Art Grafunkel

Dean: This is one of the more radical entries we got! I’m surprised by how much this feels guy feels like he belongs in the Superman mythology. Maybe not Supes himself, but I dig the Kryptonian cleric-plus-techno vibe. Could easily work as a Zod, Eradicator, or possibly a new villian created by Brainiac? Any way you slice it, this is a cool look, but unless the Superman titles take a hard turn, it’s just not Superman. Totally wicked, though.

Jess: I’m with Dean: this isn’t Superman himself, but it’s definitely someone in his world.  I’m actually getting a Vandal Savage vibe from him, myself.

Rachel: I was thinking Mr. Sinister, but that might just be the hair and cape. Incidentally, this is one of a number of designs we got in which Superman is barefoot, something we haven’t seen with any other character.

Chris: Art is showing a metric ton of creativity here, but it’s taken him on a journey outside of who Superman is. But man, I’d love to see this guy face-off with Superman.

Joel: If Superman had been created in the Seventies for Warrior Magazine, this is exactly what he would have looked like. Grafunkel goes very the bold, creating a new image for Supesf rom the ground-up, but I think he misses the boat when it comes to the gadgets, specifically. At risk of stating the obvious, the essential, timeless appeal of Superman is that he is a Man who is Super. That is, he is the basic human experience raised to the level of hyperbole. Gadgets get in the way of this by making the character a specific sci-fi conceit, rather than an enduring metaphor-mask.

Vito: It’s definitely “out of this world” which is not only the norm with Art, but also the whole kit and kaboodle with Superman.  He kind of looks like one of the Obsidian Age characters from the Joe Kelly JLA run, though.  I like it, but I think we all agree that this isn’t exactly Kal.  And is he packing Kryptonite on his belt?

Waid: Blurgh.  Really creative, but zero to do with Superman.

Avi Bastermagian

Dean: I think if Superman were created within the last ten years, this is about what he’d look like. It’s a little on the generic side, but it definitely feels like a Superman to me. I like the wide red bands on the gauntlets, pants, and boots, but the cape-over-the-neck-guard look is a bit cumbersome. I’m also missing the yellow in this normally primary-colored hero.

Jess: Oh, I like this.  If Kon had grown up to be Superman, this is what he would have worn, no question.

Chris: WOW. Finally, no underwear on the outside but giving the man some pants. I like this so much that to find something wrong with it, I’d maybe say the chest symbol could be changed up to be less morose. But otherwise, way to go Avi!

Rachel: Avi’s design is really, really sharp, but I miss the bright colors–this strikes me as a darker Superman, both literally and metaphorically. Even though it’s even further from that costume than from the original, it immediately made me think of the Superman of the alternate-reality Justice Lords–enough that I actually went and checked to see how close it was to Justice Lord Superman’s actual costume (not remotely, by the way).

Joel: Jess hit it right on the nose with this one. This would be a great costume for an adult Kon-El. It’s well designed, with a balance of large color areas and linear elements, and the repitition of red throughout the black areas. I like that there are two black tones: those with gray-blue highlights, and those with red. The only area that bugs me is where the black turtleneck ends. It’s awkward that the cape almost, but doesn’t attach along that line, and then the top of the S-shield doesn’t quite relate to that curve, either.

Vito: I think you hit it on the head, Jess.  This is Superb—er, Kon El, all grown up and taking the mantle.  I really like it, and this could easily be a 10, but just like with Art, this doesn’t say Kal to me.

Waid: A really sleek take incorporating the classic elements.  More yellow would have brought the score higher.

Charles R. Rouse-Rodriguez

Dean: Okay, aside from the rocket-pack, I think this is fun as all get out. I don’t see Supes needing the extra technology (this is a costume redesign contest, not a character redesign contest), but the scifi action uniform suit is very cool for an alien hero like our Kal.

Jess: This strikes me as what Clark would have worn if he’d landed on Rann instead of Earth.  I like the sash and the piping (and I love dorky little Clark Kent off to the side there), but like Dean I don’t know why he needs all the bells and whistles.

Chris: Not a Superman to me, but this would rank high as the official space suit for Kryptonians.

Joel: As discussed with Grafunkel’s piece, I don’t think Superman needs all the doo-dads, and this costume is all doo-dad. This looks like a space-adventure suit worn by someone who doesn’t have innate powers.

Rachel: You know what it is? It’s an action figure costume–the kind with all sorts of little fiddly bits that your cat inevitably eats. That said, it’s a pretty damn cool design; I could see it as, for example, the government’s “official” look for a superhero from space. And I like the idea of Superman’s costume giving him a means to collect and store solar energy (I’m guessing that’s what the circle doohickeys on his chest and hands are).

Vito: I’m going to go a little higher as it’s really innovative and really true to the sci-fi/pulp origins of Superman.  Dean’s right…the jetpack is a little too much to suspend disbelief on, but I dig it!

Waid: I like the drawing a lot more than the actual design–it’s just a little too gadgety for a guy who doesn’t need gizmos.

Fernando Lucas

Dean: Whoa that’s neat. The “S” symbol being a representation of Krypton exploding is way too tragic for Supes to actually wear it, but gosh it’s clever. Similarly, Supes losing sunstone crystals all the time in flight or battle just doesn’t seem smart (unless they’re inert, not being control crystals, I suppose). I think it needs a cape, but I totally love the concept.

Jess: The idea is really cool, but in execution it…well, it kind of looks like a chicken suit.  Even if there were a way to make it look less feathery, I feel like a hero encased entirely in crystal is not the most approachable guy in the world, which doesn’t strike me as being particularly Superman-ish.

Rachel: I think Jess’s concerns are right on the money: this Superman is literally pretty prickly, and while a spiky power suit has its advantages, I just don’t think it fits the character. Superman is all about approachability–he’s a symbol as much as he’s a superhero–and this costume broadcasts the opposite. I do love the concept, though–it’s super cool and hella evocative. It could even make for a pretty rad Superman villain, if you just tinted those crystals green…

Chris: This is a very striking imagine, but my practicality-sense ™ is rinigng off. This could be a one-time power-up suit for Supes, butI don’t see him wearing this much bling — Lois would get jealous!

Joel: I love this design, and am kind of in awe of the creative reinvention on display, here. It’s a brilliant application of the Donner Kryptonian crystal technology, and that S-shield is simply an act of genius. I love that the crystals are constantly growing and breaking off into confetti, giving Supes a Miracleman-style Tinkerbell effect. What happens to those fragments? Do they dissolve? Are the gathered up by collectors and sold on eBay? Do they sink into the earth and quietly grow into… something? I agree that it doesn’t have the approachability that is key to Superman’s appeal, and the boots look a little unconsidered, but that all that’s keeping this from a perfect score.

Vito: I love the idea, but the execution is a little…I don’t want to say flawed, because it’s quite ingenious.  It just reminds me too much of Doomsday in its concept.  I like Joel’s Miracleman explantion, but I wish I could get behind this more.

Waid: Glurgh.  No offense, ’cause it’s imaginative, but it’s just so cold–and, worst of all, I really think the one thing Superman doesn’t want to be reminded of every time he looks at his own insignia is that his planet exploded violently.

Jared Axelrod

Dean: Jared one-upped everyone else by actually constructing his steampunky Supes! I’ve seen a few similar designs of the character in my day, but this one sure is spiffy. I’m not sure I see it working for Supes in the comics, but it’s an interesting enough Elseworldsy take that I’ll cut it some slack. Very cool.

Jess: I have a total weakness for steampunk, and this is just fantastic.  I love the goggles, the way the cape attaches, and the…boot covers?  Spats?  Whatever, they’re excellent.  Dear DC: I now request several hundred Victorian Superman stories featuring this costume, Sherlock Holmes, and possibly bayonets.  Love, Jess.

Rachel: It’s worth noting that Jared’s costume isn’t a stand-alone–it’s part of a marvelous steampunk redesign of the entire Justice League, The Guild of Justice-Minded Citizenry. Where were these guys during Fights, Flights, and Tights?

Chris: Reign of the Supermen. I’d love to see Clark institute a Superman program with Jr.s, and Jared would be an able-bodied pick.

Joel: Wow, well this gets points for realization of vision. I love the asymmetrical cape connection, but would like to see how the rest of the cape connects in the back. Action spats, epaulets, and filigree collars should, clearly, be a part of more superhero costumes. The belt needs a little more weight and interest, and I’m not sure about the relationship between the pentagonal buttoning and the little S-shield. The two shapes being so close to one another is awkward.

Vito: I think Jared really went the extra distance with the top…but the bottoms don’t look as inspired.  Granted, all of the classic Superman elements are represented, but for something so steampunky, I would like to see something a little more ornate on the legs, perhaps s-shields going down the sides, and maybe a darker red.

Rachel: Yeah, I’m with Vito here. The spats are nice, but the plain red field of the pants sticks out against the ornamentation of the rest of the costume. Even continuing those brass buttons from the spats up the sides would help lend it a more unified look.

Waid: Indifferent.  More appreciative of the craft and dedication than of the design.  Don’t dig the huge not-S chest symbol.

Ming Doyle

Dean: This is the highest rating I’m giving out, and with good reason. Ming has taken a solid design route and imposed it over the Superman mythos, redesigning not just Supes, but Kara and Conner as well (good gosh, I’d love to see that kid back and sporting these wicked duds)! The new take on the S shield is magnificent, and the inclusion of multiple shades of blue into the uniforms is brilliant. I love how otherworldly these costumes look, but totally retaining the superheroic appearance and instant recognition for each character. Ming’s removal of the much maligned red undies is the best I’ve seen. And I just can’t get over how much story there is in this single piece. We’ve clearly got our SuperFamily back together, working more often from the same base of operations at the Fortress of Solitude, and even Superman updating his costume in the step towards greater unity with his namesakes. I love it to bits. To me this design walks a strange, perfect line between feeling like a Silver Age comic and and Ultimate-ized take on the characters. Good show all around, Ming. I think everyone else is just playing for second from here on out.

Jess: I am trying really, really hard not to give Ming full marks just for including Kara and Kon, because I tend to be extraordinarily partial to Superkids, but this is just fantastic all around.  I love the piping and that Clark is the only one wearing a cape.  I love that they seem to have incorporated elements of each other’s costumes - the fellas have Kara’s extra-long sleeves with the pointed elements, and much of Clark’s costume is reminiscent of Kon’s debut outfit, like the black elements and the narrow belt (thankfully minus some of the more dated aspects, like the fade).  I love Kon’s boyish short sleeves and the fact that Kara looks strong and capable and, you know, fully clothed, but still very sassy and teenaged.  I would absolutely buy a comic with this on the cover, in a heartbeat.

