Category Archives: Cool Characters

Neat characters submitted by HeroMachine fans.

Character Of The Week- 3rd August

Posted on August 3, 2013 by | Comments Off on Character Of The Week- 3rd August

Finally, for the first time since the second Character of the Week, we're going to look at a character. And what a character it is. Sakura Master by Jeimuzu

8: 3 Jeimuzu- SakuraMaster

 

Now, Jeimuzu has been causing quite a stir on the forums since his first post two weeks ago, and I could have put any of the characters he posted this week up for COTW, but I felt drawn towards this one.

We'll start of with the headgear, which looks like it belongs on a space villain from an anime kids show (and I do not mean that in a bad way, I grew up on 'em). I've no idea how he'd move his head left or right, but it looks badass, even in pink. Plus it's a good use of an item in a way it wasn't designed for, in this case shoulder pads for headgear, which always wins big points. I can see a samurai influence in the helmet design, which I'm sure isn't just because of the Japanese connotations of the character name.

If we now move on to the pose, the lotus position is a must do if you are doing an oriental character, but the fact the character has his arms outstretched, with a dark glare fixed on the viewer suggests to me that he's only a nano-second from some serious pain dealing.

Colour wise, there's nothing bad to note. It's hard to carry pink off well, especially on a male character, but it works here. I also like the shading, although the alpha on the neck- cape could come down a bit to the level of the torso shading (which works really well). The problem with choosing the lightest colours of the pallet and then doing highlighting with white is that the white can often over power the main colour leaving the picture looking swamped, but thankfully this hasn't happened here. Jeimuzu has found a happy medium, especially on the boots and flowers.

The last bit to talk about here is the attention to detail. And here I have to highlight the arms, or specifically the join between the arms and the flowers. It looks very natural and there are no lining up problems as far as I can see. And I also like the use of the leaf insignias as falling petals, something that is very associated with Japanese culture (usually seen in pictures of Geishas), another great touch in subliminally telling the viewer of the characters culture.

 

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Character Of The Week- 27th July

Posted on July 27, 2013 by | Comments Off on Character Of The Week- 27th July

Once again on Character Of The Week, I'm going to feature an image rather than a character (still Character Of The Week sounds better than Image Of The Week). This week we'll look at this image by the brilliant Moognation.

Now, whilst it might be taken almost directly from a series of images that did their rounds on the internet about a year ago, I felt I had to feature it because it's just so awesome. The feeling behind it is tangible, if you haven't ran around with some sort of towel or sheet wrapped around your neck like a cape I think you might be on the wrong site. This picture captures that childhood fantasy perfectly. The pose is right on the money and the proportions are near perfect (which is hard when doing children on heromachine). How Moog did the grass is very inventive, using the bunch of flowers in ItemsRight- Misc, it works very well in silhouette as representing the wild grass on the side of a hill.

The most striking part of this image is the colours. The fact that the majority of the picture is either in greyscale or silhouette makes the yellow, orange and purple of the sunrise stand out even further. And the inclusion of those three colours provides the picture with a feeling of warmth even though the picture is mostly dark and dull greys and black.

Finally, something I wouldn't usually highlight, the title. It sounds somewhat familiar but I can't quite place my finger on what. Either way it fits the picture perfectly, which is hard when titling non-character based pictures, and I can just imagine myself saying that when I used to play superheroes as a kid.

Overall, one of the best silhouettes I've ever seen in heromachine and, Moog, I hope you do more than just the two you've done so far, they are excellent.

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Character Of The Week

Posted on June 29, 2013 by | Comments Off on Character Of The Week

As promised, one of the new weekly blog posts. Now there idea here is not only to give  praise, but to look at good design features and highlight techniques that make the composition work. So without further ado, this week we'll look at Renxin's Kwan Yin.

29th June Renxin-KwanYin

 

This was entered into this weeks CDC, but I had to disallow it due to it contravening the 'no current religions' rule, however, it is certainly worth looking at more closely.

