The future of fashion is not pretty

Apparently in the future everyone dresses exactly as you'd expect hyper-intelligent, bored, lazy, passive nerds to:

knodar

I get that this poor schlub is from a future with no criminals, but surely he had a video of one, or a photo, or a drawing, or a description of a photo of a drawing. Something, anything, to give him a clue that his outfit is incredibly lame.

First of all, a unitard is hard to pull off for anyone, and granted, I'd kill for a set of pajamas with the footsies already built in. But not boots. You don't mix footsie PJs and boots, that ought to be a criminal offense right there.

Second, if your name is Knodar, you don't put "P" all over your uniform, ok? Work with me here. Even if you're going for a prison-fetish look, like he is, it's confusing to have a letter on your outfit that doesn't appear anywhere in your name.

Third, lose the hat. A hat and a mask and a popped collar move you well beyond "cool pulp character" and into "fashion disaster".

Finally, you're from the incredibly advanced future, and the best weapon you could come up with is an electric spatula? Really? I'm starting to think the other future citizens "helped" Knodar figure out how to "escape" to the past, just to get rid of this Loser for the Ages.

(Character and image © DC Comics, Inc.)

HM3: Backgrounds and gradients

I've just uploaded the first set of Background items, "Shapes", to the HeroMachine 3 Alpha. I've included 21 different backgrounds for you in this set, which is a lot more than the first 2.x Background-Standard group, including your basic rectangles, circles, triangles, Union Jack, concentric target circles, a yin yang symbol, etc.

In addition, the basic program now has six more "Pattern" options, to allow you to apply basic dark-to-light gradients from either the top, bottom, left, or right, as well as one goes from the center out and one that's in a circle. They're not perfect, but they do let you do some things you couldn't before.

You might also play around with using this big giant Background Shapes to create some funky uniform elements, as well. Just move the Background item to the front using the "To Top Layer" button in the Transform tab. Hit the Mask button, and click on the basic Body. This works particularly well with the Background Shapes that have gradients built in, especially if you set both of its colors to 0% Alpha -- it removes the colors so the underlying Body can show through, but leaves the gradient, so you get a cool effect.

Enjoy!

Calling all stylists

I'm going to start on hairstyles for HeroMachine 3 later today, but as you all have seen, I'm not great with hair. Probably a result of having been bald since I was seventeen, more or less. Anyway, if you have particular styles you want, or sites that feature the same, by all means let me know in comments.

Thanks in advance!

Random Panel: Hostile encounters heavy with subtext

wonder-comics-8-1946-subtext

(From "Wonder Comics" number 8, 1946.)

HM3: More blades

I've just uploaded "BladesTwo" to the HeroMachine 3 Alpha. This should do it for the blades, let me know if I missed anything big. I do still plan on the naginata (the samurai blade at the end of a pole), but in polearms.

What would you like me to work on next? I'm thinking either Hair or Insignia but holler if you think something else ought to have priority.

Character Contest 1: Capstan

I'm going to try something a bit different this week, and challenge you to come up with the best character portrait for someone named "Capstan". Whoever comes up with the best design (as judged by me) will win inclusion in a new "Hall of Fame" category on HeroMachine.com, which will feature each winning character in their own post, along with credit to you, a link to a web page of your choice (assuming it's clean!), and if you like, a brief history or story about the character. You'll also get to pick one item to be included in HeroMachine 3.

You can use any HeroMachine version you like, from Shakti to the Horror Edition to HeroMachine 3 Alpha, or whatever you like. To enter, make a comment to this post with a link to where your character can be seen online. If you don't have web hosting space, I recommend using the UGO HeroMachine Forums, where I've made a topic for this contest (registration required to post images). Or you can put it on Flickr, Photobucket, Facebook (make sure it's a public album), etc. So long as people can view the image without having to register or be on some kind of authorization list, I don't care where you put it. Just make sure you put the link to it in the comments to this post, or it won't count.

So, a quick review of the rules:

  1. Best costume design for a character named "Capstan" wins an entry in the Hall of Fame, as well as the ability to choose an item for inclusion in HeroMachine 3.
  2. All entries must be left as a link to an image in the comments to this post.
  3. You can use any HeroMachine version you like, but only HeroMachine versions -- no Marvel Creator or Her-O-Matic or whatnot.
  4. Enter as often as you like. If you have a description/history for the character, leave it in the same comment as the link please.
  5. Contest ends next Tuesday, winner to be chosen by Jeff Hebert.

Good luck everyone!

Caption Contest 55 Winner

I am happy to announce that the winner of Caption Contest 55 is ... Hakoon!

contest-55-winner

The other Honorable Mentions were:

  • D: No! It’s my word! I had it first!
  • Merrick: Seriously … the blue pill?
  • Jonny Demon: Honk,honk!
  • The Imp: I won’t let it get weird, mama…
  • Bael: Badger? I don’ need no stinkin’ badger!
  • Xstacy: Then he says, “We call it the Aristocrats!” and King Peter struck him dead. Just absolutely smote him!

For submitting the winning entry, Hakoon wins either his choice of up to three related items to be included in HeroMachine 3, or an illustration of his face, also for inclusion with the program.

Thanks to everyone for entering!

Random Panel: Confusing moments in gender relations

wonder-comics-8-1946-dlcks

(From "Wonder Comics" number 8, 1946.)

Poll Position: Those marvelous toys

This week's Poll Position is all about the gear:

{democracy:79}

Discussion after the jump.

Continue reading

Random Panel: It's good to have goals

wonder-comics-8-1946-ramming

(From "Wonder Comics" number 8, 1946.)