Sergio Foglio's Blog: Chapter Fifty Seven: Medusa, a Terrible Woman

Friday, January 28, 2011

Chapter Fifty Seven: Medusa, a Terrible Woman

This is one of those characters who haunts you.
A fascinating one, as per the Greek mythology, one of the children of the ancient marine deities Phorcys, a beautiful woman, prestress of Athena, who, after sleeping with Poseidon, even though, some accounts say that she was raped, was punished by Athena herself, turned so ugly that whoever would lay eyes on her would be changed in stones.
She also got her hair turned into hideous snakes.
Quite attractive she became...

Medusa, by Caravaggio, 1595

Now, for some reasons, I have that interest to change classic mythologic/epic stories into something modern, something that is adapted to our times.

Few years ago, I did that series of 3 pieces, depicting a new Medusa, as cruel as the original, bloody and deadly.
However, she had lost her terrible face, and has become quite attractive, which, now that I think of it, make her even more dangerous.
In a certain way, she had turned into a serial killer.

The part that I enjoyed the most, while drawing, was the hair.
Such a fun trip.

Also, on second though, I am quite sure I was influenced by the Medusa from Marvel, from the race of Inhumans, and who appears greatly in the Fantastic Four, partly due to the fact that she is Crystalia Amaquelin sister, who was for a while engaged with Johnny Storm, also known as The Human Torch, and partly due to the fact that she was also one of their fierce enemy.
In the Marvel universe as in mine, Medusa's hair aren't snakes anymore, but they obey her wickedest wishes, and therefore, turn into some powerful and deadly weapons.