This is version 2 of my original artwork: 

Reaper in White - Azrael, Angel of Death

I wanted to see what the original outfit would look like in black. The shading isn't the best quality. It's regular ink pen, but I do have drawing pens that will arrive in the mail soon (hopefully). This is more of a sketch, I guess. Instead of copying the original artwork exactly, I only kept the key elements. There's Azrael, the moon, and his crow familiar. Since the outfit is different in this version, I wanted to slightly change the other elements, too. Therefore, the moon and crow are not the same size, nor is the crow in the same pose. Both versions are similar, yet different. Az is different, too. Since he's wearing a half-mask in the original artwork, this one is a full face reveal. He's also wearing gloves. He originally had the same eyes, but one of them smeared from a single drop of water. I didn't want to start over from scratch (this is my third attempt). So - because I kept ruining my hard work, I decided do darker lines for his eyes. Thus, the guyliner/ My Chemical Romance look was born (lol). Anyways, I'm happy with how both versions turned out. Azrael is the focus of my new series "The Duality of Death." In this series, he'll be depicted as different death deities/gods derived from various mythologies across different regions of the world. 

For lore information, click here:
New Series: The Duality of DeathMeet Azrael, the Angel of Death. This is my first OC – EVER. He’s from my upcoming art series: The Dually of death.,(The background mythology for this character is derived from various cultural, religious, and regional influences. See Footnotes for more details)Before the creation of humanity, Azrael proved to be the only angel brave enough to go to Earth in order to bring God the materials needed to make man (1. This was only possible by facing the hordes of demons present. For this service, he was made the Angel of Death. To perform his duties, he was given a ledger of mankind containing the names of all life on earth. Azrael does not decide when someone will die. He only knows when someone will die once he is given the command from God. For only god knows when and where each person will be taken at death.Azrael carries out God’s Will using his death scythe, which he uses to separate souls from their body. Although he is not responsible for death and does not cause it, he is nicknamed the Grim Reaper, since his job is to reap souls. His job is not to punish anyone, nor is it to pass judgement. He is a spiritual guide who appears when someone is near death. Without him, souls would be lost in the afterlife without having reached their final destination. This is known as purgatory. Once you meet death, he brings comfort to you and your grieving loved ones as he prepares you for your final journey. As a guide, he acts as a ferryman and protector during your journey through the afterlife (2). It is his duty to guide lost souls by navigating the rivers Styx and Acheron, which are the boundaries that separate the world of the living from the world of the dead. It is during this journey from the physical realm to the spiritual realm that Azrael also guides the person through an introspection of the life they’ve lived. During this self-examination, the person can reflect on themselves. This is done by remembering the decisions they’ve made; alongside the lessons they’ve learned. This experience can bring closure, as the person is able to relive the best moments of their life. It can also stir up feelings of guilt, as the person is reminded of their wasted potential. Once arriving in the world of the dead, the soul is taken to the gates of the afterlife (3).From the gates of the afterlife, the person is taken to the hall of judgement, where they will undergo their final test to determine their fate. Here, the person will stand before the divine judges to plead their case for the life they’ve lived and the choices they’ve made. This is why they’re given time to reflect during their journey, while accompanied by Death. After hearing the person’s life through their own words, the person undergoes the Weighing of the Heart ceremony (4). During this trial, the person’s heart is placed on a scale and weighed against the Feather of Truth and Justice. If the heart is heavier than the feather, the soul is cast into darkness. They will spend the rest of eternity atoning in the underworld. If the heart is pure, the scale will be balanced. The person is granted permission to ascend, where their soul can be returned to God. Footnotes: In Islam, Azrael means “Helper of God.” He is the angel of death in Islam and Sikhism. Azrael’s role as a ferryman is performed by Charon in Greek mythology, where Charon is the ferryman of the river Styx. From Roman mythology. The gatekeeper of the underworld is the God of death, Pluto. In Egyptian mythology, the weighing of the heart is a person’s judgement....