Yearly Archives: 2011

SOD.231

The only way to defeat the Inanimate Army is to … step slightly away

Power User Profile: Ian T. Healy

When I first thought up the "Power User Profile" idea, I envisioned a way for us all to find out more about the people who we see posting on this and the UGO Forums routinely. Over time it's turned more into "People who make kick-ass images using HeroMachine", but that's not what I really intended.

This week, for instance, I wanted to highlight Ian T. Healy, a really interesting guy who has been a HeroMachine user almost since the beginning. He's a gifted writer of super-hero novels (which was just picked up by a publisher!), and has used the program in the past to help visualize his characters and keep their descriptions consistent. He creates good visuals with the app, but is not as prolific or out-of-the-box as previous Power Users. Regardless, he very much fits the definition of an active, interesting, creative HeroMachine user, and I'm extremely glad he's part of the community here.

Without further ado, therefore, I give you Mr. Healy!
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Fantoman’s cruise of the British Isles did not go well

SOD.230

Superman in the style of Max Fleischer by way of Chris Samnee, Steve Rude, et. al. Still trying to figure out that whole style.

(Of course, the character of Superman and associated logos are © DC Comics, Inc.)

Open Critique Day #18

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.

The anti-British bigotry of “The Glass Fist”

SOD.229

Lone Wolf Wins! Lone Wolf Wins! Theeeeeeeeeee Lone Wolf Wins!

In a landslide, 100% of you have decided to take our Lone Wolf from mouse to man and kick the Brawl Brothers in their well-protected groins. Whipping our spear out from ... now that I think of it, where does the well-heeled warrior stash a six-foot length of metal-tipped death when sauntering about town?

Anyway. Whipping our spear out from its undisclosed location, we launch ourselves into bloody combat. With a +7 combat skill differential, this ought to be a cakewalk. Twirling my pencil confidently, I close my eyes and stab the "Random Number Table" and get ... a one. Suddenly I'm flashing back to my D&D days, when people from hundreds of miles away would come to me when they needed a blown dice roll. I was a legend.

That means we inflict seven points of damage to the Trouble Triplets, but take a savage backslash ourselves for four points. Ouch!

The next round goes better as I "point" a seven, meaning we completely avoid danger while inflicting fourteen in return. By my math that kills two of the blighters, leaving only Captain Stripy Drawers. Third time pays for all as I earn a six, gutting him for twelve points while taking a paltry one.

We are triumphant! It was a bit of a costly battle, losing us five total precious hit points, but we have finally washed the stink of cowardice from our karmic reputation. Also, we'll probably never be welcome in this particular tavern again, but such is the cost of victory. Maybe we can convince the mice that the time has come to overthrow their evil human overlords and start running the place themselves.

Regardless, I eagerly await the impassioned embrace of the lusty and grateful tavern wench as our reward!

Feh. Never a lusty tavern wench around when one is required. I hope we at least took the striped codpiece as both a souvenir and fashion accessory, because that thing is awesome.

So what now, intrepid adventurers? Head on out to our rendezvous, or try to play Columbo and track down the killer?

[polldaddy poll="5065202"]

Nobody messes with the mouse, Goofy

When last we left our Lone Wolf cub, we were deciding how best to impress the locals. We settled on the Mickey Mouse approach:

Good to know that if this whole "Cowering Adventurer" schtick doesn't work out, we have a future in the flea circus. "Step right up, folks, and see the amazing Mouse Tamer!" I wonder where we can get a tiny chair and whip ...

Anyway, no good deed goes unpunished, as we soon see:

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