Whitechapel - REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T09:11:35-08:00

There was, way back in the mists of... 2007... a recurrent meme among several comics art blogs. Reclaiming characters from their owners, I guess it could be broadly described as... people were reimagining abused characters (chiefly Supergirl) as artistic call-and-response various places, chiefly LiveJournal. In the aftermath of that, I did a similar thing on old messageboard The Engine, called REMAKE/REMODEL. They were embraced as technical exercises, bits of fun, ways to get the brain moving. I think most people's favourite was the dear late Mike Wieringo's wondrous retro-aristo Buck Rogers...

I thought it might be an interesting thing to bring back here. So, once a week, I'll call a character, and you art types here can post images of your reinterpretation of that character. Photography and digital art is also fine, before anyone asks.

The point is REinterpretation: remake/remodel.

------------

IRMA VEP was, of course, the title of a semi-recent Maggie Cheung film. But she was originally the most striking protagonist of LES VAMPIRES, a 10-part movie serial about a team of burglars. She was "their most enigmatic member by far... a woman as ruthless and deadly as she is beautiful." She both avoided and exacerbated the internecine strife between the members of the group, making alliances, staying in the background, and basically running everything. She let the "Grand Vampire" think the gang was his. But she was the boss.

Irma Vep is broadly considered to be cinema's first femme fatale. She's a moral vacuum, she seduces people to her will in order to control her environment and she steals shit while wearing a black catsuit.

All Olivier Assayas did was stick Maggie Cheung in a latex catsuit. And, you know, no-one's blaming him for that. But Irma Vep was an iconic figure.

Who wants to make a burglar queen for the 21C?

----------

I look forward to seeing what you come up with, but bear in mind this is an ART thread, and pen-portraits and other texts will be deleted. (And if you don't know what a pen-portrait is, go back to your school and insist that they provide you with a proper education.)

-- W

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T09:16:29-08:00

damn you, can't resist

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T09:23:35-08:00

since no text is allowed on this one, why not do a separate thread for texts only? It would also be a fun exercise.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T09:26:25-08:00

Because there are Only Five Rules, you idiot. And don't even think about telling me you didn't read them when you came in.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T09:40:44-08:00

Agh! Need you remind me of the Arse Eels?

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T09:45:05-08:00

Sorry, Warren, didn't remember.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T09:54:00-08:00

Funny, I knew neither the original Irma Vep nor the Maggie Cheung remake. When I saw this topic I immediately thought of the Charles Ludlam play, which is great, zany fun should anyone get the chance to see it.

I look forward to seeing what people come up with.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T09:59:18-08:00

Oooooh. This looks fun. I've never heard of this or the character but after some research I'll definitely give it a shot.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T10:23:37-08:00

Oh yes, it has returned.

Sharpening pencil now, sir.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T10:57:37-08:00

To Warren:

I am no artist, but thank you kindly for bringing this back. I will now suck from the teat of Whitechapel to get my fix.

It's good to be home.

To all of you artist-folk getting your groove on:

I sincerely thank you for the works which we are about to receive. Entrails or tea leaves, it's never easy to suss out what'll come of these. And I love that.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T11:03:26-08:00

I always read these threads first on The Engine.; this is going to rule.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T11:04:19-08:00

Irma Vep is new to me also, she sounds sexy though.

This sounds like a great thread. Thankx for giving my insomina a purpose.

Be seeing y'all soon with something juicey I hope?

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T11:15:26-08:00

Damn you, it's not like I don't have other work to do, but now this is stuck in my head. Sigh. I'll get right to work on it, you bastard. i should know better than to even read these things.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T11:57:24-08:00

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T12:01:18-08:00

Heh. Thanks for being first artist in and breaking the ice...

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T12:05:20-08:00

Thank you for giving me something to do besides laundry....

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T12:10:07-08:00

1) Never do with a hood what you can do with styling gel.

