THANK YOUR LUCKY STAR

With a Webcomic version of The Adventures of Lucky Vega now in thumbnailing, I decided it was time to have a set of final master drawings of the lead characters of The Environauts, both as they will appear when they acquire their super-powers and become Earth's most awesome adventurers, and as they'll appear in the prequel.  With this post, the coloring of these model sheets is complete.

The powers of the Environauts reflect the spheres of the natural environment through which life has evolved (or will evolve as man advances), from Ocean to Land to Sky to Space.

The unquestioned leader of the Environauts, Lorenzo Roberto Miguel Vega, mainly called Lucky Vega and known in his super life as LUCKY STAR, is the "Space" character and the embodiment of science and the future.  If you can imagine the elastic leader of another very famous comic-book foursome as a 22-year-old Latino, that's Lucky.  Unlike that character, however, Lucky is not quite so verbose, much more emotionally open, and has an aggressive edge to match his scientific brilliance.  Lucky would have been the youngest of three children if his older brother and sister had survived; the third time Dr. Esteban Vega and his wife Rosita tried to have a child, they finally got "Lucky".  Young Lorenzo, the heir to a computer and technology-industry fortune larger than the budget of the United States, is every bit his father's son.  Esteban Vega, a genius at computers and everything scientific who had a vision of perfecting the human race for its destiny in space, was determined that his only boy would be a man of pure science, free from all superstition, dogma, prejudice, and magical thinking, and embracing higher human principles (not invented supernatural authority) as the source of all human virtue.  That's how Lucky was raised  (which came between his parents when Rosita turned back to the Catholic Church, which Esteban absolutely rejected) and that's who he has become.  Lucky is either personally capable of anything scientific, or able to summon masters of any scientific discipline to his aid.  His scientific genius and resourcefulness are virtually super-powers in themselves and the potential undoing of many a villain.  Lucky is filled with wonder at the incredible things he encounters in his adventures, things that would overwhelm or terrify most other people.  Confronted with aliens, monsters, mysteries of the universe, and strange new technologies, Lucky smiles and uses his favorite expression:  "This is amazing!"  Lucky's amazement is always greater than his fear, which makes him the greatest of heroes.  The ironic thing about Lucky is that for all he has and for all he is capable of doing, at heart he wishes he could be "a regular boy" and wants nothing more than to have the things in his life--friends, girls, sports, fun--that regular boys have.  Lucky is attracted to older women and in love with his college physics professor, Elise Hall, whose ex-fiance, Graeme Grimstead, becomes Lucky's most personal enemy and the arch-foe of the Environauts.  The most touching part of his relationship with his three closest friends and partners is that while he affords them a life beyond their wildest dreams, they in turn are his touchstones to a life that he would otherwise never know.  The bond of loyalty and friendship between Lucky and the others is actually the greatest "power" that the Environauts possess.

Lucky Star can become a living, incandescent body of plasma like that in a neon sign or the Sun.  In this form he can fly as fast as 300 MPH and emit beams and bolts of plasma energy, or give off powerful electromagnetic pulses.  Like a star, he is also a strong source of heat and light.  His corona can melt weapons and projectiles that come near him, and he can dissipate the discharge of energy-based weapons or attacks from energy-powered opponents.  His one vulnerability is to strong magnetic fields, which can disrupt him and force him back to human form, but he's working on that.  Lucky is always working on something, which always keeps his friends' lives exciting and interesting.  When Lucky Star calls his friends together, they know they'll soon be heading into something awesome.  

THE ADVENTURES OF LUCKY VEGA #1 COVER

The first 8 pages of The Adventures of Lucky Vega are now in the queue to be inked--as is this cover image.  I tried numerous different cover drawings before settling on this one.  When it's inked, the upper part about the "Kirby Krackle" will all be black with stars and meteor trails.  

Meanwhile, in the weeks ahead I'll be showing a number of character designs that reflect the intended long-term future of Quantum Comics, even beyond The Environauts, which is where Lucky's adventures eventually go.  Some people have seen these designs on Facebook already, but I'll be featuring them here as well, and you never know what other surprises I'll be coming up with.  So don't be a stranger; keep those visits coming to Quantum Comics Blog.

