Superhero of the Month - YestherDey's Black Cat

Congratulations YestherDey for winning January's Black Cat contest!

YestherDey's Black Cat

YestherDey's art will be featured for the month as our banner (a new feature for winners on SHotM!), and of course wins the Black Cat collections offered by Dan's Comics. Please be sure to check out Dan's Comics and send some business their way, they've been fantastic in sponsoring this contest!

Thanks to everyone who submitted. There were so many fantastic entries, and narrowing down the top five was an extremely hard process. I hope we'll see many of the artists contribute to future contests. I really had some jaw-dropping moments seeing these guys submit their work.

Also, I'd like to extend an apology again to everyone for the poll problems we had this month. It was a widespread Google problem. I'm still undecided on how it will affect future contests, but that decision will be made shortly.

Thanks again to all of you for a fantastic month! Gear up for Harley Quinn -- there are going to be some mind-blowing redesigns coming your way soon!

VOTE HERE!

Vote here, in the comments, for your January Superhero of the Month.

Something is wrong with the Poll app through Google. Overnight (January 26 - 27) the votes got cut roughly in half from well over 100. I assumed the percentages were the same. But today more votes got shaved off by a smaller margin. So people are losing votes, unevenly, and that's not right. (FYI, this is a widespread problem through Google right now.)

So, in the comments, vote for Hector Barros, Kiddy, YestherDey, Michael Lee Lunsford, or Ernest Quek. Type their name only as the comment. It will help me tabulate the votes faster.

Voting ends January 31 at 8:00 PM MST. The winner will be announced February 1. The Harley Quinn contest will start a day or two after that.

Thanks! Sorry for the inconvenience. This Google problem was inconvenient for me, too. Any concerns or questions can be directed to superheroofthemonth@gmail.com.

Black Cat Finalists

Hector Barros

Superhero of the Month (SHotM) - Hector really delivers. From the nightvision goggles/mask to the "paw" boots, this Felicia is a high-tech wonder. She's got it without flaunting it. The cat-ear headphones are a nice touch, and I appreciate that she can work with and without the jacket.

Dan McDaid - Hector Barros delivered in spades here - a snazzy update of the Black Cat silhouette, sexy without being salacious. Love the offbeat approach to the hair, and the headphones are a terrific touch. I really dig that it's a jacket she's wearing, as opposed to spandex; she looks capable, dangerous and fun. A clear winner.


Dan's Comics - I really like the idea of the grappling hooks and harness clips being hidden by the costume.  It keeps it from looking awkward.


Robert Schilling - Honestly my favorite redesign. Not only does Hector bring Black Cat into the modern age with this design, but also captures her attitude (another important quality when redesigning a character). The design itself seems well though out and practical. I could definitely see this in a comic or movie adaption.

Kiddy

Dan McDaid - Kiddy's entry is playful and daring, not to mention beautifully executed. Though she looks like she's having trouble with her heels. Never mind though - this is a favourite, and I'd like to see more from this artist.


SHotM - I love the stylization in this piece. The thigh-highs are a nice, different touch, and I love that they still incorporate the "fur" towards the bottom. I like the bodysuit; it kind of reminds me of Black Canary, which is a good thing, since she's another of my favorites. The only thing I'd like to know is if the sleeves are connected to the bodysuit, or if it's some type of jacket?


Robert Schilling - I love the style of this one. It's simple, yet very animated. The costume itself is actually quite a departure from the original, but many of Black Cat's key features are left intact and make her instantly recognizable. The collar and belt are also nice little flares that keep this design rather interesting.


Dan's Comics - I like the use of the hair to give at cat like appearance to her head, as opposed to some sort of head gear.  The eye gear being similar to Spidey ties her nicely to him, which makes a lot of sense with their relationship being as close as it is lately.

YestherDay

Dan's Comics - I enjoyed the overall style of this redesign. The high-tech head gear and footwear seem appropriate, and give her some new gadgets that will help her stay competitive with current high profile
criminals and villains.


