It has always been a real thing to think about something original in a fresh, and ofttimes deviant, light. Our collection this evening runs the gamut of fan-sourced imagination. Many of you may look at these images and wonder after all the times you came up with some super-interesting and super-sinister side-versions of popular heroes and villains, but for some reason were unable to illustrate them for the world to see. Until the age arrives when we can peek into each other’s minds, we are left with the art we presently possess, which in this article’s case is a set of excellent illustrations from everyday fans who crafted sensationally diverse images of their favorite good guys and bad.

It goes without saying that some of the pictures you are about to see are the brainchildren of particular artists who decided not to stop at one but to keep at it until they had a bunch of unforgettable renditions. In other instances, you will come across rather bizarre selections, which nevertheless fit the bill of this article.

Art has always been the origin-point for seeing the world in a new light. They call it Expression, but in truth, all art is reality seen through another shade. Which brings us to a ‘reimagined’ saying of ours, "All is fair in love and art." We at TheGamer hope your imagination is sparked anew once it alights on the following pictures. These superheroes and villains have never looked so good.

30 Scarlet Halloween

via: deviantart.com/thedurrrrian

We discovered an extraordinary wealth of artwork on Tumblr (of course) to flesh out our article. One artist, in particular, caught our eye and hasn’t left it since. From his bold brushstrokes to the manner in which he has captured our beloved heroes and popular villains in a dark-noir yet bedazzling light is nothing short of ultra-talented. Daniel Kamarudin’s (aka thedurrrrian) renditions will take up more than a few rungs on our ladder, so dig right in starting with this fantastic reimagining of Scarlet Witch. There is life in his work, there truly is.

29 Fair Warning

via: isikol.deviantart.com

This splendidly dark medieval version of The Punisher has us bowing our heads in deference if not a little fear. Almost a cross between Witcher Geralt and Van Helsing, this reimagining seems to have tapped into a strange element of the human psyche to combine intimidation with a timeline known explicitly for it. The attention to detail provides added grimness to what looks like a scene of battle. And of course, Frank Castle seems to have imparted a new definition to the word Vigilante. We credit this masterpiece to Isikol on DeviantArt.

28 Iron Will

via: the

He may have a bazillion suits, even more cars, and more money than he knows what to do with, but Tony Stark himself might have been impressed with what theDurrrrian did with his image on DeviantArt. Here we see a medieval Iron Man, looking like a Royal Knight, but with a mecha-engineered suit of armor that, despite the timeline, can still tap into a potent energy source to produce powerful impact lasers. From intricate embellishments to an interesting cape, here is yet another reimagining that takes you to the past but gives the future something to work with.

27 Just Your Friendly Bearded…

via: AkiTheBonez | Deviantart

Just to lighten the mood, just for a bit, here’s Peter Parker taking it easy. The stubble on his face and that blasé pose add up to a fan-reimagined picture that says a lot about how little Spidey might have grown up as an alterna-verse version of himself. While some of us are still peeved about the latest Spider-Man game not having made it to the PC (yet?), we will always harbor a soft spot for this beloved hero, no matter how different he might look from our early childhood recalls. AkiTheBonez on DeviantArt has created something amazing.

26 The Wonder Of It All

via: thedurrrrian.deviantart.com

She’s as powerful as they come, until Captain Marvel came along. Then again, the ongoing love affair that nerds and geeks alike have for the inimitable Wonder Woman will not soon diminish. Diana of Themiscyra (which is an actual Greek town north of Pontus) is the Amazon of dreams. Her dignity, beauty, charm, and morality all add up to a hero worth looking up to. We have our second entry for theDurrrrian, whose Tumblr and DeviantArt pages make us wonder why he hasn’t been plucked up by major studios yet.

25 A Turtle By Any Other Shape…

via: Mauricio-Negrito | Deviantart

Taking a page out of a rather bizarre tome of illustrations, we have here Mauricio-Negrito’s take on the famous Mutant Turtle Donatello. Looks like he really went full spectrum on the ‘mutant’ part, which we adore. Not only does this image give us the creeps, but it also makes us imagine how Donny will fight let alone move at speed in a shape like this. The visual boggles the inner mind, but such is the stuff that good art is made of. We hoped to find the other turtles in a similar light, but alas came up short.

24 Shadow Of The Bat

via: Justin Currie, ChasingArtwork

We can’t NOT include the Dark Knight in an article that fast seems to be reimagining that popular book title, re-creating it into 30 Shades of Dark Fantasy. An exceptional Steampunk take on the popular hero has given us an unforgettable image from the devious but brilliant mind of Canadian artist Justin Currie (aka ChasingArtwork). Here’s the third artist on our list whom we can’t do without. There’s plenty more where these came from, but we decided to select only a handful for you to appreciate and share.

23 A Moment of Happiness

via: Justin Currie | ChasingArtwork

Keeping the pair apart has always been a challenge, and so we decided to let them hang together. We present to you, a Steampunk mecha-super version of the Clown Prince of Crime. With Joaquin Phoenix already impressing us with what he is bringing to the role of the Joker, we feel so much prouder to showcase this artwork, courtesy again Justin Currie. That signature grin, and that mischievous pose… All good deeds come to perish in the aura that surrounds this Joker.

22 The Master

via: Marco Teixeira

Let’s deviate into another universe for just a second; the Star Wars kind. When we stumbled upon this image of the irreplaceable Yoda, we couldn’t help but stare and keep doing so until some vast otherworldly force, for lack of a better word, drew us back as hungrily as it drew us in, to begin with. Aptly titled ‘Young Jedi Master Yoda’ we have been given a glimpse into the master’s early days, and what a force he would have been back in the day. Kudos to Marco Teixeira for giving us this.

