Masks Are Fashion, Masks Are Heroic - Dove

This is the 30th 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. This entry is also one of the seven final "deluxe" entries to this series, with only one more planned left to fully create after this one. This entry was originally planned to be the final piece in this series.

Dawn Granger is the second hero to go by the name "Dove." Both were bestowed magical powers by the "Lords of Order," ancient magical beings who work to govern the laws of magic in the Universe from the opposing "Lords of Chaos." Don Hall, the first Dove, died in the Crisis on Infinite Earths, and Dawn (yeah, their names sound alike) was gifted with the magical power of Dove: a danger-sense transformation into her heroic Dove identity, hyper vigilance and discernment, flight, superhuman agility, enhanced durability, quick healing, along with her hand-to-hand combat skills. Dove is partner to the much more aggressive, Hawk, who she works to calm and pacify a lot. I wanted the peace-loving aspect of this character to come through visually with the use of the peace sign gestures, necklace, sandals, and caftan dress. I also am a fan of Minka Kelly's portrayal of the character in the HBO MAX Titans series, and the dark eyes and eyebrows and side-pony of this depiction are a tribute to Kelly's embodiment of the character.

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

Masks Are Fashion, Masks Are Heroic - Omen

This is the 29th 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. This entry is also one of the seven final "deluxe" entries to this series, with only two more planned left to fully create after this one.

Lilith Clay originally appeared in Teen Titans #25 in 1970. Though not well known to the general public, her character has been around for a long time. In the early 70's she was a psychic go-go dancer whose powers ended up getting her a membership spot on the Teen Titans team as their second female member to Donna Troy's Wonder Girl. The latest DC Rebirth continuity also had Omen as one of the original Teen Titans members, and as Omen, her power range has greatly increased. Not only does she possess psychic, telepathic, telekinetic, and empathic powers, but she also can create psionic blasts and shields and illusions in the minds of others. Lilith has worked with many incarnations of the Titans teams through DC's history, and she's usually brought back into the story when the more popular character of Raven isn't available to use at the time for one reason or another, it seems. However, in a lot of ways, i feel that Omen is more powerful than Raven.

This look is heavily based on Omen's Rebirth costume and its black and green color scheme. Many fans throughout the years have associated Lilith with wearing green, so it was nice to see that reflected in an official Omen costume. The first Omen costume appeared in the late 90's Teen Titan title and was black and red. The silver necklace in this outfit pays homage to the silver necklace from that costume. Stylistically, this costume pays tribute to the many Grace Jones influenced early Lady Gaga looks that incorporated a loose hood and uses well over 400 individually placed beads in its conception.

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

Masks Are Fashion, Masks Are Heroic - Ice

This is the 28th 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. This entry is also one of the final "deluxe" entries to this series. I have previously said there would only be six deluxe entries, but as I was beginning the final work process on this entry, another idea for an entry hit me, and it felt like the perfect way to end this series, so there are actually three more entries after this one planned.

The character of Tora Olafsdotter first appeared alongside Beatriz Da Costa's Fire in the Justice League International as former members of the Global Guardians who wanted to join the much more high-profile Justice League. The two had been know as Green Flame and Icemaiden (Tora being the second Icemaiden of the Global Guardians), but upon petitioning the Justice League for membership, shortened their names to Fire and Ice. The easiest origin for Ice is that Tora was the princess of a hidden race of ice people who left to see the world, and ended up using her abilities to help others. Because she was raised away from the world, she was often portrayed as wholesome and a bit naive, but always very lovable. Her personality was a fun contrast to Fire's who was libidinous and more hot tempered, and who did not care for the man Ice ended up dating off and on again, the obnoxious Green Lantern named Guy Gardner. Ice's powers of being able to create ice and snow from her hands, including being able to create ice paths that she could slide on, seemed to increase even more after she stopped her murderous brother from becoming king of their people and absorbed the power from his magical staff when it was destroyed. 

She was later killed by a villain called the Overmaster, but comics being comics, she was eventually resurrected with even more power (being able to create blizzards), create more ice and snow, super strength and flight, and was even referred to as a goddess. Since her resurrection, she has still (barring the odd possession by evil entity storyline) been portrayed with her classic gentle and light personality.

