Project CBRunway 2: Challenge 7 Voting Thread

[mattbib]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/d029820c.jpg
Welcome to the runway!

atoningunifex and twilight, as you did not submit a design for this challenge you are automatically eliminated. However, there will still be an elimination this round.

PLEASE VOTE for the entry you feel best completes the challenge. Voting should not be based solely on art ability. Participants may vote for themselves. The designer with the least amount of votes may be eliminated.

CHALLENGE 7: CLASSIC IMAGE

Your seventh challenge comes courtesy of last year's winner of Project CBRunway, Vegetarian Goat. You will choose and redesign an early Image character as if they were created during the Golden Age of comics.

In addition to the standard requirements of the written description, you should include a short description explaining who your character is, why you chose him or her, and why you think your Golden Age redesign works.

Please vote using the poll, then feel free to make comments or ask questions about this challenge or these designs within this thread.

[mattbib]

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w30/ZacharyLovesYou/ShaftGA2ndattemptsmall.pnghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/shaft.jpg

Who he is:
Jeff Terrel was an undercover police officer when he was approached by the government-sponsored Team Youngblood. He joined the team being an already accomplished archer. He adopted the name of Shaft and began the first of many adventures with the group. When then leader Battlestone was accused of misleading the team and was held responsible for the deaths of many members, Shaft went on to lead the team while Battlestone founded and became leader of Brigade.

Why I chose him:
I chose Shaft because his story and character seemed like one that could easily be written in the Golden Age. No mutations, no abnormal powers, just an expert archer. When I think of a Golden Age story, I think of a hero who dominates in a particular quality; so much that you have to suspend more disbelief than usual and just trust that their talent is enough to fight crime. Shaft is perfect for this.

Why my design “works” for The Golden Age:
My design works for the Golden Age because I feel it has the simplistic qualities of a Golden Age costume. Its skin tight, it doesn’t have shoulder pads, or huge belt pockets, its mask is very basic, buccaneer boots, etc. Also, I wanted to make a very… Literal, almost redundant symbol on his chest. Sort of in the fashion of Alan Scott GL, I wanted to make his symbol reflect his abilities in an almost drawn picture instead of just a “logo”. I also get a laugh from it being a pair of bows and arrows making an “S”. I picked the red and gold color scheme because looking at Shaft’s regular costume, the only color I’m not using in this piece is white. Even though I know it’s a common Golden Age color combo, I’m not going to compromise the success of the colors together for fear of comparisons; that’s just silly. Didn’t throw away all of the old Shaft design either; I still gave him a mask where it frames his face and his hair pokes out, I kept his hair red, I kept the square-ish design on the torso, and he still looks like he should be a leader, only I made him a little younger (seems appropriate for Youngblood). Add a square jaw and American flag? That’s the Golden Age cherry on top.

[mattbib]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/cyblade2.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/cyblade.jpg

Here is my design for a Golden Age Cyblade. (I changed her name to Lady Blade because "cyber" wasn't a common term in the 40's)

I assume Matt will be showing the original characters alongside our designs, to show what was changed and what was kept, but until he includes his own pic of her, so I included a picture of what Cyblade looks like above.

You can see I kept the thigh-high boots and long opera gloves, though I changed their design a bit. I gave her a skirt instead of the thong bikini bottom, and I used the design of the blue top crossing over her chest and going behind her back (though they loop around her neck instead of joining up there in a collar). I got rid of all the metal... that was not very Golden Age in feel. I added a domino mask and changed her hair style to more of a 40's look. I also gave her a belt buckle with a crossed daggers symbol. Finally, I applied a half-tone filter over the picture to complete the look of the period!

Some may think that the costume is still a bit too sexy for the Golden Age, but Wonder Woman, Phantom Lady, Sheena, and other Golden Age heroines wore outfits that showed even more skin than this.

[mattbib]

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s201/tylerragan/Voodoo.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/voodoo.jpg

Voodoo: Priscilla Kitaen is a telepathic human-Kherubim hybrid with Daemonite ancestry and possesses "the Sight," the ability to see possessed humans. Along with this, she can use her telepathy to separate demons from their hosts and has shown the ability to do this to other organisms that have been bonded. She can read and manipulate the thoughts and emotions of others, and even shut off people's minds. Her powers increase proportionate to physical intimacy, enabling her greater ability to psychically manipulate and read others. She is able to shapeshift into a Daemonite form, which commonly gets referred to as her "crocodile form" by the superstitious in this era. An elderly Daemonite taught her the use of her hidden powers of regeneration and time-manipulation. She was also mentored in the use of Voodoo magic by a High Voodoo Priestess.

