TEAM ELITA

Also posted on my sketchblog: jasonbot.com/?p=3279

Eh... what's this? *Blows dust off of URL* Oh right, I have a dA! Well, I may as well post something on it. But I'm not coming up with a pun title dammit.

Ahem.

So a couple weeks ago @Brentosaur tweeted the following hypothetical scenario:

Hasbro asks you to pick five Autobots to be the main cast under Optimus Prime for the next show. Who do you pick?

— Brent Michael Fury (@Brentosaur) August 24, 2013

 
To which I replied:

@Brentosaur Elita-1, Strika, Tracks, Minerva, and Wheelie. Optimus is put in a coma in the pilot and Elita takes over.</p>— Jason Ho (@jasonhohoho) August 24, 2013

 

And then I decided to take it too far and draw up my Autobot team. I would have posted sooner, but I didn't have time to finish the colors until Labor Day.

Elita-One, Tracks, and Minerva are pretty straightforward depictions, based on the G1 cartoons. Strika is based loosely on her appearance in Transformers: Animated, but with colors and elements from her original toy (I thought that made her more Autobot-y). Wheelie has proportions inspired by the original toy, but I kind freestyled it from there. For those who are wondering, Elita-One, Strika, and Wheelie were drawn without any real consideration to a Transformation scheme.

This started out as a quick and dirty pen sketch, but I ended up spending a lot of time on the colors and the background in Photoshop. I kind of like the contrast between the super scratchy lines and the very computery background... but I'd be lying if I said it was intentional!

I BET WHAT YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR IS SOME NERDY BACKSTORY, RIGHT??? (The idea here is that this is a starting point for a new series with its own continuity)

* * *

While responding to a distress signal from a remote Autobot colony, Optimus Prime and Elita-One's team of freedom fighters find themselves ambushed by Decepticons. During the battle, Optimus is rendered comatose by the notorious Decepticon warrior Sixshot, and the Autobots find themselves stranded behind enemy lines...

ELITA-ONE (leader, melee expert): With her mate and partner Optimus out of commission, the mantle of leadership falls solely upon Elita's shoulders. She is renowned for her even-handed sense of justice, as well as her almost peerless hand-to-hand combat skills. She treats her team like a family, perhaps because she had to leave her actual family behind on Cybertron...

STRIKA (tank): Beneath her armored hide bristling with heavy artillery is... a total martinet. Like, exactly what you would expect. Strika is the only one on the team with formal military training. She often clashes with Elita's unorthodox methods, but ultimately is loyal. In addition to providing the team with heavy firepower, Strika is a brilliant tactician and strategist. Don't tell anyone, but I think she has a crush on Tracks...

TRACKS (flyer): It's a toss up whether Tracks is known more for his prowess in combat or his insufferable sense of vanity. He's a member of the Omnibot division, which accounts for his extra mode enabling him to fly as well as any Decepticon. When he isn't dogfighting with Decepticons, Tracks is usually flirting with Minerva. He would claim that he's just kidding around, but that's probably because Minerva hasn't responded to his nonsense...

MINERVA (medic): The second youngest member of the team, Minerva takes her duties very seriously, devoting most of her time to trying to revive Optimus from his comatose state. Minerva has also been entrusted with Optimus's trailer, which converts to a mobile battle station/repair bay. BTW, she has a secret that only Elita knows about...

WHEELIE (scout): When Optimus and the freedom fighters arrive at the Autobot colony, Wheelie is the only remaining survivor. He becomes the youngest and newest recruit to the team. His outward demeanor is cheerful, but he's acutely aware that Optimus fell in battle for his sake, and he carries that burden quietly. Wheelie is a fan of poetry and hip hop...

More to come if I get around to illustrating my corresponding Decepticon team...