Rachel: Ming has consistently set the bar for costume redesigns, and she does it again here. This Superfamily is clearly alien–I love the way the logo has changed so that it’s no longer immediately legible as an “S”–and just as clearly superheroic. The subtle variations between the costumes–Clark’s cape, Kon’s sleeves, Kara’s skirt–and the extent to which  the characters keep their individuality but still have such a cohesive look blow me away. Looking more closely, I’ve also noticed that those variations are reflected in *all* the costumes: Kara’s boatneck, for example, echoes the neckline of Clark’s cape and the dark section at the top of Kon’s shoulders, and the red sides are a common note for both Kara and Kon. My one complaint about these, and the one reason I knocked off a point, is that they’re awfully busy–I think they’d lose a lot in small panels, and I have trouble imagining them drawn by anyone but Ming.

Chris: The drastic simplification of the “S” logo into what it is sets the tone for my whole interview. This would be a Superman who’s finally at peace with his dual homes of earth and Krypton, and accepting both Lois and the Superkids as family. This is a really inspirational piece.

Joel: This is a great illustration, and there are a lot of wonderful elements to these costumes (the S-shield, the two blue-tones, the characterizations, etc.), but, to my eyes, these designs are just a little too busy. I think it’s the yellow piping, which breaks things up too much. And mid-shin is a very awkward place to end a boot. I’d suggest either moving the boot tops a few inches higher or lower, and switching the piping to the lighter blue.

Vito: Ming, if we could bottle up whatever otherworldly talent that you, Jemma, Daniel, Joel and Dean have for superhero design, we’d make a mint.  Every child in America that has grown up at the feet of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko comics would drink that potion in a second.  But I’m digressing from the actual design here.  The idea of a uniform design among a “family” of characters isn’t new.  I think the only family in comics that doesn’t adhere to that thinking, at least nowadays, is the Batman Family.  So, it’s great that the thinking behind a family design went into this.  But for the actual designs, she really found a way to update Superman himself without going to far from what we know, and that made for a killer design.  And then she pushed it further by taking that design and switching it up for his supporting cast.  The one that catches my eye the most is Kara.  Remember the Supergirl contest?  The one element that makes or breaks Supergirl is her skirt and I think that’s the one problem DC has with the character; how do you put a teenage girl in a mini skirt without making her too sexy for her age?  Ming’s design totally shatters any artist’s or writer’s conception of what she (Supergirl) can be and what she can look like and that’s all based on the strength of that Superman design.  I’d be interested to hear from Ming as to which character she visualized first.  She’s an amazing artist, that Ming Doyle, and it’s hard not to give her a 10.  My heart might belong to Kyle’s design, but my head is right here.

Waid: This is really great.  Not too noodly, and extra points for designing something that adapts well to Supergirl, as well.

Jon Morris

Dean: Jon’s Sun God Supes is the following: Wicked. Fourth World. Shiny. Excellent. It’s so Herculean and happy, I can’t say anything against it.

Rachel: I’m giving Jon’s design a full extra point because of how thoroughly it breaks from the traditional representations of Superman. Most of these–even the best of them–lean very heavily on the “real” costume, and the ability to make such a dramatic departure from such an iconic look deserves notice. Maybe this is what Superman would’ve ended up if he had crash-landed on Themyscria. Also, while it doesn’t have anything to do with the costume, the pose and facial expression on this are awesome. They totally crack me up: I bet this Superman always says everything in a loud, declarative voice and is super enthusiastic.

Chris: What if Superman crash landed in ancient Rome? That’s what this hits me over the head with. I don’t think he could pull this off in 2008. But maybe I’d like to see him try.

Joel: Argosy Action Superman! Beyond the obvious virtues of this fun drawing, what I really like about this design is that it really could have been what Superman looked like, if Joe and Jerry had been paying less attention to circus performers and more to Supes’ pulp magazine predecessors (”Clark Kent! Golden Warrior from Another World!”). And then, all superheroes costumes would be derivations of this! The gold armor looks futuristic enough to balance the Classical inspirations. The solar eclipse buckle adds some nice mythic undertones. I’m a little worried about whether or not that cape is a tripping hazard, and the feet are a little footie-pajamas for my taste.

Jess: It seems like it might be a little awkward to go around in - the leather truss would poke him in the ribs every time he bent over, and if that S-shield is raised it would be poking his armpit rather uncomfortably when he put his arm down.  I’m also not sure why he needs gauntlets if he’s super strong and invulnerable.   I definitely give it major props for creativity, though.

Vito: Sun God, huh?  I can see it.  In fact, this is very New Gods meets Greek Gods.  Not too far off the original intention of…well, any comics, really!  The one thing that throws me off is the cape.  It looks uncomfortable to me.

Waid: Very creative, but not very Superman-ish.

More finalists and the P:R Staff entries after the jump! - D.T.

Jorell Rivera

Dean: Kind of a Kryptonian Jesus here. I can see this as two things: Kal-El’s pajamas, or what Kal might be wearing if it took his ship a decade longer to touch down in Kansas. Either way, I like the yellow section with the S symbol and the barefoot look.

Rachel: Awww–I like the idea of Clark Kent sleeping in Superman pajamas. That said, I’m generally not too fond of this design. The colors are cool, but I think more of the messiah feel comes from the pose and facial expression than from the outfit–which ultimately leaves you with, yeah, a set of (admittedly pretty stylin’) PJs.

Chris: Supes’ PJs. I can’t forget that.

Joel: Pajama Jesus Superman! I like the thinking here, and if I had Superman’s powers, I wouldn’t mind wearing something along these lines. If your feet are tougher than shoeleather (or, for that matter, steel), why wear shoes? And the cut of those pajamas look very airy and comfortable. But the color placements seems a smidge arbitrary, and the whole Messianic thing cuts down on Supes’ all-important approachability.

Jess: I tend not to like Messianic takes on Superman, and I agree with Joel that the color placements seem arbitrary.  And is that an off-the-shoulder top?

Vito: I think we all see Jesus Kal: Superstar here, but I’m into the barefoot look.  Had DC gone the GL/GA route with the entire line (that is, told true socially conscious stories duing the late ’60s/early ’70s), here’s the Superman of Woodstock.

Waid: Nice use of color, but really arbitrary design that doesn’t accentuate the power of the form very well, to my eyes.

Kristina Diggs

Dean: I think this is fun as all get out, but it’s not gonna fly for SuperMAN. Still…so pretty…

Chris: This is almost too youthful for it’s own good. Superboy? Definitely.

Joel: This design, which puts the boi in Superboy, is fun, but too busy. Just a few too many shapes breaking up the space without any real intention behind them.

Jess: Agreed.  It’s more manga high school Elseworlds Superboi than anything else.

Rachel: But I’d give it a 6 or 7 at least, if it were supposed to be Superboy/Superboi. And I’m with Joel on the busy lines–this is a design that I think would really shine cleaned up a bit.

Vito: It’s charming!  Maybe it is a Superboy look, but extend those sleeves, and I can see it for Supes.  And I’m not sure if Kristina has submitted before, but this is a great entry for a debut!

Waid: Yeah, charming, but not terribly functional.  Not that underpants on the outside is particularly functional, either, but still….

Kyle Latino (Full image with supporting cast!)

Dean: This one rocks the socks. I love the period base uniform here, but I am absolutely blown away by Kyle’s reimagining of the entire Superman costume change history.

Chris: Wow. Superman as a Blackhawks’ style aviation hero. The logo on the jacket and the shirt underneath? Marvelous.

Rachel: I am such a sucker for aviator jackets–and for free-flying heroes who incorporate traditional aviator gear into their costumes *coughStarmancough*. I also really, really like the scarf as an alternative to the cape; it’s not something you see a lot, and it looks SO sharp, especially with a costume like this one. I’m not sure why–maybe it’s the simple emblem and the darker palette–but this Superman more than any other reminds me of Siegel and Schuster’s original design for the character (and of course, he’s sporting the car-throwing pose from Action Comics #1 in the lower right, which doesn’t hurt).

Jess: Fantastic.  I agree with everything said above; I, too, love me a dapper aviator look!  And the cast variations are fabulous and really show off how versatile this basic look can be.  (If nothing else, it takes a lot of chutzpah to deliberately invoke Superman Red and Superman Blue!)

Vito: I’m an absolute sucker for pulp inspired designs.  This is everything Siegel and Shuster were thinking when they came up with Superman; Doc Savage meets Wylie’s Gladiator.  The entire cast was done up in such spectacular fashion, that I have to endorse this as my Best in Show.  He even used old school coloring techniques!  And doggone, look at that scarf!

Joel: I’m torn. On one hand: this is a costume that would work in the real world, which is always something I like; it speaks to Supes’ genre roots, which I’m also a fan of; and the full cast image with all the variations is both clever and well-executed (especially the two Superboy designs!). On the other hand, it looks kinda generic. I don’t think this Superman, had he been introduced in the late Thirties, would have caught the popular imagination in the lasting way the real Kal did.

Vito: That may be true, Joel, but Doc Savage, Secret Agent X and Nick Carter sure captured the popular imagination before Superman, so maybe, maybe not?

Joel: Sure, but not to level of Supes, who has been one of the most recognizable images in the world for pretty much his entire existence. You can’t walk into a Target and buy Doc Savage underwear. Which, of course, is a terrible shame.

Vito: Not really.  Doc Savage underoos would be torn to shreds.  But you make a good point.

Waid:  Love.  Love. Love.  If only the colors had been more iconic.

Vito: See that Joel?  Waid and Delsante know what’s up!

Joel: Curses! Foiled again!

Les McClaine

Dean: Solid drawing from Les (as per usual!) but I’d like to see this thing with boots and yellow where the blue is in the chest symbol.

Chris: Les really thought this one out, but the simplicity of this might baffle some people. I think Les is headed in a great direction, but I don’t think he’s made it there yet. He’s got a firm grasp on Superman’s facial likeness and style though.

Joel: Hugs-for-Everyone Superman! I think this is a solidly workable design—if not as the mainstream Supes, than as variation. I could buy this as a happier parallel to Kingdom Come Superman. I wouldn’t mind the negative space in the S-shield as a third color though. If not that classic yellow, than some third color, just to provide a little more visual hierarchy to the costume.

Jess: There’s something very cuddly about this Superman.  He just wants to love you!  I think it needs a little more visual interest - maybe a third color, as Joel suggested, or boots instead of footsie pajama legs, but I am digging the shield/shirt action.

Rachel: D’awww. He really does look like he wants a hug. I love the simple lines of this, but I think it needs a little more–a third color, or boots would definitely do the trick. Also, the way this costume reads, there’s a big red arrow directing the viewer’s eye straight toward Superman’s crotch.

Jess: See what you did, Rachel?  Now I can’t stop looking at it.

