ÿþ<html> <head> <title>Mantis</title> <meta content="Mark Patraw" name=Author> <meta content="Images of, and information about, a Chakan: The Forever Man 'Mantis' mini figure, made by Mark Patraw." name=Description> <meta content="Mantis,Chakan,Forever Man,R.A.K. Graphics,RAK,Robert A. Kraus,comic book,praying mantis,insect,snake,serpent,water,terrestrial,creature,enemy,boss,monster,fan art,figure,sculpture,model,toy,Mark Patraw." name="Keywords"> </head> <body text=d7f1e2 link=5e91ae background="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/CHK_bg3b.png" bgproperties=fixed></title></head> <br> <br> <table width=85% align=center cellpadding=10 border=10 background="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/CHK_bg2b.png"> <tr> <td> <br> <center><img src="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/CHK_logo.gif"></center> <br> <br> <table align=center> <tr> <td> <table align=center> <tr> <td width=33%> <center><font size="7" color=white><b>Mantis</b></font></center> </td> </tr> </table> <p align=center><i>"From the blackness of the deepest ocean it came. <br> The one called Mantis brought its evil army and built a fortress to protect itself from me. <br> It has wasted its time. <br> My swords shall taste your evil blood."</i> <br> <br> - In-game introductory text for the Terrestrial Plane of Water <br> <i>Chakan</i>, Sega Genesis <br> <br> <b>-</b> <br> <br> <i>"Journey through a festering sea of carnivorous squid and spiked lizards. Crumbling columns bar your way. Giant worms undulate in the layers of skulls dropped by the Mantis, ruler of this realm of watery confusion. Fight through the precarious frozen caves, battling horned tundra wolves. Grapple on slick ice flows with slippery demons whose only desire is to see you perish in the frozen depths."</i> <br> <br> - Instruction manual description of the Terrestrial/Elemental Planes of Water <br> <i>Chakan</i>, Sega Genesis</p> <br> <p align=center><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/kramwartap001/CHK_mantis_rotate_zps5607c510.gif~original" border=3 alt="Why you can't let your pet boa constrictor date the neighbor's praying mantis."></p> A vile hybrid of serpent and praying mantis, this aquatic fiend is one of the legendary dark forces that must be slain in 1992's Sega Genesis and Game Gear <i>Chakan: The Forever Man</i> video games. Said titles were based on the <i>Chakan</i> graphic novels written and illustrated by Robert A. Kraus (R.A.K. Graphics.) <br> <br> Despite its intimidating visual design, Mantis represents a rather disappointingly easy boss fight. Most of the time, all the creature does is leap around its lair, attempting to land on, and crush, Chakan with its enormous bulk, but it will also occasionally stick to the ground in order to take swipes at our immortal hero with its scythe-like forelimbs. In the Genesis version, you can simply go to the bottom right corner of the chamber, hold your weapons out, and the fool will oblige you by continually impaling itself on your blades until it dies. In the Game Gear incarnation, having Chakan repeatedly perform jumping spin-slashes, while Mantis is airborne, will quickly put an end to the monster's existence.</p> <br> <p align=center><b><font size=+1 color=gold>Materials:</font></b> <br> Newsprint, wire twist ties, white glue, acrylic paint, and ink.</p> <p align=center><b><font size=+1 color=gold>Dimensions:</b></font> <br> 7.8 cm/3.1 in. x 6.8 cm/2.7 in. <i>(widest point x highest point)</i></p> <p align=center><b><font size=+1 color=gold>Time:</font></b> <br> Three days: May 19, 22, and 23 (2012).</p> <hr width=650 size=3 color=ae935e> <p align=center><img src="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/CHK_mantis.jpg" border=3."></p> <hr width=650 size=3 color=ae935e> <p align=center><img src="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/CHK_mantis_fab.jpg" border=3"></p> <p align=center>I don't have it anymore, but, almost two decades ago, I made a bunch of <i>Chakan</i> 2.5D cardboard stand-up figures, including Mantis. This sketch represents what said figure looked like, to the best of my recollection. <br> <br> <img src="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/CHK_mantis_25D_sketch.jpg" border=3"></p> <hr width=650 size=3 color=ae935e> <p align=center><img src="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/groupshot_060712.jpg" border=3."></p> <hr width=650 size=3 color=ae935e> <br> <center><b><i>For comparison purposes, below are some relevant images (more information on mouse-over):</b></i></center> <br> <center><img src="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/CHK_mantis_portal.png" border=3 alt="Hub world portal to Mantis' realm, the Terrestrial Plane of Water."> <br> <br> <img src="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/CHK_mantis_boss1_md.png" border=3 alt="Chakan versus Mantis, Sega Genesis version."> <br> <br> <img src="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/CHK_mantis_boss2_md.png" border=3 alt="Chakan versus Mantis, Sega Genesis version."> <br> <br> <img src="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/MAP2/CHK_mantis_boss_gg.png" border=3 alt="Chakan versus Mantis, Sega Game Gear version."> <br> <br> <img src="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/kramwartap/SotQ/CHK_mantis.gif" alt="Animated gif I made of the Game Gear version of Mantis."></center> <br> <br> <hr width=650 size=3 color=ae935e> <br> <center><font size=+1 color=gold>REFERENCES:<br></font></center> <br> <p align=left> <ul> <li>&nbsp;&nbsp;1992 Sega Game Gear <i>Chakan</i> video game.</li> <br> <li>&nbsp;&nbsp;1992 Sega Genesis <i>Chakan</i> video game.</li> <br> <li>&nbsp;&nbsp;My <i>Chakan</i> Game Gear <a href="Chakan_gg_bestiary.html">animated bestiary</a>.</li> <br> <li>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.rakgraphics.com/index.html">R.A.K. Graphics</a>. Robert A. Kraus' web site, which includes a section devoted to <i>Chakan</i>.</li> </li> <br> <li>&nbsp;&nbsp;Various <a href="http://www.gamefaqs.com">GameFAQs.com</i></a> <i>Chakan</i> game guides. </li> <br> <li>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakan:_The_Forever_Man">Wikipedia</a> <i>Chakan: The Forever Man</i> article.</li> <br> </ul> </p> <br> <br> <p align=center><a href="sega_artwork.html"><font size="5">&laquo; Return To My SEGA Video Game Fan Art Gallery</a></font> <br> <br> <font size="2"><i>This is a nonprofit web site. <br> Any and all copyrighted imagery, terminology, etc., depicted here belongs to its respective holders/owners, namely Robert A. Kraus and Sega. <br> The background and foreground patterns are tiles from the Genesis and Game Gear Chakan games that I edited.</i></p> </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>
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