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NicolasRGiacondino β€” Skeletor: Twilight

Published: 2009-06-28 02:33:43 +0000 UTC; Views: 20204; Favourites: 301; Downloads: 0
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Description "(...)Skeletor became, then, the Greatest Dark Lord to have ever waged war upon the Empire of Eternia. Many had been the times he'd attempted to destroy the righteous rule of Emperor Randor, but it wasn't until he obliterated Castle Grayskull that he found the true source of power to make his conquest a dark, cruel reality.
Sorceress' blood, upon drinking it from her corpse, gave him a strength like that of his sworn enemy,
He-man. His body, for years an empty shell filled with deadly demon powers from the depths of nightmarishm nether realms, began to regenerate until the fallen hero was able to stop him.
Thrice did he curse He-man! For he was more scarred now than ever: his deathly skull bearing half grown tissue that, exposed to the elements, brought the Dark Lord immense pain. Pain that turned into yet more hate and drove his perverse mind into yet more madness.
O! how the Great Worms that he conjured from the nether realms consumed Eternia! How his ghastly, putrid armies slashed, violated and cursed the living! It was his power that brought the nights of unrest into Eternia. It was his power that turned the nocturnal skies blood red and dusk into a nightmare. And his power that killed off every living creature and forest, perpetuating an endless desert of shifting burning sands on a once prosperous world.
To endure daylight in Eternia meant thirst, hunger and vigilance; the quest of the mortals that survived the fall of the Empire. But to endure the night meant to stand in front of the consuming Worms of the Abyss and the horror of Skeletor the Great. The sands would lit up with tremulous fires and the giant bloated insects of death would rise from the deep to engulf whatever they may find, making way for the slow, marching feet of the great enemy's armies: half living puppets of once glorious soldiers and citizens, animated by demons from the dimensions of despair...
"Beware, ye who walk under the blood skies of nocturnal lands," a saying of the Old Days pray "for in thy way there stands the Demon, the Carrion Lord, the accursed Skeletor! And he who dared stand in his way, will forever serve him in agony unto the end of all things!"(...)

Book 13, Chronicles of Twilight,
"Books of Eternia: The Old Days"


I told you this one was coming!

After the sucess of my previous reimagining of He-Man, I felt compelled to bring his deadliest nemesis to life: Skeletor!
I always thought Skeletor was a bit of a stupid villain, and didn't instill me with the fear I would've thought the sight of a man with an empty skull for a face would've. And when I saw Marko Djurdjevic's redesigns (from where I based my previous version of Skeletor in this image ) and worked with the sorceror, it still didn't convince me. It still wasn't what I felt this character could be.
So, now you see him as I feel he should be, in this bleak, grim future I've written for Eternia.
I've kept his muscls, because I think visually, they work as a reminder that He-Man and Skeletor are two sides of the same coin. As a matter of fact, I added quite a striking similarity on his harness to that of He-Man in my previous image. Only that, in Skeletor, that design is a bit weirder, a bit more twisted; a bit more perverse. As it should be.
I also kept the giant worms I'd thought of giving Skeletor before as his Heralds. Worms are, in celtic myths and other cultures, the sign of decay and death and I thought they would befit the Dark Lord's armies quite well.
I also redesigned his staff and the skull iconography, adding a more strange form to them (except for the chest one), to reinforce the alien nature of Eternia as well as the dimensional warping powers of Skeletor.

I'm quite proud of this one and I hope you like it as well. Let me know what you think and if you would like to see more of these reimaginings from me!

Nic.-
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Comments: 149

NicolasRGiacondino In reply to ??? [2014-05-29 15:04:27 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much!

Nic.-

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walternonames [2014-05-07 18:24:16 +0000 UTC]

It is awesome how the villain is so much better than the hero (at least for me)...

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to walternonames [2014-05-29 15:04:14 +0000 UTC]

Well, it is said that a hero is often as great as his villain. So, the more powerful and awesome the villain, the more noble and bright the hero

Nic.-

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ogrebear [2013-01-17 23:55:18 +0000 UTC]

These are very good, strange and v. cool re-workings of this world and its characters.

I'd imagine in a world with this much eco destruction Beastman has gone mad with the loss and now works to destroy the defiler of nature - his old boss?

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GioVega [2011-05-08 03:09:36 +0000 UTC]

Awesome!

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DavidCurser [2011-04-14 12:20:07 +0000 UTC]

he looks very cool, so does evil-lyn

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AkaiAkumu [2009-10-31 22:36:51 +0000 UTC]

Nice idea with the face. I like how it's kinda half-a-skeletor. Also this one at least has muschles on his torso. Renember the old He-man cartoon? when i was a kid i always thought that the skeletor was just bones. And it made me wonder how the hell is it possible that he has a 6pack under those blue robes...

