Welcome to Nu-Perspective.
Nu-Perspective is a new column featuring redesigns and updates of various Nubian (black) comic book characters. The aim of the column is to spotlight underdeveloped, underutilized and all-but-forgotten black characters specifically, and showcase them in fresh, contemporary and exciting ways both visually and story-wise. Co-creator Shawn Alleyne (Artist/Writer) believes that any character has the potential for greatness with enough care and imagination. Along with co-creator Fabian Wood (Writer), these characters, whether hero or villain, will be pulled from any book or company, indy or major, and given the revamp treatment. In some cases these revamps can be a light dusting off the character, or in extreme Mort-status, a complete overhaul. If you have a favorite character you would like to see in a “Nu-Perspective”, feel free to let us know. The column will be featured on the Black Sci-fi site and will run bi-weekly.
All characters are copyrights and trademarks of the respective publishers and creators. This column is used solely for artistic enjoyment.
Madam Slay
Art by Shawn Alleyne. Concept by Shawn Alleyne and Fabian Wood.
With February being Black History Month, (and now it seems a national holiday for the Black Panther movie), we decided to focus on characters from the Black Panther universe. For our first entry, we have “Madam Slay”. In the current continuity of the character, Madam Slay was a lover and ally of Erik Killmonger, BP’s most popular villain. Nu-Perspective pick’s up right where her last defeat ended, and comes out the gate banging with TWO revamps for the price of one. Check out her original look and story, and let us know if you like where we took her.
And if you would like a deeper behind-the-scenes look at the creation process, read Shawn’s blog here:
www.shawnah-lean.blogspot.com.
See you in 2 weeks.
Shawn and Fabian
Real Name: Unknown
Current Alias: Madam Slay
Identity: Secret Identity
Occupation:
Place of Birth: Wakanda
Base Of Operations: N’Jadaka village, Wakanda
Affiliations: Erik Killmonger
Citizenship: Wakandan
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Comic book Origin: Marvel Universe Earth-616
Original Creators: Don McGregor, Billy Graham
First Appearance: Jungle Action Vol2 #18, November 1975
History: Madam Slay was a lover and ally of Erik Killmonger, staying loyal to him even after his first death. Madam Slay preserved his body with secret herbs, and months later after some machinations by the Iron Man villain Mandarin, Killmonger was resurrected. Killmonger and Madam Slay plotted to kill the Black Panther and return Wakanda to its ancient ways, but the Black Panther defeated Killmonger again, and Killmonger reverted to an inanimate skeleton. Madam Slay was devastated by this second death, and her defeat at the hands of Black Panther and his allies. With nothing more to live for, she appealed to the mad goddess Sekhmet for revenge. Now a mystically endowed were-leopard, Madam Slay is the rivalrous avatar against Bastet and her champion, the Black Panther, and has become a fearsome, cannibalistic hunter driven by wanton bloodlust for Wakanda loyalists.
Powers: Previous to her transformation Madam Slay already possessed control over leopards through unknown means. Now, due to divine empowerment, Madam Slay has psychic control over all feral felines, and has been granted enhanced physical strength, speed and agility. In her were-leopard form she has all of these attributes to a greater degree plus enhanced senses, razor-sharp claws and teeth, a healing factor and a pheromone ability allowing her to manipulate all men. Madam Slay is an exceptional hunter/tracker, an expert hand-to-hand combatant and proficient with bladed weapons.
Paraphernalia/Weapons: Twin curved blades; Arm gauntlet blades
Art by Shawn Alleyne. Concept by Shawn Alleyne and Fabian Wood.
Fabian Wood (Writer)
Hailing from the eastern-most Caribbean island of Barbados, Fabian Wood has long since been fascinated by the power of storytelling to inspire and invoke emotions – whether in film, comics or videogames. No longer content to be just an avid comic book reader and videogamer, he’s eager to exercise his literary acumen as an aspiring writer and reviewer.
Shawn Alleyne (Freelance Skillastrator/Instructor)
Born and raised on the island of Barbados, Shawn later relocated to Philadelphia in his teens, where he has lived every since. He is currently working in the demanding field of freelance art as a Writer, Illustrator and Instructor. Shawn constantly seeks to promote the arts, and so formed the comic book networking group Xion and the art group Artmada. Shawn’s personal work is produced under the Pyroglyphics Studios banner, a name roughly translated to “Hot Images”, meant to reflect his gritty self-taught style.
More of Shawn’s work can be seen here:
FB: www.facebook.com/PyroglyphicsStudio
IG: @Pyroglyphics1
T: @ShawnAlleyneArt
E-mail: pyroglyphics1@comcast.net
