Superhero of the Month - Ally Cat's Atom Eve

Congratulations Ally Cat, winner of April's Atom Eve contest sponsored by Big Shiny Robot!



Ally Cat - 25/30

As the winner of this month's contest, Ally wins the two copies of Invincible signed by artist Ryan Ottley that Big Shiny Robot! offered, and has the option to guest-judge next month's contest.

Judging for this month was done by Alex (for SHotM), Lucas (representing Big Shiny Robot!), and last month's winner, Caanan Grall. We scored entires out of 30 (10 points per judge). Ally's rated 25/30.

Alex: The abundant use of white really makes this. The pink jumps out and really accentuates the costume. Like with the other submissions, I love the high boots; regardless of how impractical the heels are, I love them. And I like how the symbol was tweaked to include the female symbol, whole still retaining that atom identity. The only thing that doesn't entirely work for me are the holes in the elbows. I can buy them on the feet, but the elbows don't do it for me. Other than that, fantastic redesign.

Lucas: I dig the funky nature of Ally's piece. The pose and the color scheme are awesome, they work well with the style. If anything, I'd just love to see Invincible drawn in this same style interacting with Eve.
Caanan: I love that this looks more like a Super Science Action Hero outfit than the rest. I like the bands that accentuate the curves in the right places, and I like the white. White is all the RAGE these days, huh, Spider-Man?

Check out the Runners-Up after the jump!

OFFICIAL CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT - X-23

Laura Kinney, codenamed X-23, is the female genetic twin of Wolverine. As Logan's clone, Laura shares his mutant abilities, including his heightened senses and healing factor. She differs from Wolverine, however, with her claws -- she has two that extend from each fist, and one from each foot.
She also shares many similarities with Logan in her personality. She's a trained killer, but has also shown compassion.

These are important things to consider in redesigning X-23. While she may look like a normal teenage girl, there are layers of darkness underneath that can be explored!

There is no sponsor for this contest; it's all for the sake of redesigning and fun! Nonetheless, the winner of this month's contest will be automatically entered in our one-year anniversary top-secret event!

X-23 redesigns are due between May 1 - 24, and the winner will be announced on May 31!

4/29/2011
Editor's Note: It's come to my attention that, at one point in the character's history, X-23 was a prostitute. Not that you guys can't do what you want, but let's not make her too prostitute-y. ;)

Redesigned - April

If you've not bookmarked Geek Art, I'd recommend doing so. They post all kinds of cool pieces, and recently posted a lengthy article on Stephanie Hans, a French artist who has done some beautiful illustrations of comic book characters.

Like many of us who saw the original photo of Adrianne Palicki's Wonder Woman costume, it appears Stephanie was underwhelmed and did her own version of it. Even with the pilot improvements, this piece is miles ahead:


Via ComicsBlog

 More after the jump.

The New Status Quo

As I mentioned at the close of the last contest, the voting round was generating less and less interest, so contest winners are being determined by the judges. Generally, the judicial consensus has been reflected in most of the previous contests, so I think things will be fair.

One nice thing is that we, as judges, will have more time to judge the contests which, in the past, has proven to be extremely chaotic with such a narrow window.

In any case, this means a longer window between the end of submissions and the announcement of the winner. I still want to keep things interesting, so there are a few features we'll be running in the interim between submissions and the winner announcement:

1. Take On! - Artists submit their version of a redesign sent in from any contest. The intent of Take On is to translate a redesign to a different artistic style. Ross Radke did this with Oliver Gwynne's Aquaman.

2. Mash Up - Artists combine two characters into one, similar to the Amalgam Universe. Feel free to rename them and provide a backstory if you wish!

3. Redesigned - This will be composed of user-submitted redesigns (not part of any contest) and/or redesigns found on the web. If you think a redesign should be featured, let us know about it and send us a link to it at superheroofthemonth@gmail.com.

Thanks for your continued support of Superhero of the Month. You all are great. Stay tuned for more content, a winner announcement, and an exciting addition to Superhero of the Month!

Atom Eve Results - Part VIII

This is it! The final batch of Atom Eve redesigns for the SHotM/BSR! contest!

Dimitrios Kasdaglis

"Trying to move away from Atom Eve's established logo and color, I played instead visually with her alias. New symbol, new colors."