Vito: Absolute love it.  That s-shield is quite possibly the most innovative of the designs in the contest.  I think the use of blues and reds is both classic and new in the same breath.  I’m fine with the absence of a belt, but the extra material on the cuffs just doesn’t fit with the overall fit of the costume.  Hardly an issue, which is why it’s 1 point away from perfect.

Waid: Design not as good as the drawing, but the piece as a whole does a very nice job of capturing who Superman is.

Paul Salvi

Dean: Man, this totally needs some saturation, but the lines and shapes are slick as heck.

Chris: Morose, but I’d like to see how Paul did it in action.

Joel: Stealth Suit Superman! For all those times you have to sneak through the Shadow Nebula. Problematic color scheme aside, I like the basic shape of this costume, the lines created by the piping, and the way they relate to the belt-line, cape-hem, and collar. The S-shield isn’t quite working, yet, but it’s close. Also, this Superman is played by Bruce Campbell, isn’t he?

Rachel: Man, Superman, you gotta stop raiding Batman’s wardrobe! It’s a hell of a job to make a grey-and-black toned costume that immediately evokes the character and doesn’t immediately imply that he’s gone evil. But at the same time, I don’t think it’s a color scheme that works for Superman, at least not as a primary costume. Since his inception, Superman has been all about the bright colors, and since the beginning, that’s also represented a lot about him as a character and a hero. There’s a reason no one has ever published Superman Black & White–color is too much of who the character is, both within his universe and to readers.

Vito: Not as bad or morose as the scores would have us believe.  Rachel has a point; there is a certain color scheme associated with Superman that breathes life into the character and has done so for 70 years.  That said, I don’t mind the colors because when I see this, I think one thing; The Superman of Gotham City.  No matter where he is, he’s still Superman and this is still Superman to me.  And this s-shield is amazing.  The lines lead the eyes to all the angles within the entire costume and that’s kind of cool!

Jess: I do like the lines of the costume, and it is impressive that Paul managed to make this very definitely Superman while working in gray tones, but I’m really missing that color.  The length of the cape also seems a bit awkward - I think it needs to be longer or maybe shorter.

Waid: 9.  On any other characer, a 10.

Jonathan McNally

Dean: I dig the intense happiness quality here, and I’m on board with every element except the headgear. Great blue boot stripes and wristgear.

Chris: This makes me think music. It totally portrays a wholly different kind of Superman.

Vito: There was a Superman musical in the 70’s, you know.  I like the headgear, and the belt, but I would have used a contrasting color on the boots (the blue maybe?).  There’s a lot of red here (whereas, the normal Superman costume has a lot of blue).  It’s not bad, really.

Jess: Certainly better than the Superman musical was!

Rachel: This is another design that’s more elseworlds than main-universe Superman, and it’s awfully charming. The old-fashioned football uniform look and bright palette play up the All-American Boy angle on the character. Also, he’s frolicking! With birds!

Joel: Football Frolic Superman! This is a really fun design, and I’d be interested to see what sort of adventures this Superman would have. The headgear, boot-tops, and gloves all relate nicely to each other with a repeated use of right angles. The S-shield is a bit bland, but in a Golden Age kind of way.

Jess: Aw, look at him skip!  This is a Clark who is really sad that he never got to play football in Smallville.  I’m with Vito in that I’d like to see more contrast in the boots, but this is definitely a fun, Golden-Agey/Elseworlds-y Superman.

Waid:  Frolicking good, pointless headpiece bad.

Daniel Krall

Dean: Aw levels at maximum! I really dig this illustration, but I don’t think the actual costume’s quite there yet. Maybe it works best as an in-progress take by Clark and Martha on the Supersuit.

Chris: In this competitions I’ve grown to look forward to seeing Daniel Krall’s work every time out. Each time he aims for the bleachers in terms of creativity, but I think this time his idea got the best of him. As an illustration it’s the tops, but the costume itself doesn’t do it for me.

Joel: This is a wonderful illustration, and I love the depictions of Ma Kent and Krypto. But I agree with Chris and Dean that this costume isn’t quite hitting my buttons. I like the narrative concept of the Ma Kent-sewn action suit, but the actual design seems a little strange. Especially that red item emerging from his pants. It looks like he put on a weight-lifter’s leotard over his shirt, and then pulled his pants on over those. Does the cape connect to it? Or to the collar? And he seems to be wearing an awful lot of layers. Although, I guess that make sense, if his mother designed it.

Rachel: It’s tempting to give Daniel’s design a higher score, because of the amount of attention he lavishes on detail and context; if this contest were for scene design, it’d be a full 10. That said, this Superman costume just doesn’t do it for me. The number of layers and the way they fit–or don’t fit–together makes the costume look slapdash, as if Clark just pulled on every red or blue garment he could find, in no particular order. That’s reinforced by the fact that the elements really don’t seem to go together–aside from color, there’s not much visual connection between the boots, pants, shirts, and cape.

Vito: I see exactly what Daniel went with, and it just doesn’t work.  He went with Kansas-farmboy-as-superhero.  Not a bad idea, but the execution…leaves me a little cold.  First, I don’t see the need for a cape here other than to be true to the original; if we’re to assume that all these designs are to take place in Action Comics #1, then the farmer motif doesn’t need a cape.  The colors, though, are pretty great.  This guy is totally out of The Grapes of Wrath (historically accurate since Kansas was affected by the Dust Bowl).  The s-shield is a little clunky.  I’m usually all over Daniel’s work, but this one isn’t doing it for me.

Jess: I’m with everyone else here.  As an illustration, it’s a 10, no question; as a costume, not so much.  It’s definitely a wrestling singlet plus fishing pants plus I don’t know what else.  I will say that the boots are fantastic.

Waid: Great drawing, too noodly a design.

Brian Mead

Dean: Argh I am overwhelmed by the amazing Fourth Worldliness. I could totally see this working in a New Genesis-based Superman arc. So fun. I’d have gone ahead and extended the chest’s ‘S’ symbol down to it’s usual point, or pushed the vertical symmetry a bit further.

Chris: This is a great illustration, but for costuming itself it’s a bit too complicated.

Joel: Although I agree that the overall design is busy, there are a lot of nice details worth lingering over. I like the S-shield, and the way it interacts with the shapes around it, and I really like the way the belt and the bottom of the tunic create a point that mirrors the more traditional pentagonal S-shield. The two tones of cool gray make for a pleasing change to the color scheme. And I’m intrigued by the tight red sleeves peeking out of the cuffs. I’d suggest simplifying as much as possible without losing some of the nice shape-harmonies, and ditch as much of the yellow detailing as possible.

Rachel: The thing that sticks out most to me about this is that it looks very alien (which I like, and which I think gets forgotten far too often when dealing with Superman), with a bit of military dress garb to it. It also drives home the extent to which these redesigns fire my imagination–I immediately thought, “Well, yeah–this is a Superman whose father wrapped him in one of his uniforms before tucking him into the rocket.”

Vito: There’s a lot in common here between Brian’s design and Ming’s.  Could I be scoring lower because I saw Ming’s first?  Maybe, but I think where Brian and Ming differ is in color scheme and s-shield.  This one is pretty traditional, and that’s not a bad thing but compared to everyone’s nouveau s-shield designs, it leaves me a little uninspired.  The yellow piping is a little too much (I agree with Joel…simplifying this by eliminating the yellow piping might score higher).

Jess: I am digging the alien/military vibe Rachel picked up on, and I love everything happening in the chestal region - the shield, the connection to the cape, the vertical red band, everything.  But yeah, it’s a little too busy.  I’d take out some of the layers - make it the usual onesie instead of shirt, tunic, and pants.  But keep the cuffs!  They are nifty keen.

Waid: Stop with the alien military motif!  Superman is a FRIEND.  He’s WARM.  He’s your favorite uncle.

Jemma Salume

Dean: Gah, fun. I’d like to see this as an alternate universe Supes/Conner that pops in to help out on a specific arc (and maybe spins off into his own title). I love the detailing on the gloves, boots, and waist. Color wise, I think I’d need to see this in direct sunlight to make any judgements. The intense blue lighting is making the colors seem a bit reflective, which I don’t think is intentional. Regardless, great lines.

Chris: This looks like a Kryptonian supervillian, not Supes. Those eyebrows, that tousled hair.

Joel: What a beautiful design. I love the rhythm of the lines throughout the costume, and the repeated staggered interaction of diagonals. I think you could take the cape off (or not) and walk this costume down the runway of any fashion show. Great boots and gloves, great hem-line on the jacket, even the hair is great! It really relies on the S-shield to make this Superman’s costume, however, and I think that’s the costume’s weakest link. That’s just not a very iconic S. If that were resolved, this would be my first choice for the design of a younger, sexier Superman.

Rachel: Since I first saw this, I’ve been calling it “baseball Superman” in my head. Jemma makes some bold departures from the traditional look, which is good, but the problem is that it leaves us with very little to identify the character as Superman. The wraps on the hands and feet also say “martial artist” to me, which Superman isn’t. He does have the best hair, though–no question.

Vito: It’s interesting how Jemma and Dean went with a full body white color scheme (great minds think alike?).  He certainly looks alien, and that’s a credit to Jemma because it’s the one thing I think Superman has always lacked; Superman, raised by human Earthlings, never looked like anything but human.  Here, he looks otherworldly.  And I appreciate it, but that’s also why I’m not so high on it.  Superman is one of us.

Jess: There’s something about the face that makes him look…well, evil, and thus not Superman-y, and I’m trying to ignore that to concentrate on the costume, but dang, Jemma, those eyes are looking straight into my soul.  Rachel hit the nail on the head with this one - this Supes plays for the Yankees (which is fine with me, because a little Kryptonian assistance couldn’t hurt my boys).  There’s also something very youthful about this Superman, as with all of Jemma’s designs - perhaps this is a revised Superboy Prime (apparently we can say that again!)?  It’s a gorgeous design, but not quite Superman.

Waid: Seersucker Superman.  Eh.

Mike Maihack

Dean: Haha, well I don’t see Mike’s design here working in the regular title, but I do think it’s fun. Maybe it’d work best in a story where a kid who met Supes is explaining the encounter to his friends.

Chris: Several of the entries sho that yellow piping, so there’ s alot of common thought going on. I like what Maihack has here but I think another couple drafts at the design would have worked out some kinds and simplified it into a more iconic costume that Superman needs.

Rachel: I’m with Chris all the way on simplifying. In particular, those lightning-bolt jagged lines on the torso really take away from what’s otherwise a really cool design.

Vito: Good Lord, this is spectacular!  However, the lightning-like piping makes me think Shazam! more than Superman.  It’s at the very least, and Elseworlds design.

