Looking for a Symbol

[Blue]

I've got someone whose primary ability is their invisibility. I'm trying to find a nice emblem for their uniform.

 

Thing is, invisibility doesn't so much lend itself to symbols.

 

I'm still working on the secondary powers, though I think those will likely involve suggestive abilities. (I'm thinking the character plants suggestions by whispering into their ear while invisible).

 

I briefly used a question mark and then decided that was already covered by some notable published supers.

 

I don't have a name yet. I've only asssigned a temporary code name (so I can find the character in Hero Designer again) of Whisper.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

I've got someone whose primary ability is their invisibility. I'm trying to find a nice emblem for their uniform.

 

Thing is, invisibility doesn't so much lend itself to symbols.

 

I'm still working on the secondary powers, though I think those will likely involve suggestive abilities. (I'm thinking the character plants suggestions by whispering into their ear while invisible).

 

I briefly used a question mark and then decided that was already covered by some notable published supers.

 

I don't have a name yet. I've only asssigned a temporary code name (so I can find the character in Hero Designer again) of Whisper.

Why not have him NOT wear a traditional costume. Instead, have him wear really loud and tacky tourist clothing like Hawaiian shirts and such!

 

HM

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

How about a circular emblem in the center of the chest that's dark on one end and fades to white at the other (or top-to-bottom)? Color dependent on what would go well with the rest of the costume, naturally.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

Howabout...

 

a zero?

 

a Greek Helmet? (ie Hades' helm/cap of invisibility Perseus gets)

 

twelve trees? (more esoteric, but there's some African story about a hunter making an invisibility potion/paste out of twelve different trees)

 

a bandaged figure?

 

a Griffin? (bad pun symbol)

 

a dotted outline of a figure?

 

a camo outfit? (help him hide even when not invisible - various outfits for various settings)

 

"SEP" in big letters? (Hitchikers Guide reference)

 

a shadow, seemingly cast by an invisible person?

[Blue]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

I've already got the costume drawn up when I was doodling at lunch. I'm just hoping to find a nice emblem for it.

 

I was considering a circle when I had the names Nimbus and Halo, primarily because this would be sort of a "guardian angel" effect (the whsipering in the ear thing). But then I decided this would be used to cause trouble just as much as to help people.

 

So a circle or halo would still work, it just would be a little more ironic.

[Outsider]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

An unseeing eye : A normal eye shape, but without pupil or iris.

[Blue]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

Howabout...

 

a zero?

Unfortunately there's already a "Zero", "Null", and several other 'zero-related' characters in the game.

 

a Greek Helmet? (ie Hades' helm/cap of invisibility Perseus gets)

Too ornate, but interesting. Maybe for somebody else

 

twelve trees? (more esoteric, but there's some African story about a hunter making an invisibility potion/paste out of twelve different trees)

Too esoteric.

 

a bandaged figure?

Hehe. An invisible man homage. Funny, but no.

 

a Griffin? (bad pun symbol), a dotted outline of a figure, a camo outfit? (help him hide even when not invisible - various outfits for various settings), "SEP" in big letters? (Hitchikers Guide reference)

I'm thinking no, but thanks.

 

a shadow, seemingly cast by an invisible person?

Probably a black outfit (though I'm not set on any color until I scan it and begin colorizing).

 

I'll try a couple of things in light pencil and see if anything catches on.

[Blue]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

An unseeing eye : A normal eye shape' date=' but without pupil or iris.[/quote']

This is interesting.

 

(Lots of circle themes going on.)

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

I've already got the costume drawn up when I was doodling at lunch. I'm just hoping to find a nice emblem for it.

 

I was considering a circle when I had the names Nimbus and Halo, primarily because this would be sort of a "guardian angel" effect (the whsipering in the ear thing). But then I decided this would be used to cause trouble just as much as to help people.

 

So a circle or halo would still work, it just would be a little more ironic.

 

Howabout an outline of a head&shoulders - one shoulder has a little angel on it, the other a little devil.

[Blue]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

Howabout an outline of a head&shoulders - one shoulder has a little angel on it' date=' the other a little devil.[/quote']

Again just a little too complicated. Same principal as advertising: The symbol should be simple and recognizable. A black outline of a bat, an S inside a heptagon.

