For the past couple months…well, since quarantine started, I guess…I’ve been developing my own DC universe (Lovingly dubbed the ‘Nth-Verse’) through Lego minifigure art. They’ve proved to be fairly popular on other platforms, but I’d like to share them here!
Each character is my design and comes with a backstory written by me, unless specified otherwise. I’ve loved making them so far and I can’t wait to do more!
Backstory: Kal-El has seen a lot: a world lost, a world gained, friends disappearing and enemies becoming his closest friends. These things have never once wavered his confident beliefs in the inherent good of all he meets. He doesn’t do much hero-work anymore, as he is the president of a new home for displaced Kryptonians like himself, but if the world is ever threatened, he will absolutely do everything he can to save the worlds he loves. Behind the Scenes: I’m really, really tired of alternate Supermen being all-powerful dictators or hated tyrants, instead of, you know, good, like he’s meant to be. I just see that as a very cynical view of good in this world. So, this Superman is good! His design was inspired a lot by The Octopirate Customs on Instagram, and each color means something specific: the white symbolizes the purity and human spirit that Superman fights for; the black memorializes the friends and enemies Kal has lost along the way; and the red represents the red sun of Krypton, Kal’s lost world.
**Backstory:**The leader of the Justice League and daughter of Zeus, Diana Prince is well-respected by everyone around her, hero and villain alike. Trained by Artemis herself, Diana is a fierce combatant, but also a compassionate leader and companion to all of her comrades. Behind the Scenes: The main thing I wanted to get across with this version of Wonder Woman is her mythological connections. The blue sash and Athena’s shield get that point across fairly well. The hood and cape also indicates more of a hunter’s past, cause, you know, Artemis.
Backstory: J’onn J’onzz, or the Martian Manhunter, is the outer-worlds’ liaison for the Justice League. As Wonder Woman’s second-in-command, J’onn has been with the League since the beginning. Since Superman’s retirement, J’onn might actually be the most powerful member of the team, even if he refuses to use the full extent of his Martian powers. Behind the Scenes: I will admit that Martian Manhunter isn’t a character I follow very closely. That being said, he’s a really important part of the League and I like what others have done with the character. For this design, I wanted to go very alien, thus the weird legs and head extension.
I kind of like to think of it like J’onn is the first generation immigrant to Kal-El’s second generation technically untrue, but since the only parents Clark remembers are his foster parents, with the psychology of it there’s a case to be made. He remembers his old home, and he misses it sometimes, but he’s grown to love his new home too.
These have been pretty cool so far, I’ll be sure to keep an eye on this
Backstory: When Aquaman was killed during a battle with Orm, Mera, Queen of Atlantis, took his place as protector of land and sea. A beloved leader among her own people, Aquawoman represents the Atlanteans well. While she tends to but heads with most of the members, no one denies the devotion she shows to her people and her skill in battle. Behind the Scenes: I will say, I am particularly proud of the idea behind this figure. I have never seen Mera take up the mantle of Atlantean protector before. If it’s out there, please, feel free to enlighten me, but until then, I’m blissfully ignorant with my assumed originality. The figures’ not to shabby either! The main thing I wanted to get across was the difference in characteristics between an Atlantean and a human, thus the gills, scales, and weird eyes. They aren’t just sinking people, after all.
Backstory: John Stewart is getting old, but he keeps at his work with as much drive as he had when he started. He is considered by all to be the heart and moral compass of the League. As John has strengthened, his Lantern has grown in power as well, giving him the ability to create even greater things as time goes by. Behind the Scenes: There’s a ton of Green Lanterns to choose from, but John Stewart has always been my favorite, especially after the '03 Justice League show. I knew he’d be the Lantern for this team. A big inspiration in this more armored design was actually the Injustice costume, which looks very cool and unique. Then, there’s just the Lantern, a ring and a hammer.
Backstory: Considered a ‘young blood’ superhero, Zatanna joined the League during a battle in which she proved her immense power. She is a gifted magician trying to live up to the precedent set by her father, Zatara. With her stage presence and love of the public, Zatanna, along with Nightwing, has become the spokesperson of the Justice League. Behind the Scenes: Since seeing Young Justice, I’ve really liked Zatanna’s character. I definitely wanted her on this team. If you’ll notice, I’ve got sort of a rainbow theme going so far with the League, and Zatanna covers my favorite color, purple. Aside from that, there’s not many things to comment on, aside from a ‘thank you’ to TopLego on Instagram for help with the top hat!