Joel: Yup, this is very Shazamy. Imagine the poor Wizard’s disappointment, after going through all the trouble of luring a boy down into the subway tunnels and granting him godlike powers, when young Clark replied, “But I already…”

Vito: There’s an Elseworlds story!

Jess: But if Clark is vulnerable to magic, does he lose his regular powers when he says “Shazam”?  I’ll add my voice to the cries for simplifying this, but I gotta say I love the medallion-style shield.  It’s probably my favorite shield of all the redesigns.

Waid: Yet another one that’s so much better a drawing than it is an actual, iconic, easily repeatable design.

Daniel Heard

Dean: Points for fun, but deductions for plausibility. I don’t really see this as feasible in a Superman title.

Joel: Tuff-skins Superman! While some Superman continuities have Supes’ action suit being a Kryptonian artifact, others have it created entirely by Martha Kent. And what a great “Ma Kent costume” this is! This looks so wonderfully like the snazzy sewing of a Thirties Kansas farm wife, right down to the grommets in the armpits! Obviously, this early costume wouldn’t pass muster in slick, sophisticated Metropolis, but dang, I hope, somewhere in the Fortress of Solitude, a mannequin is sporting this reminder of Supes’ roots.

Rachel: Or in the Batcave, since the costume galleries are more Batman’s style than Superman’s…

Joel: Rachel, you aren’t reading your Showcase Presents, are you? Silver Age Supes was obsessed with making life-sized dioramas of his own history. Clark must have had stock in a mannequin factory.

Chris: My dad would call this Superman a hillbilly — and not as an offense, but as a compliment. But it doesn’t do it for me.

Rachel: Forget Man of Steel–this is the Man of Denim! I like the basic design, and I love the way the red bits are balanced, but I think it needs to be about three sizes larger. Heavy, skin-tight denim is nobody’s friend. Also, is he wearing a vest?

Vito: I think, and again this is purely guessing on my part, but I think this is what Daniel Krall was going for in his design.  It’s pretty underwhelming, which is exactly what shy Clark would be comfortable in.  It’s pretty cool to see this like this.  But, I don’t think Superman could wear this.  Why not?  Well, if you, or better yet, if Lois was to see this Superman rescuing a school bus hanging off of a bridge, and then go to work with a guy nicknamed “Smallville,” the leap between secret ID and alter ego would not be a huge one.  I like both Daniel’s concepts, but it just couldn’t work.

Jess: I love it.  Look how happy he is in his 30s overalls!  I’m picturing him sitting on the half-constructed Empire State Building eating lunch out of a metal tin.  It’s a little less striking than maybe it should be, which is why I knocked the point off, but man.  This is a Superman who is gonna get the job done, and then play catch with the kids he’s saved.  Awesome.

Waid: Clever, but again, I’m never too keen on Superman over-accessorizing.

Anjin Anhut

Dean: I’m not crazy about this one, despite digging the drawing style. The armor stuff just looks slapped on over a standard Supersuit.

Chris: This is a real departure from how Superman is traditionally played out. What if Superman’s cradle landed in Themiscrya?

Rachel: In this case? I think Jon Morris’s Superman would cheerfully kick his ass.

Joel: Nice one, Chris! The Classical allusions are obvious, and I was all ready to talk about the Romans, but Themiscryan Superman is a much more interesting Elseworlds to contemplate. Because of Supes’ role as DC’s resident Sun God, a lot of the submissions have gone to gone to Antiquity for inspiration, but I think this is the most elegant and dignified take. My only concern is that point at the bottom of the chest plate. Assuming Superman ever bends at the waist, that seems like a bad idea.

Rachel: The armor really bugs me, because it’s superficially functional gear, and in this case, it’s totally unnecessary. That’s one of the central conceits of Superman, and of his costume: he doesn’t need any protection or added power, so anything above the basic spandex is entirely for show–and unless Superman wants to hammer out the dents every time he moves, he’s also trading in mobility. And since this redesign basically involves the traditional Super-suit with armor laced on above, it doesn’t do much for me as a package. I do dig the cape, though…

Vito: I was ready to give this a 9, because it’s absolutely beautiful.  It’s stunning.  But Rachel is right; the plating is unnecessary.  It’s cool, but it’s unnecessary.  But good gravy, I’d write this Superman tomorrow if I could!

Joel: Maybe… it’s… uhm, magic armor? Because, growing up on Themiscrya, Supes would encounter a lot of magic, which he is vulnerable to. Maybe?

Jess: Darn your incisive comments, Rachel!  You’re absolutely right, but boy, is it pretty.  I’m a little confused by what’s going on around the Superpanties - does he have a little skirtlet in back? - and I think I’d prefer boots to sandals, but this is one gallant Man of Steel.

Waid: Superman has a deep, deep need to be embraced and accepted.  Armor doesn’t sell that.

Victor Newman

Dean: Like a few other entries, it’s cool, but just isn’t Superman.

Chris: Tony Stark in a Superman costume. I like the design, but it’s not Superman to me.

Joel: Your right, Chris, this isn’t Superman. It’s ZOD! And what a Zod! The built-up shoulder and neck succinctly implies militarism, inflexibility, and self-aggrandizement: all characteristics you want in an interstellar dictator.

Rachel: A more populist Zod, perhaps, since he’s apparently trying to cash in on Superman’s popularity with that big bright S.

Vito: Rachel and Joel, you took the words right out of my mouth.  This is Zod.  Start kneeling, fanboys.

Jess: I was thinking Superman as the son of a coal miner rather than a farmer, but Zod works too.

Waid: 5 for Superman, 11 for Zod.

Rosemary Travale

Dean: Argh, it’s adorable, and I love it to bits, but it’s just not Superman to me. It’s a happy Halloween costume.

Joel: Freddie Mercury in a Victorian Swimsuit Superman! How cute is that? Often, during these commentaries, I find myself wishing DC would continue to produce the Bizarro anthologies, and well, this is the argument for them, right here. Don’t you want to see what the rest of Rosemary’s Justice League looks like?

Chris: Definitely Freddie Mercury here, or a Clark Gable.

Rachel: I have to admit that this is hard for me to review, ’cause I keep stopping and scrolling up and staring at the picture and grinning…and then I realize ten minutes have passed. It’s so weird and awesome and charming: the tranquil face, the curled moustachios, the confused-looking birds…

Vito: Totally charming, and makes me wish we could see Superman in a mustache, but the mustache isn’t the problem; it’s the costume.  I think I can see the idea behind it; turn of the century strongman.  That’s a fun and interesting idea, but it just doesn’t work for me.  Buuuut…I agree with Joel; I’d love to see her JLA.

Jess: Hee!  It’s so cute, but is it Superman?  Not particularly.  But if someone could figure out an Elseworlds for this guy, I would be a happy camper indeed.

Waid: It really is adorable.

Note: And now for mine and Joel Priddy’s ineligible entries! -D.T.

Dean Trippe

Jess: Definitely very All-Star Superman, Dean.  I love the sleek simplicity of it, but, uh…forgive me, but the little belt buckle keeps drawing my eyes to an inappropriate place.  I’m sorry, that’s just where I look!  Now I have made everything tawdry.

Rachel: Me, too, Jess–I also have to keep reminding myself that it’s not a belly-button hole; stylistically, it seems like a departure from the rest of the costume, and I’m not really sure if its awkwardness is justified by its function, design-wise. That said, the bright, optimistic quality that I’ve come to associate with Dean’s designs is super-appropriate here; this Superman seems like the perfect icon to herald the future of the DCU…

Chris: I feel a Mike Allred vibe going on here, and that’s a good thing. The combination of the cape and the chestpiece is a really good idea.

Joel: A subtle, dignified vision of Superman-as-guardian-angel. The blue band edging the red is lovely, and has a nice repeat at the hem of the sleeves. I don’t really get the beltless buckle, however, and I don’t think the serifs on the S looks resolved.  Should the top continue all the way down the cape as a stripe? In a straight-on pose, would the bottom serif recall the dollar sign, making Supes appear to be a symbol of American Capitalist Imperialism to the far corners of the world?

Jess: You mean he’s not?  (Sorry, Joel, couldn’t resist.)

Vito: I think Dean’s entry is fantastic, eligible or not.  It really pushes that Superman-as-messiah motif that Singer was going for in the last movie, and you can point to Dean’s use of white.  Superman as an angel of hope…I can get behind that.

Dean: Thanks guys. While not an elligible entry, I’m fairly pleased with how this went. Combining the symbol and cape into one element is a familiar route in Superman redesigns, but by solidifying the S into a single shape and adding the blue stripe against a white bodysuit, I think it retains the Silver Age/All-Star Superman vibe that makes Superman comics fun for me.

Waid: I like the thought behind this better than the execution–I, too, have a hard time not seeing a dollar sign on the chest.  And I’m not crazy about the shade of the blue band.  Like the faux-buckle.

Joel Priddy (Larger Image!)

Dean: I’ve GOT to see this thing actually constructed. I love the way Joel’s created such a large and strong S symbol and the cape connections look like they’d really pop in a physical representation. The long coat is very out-there in a Supes design, but it does make him look smart, like Silver Age Fortress of Science Experiments Superman. I also dig the short, spikey hair cut. The additional supporting cast (ZIBARRO!!) sells this thing beyond all reason.

Jess: It strikes me as more Jor-El than Superman, but I really enjoy the boots, and the way the cape hangs from the S shield.  I will say that it looks super-comfy.

Rachel: Yeah, to me, this one says “Kryptonian formal-wear.” It’s a great design, but less practical for fighting and flying than for addressing the Senate; maybe this could be Superman’s equivalent of Diana’s Ambassador-wear. What really caught my eye were the supporting cast members (although Joel mercifully left out the super-turtle): the clean lines and cut of the logo on Superboy’s shirt rock my socks. Bonus points, too, for a costume that’s physically constructible–you could make this out of existing or hypothetical-but-feasible materials, which is a feature I’m always fond of.

Chris: This really spurs my imagination to go wild. This looks vaguely European to me in a Herge sort of way. Give this man an Elseworlds book and get out of the way.

Vito: Chris, what a great comparison with the Herge comment.  I really like this, Joel, because it’s very much the Kryptonian motif taken the extra step.  Jess may have a point; this might be more Jor-El than Kal-El, but just like the movie says…”The son becomes the father and the father, the son.”

Joel: No Score. Thanks everybody. This piece grew out of the sad fact that I am now older than all but the Kingdom Come Superman. And it’s very hard to realize that one can no longer grow up to be the Man of Tomorrow. So, I tried to come up with a costume that would allow a young man to run around being the pinnacle of all human hopes and dreams without making bitter old codgers like me feel worthless in comparison. I was surprised to find that a vaguely clerical look seemed to work best, although it does make sense, come to think of it. My big question was: did Keanu kill the cassock?

