Note: Listen up, P:R hopefuls! Both the deadlines for the Green Lantern: Emerald Ensemble contest and the Fan-Art Friday: Beast are imminent. All entries for Green Lantern: Emerald Ensemble are due in by 5pm Eastern time on May 16, 2013. Fan-Art Friday: Beast entries are due at 5pm Eastern time today, May 15, 2013. Good luck! – Chris A.
Longtime Green Lantern writer Ron Marz and internationally known artist/designer James White To Act As Guest Judges
Project: Rooftop is proud to announce their next redesign contest, spotlighting on the DC Entertainment hero Green Lantern. Originally created back in 1940 by John Broome, Gil Kane, Bill Finger and Martin Nodell, Green Lantern has become one of the biggest super-heroes in comic books. And now Project: Rooftop is putting out the call for artists around the world to submit their own renditions of the hero to be spotlighted on Project: Rooftop’s website and be reviewed by the P:R staff as well as long-time Green Lantern writer Ron Marz and in-demand artist/designer James White.
“I’ve always thought Hal Jordan’s costume was one of the best designs in comics. Simple. Sleek. It’s pretty tough to beat Gil Kane for costume design,” says Marz. “But the Green Lantern mythology is vast, and we’ve seen so many cool costume interpretations in the Green Lantern Corps. I’m anxious to see what the artists come up with.”
In this contest, artists are invited to redesign DC’s Green Lantern hero and can choose any of the various characters who have served as Green Lantern’s in the past. Artists are cautioned however that the judges will be making their scores based on how well the redesigned costume fits both the Green Lantern Corps and the person inside the suit.
“When I was a kid in the early 80s, all the neighborhood kids had their favorite heroes. Most would fight over who was going to be Superman or Batman, but I was always Green Lantern,” said White, who will act as a guest judge and also designed the contest’s banner. “Green Lantern had a kickass symbol and a wicked green power ring that could materialize anything. What’s not to like when you’re 6? And therein lies the key. Lantern’s design was elegant, iconic, and most importantly: simple. Designing a new uniform for Hal brings with it a unique and challenging opportunity. How does one maintain that elegance, while at the same time re-imagining it?”
Entries for Green Lantern: Emerald Ensemble should aim to create a new take on the hero that stays true to the character’s concept and history and only revise their costume, as if your design was in the running to be used in current continuity. All entries must be received by May 16, 2013 at 5pm Eastern Time. As usual, check our guidelines, and save your submission as a .jpg, .,png or .gif with your full name as the file name. Send your submission as an attachment to projectrooftop@gmail.comwith the subject line being “Entry for Green Lantern: Emerald Ensemble,” and make sure to include your name and website in the body of the e-mail.
Thanks to James White for designing the logo for this contest.
Note: There could be only three winners of our Shadowman: In A New Light redesign contest, but that doesn’t mean we were short on great entries. Here’s the rest of the Top 20, our runner-ups. Thanks again to the judges and the artists who submitted! – Chris A.
Thomas Fummo
Score: 46 out of 60
Chris: 7. Long-time P:R commenter and submitter Thomas Fummo has turned in his best work yet. I feel like Fummo really understand’s this character, and brings a more classic superhero look to him akin to Jack Kirby’s Creeper. I especially love the flat black of the costume with the skull imposed on the face.
Vito: 7.5. Yeah, and that “S” logo on his chest isn’t so overt. It’s subtle enough to not distract. I like it, but I don’t love it. It’s certainly fitting, and in light of the current costume, it’s appropriate. It just seems a little flat to me. I’ve seen it before though…
Joel: 7. The costume has a nice silhouette, which is good as it’s pretty much all silhouette. I’ve mentioned elsewhere that it bugs me when a character has one torn and raggedy element in an otherwise immaculate and clearly high-maintenance outfit. But it works here, because this costume needs the smaller shape-details on the boots and gloves to contrast with the stark graphic flatness of the rest of the design. This is, hands down, my favorite stylized skull of the whole show. But I’m not a fan of the “S”. It looks too much like a backwards “3”, and will look like a backwards sharfes-S when his arm is lowered.
Jon: 8. Yeah, everybody’s covering the strengths really well – the sleek and ragged elements work both thematically and visually, the silhouette is great, the “S” is pretty subtle, I like the mask too. It DOES need something that incontrovertibly says “Shadowman” – so as not to interrupt the flow of the costume, maybe something done with the weapon?
Glen: 8. I like the mummy-wrapped nature of the boots and gloves, and the mask is intriguing. The silhouette’s great, but that swooping S-on the costume effect seems a bit too finished (and, yeah, too figure-skater) to jibe with the roughness of the rest of the design. Ditto the belt-pouches, which strike me as a bit too tidy.
