Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics, AIPT can share design and process pages for the upcoming series Who are the Power Pals. The buddy comedy comes by way of Duane Murray and Ahmed Raafat with letters by Rob Jones. Set to debut on March 19th, the four-issue series is about fame, friendship, and learning just how long you’re willing to fake it till you make it.
So what’s ‘Who Are the Power Pals?’ about?
Washed-up actors Derek and Alex have been best friends ever since playing teen superheroes “Swallow” and “Buzzard” in the ’90s TV show Power Pals. Wait, you’ve never heard of it? Don’t worry; you’re not alone, since the show was canceled after only three episodes. But that small taste of fame left them hungry for more, and they’ve been trying to get back on the Hollywood train ever since. After being fired from their studio security jobs and dropped by their agent, the middle-aged pair decide to don their old costumes and thrust themselves back into the public eye.
While walking Hollywood Boulevard alongside popular cosplayers, they step in to defend tourists from being badgered by a pair of rip-off characters. A video of the duo’s heroic actions goes viral, and the attention inspires them to fight more crime. But when their low-level crime-fighting inadvertently disrupts the plans of a crazed crime boss, their friendship will undergo the ultimate test. And they soon begin to realize that neither it nor they may survive long enough to enjoy their newfound fame.
Without further ado, check out the designs with commentary below!
Duane Murray: For our pitch, the characters were based on the actors who appeared in the teaser video that was created. Once Dark Horse came on board, we decided to move the look away from them, and more towards really differentiating the two characters. Moving them towards a more ‘buddy comedy’ dynamic and dichotomy with Alex presenting more ‘action hero’, and Derek, who actually pushes the action, as more ‘sidekick’. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street were used as initial reference.
Then Ahmed further refined that look, and colours to how they appear in the published book.
Courtesy Dark Horse Comics
The Cover:
Courtesy Dark Horse Comics
Ahmed Raafat: I like what Duane and I did for the pitch cover but wanted to push the superhero tropes slightly, so I repurposed some of the pitch cover ideas (the water tower, billboard/poster for the show) but made Alex and Derek as more center elements (I also plan to add more torn posters to make it look like a rundown alleyway)
Duane: I loved it, but asked for these adjustments for pencil stage:
PENCILS
Duane: “Rather than the water tower, could we have the Hollywood sign in the background to make a clearer tie to the ‘Hollywood’ aspect of the book.
Swapping the characters positions in the poster to be above the older versions of themselves for clearer reference.
I’d like to show a bit more of the hero costumes.”
Ahmed then took those notes, and came back with the pencilled version, which the team loved, and so he went to inks with no notes.
COLOURS
Courtesy Dark Horse Comics
Then came colouring, and when Ahmed presented the colours he said, “My approach in colours was that I wanted something bright to stand out on the shelf, while also keeping with the fun mood of the series.”
These were approved by all, and is the #1 cover that will hit the shelves!
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