Character Contest 26 – Golden Oldies
Look at this vibrant Golden Age lineup of spandex-clad super-heroes, led by none other than the redoubtable Big Red Cheese himself, Captain Marvel:
Sadly, the only one of these valiant warriors from a bygone age to survive into the modern universe is Captain Marvel. His outfit hasn’t changed a stitch in all that time, which I guess shouldn’t surprise anyone since Billy Batson never hit puberty either, despite fifty years to bake. I guess the lightning giveth, and the lightning taketh away.
His fellow adventurers were not so fortunate, sadly, and except for Bulletman have largely disappeared from the face of comic-dom.
That’s where you come in.
Your challenge this week is to bend your enormous creative skills (with a little help from HeroMachine, of course) to the task of reimagining one of these other four masked men. Take their fundamental concept and twist it, change it, tweak it, update it, make it modern and cool and stylish. And of course, that means they need new threads, because these supporting cast-members don’t have all-powerful wizards flinging thunderbolts around to quell the fashion police.
From left to right on the cover, your targets are (click to get more info on them) Spy Smasher; Bulletman; Minute Man; and/or Mr. Scarlet.
You have one week! On next Monday, I will select the best proposed redesigns and post them for a community vote for the overall winner, who will as usual receive their choice of any one item of their choice, or a portrait of themselves, to appear in the final HeroMachine 3 program. Their character, along with the runner-up, will also be featured in a prominent ad on UGO.com to be seen by millions of visitors for the week.
The other rules are the same as always:
- All entries must be left as a comment to this post, including a link to a publicly-accessible web site where an image of your creation can be found;
- No more than three entries per person, which can be three variations of one of the characters, or three separate characters, or any combination you like;
- No image editing in PhotoShop-like applications except for basic cropping.
Good luck everyone! And sorry this is so late, in the mass of contest posts earlier I somehow forgot to do the new one. Thanks to Danny and Kaldath for poking me.
January 25th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
So the dominant characteristic of all these characters is that red is the dominant color in their costumes?
January 25th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
I am so doing Bulletman!
January 25th, 2010 at 11:54 pm
Is minute man any relation to Hourman from the Juctice Society?
January 26th, 2010 at 12:11 am
Jim Barr was the son of a decorated police detective. When his father was murdered by criminals he tried to join the police force to carry on his legacy, but was rejected because of his physical short-comings. He turned instead to experimental genetics, enhancing his body and mind to super-human levels. Jim then created a Gravity Regulator Helmet, that allowed for flight and the deflection of projectiles. He promptly realized this was a stupid idea and would probably break his neck, and destroyed the device, building a back-mounted version instead. He now fights crime under the alias “Bulletman”, hoping to both protect his city, and honor his father’s memory…
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn48/GeroTheKeymaster/BulletmanReboot.jpg
January 26th, 2010 at 12:59 am
Joseph McCarthy would have had a field day with these guys!
January 26th, 2010 at 4:58 am
I give to you the new MR. Scarlet
replacing all his gadgets and gear for simple spells and charms. An arcane adventurer of american apotheosis.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66190&d=1264503159
January 26th, 2010 at 5:42 am
http://s005.radikal.ru/i210/1001/9d/1a5a4334a071.jpg
January 26th, 2010 at 6:29 am
An all new bulletman :
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1681/bulletman.jpg
January 26th, 2010 at 7:01 am
Spy Smasher
http://s961.photobucket.com/albums/ae99/dhabirunner/?action=view¤t=hero.jpg
Minute Man
http://s961.photobucket.com/albums/ae99/dhabirunner/?action=view¤t=Minuteman.jpg
Bulletman
http://s961.photobucket.com/albums/ae99/dhabirunner/?action=view¤t=Bulletman.jpg
January 26th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Reginald Weston was an unknown member of the Weston family. And nobody would expect that he has taken the costume of his grand-uncle Jack.