I choose Voodoo because she was about only 1 of 2 characters on the list that I could easily see fit in a golden age design. I felt she would work really well in a supernatural pulp hero archtype, where the characters generally only don a mask with regular clothes (usually a signature outfit) instead of a spandex uniform. With a name like Voodoo, it made sense to go with a New Orleans feel with the mask and put her base of operations there. I kept the purple color on her long hemmed gown, and added opera gloves and fishnet stockings to the outfit. I included a snake motif in the overall design to go with the voodoo theme and redesigned the tattoos on her arms so that they are snakes instead of dragons - even though tattoos were extremely rare on women early in that century, I felt they still worked for her, giving her another distinguishing mark/symbol in addition to her mardi gras mask. I gave a pet albino snake to add to fear/mystery feel of the character. While a long hem dress doesn't lend itself well to the crime-fighter form, I feel that this Voodoo doesn't go running around jumping from rooftop to rooftop. People go to her for help instead, where she'll investigate and use her powers to get to places normal people would otherwise be barred from. I kept the daemonite shapeshifting ability and re-imagined it to fit a superstitious legend of Voodoo being able to change her form into a crocodile to help her out of the tight spots she might get herself into (hinted in the trail of smoke from her cigerette in the picture - smoking still being pretty much in vogue with females during that time period).

[mattbib]

http://fc01.deviantart.com/fs17/f/2007/141/5/d/Velocity_Golden_Age_Redesign_by_jelloconcoction.jp ghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/velocity.jpg

Background info
Velocity is an albino girl who can run at superhuman speeds. She was cybernetically enhanced by Cyberdata, who originally had plans to make her their servant. Unfortunately for them, Velocity escaped their clutches and joined the other prisoners to form Cyberforce.

Costume
For Velocity, I wanted to keep her color scheme of green and yellow (as seen in her original costume above) and her signature neck lightning bolt. Then, for Golden Age goodness, I gave her, instead of a full body suit, a leotard, cuffed boots, and large gloves. Since Velocity originally had a green lightning imprint over her right eye and facial tattoos and such were not prevalent in the Golden Age, I gave her a green domino mask instead. Then, I added a waist sash as most women in the Golden Age had some sort of belt or sash around their waist, and I added the sash tails for visuals when she runs. I topped the entire thing off with a classic Golden Age hairstyle and the halftone filter.

Also, as most, if not all, Golden Age costumes were simple, I made sure that simplicity shone through my design as well.

Also, as a note, her skin is supposed to be white as she's albino. However, her skin is the only indication of albinism as her hair isn't white and her eyes aren't red.

[mattbib]

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k318/nightowlarts/maulissue1c.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/maul.jpg

In issue 1 of Maul, published september 1937 Maul was introduced as a giant alien from a distant planet who came to protect the earth from the evil forces of the Daimonon. After 18 issues the series was canceled but Maul eventually returned when WildCATS was launched in 1992 and as tribute to the old series Maul was reintroduced.

In the new WildCATS series Maul was a slightly different character than his 1937 variant: Jeremy Stone spent the early years of his life unaware that he was not entirely human. However, when Jeremy discovered his heritage and his ability to transform into a giant being of superhuman strength, he joined the intergalactic war between the Kherubim and Daemonites, becoming a member of the WildC.A.T.S. and using the codename Maul.

In issue one Maul lands on earth as he searches for the Red Crimsonian, a daimonon powergem stolen by the evil doctor Bob. But the american army assumes Maul is a threat! Tragedy! Horror! Skpow! Splat!

As for the costume Pro Proctor, (born 1911, died 1971) went for a classic pulp fiction hero design with two basic colors that would make the character stand out. The M on Maul's forehead returns in the gloves. The mask covers most of the face and he wears the typical bucanneer boots that were all the rage among superheroes in those days. And like most supermen in those days Maul was not afraid to wear his purple undies outside his skintight pants. The topside sports a high collar and a row of buttons in a style reminiscent of 19th century army uniforms

Pro kept his lines clean and few as was customary in those days and his coloration was deliberately kept to a minumum to keep printing costs down.

[mattbib]

http://i4.tinypic.com/6cmz9qc.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/savagedragon.jpg


Recognized as a world power, Japan realizes that they need to win the race for the super human soldier. Rumors surfacing that the USA has a soldier that is fighting in Germany with just a shield and a sidekick in short pants, Japanese scientists rolled up their sleeves and worked feverishly to create a formula. Using gene splicing methods and elbow grease, they came up with the monster island serum with alien dna mixed in.

One brave, willing soldier by the name of Pachiro Nygumi stepped up to the plate to be experimented on. He grew a dragon hand and began to breathe fire from the results of the experiment. Because of his already excellent combat skills and swordplay, he was nicknamed Savage Dragon by his fellow infantry men. Now the monster island serum made it a literal transistion. He also gained extra speed, endurable skin, and super-strength.

He is the future of Japan and puts the Power in the Axis.

Osamu Tezuka was the main inspiration for this endeavor. Astro Boy was published in the Golden Age of comics, just not in the US.

[Pro]

Hey Matt, not sure why but there seems to be something wrong with the version of Maul you posted here. Look around the lettering in this one and compare it to the one i posted in the challenge thread.
Looks crappy, can you change it please?