Robert Schilling - Very nice anime-style twist to a classic character. The art style as well as the costume gives her a more modern look. I especially love the look of the mask.

Dan McDaid - She's cute; faintly ludicrous in that anime way, with some nice nods towards practicality - the grippy boots, the snazzy little cat-pouch. Liked this a lot. 

SHotM - A fun, flirty design. I like the alterations to the costume, particularly the high gloves and the boots, which again toy with the "paw" idea. I also think the sleeveless body suit fits Felicia's personality. The ears also are a nice touch, and aren't distracting. The one thing I'm not sold on, though, is the collar. But I love the piece.

Michael Lee Lunsford

Robert Schilling - Really like the approach with this redesign. This costume seems to fit her role as a young thief rather than the '80's seductress she currently appears as. Love all the minor details in the shoes and belt. Not crazy about the neon colors, but all and all a very successful redesign.


Dan McDaid - Michael delivered a cracking drawing - one of the best - but I'm not quite sold on the redesign; it's a little too fussy, with too many elements. And the "tongue out" cat mask skeeved me out a bit.


SHotM - I hands-down love this one. It deviates so much from Felicia's standard uniform, but I still think she's recognizable. I differ from both Dan McDaid and Dan's Comics in that I think the tongue is perfect. That tongue screams Felicia's fun personality to me. I also love the "claw scratch" on the hoodie and the boots, which I think are the closest to Felicia's regular uniform in this design. The only thing I think I'd like to see different would be darker clothes.


Dan's Comics - I like how this costume looks like plain street clothes instead of tight leather, making her seem a little closer to a common girl.  The bandanna is a nice touch, although I think the cat mouth on it might be a little too much.

Ernest Quek

SHotM - Ernest's little touches go a long way: the thigh-high boots, the glasses, the skirt, the belt. Minor, subtle changes that really give this Felicia life. And the hairpin weapons are a stroke of genius, I think. She looks beautiful and dangerous -- just like the Black Cat should.


Dan's Comics - I really like the use of the hairpins as part of the costume, as well as weapons. The costume also has a sexiness to it without being too revealing.


Robert Schilling - A very ambitious entry. I love the change in ethnicity, gives a fresh look to an old character. I also like the addition of hair needles as an accessory and weapons. The costume itself reminds me of a hired assassin or stealthy warrior.  


Dan McDaid - [The] rendering is spot on, and I LOVE the cat buckle, but I'm not sure about his "spiky" approach to the character.


Editor's Note: So there you have it! This was an incredibly difficult contest to judge. There was so much high-quality artwork to choose from, and we really were struggling to get it down to five. Thanks to our sponsor, Dan's Comics, our special guest judge, Dan McDaid, and the winner of our Angel contest, Robert Schilling, for joining me at the judge's table!


Be sure to cast your vote! You have until 9:00 MST on January 30! Be sure to stay tuned to Superhero of the Month for the finalist on January 31, and start gearing up for the Harley Quinn contest! We've already received some fantastic submissions!

Black Cat Honorable Mentions

The Black Cat contest was so ridiculously close. There were six entries vying for three slots, and we had to narrow it down. Unfortunately, these three didn't make the cut. But they put up such a good fight that I felt they needed some kind of mention. Check out the Black Cat Honorable Mentions!

Josh Gowdy

Joshua Walters

Shikee

There's a lot to love in these three, so please let the artists know what you think in the comments below!

Black Cat Results - Late Entry

We picked up a late entry for the Black Cat contest. Ross Radke gives us a stunning Black Cat...

Ross Radke

"I've always liked Black Cat in Spidey comics, even if she does suffer from comparisons to Catwoman. I wanted to make her more like a Lara Croft-type character and maybe pushed that influence a little too far. She is sexy like James Bond is sexy - she gets around, but is always in control of the situation, using her sexuality as a means of getting to what she wants. 
"I liked the idea of a 'cat's claw' grappling hook and also of turning her fur collar into a hood. I wanted her to be more tricked out with gadgets and stuff since she's basically powerless. I played around with different hair styles - she's always had the same haircut."


