Note: Phantom Stranger is already taken so don't do it!

I’m going to try something a little different this week with our own HeroMachine version of Mad Libs. You’ll have to fill in the following description for your character, replacing the blanks. For instance, the name is “The Phantom _______,” so you’d replace the blanks with a word to name your character. You might go for “The Phantom PIRATE” or “The Phantom NINJA” or “The Phantom CHIPMUNK.”

So here’s your description. You don’t have to do any of these except the character title, but it would be fun to play along if you are so inclined:

The Phantom _____!

Straight from the pages of _____ Comics, it’s the _____-spangled adventurer! Along with sidekick “_____ the _____ Wonder “, racing through _____ City on the astounding _____-mobile, you won’t believe what you see!

The person with the winning entry as selected by our expert panel (i.e. me) will win their choice of a) a portrait to go in HeroMachine 3, b) an item to go in HeroMachine 3, or c) a custom black and white “Sketch of the Day” style drawing (also by me). The rules otherwise are the same as always:

• All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the UGO Forums, whatever);
• Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
• The image cannot have been used in any previous HeroMachine character design contest;
• Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his “Bayou Belle” character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
• Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). If you see “preview” or “rotate” somewhere in the link you’re probably doing it wrong.
• All entries must be in by next Monday, when I’ll choose a winner.

No limit on entries this week, so knock yourselves out. Just make them good!

Happy Saturday, people! Unless you’re on the other side of the world in which case it’s already Sunday. If so, drop us a line and let us know what the world is like in the fuuuuuuuture … Ahem.

Your one-day quick-fire challenge is:

In other words, make a character illustration like you normally would, only the body has to be one of the items from Companion-Humanoids. You can do a little or a lot, but the Companion has to be the main character.

You only get one entry — that’s right, just one! So make it your best. Most of the other rules are the same as for a regular contest, but instead of a whole week I’ll announce the winner either tonight or first thing in the morning.

• All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the UGO Forums, whatever);
• Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
• Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his “Bayou Belle” character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
• Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). Here’s a quick-start guide on how to do that for various image hosting services.

The winner will receive their choice of either one item or one portrait to be included in the final HeroMachine 3 release, or one Sketch of the Day style drawing where you pick the subject and I draw it how I like.

Good luck!

Your challenge this week is to come up with the best replacement dialog for this comics panel:

The best entry (as judged by yours truly) wins the author’s choice of either any item they like or any portrait to be included in HeroMachine 3′s final release, or a custom black and white “Sketch of the Day” style illustration (you pick the subject, I draw it however I like).

All entries must be left as a comment (or comments) to this post. Keep ‘em clean (appropriate for a late-night broadcast TV show), but most importantly, keep ‘em funny!

No limit to entries, but please, self-edit and only put up ones you genuinely think are good!

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day in the US of A — wait, is it Mother’s Day in other countries, too? I’m so parochial! — so your one-day slightly-more-complicated-than-usual quick-fire challenge is:

My mind boggles at the possibilities. Also, just because my mind is generally in a boggle-ish state.

You only get one entry — that’s right, just one! So make it your best. Most of the other rules are the same as for a regular contest, but instead of a whole week I’ll announce the winner either tonight or first thing in the morning.

• All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the UGO Forums, whatever);
• Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
• Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his “Bayou Belle” character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
• Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). Here’s a quick-start guide on how to do that for various image hosting services.

The winner will receive their choice of either one item or one portrait to be included in the final HeroMachine 3 release, or one Sketch of the Day style drawing where you pick the subject and I draw it how I like.

Good luck!

This was the most random thing I could find on the Internet. That was safe for work.

We haven’t done a “random name” character contest in half a year, so I think it’s about time we revisited this always-fun concept.

It’s pretty straightforward and a great way to stretch your creative muscles.

Whoever comes up with the best character based on a random name generated by Seventh Sanctum Superhero/Villain Name Generator will win a) his or her choice of either any item they like to be included in the final HeroMachine 3 version; b) a portrait to be included in the final HeroMachine 3 version, or c) a “sketch of the day” style custom drawing where you pick the theme and I do the drawing however I like. The rules are fairly simple:

The person with the winning entry as selected by our expert panel (i.e. me) will win their choice of a) a portrait to go in HeroMachine 3, b) an item to go in HeroMachine 3, or c) a custom black and white “Sketch of the Day” style drawing (also by me). The rules otherwise are the same as always:

• Go to the Seventh Sanctum Superhero/Villain Name Generator and choose “10″ from the number of names to generate. Leave the other selection boxes at their default and hit “Generate”. Your character(s) must be based on one of these generated names. Try your best to limit yourself to one spin of the wheel instead of generating names over and over till you get one you like!
• All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the UGO Forums, whatever);
• Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
• The image cannot have been used in any previous HeroMachine character design contest;
• Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his “Bayou Belle” character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
• Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). If you see “preview” or “rotate” somewhere in the link you’re probably doing it wrong.
• All entries must be in by next Monday, when I’ll choose a winner.

No limit on entries this week, so knock yourselves out. Just make them good!

(Image via.)

