YOUNG JUSTICE: INVASION: LIAN NGUYEN-HARPER

WB Animation Character Design, YOUNG JUSTICE: INVASION, Lian Nguyen-Harper. Pencil, Digital Color.

In the Season Two episode entitled, "Salvage," it is revealed that Roy Harper (a clone of the original), has fathered a child with Jade Nguyen. It was the arrival of little Lian that has inspired Jade to make drastic changes in her life.

Okay, this design was another example of miscommunication between our crew on YOUNG JUSTICE. It happens. And it's partly my own fault. On a team, blame must be shared equally, the same as credit. With all the deadline pressures, and the unusual number of characters to be designed, I had relied on our able production assistants to furnish me with all pertinent details in a script I hadn't taken the time to read first. One of these pertinent details was the precise age of Lian. Either I presumed, or I was given the impression that she was to be a toddler, and so I designed her this way. After the fact, I was informed that she needed to be an infant, and so I revised the design, as reflected in the top right corner of this illustration.

However, instead of tossing this design away, or burying it in a file cabinet, I wanted to share it because I think she came out fairly cute. Babies of mixed heritage usually are exceptionally cute, and I hoped to depict that in Lian's design. I hope you like it, too.

She's got her Daddy's red locks, and her Mommy's Cheshire-cat grin!!!

••• Many are confused about the baby's reddish hair, as it seemingly contrasts with her normally dark-haired Asian heritage (However, Lian's mother is only half Vietnamese, making Lian only a quarter Asian). The hair color was the specific choice of producer Greg Weisman, and this correctly corresponds to Lian's first appearance in DC Comics.

Thanks for viewing!

*Lian Nguyen-Harper is the copyrighted property of DC Comics, and WB TV Animation.