Masks Are Fashion, Masks Are Heroic - Red Tornado

This is the 31st and final single entry that I've posted in the series featuring "red carpet" takes on superheroes in costume with masks to promote the pro-social & pro-health practice of mask wearing during a pandemic. Although statistically not common, it is still possible to transmit and receive the COVID-19 virus even after being fully vaccinated. Masks greatly help to prevent this spread, especially with the new Omicron Variant popping up throughout the world.

Abigail "Ma" Hunkel operated as the Golden Age (first appearing in 1939) hero, Red Tornado, the first hero to bear that name before an android took on the main face of that moniker. Ma Hunkel began fighting crime by beating up racketeers who she refused to pay protection money to for the grocery store that she owned and operated. When the situation escalated by her daughter and daughter's friend being kidnapped and the police chief was unwilling to investigate, she created the heroic identity of the Red Tornado by pulling together a hode-podge costume of red longjohns, boxer shorts, gloves, a blanket cape, and a pot (with two holes in it through which the eyes could see out of) as a helmet. The burly Red Tornado was often mistaken for a man, but allowed Abigail to rescue the children and fight crime in her local neighborhood and stand up to the corrupt Chief of Police. Later, the Red Tornado joined the Justice Society of America and fought alongside other female members such as Wonder Woman, Liberty Belle, and Phantom Lady. She later fought crime alongside her children who called themselves The Cyclone Kids. While not possessing powers, the Red Tornado does have impressive hand-to-hand combat skills and is also a renown cook. Decades later, Ma Hunkel is the only female member of the Justice Society alive and still working with the JSA. She is the caretaker of the JSA headquarters and museums and the only older looking woman in the DC Universe still operating in the superhero community. (Hippolyta doesn't count because she is always rendered to look not-old) Ma Hunkel's granddaughter, Maxine Hunkel, carries on the heroic legacy by working with the JSA as the heroic Cyclone.

For this look, I wanted to incorporate the various colors of the hodgepodge Golden Age Red Tornado costume into an elegant looked that also has the silhouette of a tornado. Her purse is designed to look like a pot, an homage to the pot that she wore over her head. The Red Tornado symbol appears not only on her glittery mask, but also in glass pieces that adorn her earrings and her chest piece.

Thank you for taking the time to experience this piece.
"Masks Are Fashion, Masks Are Heroic - Red Tornado" by Kevenn T. Smith
Pencil, Ink, Photoshop
©2021 Kevenn T. Smith
Red Tornado ©DC Comics