Screw that other contest! or The Honor Brigade create a villainess contest!

[TomStillwell]

Who needs those bastards at Shadowline (kidding Kris, still love you)! We're going to have our very own exclusive YABS contest!!!

I'm working on a Mystery Girl backup story with the amazing Karen Ellis for the Honor Brigade trade. We need a villainess for the story. Now, I can whip up another one but I think it would be a lot more fun to see what you guys can come up with.

The rules:

1. Honor Brigade is an all ages titles so all entries must be family friendly.
2. The character is to be either mall-themed or the kind of villainess that would rob a mall.
3. Sketches are welcomed but not neccessary.
4. You can submit more than one entry.
5. All entries are to be e-mailed to me at zapow@earthlink.net by noon (CST) on Thursday, February 7th. Please include your YABS nickname as well as your real name with each entry.

The Prizes

Karen and I will be picking the winner. They will have their character published in the story and be credited. They'll also win a free copy of the Honor Brigade trade containing their character.

Having fun!!!

[Michael P]

I'm in. I'm basically using you for tonight's writing prompt, but I'm in.

[Aggie]

That's pretty awesome Tom! :)

I hope to see a lot of entries because it sounds like a lot of fun.

[cedardryad]

Do you want a quick summary of the character? Does it have to be in a pitch format or just a non formal summary?

[Tommy]

Well I submitted already.

[Indigo Al]

Sigh.....here we go again.

What's the limit on the submission, and what format should it be in?

[TomStillwell]

Do you want a quick summary of the character? Does it have to be in a pitch format or just a non formal summary?

Non-formal. This is mostly for fun. Give us enough to make your character come to life in the book.

[TomStillwell]

Sigh.....here we go again.

What's the limit on the submission, and what format should it be in?

Word limit? It shouldn't be too big. It's a cameo not a mini-series.

Entry limit? Unlimited.

Just keep it simple.

[Sally Sensational]

Well, I've made my submission!

Quick question, can we get a basic reaction our submissions even if we don't win? I've never done this before an I'm curious as to what you'll think!

[Samurai]

I'll send you something...

[TomStillwell]

Well, I've made my submission!

Quick question, can we get a basic reaction our submissions even if we don't win? I've never done this before an I'm curious as to what you'll think!

Probably only if people ask for it. I don't know how many submissions we'll get. I can't really critque too many.

[Sally Sensational]

Probably only if people ask for it. I don't know how many submissions we'll get. I can't really critque too many.

Oh, all I'm hoping for is a quick "that's good! Keep trying! Thanks for playing" sort of thing, not a long critique.

[Tommy]

If at all possible I'd love one too...

[TomStillwell]

Do me a favor guys? My e-mail filter can get a little overzealous at times.

If you submit something, let me know here just to make sure I'm not missing your e-mail. Alternate submissions can be made by PM.

So far I have Tommy, Mac, and Magda's entries.

[Sally Sensational]

I sent mine via my gmail address. Let me know if you get it. I can pm it if you don't.

[Red Jack]

I already created one so I'm recusing myself.

but that's a damned good idea.

I'm going to post it on my myspace and comicspace bulletins.

[Michael P]

Submitting two entries now.

[TomStillwell]

I already created one so I'm recusing myself.

but that's a damned good idea.

I'm going to post it on my myspace and comicspace bulletins.

Thanks Jack, but um...please don't. This is an exclusive YABS contest.

You guys have support me all this time. This is a little way to return the favor.

[The Ray]

I'm going to send in one a day.

[TomStillwell]

Steph, Michael...could you resubmit please? I didn't get your e-mails.

My spam filter is now completely off.

[Michael P]

Steph, Michael...could you resubmit please? I didn't get your e-mails.

Odd, given that I'm also on Earthlink.

My spam filter is now completely off.

Eep. The things you do for your art.

[Indigo Al]

I have submitted 1 entry via AIM Mail.

[Azrael52]

Tom, I'm emailing you my first 3 ideas. Hope you get a kick outta them.

Edit: Well, crap on a cracker! I just sent my email and forgot to include my YABS name. Do I need to resubmit? I don't want demerits or nuttin'.

[Azrael52]

Tom, I sent you another email to Resubmit to include my screen name in the subject since "The Ray" is also sending in submissions.