Ross also sent in a collection of his preliminary sketches, which are worth checking out:

I personally love it. A lot of thought went behind this, as evident from the sketches.


Let us know what you think. Be sure to check out Black Cat Results - Parts I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX, and be sure to check out the Official Contest Announcement for our next redesign: Harley Quinn!


Stay tuned, the HQ Sponsor Spotlight is coming up, as are the finalists for the Black Cat contest!

Keep Up-to-Date with SHotM!

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

With a lot of people checking out Superhero of the Month due to the Project: Rooftop/Superhero Coco/Whitechapel/SHotM crossover event, I thought I'd take this opportunity to inform everyone of the various ways to keep updated with SHotM. There's a lot that goes on with the site, and I like to keep the site community involved. However, I don't want to detract much from the monthly contests.

Social media helps me discuss other aspects of superhero redesigns, comics, and post contest updates without cluttering the main page in between the regular updates of the fantastic artwork we receive.

I'd love to have you join the conversation with us on Facebook and/or Twitter. Those are the best places to get updates on contest deadlines, changes to the site, and other non-site related things. Our Facebook and Twitter pages will be more important as we move into the second year of Superhero of the Month because, aside from maybe a couple of movie tie-ins, all of the redesigns will be fan-suggested.

Of course, you can also stay up-to-date with the main page through following us via your Google account. Just click the follow button next to the Blogger search bar. This should appear similarly regardless of your browser.

Thanks for visiting Superhero of the Month. I hope you enjoy our site, and thanks to everyone who contributes their art and time into making it what it is!

The Other Black Cat

Felicia Hardy isn't the only Black Cat in comic book history. From 1941-1951, Linda Turner kicked Nazi's around in Harvey Comics publications. Warren Newsom sent us a redesign of the Turner Black Cat back on January 7. Since the Superhero of the Month Black Cat contest focused on the Marvel Comics character, we held off on posting this until the contest was over.

Warren Newsom

"I put her in patent leather and made her a 'full-figure' girl as befits a movie star of the era.  This drawing was done entirely in pencil, pen, and inks, with only a tiny bit of touch up on my computer."


What do you think? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned for the Black Cat contest finalists!

Black Cat Results - Part IX

The last Black Cat redesigns are in!

YestherDay

"I wanted some original elements of Black Cat's costume to be remain, such as the choker, fur, and the white boots. The changes I did include: her high-tech cat-ear mask, which provides night vision/infrared laser/enhanced hearing/mp4, etc.), adorable kitty pouch bag, anti-gravity jump boots with a cat paw design, and a Spidey puppet that she'll bring along when 'shopping.'"

Michael Heide

"Pigtails seem to be more practical for a cat burglar than a long, flowing mane of hair. Besides, I like the symmetry. Dazzler eyes instead of a domino mask. She's been depicted with both, but the combination of pigtails and a domino mask would look too much like Harley Quinn. The white fur in the torso area (that represents the cat ears) is not a collar. It's actually the shoulder straps of the backpack in which she carries her lock picks and other tools. And the loot, of course. The "cats eye" clasps on her shoulder straps are LED flashlights to light her way in the dark - and to temporarily blind her foes. Yes, that is a Power Girl-style cleavage window in the shape of a cat's nose. She's got gothy 'claw' rings on every finger; diamond tips to cut glass - or scratch her enemies."



What do you all think? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out Black Cat Results - Parts I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII to see the past entries. Also be sure to check out our Sponsor Spotlight on Dan's Comics and visit their site! We appreciate Dan for providing the prize for this month's contest!


We'll be back soon with the next contest announcement, and the finalists for January's Superhero of the Month!

Black Cat Results - Part VIII

Shikee

Shikee didn't leave any thoughts on their work, so be sure to let us know what you think in the comments below!