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to AkaiAkumu [2009-11-02 04:02:19 +0000 UTC]

Heh, heh... glad you like the redesign, mate! I'm actually still surprised to learn how many fans of the old cartoon are jumping on my reimagining train. It could be because we all saw there was potential to the fantasy that He-Man showed... it just wasn't developed enough.

Cheers for the compliments!

Nic.-

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AkaiAkumu In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2009-11-02 14:13:07 +0000 UTC]

I agree. I always loved the cosmic/fantasy setting of he-man. I never liked he-man though. Always prefered skeletor. I guess at the end the bad guys are always the more developed and with character. Even though he sounded a lil silly with his high pitch eunuch voice. But i still love the show.

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Jams-da-1 [2009-08-13 09:10:32 +0000 UTC]

Good work.

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katapraktoi [2009-07-19 06:23:21 +0000 UTC]

Primero pense que la historia era canon, y me preguntaba quien habria publicado algo asi... asi de bien hecha esta . Me gusto mucho la reinterpretacion del personaje, tanto el background como el diseΓ±o. Y especialmente me gusto la forma en que hiciste las intersecciones musculo-piel ΒΏusaste referencia a la hora de ver como se solapa la piel sobre el musculo? esta notable. Nada mas que agregar, siga con el excelente trabajo

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to katapraktoi [2009-07-20 20:30:23 +0000 UTC]

Β‘Muchas gracias, mi amigo! Siempre es un placer escuchar unas palabras en nuestro idioma entre tanto angloparlante ...
Me alegra y me alivia saber que mi trabajo estΓ‘ a un nivel profesional; tanto asi que te lo has confundido con algo realmente publicado. Eso me hace sentir que puedo proponer estas ideas en algunos lugares y ver si cosechan frutos.
El musculo y la piel han sido referenciados, si, de los libros de anatomia de mi preciosa novia que estudia medicina. Una verdadera ayuda al momento de no errarle tanto a la realidad ...

Te agradezco de nuevo y espero verte por aqui como siempre.

Nico.-

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Lord-Melvin [2009-07-06 22:47:45 +0000 UTC]

Ewwwwww...His face is coming off and stufff... Nice job though. I always thought He-Man(the whole series in general) was pumped too full of testosterone. Everything seemed...staged. This, however. This is...scary...in a good way.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Lord-Melvin [2009-07-09 03:13:13 +0000 UTC]

I'm happy to have rendered a scary villain... after all, isn't that what they're supposed to inspire? Skeletor in the old animation show was a bit too, well, childish indeed. I think that, having grown up, the fandom that once enjoyed He-Man will see this evolution as being more in tune with their own evolution and that's why it rings an inner bell.

Thank you for commenting, mate!

Nic.-

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Turain [2009-07-02 01:02:59 +0000 UTC]

Wow... giving him that half-skull look makes him look awesome... and also reminds me that as a kid I was scared of him, now I also feel a bit of that first fear coming back. It would truly be a fearsome sight to see, Skeletor commanding the Worms

With that said, you again and again surprise me with your artwork, and leave me wanting for more

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Turain [2009-07-04 02:15:19 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for the hardcore support, mate! I'm glad you've found this rendition as scary as it was when you were a child. Often, cartoons have to grow up with us to keep the 'terror' alive, so to speak.

I'll have some more Eternian goodies coming this way soon so be on the lookout indeed!

Nic.-

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MaKo85 [2009-07-01 04:48:04 +0000 UTC]

....I'm scared....no....uterrly horrified...

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to MaKo85 [2009-07-01 22:16:32 +0000 UTC]

That's the idea, m'lady Tina! *puts arm around shoulder* But ol' Skellie is just a cartoon, dear...



Nic.-

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MaKo85 In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2009-07-02 14:10:49 +0000 UTC]

You just have a good way of adding more "atmosphere" to a moment XD lol

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Sllohcin [2009-07-01 01:50:43 +0000 UTC]

Absolutely phenominal!

I really like your take on both He-Man and Skeletor and I must say that your "story" background only makes them that much better.

So, I greatly commend you on not only your art but on your writing/vision as well

Three thumbs up all around!

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Sllohcin [2009-07-01 22:18:25 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much, Ric! It's a great honour to hear from other talented artists that know their MOTU lore come by and compliment my own visions (including the wiritng, which has alwyays sounded like utter crap to me!). I love your style! I will come by your Gallery with a wee-bit more time and check it properly...

