MangaDCU: Friend or Foe 4

I wanted to update some of the images of established characters with ties to each of the MJLA members.

 left to right: Deadshot, Circe, Black Lightning, Weather Wizard, Supergirl, Terra, and Elongated Man.

 

 

Deadshot:  Shiraga Hōritsu(Floyd Lawton); design inspired by Dosu Kinuta of Naruto and The Punisher in War Zone

Freelance shinobi assassin; Master marskman with almost any throwing or long range weapon

 

Being born into a shinobi family isolated from any clan, Shiraga's father thought the best way to prepare his sons to survive was to teach them how truly cruel and harsh the world could be by forcing them to experience hardship every day of their lives, until they could prove they were strong.  Tiring of years of abuse at his father's hand, Shiraga sought to end it by utilizing the skills his father had taught him.  He lay in waiting in a tree with a blowgun armed with a poison dart.  just as he saw his opening, the branch gave way throwing off his shot.  Unknown to him, his older brother had the same idea, and had a more personal approach to patricide.  Shiraga's poison dart found its mark in him, killing him instantly.  Horrified, Shiraga ran away.  He continued to train harder than ever until he became a master marksman, quite unlike any other.  He amased quite a few kills, along with a reputation within the League of Shadows.  He even came across the Shadow of the Bat, who could only prevent him from pursuing his target by stopping the delivery of payment from the contracter.  After being recruited by the enigmatic Mockingbird, to assisinate The Demon's Head sitting on the throne of the floating castle, Deadshot along with five other deadly assasins were endebted to the real Onishusoku for sparing their lives after attempting to take his.  This new Secret Six had to perform, six clandestine personal operations for their former target.   once complete, all would be forgotten.  After surving the Secret Six missions, Deadshot left Hitosherenu hoping for a change of pace.  This did not last long at all, as he was recruited into Task Force X...The Suicide Squad!

- Deadshot prides himself on being a professional; as long as he's been paid to kill someone, he will always carry it out, without exceptions.

- The origin for the name Floyd is Welsh for, "grey-haired"; Shiraga is the Japanese word for the same thing.

- as there are no handguns permitted in Hitoshirenu, to replace the sniper rifle associated with the character, I opted for a blowgun.  He also utilizes, boomerangs, kunai, daggers, shuriken, slingshots, and a crossbow to take out his marks.

- This Deadshot has just as much a deathwish as the dc comics version.

- Deadshot's Secret Six teammates are: Catman, Ragdoll, Cheshire, Parademon, and Scandal Savage.

- Deadshot's Suicide Squad teammates are: Bronze Tiger, Mindboggler, Plastique, Deadline, and Flagg.

 

 

Circe: design inspired by Queen Beryl and Queen Nehlenia of Sailor Moon and DCUniverse online

Conjurer; Member of Amazonian Wonder Guard of Kichijoten

 

Taken as a concubine to the god of evil, Mikaboshi, the Witchqueen's life was thrown into chaos when her master was slain by the Queen and the Honor Guard of Wondrous Women of what would become the Amazon Nation of The Isle of Onogoroshima.  For years she plotted on how to gain access to the island to have her revenge.  Eventually she engineered  a situation where she would encounter a Seed Raiding party (amazons travelling to the mainland with the intention of getting inseminated to continue the birthline of Amazons), and gain not only entrance to the island, but the nation itself.  After living as an amazon, she plotted against the Queen's house and attempted to steal a collection of mystical artifacts.  Her plans were thwarted by the current honor guard (descendants of the originals) and the queen's own daughter, Princess Megami.  While engaging in battle on The Isle of Awagishima (the sister island of Onogoroshima), a backlash of mystical energies would catapult all of them through the portal to "man's world",  scattering the artifacts and taking their memories of thier homeland with them.  The girls of the Wonderguard had their memories restored to them by their princess, one by one and dealt with threats that Circe placed in their paths while also masquerading as the headmaster of the private academy the girls all attended.  Eventually, Circe acquired all but one of the artifcats, with the last remaining on the Amazons' paradise island.  She assaulted the island and the princess, now know as Wonder Woman made a final lone stand against her, finally trapping her within an impentrable prison.  When The Wondergirls next threat, Devastation and Izanagi were defeated, Hippolytia, the Queen of the Amazons felt free to leave the island to spend time with her daughter in her new home.  It is at that point that the patron goddess of the Amazons, Kichijoten reveals that she had no intentions of ever allowing her to leave the island.  Hippolytia leaves despite this information, under the protection of her daughter and her friends, prompting the goddess to draft an All New Wonder Guard from the Amazon's present.  Wondergirls: Anastasia, Furia, Trinita, Sandiria, Concordia and Theania track down and engage their predecessors, only they are not as used to their new abilities nor working as a team.  In a last ditch move of desperation, Kichijoten offers to free Circe, if she acts on her behalf to retrieve the fugitive Wondergirls.  She agrees, and is empowered to become; Wondergirl Circia, The Conjurer.

