HOME | DD

Description
This time on “Public Domain Reinvention”, from 1945, GOLDEN LAD!

Here’s what I worked with from the great website Public Domain Superheroes [link] :

“While working in his grandfather's antique shop, [Tommy] finds the Aztec "Heart of Gold," an artifact empowered by “the blood of a thousand martyred Aztecs.” The object gives “strength and courage” to those pure of heart and devoted to justice. Tommy only has to utter the words “Heart of Gold” and gain his powers of super strength and flight. The heart's magic also keeps Tommy from being recognized while he is in Golden Lad form. Later on, Tommy is helped by partner named Golden Girl.”

This is a twisted origin for a teenage hero. The original design is too generic and, frankly, is kind of lame [link] .

For my redesign I focused on the heart and the sacrificial portions of the origin, with “running blood” lines emanating from the chest and face. Here’s the updated origin:

“While working for his grandfather at an archaeological dig in the jungles of central Mexico, Tommy unearths the “Teocuitlayollotli”, the mythical “Heart of Gold.” Imbued with blood of a thousand martyred Aztecs, the heart transforms Tommy into a vessel of vengeance and justice. Sporting nigh invulnerable golden armor, the strength of a thousand men, flight and a terrifying soul beam, Tommy seeks out evil as GOLDEN LAD!

While all seems bright in his life, with his superheroic secret identity and the fame that followed his discovery of the Teocuitlayollotli, Tommy remains restless. The souls of those martyred in the creation of the Heart of Gold are now part of him. While this grants Tommy a wide variety of knowledge, the souls haunt his dreams. Some of the spirits want to protect the innocent as they were not protected. Other, darker spirits want revenge and power in a world that betrayed them. Which souls will win out in the internal struggles of the GOLDEN LAD!”

Description
This time on “Public Domain Reinvention”, from 1945, GOLDEN LAD!

Here’s what I worked with from the great website Public Domain Superheroes [link] :

“While working in his grandfather's antique shop, [Tommy] finds the Aztec "Heart of Gold," an artifact empowered by “the blood of a thousand martyred Aztecs.” The object gives “strength and courage” to those pure of heart and devoted to justice. Tommy only has to utter the words “Heart of Gold” and gain his powers of super strength and flight. The heart's magic also keeps Tommy from being recognized while he is in Golden Lad form. Later on, Tommy is helped by partner named Golden Girl.”

This is a twisted origin for a teenage hero. The original design is too generic and, frankly, is kind of lame [link] .

For my redesign I focused on the heart and the sacrificial portions of the origin, with “running blood” lines emanating from the chest and face. Here’s the updated origin:

“While working for his grandfather at an archaeological dig in the jungles of central Mexico, Tommy unearths the “Teocuitlayollotli”, the mythical “Heart of Gold.” Imbued with blood of a thousand martyred Aztecs, the heart transforms Tommy into a vessel of vengeance and justice. Sporting nigh invulnerable golden armor, the strength of a thousand men, flight and a terrifying soul beam, Tommy seeks out evil as GOLDEN LAD!

While all seems bright in his life, with his superheroic secret identity and the fame that followed his discovery of the Teocuitlayollotli, Tommy remains restless. The souls of those martyred in the creation of the Heart of Gold are now part of him. While this grants Tommy a wide variety of knowledge, the souls haunt his dreams. Some of the spirits want to protect the innocent as they were not protected. Other, darker spirits want revenge and power in a world that betrayed them. Which souls will win out in the internal struggles of the GOLDEN LAD!”