Open Critique Day #30

Posted on December 16, 2011 by | Comments Off on Open Critique Day #30

Folks, 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 rules:

  • 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

Pre-Internet LOLCats

Posted on December 16, 2011 by | Comments Off on Pre-Internet LOLCats

(From "The Green Mask" volume 2, number 1, 1945.)

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Posted in Daily Random Panel

META: A reminder to back up your stuff

Posted on December 15, 2011 by | Comments Off on META: A reminder to back up your stuff

Folks, this is just a friendly reminder that the beginning of a new year is a great opportunity for you to protect your valuable creativity. In this case, you can do that by downloading any characters you have on the UGO Forums to your local hard drive for safe-keeping. We've had a couple of scares in the past with those boards in danger of going bye-bye, so it's only prudent to take steps to safeguard your characters. The end of a year is the time to be thinking of that kind of thing.

On a related note, you should also take the time if you have it to make both text and image backups of your HeroMachine 3 characters. The change the browser companies made earlier in the year to start wiping out Flash cookies by default was a good lesson that it definitely pays to be safe rather than sorry. So if you haven't been doing it before, load up the text strings of your favorite characters and paste them into Notepad or something just in case. Doing an image export is also a sound idea.

Create safely so you can safely create!

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Posted in Meta

College Admissions

Posted on December 15, 2011 by | Comments Off on College Admissions

When last we left our Highway Holocaust warrior, we were debating whether or not to explore the local college grounds looking for inebriated college students survival gear. Thus we clench our kegger close and:

Now look, I'm not waiting another week just to decide whether or not to keep doing what we already decided we were going to do. The results of that last poll were so lopsided, I'm going to take it as a mandate to forge ahead and keep exploring.

How the heck did these previous looters overlook "a large wooden crate"? I mean, put yourself in the mindset of a looter. Not an intrepid explorer trying to preserve civilization, as in our case, of course, there's a huuuuge difference, but one of those people who trespass on property not belonging to them looking for stuff to take. See? Not the same thing at all.

Anyway, look, you're a feckless looter wandering around the grounds, smashing and taking whatever catches your fancy. You see a big wooden crate, the kind used to store valuables, and you just go "Meh"? I think not. The door I can understand, it's big and steel and might take tools to get past. But a crate of wood? If this is the level of accomplishment achieved by the typical post-Apocalyptic looter in Texas, I weep for our future.

So what's it going to be, boys and girls?!

[polldaddy poll="5763739"]

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Posted in Freeway Warrior: Highway Holocaust, RPG Corner

Phrases you never want to hear from a guy in tights

Posted on December 15, 2011 by | Comments Off on Phrases you never want to hear from a guy in tights

(From "The Green Mask" number 10, 1944.)

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Posted in Daily Random Panel

Goldbug, yo!

Posted on December 14, 2011 by | Comments Off on Goldbug, yo!

Goldbug had a problem. He enjoyed running around town in his gangland bandana, but he also wanted to be a super villain. His brilliant solution proved he belonged in the upper echelons of crime -- fashion crime, that is:

The integrated bandana look lets him retain his street cred while still allowing him to wear spandex. Not an easy achievement, believe me.

Even better, this sartorial revolution led to another great innovation, namely patterning your chest to look like you're armored, even if you can't afford armor! It's brilliant. Imagine the intrepid heroic adventurer facing Goldbug for the first time. Assuming he or she can get over their immediate fear of the bandana -- "Will his Crip or Blood mates be jumping me if I stop him?!" -- they still might hesitate wondering if their blows will have any effect against his awesome red-and-gold, "No, it's not an Iron Man ripoff" faux body armor.

The squiggly lines in the arms and calves further serve to confuse the enemy. Is he some sort of gold-meister, or is that lava? Do I wear my asbestos underwear or do I need to rush off and double the guard at Fort Knox? That kind of hesitation can kill you in a super battle if you're not careful.

And so we salute you, Goldbug, and your combination Firestar/Spider-Man Eyes/Iron Man Armor homage. Peace out!

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Posted in Bad Super Costumes

All it takes to become a super-hero is to get aroused?!

Posted on December 14, 2011 by | Comments Off on All it takes to become a super-hero is to get aroused?!

(From "The Green Mask" number 12, 1944.)

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Posted in Daily Random Panel

Aliens vs. Sith. Who wins?

Posted on December 13, 2011 by | Comments Off on Aliens vs. Sith. Who wins?

Two primal, dark forces pitted against each other in an epic battle to the death! Who do you choose?

{democracy:212}

First, if we're talking a head-to-head matchup between one alien and one Sith fighter, I'd go Sith. The Force tricks, the speed, the intelligence, the fact that Sigourney Weaver beat one, all make me lean that way.

But the real power of the Aliens is when they swarm. So if we're talking about an Alien invasion of the Vader-era Empire, that gets a lot more interesting. Take the Death Star -- that thing has ducts and little hidden corridors all over the place. The Stormtroopers would, obviously, be meat. But then you've got a few Force-adepts running around, who can more than hold their own against some. But a whole ship full of gape-jawed, razor-taloned killers genetically designed to be the ultimate hunt object? I'd pay to see that!

Which would you choose in those scenarios?

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Posted in Versus

This one time, at super-hero band camp …

Posted on December 13, 2011 by | Comments Off on This one time, at super-hero band camp …

(From "The Green Mask" number 10, 1944.)

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Posted in Daily Random Panel

Caption Contest 113: Aerial Super-Dickery

Posted on December 12, 2011 by | Comments Off on Caption Contest 113: Aerial Super-Dickery

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 week we have a cap of no more than five (5) entries per person, so make 'em your best!

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Posted in Caption Challenges, Challenges