He is the new Minute Man:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b71/derkork/comics/Minuteman-2010.jpg
(Before anyone complains: I’m a beginner with HM3.)
January 26th, 2010 at 9:30 am
I’m sure I’m not the only person out there who realizes that Spy Smasher already HAS been updated for the 21st century. For your consideration, I’ve HMd the latest incarnation whom you should all recognize instantly…
http://www.terpconnect.umd.edu/~mshute/SpySmasher2010.png
January 26th, 2010 at 9:41 am
Here is my first entry, Minute Man
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66191&d=1264520395
January 26th, 2010 at 9:44 am
@Markx (11): Even the acting ability is the same!
January 26th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Jack Weston was a soldier in the U.S. army when the country was decimated and invaded during World War III. He now leads a resistance group dedicated to taking it back. He is…the Minuteman.
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn48/GeroTheKeymaster/MinutemanReboot.jpg
January 26th, 2010 at 11:32 am
I forgot to mask the gun in my last one; here’s the fixed image:
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn48/GeroTheKeymaster/MinutemanReboot.jpg
January 26th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Spy Smasher;
http://imgcash3.imageshack.us/img638/9355/hm3beta4.jpg
ms.Scarlet:
http://imgcash3.imageshack.us/img693/750/hm3beta5.jpg
January 26th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
First entry
More of a joke, hope you enjoy
Bulletman
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m189/acebase_2006/Hero%20Forum/BTMWATNGag.png
January 26th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
@DerKork: welcome to HM3!
January 26th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Thank you, Danny. I hope I didn’t totally fail.
January 26th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Is it cool if I post mine with the closeup of the face right next to it?
January 26th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Introducing the new Bulletman
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4773/bulletmanmodern.png
January 26th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Here is my first entry. This is a rather drastic departure from the original Minute Man. It is kind of like the difference between the Golden Age and Silver Age Green Lantern.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f349/singalongsong/MinuteMan2.png
Minute Man is a villain, trapped inside an hourglass. Over the years, his consistency has become more akin to sand than of flesh. Long ago, a sorcerer trapped him inside, tormenting him for eternity by turning the hourglass over as soon as he reformed on the other lower half.
Now, Minute Man waits for the day when someone unwittingly frees him from his prison and he can take revenge on the sorcerer’s descendants.
January 26th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Well gang, once more into the breech!
MINUTEMAN
Minuteman is an expert marksman and is in peek physical condition. He is an excellent hand to hand fighter.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=233947&l=fb1cacd10e&id=1815191475
BULLETMAN
Bulletman can fly, has superhuman strength, and can generate a plasma field which allows him to go through anything.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=233946&l=06362a5421&id=1815191475
SPY SMASHER
Spy Smasher is an expert marksman and an expert mixed martial artist. He enjoys his work.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=233948&l=c78af8a1a1&id=1815191475
January 26th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Minute Man:
http://imgcash5.imageshack.us/img191/7214/hm3beta.jpg
January 26th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
My attempts: Mr. Scarlet and Minuteman:
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66199&d=1264545662
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66200&d=1264545677
January 26th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
No Ibis? He was always my favorite Fawcett second-stringer.
January 27th, 2010 at 5:11 am
Bulletman-2010.Realistic version.))
http://s40.radikal.ru/i089/1001/49/36dc5025f718.jpg
January 27th, 2010 at 8:52 am
@Rozenstal: Hillarious!
January 27th, 2010 at 9:00 am
The redesigned Spy Smasher, defending America from the Communist menace during the Cold War.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66206&d=1264604299
January 27th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
@Rozenstal: You’ve got my vote
.
January 27th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
[Deleted at author's request.]
