What is this, the first X-Man (or X-Woman, in this case) I've added so far? Okay, third (Kitty Pryde and then Iceman in the Spider-Friends sketch). There's a good reason for that. I'm trying to avoid the typical choices as long as possible and find ways to mix them in without just going with a standard shot. THIS one, though... this one is here for a reason.

Namely, Storm rules.

Oh, sure-- she hasn't ruled in recent comics in ages... but years ago, she was totally awesome. The first X-Men cover I ever saw in a COMIC SHOP was Storm getting posessed by a Brood-- I'm tellin' ya, that cover scared me to death. I was terrified of what was happening on that cover. My dad bought the issue, but I didn't read it until several years later. Great book.

MOHAWK Storm was REALLY cool. Her outlook on life changed due to the experiences she had in her earliest days as an X-Man, and the mohawk and punk visual is a remnant of that. I still like her original uniform the best, but "Mohawk Storm" is a close second, and when I decided to put her on the sketch list... this was the look I wanted to render the most.

I really dig the look, too-- she had an 'edge' that she clearly didn't have in the 'naive African princess' look she debuted in. I like it.

Oh yeah-- I totally ripped off the background. It's from X-Men Evolution. Coming clean with that right now, so it's not that big an issue. I added some of my own vibe to it, but I still want to always respect the source. Fun cartoon, too.


- jeremy