2) Kind of a Girl Hitler thing going on with the lipstick.

3) I'm not actually sure this new Irma's a woman. There could be all kinds of secrets under that zipper.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T13:17:17-08:00

she so needed a better head piece...

and ha ha @ Josh...too funny.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T13:42:53-08:00

I've missed these things. Here's my go at it.

(click through for larger size)

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T14:09:58-08:00

To blu,
Very, very, cool! Reminds me of the Hugo Steiner-Prag illustrations to Gustav Meyrink's 'Der Golem'.
And so very quick too, I've only started sketching ideas.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T15:33:49-08:00

I love these threads. Thanks to Sean, blu, Josh and kong for posting so far, and thanks in advance to the rest who do. Wish I had your talent.

I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of fishnet in this one. And buckles. Not complaining.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T16:00:26-08:00

[obviously work in progress] Any 21st century woman who has a mobile, swiss knife, credit card
and usb stick can steal your house out from under you and set off a trojan war.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T16:16:48-08:00

in case anybody is wondering, the first episode of the original 1915 Les Vampires is here:
http://www.archive.org/details/LesVampires1915DirectedByLouisFeuillade

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T16:17:58-08:00

@Yskaya: I LIKE that one, suits the "runs it behind the scenes" aspects of the original.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T16:49:46-08:00

Just doodling ideas at the moment but wanted to share.

Really can't do that comic book style thing, don't know why I keep trying. My final offering probably will look nothing like this.

Sorry about poor quality photo, had to use my phone camera.

This is actually what I was doing when I was suppose to be paying attention on a skype conference, thankx again Warren for giving me the excuse to ignore my real job, it feels good!

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T17:54:19-08:00

Here is what popped in my head. A little non-fantastic take.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T18:14:20-08:00

I tried to go with a modern aesthetic while retaining some practicality for a
burglar. Seems to me that a dark hoody with a dark scarf would
work rather well for transitioning from the street to a heist and back again
without raising too many eyebrows these days.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T18:14:52-08:00

The burglar queen of the 21st century wears a gasmask.

Also, a corset, which you'd think would be limiting. But not for our Miss Vep.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T19:45:41-08:00

This is fantastic.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T20:46:32-08:00

Echoing the thoughts of everyone else: Happy to have this thread around again.

Now then, Irma Vep: How in the hell do you redesign something as simple, elegant, and frankly perfect as an early 20th-century French Goth Ninja Thief?!

Well, you can't. But for the sake of things, I tossed in a few modern flourishes - ditching the cowl for a short haircut, adding pads and ninja boots for parkour purposes, and using the cape/wings as a more functional glider/weapon idea.

(And yes, the coloring's for shit, but...uh...I suck at coloring, and have limited tools. If anyone has a jones to do a decent job, I scanned an uncolored version too.)

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T21:17:30-08:00

just wanted to throw up a quick sketch, doesn't quite have the feel i was looking for... but there's a little bit of style, some utility, and some techno-boots that do... something cool. anyway, had to jump in. good stuff all around.

Trey

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T22:42:10-08:00

I was going for something that was kind of chaotic, contrasting the sleek image of the original with little bits of Kabuki and vampire gothic in there.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T22:53:06-08:00

This is not at all what I meant to design...oh well, I guess someone needed to fulfill the buckle and fishnet requirements...

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-24T23:24:23-08:00

Larger Version Here

Irma as a Freakangel. Wearing socks.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T00:45:21-08:00

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T02:50:28-08:00

Urbanite.
Pretty.
Parkour.
Young.
Tough hands.
Pretty.
Manipulative bitch.
Backpack and pouches for shiny stuff.
Won't kill for shiny stuff.
Makes other people kill for shiny stuff.
Will kiss on first dates... if it means more shiny stuff.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T03:26:28-08:00

Some great ones so far! Here's my hat in then:

Here she is a ruthless leader of criminals. She is not to be fucked with.

