Character Design Contest ♯83- Modern Age

Ok guys, we're going to skip over the Bronze Age this week and go straight into the Modern Age of comics. This means you've got a bit more leeway on your character design, as this period covers the 80's, 90's and the 21st century, so hopefully you'll find something inspiring amongst those three.

As per usual, no limits on entries this week and the contest will close at midnight Saturday (blog time). The winner gets to claim a custom made item from dblade to be put into heromachine, so long as the item conforms to his prize rules, which you can find here: http://www.heromachine.com/forum/the-heromachine-art-gallery/dblades-whiz-bang-item-dispenser/. Please read the contest rules before entering, have fun and good luck.

Rules for posts, contests, and challenges that I am hosting: Original characters only, no copyrighted characters, no characters based on copyrighted characters, no characters based on RPG’s or other games. The characters must be your own design and not based on any character that might be copyrighted in any way. I have the right to delete any post that I believe crosses this line without warnings. Only post characters that you have either created for this contest specifically or you know for certain have never been entered to a contest before. If you aren’t certain, don’t enter it, because I’m not going to go back through all of the contests and check.

About JR19759

Email: jr19759@hotmail.co.uk Twitter: @jr19759 Deviantart: JR19759 Deviantart HM Group: Heromachine-Art

40 Responses to Character Design Contest ♯83- Modern Age

  1. Shashwat Mishra says:

    can i make the team of super man, batman, wonder woman, green arrow, flash ?

  2. JR19759 says:

    @Shashwat Mishra- No, the rules make it very clear; no copyrighted characters.

  3. Gonmagor says:

    2.5b7*m1*Gonmagor*Hair:Standard,fraBlank,F6B652,070707,100,100,22,Eyebrows:Standard,eyebrows4,FF00FF,6C4D9B,100,100,20,Eyes:Standard,round,FFFF00,FFFFFF,100,100,19,Nose:Standard,fraBlank,FFD08C,CFCFCF,100,100,25,Mouth:Standard,line2,CEA66B,cccc99,100,100,17,Beard:Standard,fraBlank,9C9C9C,FFF701,100,100,24,Ears:Standard,fraBlank,5A3410,005572,100,100,18,Skin:Standard,wounded,CEA66B,CEA66B,100,100,6,Mask:Standard,studdedcowl,202020,000000,100,100,21,Headgear:Standard,cowl,000000,202020,100,100,28,Undershirt:Standard,dressshirt,202020,070707,100,100,7,Overshirt:Standard,star,434343,050400,100,97,8,Coat:Standard,roman,181818,202020,100,100,23,RightGlove:Standard,blox,313131,000000,100,100,16,LeftGlove:Standard,fin,6A0108,CEA66B,100,100,15,Insignia:Standard,badge,727272,4B4B4B,100,100,31,Neckwear:Standard,fraBlank,434343,000000,100,100,26,Belt:Standard,fraBlank,E86517,a2a073,100,100,14,Leggings:Standard,wrap,000000,000000,100,100,9,Overleggings:Standard,sidepanels,4B4B4B,202020,100,100,10,Pants:Standard,coverall,000000,202020,100,100,13,RightFoot:Standard,jackboot,202020,000000,100,100,12,LeftFoot:Standard,forester,202020,070707,100,100,11,Back:Standard,neckcape,070707,070707,100,100,4,Wings:Standard,fraBlank,006D6A,94ABD7,100,100,3,Tail:Standard,fraBlank,014D49,181818,100,100,5,Aura:Standard,fraBlank,6C4D9B,00769C,100,100,2,Companion:Standard,fraBlank,AC814A,EE9F00,100,100,30,Background:Standard,diamond,181818,070707,100,100,1,RightHand:Standard,longsub,727272,727272,100,100,29,LeftHand:Standard,roundshield,000000,313131,100,100,27,#

    sorry, that’s only the code, but check it out, if you’re interested in a nice character created with the free version 🙂

  4. JR19759 says:

    @Gonmagor- A) The code doesn’t work and B) you have to enter in the normal way (a link to the image on an image hosting site posted in the comment) otherwise the entry doesn’t count.