THE ADVENTURES OF LUCKY VEGA: "INTERFACE" PAGE 8

Paloma is down, but she's not nearly out.  Lucky does not immediately press the advantage he's gained.  "Are you all right?" he asks.

Paloma replies, "What have I taught you about being afraid to hit 'a girl'?  Against some opponents that could cost you.  In fact, that could cost you now if you're not careful!"

Lucky says, "You're the teacher!"  As Roger looks on, Lucky shuts off the energy sword of his duo-blade and swings it around to its other business end.  And from the targeting laser that the other end emits, we get our first inkling of the truly clever and versatile way that the duo-blade lives up to its name!  Our mock combat has just gotten even more interesting...

THE ADVENTURES OF LUCKY VEGA: "INTERFACE" PAGE 7

See what Lucky is doing with his gloved hand in Panel 1?  You'd think he was about to fire a line of webbing, but this is the wrong character and the wrong universe for that!  What he's really doing is activating the emitter in his glove for...the Vega Shield!  It's a personal force field whose original purpose we will learn as our adventure progresses, but for now Lucky and Paloma are field testing it in their mock combat on the Vega Estate grounds.  So far it's proving pretty effective--which is to say, effective enough to use as an offensive weapon with which Lucky gives his teacher a swat and sends her flying!  Lucky scores the first fall in the battle--but will he really be able to get past Ms. Reyes and break the Saturn-shaped pinata, emerging triumphant in her challenge?  We'll see...

THE ADVENTURES OF LUCKY VEGA: "INTERFACE" PAGE 6

And the battle for the Saturn-shaped pinata, the challenge having been laid down in the previous post, is on!  With the energy swords of their duo-blades at the ready, Lucky and Paloma have at it!  FZZZAP!  Roger looks on as the duel is joined, narrating in his thoughts.  Lucky Vega--smartest kid in America, maybe the world.  My best friend.  Anything scientific, he can do it.  And he's as rich as a small country, probably richer than some big countries.  He and his Dad are out to create the future.  They invent things, make things happen.  And I get to see it first.  What scientific surprises is Roger about to witness this morning and in the adventures yet to come?  Keep following along and you'll get to see them too!

THE ADVENTURES OF LUCKY VEGA: "INTERFACE" PAGE 5

We left off with Lucky facing a challenge and here it is.  The lady facing him, also with a duo-blade, is Paloma Reyes.  She is the head of security for Vega Enterprises and Lucky's self-defense and martial arts trainer.  Esteban hired her to keep an eye on Lucky years ago, after Lucky went through an abduction-and-ransom experience and was traumatized.  If you think of The Adventures of Lucky Vega as a latter-day Jonny Quest, Paloma is Race Bannon.  We'll learn more about Paloma as we go along.  What we need to know about her for the moment is that she is essentially a fearless woman.  In fact she loves danger and challenge and faces risky, perilous situations with a smile on her face that can be positively unnerving.  It's almost scary the way nothing ever rattles her.  She's an expert at all forms of armed and unarmed combat and can drive or ride anything, especially if it's male and gorgeous, as we'll see--though she loves her job with the Vegas and considers Lucky and his father off-limits.  They are among the few hot-looking single men whom she will not take to bed! 

Another young stud who is exempt from Paloma's voracious appetites is Lucky's best friend, Roger Blaisdell, the blond lad who also makes his first appearance on this page.  Lucky is an only child (another thing we'll be going into); Roger is kind of a surrogate brother for him.  Roger is a drama major and a semi-professional surfer; he's working as a lifeguard while he's in school.  He is Lucky's closest confidant; he and Lucky tell each other pretty much everything.  One day, Lucky and Roger will be half of a super-powered hero team, The Environauts.  (And we'll be meeting the other two as we go along--one of them, in fact, is right around the corner in this very story.)  Lucky will be the team leader, Lucky Star; Roger will be his lieutenant, called Aquarius.  It is here in The Adventures of Lucky Vega that we begin to learn that Roger always has Lucky's back.

