Author Archives: AFDStudios

SOD.202 – Invisible Woman 3

Apparently I am on an invisible kick today. This one I was going for something much more feminine and fun, rather than militaristic and "Reed Richards' cast-off PJs".

I think this also catches me up from my missed days this week so I am back on schedule with the sketches of the day. Phew!

SOD.201 – Invisible Woman 2

Another attempt at a redo of Sue Storm's Fantastic Four outfit. I wanted to go a little more traditional with this one.

(Invisible Woman is ©Marvel Comics, Inc.)

SOD.200 — Invisible Woman

Sue Storm has always sort of been an afterthought in terms of costume design, an unfortunate (and possibly unavoidable) byproduct of being only 25% of the vote on an otherwise male team. I can imagine the design meetings as one session of her getting overruled after another. "Sue, come on, you're invisible most of the time, who cares if you look like you're in an awkwardly tailored set of man's pajamas?!"

Anyway, I took a stab at a makeover for her. I added some technical goodies, figuring she'd need a good way to stay in touch with the team while she's scouting out the enemy formations. And while she's back there she might as well take some readings, shoot some guards, etc.

(Invisible Woman is © Marvel Comics, Inc.)

Open Critique Day

Someone mentioned that we haven't had an "Open Critique Day" in quite a while, so here you go.

Feel free to post a link to a HeroMachine character (or even just a drawing you've done) that you would like to get a constructive critique about in the comments to this post. Please limit it to one such image per person. I'll do my best to make remarks about each one regarding where it works and where it maybe falls a little short.

The other commenters here should feel free to make their own observations on each one as well, but I do ask that you make your critiques constructive -- don't just say "This sucks", say why specifically you think it isn't working, and if possible how it might be improved. At the end of the day it's not the critic's job to actually figure out how to fix something, but it is the critic's job to make coherent, specific, and constructive observations about a piece's strengths and weaknesses.

I look forward to hopefully helping you out with any illustration you're having trouble getting to the place where you would like it to be.

RP: The unforunate intersection of history pedantry and adventure

(From "Prize Comics" number 1, 1940.)

The Swiss are calling, they want their clothes back

Marvel has had some "interesting" costume models over the years, but had you told me they could combine the likes of the Shoney's Big Boy:

With German lederhosen:

By way of a super-powered S&M fetish and a glowing, creepy, vaguely obscene mouth-hole in order to give us this:

I'd have said the only thing that's a Living Monolith to is Bad Fashion. Youch!

(Image and character ©Marvel Comics.)

Mech Edition canceled

I just got word that the HeroMachine Mech Edition project has been canceled. I didn't have a ton of art in it, but what I have will transfer to HM3 where possible. Apologies to all, I am disappointed we won't get to see it come to fruition.

Captain America poster

OK, via the corporate overlords at UGO, this is cool:

If the purpose of promotional posters like this is to give you a raging geek-on, I judge this one a success.

RP: From the department of hapless redundancy department

(From "Prize Comics" Number 1, 1940.)

Friday Night Fights grand prize

Kaldath and I have finally finished his prize for the overall Friday Night Fights win:

To make it official, this is the LAST multi-character prize I will do for anyone, in the unlikely event I start doing character portraits as prizes again. No knock on Kaldath, who as always was a pleasure to work with, but it's way, way too much work.

Anyway, I think it came out well in the end. Thanks to him for being so patient.