Monthly Archives: September 2012

Pop Quiz: Small Gods

Posted on September 29, 2012 by | Comments Off on Pop Quiz: Small Gods

Happy Saturday, folks! One of my favorite authors is Terry Pratchett, and one of my favorite books of his is "Small Gods". It's a comical fantasy that deals not with the powerful world-shattering deities, but your everyday ones like Moog the God of Hairballs or Fred the Lord of Lowered Zippers. Your one-day quick-fire challenge today is to create an awesome image showing your idea of a Small God.

This week you can enter as many as you wish, but I'm going to put you on the honor system and request that you only post images you make today (or tomorrow if I don't get to them until then). Most of the other rules are the same as for a regular challenge, but instead of a whole week I'll announce my favorites either tonight or tomorrow morning. Here's how to make an entry:


(Click to embiggen.)

I'll pick one entry as my personal favorite, which will get to be featured in the side bar to the right for ultimate glory! As a bonus you're allowed to say you won the Internet for a few days.

Good luck!

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Posted in Pop Quiz

The insults were so much simpler in the old day

Posted on September 29, 2012 by | Comments Off on The insults were so much simpler in the old day

(From "Lightning Comics" volume 2, number 2, 1941.)

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Posted in Daily Random Panel

End of the Sidekick

Posted on September 28, 2012 by | Comments Off on End of the Sidekick

End of the Sidekick

By: Andrew Hines

We've strayed into a strange new world, where Spidey has a sidekick of his own creation.  It's been a 3-issue arc involving a kid who is arguably the biggest douchebag in comics history.  At the very least, he's on par with Cyclops.  At the least, this arc shows how much Peter values the tenets of power and responsibility. On the other hand, it also shows why he should never, ever, ever have a sidekick. We may see Alpha in later years, if/when his powers return, but for now I'm happy that he's gone.

Dan Slott has done a great job of writing ASM for over a year and a half now. Since Spider-Island, he's shown the wall-crawler's even deeper faith in power and responsibility. The writing on this makes it quite interesting to see how Spidey and Alpha deal with each other and the drastic up-turn that Alpha's power has taken. It's a decent ending that doesn't completely write off Andy Maguire's ties into the super-hero world. As far as the Spider-Man stories have gone in the last year or so, however, this isn't exactly his greatest and it's far from his worst.

Humberto Ramos' art has never been my favorite.  Despite that, the art has a great look to it. Teaming up with Victor Olazaba and Edgar Delgado on inks and colors, has brought out the good in his artwork. The art team hit some high notes on this issue that they didn't really reach on the last two issues. While good, it wasn't enough to push the issue over the top.

The combination of decent writing and good art earned the issue a solid "B". What I can say is that I'll still keep picking up ASM, especially for the next several issues, due to the reappearance of a classic foe.

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Posted in Super-Hero Stuff

Open Critique Day #47

Posted on September 28, 2012 by | Comments Off on Open Critique Day #47

My full-time (non-HeroMachine) job might keep me from actually getting to these before this evening, but it's time for another Open Critique Day!

If you have a HeroMachine illustration or another piece of artwork you've done that you'd like some help with, post a link to it in comments along with your thoughts on it -- what you think is working, what you're struggling with, etc. I will post my critique of the piece, hopefully giving some tips on how to improve it.

Of course everyone is welcome to post their critiques as well, keeping in mind the following guidelines:

  • Make sure your criticism is constructive. Just saying "This sucks" is both rude and unhelpful without giving specific reasons why you think it sucks and, ideally, some advice on how to make it better.
  • Each person should only post one illustration for critique to make sure everyone who wants feedback has a chance.
  • I will not critique characters entered in any currently running contest, as that doesn't seem fair to the other entrants. You can still post it if you like for the other visitors to critique, but I will not do so.

That's it! Hopefully we can get some good interaction going here and help everyone (me included!) learn a little bit today.

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Posted in Open Critique Day

It's a thin line between super-hero and creeper

Posted on September 28, 2012 by | Comments Off on It's a thin line between super-hero and creeper

(From "Lightning Comics" volume 2, number 2, 1941.)

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Posted in Daily Random Panel

META: New forum topic

Posted on September 27, 2012 by | Comments Off on META: New forum topic

I just added a new sub forum called "How Do I ...?" that's meant to be a central location where people can go to get advice on how to create a given effect they want. For instance, I just got a question from someone on the best way to do stripes on a shirt, but I use the program so rarely I don't really have a good answer.

So if you ever get stuck on a design and aren't sure what to do, that's your new home. Hopefully you pros will poke your heads in from time to time to answer the questions there as well.

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Posted in Meta

You're Going To Die VII

Posted on September 27, 2012 by | Comments Off on You're Going To Die VII

In the interest of catching everyone up, I am going to reprint our entire adventure so far, but with only the bits where we live. Here goes! Next week I'll do one of just the ways we die.

Continue reading →

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Posted in RPG Corner, You're Going to Die

I've got my lipstick on and I'm ready for action!

Posted on September 27, 2012 by | Comments Off on I've got my lipstick on and I'm ready for action!

(From "Lightning Comics" volume 2, number 2, 1941.)

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Posted in Daily Random Panel

The eyes have it

Posted on September 26, 2012 by | Comments Off on The eyes have it

We all know Batman has gone through some pretty weird stuff throughout his history. From fat guys dressed as penguins to Bat-Dogs and a pre-pubescent orphan boy in scaly underoos, the guy runs into more than his fair share of absurdities. For instance, I give you the Ten-Eyed Man:

My favorite part of the character concept is this:

A brilliant doctor named Dr. Engstrom reconnected his optic nerves to his fingertips, enabling him to see through them.

That's right. In Gotham City, they can't actually make you see through your eyes, but they can make you see through your fingertips. Let's pause for a second to imagine all the problems with a setup like this. No, not that dirty. No, not that dirty, either.

OK, class, let's take a step back and just go with eating. How the hell do you eat when all you can "see" is the greasy burger wrapper and salty fries you're gripping in your eyeball-tipped fingers? And let's not even get into picking your nose. Or what happens when you try to punch someone and suddenly you can't see because your eyeballs are tucked into fists.

Maybe that's the reason for the disturbing Line of Eyes marching down his torso, leading you down between the pecs, to the washboard abs, down just over the belt and HOLY MOTHER OF GOD THERE'S AN EYEBALL STARING AT ME FROM HIS CROTCH!!

Your clothes say something about you, folks, and what this eye design says is "Creeper". Back away slowly, call the police, and for the love of all that's holy, do not shake hands!

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Posted in Bad Super Costumes

Going through that door would only slow you down, good call.

Posted on September 26, 2012 by | Comments Off on Going through that door would only slow you down, good call.

(From "Lightning Comics" volume 2, number 2, 1941.)

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Posted in Daily Random Panel