- Circe's pose was based on an image drawn by Terry Dodson.

- Kichijoten wanted to keep Hippolytia on Onogorshima to prevent her from finding the reincarnation of their mutual love interest; Bishamon, the god of War.

- Circe's headpiece has a Maleficent vibe to it now.

- As Circia, Circe's mystical weapon is a sickle with an attached lasso.  The same as during Dodson's run on Wonder Woman.

- Circe's plan for the artifacts was to attempt to revive Mikaboshi.

- Circe has a real attachment to her human identity; Headmaster Dr. Dana Milton's foster son, Steven Trevor. 

- Awagishima, like Onogoroshima, is an island from Japanese mythology.

 

 

Black Lightning: (Jefferson Pierce); design inspired by Aang of Avatar: The Last Airbender

Lightning Elemental housed in humanoid body; former android.

 

After the invasion of Zandia, Batman and Black Canary opt to continue utilizing The Outsiders as a black ops team.  On one mission, things go sideways, and instead of submitting themselves to the authorities, they decide to remain Dark.  The media is involved as the Outsiders become wanted fugitives.  tips on their appearances get leaked and it is at this time that Black Lightning is approached by Anissa and Jennifer Pierce; the sisters of Jefferson Pierce.   Each imbued with some of his electrical essence, Black Thunder and White Lightning attempt to enact vengeance for the loss of their brother and father to the elemental android they had once befriended.  Black Lightning does his best to defend himself while not hurting the girls, but they seem to have a decent understanding of how to use their newfound abilities and it isn't as easy as he thought it would be.  Thunder knocks his helmet off (as he was hiding his identity to protect them) and is stunned when she sees the face of her brother, Jefferson.  The two girls stand dumbfounded as Black Lightning tries to explain what really happened that day, but they tune out what they dont want to hear, and recommence the assualt believing their brother's body to have been stolen intentionally.  It is when he decided to stop fighting back and allow them to do as they will that Anissa sees the signs of her brother within this new incarnation of Black Lightning based on a saying that Jefferson used to say.  She is too late to stop Jennifer from striking a fatal blow on the all too human young man.   Anissa rushes to Black Lightning's side prompting the now confused Jennifer to question why.  Upon telling her what she saw, Jennifer becomes grief stricken, thinking she may have inadvertantly taken their last chance at seeing their brother again.  Anissa directs Jennifer to use her lightning as a defibrilator, to try to restart his heart (the way he did for them), and it works.  With tensions finally lowered enough, the three have a discussion and decide to take some time to get reacquainted. 

- Anissa and Jennifer's costumes are going to be based off of the versions in the DCNation shorts of Black Lightning and his family.

- Although Anissa is the elder of the three Pierce siblings, "Jefferson" tends to act as a big brother to both of the girls.

- I modeled Red Tornado on Aang, The Last Airbender.  Since Red was a replacement for Black Lightning, I made their designs similar to reflect this visually.

- Anissa will have a friendship with a member of the Planetary Amazonian Wonder Guard; Gracia, The Grappler.  Their friendship will mature as they age.

-Eventually, Anissa and Grace will join a revamped version of the Outsiders, this time under the direction of Nightwing.

 

 

Weather Wizard: Makishirou Morita (Mark Mardon); design inspired by Harry Potter

Weather controling technology manipulated through use of Control Weather Wand

 

Heatwave (Mick Rory) broke Makishirou out of the juvinile detention center where he was being held awaiting psychiatirc evaluation.  He was the first recruit on his version of The Rogues, as the initial group had already performed a failed attempt at taking down the Scarlet Speedster, Hypersuit Pilot; Flash.  after helping him reacquire his wand and "wizard's cloak", they set about collecting The Top, and  are later joined by The Trickster.  They have just as much of a rivalry with Captain Cold and her team of Rogues; Captain Boomerang, Mirror Mistress, and Suizen Shakuhachi (Pied Piper).  Sparked by the time they came into conflict regarding which team was going to take out the Flash, when both teams cornered him at the same time.  On top of the pre-existing history between Cold and Boomer and Heatwave, the teams spent so much time quarrelling, that they gave Flash an opportunity to recover and neutralize both teams. 