 

But keep the thoughts coming.

[Blue]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

A new twist I'm considering (if it helps any): The invisibility might be only to living things. Essentially she perpetually creates a "mental block" that makes it so that living creatures can't see her, though electronics and machines still can.

 

Picture bank surveillance footage: A young woman walks into a convenience store, walks around behind the counter, helps herself to the cash while the manager seemingly ignores her, then on her way out she stops and whispers something into the ear of the guy at the magazine rack, who doesn't seem to notice. But then suddenly he takes off his shoes, puts them on his hands and smacks them together, barking like a seal.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

But isn't an easily recognizable invisible person kind of defeating the purpose?

 

Howabout the old standby of the big sylized letter? Figure out their name, use the first letter of that. "W" for Whisper, "I" for Inviso-lad, etc.

 

Make them or their origin Asian, and use an appropriate kanji? I think the Japanese "an" can mean dark, or invisible. Ironically enough, I have no idea what it looks like.

[Blue]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

Not to computers, video tape, and artificial beings, where her style must be identified! (If you want to call it style).

 

After 3 colorizations that were "bright" (Nimbus, Halo, and Whisper), I actually wound up going with a dark color scheme and stealing a name from the X-files. The character is named Invisigoth, and the emblem is sort of a funky little curly-Q in black outlined in white on her black top. I'll post a pic in the Superhero Images thread.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Steve Long]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

I say, exploit the situation for its humor value!

 

Every time someone asks what the character's symbol is, tell them it's right there on the costume -- just invisible. When they exasperatedly ask you to describe it, do so... just describe it differently every time.

[Rapier]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

A little person shape (kind of like the AOL guy) that is uncoloured and the outside lines are dotted/dashed?

 

A white/clear figure standing in front of two black dark figures?

 

Eh. I can't come up with anything. My last AO invisible character didn't have a symbol or even a code name.

[Confusion]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

Why not have him NOT wear a traditional costume. Instead, have him wear really loud and tacky tourist clothing like Hawaiian shirts and such!

 

 

hmm... I had a Cyberpunk character named Whisper that did that. He actually had a special safety orange 'Party Jumpsuit' He was of course insane..

 

Ok, so this does not help at all. But the name and the suggestion brought up some fond memories..

[Misery Lad]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

Something they've done consistently in the comics is show the Invisible Woman (of Fantastic Four fame) doing something heroic in a cover shot while only half (usually the bottom) of her is invisible. You might consider something along the lines of showing the action of going invisible on the character's costume. Wasn't it Star Trek The Motion Picture where they had those symbols for the Transporter Room as being the outline of a man whose bottom half is breaking up/separating/disappearing? It was a very simple graphic, yet a glance told you exactly what to expect on the other side of the door without ever having to read the actual words Transporter Room.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

HM and Steve took my two initial thoughts.

 

My third was to use the good old-fashioned red-circle "NO" symbol.

[Richard Logue]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

An empty box.

 

The infinity symbol.

 

A simple geometry symbol like a ray or a line.

 

A four with a circle around it.

 

 

Richard

[Moody Loner]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

A four with a circle around it.

 

 

Richard

 

I know, just have part of the chest of the costume torn off.

 

If anyone asks the character what the story is, you respond "Restraining order"

[Blue]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

I say, exploit the situation for its humor value!

 

Every time someone asks what the character's symbol is, tell them it's right there on the costume -- just invisible. When they exasperatedly ask you to describe it, do so... just describe it differently every time.

With a player character this would be possible. But for an NPC troublemaker, it has no repeat value (because the team members are only going to ask her once). Otherwise, I'm all for a good joke

 

But I've settled on a symbol.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

But I've settled on a symbol.

Which is...?

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: Looking for a Symbol

 

Well, I came to this late...obviously, since you've already decided on a symbol...but I'll go ahead and post these anyway. These are the symbols of Invisible Kid and Phantom Girl of the Legion of Super-Heroes. While Phantom Girl doesn't become invisible -- she becomes intangible -- her symbol still illustrates the "fading away" concept a number of people mentioned.