Long John

In hindsight, Scott “Cyclops” Summers is actually the most D. Bethel X-Person for me to draw if only because––like a lot of my character designs over the years––his eyes are hidden. In my previous comic, the main characters’ eyes were hidden by glasses (for one character) and a low-sitting baseball hat (for another). We often find Long John’s eyes hidden during the story because of the wide brim and his general brooding nature.

What I actually like a lot about how X-Men is written is the strength of “superpowers as metaphor” stories that can open up a character’s depth by revealing a complex, believable, and problematic relationship a person would have with their superpowers.

While Scott’s power is the ability to shoot concussive blasts of energy from his eyes, the corrective lenses he has to wear are equally emblematic of Scott’s myopia in many story lines. In many versions of his visor, he has to physically touch a button or slider on the side in order to unleash and control his blasts, which is interesting because it mechanically ties two senses together––touch and sight. I don’t know what it means (if it means anything), but the narrative opportunity it opens up is fun to ponder.

This sketch is ballpoint pen, drawn without intent or guide––just pen to paper––which is surprising because it’s the first Cyclops I’ve drawn that I’ve been happy with. I feel like I’ve captured the furrowed anxiety that I always see in the character.