Ages ago, in the mists of time when Jeff still did all of the blog posts, there was this thing called Power User Profiles. The idea was to highlight certain members of the Heromachine community who make a big contribution to the community. I always loved this topic on the blog, so I thought I'd bring it back for a few 'machiners who I think really deserve the title Power Users. This week, a very unique creator who has a definite style to all his pictures and certainly to his comments. So please welcome, Herr D.
Online name used in HeroMachine environs: Herr D--
What is the secret origin of that name: Well, as I was emerging from the depths one day, a child called me Mr. D in her native tongue. . . . I kind of like it.
A photo (or drawing) of you in “real life”: . . . Not at this time--someday?
Real name: Call me Dean? Well. No. Call me Herr D! I like it better.
Real city/state/country: Northern Virginia near D.C., eastern seaboard of U.S.A., to the west of the Atlantic.
Real job: Until very recently, and possibly again soon, I spent nights working for federal contractors. Not supposed to say much more. (But that doesn’t mean anything--janitors and cafeteria workers sometimes can’t say that‘s what they are. Don‘t assume glory where there‘s only secrecy.) During days I watch my young ones.
Real age: I’m 44, some months, and a standard galactic week.
Gender: Male. But don't worry, I wear black NON-professionally. I'm a MIK! Male in khaki.
Relationship status (married, single, in a long-term relationship, dating someone, “it’s complicated”, etc): I’m married, harried, and not vary varied. Heh heh.
Online archive of your creations: None of mine are quite complete without their captions. The ‘originals’ are in photobucket under jamais5--but I encourage you to look here: http://www.heromachine.com/forum/the-heromachine-art-gallery/herr-ds-cfls/
The best piece of HeroMachine art you’ve created: I’m not sure--between post 37 and 38. The Aelihoh 'snapshots.'
Favorite all-time geeky movie if any: Rrrr. There are just so many? MIB or Highlander--both of them "should have been only one."
Favorite all-time geeky book if any: Hitchhiker’s Guide--I felt like I knew D. Adams personally on reading it. It was just so, well, REAL somehow.
Favorite all-time geeky TV show if any: I am DEFINITELY not up-to-date. It was Firefly, which got cancelled too soon. Then it was Fringe, which may have been cancelled too late. I’m not caught up on that yet. The cipher at each commercial break was another layer of fun. Netflix is very helpful to night workers.
Favorite all-time comic book character if any: Does Hobbes count? He wore a cape a few times.
If you could have one super-heroic power in real life, you’d choose: Well, no one can OWN Ameri--oh--you mean---ahem. Kaylin and I made one up called ‘Rebranch.’ It’s where you pause your life, back up as far as you want, and relive it, redirect your mistakes, or relive it and SIMULTANEOUSLY do something else with the same amount of time. Depicting that in a comic strip is a challenge I’m not yet ready for.
In your leisure time you like to: [5 seconds of hysterical laughter] I, uh, steal some time for hm3 when I can. I watch a movie or some TV with the wife when the kids are quiet enough for me to hear the explosions. (Mostly Disney films for the kids.) With my schedule, if I sit still and do nothing for too long, I sleep.
Character design turn-ons (things you love to see that make for a good design): I love to be surprised. Unconventional uses of items, unusual treatment of subject matter, new poses, alternate anatomies, or outright jokes. The few things that really surprise me I forgive flaws in easier. I also love genuinely finished comics. I’ve done some, and I’ve noticed very few other people do them.
Character design turn-offs (things you hate to see that make for a bad design): Turn offs? Ruts. You make only caped wonders? Make a monster. You make only villains? Make a cute little kid. You have thirty character pictures and no background? It’s time to turn the screen purple. Or SOMETHING. Reach out and grow a new tentacle, people!
Best tip for a HeroMachine newbie: Pick any item you haven’t used in your first pix and change every trait it has one at a time, restoring it between. Try every function twice before trying to memorize the items. Make ‘study’ pix. Experiment more than you think you need to.
Any personal message you’d like to share with the HeroMachine community about Geek Life: IT’S ALL GEEK TO ME! Sorry. Actually, thinking of what I saw in colleges, the major difference between ‘geek life’ and ‘greek life’ was that for geeks, fewer outsiders would ever understand the in-jokes, even the tasteless ones. Nah. The only thing I have to say is “Mice at the ready? Get back to it, folks!”