Waid: Casual Friday at the Science Council.

But if you haven’t heard back from us, then we don’t have your entry. Please send it to our new email address, projectrooftop@gmail.com.

Remember to include all the information required in the contest rules. Thanks! - Dean

Ready to tug on Superman’s cape? Heck, tear it off and take the tights back to the drawing board! Project: Rooftop is teaming up with Pulp Secret and Jim Hanley’s Universe for a new drawing contest that breaks even our own guidelines. That’s right, Jimmy Olsen, in honor of the 70th anniversary of Superman’s first appearance in Action Comics #1 way back in 1938, P:R, P.S., and JHU are putting out the call for redesigns of the first superhero with Superman: Man of Style! Jim Hanley’s Universe has provided these incredible prizes:

Grand Prize (1) - The Superman No. 14 statue, Superman: Birthright TPB signed by writer Mark Waid, and Superman #676 signed by our own Vito Delsante, who wrote the issue!

Second Prize (1) - Justice League Animated Superman mini maquette and a signed copy of Superman #676.

Third Prize (1) - Superman #676 signed by Vito!

Along with our usual P:R Staff roundtable reviews, fan-favorite writer and DCU expert, Mark Waid (Kingdom Come, Superman: Birthright), will be joining in to guest judge the finalists! The winners will be announced on Pulp Secret the following day with commentary from the P.S. crew.

Send in your Superman redesigns to editors@projectrooftop.com, with the subject line, “Superman: Man of Style!” Please include your full name, age, website, and mailing address for prize shipment. International winners may be responsible for prize shipment. All the usual P:R Guidelines apply…except for #7, of course.

All entries must be received by June 15th, 2008!

(Check out Pulp Secret’s announcement of Superman: Man of Style in today’s episode, available here!)

Charles Rouse-Rodriguez (Larger Version)

Dean: Gosh there’s a lot of good going on here. The inset circle on the torso and the raised neck guard are the parts that work the best for me. I dig the simplified faceplate, but I think I’d rather have seen a more personable face there.

Chris: If only Charles would have turned this in before the deadline. Like Dean, I enjoy the indented circle on the torso as well as the neckguard, in addition to the backpiece. The faceplate reminds me of Eric Canete’s work on the recent Iron Man: Enter The Mandarin miniseries.

Vito: It’s funny how everyone, when drawing IM, draws him in segments and plates. I wonder what the thinking is behind that. Or maybe those aren’t plates…maybe they’re designs on the metal. Just makes me wonder why all you artists think alike in that respect. My favorite element on Charles’ submission is the collar…how it goes up around his neck. Looks like a football player’s neckroll, which makes him a “bigger” character. It makes sense to me because you have to believe there’s a guy under all that metal. I would have given this a solid 8 had it come in on time.

Rachel: I can’t get past the fact that he looks like he’s wearing mechanical panties over his costume. Otherwise, freakin’ awesome.

Jon Morris (Larger Version)

Dean: Haha, this thing is CRAZY. Jon described it to me as being a womb-like containment structure that Tony lives in, so the shape and appendages don’t necessarily have to reflect a human form. I could see this as a future Tony Stark, protecting his ailing body, perhaps from a harsh environment. The only thing I’d deduct points for is the color scheme. I think Tony’d go for a red tunic over a blue one, man. Power colors.

Chris: This is less a redesign and more a re-imagination. I can’t quite get my brain around it.

Vito: I’m with Chris. I can’t quite put a finger on this one. It’s certainly a lot of fun, but wow, how weird!

Rachel: Add a third to that list! I love the design, but I can’t wrap my head around it as Iron Man.

HONORABLE MENTIONS!

Art Grafunkel

Christian Pearce

More after the jump! -Dean

Colleen Kao

Jorge Daniel Romero Castillo

Mark Engblom

Meghan Murphy

Paul Milligan

Vu Nguyen

Our special guests this week are writer Matt Fraction (Casanova, The Immortal Iron Fist) and artist Adi Granov (Iron Man, Necrowar). Matt is the writer of Marvel’s new ongoing series, Invincible Iron Man, and Adi’s fan-favorite redesign of the Iron Man armor led to his helping design the new film’s version of the character. - Dean Trippe

GRAND PRIZE WINNER!

Daniel Krall (Larger Version w/ Extras!)
Composite Score: 76.5 out of a possible 80 points.

Dean: 10. This is my only perfect rating, so let me ramble on about it for a minute. What Daniel’s done here is not simply show off a neat alternate version of the character. With this one illustration, he’s rebuilt him, including character traits and building a story that informs the design. This Iron Man is the Howard Hughes-inspired Tony Stark. He’s proud of his work. He’s bringing us into the future. The actual design goes far beyond the fun of this magazine ad illo, though. It looks functional. It’s stainless steel and rivets. When I was a kid, I grew up playing in my grandfather’s garage, while he built an RV-4 plane. The serious grounding in a brains, metal, and hard work world really sells this one for me. The red and gold racing stripes feel more Tony Stark to me than I would’ve expected. I like that it looks aerodynamic and tough, but also that there are possible weak points that could be exploited by an opponent in a fight. I think that’d just look awesome. And that Stark Technologies logo is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. (And don’t miss the infinity symbol / “i” in on the chest.) I absolutely want to read this Iron Man’s adventures.

Joel: 10. Man, you said it, Dean. Who will take my subscription check? I want to read this Iron Man’s adventures! Looking at this and Daniel’s great Nick Fury and Black Widow designs, I think we can all agree that Daniel should be assigned an ongoing book set in Marvel’s early Cold War era. While this is definitely not an Earth-616 solution, Daniel really goes the extra mile with his period detail. The suit itself looks oddly Byzantine at first glance, with its elaborately overlapping plates, but it also looks like the product of an Atomic Age aviator’s imagination, combining both plane and pilot’s high-altitude suit.

Chris: 10. Wow. From design to presentation and even the storytelling aspect. If Marvel were to ever do a similar project to Darwyn Cooke’s DC: The New Frontier, this would be the kind of thing that would go great with that.

Vito: 9.5. Doggone that Daniel Krall. Seriously. I guarantee you that fine print is hysterical. But this piece hearkens back to his Black Widow/Nick Fury piece from a few months back. This is Tony Stark as Howard Hughes and it fits with what Daniel has done before. In that review, I said that the highest compliment I could ever pay an artist on a piece of artwork is that it inspires many stories, and Daniel does that again. What really clinches it for me is the use of a flat colored iron with just simple red and yellow detailing. If he’d use that “refrigerator suit” gray, I might have added the extra .5 point.

Josh: 10. The best hybrid of traditional and ultimate Iron Man armors. I love the rivets. This has no effect on my rating, but I fear for anyone who’d have to draw that too many times. And any chance I can get a giant copy of this for my wall?

Rachel: 9. I struggled over whether to give into peer pressure and make this a ten, but I just can’t do it. I love the look, I love the concept, and I love the art. But the design is just too busy for me. It’s detailed to a point that detracts from its iconicness (is that even a word?), and it’s not something I could see working within the constraints of an actual comic.

Adi: 9. Hard not to be in love with this one… The amount of thought and work that seems to have gone into this is very impressive. Stan Lee said that he was inspired by Howard Hughes when he created Iron Man and this is a superb development of that line of thinking, as if this Tony Stark was a contemporary, maybe even a friend or rival, of Rocketeer. I love that Stark logo too! I was going to give this a 10 but the chest and rib area look a bit unresolved and busy. But overall just a superb concept and execution.

Matt: 9. Awesome. And not just that it considers both the Iron and the Man, or that it gives Stark technologies a makeover, but as a considered document and piece of design, I love the whole vision.

SECOND PRIZE WINNERS!

Sam Bosma
Composite Score: 69.5

Dean: 9. This design is just golden. Heh. I dig the godlike feel here. It’s angelic, it’s futuristic, and it’s solid. The lit circuit lines on the chest and arms are nice, and the overall form is slick and simplified, but still very Iron Man. I totally dig it.

Joel: 9. With the placid-expression on the face plate, the paler color scheme, and the pose of a descending angel, this looks like an armor redesign Tony worked on while vacationing in Nirvana. Repulsor-blast our karmic chains, Enlightned Iron Man!

Rachel: 9. This is an Iron Man who wouldn’t look out of place on the pages of New Frontier. The face caught me–it’s simultaneously simpler and more expressive than most of the designs I’ve seen–and the armor has just the right amount of detail and texture.

Chris: 9. This is surprisingly haunting, especially for a usually cold piece of armor. It makes me think music for some reason. This is something I’d love to see more of.

Vito: 9.5. Wow. Words fail me (for once). I’ve never seen Sam’s art cross the P:RT desks before now, and I think we’ve all been missing out. This is a great piece! There’s elements of Tron here, and really, how can you go wrong with Tron? I also like the inversion of the red and gold.

Josh: 9. The pose, the extra circles, the inversion of colors; all great. Similar to the entry I tagged for a runner-up vote, this reminds me of something I’ve never seen, and may not have been intended: what if Iron Man visited Jack Kirby’s Fourth World?

Matt: 8. Why don’t I love this? I should. I feel like I should. I’m disconnecting from it and I’m not sure why. I think, like Joe’s, I don’t believe there’s a man inside…

Adi: 7. Beautifully executed image. One thing which removes emotion and life from this design is the lack of any expression in the face. Makes me think that it’s an actual robot as opposed to a man in a robotic suit. But it’s a lovely design, well balanced and consistent. And the overall feel is great with him descending like some kind of mechanical angel.

Ming Doyle
Composite Score: 63

Dean: 8. Ming explained her design as being the Asia-aimed export of the Stark Industries Iron Man persona. So in America, we’ve got Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man, but in Asian markets, we’d have Iron Man, celebrity spokesperson! I actually think this is pretty in line with Tony’s built-for-business, multiple market mindset. The actual Iron Man design here is also delightfully retro, and has an especially cool faceplate. I dig this whole concept. It’d be an interesting storyline to pursue, having the Iron Man character be popular with teens and tweens, while older folks might recognize the problems in elevating an icon of American military might to Hello Kitty-like fandom.

Joel: 9. A real strength which Ming brings to her designs is the breadth of visual influence. Although her geek cred is unimpeachable, it often looks to me as though she’s constructing perfect superheroes without ever having actually seen one before—she makes none of the material and aesthetic assumptions that so many of us seem mired in, even when we’re trying to bust out of them. The banded armor-sections are a nice contrast to the more solid-looking plates. And that jet-assembly(?) on the lower legs is amazing! I’m not sure I get what’s going on with the yellow circles on the inner elbows, and the shoulders seem a bit unresolved. But, all in all, this is a wonderful drawing, and wonderful concept, and a wonderful redesign.