Thanks.

[Karen El]

Hey guys, I'm glad you're having fun with this.

[Sabrinaset]

I'll try to create one tomorrow.

[Samurai]

I emailed mine to you, let me know that you got it, and what you think.

[Red Jack]

Thanks Jack, but um...please don't. This is an exclusive YABS contest.

You guys have support me all this time. This is a little way to return the favor.

No worries.

It shall be as you say.

[TomStillwell]

Akkk. Removing the filter gave me plenty of spam but no more submissions.

The good news is that I can now save a ton of money on my erectile dysfunction medication. Which really comes in handy with all that new donkey incest porn I found.

If you don't receive a confirmation reply to your entry, please either resend to my work address (stillwell@wildman.com) or PM me here. Sorry for the extra hassle.

[Michael P]

I'll PM you after work, Tom.

[Indigo Al]

Just resubmitted via PM.

[Samurai]

Ok, I sent it to your work address now, and I'm going to PM ya too, for good measure! ;) Let me know you got it.

[Red Jack]

I'll PM you after work, Tom.

is that what the kids are calling it now?

[Azrael52]

Tada! Re-resubmitted to your work email.

Ray

[TomStillwell]

We're getting some great stuff. Keep 'em coming!

[TomStillwell]

Remember, you have until noon (CST) tomorrow to send in your entries!

[Samurai]

Remember, you have until noon (CST) tomorrow to send in your entries!

Any idea when you'll announce the winner?

[Azrael52]

Tom, I just updated what I had sent earlier, b/c I had left off a couple of things on my first to villainesses when I was transcribing what I had written in my notebook to my laptop. Sorry, man.

[Solaris]

Just sent you my submission, Tom. Let me know if you have any problems getting it, or seeing the attached pic. :)

[TomStillwell]

Any idea when you'll announce the winner?

Early next week sometime. Karen and I will need to confer and there's a bit of a lag with her being across the pond.

[OzBat!]

Early next week sometime. Karen and I will need to confer and there's a bit of a lag with her being across the pond.
That's a euphemism for something, but I don't remember what...

[Solaris]

Okay Tom, I resent to your work email and to PM for good measure. (The PM is two parts---dratted size limit.) Let me know if you got it.

PS---I don't know if you'd thought about doing this... but after you pick the winner, what do you think about posting all the entries here? I don't know about the rest, but *I'd* love to see what everyone else has sent in. :) (That's half the fun of the contest---seeing what kind of ideas the other guys had.) ;)

Or, you could just open a thread and tell the entrants to post their entries in it, after the contest is over.

[J Kleine]

Submitted via pm and earthlink email addy. I second what Solaris is saying, I'd love to see the other entries as well.

Good luck everyone!

[heystacy]

Thanks for offering to do this Tom & Karen. :) It's been fun.

[Azrael52]

Hey, Tom, when are you hoping to have this TPB out to the masses? Will it all be in color, or just the initial 6-parter? How many pages are we talkin'? And why is the sky so blue.

[TomStillwell]

Okay Tom, I resent to your work email and to PM for good measure. (The PM is two parts---dratted size limit.) Let me know if you got it.

PS---I don't know if you'd thought about doing this... but after you pick the winner, what do you think about posting all the entries here? I don't know about the rest, but *I'd* love to see what everyone else has sent in. :) (That's half the fun of the contest---seeing what kind of ideas the other guys had.) ;)

Or, you could just open a thread and tell the entrants to post their entries in it, after the contest is over.

I think it would be fun if you guys posted your entries after the winner is announced.

[TomStillwell]

Hey, Tom, when are you hoping to have this TPB out to the masses? Will it all be in color, or just the initial 6-parter? How many pages are we talkin'? And why is the sky so blue.

I'd like to have it ready by the summer if possible. It all really depends on money & time. All the extra stuff we're doing costs a buttload of money and takes time to produce.

Every pages will be in color. That's over 120 plus pages of the mini-series and all the extra content.

God's favorite color is blue.

[Sabrinaset]

I got mine in!

[Azrael52]

I got mine in!

That's what she said. . . . D'oh!

[The Ray]

Sent in two today. I'll send it one more.

[TomStillwell]

Sent in two today. I'll send it one more.

No. The contest ended at noon today.