[Joe Rice]

Jesse, your Savage Dragon design is pretty damn cool. I like it a lot. The asymmetry, the pants, the shades . . .all very cool. Unfortunately none of it says "Golden Age" to me. Yes, manga was being published then but a) that's not what the assignment was talking about and b) it doesn't really evoke manga to me.


Pro, I think your design for Maul is much better than I've ever seen him. But I don't think it's enough of a change to really evoke the golden age. The buttons on front are a nice touch, very Captain Marvel. But I feel that Maul would need more of an overhaul to really fit in.


Ankale, on the other hand, your design DOES feel very golden age. The simple lines and colors really work well to directly translate the character to the time period. Very well done.

Escapegoat, I'm torn. I think your design feels like Voodoo. I think it feels "1940s." But I'm not sure if it feels like a modern period piece or a legit piece from that time, if that makes sense. I like the backstory and the character translation. In the end, it's a good design and feels right.

Samarai, I think this is my favorite work from you so far. Really evokes the headlight comics of the Phantom Lady heyday. It might be just a bit too inspired by her, but back then originality wasn't exactly a selling point. Anyway, excellent work. I would not be surprised to see this win again.

Zach, I think you NAILED this assignment. The speed at which you finished it is a real testament to how much you were feeling it. That's DEFINITELY Shaft and that's DEFINITELY the golden age. The use of color, the simpler lines . . .perfect. You won this in my eyes.

[mattbib]

Hey Matt, not sure why but there seems to be something wrong with the version of Maul you posted here. Look around the lettering in this one and compare it to the one i posted in the challenge thread.
Looks crappy, can you change it please?Yours was too big; it exceeded the size limit so I had to resize it. If you want to resize it yourself to maintain its quality and re-post in the submission thread then I'll add it to this thread.

[twilight]

Pro takes my vote.

Reminds me of The Iron Giant for some reason.

[mattbib]

Ankale, on the other hand, your design DOES feel very golden age. The simple lines and colors really work well to directly translate the character to the time period. Very well done.I agree, it does have Golden Age qualities, but it's so similar to the '70s looks of Phoenix and Ms. Marvel that it feels more like a Silver Age design to me.

[Karl H]

Ho boy... this round's a toughie...

I'll post my musings and votings later.

[escapegoat]

Escapegoat, I'm torn. I think your design feels like Voodoo. I think it feels "1940s." But I'm not sure if it feels like a modern period piece or a legit piece from that time, if that makes sense. I like the backstory and the character translation. In the end, it's a good design and feels right.


Heya Joe, I catch what you're trying to say. Just want to let you and rest know that I did the research on the hair/clothing to make sure it was authentic for the golden age era (though it was tricky finding good info online - sometimes these search engines don't always give you the best results!) ;)

[Indigo Al]

Oh man, but this is tough!

Zachary – you nailed it perfectly! The black background is the only thing that’s a bit off in the whole design – you don’t get the full sunny ‘rah-rah’ Golden Age effect of the flag this way.

Samurai – as did you! I knew at least one of these heroines would get the Phantom Lady style makeover, and you did it very well.

escapegoat – I love where you went with Voodoo. I’m glad you saw this as an opportunity to re-imagine her as a pulp “Mystery woman” and not a straightforward super-heroine. I wish you’d been able to glam up her hair a little more, 1940’s style, and I don’t love the snake straps on the dress. But it’s still one of my favorites here.

AnkaleRa – You also nailed the makeover – especially the hair and the costume. Good job! Also, a speedster character inevitably needs an action shot, and you gave us one here – but it takes it out of the Golden Age, unfortunately.

Pro – you had a tough character to switch from an Image monstrosity to a Golden Age character. And you did it well – the costume would easily fit in the JSA. However, as long as you’re being creative with backgrounds, you maybe could have done something to tie it more into the Golden Age - like Maul punching Nazis, or saluting, or something.

Jesse – The coloring on this piece is amazing! But I have to agree it’s not in keeping with the spirit of the assignment.

Vote is to come...

[ZacharyLovesYou]

Oh man, but this is tough!

Zachary – you nailed it perfectly! The black background is the only thing that’s a bit off in the whole design – you don’t get the full sunny ‘rah-rah’ Golden Age effect of the flag this way.


Zach, I think you NAILED this assignment. The speed at which you finished it is a real testament to how much you were feeling it. That's DEFINITELY Shaft and that's DEFINITELY the golden age. The use of color, the simpler lines . . .perfect. You won this in my eyes.

Oh man, this is such good feedback to hear. I was so enthused by this challenge because I absolutely love Golden Age characters/designs. Thanks a lot!

[Pro]

Yours was too big; it exceeded the size limit so I had to resize it. If you want to resize it yourself to maintain its quality and re-post in the submission thread then I'll add it to this thread.