  5. Skybandit says:

    I haven’t bought a comic since Chris Claremont stopped writing X-Men, so this is my best guess of what “Modern” comics are…

    http://images116.fotki.com/v108/photos/9/3278209/13009693/SkybanditModernAge-vi.png

  6. KSW says:

    Can WE make Villians?

  7. WillyPete says:

    Nope, Skybandit! Modern comics are mostly a lot like when Claremont was writing, only drawn by 5-year olds who forgot to take their mittens off before picking up the cheap, lead-based, Chinese-made crayons they’ve been sucking on… 😉 {Who, me? Opinionated? What gives you THAT idea?}

  8. Lordgrimm01 says:

    @Gonmagor Not meaning to tread on JR19759’s virtual toes but the free HM3 can Export pictures so there isn’t an excuse and the pix hosting site are free.

  9. Vampyrist says:

    Doc Starr is caught in a warzone. Ships fall from the orange sky, blazing green fire in the planet’s alien atmosphere. Soldiers move towards him in the rear, evading the descending death. Doc Starr does what he always does, march on.
    http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/203/3/5/starrwar_by_vampyrist1042-d7rvm6p.png

  10. JR19759 says:

    @KSW- Yes
    @WillyPete- Come on, not all modern comics are that bad. Ok the 90’s were a bit of a blot, but we’re also talking about the late 80’s here, which gave us The Watchmen, V For Vendetta, The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On A Serious Earth and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series, none of which can really be described by the words you used. And whilst it’s debatable whether story-writing has improved since the 90’s (some of the ideas certainly haven’t), you have to admit the art has. The new digital colouring techniques allow for more depth in colour and shading, giving a more realistic and dynamic look, which I’d say is important when you’re trying to draw a reader in. Shame that this art is usually accompanied by some rubbish like The Superior Spider-Man.

  11. William Peterson says:

    JR, what you’re talking about is the Bronze Age, which we’re skipping this time around. And, yes, I’ve seen some pretty good work come out of the Independents… But, when I go into the Comic Shops TODAY, what I see is characters that are literally unrecognizable!
    Sure, the technical sophistication of the printing machinery is vastly superior (THAT has been true since the 80s, so is nothing new, or unique to ‘Modern Era’ comics), and the quality of the paper (which is also a LOT more expensive!) is far better than in the newsprint days (which ALSO went away in the 80s)… But, I’ve had to stop going in to Comic Shops, because the art is SO bad, just looking at the covers destroys a little bit of my childhood! The techniques might be available to today’s artists, but the actual output can be improved by hiring a 12 year old fanboy, and turning him loose with the HeroMachine! This stuff isn’t just ‘poor’, it is “Please, rip my eyes out of their sockets NOW!” AWFUL!!! Would that it were otherwise, but take an honest look at what’s on the shelves…
    Would you buy more than 3% of the comics on the shelf, based on the cover art alone?

  12. JR19759 says:

    @WillyPete- Technically I’m defining the Modern Age as “Post-Crisis” so after Crisis On Infinite Earths (i.e. The first event crossover, because event crossovers define modern comics), so that’s 1985. I can’t say I really remember many comics covers of any era. I can remember panels because that’s what I pay the most attention to, but covers not so much. Either way, it’s a matter of taste. I was born in the early 90’s, so I started getting into comics around the turn of the millennium, so I’ve grown up with the modern art. I don’t mind the silver/ bronze age arts, but I’m more used to the modern art (except for a few artists in the 90’s, no need to mention names). I might do a BQ on it tomorrow, it’ll be interesting to see other peoples opinions.

  13. Qiana says:

    http://qcficke.deviantart.com/art/Undo-1-470152406?ga_submit_new=10%253A1406126020

    Phoenix. A fire manipulating, self healing alien from the planet Orz’nak. Image can be clicked to enlarge.

  14. Funkmachine says:

    So the dark age of comic book, when “Youngblood’s Disease” ran unchecked deforming dozens young women with breasts the size of basketballs, and men with more muscles than an olympic weight lifting team.

