Name Your DC Character Models

[Rorschach II]

A lot of artists like to use real-life models for the fictional characters, such as Alex Ross. Some people hate this, but I think it lends consistency to a character and also makes each one unique (there's often not much of a difference between Supergirl and Black Canary or Superman and Batman aside from costume and hairstyles) if an artist uses a real life person, such as an actor or even a friend/family member. This thread is for everyone to share their ideas on who they would model DC characters on if they drew/wrote DC comics.

I'll do a few random ones now (actors would be drawn at different ages/body shapes than they are now depending on what is required for the character):
Batman - Gregory Peck
Superman - Christopher Reeve
Wonder Woman - A cross between Lynda Carter and Monica Dean
Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) - Val Kilmer
The Flash (Barry Allen) - Ryan Reynolds
Martian Manhunter - Djimon Hounsou (but green though )
Supergirl - Laura Vandervoort
Power Girl - Marilyn Monroe (with adequate bust)
Catwoman - Rachel Weisz
Black Canary (Dinah) - Kim Basinger
The Joker - Jack Nicholson (young...my Joker would be in his twenties when he starts off, so I'd base him on Jack at that age)
Harvey Dent/Two Face - Ray Liotta
Lex Luthor - Kevin Spacey

 

[WompuM]

So this is basically "Cast Your Justice League"?

 

[Rorschach II]

Nah, 'cause I don't see Gregory Peck and Christopher Reeve facing off against a young Jack Nicholson and a fit Kevin Spacey being possible in this timestream.

Thanks for your input =D

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'd pretty much have Clancy Brown shave his head and play Lex. His voice is Lex's voice in my mind, and he's a tall, imposing dude who's in good enough shape to play Lex in live action.

 

[Mladen]

Monica Bellucci as Catwoman:

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'd go with Monica Bellucci as Huntress, myself. I never thought of Selina as Italian, but Huntress comes from the Mafia, so she's about as Italian as it gets.

 

[The Question]

I'd go with Monica Bellucci as Huntress, myself. I never thought of Selina as Italian, but Huntress comes from the Mafia, so she's about as Italian as it gets.

Well, Selina is Carmine Falcone's daughter, so she's giot a fair amount of Italian in her.

Anyway, I always thought Grant Morrison would make a good real life model for someone drawing Luthor.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Really? I never knew of that connection between Selina and Falcone. I guess Monica Bellucci would be good, then.

 

[Acid Snowman]

Alan Scott: Kevin McKidd (Lucius Vorenus from Rome)
Lex Luthor: Kevin Spacey
Question: younger Anthony Michael Hall
Black Canary: Honor Blackman (***** Galore)

I can't seem to think at the moment, I can understand if you disagree with my decisions, I mostly justed wanted to take part in the thread.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

What's up with all the Spacey-as-Luthors? I thought he gave a decent performance of a truly terrible characterization for the character. Nothing special. Hell, Michael Rosenbaum has been a better Lex, and Smallville's one of the worst shows on TV.

 

[The Question]

Really? I never knew of that connection between Selina and Falcone. I guess Monica Bellucci would be good, then.

She's his illegitimate kid. One of the main reasons that Mr. Kyle was such an abusive dick to her and her mom is because he knew she wasn't really his daughter.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Awesome. Bastard children are always the best.

 

[Sawyer]

Two-Face: James Marsters
Green Arrow: Josh Holloway
Joker: Johnny Depp

Think of more later...

 

[Rorschach II]

What's up with all the Spacey-as-Luthors? I thought he gave a decent performance of a truly terrible characterization for the character. Nothing special. Hell, Michael Rosenbaum has been a better Lex, and Smallville's one of the worst shows on TV.

Because this is mainly a conversation about who you would use as a physical model for art and not about who you would cast in a film, which are often two different things. Kevin Spacey just seems to have the "look" people want, though his Lex was perhaps poorly written in his only onscreen appearance as Lex. I personally took some of the people's skills as actors into account, but that is not necessary. You could use a piss-poor actor as a model simply because he looks like the character.

A good example of me choosing a model based on what my characterization of a character would be and who I think would best pull off that character as an actor is Rachel Weisz as Catwoman. My Catwoman would be less about feminism and sticking up for herself in a man's world (Batman Returns) and more of a flirty, playful-yet dangerous girl who, despite having certain morals and values (which eventually lead to a somewhat "heroic" status), steals because it's fun to steal, she's good at it, and it's an easy way to make a living. Rachel Weisz would certainly pull off that character better than most choices, easy. And she's hot.

 

[The Leaguer]

Christopher Reeve should never even come close to a comic book page.

 

[Rorschach II]

='[

 

[Sawyer]

Christopher Reeve should never even come close to a comic book page.

Are you bulls***ing me?

 

[batnkevlar]

Christopher Reeve should never even come close to a comic book page.

It's true... Superman ain't skinny...

oh, and it's so obvious that in Marvels by Alex Ross, he based Reed Richards on the professor on Gilligan's Island and based Professor X on Patrick Stewart... take a look... you'll be pleasantly surprised...

 

[Sawyer]

It's true... Superman ain't skinny...

Well he's not supposed to be outrageously buff. He's a kryptonian, he doesnt need to be huge...

 

[Mladen]

Well he's not supposed to be outrageously buff. He's a kryptonian, he doesnt need to be huge...

why would superman be very muscular at all? Its not like needs to work out or anything.

 

[Rorschach II]

Exactly.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

And yet he's almost always portrayed as being a giant of a man, bigger even than Batman, who would need to be gigantic and muscular given how strong he is.

 

[Mladen]

damn right.

my second thing would be to make sure power girl is the ONLY woman with enormous breasts. I always assumed that was her primary gimmick (I certainly don't know anything ELSE about the character), but when EVERY female hero/villain has breasts the size of her head, it kind of lessens the impact. I don't know what the artists are thinking, but a woman's chest can be extremely appealing in the full range of cup sizes.

Oh, and across the board female heroes need to be more muscular. I'm not convinced that Wonder Woman could do a huge amount of ass-kicking if she doesn't have the physique to match.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I like it when Wonder Woman is drawn to be like 6'2" and somewhat muscular. Not toned enough to be gross, but solid enough that I could find her somewhat plausible.

 

[Mladen]

I like it when Wonder Woman is drawn to be like 6'2" and somewhat muscular. Not toned enough to be gross, but solid enough that I could find her somewhat plausible.

sure. But another female character who is supposed to be a trained martial artist or a master of combat (otherwise unpowered), should really be drawn that way. In Marvel for example, I expect Elektra to be quite a bit more toned than she usually is.

Even if some people might find that unnattractive, there are enough delicate flowers with big breasts and butt in the DC universe, that I'm sure we can allow some variety in how the women are drawn. Different guys are attracted to different things. I don't really like the porn-star body (or porn-star poses) that makes up 100% of how women are drawn in the comics, so I don't feel thats catered to in superhero comics. Some men will be turned on by very muscly women. Others by an athletic physique with smaller but still shapely breasts (like Cassandra Cain Batgirl before her recent breast enlargement). There should be a range. Its when every single female character looks exactly the same but with different coloured hair (and they do), it starts to get a bit lame. I'm entirely happy for there to still be half a dozen female characters who are just the typical porn-star type-body (at least one on every team), but not every female character. Wonder Woman should be attractive but still quite powerful looking (thats how I remember early wonder woman, and Lynda Carter fits the bill quite well), and other female characters really should have appropriate physiques (Big Barda is one who should be quite a bit beefier).