New Wonder Man online comic (fan-art fiction)

Wonderman · Forum Newbie Joined: Jun 30, 2002 Posts: 8

This is my first post here. Hi, I have a new online comic I'm finally putting out on my Wonder Man website. You will see many Marvel Universe characters pop up in this story. I am a continuity freak so it ties really neat with every bit of the Marvel Universe.
Here is the link to my website:

Wonder Man: Cooler than Superman

http://www.fortunecity.com/athena/power/955/

Just click on the WEB COMICS icon to your left to get to the ARENA OF TAINTED SOULS comic book.

Comments are more than welcome.

_________________

Visit my website: Wonder
Man: Cooler than Superman! home of the ionic avenger.

Dana3d2k · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 6:41 pm Post subject:

I really don't know what to say, to tell you the truth. Part of that could be that I never heard of Wonderman, or don't follow comics that well. Part of it could be my conception that online comics should be original in concept and characters.

It was pretty interesting, in my opinion too many references. Anybody who knows about Marvel has an idea of who Thor and others are..and don't need reference as to when Wonderman battled them. I am sure people can figure it out that it was before this time.

I am not sure how Marvel will feel about a Comic being made using their characters, tho. Fan-Art, yea.. but it is a story and artwork put together by someone (I am guessing) not affliated with Marvel. If they have no problem with this, then great..but if they do, you might get a letter of cease and desist sometime.

My other opinion (which also has to do with references), you should spend less time pimping comics some others might not get the chance, or will not even go out and buy..and spend more time on the damn story.

From the imagery, I can gather if he thought the Kree captured him, they must be pretty bad. I don't need to go out and buy a comic to figure that out.

But then again, I am from the school of comics that create and own all the intellectual material regarding their respective comic. So yes, I am a bit.. cynical about this (if that the right word for it).
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Dana Haywood
<a href=heresyproduction.com>Heresy Studios</a>

Cavalier · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 8:47 pm Post subject:

Okay as much as a fan of Marvel that I am, even I have to agree with Dana. You are treading on dangerous grounds here. You are taking a licensed property, and I am believing without permission, and developing a story and comic with it online.

Like Dana said, this could lead to a cease and desist letter from the big guys.

And I also have to agree that if you have to point out back issues in the first few pages, then perhaps you should work on the story just abit more.

Now don't get me wrong, the images look good, if Wonderman is abit to huge for my taste. Will I continue reading? Possibly.

But Dana's right that it might be best if you started a book with your own creations.

Dana3d2k · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 8:57 pm Post subject:

Well, typical fan-fiction text stories are all right as long as Marvel is acknowledged as the gods of all creation. Don't know how they will feel with Wonderman looking like he is..umm..compared to the other opicks, he looks like he been pumping massive doses of steroids. Marvel may not like that, or the fact he is naked.

Now if I want Kayla naked, I am not bout to spend huge bucks to send myself a cease and desist letter..

Because she is my creation, I can do what I want.. The title Wonderman is trademarked by Marvel, therefore deviating from the original concepts without Marvel approval might land you into some legal trouble. Just my thoughts (and man, I thought I was being harsh for a moment.)
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Dana Haywood
<a href=heresyproduction.com>Heresy Studios</a>

Cavalier · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 8:59 pm Post subject:

Can we send a cease and desist order to you if you don't show Kayla naked?

ArgoForg · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 9:11 pm Post subject:

Taking a look-see, it doesn't look bad, mostly. As far as fan-fic/fan-art, I honestly don't think you have a whole lot to worry about (my opin) seeing that far worse has been done to Marvel and DC characters alike in fanfics... often a lot more graphically, too. And you do give Marvel its props for character creation, so that helps.

Artwise, the sweat effects and backgrounds are pretty awesome looking in the pics I've seen (although right now, I've only had a chance to go through a few pages because I'm involved in a huge file transfer that's being an utter bandwidth hog)... but WM looks... well, badly disproportionate. Way too overmuscled. Maybe that's just me, or the mesh tears of the dynamic pose he's in for the first few pages, but he looks like the Hulk challenged him to follow his exercise regimen and that included a bunch of gamma rads, too. Just my opin. But everything else looks primo.

Storywise, I'd be making a snap judgement to say whether it's good or not, after only seeing a few frames, but the story hook is good. The editor captions do take away a bit from the flow of the story, but not badly... however, I would have suggested the caption about the Mole Man being downsized to disclude the 'in the Acts of Vengeance...' part. After all, that was a Marvel story arc title, not so much a title for a villainous plan.

But overall, not bad! I'll take a looksee at more when my bandwidth's not so full!

AF

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"It is perfectly easy to be original by violating the laws of decency and the canons of good taste."

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

jje · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 11:09 pm Post subject:

Actually I thought it had a good Marvel feel about it.
The images were great. I'd say do more to integrate the text into the art like you did in your first few panels.

The body is ok if you 're going for a WWF style WM.

