Sequential Art Challenge #3: Batman & Catwoman -- Viktor Bogdanovic wins!

[mattbib]

Here's the concept:
Posters were asked to write a three page script utilizing some character, team, or plot device decided upon by the winner of the previous Sequential Art Challenge. Writers had approximately two weeks to submit their scripts.

The third theme, suggested by KWW, winner of Sequential Art Challenge #2, was "Batman & Catwoman". How that's interpreted was entirely up to each participant.

Then, using the winning script, artists submitted their sequentials.

Now that the submission period has concluded it's time to vote to decide which sequential art is the forum favorite. Use the poll to vote but please leave constructive comments in a post.

There are no rules, other than following the theme and making the deadline, or prizes, so those of you just wanting to have fun shouldn't be discouraged from participating, even if you are unsure of your talent.

For this first round, voting will end on Thursday, April 24.

First, the winning script:


"Cat's Crib"


by Indigo Al

PAGE ONE

(OK sue me – I love Splash pages) The scene is a dark and dimly lit room, very spare, sort of like a storage unit. Batman’s arms are bound to ropes that come down from the ceiling, his legs chained to the floor. He should have a furious look on his face.

Catwoman is grinning before him, clutching her whip.

CATWOMAN: “There! Thanks to my Cat-Nip knockout gas, you’re now helpless under my power!”

PAGE TWO

Panel 1: Closeup of Batman’s face, sideways shot – and Catwoman’s index finger and long sharp nail are directly under his chin.

CATWOMAN: “And soon, my purrr-fectly helpless Dark Knight, you’ll reveal to me the Wayne Foundation’s secret bank account codes!”

BATMAN: “NEVER.”

Panel 2: Catwoman lashes her whip at Batman, and the part of his costume that covers his torso and arms is ripped off.

CATWOMAN: “That’s fine – I’m certain the Injustice Society will double whatever is in the Wayne Foundation’s coffers for your head!”

Panel 3: Catwoman lashes at Batman’s left leg, ripping the costume and leaving it bare.

BATMAN: “I’ll find a way out of your trap.”

Panel 4: Catwoman lashes at his right leg, same effect. Batman is now only dressed in cowl, cape, utility belt, briefs and boots.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1: A door to the room is seen slowly creaking open. Dialogue from Batman and Catwoman will be off-panel (you will see word balloons but not the actual characters).

BATMAN: “We’ll see if you keep boasting once I have you in my Bat-Cuffs.”

CATWOMAN: “Mrrrow. I’d better remove your utility belt, then…”

Panel 2: We see a dark-haired nine year old girl poking her head through the door with a curious expression on her face.

GIRL: “Mommy? Daddy? I heard noises…”

Panel 3: Shot of Batman and Catwoman. Catwoman buries her face in the palms of her hands. Batman is still tied up.

BATMAN: “Helena – it’s past your bedtime, sweetheart.”

Now without further ado let's take a look at our submissions...

[mattbib]

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n7/Zeb-Oswalt/junk/BatManCatWomanPG1.jpg

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n7/Zeb-Oswalt/junk/BatManCatWomanPG2.jpg

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n7/Zeb-Oswalt/junk/BatManCatWomanPG3.jpg
__________________

[mattbib]

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii139/svabotralala/Batman-Catwoman-page1.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii139/svabotralala/Batman-Catwoman-page2.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii139/svabotralala/Batman-Catwoman-page3.jpg

[mattbib]

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t221/Javajoinjun/Page_1-4.jpg
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t221/Javajoinjun/Page_2-3.jpg
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t221/Javajoinjun/Page_3-1.jpg

[mattbib]

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/688/catscrib1ye9.jpg
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/8471/bc2letteredmx9.jpg
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3221/bc3letteredwl0.jpg

[mattbib]

http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs26/i/2008/111/f/1/page1_by_NapkinArtist.jpg
http://fc05.deviantart.com/fs29/i/2008/111/3/2/page_2_by_NapkinArtist.jpg
http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs27/i/2008/111/f/d/page_3_by_NapkinArtist.jpg

[mattbib]

Guys, it may be my firewall, but I think some of you might need to send me corrected image links.