Ink sketch:

Painted version:

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T03:46:39-08:00

went more noir-fatale catwoman on this one...

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T05:34:46-08:00

@ Rootfireember - Extremely yes to the socks.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T07:16:34-08:00

As a disguised leader of a vampire party, I think Irma would dress up like the most obvious vampire in the pack. Almost like she was trying a little to hard to look like a vampire. Thta would make her being looked down upon, which is a great place to be if you want to rule without people realizing it.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T08:13:43-08:00

Admittedly I may be heading off in random tangents, it is only Tuesday, I promise to have something more to do with the remit before the week's end.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T09:19:51-08:00

I am not an artist, at all, but I still want to play. I just put together some sketches to see about how Irma Vep's crazy wings would work.

I've got some commentary about it here, for people who aren't professional writers and who don't suffer dangerous legal minefields, if anyone is interested.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T10:44:59-08:00

Warren, I really missed this threads... back in the Engine I had a lot of fun. Here's my take on Irma:

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T10:56:47-08:00

Final, recoloured, version, I promise.

(Nice one, Sobreiro. The attention to details here is just glorious. As always!)

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T11:46:33-08:00

well, i thought i'd have a go

here's the original un-photoshopped which i actually now think looks marginally better

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T11:49:16-08:00

@Sobreiro

That is amazing, I love it. However--that hat can only make me think of Dumb Donald from Fat Albert--and I've never even seen the show I just know the image.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T12:15:26-08:00

Hahah, damn, I just thought about that now... I just morphed a flapper hat into a mask, but you're right...!

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T12:20:08-08:00

Here's my attempt
Click on pic for bigger.

Thought I'd use brush and ink, which I haven't done for quite a while, and it shows, but not too bad an attempt.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T12:21:04-08:00

Great stuff so far everyone.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T14:46:50-08:00

Well done all! I do really love these threads and am glad Warren ressurected them.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T14:47:14-08:00

I see nothing wrong with the cat suit when it's time to steal shit. This what I'd have her look like the rest of the time.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T16:13:40-08:00

I wanted to post my thoughts but, those damn rules I guess. I'll actually have to see if I can draw something.

Well done everyone. This is loads of fun.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T16:52:51-08:00

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T17:14:49-08:00

C'mon, we all know the "Burglar Queen" of the 21st century would be a bored housewife stealing on-line identities to go on Amazon and eBay shopping sprees. Wouldn't stop her from using the gear, though.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T18:36:05-08:00

My go:

I don't know why she has the little sucker thingies on her fingers. I imagine her as one of those tiny quirky punk rock girls. Except, you know, not lame.

Oh, yeah, those are my poor attempt at ballerina shoes.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T18:44:21-08:00

Tedcroland, VERY nice. I like it.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T19:27:27-08:00

Oooh, tough choices, but I'd say Santapau is my current favorite. Well done, sir.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T19:42:09-08:00

@dennisculver

I love the little bat on the skirt of the dress. The whole outfit makes her look like a Pipette-of-Crime, and I approve.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T20:37:12-08:00

I didn't go so much for a redesign as much as just a refinement on the character. I thought that she ought to be a little more nubile and ..chipper doesn't seem the right word. But, more fun and not so broody. (even though she's not smiling in this drawing.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-25T21:03:54-08:00

@johnmuth

Awesomeness!

@Warren

How long is this going to be open? I'm doing a colored version, but I'm not going to be able to work on it--the program I need is at work and I'm off 'til Monday!

(Great fun, btw--thanks!)

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-26T13:45:42-08:00

voila...

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-26T16:55:34-08:00

This took a while, but I'm happy with the results. Gotta thank Warren for the exercise. It's hard as hell trying not to think "Catwoman" when drawing a cat suit.

Click for larger view.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-26T17:26:02-08:00

Very nice Ken. Is that pencil?

