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Published: 2011-05-11 15:42:27 +0000 UTC; Views: 13221; Favourites: 437; Downloads: 223
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Here is my take on Captain America, what with the movie coming out and all and me being generally unimpressed with the character design I decided to have a go myself.So here he is in all his glory, now before people start berating me for hiding his face please let me explain the thinking behind all of this.
First off, Captain America is a super expensive morale engine aswell as an effective battlefield asset, so he needs to be a number of things - he must be visible to act as a rallying point and so soldiers can benefit from the morale increase they would enjoy from his presence on the field, unfortunately this also makes him a target, so he needs to be armoured - here he is wearing experimental plate body armour (that was actually developed during WW2 but deemed too heavy for ordinary soldiers - not a problem for a super-soldier though). This is also a good reason to give him a shield, and this point will also bring me onto the matter of the mask.
The mask is designed to make him anonymous so that in the unlikely event he could be brought down in the field, (and he could, or else why would you bother with a shield) he could be replaced, even by an ordinary soldier on a temporary basis, in order to maintain the morale of the general troops. So the gasmask is only really an aesthetic thing, but could also be used as a dosing method to administer combat drugs to boost his performance on the battlefield.
I have also forgone the 'A' on the helmet - this makes no sense at all in terms of military insignia - the 'railway tracks' are the WW2 accurate Captain's insignia and so they have much more of a place in this design as my intent was to ground him in as much technical reality as possible.
His shield is also destructible, the edges are the thinnest part of the shield and as such such are susceptible to heavy fire, while the centre would be the thickest steel and as such can withstand small-arms fire.
I've armed him with a combo of aColt .45 and a Thomson 'Trench-Broom' with a modified fore-grip so it can be rested on the rim of the shield for blind-firing or shooting on the run. He's also got a WW2 Army Machete for close quarters, and you'll notice the 'Tommy' magazines are duct-taped together for slick reloading (duct-tape was invented in 1942 to seal ammo cases).
Sorry for the endless rant - hope you like the piece and I haven't offended too many hardcore fans, but if you're gonna build a Nazi-killing badass, then he should look like one, not some dude in a blue jump-suit with wings on his head.
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Comments: 83
cbootz [2016-05-22 06:11:54 +0000 UTC]
Personally, I love a lot about this design, although there could be more done to it.
For one, is he looking at an explosion, or is his eyes glowing...?
Maybe it would be significantly cheaper to throw a gas mask on him and keep it on him at all times than designing a special identity-hiding leather cowl for him, but I imagine the gas mask would be hard to breathe in during combat, since they have a finite amount of oxygen to breathe in through a canister.
And since he's a super-human, he's probably consuming a lot more oxygen. Which brings me to the next question, shouldn't he have more pouches attached to the three belts holding the Tommy gun mags? That could probably help hold a lot more equipment than a regular soldier could on his belt.
Lastly, the star on his chest is off-center, that's kinda bugging me, but I can tell that it's there because of the gas mask bag.
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odingraphics In reply to cbootz [2016-05-22 23:27:28 +0000 UTC]
thanks for the comments
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Jackele13 [2015-04-07 23:30:04 +0000 UTC]
I see where you're going with the mask making him anonymous, but he doesn't nee a gas mask. could easily wear like a full head helmet instead. Plus, Cap was not supposed to be an inhuman killing machine. So the pose he has there makes it like he has no human emotions. just my thoughts on itΒ
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odingraphics In reply to Jackele13 [2015-04-10 20:08:42 +0000 UTC]
Read the info, all of reasoning is explained there
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Jackele13 In reply to Jackele13 [2015-04-07 23:30:34 +0000 UTC]
but all that aside, pretty damn good *two thumbs up*
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MangetsuSAMURAI [2014-07-29 23:35:42 +0000 UTC]
This is fantastic, it perfectly walks the line of being a morale booster/propaganda machine/absolute terror nightmare.
If you saw this dude running towards you at Normandy blasting your fellow soldiers and shield-checking them you'd probably defect.
On the flip side if you were a 20-something living in rural America and you saw this crazy looking bastard in the news what more convincing would you need to sign up and kick some Nazi ass?
I like that the comics kinda retcon his costume to be a bit more realistic, but this is better than anything they've done (except for the stealth costume from The Winter Soldier/director of S.H.I.E.L.D. costume, that will always be my favorite).
Absolutely fantastic job.
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odingraphics In reply to MangetsuSAMURAI [2014-07-31 21:58:34 +0000 UTC]
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, glad you like it!
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redkruger [2014-05-01 01:11:56 +0000 UTC]
okay seriously you shouldn't need to explain or justify why this is badass, if someone cant see why this is awesome then they shouldn't be on deviant art, sorry its just i hate when people feel like they have to justify themselves to stupid fanboys who will berate anyone for taking any artistic freedom, ANYWAY badass pic dude, lol i always found captain america a little corny but you just killed that corny captain with a thousand rounds from a Thompson SMG and replaced him with a "nazi killing badass"
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odingraphics In reply to redkruger [2014-05-03 22:03:50 +0000 UTC]
thanks buddy, glad you liked it!!
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bloodhaze101 In reply to odingraphics [2013-06-18 01:56:40 +0000 UTC]
GOOD THING IM JUST GETTING SOBER *_-
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TeiOuja [2013-02-06 00:55:56 +0000 UTC]
100% American badass. I actually prefer this design to the Comics version. Very badass.