[KWW]

MAN! I started doing my pages for this one and then WORK (the paying gig) got in my way. These are ALL fantastic! It was hard to decided on just one of them. I hope I can do the next round when it happens. Great job to everyone.:smile: :smile: :smile: :

[Indigo Al]

Guys, as awestruck as I am by seeing my script drawn, and because I am the writer, I still don't know that I can vote! But I will comment on all the entries.

Zeb Oswalt - I love the breezy pencils and the almost Mad magazine parody look of it!

Viktor Bogdanovich - I'm just awestruck. the pencils and inks were great, you telegraphed the action well, and if I hadn't written the script, i would have thought this was a classic silver age bats/cats interaction up until the end. and you very deftly conveyed the sense of embarassment of the Waynes at being 'caught in the act'!

lewmoxingshost - Fantastic colors, great pencils, excellent body language on the Catwoman and chagrin on Bat's face!

deanlegion - that is a KILLER, KILLER splash page. That should be a graphic novel cover, or a poster. I also liked the mood of the pencils - almost like a 70's Marvel Magazine atmosphere.

and mattx - it's the indie comics version of the script! Very cool and experimental - reminds me of Popgun War.

[spaghettikiss]

based on clarity, pacing, figures and panel composition I think I have to say I'm torn between LEW and VICTOR. Overall, you both got the deception of the first act and paced out the comedic last page into a well 'acted' punchline.

Viktor, your attn. to detail has really given this a realistic and believable twinge, your figure's are great too. I honestly think that you first and third pages are next to impossible to beat. I feel like I got a bit lost in the second page. I feel that you lost a bit of your pacing in it with too many panels of disembidied heads & hands and a before and after pic of batman. 1 well placed action shot could have nailed the hell out of this!

There's something about a few of lew's panels though that just jump out at me during catwoman beating the crap out of him. they truly convince the reader that this is nefarious and not flirtatious before turning 180. the only issues i have with lew's are a few of his facial drawings and the composition of the last panel. It works but each of the characters inhabits their own space. A bit of overlap would really create visual ranking and relationships between the 3.

anyway, to the both of you...AWESOME!

[clarkspark]

I like deanlegion's 'red-room' look. :cool:

[mattbib]

Thanks to all of you for entering! Hopefully participation continues to build.

Congrats to Viktor Bogdanovic! His sequentials garnered the most votes and as such he gets to pick the character, team, or plot device to be featured in our next Sequential Script challenge, which will begin as soon as Viktor PMs me with his choice.

[Solaris]

This is the first time I've had chance to look at this thread, and everyone did a great job!

My three favorited were Lew, Victor, and dean. I don't have a lot of time here, so I'll be quick and dirty:

Lew, you had some outstanding scenes---but you lost me with the last panel. Same holds for dean. Dean, what totally blew the last panel for me is that Catwoman looks like she's sticking her very shiny butt straight at her daughter's face---and it is such a jarring visual, it ruins the punchline.

Lew, you lost something on the last panel---the figures lost their proportion, and instead of "stiff with shock," they convey "drawn stiff"---and the angle needs to be more interesting (I think the main issue with that is Batman being straight on, instead of a bit from the side---plus, it might've been nice to see Catwoman trying to obscure Helena's gaze of "Daddy" a bit with her own body: put her back to Batman, and in front of him. Actually, that would've worked for any of the challengers.

Victor, like the others, you had some great panels, and some good panels (each of you excelling at different parts of the story), but what wins me over is the final panel: yes, they needed some overlap (at least Catwoman and Batman), and yes, Catwoman's a little too stiff. BUT---with their body language and especially their facial expressions, you fully conveyed the parental mix of shock, amusement, embarassment, and "HOW do we handle this?" I especially loved Bat's expression---that goofy "arrgh, hi punkin" smile got me. And yeah, the partial turn of his body, etc. helped add interest. too.

I haven't seen any of the other challenges... so I can only offer this observation:

If you have a 180-degree-turn-around-punchline in the final panel... it's going to be the most important panel you do, of them all.