Peter Leynes

"I figure that Eve has a good sense of style so she would like her costume to look more fashionable that superhero-y. I happen to like the look of a trenchcoat with a skirt so I tried to give Eve's costume a similar silhouette."



Michelle Sciuto

Editor's Note: Michelle didn't leave us any thoughts on her Atom Eve.

Christopher Duran

"I was really trying to come at it from another direction by almost completely abandoning her previous color scheme. I wanted the outfit to have a more science-y feel to it. I played with the design of the logo to have a more subtle homage to the atom then her previous design. As far as the look of Samantha, I wanted her hair to be more prominate and flowing. In a way the visor and hair is a little nod to my initial idea of making her outfit more like a Sailor Scout's."
 

Mark Hartman

Editor's Note: Mark didn't leave us any thoughts on his Atom Eve.

Tommy Smith

"Since Eve and Invincible have started Invincible Inc., I figure she might go for a look a little closer to Mark's and maybe something a little more utilitarian. There are echoes of Invincible's costume, like the boots and gloves, but it's still her own. As she'll be seeing more action, I figure she might braid her hair instead of having it flying everywhere. I'm going for athletic, but still feminine. Plus, I didn't want it to be too complex a costume to draw panel after panel."  

Ally Cat

"I modified her costume a bit to reflect Atom Eve's age. I wanted to tone down the use of pink and see how that worked out as she can manipulate things to start a new and white is 'virginal' (despite how we all know that Eve's gotten it on, her power gives her a chance to clean slate, or make things "grow" and change). Did away with the slipper/sailor moon boots, but had to keep the cape (despite it being a hinder during battles and a weak point when trying to flee)! Her logo is different as well, which is a modified nuclear fission illustration, but with little female symbols. (I am always tempted to turn her into a villan! She has so much potential for evil! With great power comes great responsibility!) A few air vents to show some skin. I love the shoes!"


That's it! Let us know what you think in the comments! Be sure to check out our sponsor, Big Shiny Robot! who are providing this contest's winner with two Invincible collections, signed by artist Ryan Ottley! Be sure to check out all the Atom Eve entries, and stay tuned for some new features, as well as some updates on Superhero of the Month!

Atom Eve Results - Part VII

More redesigns have entered the SHotM/Big Shiny Robot! Atom Eve extravaganza!

Rainy Day

"In the recent issues of Invincible Atom Eve has gained some weight. So I designed a costume that covers her mid-section with a mini dress and lengthened her boots to give appearance of longer legs. I also tweaked the lighter pink area."


E. A. Cory Revis

"I really like the 'streamlined' look in most superhero/superheroine characters. So I decided to try and make a sleeker, nimbler looking version of Atom Eve while still retaining her power and youthfulness she seems to radiate."


What do you all think? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to check out all of the art in Atom Eve Results: Parts I, II, III, IV, V, and VI! This month's contest is sponsored by Big Shiny Robot!, and they're providing the contest winner with Invincible vols. 5 & 6, signed by artist Ryan Ottley!

Atom Eve submissions are due Friday, so if you want your Atom Eve to be included in the final post for this contest, send it to superheroofthemonth@gmail.com by 5:00 PM MST on April 22!

Atom Eve Results - Part VI

A couple more artists have submitted to the Superhero of the Month/Big Shiny Robot! Atom Eve contest! Check them out!

Brian Post

"I wanted to highlight here unique insignia.  I kept her basic color scheme but added a light blue to the cape.  I wanted the design to be youthful and fun, just like Atom Eve."

Vincent Istria

"Atom Eve's suit is totally unique. I wanted to give her a more modern, urban style while maintaining the original colors and logo."

What do you all think? Two completely different ideas, but both have very cool components! Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Be sure to check out our sponsor, Big Shiny Robot!, who is providing the winner with copies of Invincible vols. 5 & 6, signed by artist Ryan Ottley! (How cool is that?!) Also be sure to check out the past entries in Atom Eve Results - Parts I, II, III, IV and V. The deadline for contest submissions is April 22, so if you've got one in the works, be sure to get it to us soon! You can check out the Official Contest Announcement here.