January 27th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
Back at Fawcett College (home of the Scarlet Mastiffs) Assistant District Attorney Brian Butler was an Olympic class gymnast and track star as well as an accomplished student of bojutsu. Recently the inner-city college has fallen on hard times, and crime is rampant on campus. Butler returned to his alma mater where he teaches history by day, but at night, armed with an extending pneumatic staff and a standard issue grappling gun, he protects the campus as “Mr. Scarlet”!
http://www.terpconnect.umd.edu/~mshute/mrScarlet2010.png
January 27th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
bullet man :
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Difnwn0Qqu4/S2CXTlkXPOI/AAAAAAAAAOM/7SPuVyP9xiE/s512/hm3-beta.jpg
minute man:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Difnwn0Qqu4/S19oe8EFwPI/AAAAAAAAANc/QGJ55lmFFf4/s512/hm3-beta%283%29.jpg
January 27th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Here’s my attempt at Mister Scarlet.
Hope you like it.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66217&d=1264628274
And here’s a close up of his face.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66218&d=1264628285
January 27th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Been using Heromachine for a while, first time doing this. Kind of nervous
Here goes!
Spy Smasher:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/DSauce/SpySmasher.png
Mr. Scarlet and Pinky the Whiz Kid (does that count as two characters?)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/DSauce/MrScarlet.png
and
Minuteman (kind of a disillusioned war veteran turned anti-government patriotic crime-fighter deal)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/DSauce/Minuteman.png
January 27th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Here’s my entry for the contest… As you can see, he’s alot more Smasher than Spy
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66236&d=1264639027
January 27th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
@DCicatriz #35 – Nice work. Good posing! You got nothing to be nervous about.
January 27th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
when are we going to vote?
January 28th, 2010 at 12:40 am
Group Photo
http://i50.tinypic.com/2m2×2qt.jpg
Bulletman
http://i46.tinypic.com/2mcf0uh.jpg
Minute Man
http://i50.tinypic.com/2upzl06.jpg
Mr.Scarlet
http://i49.tinypic.com/2zp2p13.jpg
Spy Smasher
http://i50.tinypic.com/16aci09.jpg
January 28th, 2010 at 1:27 am
Being an old fan of the old comics, I did a pretty straight updating of Mr. Scarlet. The new Scarlet, grandson of the original, adds a bit of mystic power to his repertoire of gadgets in the form of the Crimson Eye of Z’tivel. Like his predecessor, the new Scarlet has a sidekick named Pinky, but the new Pinky is both more beautiful and more deadly than the original Whiz Kid.
Scarlet gives the appearance of an stern and other-worldy figure and is even rumored to be the ghost of the original Scarlet, but this is just an act put on to strike fear in the superstitious criminal element of Gotham. In reality Brett Butler is quite capable of emotions, as Pinky could readily confirm.
http://www.eldacur.com/~brons/Comics/MrScarletAndPinky.png
January 28th, 2010 at 3:04 am
When US military operations began to be farmed out to private corporations in the 2020s following the disastrous War on Terror, many of these companies sought to create patriotic personalities to spearhead their operations.
Jack Weston was one of these new soldiers. Augmented by subdermal neural-net combat systems and TriKevlar woven into his musculature and bones, Weston fought for Fawcett Tactical Solutions in anti-terrorism operations from the Persian Gulf to Indonesia to the Caribbean.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66245&d=1264669273
January 28th, 2010 at 3:06 am
@Kyle: You should probably read the post. All the pertinent information is right there…
January 28th, 2010 at 6:19 am
Here is a predecessor to the Minuteman. Like Jake my version has a more readical change. The new minuteman is Jared Westen, grandson of the original. When he discovered he could rewind time one minute, he decided to become the new minuteman.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66246&d=1264680893
January 28th, 2010 at 6:43 am
Spy Smasher in the Image 90’s style :
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/5348/spysmasher.jpg
January 28th, 2010 at 6:58 am
Here is my second entry. The Trio.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66247&d=1264683301
January 28th, 2010 at 7:05 am
I’d like to say welcome to the contest to the new people. We are all family here so no worries. Great job on your entries, and again welcome to the contest.
