I have always loved the design and colors of SNEAKERS. The bright colors and intricate designs are the same reasons why I love COMIC BOOKS/SUPER HEROES. Also, there is always the story behind a certain Super Hero. Their SECRET ORIGIN. The amazing story of how a character got his/her powers. Or the incredible circumstances that caused a character to become a Super Hero. Most sneakers also have their own “Secret Origin”. The process that it took a designer to get to the final look of a sneaker. What inspired the look of a shoe. What influenced the use of certain materials or colors. So many things in common that I always felt needed to be explored.
These Officially Licensed vinyl figures are what I call S.H.S. aka Super Heroes in Sneakers- two things that meant a lot to me growing up and still do to this day. Two completely different cultures mashed together to create a new visual of things most people wouldn’t normally see together. I always wondered what kicks my favorite Super Hero would wear. That’s why I would create these illustrations and now DESIGNER TOYS!
MILES AKA SPIDER-MAN
MILES is one of my favorite MARVEL characters. He is SPIDER-MAN, but his own version of the hero. Much like PETER, MILES is driven to do good no matter what. And he does it in his own style. For this piece, I wanted to capture MILES in action. Like he was just pushed back, but ready to JUMP back into the fight. I wanted lots of motion in this piece, since SPIDEY is always in motion. I also wanted to showcase MILES’ love for sneakers. I feel that he is a pure Sneaker Head who loves the classics & collects the classic ones that would always match his outfit.
MILES AKA SPIDER-MAN Concept Art
T'CHALLA AKA BLACK PANTHER
For my T’CHALLA piece I wanted him to look like he is caught in a moment of time. Leaping down to pounce on the enemy. T’CHALLA is wearing his Vibranium laced suit, with sneakers that I imagine would maximize his abilities. Sneakers that would help him run smoother and jump with some bounce. Sneakers fit for a KING! WAKANDA FOREVER!
T'CHALLA AKA BLACK PANTHER Concept Art
WADE AKA DEADPOOL
The MERC with a MOUTH is a highly skilled assassin who has been trained in every martial art and is an expert swordsman & marksman. WADE is so dangerous that he has mastered the infamous FINGER GUNS! For this piece I have WADE aiming his most deadly weapons, waiting to fire off as many PEW PEWS as necessary. He is locked and loaded from head to toe, especially in sneakers that I imagine were his FOURTH pair of the day. (He probably ruined the first three pairs.) This time around he made sure to wear the RED pair. So you can’t see the blood stains.
WADE AKA DEADPOOL Concept Art
PACKAGING
To further connect the SNEAKER CULTURE to these DESIGNER TOYS I wanted the packaging for the toys to resemble flip top sneaker boxes with the sneaker labels on the side. We couldn't actually make the boxes "flip tops", but we achieved the look graphically. This packaging design would carry over to my other S.H.S. toys.