[TomStillwell]

I got mine in!

No, I'm sorry Bree. You turned it in way too late.

[The Ray]

No. The contest ended at noon today.

Oh okay. My bad.

But hey! Fun while it lasted.

[Azrael52]

Oh okay. My bad.

But hey! Fun while it lasted.

That's what she . . . oh, nevermind.

[JKCarrier]

No. The contest ended at noon today.

Oh yeah? Well, I showed your stupid contest announcement to the lawyer who works down the hall, and he said I could sue you for a million jillion bucks, even though I never entered in the first place, SO THERE! :mad:

[heystacy]

Oh yeah? Well, I showed your stupid contest announcement to the lawyer who works down the hall, and he said I could sue you for a million jillion bucks, even though I never entered in the first place, SO THERE! :mad:

You forgot to threaten to vomit on your keyboard. ;)

[TomStillwell]

Folks, we have a winner.

It was pretty hard to pick. You all had some great ideas. Thank you for entering the contest.

But as they said in Highlander, there can be only one.

And that one is none other than Samurai!!!!

Sam's character Mall Rat (a popular name with our contestants) takes home the gold.

Her name is Diwata Ratan, which her means "Goddess" in her native Filipino tongue of Tagalog... at least, that's what her invalid mother always tells her. But her friends all call her Mall Rat because more times than not, she can be found skipping school and hanging out at the local malls. The guards at the mall call her "thief" and "shoplifter", and she has certainly taken her share of items, when they caught her eye. But after her last stay in Juvenile Hall didn't teach her not to steal, it taught her not to get caught again.

Her mother was once a witch, back in the old country... and Diwata knew where she kept her book of spells... healing, protection from spirits, summoning an animal familiar, etc. Her mother once tried to teach her magic, but long ago gave up. Diwata realized that one of those spells might be very useful for her, though. She enchanted a necklace to allow her to summon and control small animals, more specifically, rats. The Rats could steal small items, such as cash, jewelry, etc, and get it out of the store for her without anyone noticing! Diwata has been practicing, and summoning more and more mice and rats, and the mall has begun to notice that small, valuable items are going missing, and that some people have complained of seeing rats in the dressing rooms, bathroom, etc. Enter Mystery Girl to solve the mystery...

If you want, you could throw in a twist to give Diwata some sympathy, and not just be a common shoplifter. Maybe she doesn't just steal for herself or the thrill, but because her mother has a lot of medical expenses. If her mom found out where and how she was getting the money, she would be very angry and disappointed, but Diwata lies to her and tells her that she's working at a job in the mall.

As you can see from the quick sketch that I did, Diwata is a teen Filipino girl with black hair, numerous piercings, a black leather coat, short skirt, and heavy black boots. She always wears the pendant with a tiny rat skull on it, the eyes of which sometimes seem to almost glow...

Tom, let me know what you think. When you mentioned a mall-themed villain, the name "Mall Rat" just immediately came to mind, and I filled in the rest. I can imagine a cute scene where Mystery Girl is in the mall, looks at a shelf, and sees a rat with a diamond ring in its mouth looking at her before it scampers off! She gives chase and eventually finds the rat runs up to this goth-looking girl surrounded by more rats than the Pied Piper of Hamlin and drops the ring in her hand.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Tommiskey/Art/File0093a.jpg

Samurai will be given credit in the trade for his creation and receive a free copy of when it is available.

Again, thanks to everyone that entered.

[heystacy]

Congrats Sam! :)

[heystacy]

Folks, we have a winner.

It was pretty hard to pick. You all had some great ideas. Thank you for entering the contest.

But as they said in Highlander, there can be only one.

And that one is none other than Samurai!!!!

Sam's character Mall Rat (a popular name with our contestants) takes home the gold.

Samurai will be given credit in the trade for his creation and receive a free copy of when it is available.

Again, thanks to everyone that entered.

Tom,

How interesting were the entries you got?

[Michael P]

Congratulations, Samurai.

And hey, maybe if the character catches on, Tom can introduce an entire team of mall-themed villains! I can see it now: Honor Guard: Mall or Nothing!

[TomStillwell]

Tom,

How interesting were the entries you got?

They all were pretty interesting. I wish I could use them all somehow.