Remember, all Black Cats must be turned in by 6:00 MST tomorrow to be considered for the contest! Best of luck to you all! Be sure to check out Black Cat Results - Parts I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII, and our Sponsor Spotlight on Dan's Comics, our fantastic sponsor this time around. If you're really ambitious, check out the Official Contest Announcement -- there's still time!

Black Cat Results - Part VII

Give a big welcome to Joshua Walters, another new Superhero of the Month contributer with a new outlook on Felicia Hardy!

Joshua Walters

"One of the reasons I think Black Cat's costume has remained so much the same throughout her existence is because, at its most basic, her design is extremely simple. She's the ultimate femme fatale: beautiful, playful, provocative, and dangerous, which during her creation was epitomized in a deep-v'd jumpsuit. I wanted to update her sexiness, but didn't want to change what I think are the most striking elements of her design -- all that hair. When drawn in motion the hair on her gloves and boots emphasizes that movement, and when static gives the panel some movement, so these I exaggerated. The only other thing I added were some claws on her boots -- I've always been bothered by characters having to use their hand claws to climb walls, but for whatever reason their feet need no such help."


Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also be sure to check out Black Cat Results - Parts I, II, III, IV, V and VI, as well as the Official Contest Announcement and Sponsor Spotlight on Dan's Comics, who is giving away an awesome prize to the winner of this month's contest!

Black Cat Results - Part VI

New entries! First up, a SHotM newcomer! Welcome!

Kiddy

"I tried to go with a very simple design of Felicia, like her current costume, but still give her a bit of different look. I didn't want any sort of head gear to make her look like a cat (like Catwoman), it would be too similar. Instead I  styled her hair as it is. I based her mask on Spidey's."

Next is Lee Chen Fang, who came this close to nabbing last month's contest:

Lee Chen Fang

"The basic concept of my Black Cat derives from French maid cosplay costume. I want to make Felicia more girly compared to her current costume design. However I didn't entirely want to make Felicia overly feminine and 'sugary' to the point of being soft. Therefore I downplay the the French Maid costume and merging the idea with Felicia's original black spandex costume. The fusion makes fun-loving, thrill-seeking Felicia rather girly and cute, yet naughty and dangerous."

Finally, a completely ineligible entry from the Superhero of the Month showrunner!

Alex Getts

"Yes, occasionally I'd like to submit some work here too, just for fun. With my redesign, I wanted to eliminate the 'fur' entirely from the costume. I always liked the black/white contrast, though, so I wanted to incorporate that as much as I could. I liked the idea of thigh-high boots for that reason, since it included more white. The gloves are inspired by the Dick Grayson Batman and Damian Wayne Robin. I love those gloves. The black leather bodysuit stays. One of my favorite elements are the cat earrings."

Give your thoughts in the comments below, and stay tuned for more Black Cats as the deadline approaches! Be sure to check out past Black Cat Results - Parts I, II, III, IV, and V, our Official Contest Announcement, and the Sponsor Spotlight on Dan's Comics!

Black Cat Results - Part V

We're back with two new redesigns:

Jamie Rimmer

"With my design, I attempted to incorporate what I know of the character, I see her as a smart, sassy woman who is more than capable of handling herself. Inspired by Japanese fashion, I wanted to incorporate Felicia's fun side. With the cat-ear hoodie, I decided to go a bit more 'street' with the look, knowing that she is a thief and a very capable hand-to-hand combatant. It's a bit more practical. Gone is the plunging neckline, but the small sections of exposed skin still keep the sexyness and femininity we know and love. The fur boots and fur trimmings around the arms tie into the old look, and hopefully make her recognizable as the Black Cat."

Hector Barros

"I think that the real difference between Felicia and Catwoman is that, though both had a tough pasts, Felicia overcame it. She steals, swings across the city, teases Spidey... just for fun! With that in mind, her outfit should be practical, sexy, urban, and casual. That´s why I hid the grappling hook under the sleeves, and why I added some metal rings for harnesses."