Atom Eve Results - Part V

Another fantastic redesign has entered our Big Shiny Robot!-sponsored contest!

Rose Raimundo

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

Aldo Ojeda

"Atom Eve is very powerful; I wanted to depict her costume as a manifestation of raw energy."

Joy Christian Juyo

"When a superhero like Atom Eve can manipulate matter via sheer will power, all you have to do is show her sexiness and flaunt it. Deviating a bit from a traditional superhero costume, I replaced the cape with a jacket/coat covering her sleeveless shirt with her insignia. I incorporated some armwarmers and glasses/visor, which I dont think is very dated. Finally, skintight pants to show off her figure without revealing too much skin -- just the navel tease. Her original color combo is just too awesome to mess with."

What do you think? Let us know what you think in the comments below! Be sure to check out Atom Eve Results - Parts I, II, III and IV; there's still time to submit, so be sure to check out the Official Contest Announcement for details. Hurry! Atom Eves are due by April 22!

Be extra sure to check out Big Shiny Robot!, our sponsor for the Atom Eve contest. They are providing us with artist-signed copies of Invincible vols. 5 & 6 for the contest winner! That's a killer deal for whomever wins!

Stay tuned for more Atom Eve redesigns!

Atom Eve Results - Part IV

Another Atom Eve redesign has made it's entry for our Big Shiny Robot!-sponsored contest! Check it out!

Rofe

"She's a sexy character, so...a sexy dress. The logo shows something, but not too much."


Anyone else get a mod feel from this? 


Check out past entries in Atom Eve Results - Parts I, II, and III. Be sure to check out, bookmark, and love our sponsor, Big Shiny Robot! for all your nerd news and reviews needs; remember, they're being so kind as to offer Ryan Ottley-signed copies of Invincible vols. 5 & 6 for the winner of this month's contest! Be sure to check out the Official Contest Announcement for details on how to get in on the fun this month. 


Hurry! Entries are due April 22!

Atom Eve Results - Part III

More Atom Eve redesigns being brought to you courtesy of SHotM and our sponsor, Big Shiny Robot! If you haven't already, check out the very kind write-up BSR! did on Superhero of the Month! Now, more of Samantha Wilkins' alter-ego!

Kevin Prieto

Editor's Note: Kevin didn't leave us any particular thoughts on his actual redesign. I think he did this on purpose, so that we'd be forced to longer stare at its awesomeness.

Up next, my completely ineligible entry!

Alex Getts

"There's so much to love about Atom Eve's design, that I didn't want to mess with too much of it. I did fancy the idea of giving her a longer cape. (That cape is somewhat borrowed from my forgotten Robin redesign, which I'm sure I borrowed the idea from someone else!) I felt that by moving the atom/female symbol to the left of the body, it gave the suit an interesting balance. Without looking at the original design, I was pretty stoked about the boots, until I just now realized they're pretty much the same freaking design as they are now. D'oh!"

What do you all think? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to check out Atom Eve Results - Parts I and II, as well as the spotlight on Big Shiny Robot, who are providing Ryan Oytley-signed copies of Invincible vols. 5 & 6 for the winner of this month's contest! If you want to get in on the fun, there are still a couple of weeks until the April 22 deadline, so check out the Official Contest Announcement for all the details!

Atom Eve Results - Part II

More goodness comes your way for our Big Shiny Robot-sponsored Atom Eve redesign contest!

Craig Payne

"I wanted to keep some of the elements of Atom Eve's original costume, like the cape and the symbol/logo. Most of all I wanted to dial back the amount of pink used; there was way too much of it in the original!"

Ross Radke

"I was tempted to change her colors and throw in a more 'elemental' aesthetic, but decided against it as it would drift away from the original design. The combination of hot- and baby-pink is a really unique color scheme. I wanted to keep all the key elements of the design, but streamline it a little. I get the impression that Atom Eve wants people to think she has a lot of confidence - her original costume looked sort of like a cheerleaders uniform - so I wasn't afraid to play up the sexiness."


What do you all think? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out Atom Eve Results - Part I for past entries! Submissions are due April 22, so you have plenty of time to submit; check out the Official Contest Announcement here for details. This month's prize is pretty sweet: Invincible Vols. 5 & 6, signed by artist Ryan Ottley, courtesy of Big Shiny Robot! 

