Thinking about it, Spider-Man may be the very first superhero I can recall. I saw him on TV (cartoons, reruns of his live-action show) and every kind of merchandise you can imagine, and I still couldn't get enough. Not only was it his design, but his superpowers, and his alter ego as nerdy Peter Parker. It was been a lifelong love affair, which has not wavered in spite of symbiotes, clones, and death. I can say, in all honesty, that he's my favorite Marvel hero, and one of my favorite pop culture icons of all-time.
Completed in 2012, this version of Spider-Man almost didn't happen. I had previously completed Spider-Man Noir and thought that would be the end of it for Spider-Man in the World War 2 era… but there was something about the parts combo of Jedi Luke and Snake Eyes' head that I couldn't deny, even though I used the same Jedi Luke as a base for my very first Gotham's Most Wanted Batman (it was later jettisoned for the current design).
Like a lot of my redesigns, I wanted to sort of eliminate the costume-y elements, or ground them more in reality. I dropped the webbing, but kept the original red & black classic color scheme and eye shapes (to make him more identifiable). I added a small, basic utility belt, but nothing too bulky-- he's gotta be able to move!
This Spidey, like Captain America, is a member of The Avengers, defending Earth from threats within and outside of our known universe, and bringing vigilantes like The Batman in. They're the only ones powerful enough.
Doc Ock is one of my earliest, most vivid memories. Or, rather, a top emblazoned with a sticker of Doc Ock-- or, Doctor Octopus as he was known then-- which "battled" a similar top with Spidey on it. Two of gazillions of random toys released under the Secret Wars brand 30 years ago. Along with Dr. Doom, Kang the Conqueror, and Magneto, Doc Ock was the definition of a super villain to my 4 year-old brain… but out of that group, he remains the favorite. The green and yellow color scheme, glasses, and mechanical arms made quite a visceral impression, and I've loved Doc Ock ever since.
Completed in March 2013, Doctor Octopus began as an Arctic Snake Eyes figure (chosen for its bulkiness) with four bendy tentacles from Toy Biz's Train Battle playset, from the Spider-Man 2 toy line. The head and goggles are random finds from my Fodder Graveyard.
Didn't really feel the need to mess with perfection when it came to Ock's design, as it's still very much the same, in a slightly different style. Green jumpsuit, yellow protective gloves & boots, bowl haircut… the only thing that really changed was his glasses, which seemed kind of impractical (he gets punched in the face a lot). Goggles looked cooler and they're more scientist.
COMING UP: THE GHOST WHO WALKS, THE MAN WITH THE HAT, MORE GOTHAM'S MOST WANTED