Huh? I don't get how this one is bigger .. i always start from a standard A4 size 300 dpi which i then save as JPEG at the end and this one was cropped, if anything it should be smaller. I reposted the entry but it looks kinda vague now, don't get it.

[Spiderchick1974]

Samurai-The best in this challenge.
Totally evokes the time and the concept that the challenge requires.
Another winner.

ZacharyLovesyou-Absolutely stunning.


I am torn here but I give the slightest of advantages to Samurai, only because his design "talks" to me more, in a "voice" that truly reminds me of Golden
Age comics.

But they are both excellent pieces, Zach.

[Slam_Bradley]

Overall, very nicely done.


Zach: Excellent job. There are a couple of elements that feel a bit more silver-age (almost Legiony) to me but I can certainly see him as a back-up in a Golden Age anthology book.

Sam: You absolutely nailed the Good-girl art with this one. I can definitely see her headlining (and headlighting) a Matt Baker cover. Beautiful work.

Escapegoat: Not bad. There were a few GA characters that fell in to this sort of look (Lady Luck to a certain extent). I like it, but it's a peg or two below some others.

AnkaleRa: Another good one. My biggest complaint is that there's not really anything in the design to convey the GA feeling of motion. Winged boots (hat, etc), lightning bolts (the one on the chest isn't quite enough). I like it, but it doesn't convey speed to me.

Pro: I kinda like this. The boots and the buttoned tunic are great. I'm not sure what the tusk things out of the back are supposed to be. What detracts from the pic itself (not from the design, so I didn't count it) are the small things that are wrong on the cover. Comics didn't go to 12 cents until the silver age. The code didn't come in till the very end of the GA. And the "Giant-sized Number 1" is anachronistic. The design, however, is good. Just not good enough.

Jesse: There is just nothing about this that says Golden Age to me.

A very good round. But I have to vote for Samurai.

[Michael P]

Some very good entries this time around.

ZacharyLovesYou's SHAFT does an excellent job of taking elements of the original design and recasting them in the new style. I love the incorporation of the bows and arrows into the chest symbol. Overall, the design has a very whimiscal feel to it, and screams "Golden Age." Using the same pose as Shaft's from Youngblood #1 was a nice touch. I do have to take a couple points off, though, for the poor nocking of the arrow (Jim MacQuarrie has ruined me for this). Still, a great bar-setter for this challenge.

Samurai's CYBLADE has a very Bettie Page feel to it. It's interesting how this design manages to be a sexier sexpot than the actual Cyblade's ever been (or is that just me?). It also does a good job of taking elements of the original design and weaving them into a new and different concept. The gloves and boots, the skirt, even the way she holds the sword comes together into a perfect encapsulation of pulp titillation of the period.

escapegoat's VOODOO, on the other hand, is a great example of a complete recast of the character. The snake motif, the Mardis Gras mask, the evening gown; this feels very much like what an artist like Marty Nodell or Bill Finger would have come up with for a character named Voodoo. The smoke serpent (doesn't really look all that much like a gator, but it still fits the snake) is a nice touch. I really love this design.

AnkaleRa's VELOCITY is a good adaptation of the character, but it feels like it's lacking something. The lightning bolt evokes the Marvels, and the boots, gloves, and mask evoke Bucky, but very little evokes the word "velocity." The great speedster costumes all evoke motion, and I don't get much of that here. I agree that the sash is more reminiscent of Phoenix than the Golden Age (although that may be the color scheme joining it to bring up that association). Your logo is also too "Star Trek" to feel like the Golden Age. It's a good design, though; I just feel there were better this time around.

I'm not feeling Pro's MAUL at all, unfortunately. It's just too similar to the original, and the original is definitely not Golden Age. The jacket buttons don't work at all for me (especially since we can see his abs under the supposed jacket), and while keeping the M's is a good idea, they could do with some simplification (c.f. the original "S" shield, and such). I think a wholesale redesign was more in order here. Not your best work, Pro.

Jesse Newcomb's SAVAGE DRAGON is a wicked cool design, but it's not Golden Age. I get the Tezuka feel, but the "Age" structuring is very much an American thing (an American superhero thing, really; the Golden Age of horror comics was what killed what we commonly call the "Golden Age"), and no American creator would have dreamed of creating a hero of the Japanese army during the 1940s. Still, it's an excellent design and concept, and would work very well adapted to a different setting.

Deliberation was tough for this one, but ultimately, I have to go with Shaft. Voodoo was a very close second.

[escapegoat]

escapegoat's VOODOOThe smoke serpent (doesn't really look all that much like a gator, but it still fits the snake) is a nice touch. I really love this design.

Just so you know, I was kinda playing off the fact that people heard rumors that she's suppose to shapeshift into some sort of crocodile monster, when in fact it's just her daemonite form instead (hense, the not-so crocodile looking illusion) : )

Thanks for the compliments. I had a lot of fun coming up with this design.