Backstory: Wally West is the newest member of the Justice League, and the newest ‘big-time’ hero at large. After Barry Allen’s sudden death, Wally inherited the mantle of the Flash and does his best to carry on the legacy of his uncle and great-grandfather. Behind the Scenes: This is the very first Justice League member I’ve designed. In fact, this design has been in my banks since 2017! A testament to it’s staying power, honestly. The Flash is my favorite DC hero, so I did my best to do him justice. And yeah, the Flash name is a title that’s been passed down quite a lot in this universe. From Jay Garrick, to his grandson Barry Allen, to Barry’s nephew Wally…heritage, yay!
Backstory: After Batman split from the League, to perform his own work without the constant scrutiny of more noble heroes, Nightwing was asked to take his place. Richard/■■■■ Grayson had long believed that Batman had lost his way, and for three years established his own identity as the fun freelance hero Nightwing. Initially hesitant to ‘go legitimate’ as a Leaguer, he eventually accepted. Because of his age and easy-going demeanor, Nightwing, along with Zatanna, has become the spokesperson of the Justice League. Behind the Scenes: More of a simple one, comparatively, but I really like Nightwing and wanted to find some way to merge his current design with his stranger disco suit. That most ended up being a brighter suit with splashes of yellow. Nightwing’s bio, related to Batman leaving, actually inspired the story direction I decided to go in for this first bit.
Batman, initially anyway, was more of a traditional lancer-type character (Kopaka, for example). Sure, he might be a bit goth, and not big on working with others, but he’s very much a hero, and a good one at that. Though at the same time that is a bit difficult to phrase differently, hm…
Keep in mind this is the Batman of this universe. I absolutely agree that the core Batman principles make him an undeniable hero, but who’s to say those core values carry through to this universe? The Earth 1 Batman is a hero through and through, but what happens when a Bat with a weaker will is faced with a seemingly impossible choice? This has already been a bit of a controversial character so far, but illustrate the point further…
Backstory: No other hero has fallen so far from grace as the Dark Knight. After losing his first sidekick and his second sidekick abandoning him, along with the increasing stress of his actions, the Bat finally broke his code and killed his former ally Two-Face in a battle. Resigning from the Justice League, who wouldn’t support his new brutality, the Bat returned to Gotham to cleanse the streets of crime once and for all, refusing to acknowledge the fact that he had become the thing he hated the most. With his paranoia increasing, the Bat fired Alfred, locked down Wayne Manor and built himself a suit of armor laced with Kryptonite, fearing those who might try to stop him: his former friends, the Justice League. Behind the Scenes: Like I said, this has already proven controversial to some. However, I think it’s a very interesting way to take it. Think of it as Batfleck if he didn’t have that moment of clarity. I actually wasn’t planning on anything close to this until I wrote the backstory for Nightwing, but somehow it’s become the main storyline for the Nth-Verse so far.
Fair enough, I suppose. Though honestly, I kind of feel like dark and gritty murderous Batman has become just as cliche as tyrant Superman. If anything this is worse, considering that at least people know Superman is supposed to be good. A lot of people just expect Batman to behave this way by default (e.g. as you mentioned, Batfleck, a corruption of the Dark Knight Returns so severe that it’s practically parody worthy).
Also fair. I’ll admit that one reason Superman and Batman specifically are the way they are in this story is because they’re not entirely the main focus. For the younger heroes coming up, they’re both examples, two sides of the same coin: Superman is the oldest superhero around, but is doing the best to stay the course. Batman, however, is finally trying to rid Gotham of evil in far harsher way, not really caring if it’s heroic or not. Neither are evil, and I don’t plan to portray them as such, but for the purposes of this story Batman is a villain. It’s up to his friends, the ones who care the most about him, to show him the way back.
Backstory: Ra’s Al Ghul isn’t an honorable man, and he’s never pretended to be. He and the League of Assassins have done terrible things in the past, and he will never apologize for any of them. But, the fall of the Bat weighs heavily on Al Ghul’s mind. This was a man he respected and even admired, to a degree, at least as a combatant. Watching a man he’s sparred with many times so wholly lose his way is sickening. With this in mind, Ghul is expanding his operations. His League is offering deals to many of Batman’s enemies, forming a cabal with one purpose in mind: to once and for all destroy the Bat. Behind the Scenes: The biggest inspiration for this figure was thinking for Gotham’s Rogues would react to Batman’s most brutal turn. That’s where the story really started coming together, so now I have like three factions at the moment: Batman, the Justice League, and now Ra’s Cabal of villains!