Vito: Gah! I know where that “S” is from! The Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre. That’s not a bad thing (it’s actually a really cool retro design) but I can’t stop seeing it now.
Patch: 8.5. I like this, Thomas. It’s modern and moody. I think you could downplay the swirl on the chest and hip so that they don’t meet behind the belt but this is a nice look with a current feel. Contrasting black and white is a good design decision.
Note: Valiant‘s dark hero Shadowman is stepping out into the limelight this year with his new series and with our astounding array of redesigns for Shadowman: In A New Light. We’re proud to show you the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners for our contest, but before I do I wanted to personally thank guest judge Patrick “Patch” Zircher, co-writer/artist of the Shadowman comi series, and the P:R staff that stepped up to judge this. Also thanks to Hunter Gorinson and the Valiant staff for helping to make this happen, and for supplying the prizes to our winners. Now… on to the winners! – Chris A.
Tony Aros
Score: 51.5 out of 60
Vito: 8.5. I really like this one. The connected cape is something I’ve never seen before, unless it was on a character called the Flying Squirrel. Here, it gives the character a bit of a personality, and, if you really think about it, it extends the character’s shadow. That’s a smart touch. It’s probably the element that makes this stand out the most because without it, I don’t think the design would be as strong.
Chris: 8. The glowing emblem on this really appeals to me, but I feel as it maybe instead of being a waist-piece it should’ve been enlarged for the entire chest. I love the haunting look of this — but I would’ve loved to see Tony turn in a version with the top of the head open to show Jack’s hair.
Jon: 10. Sleek and ominous but still obviously human, I like the impression the lines on the torso give of an undercape. This definitely feels like the lead character in a book, or at least a key character – I keep picturing this as one of Morrison’s international Batmans.
Joel: 8. The glider-cape creates kind of a dumpy silhouette, doesn’t it? Squint your eyes, and this guy looks like a tiny-headed frog. I’m all the more perplexed by that choice because everything else in this design seems so well considered. All those curving seams and panels in the suit are beautifully balanced, and the mask is a great mix of expressively human and unsettlingly other.
Glen: 8.5. See, I didn’t like this at first. A character called Shadowman is all about the silhouette, and that? Is one goofy, Dark Ooompa-Loompa lookin’ silhouette. And yet it kind of feeds into the the overall effect, intensified by the face-paint, which is DAMN creepy. Not scary, but SERIOUSLY disquieting and alien. Well done.
Patch: 8.5. This is a cool look, Tony. You did a fine job. His mask makes his face similar to his enemy Master Darque and may not be a youthful enough look for Shadowman but I do like this. The few things I’d tweak? Maybe bring the black up higher on the back of the head, add a black skull-like ‘nose’ and the traditional logo on the belt.
Ha Huy Hoang
Score: 49 out of 60
Joel: 9. This is the strongest shadow-emblem of the the contest. I love the rhythm of the positive and negative space between the figure’s legs, the shadow, and the light, and how they all break down to a pattern of harlequin-style lozenges. I think this little passage of patterning has at least as much to do as the animated-style with making this design look lighter and more trickstery than most of the other submissions. Well, that and the spats. Always expect repartee from a man in spats. The only part of this design that I question are the circular cloak clasps. They distract a bit from the emblem and, in the smaller image, make it look like the shadow-man is holding pom-poms.
Vito: 8. I really like it, but the tails-as-cape is throwing me off a little. I like all of the elements as they appear together…it gives him an interesting silhouette, but that silhouette doesn’t match the chest emblem. It’s not an important beat to hit, but it would have been a nice touch.
Chris: 8. Wow. I knew this would be a top entry when it first came into the P:R inbox. Hoang’s delivered a more dapper Shadowman here with Shadowman’s emblem becoming a segue into a tuxedo-looking affair. I could easily see this sauntering through the shadows of New Orleans. My only qualms with the design is the drastic redesign of the Sengese Blade and the extraneous flaps on the sides of the mask itself.
Jon: 9. I love just about everything involved in this design, it’s stylish and unified and distinct. It’s iconic. My only concern is a thematic one – I always feel that when you have a character whose gimmick is that they’re battling against supernatural or alien forces, they should show a little skin. I feel that it’s important to display a little human flesh, some mortal vulnerability, something to note the hero’s humanity in contrast to the enemy’s inhumanity. BUT all that being said, one of my favorites, this one.
Glen: 7.5. The length of the cape and the length of the jacket seem to be competing with one another, not working in concert, and the emblem, on such a nattily dressed figure, goes to a whole argyle place that seems incongruous. +0.5 for the spats, though, because: Spats.