[Michael P]

Just so you know, I was kinda playing off the fact that people heard rumors that she's suppose to shapeshift into some sort of crocodile monster, when in fact it's just her daemonite form instead (hense, the not-so crocodile looking illusion) : )

Thanks for the compliments. I had a lot of fun coming up with this design.

Well, like I said, it still works.

Incidentally, you ever read the Wild Cards books? There's a Cajun character there named Sewer Jack who actually does transform into an alligator. I'm not accusing you of anything, I just thought you might like to know.

[jrp001]

don't usually post a lot here so...

it was a tough choice between Lady Blade and VooDoo (bravo to all the artists!!)

I loved loved loved the re-imaginings, but I went with Escapegoat because I buy an issue of that comic based on this 'cover'

[Tre Styles]

I had to give it Zach. It immediately made me think Golden Age when I looked at.

I also enjoyed Samurai's Lady Blade and Pro's Maul. Escape's Voodoo reminded me of Harlem Reinassance, which was really nice. A good historical design more so than Golden Age superhero, but still a cool, cool image. Ankle's Velocity did remind me of the Phoenix from the SilverAge, but the little details are very cool.Props to Jessee for trying something a little different, but as others have said, it's not Golden Age superhero.

[Pól Rua]

ZacharyLovesYou's SHAFT - Great work. It definitely says 'Shaft' and it definitely says 'Golden Age'. That said, I really preferred the original version.

Samurai's CYBLADE - As Joe has already pointed out, you really effectively capture the headlights comics look here. Great redesign.

escapegoat's VOODOO - A nice look, but a little more reminiscent of the pulp genre than the Golden Age comics genre.

AnkaleRa's VELOCITY - I wish you'd ditched the white skin. A nice design, but doesn't really scream 'Golden Age of Comics' to me.

Pro's MAUL - I really loved the layout of this one. I think you could've pushed the design aspect a little more, but a really nice reworking of the character.

Jesse Newcomb's SAVAGE DRAGON - Doesn't really work for me. The design is good, and I could possibly see him as a character in a later era's comic set during the 40's, but not really as a 40's comic character.

[ZacharyLovesYou]

ZacharyLovesYou's SHAFT - Great work. It definitely says 'Shaft' and it definitely says 'Golden Age'. That said, I really preferred the original version.

Really? I thought it was a little too... I dunno. Superman-ish. hahaha

That said, here's my 2-cents:

Samurai's CYBLADE- Fantastic. Her facial features scream golden age. Very classic feel to it. The only thing that didn't seem GA enough for me was the coloring. This may sound wierd, but I thought it was too realistic/airbrushed for the golden age.

escapegoat's VOODOO- Neat design, and some of your best anatomy, but there doesn't seem to be a feel of power in her.

AnkaleRa's VELOCITY- Another great design, but I wish everything was a little more detailed.

Pro's MAUL- My favorite of the bunch. Took such a 90's character and made him seem more antique than I thought possible. My only complaint would be the presentation. The comic idea is clever, just not sure how I feel about it here.

Jesse Newcomb's SAVAGE DRAGON- Love the concept. Not so sure about the execution... Feels more Silver Age to me.

[Pól Rua]

Really? I thought it was a little too... I dunno. Superman-ish. hahaha

Well, it WAS very Superman-ish.
It especially reminded me of the way Superman was drawn in the excellent Fleisher Brothers cartoons.
http://www.smallvillevirtuality.com/superthoughts/fleischer_superman.jpg
Which to me is really a pinnacle of Golden Age art.

[ZacharyLovesYou]

Well, it WAS very Superman-ish.
It especially reminded me of the way Superman was drawn in the excellent Fleisher Brothers cartoons.
http://www.smallvillevirtuality.com/superthoughts/fleischer_superman.jpg
Which to me is really a pinnacle of Golden Age art.

"Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive!..." oh man. I loved those. But yeah, you see what I mean. It's that simplified, hands on the waste, chiseled chin, tiny eyes thing.

[Samurai]

Really? I thought it was a little too... I dunno. Superman-ish. hahaha

That said, here's my 2-cents:

Samurai's CYBLADE- Fantastic. Her facial features scream golden age. Very classic feel to it. The only thing that didn't seem GA enough for me was the coloring. This may sound wierd, but I thought it was too realistic/airbrushed for the golden age.

escapegoat's VOODOO- Neat design, and some of your best anatomy, but there doesn't seem to be a feel of power in her.

AnkaleRa's VELOCITY- Another great design, but I wish everything was a little more detailed.

Pro's MAUL- My favorite of the bunch. Took such a 90's character and made him seem more antique than I thought possible. My only complaint would be the presentation. The comic idea is clever, just not sure how I feel about it here.

Jesse Newcomb's SAVAGE DRAGON- Love the concept. Not so sure about the execution... Feels more Silver Age to me.

