the most unobservant of mooks, a number amongst which I do not ordinarily count myself, that it would be possible for me to squeeze this kids head like a pimple, and yet he is still coming towards me with a most malicious, and some might even say malevolent, smile on his face. This is most disconcerting and could indeed be being of some hazard to my wellbeing." *

(*Todays mobster talk is brought to you courtesy of Damon Runyon)

[runespoor7.insanejournal.com]

I think Robin gets across as axe crazy a lot of the time. Grinning thirteen year old dressed in the brightest get-up ever, kicking your ass with flips and stuff and punning like he doesn't have your blood on his pixie boots. Personally, I'd be terrified.

[the_jeff.insanejournal.com]

I thought you were channeling Asprin's Guido... best mobster ever.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Not to worry, Guido is also a very consciously Runyon-esque character.

[volksjager.insanejournal.com]

Yes. He also tend to draw everyone "middle aged", or older than they would seem to be.

[darkknightjrk.insanejournal.com]

And most disconcerting of all, a lot of Ross' women look like middle-aged men in the face.

[bluefall.insanejournal.com]

Odd facial expressions too, sometimes. I'm a bit bothered by how his Wonder Woman looks perpetually surprised.

[dreadedlurker.insanejournal.com]

I think he tends to draw people as a tad chubby. And with Supes and Batsy, that doesn't work to well.

[ian_karkull.insanejournal.com]

He seems to be trying to ape the Golden Age Robin's facial axpression, which was rather stylized and thus doesn't really mash with Ross' pseudo-realistic designs.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Yeah, Golden Age Robin as broad-shouldered, barrel-chested dwarf doesn't really gel with Ross's style.

[dreadedlurker.insanejournal.com]

That is a PERFECT description of my reaction to Golden Age Robin.

[shanejayell.insanejournal.com]

I have to admit I like the Robin redesign. If they ever retcon away the short shorts, that would be a good look.

[04nbod.insanejournal.com]

I wish Alex Ross would do another series like Justice. I can't wait for that absolute edition

[mugiwara.insanejournal.com]

Ross is to hoods what Liefeld is to pockets.

[aaron_bourque.insanejournal.com]

Pockets?

Does Liefeld do pockets particularly . . . something?

[thokstar.insanejournal.com]

Maybe he means pouches rather than pockets?

[mugiwara.insanejournal.com]

Yes, I mean pouches. Pardon my french.

[aaron_bourque.insanejournal.com]

Well, I have to disagree. It's not like his cloak is wearing cloaks . . .

[cricharddavies.insanejournal.com]

Dammit. Now I have to respect Alex Ross again. That's brilliant -- it harkens back to the alleged inspiration of Robin's name, referring back to Robin Hood!

[perletwo.insanejournal.com]

That would explain why, given the choice, he draws an older-teen Robin. I do love the scales all the way down the legs and arms, and I like the shift in color palette, though it would've been hard to maintain before computer coloring came into play.

Nightwing: either current-Raven or Hourman. Love the face though.

[jesidres.insanejournal.com]

Ok, those Nightwing costume ideas are kinda...sorta....shit, ok they're pretty damn awesome. Still think he's better without a cape though.

[runespoor7.insanejournal.com]

The Robin cape looks like it was stolen from Green Arrow's closet, and is too long for something I'd associate with Dick. Also, not enough yellow, even if the thought of changing colors is interesting.

And Nightwing shouldn't have a cloak.

[tavella.insanejournal.com]

Robin's not bad, but yes, Dick's a gymnast and would have no interest whatsoever in a nasty entangling cape. It's a case of thinking about the look of something and nothing whatsoever about the character wearing it.

[runespoor7.insanejournal.com]

Especially after the clever meta we recently had about Dick's costumes in the most recent issues of Batman and Batman and Robin.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Depends, he's used underarm glider wings before, and whilst I thought they were a bad idea, if he's going for a new style as Nightwing, the silent sliding through the sky before slipping out of the Black Orchid style sleeves to kick arse might be a way to go.

[unknownscribler.insanejournal.com]

That is quite lovely.

[freddylloyd.insanejournal.com]

With the exception of that Legends of the Dark Knight cover, all the pictures I've seen Ross do of the traditional Robin have a stiff, mannequinnish quality. Perhaps he didn't have the right models, or perhaps his disbelief in the character came through. Though I don't like the hood and long cape, I do see many more signs of life in Ross's redesigned Robin. Thanks for sharing.

[aaron_bourque.insanejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm liking the Robin redesign. The Nightwing redesign, though, is basically the same thing, but (presumably) with different colors.

Wish he had an actual HELMET but . . .

[lieut_kettch.insanejournal.com]

If that Nightwing costume had an actual helmet, with all the bird elements in the costume and equipment, he'd be flying in the God Phoenix taking down the forces of Galactor/Spectra.

Waitaminit... both characters were voiced by Casey Kasem at some point.

Not to mention Alex Ross did do a BoP mini a few years ago.

[kamino_neko.insanejournal.com]

The end result of that is Robin in the Teen Titans cartoon, in his motorcycle-riding gear.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Which did look pretty cool. I also liked the split cape that Robin got in "The Batman" series. Flared up like wings when he was dropping from a height, not bulky enough to get in his way when fighting on the ground.

[toasty_fresh.insanejournal.com]

Meh. I've never been a big fan of Alex Ross, so I'm not feeling these too much . . . I'd like the Robin one better if the cape were shorter, personally.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Agreed, it's too long and encumbering.

[psychop_rex.insanejournal.com]

Oooh, I LIKE the Nightwing costume! Very classy. Sure, it does kinda tap into Raven's costume, but then I like her look, too, so that's OK. The Robin one is... interesting, but the chainmail on the legs looks a bit weird to me - tactically unsound, too. There's a reason why people never wore chainmail pants back in olden times - it's HEAVY, with a shirt of the stuff weighing upwards of twenty pounds, and while your upper body can take the strain easily enough, on your legs I'm guessing it would slow down your stride quite a bit. (Also, I can imagine that it would be REALLY easy for your pants to fall down if your belt was loosened even a tiny bit - not the most dignified, or safe, thing to happen on a battlefield.) Even with the lighter metals that would probably be used today, I don't think it's really practical on a character who is known for jumping around and kicking people. (Come to think of it, that's one reason why the short-shorts actually make a sort of sense - they free up the legs for high kicks and the like. It's the same sort of logic that a Ninja's pants are designed around.)

[(Anonymous)]

I like the idea behind the Robin costume and it's a simple way to modernize it. The hood is a bit Robin Hood-ish, which I hope to hell isn't some kind of visual pun.

Nightwing, though, I don't know. I want to like it, but I always liked that Nightwing DIDN'T have a cape because it suited his circus performer background. A cape would be impractical for all the aerial stunts he pulls.\

-ThatNickGuy, who really should create an account.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

Not sure what you mean by "visual pun", Robin has always been at least partly inspired by Robin Hood. It's even mentioned in his first appearance, that not only is the robin another flying creature like a bat, but it's also like one of Dick's favourite characters, Robin Hood.

[(Anonymous)]

Robin Hood. Robin's hood. It's a pun. It's a... disturbingly multi-faceted pun, but still.

-Nighteyes (who should also get a damned account, aurgh.)