Yearly Archives: 2011

The Super Hero Motto

(From "Mystery Comics" number 2, 1944.)

Power User Profile: X-Stacy!

I think X-Stacy is one of the first active commenters on the HeroMachine blog who I actually recognized and look forward to hearing from. Her comments are always intelligent, well written, and entertaining, the kind of digital guest every host wishes would be more common.

Plus, she has the coolest collection of action figures I've ever even heard of set up in her house.

I thought it would be fun to find out more about this witty, erudite person, so it is with great pleasure I give you the woman herself!

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Probably because of his hair

(From "Superboy and the Ravers" number 7, ©1997 DC Comics, via Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin.)

Open Critique Day #19

It's time once again 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.

Jack Kirby is second only to Neal Adams in geological expertise

(Via Comically Vintage. For more info on what the headline means, check this out.)

To pilfer or pursue

Our little Lone Wolf Cub was last seen facing a wall of smoke issuing from the belowdecks hatch of his very flammable ocean-going vessel. Faced with the decision to run to the nearest Daddy Figure for help or to charge into the very teeth of danger, you can guess which way we went:

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2011 HeroMachine Creators Club “Wanted” Poster

Hammerknight has absolutely knocked it out of the park with the 2011 HeroMachine Creators Club "Wanted" Poster. This thing is a real beauty, featuring some of the most prolific and talented creators who inhabit these here parts, each one done in an Old West "Wanted Poster" style. It's just great, and I can't thank Hammerknight enough for putting it together. Printed, it's 24"x36". Here's the web-sized version, with links to the big one and various smaller sizes after that so you can use it as wallpaper if you like.

Again, just a fantastic job, Hammerknight, thank you so much for putting this together. It's awesome!

Here are the links to the various sizes. Just right-click on the thumbnail and choose "Save Link As", or you can click on the link directly to be taken to the image itself, whereupon you can use the File Save option in your browser.

Battle prattle FAIL

(From "Mystery Comics" number 1, 1944. I thought I invented the term "Battle Prattle" to describe that witty Batman and Robin style repartee as they beat the snot out of bad guys, but apparently not. Feh.)

Birthday suits

Because today is my birthday, I am going to take a bit of a departure from the usual "Bad Super Costume Wednesday" tradition of mocking a specific character. Instead, I give you this brief glimpse into the fashion horror that would result if actual men ran around in actual tights, which are the next best thing to their Birthday Suits.

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Screw Arthur C. Clarke, COMICS predicted TWITTERING!

(From "Mystery Comics" number 1, 1944.)