So, I have a genetic mutation that means I have, among other things, super muscles. And, I just gotta say, you and Hayden *consistently* capture what it’s like to be a woman with a body like that. Visually, emotionally, all of it. It’s such a unique experience of representation for me and I’m so grateful ❤️❤️
It is a pain in the arse on so many levels that I think it’s almost impossible to imagine for most people haha.
From little finicky things (I’ve gone through a lot of toothbrushes because I wear them out/break them a lot) to moderate stuff (I need to eat about 2x-4x as much as a regular person just to do daily activities) to bigger stuff (i have to stretch for 1-2 hours daily to keep muscle pain at bay; it gets harder and harder for me to sit down in any public place as I get older because I’m worried about breaking chairs; doctors have hard times taking tests because the muscle density makes it hard to find pulse/veins).
It’s kept me alive through unimaginable trauma and similar (I got hit by a car going at 100km/h when I was 19 and, by all rights, should have died on impact), but there’s a darn good reason why human bodies generally aren’t built like mine :P
Oh gosh. I feel terrible for saying that now -- classic knee jerk comic fan reaction "sounds cool -- want!" -- I'm so sorry you have to go through with that. I can't imagine the sort of daily negotiation that must take. I'm glad you can also see the upside (kept me alive through trauma) -- I'm glad you're here. The world is glad. <3
It also correlates with accelerated recovery, endurance, photographic memory, accelerated neurological processes, and (possibly) not aging. It’s not a bad thing to want. But, as all comic books will say, all superpowers come with their complexities.
The stuff about superman growing up in Man of Steel being told never to let it show too much and not knowing how to manage that is… not dissimilar to my upbringing.
Even now, I’m only just getting to the point of letting people see what I can do. I lifted a 20-year-old circus trainer up like a toddler this week and, even though she knew about my mutation and I asked her if I could try, she was still very blown away in a new way. First time someone’s seen me do something like that.
I wonder what Ara's backstory is! I imagine Cale probably captured her from the Maze, after which Clea took command of the Men-fish. Speaking of, I think it would be pretty cool to see the designs for Veronica Cale if possible, she such a cool character!🩷
Hayden is truly proving time and time again to be a design genius! Not that these are entirely new creations obviously but the skill it takes to create someone new with characters that’s are so established is so challenging. And Hayden does it so well!
When I saw Aphrodite last issue it was an immediate “yep - nailed it”. Fascinated to uncover more of Zatanna’s little SS-squad here in the months to come!
I continue to just adore the Doctor Poison suits, and I love the turtle-y vibe in the sketch. 😁
But the goddesses continue to be jaw dropping. It’s as if Hayden absorbed centuries of art history, spun it all around in the brain and birthed these refreshing takes through his fingertips.
Such a thrill to have you and Hayden collaborating. Can’t get enough!
Ah! These designs are everything and I have so many questions. What drove the decision to debut the Absolute Suicide Squad in Wonder Woman, and how did you land on this specific roster? The Suicide Squad brand carries a lot of weight within the DC Universe, so I imagine that choice was very deliberate.
Suicide Squad just made a lot of sense because they were going to be not really there of their free will -- with some kind of "bomb" in their brains/bodies.
The roster is mostly inspired by Diana's Villainy Inc villains, with some obvious tweaks. ;D
I expected to have to fight harder to get the Suicide Squad, but since nobody else was developing them as yet, it worked out pretty well for all.
Hello, I hope you’re doing well. I’m a professional artist specializing in comics, NSFW arts (18+), sci-fi, romance , fantasy, book covers, and character design. I’m looking for commissions..I can help turn your novel into a comic also i work on covers, logos, pages, panels, and also adult works. Can I show you my works?
Welcome to the Substack. Unfortunately this isn't the place for this kind of comment, if you keep copy and pasting it into the comments section of different posts, I'll block you from commenting.
So, I have a genetic mutation that means I have, among other things, super muscles. And, I just gotta say, you and Hayden *consistently* capture what it’s like to be a woman with a body like that. Visually, emotionally, all of it. It’s such a unique experience of representation for me and I’m so grateful ❤️❤️
I'm so jealous. I want super muscles too.
It is a pain in the arse on so many levels that I think it’s almost impossible to imagine for most people haha.
From little finicky things (I’ve gone through a lot of toothbrushes because I wear them out/break them a lot) to moderate stuff (I need to eat about 2x-4x as much as a regular person just to do daily activities) to bigger stuff (i have to stretch for 1-2 hours daily to keep muscle pain at bay; it gets harder and harder for me to sit down in any public place as I get older because I’m worried about breaking chairs; doctors have hard times taking tests because the muscle density makes it hard to find pulse/veins).
