6 DIY superheroes that do their comic book inspirations justice
Short on the kind of radioactive spiders and science-experiments-gone-wrong that help make your usual superhero, well, super, us everyday kind of folk have to come up with our own solutions. You know what? Those solutions aren't hurting for a pen and paper, either — we've still got plenty of flame-throwin', claw-sniktin' and flashy full-body armor, and without all the fuss and muss of being a mutant or some flying, caped alien.
Coming at'cha after the long weekend, today kicks off "Superhero Week" on DVICE, brought to you by Syfy's upcoming show, Alphas. What can you expect? Well, we're not going to take our mask off just yet, but awesome art from one Mr. Joshua Ellingson like you see above, and sweet, sweet superhero goodness like you see below, from today until next Monday.
So, come, step on into our Batcave by clicking on any image in the gallery.
DVICE Superhero Week
• 6 DIY superheroes that do their comic book inspirations justice
• A visual history of the Dark Knight's most iconic Batmobiles
• 6 promising superhero video games right around the corner
• 13 real-world ways to stop your favorite superheroes
• 7 brutal superhero weapons you can actually own
A very special thanks again to Josh Ellingson, who created the amazing artwork for the Superhero Week features above.
See more DVICE galleries by clicking this link.
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2. Flame-Spewing Gauntlets Superheroes are known for shooting and slinging all kinds of materials out of their hands in the comics, but the big crowd pleaser is definitely fire. Fire, we can do, as demonstrated about by this pair of flame gloves created by special effects house J&M. The end goal, according to a post on YouTube, was to integrate this mechanism in a performer's outfit once its been streamlined, but we think the Human Torch would be proud all the same. [Video]
4. Iron Man Suitcase Armor One of the coolest scenes from Iron Man 2 was right at the opening, when Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark went from man to Iron Man in a matter of seconds thanks to a collapsible set of "suitcase armor." You'd think that'd be something only computer animators could pull off, but Ryan Brooks managed to translate the idea using plates of armor and Lego Technic pieces. [Video]
Suitcase Armor (cont'd) It may not get the job done as gracefully or as swift, but Brooks's offering still has working lights for the eyes and repulsor gauntlets and the arc reactor, just like it should. [Source]
5. Rorschach's Mask It's not a super-power, but Rorshach, the gravel-voiced vigilante from The Watchmen prowls the night with perhaps the most distinctive mask of them all: an ever-shifting inkblot. Believe it or not, you can make a similar mask for yourself, and easily, too: all you need is some cloth and some thermochromic ink, which will react to the changing temps caused by your breathing. [Video]
1. "Master Le" War Machine When it comes to bringing power-armored heroes such as Iron Man to life without fancy visual effects, Anthony "Master" Le is certainly one of the best. Seen here is Le's War Machine suit, the culmination of a month of hard labor and $4,000 in materials. [Source]
Master Le (cont'd) Seen here from the side, Anthony Le's War Machine is complete with an ammo belt and a shoulder-mounted minigun with a motorized, spinning barrel, as well as a lifting face-plate. He made a video featuring the suit in action (along with a proper Iron Man one), modeled after the final fight scene in Iron Man 2. [Video]
6. Wang's Iron Man Mk. 1 Where Le's War Machine and Iron Man suits go for that modern, sleek look, China's Wang Xiao Kang decided to kick it old school with some Mk. 1 armor. It's boxy, it's bulbous, but it's no less cool — and Wang only spent $460 on it. It's quite the load to lug, though, weighing in at 110 pounds, but Wang added some battery-powered fans to keep things cool. [Source]
3. Homemade Retractable Claws So, full disclosure: we don't really know the story behind this one, but YouTuber "aekirby6" made his own set of retractable Wolverine-style claws and, boy, can he go to town on a cardboard box. Jokes aside, he's still made himself an impressive retractable claw system, and they look sturdy enough to do some damage, too — on more than just cardboard. [Video]
