PLUS: A mini-MIGHTY Q&A with designer ANT LUCIA!
I was knocked out by the Bombshells when they first popped up awhile back — and I really dug their appearance during one of DC‘s variant-cover theme months last year. Some of my favorite covers were Catwoman, Wonder Woman and Supergirl.
But I was particularly taken with the Mera cover, which beyond the retro styling, really spoke to a specific type of mid-20th century glamor. It wasn’t just the beach beauty idea, it was the notion of travel and luxury.
I dunno. I just thought it was especially inviting — and clever.
Now here’s Mera in full, DC Collectibles statue form — a particularly stunning sculpture.
By definition, the Bombshells line celebrates cheesecake in the classic sense, and Mera lives up to the ideal. She’s got as much sex appeal as you’re likely to find in this sort of item and, let’s face it, that’s the whole idea. But it’s sex appeal with panache.
The quality of the 12-inch statue is top-notch, from the scales in her swimsuit to the texture of her straw sun bonnet, which she’s holding in place against the wind coming off the surf.
I can imagine hunky Arthur just out of eyeshot, wading in the surf, looking like Burt Lancaster in From Here to Eternity.
“C’mon, Mera. Topo’s waiting.”
Ah, summer.
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I think Ant Lucia did a terrific job designing the line — his handle on the concept is as strong as Juan Ortiz’s reimagining of Star Trek for his series of faux ’60s movie posters. So I asked him about it.
Dan Greenfield: Of all your Bombshell designs — which are gorgeous — Mera is the one that really jumped out at me. Where did you draw your inspiration for her specifically?
Ant Lucia: Nothing too specific. I spent some time getting familiar with the character and her core character traits; looking through old comic-book references for some specific details like the Atlantis sand castle, trident, etc. was very helpful. We always go through multiple pose options and we knew we wanted the trident to be a part of Mera‘s pose. From there, I try to give all the Bombshells some kind of energy in the posture to make them feel more dynamic.
I love the whole midcentury Miami/Florida vibe. It’s like she should be hanging out at the Fontainebleau. What were the reference materials you used? Old posters? Postcards?
We researched all kinds of vintage swimwear to find inspiration. The team at DC Collectibles usually gives me a reference sheet to start the process and offers some ideas to spring-board off of.
Are there any particular screen goddesses you had in mind? She doesn’t look exactly like Rita Hayworth but the similarities are there.
It’s funny you mention Rita Hayworth because I do reference her and other classic actresses when developing the Bombshells’ expressions and features. Just helps set the tone and personality for their expressions.
The Bombshells have really taken off, whether we’re talking the variant covers, the statues or all the other merchandise. How much of this is a surprise to you?
It’s definitely been a huge surprise. The Bombshells just seemed to hit a chord at the right time, which is awesome to see. Regardless of their success, I love working on them, and enjoy the process. To see others really appreciating the work we’ve put into the statues is truly gratifying.
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Mera has an SRP of about $125 but you can find her for less. And check out DC‘s official video, complete with awesome surf music …