    Here DeathShatter
    http://i61.tinypic.com/34dprae.jpg

  15. Blue Blazer says:

    Tried to capture the essence of the early 90’s EXTREME movement.

    http://www.heromachine.com/wp-content/legacy/forum-image-uploads/blue-blazer/2014/07/xpatriot-HM3.PNG

  16. skybandit says:

    Define the “Ages” of Comics, I defy you. Everyone agrees that the Golden Age began with Action comics #1, but nobody agrees when it ended or when the silver age began. I think these things should be measured by the Comic Code Authority. Hence, the Golden Age ends in 1954, when the CCA is introduced to prevent government censorship, which essentially murders all horror comics. The Silver age ends when the Code is modified in 1971 to allow “classical” monsters, like Frankenstein and Dracula. The Bronze Age lasts until 1989, when the Code is modified again to allow open homosexuality, and the Copper Age ends in 2009. when the Comics Code Authority is finally abandoned altogether. That makes the “Modern” Age the Iron Age, and as comics keep porting to the ‘net, may just be the final Age of comics. Just my 2 cents… or $5 with inflation!

  17. JR19759 says:

    @Skybandit- That works I suppose. Technically though, the last comics publisher dropped the code in 2012 (Archie Comics I do believe so I don’t know if that counts for what we’re talking about here). I prefer to go by in-comic events, so the Golden Age is Action Comics 1 as you say, Silver Age starts with DC Showcase 4 in October 1956 with the first appearance of Barry Allen’s Flash, Bronze Age starts with Gwen Stacy’s death in The Amazing Spider-Man 121 June 1972 and the Modern Age (or the Cross-over Age) would start with issue 1 of Crisis On Infinite Earths in April of 1985, because it’s almost in 15 year blocks. But as you say, there’s no definition of when the Ages of comics start or end.

  18. skybandit says:

    I don’t care what you say, JR, this is the Iron Age! 🙂

    http://images51.fotki.com/v102/photos/9/3278209/13009693/SkybanditModernAge2-vi.png

    There! That proves it!

  19. WillyPete says:

    JR, that’s a problem, since what you’re talking about is long gone, not current…
    As I mentioned, we’re skipping the Bronze Age, which is mostly post Crisis, and certainly ends prior to Flashpoint…
    So, yes, I liked that era, but that’s not the “Modern Era”…
    If you haven’t looked at a comic since 1985, about all I can say is… Good! You’ll be much happier that way! 😉

  20. KSW says:

    Yo , Vectorman love your blaze nice work

  21. MaDPac says:

    In NO MAN’S LAND, when the peace officers need help, the call for BACKUP.

  22. MaDPac says:

    In NO MAN’S LAND, when the peace officers need help, the call for BACKUP.

    http://www.heromachine.com/wp-content/legacy/forum-image-uploads/madpac/2014/07/Madpac-BackUp.png

  23. italian tales says:

    Padre Ruggeri (also called PADRE ESP) è un prete dotato di incredibili poteri psichici.
    Egli crede che le mutazioni siano un dono di Dio e converte tre giovani alla sua causa (MATER NINJA, OPUS DEI e ESPEDITO) fondando LA CONFRATERNITA DEI MUTANTI CRISTIANI e combattendo le forze del male.
    A loro si aggiunge il misterioso FRA DIAVOLO che sembra apparentemente immortale…

    http://s1344.photobucket.com/user/italiantales/media/confraternitadeimutanticristiani_zps0d97d61a.jpg.html

  24. Shashwat Mishra says:

    this is my comic book ‘TECH NINJA’-
    file:///C:/Users/om/Desktop/comic%20book%20tech%20ninja.jpg

  25. Shashwat Mishra says:

    oh sorry that link will not work so here is my image
    http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/shashwat5703/media/comicbooktechninja_zps33480d77.jpg.html

  26. Cliff says:

    OK
    I didn’t think I was going to have time to do any for this week’s challenge.

    I admit I was disappointed we didn’t do Bronze Age as I had set Shooting Star’s comic history for that one.

    But here are my two takes on comics of the time for Modern.

    Shooting Star: Year One
    http://i795.photobucket.com/albums/yy240/Cliff_HM3/Cliff_ShootingStar_YerOne001_zpsfd18982f.jpg

    Shooting Star: The Star Hunters
    http://i795.photobucket.com/albums/yy240/Cliff_HM3/Cliff_ShootingStar_StarHunters001_zps397a7433.jpg

  27. JR19759 says:

    OK guys, this weeks contest is now closed. The poll will be up shortly.