Nic.-

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DemonEater [2009-06-30 02:45:30 +0000 UTC]

Well, you always ask for your "watcher's" opinions, so... I must say that I really enjoy seeing these re-imaginings of yours. On the other hand, this will be the first piece that I have some negative type criticism. I don't really care for the staff or the caucasian colored skin. I like how you gave him some of his humanity back (although I guess he was actually a humanoind with He-Man being half human half eternian, whatever humanoid race that they are). Skeletor was once Keldor and whatever race of being he was, he was blue skinned, so I guess I would have liked the blue skin to stay and the staff to be a bit more traditional. Of course this is just my opinion.

On a separate note, may I suggest that you incorporate Hordak in a piece, that goes with these stories, somewhere? He was the ultimate sorcerer that actually gave Keldor the ability to continue living with just a skull for a face after acid burns to his skin. All evil magic.

Questions: Do you write these stories yourself? Do I know too much about MOTU? Are humans simply humans as we are humans that are earthlings and the MOTU are humans that are Eternians (except for the other people who are more humanoid like Stratos and others who are actually thier own species)?

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to DemonEater [2009-06-30 04:16:50 +0000 UTC]

You can never know too much about MOTU!

I do ask for my fellow watchers's opinion, yes, and that's because it's what I'm here for after all; to get critiques and reviews and see if I can improve my artwork and please more and more folks with it, whilst growing in skills as an artist.
The skin choice was, as I mentioned in another comment, totally deliberate and much thought out. I didn't like blue for a skin tone, because I always thought that was what added more sillyness to Skeletor and presented him as something 'alen' even to Eternians. You mentioned it yourself: he was once known as Keldor, and there are speculations that he was Randor's brother and Adam's uncle! So, showing his skin as decayed and pale, but not completely gone into something else, gives off a certain sense of "this man was once human". A terrible visage for any fighting warrior. A reminder that you might end up like that.
The staff is another thing I wanted to change, so as to hint at the transdimensional powers that Keldor/Skeletor obtained through his pact with Hordak. If I kept it too traditional, it would've lost that 'warped' look it now has, with the skull having four eyes and being of a strange kind of animal. Eternia IS an alien world after all...
I will see about incorporating Hordak. I do want to incorporate She-Ra to the mix as well, so ...

I do write these stories myself, but always based on the material at hand, so it's just a continuation of the stories written originally. Only that i try and make them more adult and serious.
As far as I understand it, Eternians are humans as we are earthlings. Same biology, same weaknesses and strengths only that they're in another planet. As a matter of fact, there was one story that told the origin of Adam's mother and she was an astronaut that crash landed on Eternia from Earth.

Nic.-

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DemonEater In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2009-06-30 19:12:39 +0000 UTC]

Thanx for your positive response. The staff reminds makes me think of the short lived "The New Adventures of He-Man" (1989–1992). It was the christmas special that reveled Queen Marlena being an earthling (unless I am mistaken). Definatley do She-Ra and others. I'll have to stop here or else I will be talking about this stuff forever.

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hyphenatedsuperhero [2009-06-30 01:37:08 +0000 UTC]

Y asΓ­ es como debiΓ³ haber sido hecho desde el principio...
LΓ‘stima de la mayorΓ­a de los villanos ochenteros estaban tan mal escritos que nunca tendrΓ‘n el respeto que merecen.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to hyphenatedsuperhero [2009-06-30 03:58:39 +0000 UTC]

Β‘Gracias, Osvaldo! Yo creo que lo que nos atrajo de los villanos ochenteros en un cominzo fu eel potencial que los fans veiamos en ellos; no es culpa de los creadores, imagino, sino mΓ‘s bien de quienes daban las Γ³rdenes (estos ΓΊltimos suelen ser productores, programadores de TV o cualquier persona que no sabe absolutamente nada de una buena historia).
Por suerte, los fans podemos todavΓ­a tomar el control de estas creaciones y darles el peso que debieran tener.

Nico.-

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Thebuild [2009-06-29 18:53:33 +0000 UTC]

Nicely done, I like the style in going with a withered and rotting flesh look, it's not like generic undead but has a more unique and much more sinister quality.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Thebuild [2009-06-29 23:52:40 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, as usual, Rich! I was trying to achieve that *new* look even if I was dealing with what's widely recognised as a 'Necromancer'. Luckily, my style can bring that taste of originality to old designs.

Nic.-

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oICEMANo [2009-06-29 07:04:14 +0000 UTC]

More please!!

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to oICEMANo [2009-06-29 23:54:15 +0000 UTC]

Yoru wishes are orders, my good sire!