Very good work, and there were many individual panels that left me gaping in wonder at the skill and imagination you guys showed. This stuff looks great (as is the story!), and I'll try to keep up with more of these now (story and art) voting. (I apologize if I'm not always on top of it, but RL is crazy hectic right now, and 99% of my other time is spent doing my Runway projects... so I may miss a voting thread or two, but I'll try not to miss.)


PS, dean: if in that very last panel, you'd changed the color scheme to normal (as if Helena had flicked on a regular lightswitch), it might've been an interesting contrast, and help underscore "the fantasy's over, harsh light of reality intrudes"... or, it might've been a bit too much. I dunno, but I thought of it, and figured I'd throw it out there for you to consider. :smile:

[sparta28090]

Solaris welcome so much to the writer's/artist contest. I vote all of the time in CBRunway (zach is gone...dammit!) and it is soooo good to have someone with leads show up to give us aspiring writers a helping hand. Lew, Vic, Dean, Matt have been our soldiers and that is good because They are Generals because us writers are so big and your lead is so small.

[deanlegion]

I really got a kick out of this sexy little story!

Congratulations to Viktor for taking the win. Obviously, your clean linework and craftsmanship were superior. Your details were very good... but that's also where I'll offer a crit.... I don't think there should be rats in this room. I mean, it did make the first page seem like it was in some old warehouse or storeage unit, but it wasn't, it was in Wayne Manor. Still, very good work.

Zeb, your work was pretty rough, which I can totally relate to... mine is too... but I think the cartooniness of it and the sort of unfinished quality distracted.

Lew, I think you had the strongest page 2. Man, those claws on her whip look very lethal! I was distracted by your coloring. A lot of neons going on there. Also, Batman's proportions are all wonky on page 3. I'd love to see yours recolored... hey... maybe the way I colored mine! Heh!

mattx110, your entry had some moments of brilliance. Your gritty style is very cool. I'd say that page 2 didn't read very clearly, but Batman's face close up is excellent on that page. Your page 3 is very good, too, except that it's hard to see Bats and Cats very well.

As for mine, I will say right away that my linework is totally rough. That's my #1 problem as a comic book artist... my impatience. I'm glad people liked the "red room" choice. I like that too. I also stand by my final panel. Catwoman had just said something like "let me take off that utility belt" so I figured she got all slinky on her knees in front of him... perfect time for the baby to walk in!!!! What I'd change is Bat's face, more like what Lew did.

This was a lot of fun. I think being here at CBR may make me want to improve on how I present my artwork. You guys are helping me step my game up!

[Zeb Oswalt]

Solaris welcome so much to the writer's/artist contest. I vote all of the time in CBRunway (zach is gone...dammit!) and it is soooo good to have someone with leads show up to give us aspiring writers a helping hand. Lew, Vic, Dean, Matt have been our soldiers and that is good because They are Generals because us writers are so big and your lead is so small.

Ow.Oy......................

[LewMoxinsghost]

Congrats to Vik! You really brought it to this challenge. I kicked, I screamed, and part of me died a little bit, but I think the strongest work ended up with the championship belt. Nice job- I have to say I am relieved this is finally over. Voting was very nerve wracking for me because this was the first time I tried doing a comic in 100% digital format. I gotta say, I absolutely love my new CIntiq. I have small little complaints with it, but the important things are covered with it. Anyway I learned more with this one than I did with the last one. If you are interested I will be posting some "making of" stuff in my own thread a little later.

For Mattbib: Looking back over some professionally juried exhibitions I've known, the rules were a little different in that the works' creators were made anonymous to the jurors. Artists were encouraged not to sign, or the signatures were covered up. In this way any potential politics could be staved off and the jurors could just simply concentrate on the piece presented, and not necessarily the celebrity of the artist. That relieved some pressure from the jurors' shoulders. Not saying that is what happened here at all- just trying to give you an idea of what might also work. If something similar is possible in this format, I don't know, but I know that each of us had votes from folks who don't regularly frequent the site and most of the regulars, for whatever reason, chose not to voice their pick of the litter.