[Aggie]

They all were pretty interesting. I wish I could use them all somehow.

the folks here are so insanely talented, i wouldn't expect you to feel any other way tom, which is why i don't envy you right about now...;)

[Samurai]

Wow, COOL! Thanks Tom! I'm glad you liked the character! It'll be great to see what you guys do with her! Are you going to use that scene idea of Mystery Girl and a rat w/ a diamond ring locking eyes, both shocked, and the rat tearing off through the mall at a full scamper with Mystery Girl hot on his heels?



So, let's see some of the other entries, guys... I'm especially interested in seeing the other "Mall Rat" characters (Tom said it was a popular name), to see if great minds think alike! ;)

[Aggie]

way to go sam!!...she's a pretty cool character...great job dude...:)

[heystacy]

Mine wasn't named Mall Rat, but here she is:


Lilly Zero

Lilly Zero is a goth girl wanna-be (emo). She has the power to rid people of their self esteem and to make everyone feel guilt ridden/miserable. The more she uses her power, the more intense the effect becomes. She uses this power to coerce the people at Hot Topics or any goth store give her free deals on clothes she likes. She's not above hitting up music stores, food courts, cell phone carriers.

[Aggie]

Mine wasn't named Mall Rat, but here she is:

she sounds like a buzz kill...;)

[heystacy]

she sounds like a buzz kill...;)

Emo power! LOL. That's her M.O.

[Samurai]

way to go sam!!...she's a pretty cool character...great job dude...:)

Thanks. As I told Tom, I chose to make her Filipino because the biggest mall rat I know personally is a Filipino girl who was a co-worker of mine a few years ago (though she just loved to shop, not shoplift!) And I couldn't really think of any Filipino comic characters in the US despite the fact that quite a few Filipino artists have broken into the US comic business, from classics like Rudy Nebres and Ernie Chua to newer stars like Leinel Francis Yu and While Portacio.

So I dedicate Mall Rat to all the Filipino comic artists throughout the years.

[Indigo Al]

Congratulations, Samurai!

Here was my entry (or part of it anyhow):

The Background:

Vera Marie Prisco, aka Dolly Bomb, is a slightly sociopathic teen girl, a burgeoning criminal superpower! She's willfull, vengeful, and at only 15, she's amassing the beginnings of a small fortune with her talent for crime (specifically theft - she's typically not given to murder). Well, her other talent is immensely useful in that endevour....

The Powers:

Dolly Bomb has a mystic ability to animate and control dolls, action figures, puppets, statues - anything in the vague shape of a humanoid. She has a telepathic link to the dolls that she animates, and can see through their "eyes," hear through their "ears," and speak through their "mouths." She can animate up to roughly 200 small figurines, but her control and efficiency is better the fewer dolls she is focusing on. Finally, she can make one and only one of the figures she is animating at any given time explode. She usually employs this attack to blow open safes or to provide cover for her escapes.

At this time, my idea is that the source of Dolly Bomb's powers are a mystery. If you'd rather a clear source/origin, I could work on that.

[heystacy]

Congratulations, Samurai!

Here was my entry (or part of it anyhow):

I swear your character needs to team up with my character and do a wolrdwide mall theft tour. ;)

[Solaris]

Congrats, Sam!!! :D Coolness!

Okay, here's my entry:


The Charm Queen:

Name: Barbara (Barbie) Cash (Yes, I picked the name “Barbie” as a subtle snip at that “Mall shopping Barbie” play set.)

Villain ID: The Charm Queen

Normal appearance: Dark blonde hair (dark gold, shoulder length), deep blue eyes, pretty.

Villain Costume: Light gold hair (long), bright light blue eyes (electric), gorgeous. See attached pic.

Powers: Flight; Can change the size of anything she touches (including herself); Morphing ability on self; Accuracy with thrown objects.

M.O.: likes to shrink objects down to very tiny size and slip them into her purse. At that small a size, the security magnets on items (the ones meant to trigger the door alarms) are too small to make the alarm function. Favorite method of eluding pursuit is to shrink herself down to a tiny size and hide or fly away… can shrink down to the size of a pencil dot.