Thank you for taking the time to experience this piece.

"Masks Are Fashion, Masks Are Heroic - Ice" by Kevenn T. Smith
Pencil, Ink, Photoshop
©2021 Kevenn T. Smith
Ice ©DC Comics 

Masks Are Fashion, Masks Are Heroic - Fire

This is the 27th 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. This entry is also one of the final six "deluxe" entries to this series.

The character of Fire is the most well-known adult hero from Brazil in the DC Universe. (I said adult, sorry Yara Flor, Wonder Girl!) Beatriz Da Costa originally debuted in the year 1979 in Superfriends issue #25 as "Green Fury." In the Post-Crisis continuity, she was a model, showgirl, and performer who ended up becoming an agent for a Brazilian intelligence agency. She changed her name to Green Flame and became a member of a superhero group called the Global Guardians, which didn't last long. She convinced her friend, Icemaiden, to shorten her name to Ice, while she went by Fire, and the two ended up becoming members of the Justice League International. Fire and Ice were Justice League members for years on the team with Booster Gold and Blue Beetle, when the Justice League title was a hilarious character-based read. Fire always looked out for her more naive friend, Ice, and grieved her death when Ice was killed. Fortunately, in comics books, people come back from the dead, and eventually Fire & Ice were reunited and periodically get to pal around in humorous adventures with other heroes from their JLI days. Fire has flight powers, the ability to shoot green flame, and can even become a being of green flame.

This look takes it's inspiration from Adam Hughes' depiction of Fire from the Justice League International days, which is her most iconic (and best designed) look.

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

Masks Are Fashion, Masks Are Heroic - Flamebird

This is the 26th 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. At the time of this posting, the Delta Variant is still a serious threat, and many areas in the United States, like the one I live in, are under advisement for everyone to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. This entry is also one of the final six "deluxe" entries to this series.

All hail the original Dick Grayson Thirst Queen! The character Betty Kane was created in the 1950's, not long after her aunt, Kathy Kane, to combat those pesky homosexual rumors about Batman and Robin. Kathy Kane's Batwoman wanted to aid the Caped Crusaders, and her niece, Betty, became the original Bat-Girl...in order to get closer to Robin because she had a crush on him. AND NO ONE CAN BLAME HER.

Along came the 1960's and DC Comics had a Batman TV show that made big waves in pop culture, and they decided to introduce a new Batgirl character by the name of Barbara Gordon. Kathy & Betty Kane had been long disused, and it seems as though it was decided that those adventures with Batwoman and Bat-Girl took place in a parallel universe on Earth-2. The character of Bette Kane was later created, a tennis champion as a young teenager, a young beauty pageant winner to rival any Tots & Tiaras star, an Olympic level swimmer and acrobat, trained in many martial art forms, an experienced sky diver, wind sailer, and mountain climber. All that, and the only prize she couldn't win was catching the eye of the original Robin, Dick Grayson. She ended up creating the identity of Flamebird and set out to get Robin's attention by becoming a crime fighter. Eventually, she joined the Teen Titans West and was an auxiliary member of the Titans throughout the years. My favorite Flamebird moment occurred during the 1998 JLA vs. Titans miniseries by Devin Grayson & the LEGENDARY Phil Jimenez, when trapped in an illusion of her perfect world, her fantasy was playing a game of tennis against Robin in his original short-shorts/short cape costume, and watching him bend over - over and over - to pick up the ball. Bless her heart.

Flamebird received a bit of a makeover in the Batwoman title when she wanted to serve as a sidekick to her cousin, Kate Kane, who is Batwoman. Bette ended up taking up the new identity of Hawkfire. It's a terrible name, especially because DC has long had a character named Firehawk in its Firestorm stories, but Hawkfire did have a great costume which the chest symbol in this outfit is lifted from and the gold layered bracelet inspired by the gauntlets on that costume. The rest of the outfit is inspired by her two Flamebird costumes, the original containing a tennis skirt and color homages to the original red and green Bat-Girl costume. Her character's history and portrayal contains a level of camp that endears this character deeply in my heart. It's a real shame she isn't used more in comics.

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