Actually, many Golden Age covers had airbrushing and smooth coloring. Check out some of these from my personal collection, and do a search for Thrilling Comics covers by Xela:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Tommiskey/avatar/File0001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Tommiskey/avatar/File0003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Tommiskey/avatar/File0005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Tommiskey/avatar/File0007.jpg

[ZacharyLovesYou]

Actually, many Golden Age covers had airbrushing and smooth coloring. Check out some of these from my personal collection, and do a search for Thrilling Comics covers by Xela:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Tommiskey/avatar/File0001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Tommiskey/avatar/File0003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Tommiskey/avatar/File0005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Tommiskey/avatar/File0007.jpg

When I said airbrushing, I meant the digital coloring airbrush, not an actual paints. Other than the halftone, the coloring looked too modern for me. Still a great piece of work, though.

[Pól Rua]

That 'Weird Thrillers' cover is incredible.

[Samurai]

That 'Weird Thrillers' cover is incredible.

Yeah, I loved it when I saw it. My golden age collection (about 1 small box worth) is mostly lower to mid grade books that caught my eye, usually because of a cool looking cover, but were still in my price range.

Here's one of the more famous Alex (Xela) Schomburg airbrush covers I was talking about. (Not from my collection, sadly, though I do have 2 others I haven't scanned in).

http://www.rtsunlimited.com/images/Startling%2349Med.jpg

[Gonzogoose]

Instead of repeating the sentiments of several on all the designs in the challenge, I'm just going to cut to the chase. I gotta vote for Zach. As others have said, it is Shaft, and it is Golden Age. It just stands out and really harkens back to that era for me.

[Pól Rua]

http://www.rtsunlimited.com/images/Startling%2349Med.jpg

HOLY POO! IT'S BENDER!!!

[twilight]

Here's one of the more famous Alex (Xela) Schomburg airbrush covers I was talking about. (Not from my collection, sadly, though I do have 2 others I haven't scanned in).

http://www.rtsunlimited.com/images/Startling%2349Med.jpg

Well this seems a fitting segue.

My Spartan redesign actually made him a 1950's style robot.
I'll try and post it in the play along thread.

[SabrinaMorrell]

I am in love with Samurai's gorgeous re-design for Cyblade.
And I hate Cyblade.

He gets my vote on the simple fact that I would actually buy a Cyblade comic if it had that type of art and that design.

[Jack Flash]

i was torn between Zachlovesyou, Escapegoat and Pro. I went with Pro because ultimately while there were things I LOVED about Shaft and Voodoo, Maul was just a freaking home run for me. I loved his hardcore boots, his kick buttt gloves. The buttons work perfectly for me too. He was a perfect blend of 50s hope/awe and 90s kewl. My favorite aspect of Pro's piece is that the colors POP!! Wahoo for un-matte coloring!

and as a side note I was really bummed with Tre Styles and Child of the Dark dropped out, but to add insult to injury Twi and Atoning too! So bummed. WIll ya'll still play in the play along at home thread????

[TimmyTony]

My favorite three pieces are Samurai's cute Cyblade, Zach's awesome Shaft, and Pro's stunning Maul.

Congrats to all!

[red-handed]

oh wow
i don't know how i'm gonna vote because i know little of the golden age...
so basically i looked for common themes found in each drawing.
simple colors and boots and masks lol
I saw that the color schemes from each character stayed the same
i also noticed that the lines were simple, meaning the males didn't look all Leibfeld...
also Jesse Newcomb design was the most drastic. seeing as how it didn't have anythng in common with the others i couldn't choose his, nice design though.

so basically i chose...

[Indigo Al]

don't usually post a lot here so...

it was a tough choice between Lady Blade and VooDoo (bravo to all the artists!!)

I loved loved loved the re-imaginings, but I went with Escapegoat because I buy an issue of that comic based on this 'cover'

That's exactly why I voted for escapegoat. The genre and the character and the basics of the design go together so well - it's the one book I'd be very excited to read on a monthly basis.

[ZacharyLovesYou]

HOLY POO! IT'S BENDER!!!

Wow. So true.

[Faded]

I went with Escapegoat's design because it actually entices me to know more about the character (I actually don't know any of these guys).

I think the dress could've added some accessories or something more to make it pop, but I loved the overall design.

Honorable mentions to EVERYBODY. Great round!

[SybaritaCybernetico]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/cyblade2.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/mattbib/My%20Drawings/Project%20CBRunway/cyblade.jpg

That is an absolute beauty!
It does scream Golden Age...and though it takes its cues from the likes of Phantom Lady and Blue Bulleteer, I think that archetype fits Cyblade perfectly when re-invented as Golden Age.
Fantastic.

[howyadoin]

ZacharyLovesYou's SHAFT - Great work. It definitely says 'Shaft' and it definitely says 'Golden Age'. That said, I really preferred the original version.I definitely agree with that last bit. He'd probably have gotten my vote if he'd kept the original in the contest.

[Gene M.]

I love Zachary's Shaft.