Chris: 8. With some designs it’s hard to put aside the obvious storytelling going on and just focus on the designs. This is one of them. Can’t… concentrate…. Iron… man… as.. Japanese… toy… to much… to resist…. KAWAI!!

Vito: 9. I think the thing I like/love about this design so much is that it presents Iron Man as a cultural icon, something that even we, as geeks who grew up with Iron Man, can’t imagine. Iron Man, to many, is a Black Sabbath song about a guy who was turned to steel in a magnetic field. So, what Ming does is more than just redesigns a costume; she reimagined a world where Iron Man is Spider-Man. And in doing so, she realized that only in Japan, where Ultra-Man is as popular as Godzilla, would Iron Man BE a true social and cultural icon. Like I said, this piece is more than just a costume redesign.

Josh: 7. I’m a fan of the stream-lined design while also adding the giant boots, but what really catches me is the potential for a theme song: “New New Iron Man” to the music of the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger theme.

Rachel: 8. I love it when artists like Ming and Daniel Krall create a larger context around their drawings. The break from traditional superhero design fascinates me as well–as Joel commented, this is the kind of superhero you’d design if you’d read about them but never actually seen one, which is a perfect reflection of the aesthetic Ming set out to capture here.

Matt: 7. I dig the contextual stuff– the bowtie clips are great– it pulls up bigger design issues to me… font choices, layout, etc. I wish the suit itself was more alien, somehow… I sort of tune out around the legs. I love it up to the waist, I love the– whatyacallit– the slats and stuff.

Adi: 7. I’d give this a higher rating because I am in love with the drawing and the concept. It’s really hard not to be won over by the sheer fun of this image, and as such it’s a fantastic representation. The suit design itself seems underdeveloped and relies on the style to do the “talking.” I love the helmet/shape of the face plate, and I really like the material the upper arms and his sides are made of. Lovely image overall.

THIRD PRIZE WINNERS

Joel Carroll
Composite Score: 62

Dean: 9. As usual, Joel’s got a serious handle on amping up this character’s design without losing any recognizability. The way the blue circle lights are inset into the armor is so cool. I prefer Iron Man designs that include a little blue, by the way. It rounds out the primary color scheme and keeps the red and gold from being too boring. The red detailing on the gold of the torso and arms is also super slick. This Iron Man is ready for his own animated series ASAP.

Joel: 8. An impressive-looking figure, this design has the weight and solidity of the best Iron Man designs. There’s just enough of the brawler’s stance and proportions mixed in with the high-tech. I love the rhythm of the gold and red lines, especially through the torso. I think it stumbles a bit on practical issues, however. Or, at least, my understanding of them. Parts of the armor are unhinged: the crotch and wrists, for instance. Others are elaborately hinged, like the ankles and elbows. So, is this metal flexible or not? The admittedly cool-looking blue circles tend to show up in what might be jointed areas, but don’t appear to serve as articulation. What is their purpose? They don’t seem appropriately placed to be either attitude jets or repulsors.

Rachel: 9. Those blue circles seem to be a running theme in a lot of these designs–think our contestants were working together? I don’t think they’re joints here, though–if they were, the placement of the ones on the legs and hands wouldn’t make any sense, since they’re below the knees and wrists. The lack of consistent articulation is definitely the biggest con here: the design looks gorgeous and extremely visually cohesive at first glance, but it loses credibility at the level of details, when the reverse should be the case. I think that actually brings up an issue that may come up more in these designs than in previous P:R reviews, which is feasibility. Iron Man’s suit a) is built around a person, and b) has to serve some specific functions, and as such, it has to have a stronger basis in real-world engineering and anatomy than do most costumes. There’s also the working assumption that unless it’s otherwise obvious, the working assumption is that any element of Iron Man’s costume is rigid: where you put seams on Nightwing’s outfit will affect how it hangs, but where you put them on Iron Man’s will determine whether or not he can bend his wrists.

Chris: 8. Joel turned in a really great piece, and what I enjoy most about it is the play between the hard-shell elements (the helmet, the boots and the gauntlets) over the seemingly more pliable exosuit. I’m all for Iron Man being the “armored hero”, but in this modern times with all the crazy tech Stark has, having the hardest stuff for the heads, feet and head with more movable everything else just works out great from a realistic standpoint. And me, I dig the blue circles — it hearkens back to the original designs, and also provides an exhaust and intake ports.

Dean: Yeah, that sort of stuff doesn’t really bother me any more than any previous Iron Man costume. Here’s what Mr. Carroll had to say about the materials in his Iron Man design. “Eliot R. Brown had an incredible idea about the suit’s individual skin tiles being electromagnetically hardened and softened per millisecond, depending on the internal movements of the pilot….explaining why some IM suits seem like cloth, but still hard as steel. I’m applying the “Brown” tile effect as an overall starting point for the smooth exterior.”

Josh: 7. A solid harkening back to the 1990’s modular suit with enough to make it new… but not enough for it to stand out. It also looks like the most likely to actually show up in the comic. Don’t get me wrong, though, it isn’t bad; it just seems a little vanilla. My only realm qualm is the design of the waist joint, which doesn’t have the same contour as the torso and leg plates. I do really like the inset chest circle, as well as the back vents(?).

Vito: 9. I had to step back a second and really digest this design. It’s easy to say that Joel’s designs are winners; hands down, he’s one of the strongest artists we’ve seen. This is as close to my own personal vision of what Iron Man is…my mind’s eye view of Iron Man. It really is the pinnacle of what Iron Man is; a high-tech knight of the round table. So, if I’m so high on it, why not a perfect score? Because in my mind’s eye, I see this helmet/mask combo. That, right there is all that keeps Joel’s design here from being the quintessential Iron Man costume.

Josh: The pointy helmet rules all others!

Adi: 6. I like the style and the drawing quite a bit and based on that my rating would be higher, but the design itself doesn’t say Iron Man as much as it should. I could see the simplicity fitting well in an animated series in the vein of Teen Titans. I think addition of some hardware and details on the torso would add more interest and make it seem a bit more mechanical and less as if made of fabric.

Matt: 6. I’m with Adi and Josh here– there’s some really great technique and style to the drawing, but the design strikes me as somewhat backwards-looking in comparison with the character’s design history… it seems like a step back. I don’t mind retro, necessarily, but this feels like a suit that would have a prefix like “cyber-” attached to it…

Jemma Salume
Composite Score: 58.5

Dean: 8. As usual, Jemma brings some serious fun to her design. It looks more Iron Lad Revisited (which would be GREAT) than Iron Man to me, but I totally dig the thin, slightly bug-like feel. The large size of the palm-mounted repulsors make me think they might serve new or at least additional functions. And I especially like the faceplate here.

Joel: 8. With the tipped-up toes, slender proportions, pastel color scheme, and snow-boarding stance, this elfen design may look a bit young for Tony, but would make a great Iron Lad! The orange and yellow elements interact in a graceful, dynamic way that I think would look good from most angles, and, as Dean mentioned in another review, a little light blue can really pull an Iron Man design together. I like the look of the extra-large palm-repulsors, although they’d make it hard to close one’s hands. Perhaps they slide down onto the forearms when fine manipulation is called for? Bonus-points for giving Iron Man a nose!

Rachel: 7.5. This is another Iron Man that I think belongs in cyberspace. He’s exaggerated and streamlined at the same time–an Iron Man fan avatar, perhaps?

Chris: 8. Wow. I’m sold. Shades of Neon Genesis Evangelion design work by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, but wholly original and striking.

Vito: 6.5. Chris, you might have something there, but what it really brings to mind for me is a computer animated short I saw a couple of years ago displaying the animation of the Transformers that would be used for the Michael Bay movie. I can see Jemma’s IM busting a move. As always, Jemma has a little bit of funk in her designs and this Tony Stark is dancing back up for George Clinton.

Josh: 7. Evangelion Iron Lad? I’m there, even if I preferred RahXephon. I think what I like most about this design is the extra bit of yellow on the face-plate, shoulders, and boots most Iron Man designs don’t seem to have. I think it balances well with the added red to the legs.

Matt: 7. This is fun. I like the pokey bits and the expressive lines in the design. I wish the body-form took its cues from the design, and it was less rigid and… well, human? I get an almost insect-vibe off of the design and wished the forms followed that function somehow…

Adi: 6.5. A fun idea. A more organic, less threatening and overall more fantastical take on Iron Man. The mobility looks restricted because of a lack of practical joins, or alternatively it looks as if made of a flexible material. Overall it reminds me of a costume more than a mechanical suit.

Darren Calvert
Composite Score: 58.5

Rachel: 8.5. Okay, can we stop for a moment and just admire the curlicues on this one? I’m not normally much for ornamentation, and I don’t think it really fits the character, but this is just a gorgeous design. The details remind me of Noh masks or old teak carvings, and it has that same untouchable grace.

Joel: 6. It’s frilly, alright, but is it frilly enough? I like the notion of a Baroque-inspired Iron Man, but I think it should be pushed so much further than this. After all, what’s the point of being moderate about excess?

Rachel: This can’t end anywhere good. We’ll have Iron Man dripping with lace, playing a harpsichord, and no one wants that. Harpsichords are so tinny!

Dean: 8. Oh you guys, you’re totally missing the concept here! This is Iron Man(darin)! Tony looks like he’s taken over the Mandarin’s evil empire and has incorporated some of his longtime foe’s design elements into his armor to signify the corporate takeover. I’d like to imagine this being part of a storyline where Iron Man has convinced the Mandarin’s henchfolks that he’s really the Mandarin who has killed Iron Man and appropriated Stark’s armour, while at the same time telling Pepper and Rhodey that he’s still Tony inside, just running Mandarin’s empire to help tilt the balance towards good. The reader might not even know which is true! Anyway, solid design. Darren’s really got a handly on making costuming feel three-dimensional, which is especially important in armor design like this. I’d totally like to see this Iron Man in action, though I might’ve included Mandarin’s rings (maybe incorporated into the armour around the heart?) to push the concept a bit further.

Joel: Ah, good point. I should have noticed the Chinese logograms in the background. I like your “Who’s behind the mask?” storyline. This design could still be taken further. Definitely needs the rings, perhaps another color or two, and some other decorative elements than the curlicues. And, you know, a transistorized harpsichord.

Chris: 7. Yes, villainous is the right word. That slender chin… those swirls. I can imagine Stark twirling his mustache under there somehow.

Josh: 8. I think everyone else has already said the stuff needing to be said about this. One thing I would have liked to seen is a little more yellow in the boots and gloves, similar to yellow added in the chest plate and the red added to the legs. My only other thought, and I’m not adjusting my rating for this (nor the coloring comment posed earlier): who could draw, or even color, this on a monthly schedule?