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odingraphics In reply to TeiOuja [2013-02-06 01:00:31 +0000 UTC]
Cheers glad you like it, I personally hate the comic version, this piece is my little way of striking back
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TeiOuja In reply to odingraphics [2013-02-06 01:02:22 +0000 UTC]
Marvel, look alive! You should be taking tips from this guy.
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FuckingPaladin [2012-09-25 22:43:23 +0000 UTC]
He does look slightly like a Nazi in the mask, but I will say, it looks fucking awesome. Like, a complete badass.
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the-Cats-Gak [2012-08-07 05:01:54 +0000 UTC]
awesome job at the thoughts behind the visuals
i love this kinda conceptualization
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odingraphics In reply to the-Cats-Gak [2012-08-07 09:15:53 +0000 UTC]
Thanks glad you like it
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Reponic [2012-05-23 19:12:28 +0000 UTC]
Epic, Love it and totally agree with you comment about the movie character design. really nice work hope to see more
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Colbert94 [2012-05-20 06:36:47 +0000 UTC]
I could not imagine a better or cooler looking Cap, a series about this version would be epic!
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ConnorGael [2012-03-29 16:20:50 +0000 UTC]
Dude... how did you do the coloring and the qoute and stuff
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ConnorGael In reply to odingraphics [2012-03-30 06:35:07 +0000 UTC]
i am an assassin :
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odingraphics In reply to thepalehorsman234 [2012-03-27 21:08:07 +0000 UTC]
Way more serious
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hardluck87 [2012-02-23 19:40:08 +0000 UTC]
Don't get me wrong, This is a very good piece of art, but what impresses me the most is the level of research you put into WW2 equipment, uniforms and GI mentality that really hits home. The gas mask seems a little more reminiscent of WW1 era soldiers, but the concept of a vapor induced super soldier drug, or booster shot is brilliant. The propaganda poster feel to it is a very nice touch too. All in all this is a masterfully designed and thought out piece. Kudos.
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SharkStark In reply to hardluck87 [2013-09-09 04:38:42 +0000 UTC]
Well spoken. I agree, full-heartedly.
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W0op-W0op [2012-01-02 12:21:45 +0000 UTC]
I love this. I love the realistic approach that you have taken for the design and I feel all the decisions that you made have good reasoning behind them.
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Master-of-the-Boot [2011-11-27 10:20:34 +0000 UTC]
Great redesign of the character. Although I have to confess, the guy looks pretty scary. I mean, I half expect him to be serving some kind of totalitarian government or something. I think it's the gas mask that makes him look so scary
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odingraphics In reply to Master-of-the-Boot [2011-11-28 23:10:42 +0000 UTC]
Glad you like it, and I believe a wa machine like this should be scary
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odingraphics In reply to Steel-Accord [2011-10-25 23:26:50 +0000 UTC]
cheers glad you like it
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odingraphics In reply to Jin-Saotome [2011-09-27 10:28:25 +0000 UTC]
cheers glad you like it
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Likodemus [2011-09-24 22:10:31 +0000 UTC]
Excelent! From concept to execution. I'd read this story as an Alternate Reality story.
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odingraphics In reply to Likodemus [2011-09-27 10:28:35 +0000 UTC]
thanks, glad you like it
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L0upgarou [2011-09-24 08:30:40 +0000 UTC]
I've grown to really like the Cap recently, and i love this re-imagining, even as someone with no problem with the wings or A on the 'real' costumes.
The idea of a Superhero that's really just many different normal men, replaced when one dies without anyone knowing, is both dark, intriguing and oddly realistic. At least, it feels that way. I imagine the men that become the Captain know what they're getting into though. Some are committing a noble sacrifice, others are simply nurturing an immortality complex, obsessed with becoming this symbol that will likely outlast them. Probably a little of both in all of them really.
And i like the idea of the syrum being administered through the gasmask personally. If you wanted to make it almost completely realistic, you could make the 'syrum' simply a mixture of drugs that both psyche up the user and deaden pain, kind of like a Berzerker. Perhaps the armor is too heavy for a normal man, but when you're on the syrum that pumps through that mask, you don't even notice the damage being done to your muscles and bones. With that idea, those that do survive have to be rotated out anyway, since the strain of the suit would have to be dealt with, or perhaps lived with. And that's a whole other interesting idea, a man who was a superhero for a day, and now can't tell anyone who he was, with some administered excuse for his failing health, living his Post-War life.
. The character of this Captain America would probably do best in his own self-contained universe, perhaps with other 'realist' but also speculative re-imaginings of marvel heroes. And if he was in the main marvel 'verse, perhaps as a replacement Cap for when the real one was off fighting super-villains, i imagine Steve Rogers disapproving of this. And hey, that in itself is a story idea.
Ha, suffice it to say this image is thought provoking, especially combined with your thoughts on him. I want to explore his world further. Wonderful job.
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odingraphics In reply to L0upgarou [2011-09-27 10:29:47 +0000 UTC]
Hey man, I'm really glad you like this piece and that you got so much out of it, I know it's only comics but it's still great to know when your art can reach people. Thanks
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MouseDenton [2011-09-15 14:12:45 +0000 UTC]
No patriot am I, or comic reader I am, but like this I do (God I went through too much trouble to say that)
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odingraphics In reply to MouseDenton [2011-09-15 14:46:32 +0000 UTC]
I'm glad you like it!
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