- I used Mardon's signiture stripes in his scarf and tie.

- Weather Wizard sounds like a mix between a television forecaster, a Dungeons and Dragons afficianado, and a Hogwarts faculty member, when "casting his spells".

- After Flash prevented him from killing the tormentor of the girl he had feelings for, Makishirou decided it was better to leave him alive and torture him regularly until he took his own life like she had.  He still has resentment towards Flash for stopping him, even though he feels this way now.

- The confrontation between the two teams of Rogues was brought about when Cold was approached by a potential recruit in a female version of Trickster.  She told them a tale of similar woe regarding Flash and laid out a plan to capture him, which although successful, led them into direct conflict with Heatwave's team.

- I wanted to mirror Cold's team having one male member, so I utilized Heyeohkah's shaman shapshifting powers as Trickster to have him create a situation where he switches genders.

- No one but Heyeohkah knows why he brought the teams together...especially since Flash wound up coming out on top.

- With the team comprised of all male members, Heatwave has taken to referring to them as, The Brogues (Bros+Rogues).

- There will eventually be a third team of Rogues; Girder, Murmur, and Magenta, led by Blacksmith.

 

 

Supergirl: Kaori Zora-Ku (Kara Zor-El) ; design inspired by Ame-Comi  Supergirl v.1

Solar Charged super strength & durability, flight and chi control.  Intergalactic martial arts training

 

While getting to know her counterpart, Galatea, outside of the Glamslammers' Metabrawl arena; Kaori convinces her to see if their cousin, Kura-Ku (Superman) can assist her in locating her home universe.  Superman contacts his friend, Emil Hamilton who tasks the great minds of the students and faculty at the STAR labs project to figuring out the Phantom Zone tech and initiating an expedition.  When they get there, upon other things, they find a Kryptonian warship; recommisioned as a search and rescue vehicle, searching for their lost commander.  The ship was under the command of Faora and her second in command, Namu-Ek.  Aboard that ship was another Kryptonian...Vaal-Zod, The Sword of Rao.

- With her Kryptonian, Horo-Kanu foundation (taught to her by General Zod, during their time in the Phantom Zone), Supergirl has become an intergalactic mixed martial artist, of sorts; combining Kryptonian Raider Skirmish Skills with Granny Goodness' Female Fury training, alongside the multitude of combat battles she's engaged in and techniques she's picked up onWarworld and in the Metabrawl Arena.

- The outfit Kaori wore while in the Phantom Zone, prior to escaping with Zod, Ursa, and Non was the AmeComi v.2.

- decided to add the New 52 Earth-2 version of Superman to the mix. Still deciding what he will look like, but he'll maintain the Earth-2 colorscheme.

 

 

Terra: (Tara Markova) ; character inspired by Samurai 7

Sword of Lemuria; Mystical sword grants control over earth element through use of Earthweaving forms

Terra was traumatized by the fact that not only had she physically lost her brother, but if she ever found him, he would have no memory of who she was.  She also couldn't deal with the fact that as his last act, he chose to transfer all of the knowledge of the Earthweaving forms to her chosen apprentice, Sand rather than her.   She and Geo were raised by their father, Swordmaster Siorus after the death of their mother.  After he died in battle, Geo took up his sword and the responsibility of raising his sister (as well as ensuring her safety) by making her his apprentice.  Terra left the seas to walk the earth, trying to find her amnesiac brother, but as time went on, despair crept in.  With the only family she had left gone, Terra went into a downward spiral.  She began to dull the pain with cage fighting and inebriation.  She was found by Deathstroke, the Terminator, who saved her from getting taken advantage of by a group of derelicts while she was in a drunken stupor.  He helped her clean up her act, after she attacked him and he quickly showed her his fighting skill was superior to hers.  She grew attached to him as he filled a void in her life, and the thought of being alone again was soul crushing.  She would do anything to keep him around, and when he heard that he started to tell her of his plan involving the Teen Titans...