Vito: 8. If not for Dean’s Iron Mandarin explanation, I might have gone lower, but I do appreciate the effort in design here. This works as a What If…? or as a villain. Either way, I’m in.

Matt: 6. Rachel’s right– mad props to the curlicues. My biggest problem is that all those bits feel like surface to me– you’ve got these really great details on a pretty standard suit of armor, almost. Very much like the first piece to me– design flourishes aside, it feels like Iron Man circa 2002.

Adi: 7. I like the overall look and feel of it a lot. The surface treatment is especially nice; smooth curved areas meeting sharp edges and chamfered plains… very nice. I think it needs to be taken further and refined. As it is some areas seem underdeveloped, such as knees, and could use the same attention the helmet or the calves got. It’s a really fun concept, a Mandarin Iron Man.

P:R STAFF ENTRIES

Dean Trippe
Composite Score: Ineligible!

Dean: My main idea was to aim for sleek robotic simplicity. I feel like the tightly-jointed panels might have expandable parts with various concealed capabilities. I also wanted to make sure Iron Man looks impervious, but non-threatening, so that he doesn’t scare kids when he’s rescuing them!

Rachel: 7.5. I REALLY want this Iron Man to be made of candy. I also really like Dean’s use of curves instead of angles for the armor joints–it really changes the feel of the costume without straying too far from the original design. This is an Iron Man I could see fighting in VR (which, come to think of it, would be a really cool extension of the character and fit well with Stark’s obsession with staying on the cutting edge of technology).

Joel: 9. Tony Stark: Director of PEZ. My comment when I first saw this design was “Geez, Dean, even your armor looks young and hopeful!” This is a really nice design. While so many of the best designs seem to be thematic variations on Iron Man, this is one of the few that I could see showing up in continuity. It’s a completely different approach to the shapes used in Iron Man’s designs, and yet it fits solidly in the character’s visual identity. I love the two-toned fingers, and am completely enamored of the modular-plate notion. I’m not sure about the “bolts” on the temples. They look good in this picture, but I think would look oddly clunky and Frankensteiny in other views. And I wish the arms had wrist-articulation.

Chris: 8. This is classy. It almost reminds me of a suit he’d wear for official gatherings or some such. Like the Olympics.

Rachel: I think both the bolts and the modular plates contributed to my idea of this as a VR Iron Man, because they visually evoke electrodes or temple plugs and digital vectors.

Vito: 8. Know what this could be? His new exo-suit that he wears under his armor. Is that the Extremis? Well, if he was actually able to use the Extremis epidermis as armour, this is what it would look like. I think the one thing you’re missing in this, Dean, is the absurdity of what makes Iron Man’s classic armor classic and that is the short pants. Why would he even need short pants/trunks? It’s dopey, but it’s one of the things I love the most about Iron Man’s classic look and this, my friend, is a classic looking IM, regardless of what my rating is.

Josh: 8. I like the addition of blue and greyish, but I feel like a touch too much yellow got lost. Dean, do some of those expanding bits have lots of yellow? The plates radiating and following the curve of the neck is a really nice touch.

Adi: 7. Fun and playful, it immediately put a smile on my face. I feel that it needs a few more Iron Man cues to make it entirely successful; the chest light being lit up as that’s an important part of the Iron Man mythos (with his heart the the whole repulsor technology). The bolts on his wrists and sides of his head seem to clash with the overall sleek look. I really like the treatment of, what I assume are, separate panels on his torso, the horizontal curves especially draw very elegant and powerful shapes.

Matt: 8. Chris said it– classy. Great stuff. The sleekness of the design, the thoughtfulness of the design… just terrific. I love the blend of contemporary sleekness and the classic Iron man suit. If this was a show, I’d watch the hell out of it.

Joel Priddy
Composite Score: Ineligible!

Dean: 9. Joel’s nanoliquid armour idea is the direction I’ve most often pondered about for the character. The twist Joel’s got going here is that the physical features of the Iron Man form are a bit childlike, despite housing an aging Tony Stark. As usual, I’m smitten with designs that imply story elements, so this one’s getting a solid rating from me. I also really love the holographic controls.

Rachel: 8. There’s been at least one hero who goes from child to adult when he suits up, but I’m intrigued (and a little creeped out) by the idea of an adult who looks like a kid in costume. And it’s more than just the face–the proportions of the body are definitely more a child’s than an adult man’s.

Chris: 6. The main design doesn’t really work for me, but the floating head on the bottom left seems intoned with alot of personality and a different suit of armor… which I’d love to see more of. Going back to the main armor shown, it reminds me a hell of a lot of Vision more-so that Iron Man.

Vito: 7.5. There’s something…otherworldly about this. Almost ethereal. Like it could be either, as someone said earlier, a VR avatar of Tony, or, and this might be more radical, the New God version of Iron Man. I can totally see this as Tony’s self-image, but it doesn’t look like battle armor to me.

At this point I have to ask the panel…anyone else having trouble writing “armor?” Because I keep spelling “armour,” and I can’t front like I’m from Canada or the UK. Not with a name like Vito.

Joel: Wait, this isn’t Vito Thistlewaithe, of the Shropshire Thistlewaithes? Well, then who have I making snarky comments to all these months?

Josh: 8. I keep typing “armour,” too, when I’m not typing “colour.” I won’t claim to be from Canada (nor the UK), but I won’t deny it. Also, as I’ve been working my way up from the bottom, I find the New Gods reference interesting, since I hadn’t seen this before writing that. I definitely see it here, though I didn’t at first glance. A discrepancy in age and proportion between the two images I can write off, unless there’s something we aren’t being told about the design. Back on track, what I really dig here are the toes! And being a fan of the “retro” face-plate with the points, I really like the design here of the face. The more I look at it, the more I’m liking it, but the more I’d also really like to see this armor reflect Tony’s age as he is in the mask cutaway view (which is rad in and of itself).

Joel: I drew this right after reading Michael Chabon’s New Yorker article about superhero costumes. Thinking of Iron Man’s armor as Tony’s “True Skin” seems distinctly creepy. What does it say about a person that they’d wear a machine as flesh? It can’t be a sign of a healthy self-image. I like to imagine middle-aged Tony Stark not understanding why the other superheroes are uncomfortable with his new youthful-machine-flesh-suit.

Adi: 7. I am kind of torn about this one. As an idea it’s fantastic. I like the idea of the youthful, or even ageless, alien design and the implications of “issues” someone wearing it would have. The execution is very simple but conveys the design perfectly. The reason i am torn is that I am not sure it fits the character of Tony Stark as he is in the comics. He is a playboy and an occasional alcoholic, and I am sure he has some image issues, but he seems rather comfortable in his own skin and the Iron Man suit is more of a sports car to him, a mean looking hot-rod, rather than a mask behind which to hide and/or project a different personality.

Matt: 7. I think this is a tremendous design– for a different character. I look at the armor and I think of youth, of innocence and optimism, hope and pioneerism… all the great, wide-eyed science fiction stuff that a character like Iron Man brushes against from time to time… and then I see old soul-patched Tony and it feels like an old man dressing up like a teenager. Is that weird? I dunno, all this stuff is so subjective…

Runners Up after the jump! - Dean

RUNNERS UP

Paul Maybury
Composite Score: 57.5

Dean: 8. Holy smack! It’s like a fourth-dimensional, multi-phasing, Iron Man organism! Amazing. Just amazing. I don’t even know what to say, but this thing is crazy awesome.

Rachel: 8. I like the emphasis on anatomy in this design–it plays up the original purpose of the costume as a life-support suit, something that I think gets lost too frequently. This is an Iron Man who looks both more fragile and more complex than most, and it’s very evident that there’s supposed to be a person in there–another aspect of the character that slips past a little too often.

Joel: 7. Yeah, given Iron Man’s origin as the world’s ass-kickingest pacemaker, I’m intrigued by the organic forms incorporate into this suit, especially around the heart. The effect is distinctly creepy, as though it’s not clear whether Tony is piloting the armor, or the other way around.

Chris: 5. I see the reason why the heart was focused on here, but my obvious question would be: “Why would Stark choose to wear his heart on his sleeve?” har har. Nice thought, but I don’t see the character wanting to wear this.

Vito: 7. I am both scared and attracted to this design. It reminds me of (and this might be a stretch for most) the origin of Ultimate Venom…how the symbiote was supposed to be used to cure disease. This is Iron Man, MD! And man, is he miffed!

Josh: 7. I was trying to remember what this reminded of that was intriguing me so much, and then it hit me: Akira. While not an Akira fan, it actually leaves me with a better impression and makes me want to see more of this design.

Joel: “While not an Akira fan…” You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen those words in that arrangement, before.

Josh: I’ll consider it an honor I could be the first to show it to you!

Matt: 9. Man, I love this one. It’s so weird! It looks like some kind of nightmare Micronaut… like slim goodbody underwrote Stark or something. I love the exotic, otherworldly symbiotic thing going on here… is that meat? It might be meat. My sole issues are technical ones– why tint it all out like that?– but damn, what a crazy-ass idea.

Adi: 6.5. This one freaks me out! I’m not sure what I’m looking at, but it definitely is recognizable as Iron Man. It’s kind of hard to critique as I feel I really need to know the context of the story to understand the design. Why are his arms broken up but no other parts are? What’s with the heart, is it painted on, or is the suit see through, but what does that mean then? Is there a whole man inside, or is it just organs? Too many questions! It’s a very striking image to look at.

Thom Chiaramonte
Composite Score: 50

Dean: 6. Thom’s gone way away from the current Iron Man iconography, but I could totally see Tony designing this based on his earlier, bulkier suits. So it feels like an alternate universe late 60’s Iron Man to me. For superheroing, it’s a little too impersonal, but I like it anyway.

Rachel: 6. I feel bad giving this such a low rating, because I LOVE the design–I’m a sucker for that clanky steampunk aesthetic, and if I saw this picture on the cover of a comic or cartoon, I’d buy it in a second. But I can’t buy it as Iron Man: it’s just too bulky and awkward, and it has none of the sleekness I associate with the suit.

Joel: 5. It’s steampunk, alright, but is it steampunk enough? Take away the exhaust pipe and splash it with a new coat of pant, and it could be any contemporary robot suit. I’d like to see more fun being had with Victorian-era technology in this one.

Chris: 6. While this deviates extremely from the classic Iron Man armor, Iron Man is one of those heroes that could still wear this in the standard continuity. Stark afterall has a variety of armor for different applications — in the Marvel Adventures Iron Man for example, Iron Man does have a steam-powered armor… but not as sweet as this. Saying that, it doesn’t say “Iron Man” enough for me. The only thing even hinting that is the centerpiece circle. No Iron Man paint or other identifiyable elements carried over. But still, I like it.