What do you all think? Let us know in the comments! Then be sure to check out everything Black Cat on Superhero of the Month -- Results, Parts I, II, III and IV, the Official Contest Announcement, and the Sponsor Spotlight on Dan's Comics, who are graciously providing the prize for this contest!

Black Cat Results - Part IV

We're back with a new redesign!

Arlen Raitt

"I was trying to go with a more functional suit. For the most part I stayed true to this idea; when it came down to the boots I admit I got a bit whimsical. I gave her a low, wide heeled boot with old fashioned spats, and the telltale Black Cat fur. I wanted her to seem able to move lithely, like a cat. The mask was difficult; trying to design something catty without being Catwoman and not looking bat-like is difficult. The domino mask always bugged me because it didn't conceal anything. Also, I wanted her to have a satchel -- someplace to hold her ill-gotten gains and/or equipment."

 

 What do you all think? Let us know in the comments below! Don't forget to check out Black Cat Results - Parts I, II and III, our Official Contest Announcement, and Sponsor Spotlight on Dan's Comics and the wonderful prizes they're offering for this contest!

Black Cat Results - Part III

Richard JP Le Guen

"I had two goals with this Black Cat costume. First, I wanted to try making her affiliation to the 'Spider-Man Family' of characters more visible - hence the spider-net shirt. Second, I wanted to find her some headgear which is universally associated with a cat, but which causes no one to think of Catwoman - hence, a 'Cat in the Hat' hat."

Chad E. Townsend

"The first rule I set for myself was that this version of the Black Cat would be usable on an animated TV series. Like most shows, the demographic is for the 12 up audience. So I had to make Felicia cute, youthful and attractive in appearance. As well, the 80's Hooker outfit had to go. Sorry, I am so over that look. Her outfit still had to show off her figure, but most importantly it needs to look functional. Who run's around in polished latex and booties? You need clothes that can take a beating and shoes you can really move in."

What do you all think of these redesigns? Sound off in the comments below! Then be sure to check out everything Black Cat on Superhero of the Month: the Official Contest Announcement, Results - Part I & Part II, and the Spotlight on Dan's Comics, our fantastic sponsor for the month's event!

For Your Information...

Another Black Cat submission is on its way. But first, I made a couple of changes to the site I think you should all be aware of.

The Contact page has now been merged with the About page. The Contact page just listed our e-mail, as well as Facebook and Twitter pages. Since the About page already had some of this information on it, it made sense to merge these pages and cut the redundancy.

Also, the Calendar page has been split in two. The Calendar still lists information on the current contest, as well as the three upcoming events. The Past Events page lists the past contest characters and their winners, finalists, and all the submitted artwork.

Also, if you're not a fan of our Facebook page, it might be good to become one. I want to start posting notices like this there rather than here, simply because I don't want to clutter the main page with site news, particularly while a contest is going on. And since there is a monthly redesign competition, it makes it hard to not clutter the site.

Thanks,

- Alex

Black Cat Results - Part II

A few more great Black Cat redesigns have come in:

Michael Lee Lunsford

"Black Cat has always been one of my favorite comic book characters, so I jumped at the chance to redesign her.  I tried to embody the spirit of the character in this costume: tough, ready for action, playful, and sexy all at the same time.  I also wanted to go for a bit more of an urban look, and instead of covering the area around her eyes decided to give her more of a bandit or ninja look by covering the lower half of her face."

Oliver Röppnack

"I decided to play with Felicia's heritage by making her a Native American (Tuscarora to be precise), which is partly reflected in her costume. She gains catlike vision and agility from the 'Cougar´s eye', an enchanted belt carved from turquoise. Her tomahawk, despite the traditional appearance, is actually a state-of-the-art weapon featuring a titanium blade and a concealed high tensile fiber wire inside the shaft. The blade can be launched for use as a grappling hook (or a surprise attack)."