Wait...

That came out wrong...

I swear, I'm not gay...

Seriously...

[Samurai]

Thought I'd toss in my 2 cents:

Zach, that is a great costume for Shaft! I like the 2 bows making the S symbol, and the whole picture feels "golden age" to me. Like some others, I liked the 1st version, but this pose is more appropriate for an archer. Nice job!

Goat, a very nice redesign of Voodoo. She has a sort of Madame Xanadu feel, and the Mardi Grah mask, cigarette holder, and choker are all good touches!

Ra, I like your Velocity but it doesn't grab me as much as some of the others. The hair, mask, and boots look golden age, but the body of the costume somehow doesn't. Still, a good job.

Pro, Maul was a hard one, that's why I ended up passing on him. I like most of your design, especially the mask, buttoned chest, collar, and boots. The gloves, though, don't seem very golden age to me, and I think continuing the folded cuff design from the boots to the gloves might've worked better IMO. Also, despite the cover references to him being a giant, there is no background on the cover. Adding a scene to show his size, with people running and screaming, or Maul smashing the scenery somehow, would have provided a much0needed sense of scale. Of course, that isn't the assignment, the costume is, and you switched to Maul late, reducing your time with him. Overall, a nice job.

Jesse, your Savage Dragon is a cool looking character, and IMO your best art in the contest yet. I especially like the coloring. But the sunglasses, spiky hair, and talk of gene-splicing aren't very golden age at all. It feels much more like a recent character that has his origin in WW2. Of all the entries, yours feels the least Golden age to me.

Wow, this is a close one! I haven't cast my vote yet... looking at the totals, I see I could vote for myself and tie Zach, or vote for Goat and have him tie Ra, or vote for Pro and have him tie Jesse. I don't care very much if I win the round, so that's out. I like Pro's design better than Jesse's, but neither is in danger of elimination. So, that leaves Goat and Ra. Both are good pieces, but I think I like the little touches on Goat's Voodoo more, and she feels more golden age to me, so...

[Pro]

Of course, that isn't the assignment, the costume is, and you switched to Maul late, reducing your time with him.

I had two deadlines to make for monday and it was already 5.30 am when i was done with what i had. It was the plan but no time.

[captaingeo]

Oh man, I've missed a lot while being gone! Damn! And just in time for this challenge! (I sure wish I had been here for that's fifth one, I am quite fond of the LoSH.)

Anyways...

My top three would have to be Zach's Shaft (def. Golden Age), Pro's Maul (nice to see someone chose one of the more monstruous characters), and Ankale's Velocity (the hair and simplicity really got me).

Hmmm, it seems Zach doesn't quite need my help as he already has the lead, Pro's got a good few over the last ones, so I'm going to have to give this one to Ankale, as I think he has done a great job from what I've seen and I'd hate to see him go now.

Great job everyone! I hope I'm here next week to see the next challenge!

[escapegoat]

Well, it looks like I'm out this round. It came fairly close for me at the end and I waited for the last minute to place my vote. Ankale's Velocity was ahead of me by 2 votes, so I figured I'd throw my vote to someone else, since it appeared that voting for myself would not save my skin this time around (though Matt threw his vote towards me afterwards...thanks Matt!).

It was a hard choice between Zac's Shaft and Samurai's Lady Blade, but I picked Zac's Shaft to give an extra push with slight lead at the end (even though Samurai threw another saving vote in my direction. Sorry Sam, but thank you anyways for your vote. ;) That's good sportsmanship on your behalf). Zac's design was purely golden age and I loved the chest symbol design...very clever and original. Lady Blade was good. I wasn't 100% sold on the type of top she wore, even though Sam was correct in his assertion that some of the golden age ladies did show a bit of skin with some of their costumes. I think it was more of the renaming that felt was taking me away for the original CyBlade 90's concept. Sam was right that there was no cyber terminology back in the golden age, but I was thinking a better renaming would have been "The Cyan Blade" rather than Lady, to keep her more closely tied to the original, as well as using a color within the renaming which I think is more common (although Cyan isn't that popular of a color ;) ) .

Good round guys. I'll try and keep up in the play-at-home thread :)

[Samurai]

Well, it looks like I'm out this round. It came fairly close for me at the end and I waited for the last minute to place my vote. Ankale's Velocity was ahead of me by 2 votes, so I figured I'd throw my vote to someone else, since it appeared that voting for myself would not save my skin this time around (though Matt threw his vote towards me afterwards...thanks Matt!).

It was a hard choice between Zac's Shaft and Samurai's Lady Blade, but I picked Zac's Shaft to give an extra push with slight lead at the end (even though Samurai threw another saving vote in my direction. Sorry Sam, but thank you anyways for your vote. ;) That's good sportsmanship on your behalf). Zac's design was purely golden age and I loved the chest symbol design...very clever and original. Lady Blade was good. I wasn't 100% sold on the type of top she wore, even though Sam was correct in his assertion that some of the golden age ladies did show a bit of skin with some of their costumes. I think it was more of the renaming that felt was taking me away for the original CyBlade 90's concept. Sam was right that there was no cyber terminology back in the golden age, but I was thinking a better renaming would have been "The Cyan Blade" rather than Lady, to keep her more closely tied to the original, as well as using a color within the renaming which I think is more common (although Cyan isn't that popular of a color ;) ) .

