HM3: A new energy

The HeroMachine 3 Alpha has just been updated with 39 new entries in ItemRightEnergy for all your blasting needs. I tried to include things that would work well when used together, so you'll notice a variety of simple circular shapes and energy auras and such, so give the "multiples" setting a ride on this one. As always your suggestions were key to making this set work, so thank you for taking the time to post your links and ideas, I really appreciate it.

If you see something you don't like, or don't see something you would like, please let me know in comments and we'll see what can be done. Here's a quick preview of the first page of new energy effects:

energy1

Random Panel: Great underused super-hero comic plots

black-terror-1-1941-meat

(From "The Black Terror" number 1, 1941.)

Hammerknight Recipes 2: Facing the music

I'm happy to post the following "recipes" about constructing faces from Hammerknight, whom you probably recognize from his many inspired contest entries. Thanks for putting this together, Hammerknight! -- Jeff

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Random Panel: On why they ban super-heroes from clubs

black-terror-1-1942-getting

(From "The Black Terror" number 1, 1942.)

Random Panel: “No means no!”, sidekick edition

black-terror-1-1942-meatout

(From "The Black Terror" number 1, 1942.)

Character Contest 10: Independence Day

Although it runs the risk of stepping on the star-spangled coat-tails of the Patriot Contest, I wanted to honor the upcoming United States "Independence Day" holiday. So if you come up with the best character illustration centered on anything related to July 4, you'll win either a caricature of your head OR any one item, either of which will be included in the final release of HeroMachine 3! You could go for your classic American-themed character like Cap or Uncle Sam, or you might do something centered on fireworks, or a guy named "The Revolutionary", or a Colonial era concept, or heck even The Human Barbeque as a nod to what most people actually do on that day.

The rules are simple:

  1. You must use a HeroMachine version (preferably the 3.0 alpha, but any one is fine);
  2. All entries must be made as comments to this post containing a link to an image file on a publicly accessible web server somewhere (UGO Forums, ImageShack, PicasaWeb, whatever);
  3. No PhotoShopping or other after-HeroMachine image software manipulation allowed except for basic cropping and maybe adding a name.

I prefer new stuff that you haven't entered before, but sufficient awesomeness of the image will overcome a myriad of sins.

Note that if you've never entered one of these before, it's really easy. Just use the built-in "Save as JPG/PNG" buttons in HeroMachine 3 to get an image file of your character. Then post it to the web using either your own web server if you have one, or one of the free image hosting sites like PicasaWeb.com, ImageShack.com, PhotoBucket.com, or even Facebook (just make sure the album is set to Public). Then cut and paste the HTTP:// address for your image into a comment to this post and you're done. It's that easy!

Good luck everyone, and have a great long weekend if you're one of the lucky Americans celebrating the holiday with a day off.

Character Contest 9 Winner

I wanted to thank everyone who entered Character Contest 9. You submitted a total of 75 illustrations on the "Elemental" theme, and the quality as always was very high. So if you screwed up your courage to submit an entry, take a second to pat yourself on the back because I really appreciate it!

And now, on to the handful of illustrations I selected for a general overview as Honorable Mentions, and then your overall winner.

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HM3: Energy requests

If you have specific requests for energy effects to go around the hands, please post them in the comments below. Note that pretty much everything from 2.x will be added in, so you can skip requesting those. Suggestions with links to images get extra super bonus points.

Poll Position: The Death of …

From Superman to The Flash to Green Lantern to, most recently, Captain America, killing off a main character and replacing him with someone else to wear their costume is a time-honored convention of the genre. So which of these long-established but rarely-killed-off characters would you like to see get that treatment?

{democracy:89}

Discussion after the jump.

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Random Panel: Pegging the creep-o-meter

flame-1-1955-creepy

(From "The Flame" number 1, 1955.)