Acclaimed artist Phil Jimenez (Fairest, Wonder Woman, New X-Men) has transformed Warrior Woman! It’s the latest character redesign victory in a stellar comic book career.
Jimenez recently made his first trip to Vancouver, B.C. to appear at Fan Expo Vancouver. Along with sketching for fans and signing comic books Jimenez appeared on a Sketch Duel panel with Stephen Sadowski (JSA, Starman, Avengers) that was an insightful and hilarious highlight of the Expo.
Jimenez and Sadowski are known for their popular redesigns of characters so the first half of the sketch duel challenge was to give a B (or C or maybe D level depending on your opinion) character a new look while they shared insights on their design work and answered fan questions.
After a wave of suggestions from the audience (including Modok, Ma Hunkel, Booster Gold and Legion – that was mine) Jimenez decided on Dazzler and Sadowski took on Jack of Hearts!
As the sketching began Jimenez revealed how fashion design and trends have affected his work citing a Donna Troy look he said was inspired by Emma Peel (played by Diana Rigg) of The Avengers (as in the classic British series!) He went on to say how comics should be fantastical and his design influence was more haute couture than ready to wear.
Sadowski revealed his new takes on Atom Smasher and Hawkgirl on his JSA run as his favorite character redesigns. Busts and body images of female superheroes was a popular audience topic. Sadowski shared that he fought to give Kendra smaller breasts because he felt it would be more appropriate for her hawk-like appearance and the need to be more aerodynamic.
The first half hour ended with a Sadowski revealing a bolder, cleaner and more built version of Jack of Hearts while Jimenez went retro giving the Disco Dazzler big sunglasses and Farrah Fawcett inspired hair!
The second half hour was the most unique version of Pictionary you might ever experience. The audience submitted comic book characters, iconic weapons (like Thor’s hammer) or items of a costume (I chose Storm’s headpiece) on cards. Mystique and Wonder Woman cosplayers joined Team Jimenez while Beast and one of a trio (imagine an all male version of the X-Men’s Stepford Cuckoos) of Phoenixes played on Team Sadowski.
After the panel I got a chance to talk one on one with Jimenez about his latest redesign for Marvel. The revamped Hippolyta (Warrior Woman) just joined Fearless Defenders #3. Jimenez will drawn Fearless Defenders #4 which is an Age of Ultron tie-in issue. What was his inspiration?
Here’s the Jimenez variant cover to Fearless Defenders #3 in case you missed it and the cover of Fearless Defenders #4 starring the new Warrior Woman:
In the sketch duel Jimenez talks about the fantastical versus a more realistic approach to character design. Fearless Defenders is his first super hero work after an acclaimed run on the fairy tale themed Fairest. He revealed his thought and research process when creating his work:
After getting copies of Fairest, New X-Men and Wonder Woman signed I asked for of a sketch of Jean Grey in her old school Marvel Girl look which led to the interviewer being asked a big question. Jimenez wanted to know why I loved Jean Grey which led to an interesting discussion of why Scott Summers hasn’t really been a good guy to Jean or Emma Frost when you think about it. Then something really exciting happened – Jimenez drew the haunting image of Dark Phoenix just behind Jean!
By Editor
Follow Up – I wasn’t quick enough to capture Stephen Sadowski’s awesome redesign for Jack of Hearts but I hope someone snapped it and shared with Marvel editors! I could see a Jack of Hearts by Sadowski and written by James Asmus or Cullen Bunn.