Vito: 7. I went a little higher because while I can’t see this as Tony Stark’s design, I can see it as his Japanese counterpart’s design (Does he have one?). It doesn’t look as steampunk to me as it does samurai, and that’s why I like it…it’s like mecha meets kaiju.

Josh: 7. I didn’t see the “samurai” until Vito mentioned it, but now I can’t get it out of my head. Those six insectiod eyes just keep drilling it into my head. What if… Cassie Lang had stolen an old Iron Man suit, Ant-Man’s helmet, and had a mash-up party? I’d really like a few more exhaust pipes, or none at all, because the one looks just a little too thin for the rest of the designs bulk.

Adi: 7. I really like it. Even though it’s drawn in the simplified animation style, it conveys a real sense of weight and the materials used. And although the instantly recognizable Iron Man elements are few, I can imagine this being a steampunk development of the initial clunky Shellhead armour. The only thing that jars is the chimney/exhaust on his back. It seems tacked on and could be integrated better into the overall design.

Matt: 6. I love love love the design– the confidence in throwing away the current look, the deliberate challenge it takes, and, honestly, the guts it takes to put a suit-shape like this out there. I love the mask, the hand units, the bug face, the whole shebang– even the exhaust pipe thing!– but, man, why just slap it with a coat of primer and be done with it? Blur your eyes and it looks like a chocolate yeti and that just kills me. I really want to love this one.

Felipe Sobreiro
Composite Score: 50

Dean’s Rating: 6
I dig this as an alternate suit, and it’s very fun looking, but I don’t really see it as a main Iron Man armor design. Still, pretty cool.

Joel: 7. This is good fun! That puffy, stocky body combined with the “bald” helmet, those perfectly round eyes, and the marionette mouth gives this burly tank of an Iron Man an all-ages note of levity. I don’t quite get what’s going on with the tops of the boots and I’d like to see some ankle-articulation, but, other than that, I’m a fan. Change the color scheme and it’d make a fine Titanium Man, as well.

Rachel: 6. Does this remind anyone else of S.T.R.I.P.E.? It’s a nice, general-purpose robot design, maybe more of a mech than a power suit, since it looks like it would be pretty bulky to move in. I don’t think it’s visually distinctive enough, though–as Joel mentions, the color scheme is really the only thing that evokes Iron Man.

Chris: 6. This looks more like an automaton than a suit of armor. If Tony Stark were a villain (and some people might say he is now after Civil War), this would be one of his legions. And why does his chestplace thing look like a big robot nipple?

Vito: 6. Not touching that last comment, Chris! I think this could work well as a Marvel Adventures Hulk-Buster armor. I have to agree with Rachel that it is reminiscent of S.T.R.I.P.E., but only in that giant robot sense. He reminds me more of an old wind up toy.

Josh: 7. As Vito said, MA Hulk Buster. Though my first thought when looking through these before Vito commented, was Skaar Buster, since there has already been Hulk Buster, Thor Buster, and Marvel Adventures hadn’t occurred to me. And Rachel, I’m guessing part of the S.T.R.I.P.E. similarity comes from the shape of the helmet, compared to how Iron Man helms are usually shaped these days. Actually, it reminds me a bit of the original Iron Man helmet.

Adi: 5. Overall a nice and fun image but , aside from the colour scheme, it doesn’t say Iron Man to me. I like the helmet/face and the chunky proportions. The details need more development to give it more practicality especially for movement. The boots in particular seem like they would prevent bending at the knees.

Matt: 7. Aww, I love Dumpy Iron Man! Iron Grimace! It’s got the whimsy thing covered, which is always a plus, and I love how confidently it goes away from the status quo.

Marcus Parcus
Composite Score: 48

Dean: 6. I like a lot of what I’m seeing here, but it just doesn’t have that “Here to save the day” superhero vibe. Great drawing, though.

Joel: 8. While historical armor references may seem like a tempting place to go when redesigning Iron Man, it’s surprisingly hard to pull off and still make Tony’s ride feel like the cutting-edge action-machine it’s supposed to be. Marcus makes it work by choosing unconventional references, and using them sparingly. I love this helmet, and the radiating seams on the chest plate. The legs and arms may be a bit too built up; we’d need to see the armor from a few other angles to know.

Rachel: 7. This design reminds me a lot–maybe a little too much–of Samus Aran (of the Metroid games). The boots in particular have very similar angles and curves and incorporate the same fusion of historical armor and more modern mech-style design.

Vito: 6. Good call, Rachel! The helmet is unique enough and there are Iron Man elements (the yellow and the paneled armor in spots) but I think I have to agree that it is very Metroid-y.

Chris: 5. This is a really solid character design, but I can’t really see it working as a design for Iron Man. I’d love to se this for some new villain, but for Iron Man it doesn’t work.

Josh: 5. This is an instance where I don’t think the red overpowering the yellow works. Also, there’s a lot of bulk except in the hands. While I understand needing unencumbered hands to do things is important, this doesn’t look like a fine detail armor. Maybe if there were some gauntlets that could be detached to reveal these gauntlets. They’d match up pretty well where the forearm armor ends.

Matt: 6. I really dig the weight here– it feels like it weighs ten tons. And the design is sort of forwardy, sort of old school Heavy Metal, sort of Gary Oldman in Dracula, all of which I dig. The thing I get hung up on is the color choices, as it all kind of muds out to me again…

Adi: 5. Even with the colour scheme this doesn’t say Iron Man to me as much as futuristic samurai. But that’s no bad thing if it makes sense in the context. I really like the legs bellow the knee and I wish more of that kind of look was carried on throughout the rest of the body, for instance, where the thigh meets the hip… I also think that the area which makes him look the most like a medieval warrior rather than a powered suit is the chest armour. I think it would benefit from a bit more sculpting, more layering and overlapping, like on the calves, to make it more mechanical.

Jon McNally
Composite Score: 47

Dean: 6. This is unbelievably fun! It looks like Jon’s chosen a much larger, mecha-style, Iron Man suit here. It’s really fun and happy, but I feel like we’re missing out on Iron Man’s face, and I’m not sure how he’d attend Avengers meetings (assuming, of course, the Iron Man armor itself isn’t now their mobile base of operations).

Rachel: 6. Oh, my God. Bonus point for including Fin Fang Foom, even without his little purple pants. To me, this couldn’t be Tony Stark’s design–it’s too cute and too silly–but I could see it as a spin-off for kids. It’s also really easy to picture this design in action, because it’s assembled in extremely physically intuitive ways.

Joel: 5. Playing off Ming’s idea of Iron Man-as-exported-marketing-property, I like this design as an unlicensed Japanese kiddie-cartoon character in the 616 universe. Tony’s attempts to claim damages could be an ongoing annoyance during an arc (and then, somehow, the existence of this cartoon proves key to defeating the arc’s menace). Also, I really want to see the entire battle against Fin Fang Foom.

Chris: 4. Points for originality, but it falls far and away from the Iron Man thing. But as Joel says, this could work if Iron Man’s armor got worked up as an off-brand sold out of dollar stores.

Rachel: YES! This is the unlicensed spinoff toy with the not-quite-right translation that you find in the dollar store. IRON ROBOT FELLOW! With laser beam grips!

Vito: 5. Reminds me of that rolling typewriter on The Electric Company (or was that Sesame Street?). Those boots look really uncomfortable, but man, he sure can sock it to FFF!

Josh: 7. Tricycle feet! I, too, like this in the all ages category in the vein of Ming’s Asian-marketing theme. But I want to know what he’s hiding behind the “collar.” The Kirby-squiggles are rad, too.

Adi: 8. Technically this is the perfect interpretation of Iron Man! And although one of the trademark features of the character, the helmet face, is lost, I feel that the compromise was worth it as it adds a lot of character to, well, the character. I would buy a toy of this, especially if it was made of tin and came with a wind-up key!

Matt: 6. This would’ve been a solid 7 were it not for the criminal omission of Fin Fang Foom’s purple underpants. I can’t reconcile the rollerskates and the flying, in my head– I want to see a drawing that reveals more of the functionality of the thing. Man, this is just so ridiculous it’s hard not love. Or at least like a whole hell of a lot.

Joe Meyer
Composite Score: 40.5

Dean: 7. I totally dig the alien/robot vibe Joe’s going for here, but it’s more What If… than main title. I see this as a team of synthetic Iron Men built by Tony to handle extraterrestrial and temporal threats!

Rachel: 5.5. The burns from the jetpack are a nice touch. Otherwise, though, I’m not a huge fan of this one–the construction-helmet yellow just doesn’t do it for me.

Joel: 7. Something about this design is freaking me out! In, you know, a good way. I don’t think Tony Stark would ever choose that weird cicada-head helmet—it’s just not the sort of aesthetic choice someone who sported a Clark Gable moustache would make. But I can see a younger technological wizard, someone who has adopted more of a post-human sense of identity, choosing this. I think the rest of the design could move further away from the human form. I’d like to see the red and yellow on the body reversed. This color scheme makes this suit look like Kid Flash to Tony’s Flash. And, yeah, bonus points for jet burns!

Chris’ Rating: 4
Wow. Iron Man as a Cyberman from Doctor Who.

Dean: No, THIS is Iron Man as a Cyberman from Doctor Who. Other than the circle eyes, I don’t really see the resemblance. (Other than being made of metal and shaped like a dude.)

Vito: 4. I hate to rate anything this low, because I appreciate the talent and effort it takes to make these submissions. But other than being J’onn J’onzz in an Iron Man suit, I don’t see this as Tony’s. It would be cool if Joe went 100% alien and see where he’d go then.

Josh: 4. Similar to the Cap-inspired armor further down, the color scheme is all I get for Iron Man, but it isn’t in “traditional” balance. Add some of those small red lights on the hips and slightly tweak the helmet, and I’d give this a solid 6, for sure. Like Vito, I’d like to see it even more alien, especially in limb proportions. More like J’onn J’onzz in his Martian form. And that Cyberman could be a woman, too; just ask Ianto.

Adi: 4. I quite like this as a design, just not for Iron Man. I think it has a very appealing otherworldly quality and I would love to see this style in a comic book or a movie. But as an Iron Man redesign it misses too many of the elements which make him what he is to be considered successful. I am not saying that liberties shouldn’t be taken, but there are certain elements which make a character what he is and omitting them loses the identity.

Matt: 5. I don’t watch Doctor Who, but what I thought of was C3P0. I like it as a piece of robot design, but there’s nothing about it that says suit to me… it says robot. There’s something hypnotic about the back of the head, like, I want to see more of that, but at no point do I buy that there’s someone in here, anywhere…

Editor’s Note: Honorable Mentions will run later this week! - Dean

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