She can also *grow* objects, though she rarely does, unless she’s in a fight. If she’s in a fight, she’ll take one of her special shrunken objects out that she keeps in her purse, and start it growing as she throws it at attackers: i.e. a pebble becomes a boulder, a tiny knife becomes normal sized, etc. She can even cause her own spit (or liquid she spits from her mouth: water, soda, etc.) to grow into a huge torrent/wave that can knock back opponents, etc., and do subdual/blunt damage.

She calls herself “The Charm Queen” because she always wears a couple of charm bracelets---sometimes in a fight she’ll tear one off and grow it as she throws. Imagine getting hit by a giant-sized gold charm shoe, or tennis racquet, or cat glasses, or a horse, etc. You could have a lot of fun, with that.

Also, you might do something where she’s one of those thieves who likes to leave a calling card after she’s stolen---in this case, maybe she always leaves a gold charm behind.

She can vary the size of objects or herself extremely fast, or can control the rate of size change (i.e. can “set” a thrown pebble to grow very slowly… and then change to huge in the last few seconds before impact). She uses this in defense, as well: she’s extremely hard to hit, because when you’re fighting her, she varies her size to dodge attacks, often combining it with her flight ability.

Even though she can change her look, she has a “set” look she uses for just visiting/hanging out at the mall (her natural form)---and this is often when she does her “casing” of stores, etc. She also has a “set” appearance she assumes, if someone does manage to corner her and force her into battle. (This would be the “super villain” costumed look---see attached pic for rough idea.) You can change how she looks if you want---I just thought making her blonde with pink, blue and white costume, would be sort of “mall girlish”… as are the white t-shirt and butterfly (faerie) wings: faeries are rather popular right now. I’d thought about putting a faerie on her t-shirt, too, but didn’t have time to do it. Her costume villain has a slight “Sailor Moon” appearance… just enough to be a tiny nod in that direction, but also to be a bit ironic, since she’s a villain. But other than the short skirt, her costume isn’t similar to Sailor Moon’s---it’s just the combination of colors, the short skirt, etc., has that slight “feel” to it, which is what I was going for.

I don’t mind if you want to change the costume; whatever will work for the story. I rather like the boots, t-shirt, skirt, and charm bracelets… but I didn’t have time to do a good “straight hair” alternate, or alternates on the wings (if you even think she *needs* the wings---I just thought they’d be a nice alternative to the typical cape, as well as tying in that “mall faerie” thing).

Limitations: Things that she shrinks or grows will only stay that size for up to one full day; after that, they go back to normal (she *can* will the effect to be *less* than a day, but her power can’t keep them an alternate size for *more* than 24 hrs). She can’t shrink anything past the size of a period on this page, with one exception: when she shrinks herself (down to pencil lead size), anything on her will go down the same amount. That means, if she’s got shrunken items in her purse, they *will* shrink to less than a dot size, because they stay proportional to her, at the ratios of “them shrunken” to her “full size.”

For growing objects, she can’t grown them larger than, say, a tractor trailer truck. Which is plenty big enough. She can’t grow herself any larger than that, either. (Max height = 30 ft.)

Also, when she eats in tiny form, she can’t each much---but she has to eat much more often---energy expended, rather like a hummingbird.

I leave it to you, to figure out how your team will twig to her and her powers, and how they’ll figure out a way to take her down. :D

Personality:

She’s---you guessed it!---materialistic. She’s young (maybe 17), loves the thrill of stealing and of acquiring things. She’s also a “popular girl” (as in, queen of the school) type, in her normal identity---and she’s the kind of popular girl who likes to bully nerds and put other people down (bullying mainly verbal), and also must be the queen bee of her clique. Snobby. Her daddy is a well-paid corporate lawyer; mom is involved in social groups and doesn’t work---she’s from a rich family. Typical rich family/spoiled brat kid. (Not as dumb as Paris Hilton (CQ actually has a good I.Q.), but similar personality. “The world revolves around me” type.

The Charm Queen:

http://album.hanamoira.com/albums/userpics/10003/charmqueen.jpg

[TomStillwell]

Wow, COOL! Thanks Tom! I'm glad you liked the character! It'll be great to see what you guys do with her! Are you going to use that scene idea of Mystery Girl and a rat w/ a diamond ring locking eyes, both shocked, and the rat tearing off through the mall at a full scamper with Mystery Girl hot on his heels?



