Carmen Sandiego Redesign Project: Members of VILE
Over a week ago, I redesigned Carmen Sandiego because of a conversation I'd had at lunch. This past week, I'd gone about redesigning other members of VILE. These are my thoughts on each:
Carmen Sandiego:
When redesigning Carmen, I wanted her to look "actiony." I had to try really hard not to make her sexy. I did away with her trench coat in favor of a tek poncho, and figured that giving her a catsuit would add to the action-appeal I was going for. I gave the catsuit ninja toes to imply a swiftness of movement.
The Carmen Sandiego I'm envisioning here is not new to the game, but not quite heavily seasoned. Probably a few years out from having left ACME Detective Agency. Not quite at the level of stealing monuments, cities, and entire islands, but she's getting there.
Patty & Gren Larceny:
Redesigning Patty Larceny helped me figure out the ethos behind VILE in this head-fiction I've allowed to abscond with me. The members of VILE are all in it for the love of the game.
In doing research, I discovered that Patty was always a youngster (but back when I was a kid, I thought she was grown). Here, I decided to stick with that. I wanted to make a character whose first heist was the theft of her daddy's credit card, and she was never punished or scolded for doing so. Probably looks up to Carmen as a role model.
I imagine her as being a kleptomaniac proficient in sleight of hand - easily able to steal smallish objects. Likely a master of diversion tactics - which is where her dog, Gren, would come in. Patty carries Gren on her coat (it's faux fur - she has a conscience). Well, Patty probably carries everything in her coat. If she got hit or took a tumble, everything she'd stolen would likely fall out like Sonic's rings.
Vic The Slick:
Right away, I knew that I wanted to make Vic the Slick a bishonen. When blocking out the face, I noticed that he resembled Prince - so I leaned into it. Prince is the original bishonen after all. My mission was to make Vic the Slick fuckable. And I knew I succeeded when my moderator came into the stream while I was working on him, and said, "Oh, he can get it."
When designing Vic, I leaned into a couple of things I'd only tried in thumbnails for a client or two, but clients never really dug - for example, the high-waisted skinny slacks-turtle neck combo. I did away with his original color scheme in favor of something a little more modern. in order to add the "used car salesman vibes" back into the character, I gave him gold chains.
I imagine this Vic the Slick as VILE's fence and HUMINT specialist. A smooth talker. If there were a fight scene, he'd probably be scrambling around trying to get help from the other members of the crew.
Eartha Brute:
I think the most drastic changes I've made to any member of VILE has to be what I've done with Eartha Brute. I've essentially reimagined her as a former pro wrestler - likely a heel - who got sick of constantly having to "do the job" and was never pushed or given a title shot. She wears the prize of her first heist on her waist.
It was important to me that I retained some semblance of her original color scheme - the pink of her costume and the green highlights in her hair.
When designing her tattoo, I was initially worried because tattoo design isn't really my forte. But in this instance, it just kind of flowed.
I imagine Eartha as the muscle - someone you call in when something or someone big has to be moved. In my mind, she travels kind of like the Hulk. By leaping large distances.
Robo-Crook:
Robo-Crook, in this head-fiction, was a former mobster who was caught stealing/embezzling from his boss and operation, and nearly perished as a result. Science was able to save him? He uses his second chance at life to continue stealing whatever he can. For the love of the game.
Robo-Crook's accessories and pinstripe panels were things he probably requested to make him feel like he was dressed sharp and presentable.
I imagine he functions as the old wise member of the group who is also a tech specialist.
I also threw them all together to see if they fit. And they do. There. It's all out of my head. I can move on and continue my sculpt of Anura.