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-26T17:30:34-08:00

this is such an awesome idea. there's a bunch of great designs that have been shared. i humbly submit my own, with the disclaimer that i am trying to get my brushwork skillz up (i generally ink with tech. pens) so here's my brushwork effort:

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-26T20:59:25-08:00

Most cat burglars and femme fatales are skinny things. I wanted to push it a bit by making Irma a bit more voluptuous. A little harder to sneak around, I suppose, but even while battling some extra, unwanted pounds, Irma's the best.

Regards,
Chip

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-26T21:51:59-08:00

@ tedcroland, if this works the same as it did on the engine, it will stay open indefinately; most of the activity will jump to next weeks challenge, and again the week after that and so on, but the older threads will still see new ideas pop up as more and more people join the game later on.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-26T22:11:17-08:00

@Zdarsky
Now that's a lady that will make you grab her cupcakes.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-26T22:32:22-08:00

@Zdarsky:

She is a BBF, a Big Beautiful Felon.

That or Baron Harkonnen is here to rob us blind.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-26T22:42:48-08:00

@Chip Zdarsky
Is that the calling card she leaves at every scene of the crime? If it is, she can empty my coffers anytime, if you get my drift.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-26T23:32:06-08:00

@ Chip - "Where Are They NOW? - Irma Vep!"

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T00:09:14-08:00

Rob_g, Irma looks like a doe caught in the headlights, I like the image, worked on an unsatisfactory one of my own, will post it soon enough.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T00:51:15-08:00

@john pip you have it exactly right. i was trying to illustrate irma being caught red-handed.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T06:36:46-08:00

Keith dude, it's all pencil except for the blood spatter. That's actually a brush I downloaded for photoshop. The font, of course, is photoshop as well, but the drawing is all pencil.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T09:36:28-08:00

@Kenesu
Thank you. I thought it was, but it's hard to be sure now-a-days. ;) Nice work.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T14:18:03-08:00

I went with a more urban/modern look, she could be an internet burglar, Irma Vep could be her ID.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T14:29:27-08:00

My first time trying this. I decided to go with a pseudo-futuristic leotard for the sneaking and striped stockings/arm socks for the fun. And the straps. Pouches and straps. Because I have an artistic military fetish. Also, they worked out as being a harness for her wings in the top one. When I find a pen fine enough, I'll ink and color the top pic. This was great fun. Oddly enough, these are some of the most satisfying pictures I've done in a long while.

I'm seeing these 21c Les Vampires as something of an Anonymous-style flash mob. Anyone can be a criminal, there's no solid roster, no one's really running things. Except for Irma, who's figured out how to play everyone behind the scenes.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T15:38:42-08:00

@Yorko - great, man. Loved your concept.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T18:17:44-08:00

Loved this back on the Engine. Great to see it return. Loving the work so far.
Here's my young Irma, as a kind of sly hipster making her thieving start, then the more mature, ruthless Miss Vep.

Was trying to get to a scanner, but gave up, so these are photos. I had a cooler pencil sketch with some kit and a background, but it wouldn't have photographed well.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T20:39:34-08:00

I have this idea for an art deco piece, but it'll take a couple of months. Is it cool to come back to this thread in February or so?

@ Yorko - very nice indeed.

@ Chip - good art provokes. Well done.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T21:43:13-08:00

That's a start, but for some reason Modesty Blaise is stuck in my mind. More on it if I get the time.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-27T23:28:48-08:00

@ Leandro Damasceno and Greasemonkey

thanks!

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T03:55:04-08:00

My contribution:

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T11:24:29-08:00

@D Edward Sauve: Thnx :)
And now for something completely different from my first. jut fun to draw.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T15:39:59-08:00

Wasn't fast enough to get my idea posted before others hit on some of the same ideas I had, but what the hell...