Ok, so VIk, you know I am in love with your style. To counter Spaghettikiss a little, I actually liked the way you laid out the second page the most. I really loved the amount of detail that you put into the setting- this I think won most folks over more than anything. I don't know. Your style is pretty seamless and each page looks fully rendered and consistent. My little complaints are that you and everyone else seems to have forgotten to draw Catwoman's tail. I wonder why? I think it is funny how everyone seemed to silently concede that the yellow circle on Batman's costume is better left off. And I wonder if your splash page was done on different paper? It seems a little bit more yellow. Niggle niggle. Good job man!

Dean man what someone else said if you tighten up those lines your stuff will be off the chain. Also watch the composition- I am also echoing Sol about being a little disturbed by the Cat booty being so close to lil Huntress' schnoz. For this script, the last panel really is the most important one I am realizing now... and I wish I hadn't sort of ran out of time on it. I may completley redo mine and post it later. There already is a newer version but I may just recompose it just for the sake of getting it right. Personally Batman's leg looks really messed up to me now that I look at it in a fresher light. BUT Anyway your color is really expressive and the decision to redo the first page worked out really well for you because you have the best concept for a splash of any of us. Nice.

Mattx110, your entry further supports my theory that votes don't mean much. Your panel composition was really exciting and intuitive. It had a very underground sort of feel that could be appropriate in a future release of Batman: Black and White. I really dug the alternativeness of it. Very original and exciting work.

Zeb- I like how you made the decision to lay Batman down- by doing so it took away nothing and added more to the punchline I think. The panels that are least clear to me is the lower right portion of panel two, page two and the face of Helena on the last page should be reworked to make her look more like a lil' girl. The first panel of page two is my favorite- vice nice job. Overall this is kind of a nice half step between breakdowns and full pencils- if that was what you were going for you are there!

Thanks to everyone who voted and commented! Ok, enough comments from my peanut gallery. This was really fun, a rollercoaster for me personally. For the record I want to state that the size of my pencil lead is friggin' ENORMOUS. Hasta!

[mattx110]

I'd like to thank everyone who voted for me...

Oh.


Congrats Vik. Good job everyone. I guess next time I'll try a completely different style. I think the using a photocopy machine to shrink it down made it look "grittier" than I intended. I didn't think I was being very underground at all.

I'm ready to write a script now.:biggrin: Make it something fun!

[ubergeekette]

I have a killer fun fun idea for a theme.

I think I'm going to join the sequentials art thread next time. Good job everyone, I hope these threads get a lil more popular.

[LewMoxinsghost]

I have a killer fun fun idea for a theme.

I think I'm going to join the sequentials art thread next time. Good job everyone, I hope these threads get a lil more popular.

Thanks! - What is your idea?

I hope this gets more popular too... I feel like we all should have gotten more votes :frown: :tongue: :smile:

[Viktor Bogdanovic]

first, thanks to everyone who particpiated and to everyone who voted and commented.

zeb, i like this weird cartoony style you have there. you could have fleshed some things out. panel 3 on page 3 made me laugh.

lew, you're getting better with every page. i mostly like what you did with the coloring (especially on catwoman) + i think you found the best solution for page 2. you still tend to overdo it with the effects and there are some flaws with your anatomy but i can easily follow your storytelling and that's what really counts for me.

to answer your questions: i never liked that tail on catwoman. it always looked silly to me. the ultimate version of catwoman for me was the one in the second batman movie. black latex, high heels, no tail.
oh, and the splash page was done on crappy recycling paper. i ran out of normal paper. hence the uggly yellow tone. :biggrin:

deanlegion page 2 seems kind of rushed and catwomans pose on page 3 especially in combination with helenas position in the panel is... well... weird. :biggrin: but i LOVE that splash page and the red color was a good choice.

mattx, this really looks like one of those underground-experimental comics. totally dig that. but page 2 is also very confusing. i got lost there. helena looks too old on page 3.
+ that's one hairy batman there.:biggrin:

i hope everyone will be on board again for the next challenge.

thanks again to indigo al for a great script.

