Captain America, Are You Off To Fight The Bad Guys?

Captain America, are you off to fight the bad guys?

Hey, mighty Superman, can you save us from ourselves?

Hey, Mr. Universe, can you lift us up above this?

'Cause I'm just Iron Man, I'm a ghost within a shell

Take a look around, just look around

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions

Why did they never mention, what's real and in between?

It seems the path we're on was paved with blood and sorrow

No thought about tomorrow

Just part of the machine, or so it seems

Yeah, so it seems

We're all living the dream

- Living the Dream, Five Finger Death Punch

So I heard this song and couldn't help but think it really hit a chord for most of the Megamen in ZX and Advent, for quite a few reasons, and the idea to draw something based on it wouldn't leave my head. You can tell who I haven't drawn merged before, haha.

Lyric explanations under the cut.

Captain America, are you off to fight the bad guys?

Hey, mighty Superman, can you save us from ourselves?

Vent and Aile, respectively, as to me they embody the classical heroes of comic books (especially Vent) and since they're kinda the OG heroes in ZX, it felt like there was a pretty good thematic correlation here between them and the kinda quintessential Cap and Superman.

Hey, Mr. Universe, can you lift us up above this?

A play on Atlas' namesake, the god who held the world up - but also I can definitely see a reformed Atlas being a hero who is very good at search and rescue due to her immense strength. That, and she's always putting on a front to appear strong.

'Cause I'm just Iron Man, I'm a ghost within a shell

Self explanatory for Siarnaq, I would say. Ghost within a shell is quite evocative of him.

Take a look around, just look around

Grey is still observing the world, still learning it's ropes. Endlessly inquisitive, endlessly thoughtful, the quiet observer.

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions

Semi-spoilers for FTGFTF but Aeo wanted to do good in the world (this is the line that originally had me linking this song to the ZX/A crew!), and at every turn it seems he's blocked by something. Model W corrupting him has absolutely not helped with this, as he's committed heinous acts in the name of hopefully achieving peace.

Why did they never mention, what's real and in between?

Ashe, learning the truth about the twins. That they're not unrepentantly evil, and it shakes her worldview.

It seems the path we're on was paved with blood and sorrow

Ahh, Thetis. You're doing your best to save the environment, but this ground is already blood-soaked, and you're adding more blood to it.

No thought about tomorrow

Just part of the machine, or so it seems

Prometheus and Pandora, living day by day by day, unwitting cogs in Albert's master plan.

And everyone else, believing that they're the ones partially responsible for the machine.

Anyways, enjoy.

【ROCKET!】

idk. Made me laugh. Rocket grunt trio of baddies that could very well defeat any opponent, but are too polite and stupid to do anything close to evil. They just accidentally end up saving the day every time.

Tip me!

A quick (not-so) little post to sort of show off, explain lore, and slightly contrast some designs for the Devil and Maiden story.

So we got the previously introduced minor antagonist, Jasper Rodriguez with the purple/brown hair - and the male protagonist, Markus Marken, with the wavy hair. These two were like brothers before they got split up to go into the human world ("The Corporeal Plane") and the experience served to change them and their friendship forevermore.

More story info under the cut!

These two are both Incubi, male-presenting demons who feed off strong emotions and are released into the Corporeal Plane to gather souls and sow the sin of lust, but (theoretically) are unable to feel love and compassion for themselves.

All Incubi have the ability to masquerade as human, though how good at it they are depends on their control of their own emotions. Pictured here, rough designs of their "real" selves (prior to me changing the designs of their horns):

As I've noted here, Jasper is actually taller and leaner than Markus. Their armour should be a deeper red but I don't quite have the pencil and that paper couldn't take that much punishment.

Masquerading as a human makes them slightly shorter, dulls down their eye and hair colour, plus hides their fangs, horns and other markings. Jasper prefers to wear bright greens and golds when in human form and has much better control over his emotions, so his eyes appear a more natural honey brown colour. Markus on the other hand is just passable; deep brown - borderline red - eyes, and warm reds and black clothes to match.

Plus a better comparison:

The thing is, when glamoured in human form, the younger Incubi still have some "tells" that aren't too noticeable unless you look for them. Feeling more strongly than they're supposed to can result in an Incubus slipping up and losing control of their glamour, resulting in teeth returning to fangs, glimpses of the tail and horns (and wings in worst cases). But the biggest tell is still their eyes. Not just because of the colour changes, but that dark, eyeliner-esque marking around the eyes of almost all glamoured Incubi is a trace of their true form impossible to get rid of, and staring into them for too long is likely to put you under a spell, make you pliable to suggestion, and have you thinking of things involving a bedroom (unless the Incubus is trying purposefully to cancel out the effect). Alcohol both helps and hinders the glamour; it makes people more susceptible to magic and suggestion thus luring you into the idea that nothing is wrong, but can also be enough of a relaxant that the brain is no longer consciously working to process the glamour and it can be seen through, instead.

Here is where I feel like Jasper and Markus are similar but contrast; whilst they've both got the "same" eyes as previously mentioned in that comic I put up (because everyone thinks they use a boatload of eyeliner), Jasper's eyes are not often his focal point due to their colour. He's a smooth talker, so the focus when I draw him is normally on his mouth and nailing that. In contrast, when I draw Markus, though I feel like if I don't get his smile right when I draw him the drawing isn't 100% correct, the focal point is always his eyes, because he's a lot more expressive and emotional than he thinks he is capable of.

And finally, what happens when Jasper realises the extent of how Markus has changed in the human world:

He doesn't take it well.

(wow, a LOT of faces in this post!)

THE DREAM MASTER

He comes within the night, in corners of darkened rooms

A shadow in your sleep, above your mind he looms -

You scream in the night, terror and fright

The Dream Master takes you away

A landscape of horrors, he himself is the worst

Awaken or his prisoner you’ll stay.

You smile in the night, joy and delight

The Dream Master takes you away

A fitful sleep he provides, your guardian he resides

Awaken to the brightness of day.

Sweet dreams or worst terrors?

What will he bring?

He is the only one who knows.

He forever lurks in your mind

In brightest light

And darkest shadow.

----

Rough poetry drabble/in-universe lore for an OC of mine (that I know @copper-sands quite likes :) ) known as the Dream Master.

He's essentially the Personification of Dreams and he can either be friend or foe - on what it depends, no-one knows. Dude always looks a little bit shadowy at the edges, slightly "off," and only those with sleep paralysis can see what he truly looks like.

And for reference, he's this dude:

With very clear influence from Bret of Blue Stahli.

Anger clouds the mind. Turned inward it is an unconquerable enemy. You are unique among your brothers for you choose to face this enemy alone. But as you face it, do not forget them, and do not forget me.

I watched the 1990s film for the first time recently. I really really liked it, guys

everyone shut the fuck up and look at lil nas x and the wiggles