"Irma is a gangly girl at her high school; she reads horror manga in the back of the library during lunch hour, gets gum and candy bar wrappers thrown at her in the hallways between classes. She is powerless to affect change in the social circles of school, but Irma has a secret; at night, she reclaims her power by keying SUVs, pickpocketing cel phones from purses slung over the chair backs in the local Starbucks, and using her fake Facebook page to get other alterna-nerd punk boys to carry out her wishes of revenge for her, luring them along with the promises of pictures and naked webcam videos that she has no intention of ever making. Irma reclaims her power from the popular, the affluent and the shallow, but her real secret; all she wants is her first kiss from the girl who checks out the books in the library."

EDIT: Detail shot of IRMA VEP drawing to show some equipment/details.
I figured as a thief, she would have (on her backpack strap) a multi-tool, little canisters for matches, glue, tape, string, magnets, all the utility belt junk, but more accessible. A backpack, for transporting all the junk she steals. I also wanted to give her a more complex look than just a general "goth" look, so I gave her the Japanese single stripe lipstick, and freckles, because freckles make it hard to look gothy.
She's also a fan of the FREAKANGELS strip. Go figure.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T17:39:50-08:00

Paul Sizer:

As brilliant as she is lovely. Thanks for sharing!

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T17:50:24-08:00

@rob g
Sweet drawing! I love the old style look, and the nice clean line

@Chip Zdarsky
Nice alternative take on the look. BBW is unexpected, but really well realized.

@yorko
Thanks for beating me to the punch! You did exactly what I was thinking, just simpler and faster! Bravo!

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T19:23:23-08:00

I didn't really come up with anything too original this time - for some reason I had a hard time unwrapping and repackaging this concept except for trying to put a modern edge on it...all the elements I was coming up with were story, and not visual.

I do like the logo on her belt, though.

(She's got a weakness for old film, thus her choice for names - a nod to the original "Les Vampires" obvious anagram of 'vampire'. All the members have code names taken from literary vampires.)

Their suits are state of the art ( funded by the ransom they collected for Irma herself! ) and include retractable 'wings', gekko-like nano-adhesive on the gloves, boots, elbows, knees, etcetera, and built in telecomm with HUD and variable optics, and light refracting stealth tech. Probably kevlar weave and thermal baffling, too.

They are sexy, top-notch bad people.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T19:28:59-08:00

So I decided that to stray from the original is to lose the original's iconic look. So I elaborated on the catsuit's silhouette. The body stocking is a stretch knit styled after a commando sweater with the epulat shoulder pads. The Leggings are of course vinyl and the utility garter belt hopefully adds a touch of french sexuality while serving function. She has a clear plastic faceplate which provides a heads up display for her decrypting super computer.

This was damn good fun. Thanks for bringing this back Warren.

Daniel Heard

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T19:42:41-08:00

@dapper dan

wooooow! that is amazing! you and i had the same idea, not straying too much from the original design. beautiful work.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T20:14:56-08:00

also @dapper dan

Oh, but that is wonderful. I'd really like to have a poster of that.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T20:35:31-08:00

My favorites are mostly on this page! I'm loving pink-haired lesbian Irma, I love Chip's fat Irma (one of the absent ones), and I love the similarities and differences between Dapper Dan's and Misha's.

I'm having such ideas of who'd be on Misha's Irma's team...

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T21:38:48-08:00

This was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to more of these in the future.

@ Paul Sizer I really like the clean look and color scheme.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T22:53:12-08:00

Meatgun:

Love the wires, her expression, and her gadgets.

Furious:

Love the composition! That shading still blows me away, and I love the Patricia Hearst element. The henchmen look like the Greys. Heh.

Dapper Dan:

LOVE the colour! And she's very slinky and clearly up to no good.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-28T23:17:23-08:00

just a rough sketch to add my little contribution to the awesomeness that's already transpired here. I wanted to pay homage the the Les Vampires in a subtle way, so I went with the brooch for the short cape. I kept thinking of Warren's last line in the original post, "Who wants to make a burglar queen for the 21C" so I tried to make her with a splash of regal poise.

