The January 2010 FArt Battle

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Thanks!

CR, is that a Fire Imp I see lighting the Olympic Flame?

LOL

Very nice piece.

My sources have confirmed that it is no "fire imp" being used to light the Olympic torch but rather a Rikti Monkey. I am currently organizing the mobilization of all animal rights compaigners to protest this outrageous and inhuman cruelty to such a kind and noble...


errr, excuse me?


Aliens??


Nevermind.

Nice work guys! The expression and coloring on the face are really nice Swanzy.

I was curious though, with the previous (heated) discussion about the rules and I definitely don't want to add more heartburn, but...

"2. Use City of Heroes/Villains Characters- This is, afterall, a CoX Fan Art competition, so I expect you guys to keep that in mind. If there's nothing relating to City of Heroes/Villains in your entry, you will be disqualified."

...did that literally mean using CoH characters/critters/etc? It could be argued, why didn't I or anyone else at the very beginning point this out earlier, but since a good chunk has come in the last day or even final hours it was hard to point out some potential "gray" area until it just came in.

My point, while I really like LD's and Swanzy's pieces, both fall into somewhat gray area in my mind. I mean, LD's had a nice explanation, but honestly nothing about it screams CoX. Yes it is a pasty white female character, but aside from a faint reference to dark eye patches I don't see it as Ghost Widow (and I wouldn't have had it was not for the written explanation). I had the same reaction to Scooter's - sorry. Conversely, Frozen Death did an ice skating theme as well, and there is absolutely NO question as to those characters being from CoX. And then there's Swanzy, which is very cool, but is it assumed that a superhero/heroine is instantly CoX specific? Aside from the costume being similar to what one could make with the CoH costume editor, there are no clear CoH references. And finally, there is CR's piece that makes me think of a game like Everquest or WoW which is more of a fantasy based game. Again, a nicely drawn piece, but the only reference to CoH is being a questionable fire imp (I think).

Anyways, I know it is not my call and I had refrained from the previous drama of Shia's piece. But if it was necessary to be a stickler on that one, then in all fairness, these should be pointed out too.

Fair enough Johnny however I believe the costume pieces Myself and Eddy used are definitely in the costume creator and easily recognized as such I think it qualifies.

Conversely LD says it's Ghost Widow so it must be Ghost Widow. and Caem's only reference to the game is Jutal which if you didn't play this game could be a troll or Orc from that another game.

I think we are covered and the FArt mistress allowed them.

Frost,

Bwahahahahahahaha

that is all.

I would argue that's too narrow a view of the rule. Seems to me it's intent was to make all entiries have something to with City of Heroes, be it an unknown hero type person (swanzy's character) or Ghost Widow (LD's piece).

Lets put it this way...if Swanzy used Thor's Assassin for the piece (ignoring the fact that he's not a hot chick) would anyone be disputing the CoH link there? Probably not. Why should a lesser known character who's obviously super powered not count?

I do believe you're being too nitpicky here JK.

2nd edit: wow, my first edit got stuck in way the wrong spot - proof I should go to sleep & not edit posts on my mobile...

Well, CR's piece uses his actual CoH character...

As for myself, I'm glad I tire Jutal in at the last minute!

All in all though, I think the intention was kind of clear that characters that fit into CoX should be included and not that they had to be definite CoX ones...

To insist on characters that definitely existed would require people to prove they had a character that looked like their art (before they submitted it) or stick to canon characters... Proving you had the char before the art would be bothersome and using just canon chars would be overly restricted..


Edit:
Scoots, I actually have more connection in my piece than just Jutal... You are watching PNN (Paragon News Network), the show is call Paragon Today (I think today... Or did I go with tonight?) and Lord Recluse is mentioned in the scroll bar as having Etoille Islands boycott the games

Using characters that just fit in seems to follow the spirit of the rule to me where as the lack of a hot chick seemed an oversight or an ignoring of the rule and it's spirit...

Sticking to the precise rules, entries need no powered beings meta humans aliens or the like... There are plenty of normal civilians walking around which are CoH characters... Does anyone really believe using just a couple of these normal pedestrians would fulfil the spirit of the rule?

Don't worry, darlings. All entries are good, as Shia and Implicit Bookcarrier were kind enough to amend their entries.

I was specifically asked before the January theme went up if all the battles would have to use signature Heroes/Villians, and I said no. Personal characters are completely fine, as they still come from the CoX universe. And if there was a way to do a piece that only had, say, a landscape from Paragon City/The Rogue Isles, that also would be fine.

LD's piece was made to specifically portray Ghost Widow. Its why he chose the flower he did as well. So his is great no matter which way you slice it.

CR not only used what I know to be his CoH character, but a fire imp, which is a great way for a CoX torch to be lit.

Swanzy created a CoX Olympic contestant by making her a mind controller in CoX costuming.

Its fair enough to ask the question since I already have had to do disqualifications. Always, what applies to one will apply to all. But this was also a question that was asked and answered before, so these aren't new guidelines =)

I think everyone has done an awesome job! ('Cept Caem, who now wants to l light ME on fire!! - j/k your piece is the awesomes too!)

Shia's mod cracks me up even more than the original. I think this could be a really, really tough year.

Good luck Wassy on a drama free (less drama anyway) year! Stick to your guns and have fun! I will be here with my popcorn and Mt. Dew watching!

As far as the rules. I think it's great to see how each artist interprets them (Caem's burning chick is great!) and pushes them to the brink of breakage.

Anyway again great job everyone! Have fun! Your abilities and courage to put them out there for everyone to see always amazes me!

I'm going to have to put the brakes on using the art of others, because that's just nothing but begging for flame fests and 24/7 drama. I will not be using a theme that might take us into this area.

If anyone plans to do an homage at some point, I would appreciate being PM'd with the idea/piece before posting, because that may skirt the line.

Keep in mind that for the rules, I am looking at your intent, not your execution. Shia admitted he forgot about the hot chicks rule, which disqualified his original piece. Had he put some nail polish or a high heel on the severed foot in the pool and said he intended that to be his hot chick, that would have been fine (though his update is WAY better than that!). Implicit Bookcarrier stated he created his piece from a universe he made up, which caused the disqualification. What we actually vote on is your execution.

Am I correct that all submissions have made it into the FArt Gallery on the dA CoX group?

Oh what? Did I fail to mention what really happens when you get eliminated? Shucks, must be because this month doesn't have one..... *sharpens the dull ax*