Patch: 7.5. This is absolutely a charming illustration, Ha Huy. The mask and chest ‘pop’ out of the black. Still, the costume has a very pulp-era feel and it is operatic, with a certain ‘gentleman’ like personality with the tails and spats. It could work with a past Shadowman– but it doesn’t give a feeling for a contemporary current one.
Nick Wali
Score: 47.5out of 60
Joel: 8. I don’t know if this guy is Shadowman or not, but I sure like the cut of his jib. Rock that scarf and ascot, buddy!
Vito: 9. Probably my favorite in the contest because it’s so out of left field. The ascot is in the shape of the emblem! The scarf is a great contrasting color (orange, against the blacks and blues). The only thing I don’t like is the mask…it’s almost too plain. But otherwise, I think Nick hits a home run! If Morrison ever plans on doing another Doom Patrol run, he should call Nick up immediately!
Joel: Wait, where is the emblem?
Vito: It’s sorta in the ascot. Mostly in the shape. I like it as an abstraction of the original.
Chris: 7. Great character design… but is it a great Shadowman design? I feel like Nick Wali came out swinging and gave us an excellent character, but besides the vaguely familiar mask none of this screams Jack Boniface, Xero or any Shadowman I know. Still, great design.
Jon: 8. Loving this one a lot, it’s great to see a completely unexpected take on the character. Ties into a lot of Shadowman’s core themes as a book, it’s a lot of fun, definitely a design that would stand out in a crossover event or team roster.
Glen: 7.5. Bold, and very appealing on account of it. I’d never imagined the character taken in a “capering dandy” direction, but Wali clearly has. The color scheme don’t read “Shadowman” to me, however; it feels like an extra twist that takes it too far.
Patch: 8. A drawing to be proud of Nick. I like how the blank mask contrasts with the detail elsewhere. This looks like an 18th century take on the character. The benefit of a modern Shadowman is it works with the ‘lineage concept’ and it distinguishes him from fantasy ghosts, spirits, and demons. This is, however, our best shot at getting Shadowman on the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen!
Note: In the end, only so many people could win awards but we wanted to take time out to honor the other top contenders. These are the honorable mentions for Project: Rooftop’s Fantastic Four: Fashion Forward Redesign Contest. Congratulations to all! – Chris A.
Note: Thank you everyone who submitted and commented on the winners for Fantastic Four: Fashion Forward earlier this week. We’ll be posting the honorable mentions this Friday, but before I do that I want to personally thank our judges — both our regulars and our special guest judges — for their contributions in making this happen. Some people might think of them as mere fans spouting their opinion, and they are… but many of them are also professionals in the comics field and provide valuable insight with their judging comments. Therefore, I’d like to give a brief rundown each of them for you. – Chris A.
Dean Trippe: In addition to co-founding Project: Rooftop, Dean has built himself up as an innovative artist and storyteller with his webcomic series Butterfly and last year’s Power Lunch graphic novel with J. Torres. Here at Project: Rooftop, Dean is the key decision maker on what art makes the site, deliberating over hundreds of submissions each year and providing a professional artist’s perspective to the site.
“Calamity” Jon Morris: Jon is the most prodigious artist of the bunch, balancing his work here with a full-time career as an artist while also running a series of super-hero “re-creation” blogs like the current The Official Handbook To The Marvel Universe: Reduxe Edition. At P:R, he’s shown the impeccable ability to see through various artist’s style to find the deeper meaning of the designs presented to us.
Joel Priddy: If ever there were a voice of reason in our defacto P:R group, Joel would be it. This former Memphis College of Art professor has award-winning taste and a discerning eye, and has more than once made me rethink my views on a piece of art after hearing his comments.
Vito Delsante: One of the P:R originals, Vito Delsante is a longtime member of the online comics community and has written some of the biggest heroes in the world from Superman to Batman to real-life icons like Albert Einstein and Babe Ruth. Delsante is the wellspring of creativity here, seeing a simple design and imagining the story-telling context that could foster such a design.
Rachel Edidin: As a long-time editor at Dark Horse, Rachel provides the unique (and often overlooked) perspective of someone put in charge of shepherding a character through time. Currently editing books like Finder, Axe Cop and Alabaster: Wolves, she knows that a imaginative redesign must be tempered with the history of the characters. But with all that stuffy professionalism, she gets just as excited as the rest of us when she sees a fantastic design.
Glen Weldon: A more recent induction into the P:R contributors group, Glen came to us purely of us enjoying his tastes as heard on NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast and over at the NPR Monkey See blog. One of us. One of us.
Jessica Plummer: Jess is a big believer in the ability of superheroes to empower people on a personal level, and through her work on Girl-Wonder.Org we’ve learned much about the views on female superheroes and the tropes, tragedies and triumphs.