Good round guys. I'll try and keep up in the play-at-home thread :)

I didn't even think of Cyan Blade... yeah, that does sound and fit better.

I did the top in that design because I wanted to keep the blue pattern from her Image costume as much as possible. It's a bit risque, but no more than Sheena or Phantom Lady IMO.

Sorry to see you go! You had some very nice designs.

[mattbib]

Hello. Welcome to the Runway! As you know, in fashion and in comic books, one day you're in and the next you're out.


Samurai, voters loved your design. The execution is, as always, flawless. Many even thought this design far surpasses the original modern version. You are in.

Pro, a very striking image that many voters really liked. But some thought your design was too close to the original and didn't really evoke the Golden Age enough. Personally, I would like to have seen more of a character redesign, as the challenge called for, as opposed to just a costume redesign on this one. You are in.

Jesse Newcomb, overall voters agreed yours felt the least Golden Age; it felt too modern. That said, they still really liked the design and presentation. You are in.

ZacharyLovesYou, you nailed this one. There's no mistaking the era or the character your design is supposed to represent. And the body language is a good homage to an early Shaft cover. Even IF your arrow is crossing through the bow. ZacharyLovesYou, congratulations, you are the winner of this challenge.

AnkaleRa, while I personally felt your costume was more fitting for the Silver Age, others thought you did get the Golden Age feel. Though most thought your design did not evoke the "speed" of the character, even with the action shot. However, using the color scheme of the original definitely maintained the sense of character. You are in.

escapegoat, yours was a character redesign that I, and a few others, really liked. I thought it was executed and worked very well. But some thought it was more representative of the pulp era than the Golden Age. Another thought it didn't convey any of the character's "power." And in the end it just didn't garner enough votes. escapegoate...

You are out. Auf wiedersehen.

[Jesse Newcomb]

......... talk of gene-splicing aren't very golden age at all..........


So Hugo Strange can do the only gene splicing in the Golden Age? :p

[escapegoat]

So Hugo Strange can do the only gene splicing in the Golden Age? :p

From Wikipedia:

He appeared during the Golden Age as a scientist who turned homeless test subjects into hulking zombies by administering a powerful artificial growth hormone (that acted on the pituitary gland); a side effect caused the victim to become almost mindless and brute - as if from the strain of the unnatural growth. Strange administered it to The Batman, but he saved himself by creating a drug that prevented any abnormal secretions from the pituitary gland (the Earth-Two Batman had biochemical training equal to a Ph. D). Like the Joker, he appeared to die several times before a punch from Batman sent him tumbling off of a cliff, and he was seen falling to his supposed death in Detective Comics #46.

...doesn't sound like gene-splicing to me.....

[Pro]

I've enjoyed your designs Escapegoat. Hope you'll show more in the Play Along thread. :)

And congratulations to Zachary for winning this round. I knew the moment i read the challenge that you would score high this round, your artstyle fits the era perfectly and your enthousiasm showed in the speed with which you finished this design.

And thanks to everyone who voted for me.

[ZacharyLovesYou]

I've enjoyed your designs Escapegoat. Hope you'll show more in the Play Along thread. :)

And congratulations to Zachary for winning this round. I knew the moment i read the challenge that you would score high this round, your artstyle fits the era perfectly and your enthousiasm showed in the speed with which you finished this design.

Thanks a lot. I was hoping that my love the the Golden Age's art would help me out in this challenge and I'm just glad that everyone could see it, too. (Especially since some of the other designs in this get better and better each challenge):D

[escapegoat]

I've enjoyed your designs Escapegoat. Hope you'll show more in the Play Along thread. :)

And congratulations to Zachary for winning this round. I knew the moment i read the challenge that you would score high this round, your artstyle fits the era perfectly and your enthousiasm showed in the speed with which you finished this design.

And thanks to everyone who voted for me.

Thanks :) Already got an idea for the new challenge, but I'm not sure if I'll have it ready for Tuesday, due to another project that I wanna get out of the way this weekend (so I'm really not shedding any tears for getting voted out this round ;) )....I'll still give it a shot though

Congrats to Zac as well.


I didn't even think of Cyan Blade... yeah, that does sound and fit better.

I did the top in that design because I wanted to keep the blue pattern from her Image costume as much as possible. It's a bit risque, but no more than Sheena or Phantom Lady IMO.

Sorry to see you go! You had some very nice designs.

Yeah, I could see the top pattern similiarities...figured that was what you were working into your design.

Thanks again for the votes ;)