Stm snowflake challenge - Reclist
This week, I present: a reclist for my favourite Johnny designs in fanart. For this list I deliberately didn't include any too many 😅drawings that use the actual productions' designs, even though there are some AMAZING pieces of art which do that, obviously!! But I decided to do something a little bit different this time, and highlight other interpretations.
FYI these are in no particular order except the order the tabs are open on my computer :p Click on the images to get to the post! Also, I hope no-one minds that I include a little quote from the image in the post; it's just to showcase what I love about each piece, but each full work is linked and if anyone objects I will remove the thumbnail!
Left: This is a Johnny design by @hello-there-bees which has stayed with me ever since I saw it. Something about the angular shapes of the face and the star coming from his eye, which could be makeup or just the lasers, is just so incredibly striking.
Middle: This Johnny/Cristal fanart by tristane.vale on instagram is on the list despite the fact that you can barely see Johnny, really, because of the simply mind-blowing idea of giving Johnny a "Sadia" tattoo.
Right: Johnny and Cristal, make it lesbians. YES. @apocalypse-nini you are a genius for this. I love that she looks like she could take down one of Zero's tanks, but her face is so clearly smitten... Look at the blush on her cheeks! And the use of colors, it's like magic to me.
Left: @chantaiyao's original Johnny design lives in my head rent-free, I can't even explain how much I love it. The hair, the eyes, the hardware, the earrings, the outfit!! Give it some love if you haven't already, GOD. Here's another one!
Middle: @kimodraw's Johnny will FUCK. YOU. UP. and I love that about him. Obviously I love a waifish Johnny who fucks people up, but I also love a Johnny built like a brick shithouse who sings about his tender feelings for Cristal... It's all about contrast, baby!
Right: Same concept with @falimojk's original "cartoon character" designs! Stocky, spiky, rakish Johnny who perhaps got his face stomped in once of twice by the police or a rival gang, but is still smiling... Love it.
Left: Matthieujeantet on insta drew an incredibly cool cyborg!Johnny which tbh is begging to have fic written about...
Middle: @kurpitie put Johnny in a crop-top and should get a medal for it. (See also his portrait here.) He looks so young with his little failed beard and his dishevelled hair... I have lots of tenderness for this version!
Right: OKAY maybe this is a cheating a little but @vanyaliful's amazing drawing of a more violent 1979 Johnny is so good it couldn't not be included. The concept is fire, the drawing itself is incredibly executed... A+, no notes.
And finally, these aren't really suited to the premise of this list either but I couldn't resist...
Left: @melancholic-cinnamon-roll consistently draws incredible Johnny, and I know this one is probably a little 2022-influenced but also it's AU enough to make this list. All the details of the piercings, the tattoos, the thick eyebrows... He looks like a real person despite being drawn very economically. And the yearning look on his face here is just SO. GOOD
Middle: another @chantaiyao hit: 2022 Johnny with a nail!bat. I think this was the first piece of Starmania fanart I ever saw, back in November 2022, and it imprinted on my brain (also because I was in a Stranger Things phase back then and the nail bat is also a fixture :p)
Right: The adorable cartoonified design for Johnny and Cristal by cleo_die on insta. I love EVERYTHING about him (and Cristal), it's so fun and playful... And yet so strangely heart-breaking? These characters were made to have fun and consequence-free shenanigans in a Sunday morning cartoon, and instead have to deal with unimagineable horrors?? Insanity.
There!! I hope you enjoyed this little stroll through my fave Johnnies, maybe you discovered some pieces you'd missed or got to see some old favourites again! Don't forget to give some (more) love to the creators!