Woody asked me to pass along this statement:

Alright, guys, I just want to congratulate all of our participants for submitting some of the coolest character designs I’ve ever seen. You completely blew me away and did things with Hero Machine that I didn’t even know were possible! We had almost 400 submissions, and attempting to narrow it down to only 9 was one of the most painful things I’ve ever had to do. It’s important to remember that I had to not only look at how good each design was, but I had to choose the 9 designs that would work well together when put into the final promo piece. That meant that I had to leave out more than a few of my favorite submissions in favor of designs that better served the overall color scheme or better represented a specific category of character. The Honorable Mentions are all of my favorite designs that I was unable to include in the promo piece due to these technicalities, and I will attempt to show off as many of them as possible during our Kickstarter campaign.

Later today, Woody will start announcing the Honorable Mentions on the project’s Facebook page, five per day, with the nine overall winners introduced there on Friday. So if you want to be the first to know the fate of the submissions, be sure to like the SODWA page on Facebook.

For those of you who do not have or do not want a Facebook account, I’ll follow up each announcement with a post here at the end of the day.

Many thanks again to everyone who entered, and good luck!

Get ready for your pop quiz, kids! Your one-day quick-fire challenge is:

Whether it be Viking inspired horned battle helms or modern European flower hats or futuristic space goggles, be creative, mix several different pieces together, and come up with something neat and original.

You only get one entry — that’s right, just one! So make it your best.

Most of the other rules are the same as for a regular contest, but instead of a whole week I’ll announce the winner either tonight or first thing in the morning.

• All entries must be in JPG or PNG form (BMPs are too big), posted to a publicly accessible website (like ImageShack, PhotoBucket, the UGO Forums, whatever);
• Entries must be made as a comment or comments to this post, containing a link directly to the image and the character name;
• Please name your files as [your name]-[character name].[file extension]. So DiCicatriz, for instance, would save his “Bayou Belle” character image as DiCicatriz-BayouBelle.png.
• Please make the link go directly to the image (like this) and not to a hosting jump page (like this). If you see “preview” or “rotate” somewhere in the link you’re probably doing it wrong.

The winner will receive their choice of either one item or one portrait to be included in the final HeroMachine 3 release, or one Sketch of the Day style drawing where you pick the subject and I draw it how I like.

Good luck!

(Image via.)

Your challenge this week is to come up with the best replacement dialog for this comics panel:

The best entry (as judged by yours truly) wins the author’s choice of either any item they like or any portrait to be included in HeroMachine 3′s final release, or a custom black and white “Sketch of the Day” style illustration (you pick the subject, I draw it however I like).

All entries must be left as a comment (or comments) to this post. Keep ‘em clean (appropriate for a late-night broadcast TV show), but most importantly, keep ‘em funny!

This one should be a bit more challenging than usual, both because you’re coming up with an editorial caption instead of dialog and because, let’s face it, keeping them clean enough for late-night television won’t be easy.

No limit to entries, but please, self-edit and only put up ones you genuinely think are good!

If I were you (and be thankful I’m not, because none of those Oreos in your house would still be around if I were) I’d pick out the nine most outstanding characters I’ve ever designed with HeroMachine and send them in as my entry. You’re not limited to new characters only, folks, so go with your best. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!

Have you ever wanted a character of yours to be on a poster or website promoting a real live game? Well, now’s your chance, because the makers of “Super Omega Deathbattle Warzone Apocalypse (the Most Dangerous Game Ever Made)” have turned to you — yes, YOU! — to help design the characters they’ll use in their promotional materials! How cool is that?!

Here’s an example of the kind of thing where your characters might appear:

And your prize isn’t just getting your character added to the promo, but getting it fully illustrated in an awesome pose within that promo by Livio Ramondelli of “Transformers: Autocracy” and “DC Universe Online” fame. Check out his fantastic DeviantART work — this guy is seriously fantastic.

So to recap, you get a character you designed painted in full color, to be used in promotional materials for a cool game that you can actually show your friends. This is big, folks.

You can find the complete rules here (PDF viewer required). But, here’s the short version:

• You have two weeks instead of one to get your submissions ready. We want them to be really good.
• You can create up to nine characters and you don’t have to say which archetype(s) they are for — let the design speak for itself.
• They’re much more interested in the character design than the actual piece. For instance, they don’t care about flashy backgrounds or anything like that. You can add them in if you want, but all the judge will be looking at are the actual character designs. So if you get frustrated at your inability to create the kind of elaborate set pieces of people like Kytana or dblade, this is your chance to shine with just your design vision.
• By submitting a design, you are granting Thunderpunch Studios the rights to use it in their promotional materials. You are not granting them the copyright to the image outside of their official promotional materials, however. In other words, you’re giving them the ability to use it how they want for themselves, you’re not giving up rights to the character altogether.
• Winners will be announced on May 11 and will be chosen by Thunderpunch Studios executives.

To avoid accusations of “he stole my design!”, we’re going to handle submissions like for a “Friday Night Fights” session.

• Instead of posting links to your character(s) here, you will need to email them directly to me (afdstudios@gmail.com), all in one single message. You can ZIP them up if you want or you can do them all as separate attachments, so long as I just get one email from you.
• Each file should have your HM user name and your character’s name so I know who’s who.
• A description would also be nice but isn’t mandatory.

Also, once you hit SEND, your submission is final. No takebacks or do-overs.

Good luck, everyone! I know you’ll do us all proud. If you have any questions, please speak up in the comments below and I’ll try my best to get them answered.

Edited To Add: DO NOT POST YOUR ENTRIES AS LINKS IN COMMENTS HERE! YOU MUST EMAIL THEM TO ME! Please, read the directions above, folks.