January 28th, 2010 at 7:26 am
The new Spy Smasher. I made him look a little rougher than the original, happier version, but wanted him to still be able to fit into the 1940s. Not the most radical redesign, but I like it.
http://i744.photobucket.com/albums/xx88/jzelger/Spy_Smasher_NEW.png
January 28th, 2010 at 11:11 am
My Bulletman revamp, although I may have remade him up to the point of a retcon:
http://devil-of-midnight.deviantart.com/art/Bulletman-Revamped-152053903
A full description is available below the portrait.
January 28th, 2010 at 11:56 am
@Jeff I didn’t see the 3 entrys only thing, I retract my bulletman and group photo entrys
January 28th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
This Is Mr. Scarlet. His costume is composed of carbon nanotubes, making it impervious to bullets and shrapnel. The costume is also fire-proof and acid-proof. Mr. Scarlet is an expert hand-to-hand combatant, a good detective, an expert marksman, and an Olympic level gymnast.
MR. SCARLET
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=235958&l=a5e14bb6e7&id=1815191475
January 28th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Here’s a redesign of Spy Smasher as an anti-communist agent during the 1980s.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66251&d=1264707467
January 28th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
@The Imp #51 – Niiiice Cap’n Morgan pose. I also like the consistent color/pattern scheme and your repetition of the red diamond logo is particularly effective.
January 28th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Thanks, Marx!
I like your Mr. Scarlet; awesome pose there.
January 28th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
(Note: on Spy Smasher’s Wikipedia page, it mentions that after WWII he changed his identity to “Crime Smasher”, so I’m taking the liberty of changing it again, as the times have changed)
Alan Armstrong is a former Covert-Ops agent for the CIA, who was fired after failing to stop a sleeper cell from committing a terrorist act within the U.S. Wanting to redeem himself, Alan stole a large amount of espionage and combat equipment from his former employer, using it to track down the enemies of America as the vigilante “Terrorist Smasher”…
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn48/GeroTheKeymaster/SpySmasherReboot.jpg
January 28th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Here is another version of minuteman. This second version is more patriotic.The second Minuteman is Jared Westen, grandson of the original. Like him he has peak human qualities, but his strength and healing are superhuman.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66281&d=1264729762
January 28th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
Mister Scarlet
http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k480/Martin-Silk/?action=view¤t=MisterScarlet.jpg
January 29th, 2010 at 9:22 am
@ Martin
I REALLY like it!
Keep it up!
January 29th, 2010 at 9:46 am
This is my try at Bulletman, or in this case Bulletgirl
Bulletgirl is the granddaughter of the original Bulletman.
When she found out about her granddads job, she believed it was her duty to pick up this heritage.
She created he own costume based on the one she found from her Grandpa. She added steel shoulderplates for extra protection. Luckily, she had a black belt in mixed martial arts and a gun license. She now roams the street fighting crime.
January 29th, 2010 at 9:46 am
January 29th, 2010 at 9:46 am
[IMG]http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad264/ElJefe_bucket/hm3-beta6.jpg[/IMG]
January 29th, 2010 at 9:47 am
ok im having trouble uploading it.(its my first time)
How do i do it? i use photobucket. Please help me
January 29th, 2010 at 9:48 am
http://s942.photobucket.com/albums/ad264/ElJefe_bucket/?action=view¤t=hm3-beta6.jpg
January 29th, 2010 at 9:49 am
woohoo got it nvm
January 29th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Here is a more contemporary Minute-Man. Enjoy!