… and our guest judges:
Brett White: Called in like a secret operative Mission: Impossible-style, Brett joined us for Fantastic Four: Fashion Forward to share his opinions on the team and what makes them cool. Hear why we picked him and go listen to the Matt & Brett Love Comics podcast.
Stuart Immonen: Currently working on the new All-New X-Men series, Stuart Immonen has long been a bastion of great comics design and storytelling. From his early years on Legion of Super-Heroes and Superman (and his overlooked Inferno series) all the way to his master-class at Marve with Nextwave, New Avengers and Fear Itself, Stuart has become one of the industry’s top artists while also becoming admired considerably by his peers. For Project: Rooftop, Stuart has been an informal inspiration and sometimes contributor to us, and his contributions for Fantastic Four: Fashion Forward really brought the site to whole new level.
Note:There could be only one. This ain’t Highlander though, it’s P:R’s Fantastic Four: Fashion Forward redesign contest. After over 120 entries, Alejandro Bruzzese‘s science-adventurer take on the team won out with 83 out of 100 points by our ten judges. After the dust settled, we caught up with the Queens-based artist to investigate how and why he drew the team the way he did. Alejandro shared with us his reasoning on the color-coding, the pouches, and even some secrets about Ben Grimm’s skin care routine. – Chris A.
Chris Arrant: First off, congratulations for the big win, Alejandro. One of the big things that won over our judges was your portrayal of the team not as superheroes but as science adventurers. Can you talk about your decision to go that route?
Alejandro Bruzzese: Sure. In my eyes every Marvel team has a clear purpose – the Avengers are a last-resort alliance of heroes, the X-Men are volunteer paramilitary activists and the Fantastic Four are explorers. They’re the ones that go out and discover the things that eventually end up back on Earth attacking the other teams. So in that sense I see them less as super heroes, and more as a group of true pioneers. Always traveling. A mish-mash of Neil Armstrongs and Stephen Hawkings who are capable of exploring places no other human can set foot in and interacting with beings who maybe don’t want to be interacted with. A big element of my version of the Fantastic Four is that they would make mistakes, because that’s how science gets did. Also, Sue is clearly the leader in my head. Also also, Reed goes by DOCTOR Fantastic.
Note: The following are the winners and runners up of our Fantastic Four: Fashion Forward contest! Thanks so much to everyone who participated, from our long-time artists to the new ones. . The panel of judges included our regular P:R Contributors, top comics creator Stuart Immonen as well as Brett White, CBR columnist and one-half of the Matt & Brett Love Comics podcast. Congrats to the winners and runner-ups, and be sure to check back Friday for the cavalcade of honorable mentions! – Chris A.
Alejandro Bruzzese
Score: 83 out of 100
I wanted to say thanks to everyone for submitting to Fantastic Four: Fashion Forward, and to make sure it was abundantly clear that the deadline for entry has passed and no late or revised entries will be accepted. I have emailed all of the artists whose entries we’ve received a confirmation, so if you haven’t heard from us then your submission didn’t go through. We have well over one hundred entries into our contest, giving our contributors and guest judge Stuart Immonen (!!) a lot of work to do in the coming weeks. The results will be posted when they will be posted, so please give us the time, courtesy and patience to do that. – Chris A.
Note: After an inbox full of submissions including some from professional comics artists, frequent P:R contributor Kris Anka stepped forward and claimed the title of First Place in our Invincible: Viltrumite Vogue Redesign Contest. Anka is a Los Angeles-baed artist who works for Sideshow Collectibles, but recently launched his comic career doing the final issue of Invincible spin-off Guardians of the Globe and currently does covers for Marvel’s New Mutants. I caught up with the artist after the winners were announced to try to get inside his head and see how he came to this remarkable design. – Chris A.
Chris Arrant: Everyone’s seen your name here at Project: Rooftop before, but why’d you decide to do an entry into Invincible: Viltrumite Vogue?
Anka: I spend a lot of time sketching out redesigns of characters, it has sort of become a therapeutic exercise for me at this point, but when the contest came up, it was just hard to pass it up. I am both a fan of the comic and having a contest to do a redesign just made too much sense not to do.
Arrant: How’d you go about deciding what to do with your redesign of Invincible?
Anka: The first and foremost principle I adhere to when approaching a redesign is to respect the original concept of the character. So when I approached Invincible, I first went the route of trying to see how i would approach the costume in the comic. I sat on a design for a few weeks, and when I went back to it I felt that I was still too close to the original. I decided to throw out any notions of taking from the elements from the original, and I just kept the idea of the design, and just tried to reinvent it my way.
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