Ratgirl: A New Superhero

This was inspired by Miriam saying on Facebook that she didn't think Ratgirl would be a good name for a superhero. So I took that as a challenge.

This is my first attempt. Looks more like a wolf's head that a rat's, but it communicated the basic idea I was trying to capture.



This next one is much better, I was actually using a picture of a rat as reference, so that helps a lot. I was trying to think of how this girl got her super-powers, and was going through the usual tropes, bitten by radioactive rat, exposed to some kind of radiation or chemicals that transformed her, some kind of alien symbiotic thing, but none of them felt right. So I thought it could be more like the Candyman idea, where if you say his name three times in front of a mirror he'll appear. But of course she says Ratgirl. So more of a supernatural type thing.



This next sketch I did I wanted to use a woman's head as reference and draw the rat head on top of that, which is why the rat head is not as well done in this image. But I felt like I needed to let the woman's head be the guide, and have the rat head go over it, so I wanted to practice drawing it that way. If this ever goes any further than this, I think I'll turn her into a protector of the night, helping women in distress on the streets of some dark and dirty city. She'll probably have had some traumatic experience herself, and no one was available to help her. So in seeking revenge, she has awoken or conjured this rat spirit type thing, and now patrols the streets, making sure no one has to suffer like she did.



I was also imagining some wider, macro storyline, but now I can't remember what that was. Probably something to do with corruption or a Kingpin type figure. No direct tie-ins to Geekboy or Beedle yet in my mind, but if I continue with it, I have no doubt I'd try work it in, though maybe it should just be it's own thing.