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f349/singalongsong/NiceMinute-Man.png
January 29th, 2010 at 11:24 am
@Jefe: Post your #60 again, but without the image brackets, and it’ll become a link…
January 29th, 2010 at 11:37 am
my minuteman
http://s942.photobucket.com/albums/ad264/ElJefe_bucket/?action=view¤t=hm3-beta7.jpg
January 29th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Here’s my take on Minuteman.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66296&d=1264796395
January 29th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Sigh… I won’t be attending any competitions in like six to twelwe months ‘cos i’ll be in the military which is compulsory for every male in this stupid country.. It sucks
January 29th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
I really wish i would hav discovered these contests earlier, because i have a nice entry for the fables contest.. And also for the fantasy one
January 30th, 2010 at 12:22 am
My last entry is a redesigned Bulletman. This guy is a robotics graduate student who, admiring the original Bulletman (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?) builds a robotic suit with built-in arm cannons.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66336&d=1264832426
January 30th, 2010 at 1:50 am
I wish I had discovered them earlier as well. Oh well, that is life.
January 30th, 2010 at 1:57 am
OK, so the only thing I really know about these super heroes is what I’ve read here so I may be off the mark but here are my interpretations.
Mr. Scarlet;
Am I the only one who figures he is very much like Daredevil? Except for beong able to see. Oh, that’s right, Daredevil can pretty much see can’t he?
http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac25/Macmorna/Contest/?action=view¤t=MrScarlet.jpg
And a close up.
http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac25/Macmorna/Contest/?action=view¤t=MrScarletCloseUp.jpg
The Minute Man;
I figured he was the patriotic type. Oh, and that is a knee brace; I like heroes with some weeknesses.
http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac25/Macmorna/Contest/?action=view¤t=TheMinuteMan.jpg
The Bullet;
Quite a change for this one.
http://s882.photobucket.com/albums/ac25/Macmorna/Contest/?action=view¤t=TheBullet.jpg
January 30th, 2010 at 7:41 am
My mr Scarlet
He has a jetpack and is a master in various martial arts.
http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad264/ElJefe_bucket/hm3-beta9.jpg
January 30th, 2010 at 8:24 am
@drummergirl4 #67 – That’s a tricky getting pose getting the arms and hands aligned to the same object like that. I’ve done something similar in the past and it took a lot of work. Very well done!
@The Imp #70 – Awesome Bulletman! Love the color palette. The pose with the out-turned wrists is dynamic without being complex and it’s very effective. I’m going to have to have to steal that one someday.
January 30th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Okay, here is modernized Spy Smasher:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6hRSd0h73sUd_uHZUSDpBQ?feat=directlink
And Bullet Man’s descendant; Bullet Girl:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TS4U3KZkKyUiRoBBoquwgA?feat=directlink
Good Luck all!
January 30th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Entry one: Spy smasher:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/charliysoccerzxxx/4316244353/
I think I was trying too hard to keep it close to the original design, sorry its a bit rubbish -_-
January 31st, 2010 at 4:28 am
@32 Marx – that’s pretty cool! Great Pose work…
January 31st, 2010 at 6:16 am
Entry 2: Mr Scarlet
http://www.flickr.com/photos/charliysoccerzxxx/4318759344/
Something not right there either…
January 31st, 2010 at 11:57 am
My Second Entry:Bulletman
Here he is.
In case you didn’t notice,
the colored circles are a lens flare.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66412&d=1264960341
And here’s a closeup of his face.
http://forums.ugo.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66413&d=1264960348
January 31st, 2010 at 5:27 pm
My take on Spy Smasher
http://www.mediafire.com/i/?eyqvhjo4dcn
Nothing startling, I’m afraid. The outfit was inspired by her namesake, comic pack Cover Girl and DC character Blackhawk.
January 31st, 2010 at 6:15 pm
And my Final Entry
Mrs. Scarlett
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bijZGYGwvs3B5RMPXJN1og?feat=directlink
I guess if I had put more thought into it, I’d have done Spy Smasher as a woman, and they could have been Captain Marvel’s Angels
January 31st, 2010 at 10:52 pm
This one was a bit rushed because my browser locked up at one point. Not fun. Anyway, here is my Mr. Scarlett.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f349/singalongsong/MrScarlett.png