Thanks for giving me something to do instead of thinking how I'll be back to work at my department store job having more "pleasant" conversations with customers tomorrow.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-29T09:14:54-08:00

I love these threads, but I had a really hard time even coming up with a concept for this one. My problem with Irma Vep, as far as I can tell, is the same reason that she's so interesting and iconic. "Latex catsuited female burgler" is such an established trope now it's hard to keep to her core imagry without straying into something that already exists. Lots of people have done it so far, but I just couldn't get away from it.

So I thought I'd effectively ditch most of the imagery and approach her from how I understood her as an idea. I imagined her as the little voice in the back of your head whispering that if you do bad things you'll be rewarded. If you look very hard sometimes, you can see her faint outline or her shadow on the wall. Or maybe it's just guilt.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-29T14:22:58-08:00

Thank you Arsnof, Glossolalia and shining_lion!

@ Rob G High praise. I am a huge fan of the Couriers.

Daniel Heard

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-29T18:56:27-08:00

Getting this in before Warren gets the next one running...

I went with kind of a gothic raver vibe, I guess. Telescoping billy club that she can pull from her back, along with other cat-burglar goods. Telescoping spines for the parachute material. Retractable claws - maybe hydraulic powered - for scaling buildings up high. Removable dreadlock wig a la King Mob to help conceal her identity. Same for the black contacts that probably help her vision adjust according to the right situations.

I probably spent way too much time on this this morning, but it was a lot of fun. Who knows, maybe I can use the design and ideas for something else. And, yeah, I realize the scan is awful.

There's some really wonderful stuff in this thread, by the way.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-29T19:13:05-08:00

I almost feel ashamed trying to associate my work with the rest here, but here it goes:

What I was going with was for her to be the leader of the criminal underworld, while still inkling for the thrill of the steal. So her catsuit would be covered by her business suit, but when the night calls for her, she can just take off the jacket, put on the gear, replace her heels for some practical boots and steal whatever the hell she wants. Basically, I combined Marvel's Kingpin, Dagny Taggert from Atlas Shruged, and Catwoman into what you see here.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-30T09:11:08-08:00

@rob_g
That's awesome, rob. And I just visited your web comic, the brushwork on that is fantastic.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-30T16:09:54-08:00

"Who wants to make a burglar queen for the 21C?"

I'm really hoping I'm not breaking any of the rules by using a robust avatar-creator system for my "digital art." But my art skillz are non-existent, but I got all of the pieces in my head for my inspiration on the drive home today. While I've wanted to add something to each one of these re-makes, this is the first time I've been satisfied enough with an idea to share.

Again, apologies if this doesn't fit. Delete if necessary.

edit: Irma Vep circa May 2012.

Left: This is Irma as she is at home. Comfortable clothes, as she does a lot of sitting around while she's jacked into the 'net. Those gloves of hers not only contain a duo-quad processor with a terrabyte of ram, it has more storage and encryption than you can shake a stick at. The interface is controlled via the fingers, tongue and eye movement (that's what the goggles are for). The life expectancy of someone who subjects their body to such punishment is not very long. Who wants to live forever, anyway? The world sucks. As you can tell by her eyes, she doesn't sleep much. When she's jacked in, she's modified her rig to send a worm out to the 'net siphoning all of the standby power on the grid--the call it vampire power. In December, when the world goes black, she'll still be up and running.

In the middle: I decided to limit her catsuit to her 'net avatar. Very simple solid black with the white circuitry.

On the right, is her running gear. When she's not stealing your credit info and identity on-line, she's stealing your uppers, adrenochrome and smart drugs. Not your money, because the real money is just 1's and 0's, but gold and diamonds still fetch a good price if you know the right people. As another nod to the vampire theme, her head scarf ends in red-on-the-inside pointed tail you can't quite see. She wears sneakers for practicality, and her belt carries a variety of tools and gadgets (and pills). Nice, sturdy gloves, too. Here, the goggles act as a proxy to her rig at home, hacking into floor plans and CCTV systems.