-viktor

[ubergeekette]

Thanks! - What is your idea?

I hope this gets more popular too... I feel like we all should have gotten more votes :frown: :tongue: :smile:
Firstly I like to say congrats to Vik's victory it was well deserved, and was well well inked IMHO.

HOSTESS ADS!!!! A three pager or Three different ideas. C'mon tell me thats not a fun idea!!!

[LewMoxinsghost]

Firstly I like to say congrats to Vik's victory it was well deserved, and was well well inked IMHO.

HOSTESS ADS!!!! A three pager or Three different ideas. C'mon tell me thats not a fun idea!!!

"that's not a fun idea!!!"

Wait.

That IS a fun idea!!! Kick arse! I did one of those once when I was a kid- I will have to go look for that now. Start the thread and I'll post there.

Yes, Vik's was well well inked. Sigh.

I'm going to go listen to more depressing music now if anyone needs me...

...just kidding.

Not really.

Ok, kidding.

:tongue:

Cure, anyone?

[Zeb Oswalt]

B]Zeb-[/B] I like how you made the decision to lay Batman down- by doing so it took away nothing and added more to the punchline I think. The panels that are least clear to me is the lower right portion of panel two, page two and the face of Helena on the last page should be reworked to make her look more like a lil' girl. The first panel of page two is my favorite- vice nice job. Overall this is kind of a nice half step between breakdowns and full pencils- if that was what you were going for you are there!!


Thanx for the input . I’ll work on that.



first, thanks to everyone who particpiated and to everyone who voted and commented.

zeb, i like this weird cartoony style you have there. you could have fleshed some things out. panel 3 on page 3 made me laugh.

lew, you're getting better with every page. i mostly like what you did with the coloring (especially on catwoman) + i think you found the best solution for page 2. you still tend to overdo it with the effects and there are some flaws with your anatomy but i can easily follow your storytelling and that's what really counts for me.

to answer your questions: i never liked that tail on catwoman. it always looked silly to me. the ultimate version of catwoman for me was the one in the second batman movie. black latex, high heels, no tail.
oh, and the splash page was done on crappy recycling paper. i ran out of normal paper. hence the uggly yellow tone. :biggrin:

deanlegion page 2 seems kind of rushed and catwomans pose on page 3 especially in combination with helenas position in the panel is... well... weird. :biggrin: but i LOVE that splash page and the red color was a good choice.

mattx, this really looks like one of those underground-experimental comics. totally dig that. but page 2 is also very confusing. i got lost there. helena looks too old on page 3.
+ that's one hairy batman there.:biggrin:

i hope everyone will be on board again for the next challenge.

thanks again to indigo al for a great script.

-viktor



Thanx for the input Viktor. I’ll work on that. Conrad’s on winning the compaction.

[sparta28090]

You Guys slay me...hehehe. First ZEB not mentioning you in my last post made me think thst I dissed you and that is so far from the truth! Uber brought up an intresting idea and I will script a cover for you geeks

Captian America just scaled the stue of Liberty and he sees a person sellimg Hostess Apple pies from a trolley....he is ready to battle but suddenly he decides it is too easy

[LewMoxinsghost]

You Guys slay me...hehehe. First ZEB not mentioning you in my last post made me think thst I dissed you and that is so far from the truth! Uber brought up an intresting idea and I will script a cover for you geeks

Captian America just scaled the stue of Liberty and he sees a person sellimg Hostess Apple pies from a trolley....he is ready to battle but suddenly he decides it is too easy

Sparta,

Man don't worry about it we are all here to just have fun, learn something, socialize, maybe make a business connection, and what not. Being from the South myself I know you mean well when you say "geeks" but some folks might not take it that way because they missed out on the collard greens and fried chicken growing up. I'd just leave it out because there are other ways to challenge us without using it. I'm just sayin'. I speak as one who has once been banned because I was shocked out how things are run here sometimes... but I hope you'll consider what I'm sayin so it never happens to you.

I'll do a Cap one pager if you script it out. Who is the villain?