Daniel Irizarri

"For the design, I went for a mix of practical and stylish. I wanted it to stay sexy, but not cross over into cheesecake. I think the shorter hair is a mix of style and practicality that is a long time coming for the character; she's had Farrah Fawcett hair for almost 40 years now. I wanted to stray away from the more recent all black with white fur on the sides of the arms, and revisit the white gloves and boots while, redesigning and taking them out of the 70s as well. She needed rope and a place to stash her loot, so I dealt with that."

Like the others so far, these are fantastic designs. Let us all know what you think in the comments below! Be sure to check out the Official Black Cat Contest Announcement, the Sponsor Spotlight on Dan's Comics, and Black Cat Results - Part I for past entries!

Black Cat Results - Part I

January starts off right with six submissions right off the bat! First up is SHotM regular Warren Newsom:

Warren Newsom

"My idea is to give Felicia a less dated, classier look. The top is inspired by a couple of movies I watched today; I saw this same kind of neckline in each and thought, 'Well, there’s a timeless look if ever there was one.' The top evolved into a short, short dress, so for practicality’s sake, she needed tights or leggings beneath it. Though I kept the fur around her neckline, I decided to ditch the fur on her legs. Instead, I gave her contemporary boots with white, puffy tassels. If you’ve ever had a cat, you’ll know that cats love tassels. Overall, my strategy was to make her look less like a hootchie-momma, and more like a stylish adventurer."


Next up is a decidedly darker and interesting take on Felicia Hardy by Robert Schilling, winner of December's Angel Contest:

Robert Schilling

"One thing that has always irked me about comic book women is the way they're portrayed. Some, like Black Cat, have pretty compelling stories, but are dressed as eye candy for adolescent boys. I wanted to make Black Cat something dark and realistic, reflecting her horrifying past and psychological conflict with herself.

"I have her not necessarily dressing up as a villain, but as a persona she created out of anger and shame of being a victim of rape. She wears a wig and dark clothing to conceal her identity as she follows in her father's footsteps in theft."


Next up, three Superhero of the Month newcomers. Welcome!

Ernest Quek

"Those long hairpins in her hair are used as weapons."

Stanley Wong

"For the new design, I gave her a high-tech mask, providing night vision, infrared viewing mode, photographic detection, etc. Diamonds were trimmed on the mask, chest (cat's eyes and nose), and boots, with silver pieces trimmed the cat's ears' area and the shoulders, which makes it more elegant and luxurious. It also brought out her thievish background. The barebacked design shows her sexiness, as well. I think the cat's paw on the choker is the cutest part of the design."

Josh Gowdy

"This was really tricky for me as I think the original suit is pretty cool. To me, the Black Cat has always been this interesting, sometimes awkward mix of prissiness and raw sexuality-- kind of an ongoing good girl/bad girl conflict that manifests itself in both Felicia's appearance and behaviour. I think this is one character where a bit of cheescake is definitely called for-- there is definitely an element of sexual thrill that Felicia gets from what she does. I also didn't want to overdo the cat elements-- she's a cat burglar, she doesn't need to wear cat ears and have catch lines like 'mrrrrow' and 'purrrrfect'. That said, without the fur its just not the Black Cat."


Thanks Ernest, Stanley, and Josh for your fantastic entries!


Finally, we have another SHotM regular, the always-awesome Kevin Prieto:

Kevin Prieto

"When I was just a tiny little maggot, my brother received Maximum Carnage for the Sega Genesis as a birthday gift. It was one of those games that was full of characters you wish they'd have in the cartoons because they were usually much cooler than those jerks Kraven or Hobgoblin. One of which was the super sexyness, Black Cat. I always loved this character, she was just a lot of fun. How could you not like a chick that gives the hero a run for his money in everything he does best? That's not just cool. That's shades."

Well, what do you all think? I think these are a fantastic way to kick off 2011! Be sure to check out our Official Contest Announcement for details on this month's Black Cat Contest, as well as our Sponsor Spotlight for information on Dan's Comics and the prize they are offering for this month's winner!