Atom Eve Results - Part I

The first Atom Eve redesigns are here!

Warren Newsom

Warren didn't leave any thoughts on his piece, but it is awesome!

Caitie Hinchey

"I had a lot of fun playing fashion designer with this!"


What do you all think? Good stuff, no? Let us know in the comments below! And be sure to visit our fantastic sponsor, Big Shiny Robot!, who is providing the contest winner with two Invincible trades signed by artist Ryan Ottley!


April 4, 2011 - 12:42 PM MDT
Editor's Note,: I can't believe I forgot this, but be sure to check out the Official Contest Announcement for details on the Atom Eve contest! Entries are due by April 22, so you still have plenty of time to submit!

Sponsor Spotlight - Big Shiny Robot!

Ahoy! The Atom Eve contest is underway, and our sponsor is amazing!


Big Shiny Robot! was started back in February of 2008 by Lucas Ackley and Bryan Young as a blog meant to share geek news amongst friends, but quickly grew into something more. Bringing in a handful of friends as contributors and leveraging the artistic skills of Elias Pate, BSR began its transformation into the full-fledged "nerd news & reviews" site it is today. Fast forward three years, Big Shiny Robot has become a staple in the local Utah geek community and is garnering more and more nation-wide readership every day. Offering geek-oriented reviews, editorials, news and exclusive stories, as well as hosting events in the Salt Lake City area, BSR has become a familiar face in the Utah geek community. Big Shiny Robot now has a great staff of nearly 20 regular contributors all from different walks of life giving their take on all things geek, and are continuing to set their sights on becoming one of THE destinations for nerd news and reviews on the internet.

Big Shiny Robot is also the proud recipients of the 2011 "Best Local Blog" award from the local publication, City Weekly.

Big Shiny Robot would like to thank ridiculously talented comic book artist and friend of BSR, Ryan Ottley, for providing the signed copies of Invincible Vol. 5 & 6 as the prizes for this contest!


I'm very excited for this month's sponsor, Big Shiny Robot, to be joining us. Back when Superhero of the Month was just getting started, BSR gave us a spotlight on their site, and have pumped SHotM since then. These guys are great, and are definitely worth visiting!

Help Wanted?

Hey, all! As you may have seen here, Atom Eve's are still on the way. I just wanted to drop a general thing here first.

Many of you probably gather that SHotM is a hobby of mine. I love it, it's a ton of fun. But it does take some time. And time, unfortunately, comes in short supply. I am many things: Husband, father, employee, student. Fitted in there are lead guitarist (woot!) and occasional artist. Tons of projects -- school and personal -- find their way into my time. Some things like family and such are clearly welcome. Other things, like writing a ten-page paper, are not so much.

You may have noticed things were a tad...slow...with Aquaman. I was really looking forward to it, but then school kicked me in the face. Hard. I'm trying to wrap things up so I can be done with it by the end of the year, but that kills some time.

I really enjoy running this place, but it gets hard sometimes. Which is why I need help. One or two people who are willing to be blog contributors. This means posting redesigns, updating information, etc. SHotM is a matter of pride for me, and I enjoy it immensely, but I really feel like I dropped the ball last month and I want to make sure that doesn't happen again. One or two helpers would make the job much easier.

If you're interested, just drop me a line at superheroofthemonth@gmail.com. We can go over all the details there. Even if you're curious, let me know. If you decide it's not for you, that's cool. We're all good here. But I think it will help this place run more efficiently if there's an extra set or two of fingertips posting on here.

Thanks, everyone!

- Alex

The Greatest Redesign EVER

Happy April Fool's day. :) Atom Eve's are coming tonight! this weekend! Sorry, I had a planned thing Friday evening and a paper to turn in online before midnight, got it in a couple of minutes late, and am hoping I don't get docked on it. That said, I still need to do the Sponsor Spotlight on Big Shiny Robot! and all of that, so please forgive the tardiness of the post.

That said, I've only had a couple of Atom Eve's turned in so far, so if you have one done (or close to done) crack her out and get her to me as soon as you can and I'll include her in the initial results post, even after I post it. Offer for that stands this weekend only.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to rescue my guitars from the car...