- Each of the Cities of Meropis had vastly different cultures.  Lemuria was one that was more tribal based, where the inhabitants were more in touch with the land.  One of the shared cultural aspects i decided would be tatoos.  I made Terra's facial tattoos resemble her mask from her mainstream look.

- As the Sword of Lemuria, Terra can manipulate earth, stone, mineral, mud, dirt, and sand.  The most skilled Earthweaving techniques involve forming and manipulating lava.

- Each Sword of Lemuria's name is a variation of the word, "Earth".

- As with any of the Swords of the Seven Seas, they are most powerful within their element.  Also, the bond with the Sword allows the user, and their chosen apprentice (who is also bonded to the weapon) to breathe air just as easily as water.

- I designed this costume to moreresemble her brother, Geo's samurai inspired robe.  instead of having one sleeve of the jacket off, she has both.  Her apprentice, Sand will mimic her style.

- I based Terra's pose on a picture of a sword weilding female drawn by Japanese artist, Shunya Yamashita.

- Terra's Teen Titans Team is composed of members: TOK gamer Herald; exiled Thriae queen, Bumblebee; and Deathstroke's son, Jericho.

 

 

Elongated Man: Ryoji Daishi (Ralph Dibney) ; design inspired by Luffy D. Monkey of One Piece

Infused with supernatural essence extracted from a Nyojizai yokai; Ability to elongate his limbs

 

When the Justice League decided to officially mentor the next generation of members, with the Justice League: Kohai program, they gave the young heroes a full battery of tests.  One of the doctors called in to assist was a colleague of Harinezumi Jouon (Green Lantern). After running tests on them, Dr. Daishi became extremely fascinated by the concept of the mystical artifact that had empowered the young Plastic Man; the Bakemono Hedoro.  He thought that with further study, the effects could be replicated and modulated to cure any number of degenerative diseases, one of which was currently afflicting a close family member of his.  In an effort to secretly replicate the effects of the Bakemono Hedoro, Ryoji extracted the ectoplasmic essence of a captured yokai known as a Nyojizai; characterized by its ability to elongate its limbs.  A member of the Mal-Practice, Dr. Mist had been searching for the Bakemono Hedoro; as it was he whom it was originally stolen from by Kite-Man, and subsequently sold to Goth-Ahm crimeboss, Nendo Uwabari.  Dr. Mist infiltrated the Hall of Justice, and was able to incapacitate everyone there, including Superman.  In a last ditch effort to save himself and stop Mist from killing Unagi by attempting to extract the Bakemono Hedoro from Plastic Man, Ryoji injected himself with the essence of the Nyojizai.  The serum gave him the ability to elongate his limbs, as well as increase his muscles, bones, and tendons strength and flexibility.  He engaged Dr. Mist, and surprised him when he was able to physically break through his mystical barriers.  The supernatural origin of his newfound abilites gave him a natural defense against things mystic in origin.  With the capability to neutrilize his wards, Mist attempted to flee the scene, but Ryoji stretched his arms into the portal he vanished through and yanked him back, knocking him out in the process. 

- Now going by the name, Elongated Man, Ryoji will get recruited by the stars of the reality show, "The Brave and The Bold: Blue and Gold"; Blue Beetle and Bio Booster Gold.  They will be joined on their mission by; a new Dr. Light (Kimiyo Hoshi), and former undersea samurai Swordweilders, Fire and Ice.   

- After the completion of the mission, Elongated Man and Dr. Light will join up with a new Taskforce of Justice League heroes; Houndclan kunoichi, Crimson Fox; Metabrawl Glamslammer, Powergirl; Totem powered, Tasmanian Devil; and Elemental shaman, Maya.

- Bio Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Fire and Ice will be joined to form a new semi permanent team by; Animal Man and Vixen.

- Bakemono -class of yokai; direct translation: a thing that changes, referring to a state of transformation or shapeshifting

- Hedoro- chemical ooze

- At one point it was suggested that Luffy be used as the foundation for my version of Plastic Man, but it fit in so much better with the idea of an elongated man; as he stretches, as opposed to Plas' complete shapeshifting capabilities.

- the explanation for the ripped pants, is that it happened during the initial manefestation of his powers.

- i added the mystic tatts to evoke his connection to the supernatural. inspired by Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne