The End

I regret to inform everyone that Superhero of the Month will be shutting down.

There are a variety of reasons for this -- some personal -- but there are other factors that make running the site something I just don't think I can feasibly do. When I started Superhero of the Month a couple of years ago, I had no idea I'd enter a grad school program, and yet, here we are. The reality of it is, this site was a ton of fun. It also took up some time, particularly when it came to judging. For whatever reason, that was always difficult to get several people on board in a timely manner (although our guest-judges were, almost universally, fantastic with that).

I'm grateful for the help I had with judging on a regular basis, but that kind of fizzled out, and I'm not entirely sure why. Also, I always wanted to have prizes for contests on a semi-regular basis, and trying to make that happen didn't pan out like I'd hoped.

In the end though, time is a huge factor for me, and I have to focus on school. I still plan on posting those Raven results and the submissions sent in for Superhero Redux, but that will be it. I'm not sure when I'll do a full shut down, but I lose the domain name in October, so it will definitely be closed by then at the latest.

I do want to thank everyone for supporting this site and for being so creative. A lot of you have been really inspiring, and I hope I've made a few friends through this venture. There are other sites that do a similar thing to what we did here, and if you're interested in it, please submit there.

For the time being, please feel free to comment here, or email.

Raven Results and Forward

Hey, everyone. There have been some questions regarding the Raven results. They'll be coming forth soon. I'm trying to determine a few things with regards to Superhero of the Month, and for the time being all I can ask for is your patience.

In the meantime, please remember that Superhero Redux is ongoing for November!

OFFICIAL CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT - SUPERHERO REDUX

Since Superhero of the Month started, we've grown from a site that gathered a baker's dozen entries for our first contest, to one that's picked up dozens of submissions in our contests since. We strive to choose a new hero for artists to design every month, but as people discover us, they also may discover that their favorite hero has been redesigned here before.

Aw, shucks? Never!

Whether you missed the opportunity before or just want another go, we're letting you choose any of the first 12 heroes or villains we presented for our first year for our contest this November (see full list below). 

We ask that you stick by the guidelines of each original Contest Announcement, as well as the standard contest guidelines. A couple of rules specific to this contest: 

1) You may not re-submit a piece you submitted for the original contest.

2) You may submit a piece that was either late, or otherwise featured on the site as part of our Redesigned feature.

3) While this is something of a free-for-all, we're going to limit the number of designs you may send in to 3 per contestant. Extra designs may be submitted, but will be ineligible for contest competition.

Submissions are due Friday, November 23 by 6:00 pm MDT. As always, feel free to email us or post a comment if you have any questions. Good luck!

Click below to see the full list of eligible characters for our Superhero Redux contest!

Raven Results - Part 4 [Updated]

The last batch of Raven designs are in, and there's some amazing stuff in here! 

Alex Smith

I thought I might give her a more textured gothy look; regular clothes with a touch of super-hero thrown in. from the get-go I wanted her cape to look like wings and her hair to mirror her old hood.

Xerina

The first time I saw Raven the word "sorceress" came to my mind almost immediately; so when I had to redesign her for me it was an obvious choice. As Raven is dark and mysterious I kept the most iconic color and features of her; the hoodie, the belt, the cloak and the blue, but for the rest I played with the concepts I was inspiring in. The leather wrist, neck and arm bands together with the leather corset and the boots were to keep all the some sort of medieval sorceress mood, and also to give her more support and covering, as she is indeed powerful and a warrior she deserved a little more protection, but at the same time I wanted her to look attractive in the mysterious way she is, so for that I kept the design as elegant as possible in showing her skin. The colors are simple as she is not a person that (intentionally) draws attention. Finally the feathers were used as a direct inspiration in tribes, where the reflection of these ornaments meant power, royalty or mystic and also to do an allusion to her name.

Brian Post

I always thought of Raven as a weird chick who marches to the tune of her own drummer. Socially awkward, not caring what anyone else thinks of her. Kind of goth, kind of punk. My redesign tries to speak to all of that. Black greasy hair, raven feathers everywhere, and no hood, because hoods suck when it comes to peripheral vision.

Sebastian von Buchwald

Being that I was so close to the deadline before I even started thinking about this, I just had to go with my gut here and it worked out rather well. I don’t know a whole lot about the character so I tried to keep the basic elements of her costume intact to avoid straying too far from the look of the character.

Joshua Daniel

I gave Raven a more toned down look. I'd picture her as someone who's withdrawn and doesn't really like people, but also has a bit of a flashy side she likes to hide. I gave her a big hoodie/coat instead of the cloak so she could slink away and disappear into the crowds if she wants, but she keeps her shiny belt and high boots for when she wants to let loose. I also gave her a scarf for when she wants to hide her face and kept the jewel as a kind of scarf holder/clamp. Her hoodie can have long sleeves or act as fingerless gloves.

Also of note, there are a couple of guys who were granted extensions  and I'll be updating this post as soon as their submissions come in over the next day or two.

[Update]

As I mentioned above, there were some fine folks who requested deadline extensions (Find out how do get in on that here!), and they are presented here now.

Jamie Rimmer

I wanted to keep in mind the original colour palette, using mainly blues. I wanted my Raven to be a sorceress-type character; her original costume and powers bring this instantly to mind. I tried to bring her namesake more into play here, with the feathering and head dress/hood. I wanted to reference her demonic side, referencing the six e-ed look Raven has had when possessed by her evil side in the past. The two "eyes" above and below her natural eyes are tattoos  a constant reminder to Raven that she MUST stay in control.

Christian Burns

I kept pretty true to the spirit of both the original comic book version and the animated version of Raven, keeping her clothes pretty dark and brooding, with a couple of additions to each. I got rid of the front flap, which I always thought was old-school and kind of awkward. Instead, I put a skirt in the back that bears resemblance to the tail of a raven when she flies. Her cape is attached to her dress, and when she flies, it extends to form the silhouette of a raven, which, weirdly, none of her canon incarnations have ever done. Lastly, the tattoos. Well, she is the daughter of a demon. That's gotta leave some scars on you, right? Plus, her hood pays homage to the four-eyes of her father.

What do you think of these designs? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out all of the Raven redesigns we've received! Stay tuned for the aforementioned update, as well as a new contest announcement that's unlike anything we've done before. We'll also be announcing the winner of this month's contest on Halloween.

Raven Results - Part 3 [Updated]

We keep having Raven submissions pop in, and they've all been great so far. Today's fantastic submission is no exception.

Tory Cunningham

I stuck closer to the comic's version because of the impracticalities her costume offered, such as cloth getting tangled in between her legs or high heels when trying to run. I wanted to simplify it so I created a back version on the "dress" where it wouldn't get in the way and boots making it easier for travel.

Update - 10/17

This came in last night, A couple of new submissions came in, and being so close to Tory's submission, I figured it'd be better to just update this post, rather than hold off for a new one.

James Crabb

I'm most familiar with the Raven from the animated Teen Titans; I loved her outfit so I wanted to keep in tune with that theme. I wanted to do some bird elements so I added wings to the boot, as well as winged out the cape. I didn't put Raven in a hood, but there's an assumed one in the back. I also wanted to play a bit on her Azarath heritage, so I gave her a crown of Trigon horns.

Alex Melchor

The idea behind the redesign was to keep her sense of sobriety, giving nods to practicality, elegance and a bit of gothness that's always been part of her personality, even if her usual comics attire is basically a night dress and a fantasy cloak.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out all the Raven submissions we've received so far! Be sure to send in your Raven submission soon -- the deadline for this month's challenge is October 23, so one week from today! Check out the Official Announcement for details.

Raven Results - Part 2

We picked up some more Raven submissions! Here they are for your weekend enjoyment!

Sarah Meissner

To me Raven has always looked scary. In some comics she is shown to be average looking, and in others to be gorgeous. I thought I would use the more pretty side of raven's different redesigns. She mostly wears one color, so I thought I'd add a splash of color to her design. The cloak I like the most, because she wouldn't wear white. That's why I left the inside of her cloak black.

Joe Lozanno

'I see Raven as an ugly duckling, aching from bipolar disorder. I like when she is able to control her mood, when she behaves with the aid of a loving religion (she is a nun), good friends, good habits, calm . But if you destroy her fragile environment, she breaks down, and havoc is around the corner. In this picture I tried to reflect her father's world as the world behind the mirror,so the image on the mirror is her the way her father expect her to be. The "astral eyes" represent her father's eyes controlling every minute of her life when she is not strong enough to close them. Her fashion is from GAP, I see her as a young woman that buys cheap, informal clothes and is not worried about them. Her dark side wears black and red in style.

Samuel Szymanski

I loved the Teen Titans TV show and for me raven was the most fun to draw out of all of them, so here's what I did.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out all the Raven submissions we've picked up so far! All Raven submissions are due by Tuesday, October 23 at 6:00 pm MDT, so be sure to send yours in soon. Check out the Official Contest Announcement for details, and stay tuned to Superhero of the Month for more Raven redesigns!

Raven Results - Part 1

We're back with the first batch of Raven redesigns! Check them out!

T.Branch

Editor's Note: T.Branch didn't leave any thoughts on his redesign.

Spidophile

Editor's Note: Spidophile didn't leave any thoughts on her redesign.

Wendy-Self

Raven already has a really cool design in the comics so this was really challenging to make my design look original but at the same time stay true to the spirit of the character. I wanted a calmer and more serene character design for my take on Raven. Being raised by a spiritual race it made sense to me to have a very plain costume which is modest and humble, but still practical for working, praying and studying around the Temple of Azarath. As Raven was kept hidden from the outside world, I tried to reflect this in her costume by adding the veil over her face and by covering as much of her skin as possible, as if even her costume itself is trying to shield her from outside influences (or keep her powers locked inside, you decide). I kept the cape to add a touch of elegance (as magic users in comics always seem to have fantastic fashion sense) and stuck to the blue and the gold of her traditional costume, but the little touches of red also hint at her demonic origins.

teen4roxtar

The redesign I have made for Raven is almost full-body for protection, as she lacks physical powers as such (eg: does not have tough skin like fellow Titan Starfire or Superboy) but has the two off-the-shoulder sleeves so it isn't all business. As many will agree, the costumes usually designed for superheroines are usually on the skimpy side, which only brings forth the complaints of leaving vulnerable areas bare. I have made sure this is not the case with Raven, but tried to keep it elegant and attractive all the same without showing too much skin.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out the Official Contest Announcement for details on this month's challenge! See you again soon!

Superhero of the Month - Peter Foglesong's Savage Dragon

Savage Dragon results, wrapped up in a little bow. Congratulations to Peter Fogelsong, and thanks to those that submitted to the contest!

Judging this month was done by yours truly. More on that after the jump!

Peter Fogelsong - 9/10

A great reinterpretation and back story. There are elements of the original that are present, and don't make this reinterpretation entirely unrecognizable, but it strays so far off the beaten path that there are a breadth of story ideas that are simply beckoning for their time to shine. Well done!

See how the others rank up by clicking on the full post!

OFFICIAL CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT - RAVEN

Raven ©/™ DC Comics

When we started out with 2012, our goal at Superhero of the Month was to try to shake things up and give readers more of a say in who we would redesign over the course of the year. As the last fan-suggested character this year, we're proud to present Raven as your redesign challenge for October!

Since her introduction in the 1980's, Raven's costume has remained relatively the same, with some tweaks for the Teen Titans animated series and an overhaul for the One Year Later story line. Wearing the same thing over the course of nearly 32 years begs for a change.

Superhero of the Month contributor Sarah Meissner, who suggested this contest, said:

Personally, Raven is one of my favourite heroes in the DC universe. I think she is such a complex character, with such potential for redesigns. Her clothes and style in animated TV shows are a little bland. I thought she might fit nicely into the month of October because of her type of heritage.

Earlier this year, we tackled Raven's Teen Titans teammate, Starfire, with spectacular results, so hopefully this contest will bring out much of the same ingenuity that we saw back in February. All standard rules and guidelines apply. Raven redesigns are due October 23 by 6:00 PM MST. The winner of the contest will be announced on Halloween. Good luck!

Savage Dragon Results

Here we are! The final batch of Savage Dragon submissions!

Joe Lozanno

"'I´ve made too many Savage Dragons , this is the one liked more. Red is a superhero color (see Superman and Shazam), and to change from green to red is very common nowadays. I like the 'cop' heroes. (cops do a great job, and as they exist in the real world; they deserve some homage). While I made this drawing I listened to 'cotton fields' , from the Creedence Clearwater Revival ('didn´t you tell that she is dressed in cotton?')."

Peter Foglesong

"In late 19th century Japan, Lars "The Cur" Erikson is a luckless convict sentenced to hard labor overseas for his crimes against the British crown. Left to die at sea by his jailors, he is rescued by a legendary Japanese water deity - the great dragon Watatsumi. Equally displeased by the invasion of his great nation by Europeans and by the responding actions of his human descendant, the Emperor, Watatsumi wishes to visit Japan and make his will known again.

"But unable to travel away from the water for an extended period of time, the ancient sea god offers Eriksen a deal -- become his avatar so that he may freely walk among his people, and in return he will give the gaijin enough power to wreak his revenge on their common enemies. Now they travel the islands of Japan as one, a strange amalgam of man and god, East and West, an enigma known to the modern people as Ryu Satsubatsu - The Savage Dragon."

G. Golembiski II

"I'm a huge fan of Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon series, so I was excited to take a crack at this. I tried to retain the core of Erik's character - proportions and fin. What I wanted to add was an emphasis on 'Dragon'. So I added reptile scales and texturing to him. I also thought 'fire breath' as well, which came in the form of a flaming sword. The look was influenced by a fusion Indian and Chinese weapons, face painting, clothing, and ornamentation. To me it still feels like this Dragon could be an action hero character, but set in a different time or era."

There you have it! Really a small month, but the submissions we got were phenomenal. Let us know what you think in the comments, and stay tuned for winner and October contest announcements in the comming days!