Lucky's challenge from Paloma is simple:  All he has to do is use his duo-blade to break the Saturn-shaped pinata that she has mounted behind her, using the skills she has taught him and the technology at his disposal (not all of which we've seen yet, so keep following along!)  Oh, and to do it...he has to get past Paloma.  If you're thinking this will be easier said than done, you've obviously been paying attention!

THE ADVENTURES OF LUCKY VEGA: "INTERFACE" PAGE 4

Segueing ahead from the Prologue (see the previous two posts), it's now the "Tomorrow" that little Lucky Vega dreamed about on hearing his father talk about the future he wanted Lucky to help him create.  That "Tomorrow" is also literally our tomorrow:  morning on the great Vega Estate in Manhattan Beach, CA.  But our Lucky is not so little any more:  He's 21 years old look at how he's grown up!  The weapon you see him handling here is called a duo-blade.  It appears to be a light sabre of the type that the Jedis and Siths used in Star Wars.  It's one of Lucky's father's inventions and there's a little surprise to it that George Lucas and company didn't think of; among the pages immediately to follow you'll learn just what that is!  Meanwhile, Lucky seems to be challenging someone to some kind of duel.  But whom would he be facing--an invader in his home (while he's dressed like that!) or someone else?  Keep following future posts and you'll see!

THE ADVENTURES OF LUCKY VEGA: "INTERFACE" PAGE 3

Finishing the Prologue for the first Lucky Adventure, our little future hero is getting a bit sleepy.  Esteban, who has just shared his vision of the future with his son (see the previous post), asks Lucky, "Would you like to help Poppa make that happen?"  Though he's starting to nod off, Lucky is still awake enough to be enthusiastic.  "Yes, Poppa...!"  "Then it's off to bed with us for now," says Esteban, picking up his little boy and carrying him out of the observatory.  "The future is coming, Lucky.  The future is always coming."  And as Lucky finally nods off to sleep, he still sees the vision of the universe beckoning before him.  He softly murmurs, "Tomorrow..."

And "tomorrow" is where Lucky Vega is always looking!

THE ADVENTURES OF LUCKY VEGA: "INTERFACE" PAGES 1 AND 2

Original page art for the very first Adventure of Lucky Vega has gotten under way.  The first Adventure is called "Interface," for reasons that will become clear as the story unfolds.  (Wait till you find out what incredible super-cosmic menace our young Lucky is going to have to face right off the bat!)  What you're seeing here is the artwork for the first two pages--or, more to the point, the revisions of same.  I did a first pass at these and a cover drawing earlier, and what happened then was what happens when you're a perfectionist and never satisfied with anything:  I got to thinking, Can I do these better?  So these pages are a "Take 2".  They are part of a Prologue that I created, set about 17 years before the time the main Adventures begin.

On these pages, Lorenzo "Lucky" Vega (we'll also learn later the origin of our hero's nickname) is about four years old when he's spending the evening at an observatory with his father, Dr. Esteban Vega.  Now Esteban is one of the coolest guys in the world.  Imagine a Steve Jobs type with that kind of money and that kind of computer/electronics empire behind him, and all the resources that that entails, who has committed himself to a vision of helping the human race perfect itself and pursue its destiny of leaving Earth and venturing out to live among the stars.  That's Lucky's Dad--or "Poppa," as Lucky calls him.  Here we see Esteban giving his little boy a glimpse of the wonders of the universe and telling him the future he foresees in which a better human race will embrace the Cosmos from which it came.  Lucky, who idolizes his Poppa, is properly awestruck.  Here's Page 1:

And Page 2:

For the original versions of these pages, I penciled in the heavy, flat blacks to be inked later on.  (You can guess that these would go in the shots of space, for example.)  For the revisions, to save time ("work smarter, not harder") I saved these areas for the inking.  We'll see the rest of the Prologue in the next post, then start to move on to the main story.