First off, let's look at the colour. Being a representation of a Buddhist god, the colours are very light and natural, none look out of place or overly dominant. Using only three colours is one of the best techniques for getting a good costume, you can often smoother a good design by using too many colours, no matter how well chosen they are. By using only the green, purple and white, it allows the foreground figure to stand out more against the background. The fading effect used on the colours of the lower dress (HINT: which is done by using the rectangle or circles on the last page of the Background-Shapes page and setting the first colour's alpha setting to 0% and then masking to the desired object) is a really simple but effective technique that can be used in lots of different ways (such as shadow effects or highlighting).

The lotus petals around the feet is a really neat way of using that insignia and by using a lighter outline colour compared to much of the rest of the piece, it differentiates these foreground objects from the main composition in a highly effective way.

The choice of items for making the clothes, whilst not highly innovative, is very effective. The skirts for sleeves is a good example of going to other categories to find what you need.

My favourite part of this piece however, has to be the face. I'm still not quite sure what item was used for the eyes (maybe the manga style nose? Do you think you could clarify for us Renxin, I'd love to know) but it works perfectly. The expression definitely says 'peace', which is the point of a depiction of buddhism. The choice of items for the hair and hairpiece were very well chosen and certainly add to the whole head area without drawing attention away from the face, much like the background 'halo'.

Overall, a wonderfully executed piece that looks very simple, with no masses of shading, because it isn't needed. Shame it wasn't eligible for the contest really.

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Posted in Challenge Favorites, Character of the Week, Cool Characters, HeroMachine 3, Things I Like

Comic Book Superstars #5 “Batman”

Posted on May 4, 2013 by | Comments Off on Comic Book Superstars #5 “Batman”

Let's talk Batman. He is my favorite of them all. Who didn't want to be Batman when they were a kid. I still would. I could go on for days about him, but I want to hear what you have to say.

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Comic Book Superstars #4 “Spider-man”

Posted on April 27, 2013 by | Comments Off on Comic Book Superstars #4 “Spider-man”

Spider-man is to Marvel as Batman and Superman is to DC, he is not as old as they are but he has still made an impact. From comics to cartoon, from TV to the movies we have watched him shoot his webs all over the place. I remember watching the old TV show when I was a kid, man I would of loved to have a set of web slingers. I had one of the 12 inch figures that had a string coming from his hand and you would hook it to something and he would climb the string. He wasn't much of an action figure because he didn't have moving parts, but never the less he was fun to play with.  I didn't read the comics, but I sure did watch the cartoons. Firestar was really hot back then, and Iceman was real cool. Let's hear what you have to say.

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Comic Book Superstars #3 “Wonder Woman”

Posted on April 20, 2013 by | Comments Off on Comic Book Superstars #3 “Wonder Woman”

Wonder Woman, what can I say, she is a great character. Live action show, cartoons, and comic books, she is great in all of them. I have liked almost every costume she has had. One thing I want to know is when did she start flying on her own with out her jet? I have been watching the Justice League cartoons and she can fly. I do wish they would of made her more knowing of the world off of Paradise Island. Let's hear what you have to say.

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Comic Book Superstars #2 “Wolverine”

Posted on April 13, 2013 by | Comments Off on Comic Book Superstars #2 “Wolverine”

Let's talk about Wolverine this week. What can I say, he is bad to the bone and can kick some major butt. I have to say that he is my most favorite Marvel character. He is one of those guys that you just don't want to make mad. I think that he is just a down right cool character. Let's hear what you have to say.

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Comic Book Superstars #1

Posted on April 6, 2013 by | Comments Off on Comic Book Superstars #1

Comic Book Superstars, the best of the best, the ones you love the most. Each week I am going to post a comic book superstar to talk about. Talk about your likes and dislikes. Talk about up coming movies. Talk about anything you want to, as long as it has something to do with the superstar posted. Today let's talk about the man that started it all, Superman. He has been around for 74 years now, wow! I can remember hearing about when he first  started (I'm old but not old enough to have first hand memories of his first appearance) he was an hit. He didn't fly back then, but he sure could jump. Man would I like to find a box in the attic that has a mint condition issue of the first appearance of Superman. Of course I don't think I would have it for very long, what can I say money is tight these days, I could only hope the person that boxed it up had two issues of it. Anyway, what do you have to say about Superman?