So, let's see some of the other entries, guys... I'm especially interested in seeing the other "Mall Rat" characters (Tom said it was a popular name), to see if great minds think alike! ;)

You'll have to wait and see in the trade.;)

[J Kleine]

I submitted a Mall Rat too!


Name: Mall Rat

Background: Linda Barton was once a typical teenager, obsessed with fashion and her self-image. She spent far too much time at malls with her friends; spending money on her parents' credit card, leafing through magazines aimed at twisting young girls' self-awareness, and eating greasy food in the food fair.

As she matured, Linda realized how all those years at the mall had taken their toll on her physically and psychologically. Her friends had grown up and moved away. She was out of shape from the lack of activity and fast food. She hated what she had become.

In an attempt to turn her life around, Linda began to advocate for young women to ignore the pressures of modern media, and even tried to humbly protest in front of the local mall.

Social activism turned to vigilantism, when Linda realized her message was not getting across. She decided to start making malls unsafe venues for socializing. Her goal is drive young people away from the malls, so that they don't suffer as she did.

The name, Mall Rat, was given to Linda by a local news team.

Abilities and Appearance: Mall Rat sabotages mall stores (particularly those selling products for young women/girls) mostly through vandalism and stealing. When confronted by security guards, she uses pepper spray, taser and limited combat skills to free herself. Her knowledge of hidden corridors in the malls also aids her escape. She dresses in a frightening manner, so that when she does make an appearance, she scares patrons out of stores.


Congrats, Samurai.

[Erik Burnham]

Mine wasn't a serious entry -- I just needed to hit Tom with a familiar pun... an old lady irritated with the lack of bargains at the mall.

She pilots a flying craft that looks like a merged pirate ship/two car garage.

Yes, she is the Garage Sailor.

Watch out!

(Incidentally, these ladies scare me in real life... they mutter the word bargain and would run over a crowd of small children to get one.)

[Tommy]

Here's my entry,


Her name is Agnes McLeslie. When she was 87 years old she fell down a
flight of stairs and broke her hip. Fortunately for her, her grandson
was experimenting with cybernetics and nano-technology. He replaced her
hip with a biomechanical one but the nanites in her body eventually
augmented her entire skeletal and muscular systems to give her super
speed and super strength. She might look like an old lady, but she can
throw down with the best of them. Now with her renewed vigor and
vitality she intends to live the easy life stealing what she needs since
there is no one who can stop her.

[Azrael52]

Here are my 3 entries.

> #1 Vicki Diamond-Secrets (with hearts over the "I's" of course!) -
> Motivation: Wants to steal all of the other major clothing lines to
> pump the demand of her brand through the roof. - Dress: Elegant
> dress/pantsuit. Pageant style Tiara (like the one you wore at Cape
> last year), high heels, ALWAYS has a purse with a small dog in it on
> her arm . . . yes, even during fight scenes. That's just the way she
> rolls. She's the type of villainess that would pause in a fight or
> chase scene and fix her hair, hemline, nails, etc. - Fighting skills,
> etc.: Moderate hand-to-hand, more skilled in kickboxing, but prefers
> to runaway, runaway, RUNAWAAAAYYYYY!!!!! ((Weapons: Tiara, Ear Rings, Purse, Whiny Voice.))
>
> #2 Random Kitten - ((Punky Brewster on Crack!!!! - Anime-style hair; dual pig-tails with the right one pointing up and the left one pointing down; both are feathered out at the end. A petite badass!)) - Motivation: After the best comics, figures,
> miniatures, anime, and video games (It's new release Tuesday after
> all!) - Dress: Black overalls cut-off to shorts. Hot pink shirt
> with "Awesomesauce" written across it. - Fighting skills, etc.:
> Brawler close-up, but prefers her "dazzle" powers when possible to
> blind or jolt her opponent.
>
> #3 Velocity - Purple jumpsuit w/iiiiiiiiimmmmpossibly long cape.
> Super speed (DUH!); Wants to see if she can break her record with each
> new store in the mall. In the CD store, the security cameras reveal a
> full store one second, the next, all that's there is an empty store
> and a row of miraculously untouched John Tesh CDs. - Catch Phrase:
> "Meep! Meep!"; Constantly sending text messages to her friends while
> fighting or stealing.


Ray

[TomStillwell]

C'mon! Post more! We had way more submissions!