Nic.-

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oICEMANo In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2009-06-30 06:50:14 +0000 UTC]

Yeeha!

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Acre [2009-06-29 06:30:39 +0000 UTC]

Wow, now that look evil

Indeed like BrattyBen said above, gotta love the 1/3rd of his face, makes is look nice and grisly.

Can't think of much else to say, kick ass design, and GIEF MOAR

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Acre [2009-06-30 00:00:56 +0000 UTC]

Evil he is! I'm glad he looks the part now and not like in the old show, where he was more of a comic relief at best...
Like I Told Ben: scarring his face was the only thing I thought would make him look more terrifying than a floating skull (which should be terrifying enough!).

Nic.-

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BrattyBen [2009-06-29 05:34:18 +0000 UTC]

It's perfect. I love that he's still got some of his face.

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to BrattyBen [2009-06-29 23:56:09 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, Ben! It was actually the only thing I could think of that'd bring a new twist to the old villain's face. I mean, a floating skull is meant to be scary, but it was so parodied in the cartoon that it didn't instill fear on its own AT ALL. Thus, it needed to have something else that made it wierd and nightmarish again...

Nic.-

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BrattyBen In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2009-06-30 15:36:10 +0000 UTC]

well, you found the perfect choice. And what's scarier than seeing a little humanity, something of ourselves in our monsters.

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ShaunONeil [2009-06-29 05:08:52 +0000 UTC]

super awesome. btw!- i'm reading utopia. sweet stuff bro

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to ShaunONeil [2009-06-29 23:57:18 +0000 UTC]

I'm glad you could get a hold of a copy, mate. I bet you got it at Heroes Con, right? ...

And I'm certainly happy you like these designs as well! I'll keep at 'em as long as I can and ther's interest.

Nic.-

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ShaunONeil In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2009-06-30 06:53:40 +0000 UTC]

yeah man, anton was nice enough to hook me up with a copy. really impressive work. and there's so much of it!

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deadlymedic [2009-06-28 22:33:10 +0000 UTC]

he man eat your heart out

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to deadlymedic [2009-06-29 23:57:39 +0000 UTC]

That's the idea!

Nic.-

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IADM [2009-06-28 19:50:47 +0000 UTC]

Dale masa a los Remasters of the Universe!!!

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to IADM [2009-06-30 00:02:43 +0000 UTC]



Les doy, les doy...

Nico.-

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IADM In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2009-07-01 18:55:24 +0000 UTC]

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Ravenkeeper [2009-06-28 19:31:08 +0000 UTC]

hmmm a very nice image and a great work as I've come to expect of you. But aside from the slightly fleshed out skull, I find that you've taken Skeletor in an entirely different direction than what I expected ^^ I always envisioned him gaunt, even if muscled. he's even bigger than Heman here and what happened to his blue skin?
But I guess that you can suprise me yet, is a good thing
Looking forward to more He-man related imagery from your pen ^^

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to Ravenkeeper [2009-06-30 00:07:27 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, Keon! I'm glad I'm always able to surprise you; that's saying a lot in my favour! The blue skin was the first thing i wanted to ditch; if I'm going to make this reimagining work seriously, then blue skin isn't going to help the main villain's credibility at all.
As for his muscles, I actually imagined him gaunt as well and that's why I loved the previous illustration I'd done so much. But thinking twice, I thought that his muscles would look good and make you think he was more than just a pupeteer and could jump into action and tear you apart, so I added them with delight ...

Nic.-

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Ravenkeeper In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2009-07-04 07:28:25 +0000 UTC]

good reasons, and bottom line is it's you, who holding the pen and me who's who just throwing in my two cents

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thelearningcurv [2009-06-28 17:48:53 +0000 UTC]

these are really to damn cool illustrations, and you said you wrote these stories yourself?! Have you thought about pitching this redesign, this Kingdom Come version of He-man to Image or someone who has the rights to the characters? I would buy this comic!

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NicolasRGiacondino In reply to thelearningcurv [2009-06-30 01:01:08 +0000 UTC]

I have written these short stories myself, yes, my friend. I'm glad you think they're good. I usually shy away from writing because I honestly think I suck at it and I have much more talented friends (writer friends!) that kick my butt.
I actually srated doing these for fun, but seeing as how these images have garnered such attention I might explore the possibility of pitching them to a publisher/company...

Wish me luck!

Nic.-

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thelearningcurv In reply to NicolasRGiacondino [2009-06-30 01:20:48 +0000 UTC]

that sounds like good news man, like i said, I'd buy this book=] you've got a good thing going on!

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