Stunning new X-Men fan art shows the Women of the Atom in all their glory. The X-Men franchise has long been known for its strong, well-developed female characters. In part that's the legacy of legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont, who has an unusual talent for developing women - or, at least, a talent that was certainly unusual in the comic book industry back in the 1970s. It was Claremont who transformed Marvel Girl into Phoenix, fleshed out Storm, and fashioned the X-Men's demonic sorceress Magik.
Over the last few weeks, artist JP Pinto has been taking to Instagram to gradually unveil his own rendition of the full roster of X-Women. He's been drawing on characters from every era of X-Men history, albeit with a focus on characters created - or profoundly influenced by - Claremont. Now, finally, the image is complete - a stunning piece of art featuring 14 prominent female members of the X-Men.
The roster is a fascinating one, featuring (left-to-right, top-to-bottom): Monet St. Croix (M), Rogue, Storm, Rachel Grey, Dazzler, Psylocke, Kwannon, Jean Grey, White Queen, Polaris, Jubilee, X-23, Magik, and Kitty Pryde. The characters wear an interesting range of costumes, some original and some lifted straight from the comics, offering glimpses of what's come before and what could come in the future. Magik was the final addition to the piece, adding a degree of asymmetry to the finished image.
JP Pino has focused purely on women who have been members of the X-Men, and he's included most of the major ones. Each woman is striking a pose that seems perfectly in character, with the stand-out being the telepathic Emma Frost, who has just the right amount of sass. Naturally, every X-Men team needs its own Wolverine, although JP Pinto has chosen to dress Laura Kinney in the sexier outfit she wore when she went under the X-23 identity. And fans have noted the closeness between Kitty Pryde and Magik, and the look of love on Illyana Rasputin's face; they're a popular 'ship, especially now that both Magik and Kitty seem to be considered queer by Marvel's current writers. The most impressive aspect of the art is the way some of the power effects - notably Dazzler's and Jubilee's - create light on the other women in the image, providing an almost photorealistic result.
JP Pino notes he hasn't added everybody, although he may well return to this popular piece of artwork later on to feature other popular X-Women. But for now, he needs a break - understandably, given the work that clearly went into this absolutely stunning piece of X-Men fan art.
Source: Instagram