21 Agent Of Fate

via: cric.deviantart.com

Now, Zatanna has often been underestimated in one of several ways. Not only is she one of the most powerful characters in the comic book spectrum, but she also deserves a spotlight of her own. As well she should, stage magic and all. Here we have a genuinely dark version of the DCU sorceress, rendered beautifully so by Cric; another core artist on our list. This is, specifically, a Symbiote-based theme, meaning what you are looking at is a merging of Zatanna and whatever alien creature went into the Venom. Speaking of, ignore the critics, the movie is excellent.

20 Alien Encounters

via:

J’onn J’onzz has often proven to choose the path of non-violence. He prefers communication over conflict any day of the week. But under the artful hands of Raymund Lee, the Martian Manhunter seems to have become something of a horror movie personality. Welcome to the dark side of the Manhunter’s mental moon, where he is nothing less than the universe’s greatest terror. Taking his psychic powers into consideration, and the fact that he can go through solid objects by becoming invisible at will, and you have yourself the perfect life-taker.

19 Don’t Grieve For Me

via: Uncle Ulty | Twitter

Speaking of aliens, we came across an especially gross rendition of General Grievous (of Star Wars infamy) by Twitter’s Uncle Ulty. An exceptional choice of brushwork and angling, size and disproportion have led to this ‘grievously good illustration of what appears to be a mutated and rather over-darkified version of the Sith Lord. The fact that he’s not gripping any lightsabers, but rather long swords, hints that the artist wanted to convey an ancient feel for the scene. Star Wars may be nothing without lightsabers, but it also definitely needs Grievous on its roster of villains.

18 Zip, Zap, Zoop

via: Daisey Cusson(?) | ModaFinilsale

Things are indeed getting more intense around here, and in the demonic sense. While some can and may assume that this is Barry Allen, aka The Flash, it is, in reality, the Reverse Flash, his arch nemesis. Be that as it may, looks like messing with the timelines can summon all the wrong troubles. This picture is essentially a custom-made wallpaper, uploaded by Daisey Cusson. From the speed trail to that dire grin, this picture speaks a thousand words in a single second. Much in keeping with Flash-ian speed counters. [Thought to self]: Looks an awful lot like Darth Maul.

17 All Suited Up

via: via: Justin Currie | ChasingArtwork

Another Justin Currie masterpiece, this robo-Spiderman Steampunk-driven artwork is nothing less than one of the best from an artist as good as Currie. He’s nailed all the signature elements of Spiderman: that ready-to-defend pose, agile intimidation, and won’t-back-down attitude. The four limbs remind us of the ‘new’ Spidey, with his tech suit courtesy Stark Industries. The brilliance of this picture needs to be deeply admired to be fully appreciated. Attention to detail is high and attention to attitude, even higher.

16 I Hear Thunder

via: Justin Currie | ChasingArtwork

Taking another page out of Justin’s art-book, Here’s the mighty Thor, God of Thunder, looking every bit as his name intends. From mecha-based designs all over to a not-so-subtle hint of irrepressible power and fury, we see here the full force of storms contained in one entity. From the slit cape to the reimagined hammer, what we see in this picture is sheer power made manifest. The wings on the helm make for a nice touch. All in all, anyone familiar with the genre will recognize Thor, despite this being a full-on robo-mecha entity.

15 To The Underworld And Back

via: Owl-Robot | Pinterest

Known simply as Owl-Robot, the artist behind this work of brilliance has given Hellboy fans a distinctly different look at the popular hero. Not only does he appear to have leaped out of a Darksiders game, the character himself sports all the signature elements, including the grim façade and muscle tone. The artwork boasts both a cartoon as well as action figure appeal, making it quite kaleidoscopic. Owl-Robot has invested good attention where needed: the cross dangling from the pistol, the eye patch, the horn broken to the root… There is a story in this image.

14 Bat, Interrupted

via: Owl-Robot | Pinterest

We couldn’t say no to showcasing one more artwork by the same person, namely Owl-Robot. What they have done with Batman is nothing short of genius. Gamers have seen dark versions of the Dark Knight, especially under the Scarecrow’s gas influence. But here’s a rather bizarre asylum-based take on Wayne in costume. Everything about this picture looks like Bruce decided to uphold the motto ‘If you can’t beat them, join them’. He’s taken quite the beating, but is clearly having the last laugh. Those chains are not for show, apparently.

13 What The Darth!

via: Sadece Kaan | Art Station

Freelance artist Sadece Kaan has given us a look into what could possibly happen if you combined a ‘zen’ image, in this case, that of a monk, with a not so zen character, namely Darth Maul. The outstanding way he applied monk beads to create a totally different look to a super-popular character took us by surprise. The beard is highly appreciated, seeing as how it really does suit Maul in more ways than one. And don’t get us started on the monk-themed saber-staff. For a baddie-based picture, everything seems to have gone right for it.

12 Man Behind The Machine

via: thedurrrrian | Tumblr

It was actually through this image we came to learn the real name of one of the core artists in our article. TheDurrrrian has given us such splendid artwork that we feel indebted to him for making the world of superheroes and super-villains that much more diverse, and giving fans the world over so much more to think and dream about. He has had a go at all the Justice League members/characters. We continue showcasing him here, with his rendition of the Cyborg. He has captured the essence of the character.

11 The Good Captain

via: thedurrrrian | Tumblr

Kamarudin’s versatility and dark grace never cease to impress. With Chris Evans having recently bid a heart-breaking farewell to his role as Captain America, we felt quite a lot of sentiment looking at this breathtaking picture of the good Captain. Rendered with the weight of leadership and responsibility, this mecha version of CA adds to our memories of all the times the character made a stunning and long-lasting difference in the MCU. While all such characters can boast major transformations over the years, few can say that Captain America’s was not special in its own light.