P.S. This is the new Saturday afternoon post.

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Grail Knight: Iron Man #2 Review

Posted on November 23, 2012 by | Comments Off on Grail Knight: Iron Man #2 Review

The wonderful thing about Iron Man is his odd sense of purpose. Here is man who has always been intellectual, a tinkerer, a weapons designer and most notably, an adventurer. He really is the living embodiment of an Arthurian knight. He has, especially in recent years, been a man on a quest to rid the world of evil in many forms. With Extremis back on the black market, one of Tony's worst fears is coming true, that his inventions will fall into the hands of those who wish ill of and would seek to harm the world at large. There's no doubt that he's a hero and his heart's in the right place, but then there's always been the question of where his ego is at any given moment. He's become a hell of a tactician in the decades since his debut, but then there are moments when little things slip past him. He may well become the Galahad of S.H.I.E.L.D., or at least their Lancelot. That being said, Maria Hill really needs to hide the (other) women and booze and let the man do his thing, which would be saving the world.

This is what Kieron Gillen has brought to Iron Man. The writer of the last volume of Uncanny X-Men is starting out Iron Man as though he were a classic knight-in-shining-armor hero. There's a bit of history shown in this one that long-time fans would recall and that gives us insight into what Tony thinks of other inventors. The dialogue and narration are pretty freaking good and there's really not much to pick apart as far as pacing or characterization. All of the characters we see in this issue have the potential to really mess with Tony's life, both in and out of the Iron Man persona. It will be very interesting to see where Gillen goes from here. There is a lot of promise for future arcs and the possibility of new Iron Man villains.
Greg Land's pencils are fantastic in this, just as they were in the first issue of the new volume. There doesn't seem to be too much wrong with this at all. Then there's Jay Leisten's inks, which aren't really required in this issue, except for backgrounds and bits of the new armor. The base art by these two is really good, despite some fans complaining that it doesn't match the cover. The colors on this issue were just phenomenal. There's no panel in this issue without great colors and art in general. This is one of the most beautifully illustrated Marvel comics in a long time.

Iron Man #2 gets a 5. It leaves a lot open for more issues in the story arc and the potential for more stories of its kind in the Iron Man series. Hyper Geeky definitely recommends this issue for any and all Iron Man fans.

Iron Man #2 (2012)
Marvel
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Pencils: Greg Land
Inks: Jay Leisten
Colors: Guru Efx

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Marvel NOW! On-Going Titles

Posted on November 20, 2012 by | Comments Off on Marvel NOW! On-Going Titles 
From the "desk" of mcknight57

We would like to present a list of the new Marvel titles under their Marvel NOW! campaign.
All New X-Men: Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen   Out Now (11/14/12)
The original five X-Men join the current team in the present day after the events of Avengers vs X-Men.

Avengers: Jonathan Hickman and Jerome Opena  (12/ /12)
A relaunch of the Avengers with a new creative team and faces from recent iterations of the team.

Avengers Arena: Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker (12/ /12)
Many young Avengers will be plucked from their lives and dropped into a Murder World one-on-one death match. 

Cable and X-Force: Dennis Hopeless and Salvador Larroca  (12/ /12)
Cable returns to lead Domino, Colossus, Forge and Dr. Nemesis. They will be branded as terrorists and chased by the Uncanny Avengers.


Captain America: Rick Remender and John Romita Jr. (11/21/12)
This will be a new direction for Captain America. It will  include a trip to Dimension Z, which we can only hope means "zombies."

Deadpool: Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan and Tony Moore Out Now (11/7/12)
Deadpool has been "recruited" by S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to combat the reanimated, ghostly versions of all of the former Presidents of the United States.