It’s kept me alive through unimaginable trauma and similar (I got hit by a car going at 100km/h when I was 19 and, by all rights, should have died on impact), but there’s a darn good reason why human bodies generally aren’t built like mine :P
Oh gosh. I feel terrible for saying that now -- classic knee jerk comic fan reaction "sounds cool -- want!" -- I'm so sorry you have to go through with that. I can't imagine the sort of daily negotiation that must take. I'm glad you can also see the upside (kept me alive through trauma) -- I'm glad you're here. The world is glad. <3
Oh, it’s all good, everyone says that haha
It also correlates with accelerated recovery, endurance, photographic memory, accelerated neurological processes, and (possibly) not aging. It’s not a bad thing to want. But, as all comic books will say, all superpowers come with their complexities.
The stuff about superman growing up in Man of Steel being told never to let it show too much and not knowing how to manage that is… not dissimilar to my upbringing.
Even now, I’m only just getting to the point of letting people see what I can do. I lifted a 20-year-old circus trainer up like a toddler this week and, even though she knew about my mutation and I asked her if I could try, she was still very blown away in a new way. First time someone’s seen me do something like that.
This is awesome!! ALL of the designs are awesome!! I'm intrigued by each of these characters too and Hayden has done such a great job :)
And, it's always a joy to see the joy that you have from writing :) and from the designs of the characters that you write :).
Last but definitely not least, I love what you said at the end: "Take care of yourself and your neighbors out there. <3"
Self-care is so important. And the last part reminded me of how important community is, especially now.
Have a great day, Kelly :). Take care and all the best as always!! :D
Hayden is just a really incredible designer, among other things, it's a treat to get to watch them work -- and a huge boon to the book. <3
Aww that's awesome :) I'm very happy for you. Hayden's an amazing artist :) and their work is wonderful :)
Have a great weekend :).
I wonder what Ara's backstory is! I imagine Cale probably captured her from the Maze, after which Clea took command of the Men-fish. Speaking of, I think it would be pretty cool to see the designs for Veronica Cale if possible, she such a cool character!🩷
I hope we'll get there eventually -- but we got a lot of bodies on the field! ;D
Hayden is truly proving time and time again to be a design genius! Not that these are entirely new creations obviously but the skill it takes to create someone new with characters that’s are so established is so challenging. And Hayden does it so well!
When I saw Aphrodite last issue it was an immediate “yep - nailed it”. Fascinated to uncover more of Zatanna’s little SS-squad here in the months to come!
They're really incredible, making it feel almost effortless.
The Aphrodite design felt like that leveling up your brain meme and I went straight to "explode/enlightenment level"
I continue to just adore the Doctor Poison suits, and I love the turtle-y vibe in the sketch. 😁
But the goddesses continue to be jaw dropping. It’s as if Hayden absorbed centuries of art history, spun it all around in the brain and birthed these refreshing takes through his fingertips.
Such a thrill to have you and Hayden collaborating. Can’t get enough!
Doctor Poison is my stealth fav. Shhhhh.
Ahhh I love the Aphrodite design!!!!
Mind-blowing, right?
ooooh i love the designs so much :) initially i thought ara was nina mazursky, but it's cool to see the maze arc still have ripples afterward!
look at all these men-fish! and a woman-fish!
Thank you! <3
Ah! These designs are everything and I have so many questions. What drove the decision to debut the Absolute Suicide Squad in Wonder Woman, and how did you land on this specific roster? The Suicide Squad brand carries a lot of weight within the DC Universe, so I imagine that choice was very deliberate.
Suicide Squad just made a lot of sense because they were going to be not really there of their free will -- with some kind of "bomb" in their brains/bodies.
The roster is mostly inspired by Diana's Villainy Inc villains, with some obvious tweaks. ;D
I expected to have to fight harder to get the Suicide Squad, but since nobody else was developing them as yet, it worked out pretty well for all.
Zatana by Hayden Sherman... astonishing
Hello, I hope you’re doing well. I’m a professional artist specializing in comics, NSFW arts (18+), sci-fi, romance , fantasy, book covers, and character design. I’m looking for commissions..I can help turn your novel into a comic also i work on covers, logos, pages, panels, and also adult works. Can I show you my works?
Welcome to the Substack. Unfortunately this isn't the place for this kind of comment, if you keep copy and pasting it into the comments section of different posts, I'll block you from commenting.