Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Rescue Me: Mirage

mirage
Mirage: smarmy, boastful, a piss-poor tactician, just won't shut the hell up, plus he has handles on the sides of his head. It's no wonder Scourge wanted him dead! Of course, if Mirage had bothered to consult me about his sartorial decisions, he might still be alive today. (It's ain't braggin' if it's true.)

That's his second comic book appearance up there. His first was in a Spider-Man comic, and his scheme back then was to rob a wedding. Is that -- why would he -- I mean, does that even happen? I guess there's be a lot of swag there, but there's also like two hundred witnesses. Imagine getting your ass kicked by the groom's beefy, truck-driving aunt. I dunno. Anyway, the whole thing sounds like a Gerry Conway plot if ever I heard one. But it's actually one of Len Wein's. Mirage got crushed by a chandelier at the end of it. But he rallied for that "Marvel Two-In-One" cameo where he got clobbered by Daredevil. His third appearance was in "Captain America" where Scourge shot him to death. The end!

Okay! Without further ado, here's how I would have dressed Mirage. If he'd asked me to dress him.



Ooh! Mysterious. No, it's not Captain Universe, The Hero Who Could Be You But Let's Be Honest Honey That's Never Going To Happen. It's Mirage, in my ethereal new costume for him! Because of the codename and the theme (holographic impersonation) I went more poetic and arty this time. It's very Neal Gaiman. And very plain old-fashioned gay. It's even gayer than my Black Condor design, which doesn't even seem possible to me but there you go. Like it or lump it.

The colors are pale because when I think of a mirage, I think of illusory water shimmering against a blue desert sky. And it's more ghostly. If he'd had the common sense to keep the damned image inducer activated most of the time, then this would have been a very dramatic, alien look that a hero would have glimpsed only briefly before Mirage slipped around a corner or into the back of a limo. The cowl includes an immobile, sculpted face mask. With big, big Silver Surfer eyes. (Mysterious!) And I carried over the stripe and diamond motifs, but I think I used them in a more restrained and interesting way than he did.

In other news, I really struggled with the Clock King/Green Arrow deal but I finally conquered the conceptual part of it and now I just have to draw the dang thing. Oh, and I found a picture of Megatak online and holy cats is that ever an awful costume! I must help him!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the new costume. I didn't think so much "gayer than gay" than "Mike Allred's Watchmen."

As much as I love Marvel's Z-listers, Mirage was always a tool. A band of (allegedly) disorienting holographic duplicates is useless if all they do is stand around slackjawed while the real version monologues. (And an illusion-generating villain going up against Daredevil is just sad.)

Scipio said...

Killed? Silly Marvel.

At DC, Mirage would be leading member of Green Arrow's rogues gallery.

googum said...

Mirage had a brief but shining moment in Deadpool #0, when 'Pool grabbed him by the handles and crushed his trachea. His duplicates had a dismayed expression in the background. I'm pretty sure he'll appreciate your help, then.

Anonymous said...

Great job, Blockade Boy! I like the new costume. Muuuuuch better than Mirage's old look. I once heard Mirage described as a supervillain dressed as a legal pad.

Yeah, I never understood the whole "handle on head" thing a lot of Marvel's characters have going on. Just look at Havok's original outfit, or the High Evolutionary. I remember reading old X-Men comics, waiting for the Juggernaut or someone to pick Havok up by the handles on his head and throw him.

Wow, I didn't realize how FEW appearances Mirage made! How sad. Only, not really.

I can't wait to see your take on Megatak! I don't know why Marvel creates a "Ringer II" while a guy like Megatak has no successors. Megatak was a video game-themed villain, for crying out loud. Is that sort of thing not more relevant than ever now?

Mark Day said...

Is it wrong to dress Doritos in some super costume and claim they're made of Kryptonite? Just asking....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNQ_P1hwQ40

Anonymous said...

I like this one. Sort of reminds me of The Vision, but that's not a bad thing. The color scheme sells it, though. Good thinking.

"Mirage had a brief but shining moment in Deadpool #0, when 'Pool grabbed him by the handles and crushed his trachea."

Deadpool 0 may have been the single funniest and yet most violent comic book ever. Classic.

Anonymous said...

Sleek. Elegant, even.

Jeremy Rizza said...

The Thing: You're right. I suppose the gayest thing about my drawing is his fey dancer's pose. And it's not like he's fuschia or sumpin'.

Scipio: Haw! Good thinkin'!

Googum: No shit? Was that a time-travel story or a flashback, or is Mirage alive in the present? You've intrigued me!

Anonymous Justin, and Chawunky: Thanks, pals!

And Naladahc, in response to your comment on my accidentally deleted update post: Sorry about your Membros (and Antron). I remember letting my young nephew play with my giant-size Venom figure. I gave it to him, glanced away for one second, and when I looked back he had one of the legs off.