Fantastic Four: Matt Fraction and Mark Bagley   Out Now (11/14/2012)
The most awesome family in Marvel takes a trip through time and space, with a whole lot of "are we there yet?" Okay, probably not that much.

Fearless Defenders: Cullen Bunn and Will Sliney  (2/ /13)
This will be an all-female title from Marvel, with such characters as Valkyrie, Misty Knight and more to be recruited after the first issue.

FF: Matt Fraction and Mike Allred (TBD)
While the Fantastic Four and company are traveling, this hand-picked team will be their stand-ins on Earth.

Guardians of The Galaxy: Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven (2/ /13)
The team will now be defending the galaxy and getting S.W.O.R.D. involved. The team will consist of Star Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Iron Man, Drax, Groot and Gamora.

Indestructible Hulk: Mark Waid and Leinil Yu  (11/21/12)
Bruce Banner teams with S.H.I.E.L.D. to make Hulk truly the ultimate weapon, hopefully for good.

Iron Man: Kieron Gillen and Greg Land  Out Now (11/7/12)
The series continues from the last installment of Iron Man and finds Tony dealing with the repercussions of the Extremis storyline.

Morbius: The Living Vampire: Joe Keatinge and Rich Elson (1/ /13)
All that is currently known is that it will not be a strictly horror title as has been the case in the past.

New Avengers: Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting (12/ /12)
This will be a darer, more realistic book than the optimistic original Avengers that Captain America and Tony Stark have built.

Nova: Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness (2/ /13)
We will be seeing a new Nova and a very compelling origin story, according to Jeph Loeb.

Thor: God of Thunder: Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic  Out Now (11/14/12)
We will be seeing a very different Thor, in a condition he's never really known before. For the first time, he will be afraid for himself and the gods of Asgard.

Thunderbolts: Daniel Way and Steve Dillon (12/ /12)
This will be the Thunderbolts that nobody ever expected. None of the new team have ever really been team players before.

Savage Wolverine: Frank Cho (1/ /13)
The story will be primarily in the Savage Land, and include a team-up with Shanna the She-Devil. From what has been mentioned, we probably won't see Ka-Zar, her husband.

Secret Avengers: Nick Spencer and Luke Ross (3/ / 13)
This will be a truly top secret team, with cool black-ops style story arcs and classic spy stuff through out. There's even a few extra awesome team members like a new Iron Patriot and Taskmaster.
 

Superior Spider-Man: Dan Slott and Ryan Stegman (1/ / 13)
There will be a darker, more aggressive Spider-Man. There has been speculation to his identity, since it's NOT Peter Parker, but nothing confirmed.

Uncanny Avengers: Rick Remender and John Cassaday  Out Now (10/31/12)
The X-Men and Avengers have come together as one team, with Cyclops' brother Alex (Havok) as their leader, with very good reason.

Uncanny X-Force: Sam Humphries and Ron Garney  (1/ /13)
There will be a new cast and new looks for Marvel NOW!'s Uncanny X-Force. Writer Sam Humphries is going for big and bold on this title.

Uncanny X-Men: Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo (2/ /13)
We'll be getting a new look at the Scott Summers as he tries more than ever to live up to the legacy of Professor Xavier. He will be joined by Magik, Magneto and Emma Frost.

Wolverine: Paul Cornell and Alan Davis (3/ /13)
This series is more about Wolverine trying to be a normal guy and just run a school. The action comes when he is trying to save those he cares for ... and Quentin Quire.

Young Avengers: Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie and Mike Norton (1/ /13)
This is a teen superhero book, which replaces Avengers Academy. They're not nearly trained enough, but they have the youthful optimism to still fight the good fight.

X-Men: Legacy: Simon Spurrier and Tan Eng Huat   Out Now (11/14/12)
This book focuses on Legion, the omega-level son of Charles Xavier, who is learning how to control his multiple personalities and the powers that accompany them.

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