A couple of notes: when she got outfitted with her cybernetics, she also got dental implants giving her enhanced canines. Because of the crashes from her drug use, she tends to sleep through the day. She still has her gang that she manipulates to her whim. They're called Anonymous.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-11-30T18:56:00-08:00

@Santapau - especially lovely. Brings to mind that 21st Century Bond Villain thread on Stross' blog.

@Chip Zdarsky's - unexpected yet strangely plausible.

@rob_g - so clean, so mod. Would fit right in alongside Casanova Quinn.

@happymrlocust - Mythago!Irma? Love it!

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-01T05:28:06-08:00

these are just amazing... now i'm thinking about doing an irma vep costume for dragon con next year...

shining_lion - love the images and the fact that your story fits who she'd probably be today

Chet Presley - this is one of the images i'm thinking of turning into a costume (the wings will be a bit hard but other than that i think i can do it myself)

Art Grafunkel - this one is awesome - parkour/climber is a really interesting twist

Jared Axelrod - thinking about this one for a costume too - and corsets if properly fitted are not terribly limiting at all (i've even done some impromptu rock climbing w/ rope/harness in one, and they're my favorite thing to wear for a day at the amusement park)

# Rootfireember, Leandro Damasceno, and VogonPoet30 - also possible costumes and stunning images

blu - love this image; a bit too hard to read her though to work out a costume from this one

hmmm... maybe i shold go as a different version of her at every costume change? would the mohawk fit though?

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-01T09:35:39-08:00

Link to flickr entry for Irma Vep REMAKE/REMODEL:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7751633@N08/3074200827/

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-01T09:36:13-08:00

Link to flickr entry for Irma Vep REMAKE/REMODEL:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7751633@N08/3074200827/

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-01T12:58:44-08:00

Very late in the game, but still anxious to go, here's my 2 ct

Irma, an accomplished thief and urban runner, being all of 15 and leader of a gang of 12 kids, has decided stealing stuff is for the little ones and plans to retire the game and make a run for some real money.
As a farewell heist, she plans to steal France.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-01T12:59:03-08:00

alumiere:

Thank you! It was the bit by Warren that I stressed that really set the tone for my ideas.

After I moused over your name, it became clear to me that you would be a fantastic Irma, in any iteration. And I think the mohawk would work--one of my early drafts of Irma had a mohawk, but went with the spiked 'do instead.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-01T22:31:43-08:00

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-01T22:36:19-08:00

Chet kindly pointed me in this direction, so thought i'd play along.

I was trying to play up the vamp thing, going for a GothNoir, maybe a bit of sci-fi. Looks too much like a prostitute, probably.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-01T22:42:53-08:00

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-01T23:00:28-08:00

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-01T23:08:34-08:00

~~/1.jpg" alt="irma" />~~

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-02T10:16:56-08:00

Colors for my Irma. I just did the portrait so I could get started on the Captain Justice.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-06T16:32:16-08:00

Bitter experience suggests that genuine femme fatales tend to be over thirty and I just couldn't imagine a ballet dancer turned burglar risking crime scene perspiration by wearing a catsuit. Not when 21st century bathroom cabinets are groaning with exfoliating gunk.

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2008-12-09T22:29:18-08:00

kinda rushed it on the left leg...

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2009-04-07T03:07:01-07:00

A little out there, so bare with me. ^^;;;

EDIT:
Oops, follow the link from the other thread, didn't notice the date. >-<;

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2009-04-07T10:36:04-07:00

magi: Super late, but also super sweet!

REMAKE/REMODEL: Irma Vep

2009-04-07T12:57:18-07:00

I think it falls under the "better late than never, especially when it's made of awesome."

Nice one, magi!