I was distressed to be reminded that I have the first appearance comic up in my archive. Geee thanks. :-)

Dana3d2k · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 11:36 pm Post subject:

Well, right now it is WWE. WWF the wildlife foundation don't want to be confused with the WWE ..so WWF changed to WWE..but either way, NO man is THAT Big. I swear...wait.. there is one man.. his name is Bane..and that is DC..and it is DRUG induced.

_________________
Dana Haywood
<a href=heresyproduction.com>Heresy Studios</a>

Wonderman · Forum Newbie Joined: Jun 30, 2002 Posts: 8

Thanks for all the comments, good and bad, if you guys only knew how hungry I was of this type of feedback. Its like feeding meat to a starving lion. No matter how many times you've done it before its always hard do go out and look for criticism but it wasn't that bad after all. Thanks again. As far as Marvel coming up to me for using their characters, I hope not. This fansite has been around since 1998 and when Marvel started to shut down sites and required people to register with them I did and was accepted so its a Marvel registered fansite. I already had this story as fan-fiction included at the time and many pieces of fan art, including a comic type sequence that you still can find in the Fan-art section (the one with Wonder Man, Vision & Scarlet Witch.) I honestly think my site benefits Marvel since it brings interest and promotes their comics, like Dana3D2K says I'm "pimping" their back issues, getting people interested in Marvel Comics.

Believe me Dana3D2K, I thought long about working on a Wonder Man comic or an original story which is already penciled but I decided on the Wonder Man story since it could be part of my Wonder Man website and who knows, if I try hard enough it might get to their MAX line or new epic line. We all can dream, right?

About the editorial notes, I'm glad jje found it had a good Marvel feel to it. What hooked me into Marvel Comics was the editorial notes that would refer to other comics and previous issues, it had the feel of a giant jigzau puzzle that you could fit together, you could either read the story or connect with all the backstory. It was like a unified world or soap operav and I really miss that from nuMarvel. My site is full of information so any notes that you might find in the story can be researched in other sections.

Wonder Man's size is intentional, he has to look monstruously big & powerful, maybe a size shy from the Hulk, this is Marvel's strongest human if you count Thor as a god and Hulk as a monster and he has gone against both in Marvel stories. I want him to look as if he can take everything you could thow at him and then more. I guess I can agree with JJE saying I'm going for a WWF style. Michael Golden did a series of Savage Sword of Conan covers that show Conan with similar proportions. Other artists that I like that use similar builds are Corben, Bisley, and Mahnke in DC's Major Bummer.

I hope you guys stick around, there is nothing more encouraging than an active audience. Thanks.
_________________

Visit my website: Wonder
Man: Cooler than Superman! home of the ionic avenger.

Dana3d2k · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2003 11:48 am Post subject:

Well, it may have a marvel feel to them, but I don't know.. to me, if you need to refer to them in order to complete the story, then..

So far, I kept the Heresy story running in a continuity, but at the same time, each story doesn't need an entire reading of an issue to understand. You know who Roq is, You know who Kayla is.. you know what she does and that she is a demi-goddess..

and if you can't figure that out, then somehow the story has to re-emphansize this without resorting to having people go back to find these issues where the information is.

I am in total disagreement about the size and strength thing. I take myself as an example, I am 6'4 (and a half .. or taller, depending on which nurse sizes me) and I range between 170 to 190. Do the weight muscle proportions..I am a rather slender guy. I work at Target as a backroom worker, and a stocker..so I lift an awful lot. Heck I surprise people when I throw things on my shoulders and carry it around because I don't look like I am supposed to be that strong. But I am.

Further example, Hercules isn't that big of a guy compared to your version of Wonderman..yet he has the strength of a God. He could toss Ares around like an equal. Yet, he doesn't look that big.

So using that, I don't see how you are arguement that Wonderman needs look like Hulk Hogan times 10 has a justification.

That just me though.
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Dana Haywood
<a href=heresyproduction.com>Heresy Studios</a>

samcclung65 · Forum Member Joined: Sep 22, 2001 Posts: 31

I think the story looks great, but I have to agree, he's way too over-muscled. I would only make a character that muscled if they were some kind of monster (like the Hulk), or to make fun of over-muscled characters.

Corben, Bisley, and Mahnke did it as a form of parody. Don Simpson's Megaton Man is probably the best example of this.

The average comic hero is over-muscled compared to reality anyway. To exaggerate him this much make him look silly. Your story seems pretty serious, so I don't think that's your goal.

Just my thoughts on the matter,

Scott

Dana3d2k · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2003 5:21 pm Post subject:

Hey hey..this is the new mill.. Hulk is not a monster, he is an altered human of misfortune experimentation.

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Dana Haywood
<a href=heresyproduction.com>Heresy Studios</a>

Wonderman · Forum Newbie Joined: Jun 30, 2002 Posts: 8

I see your point about Wonder Man looking too exagerated in musculature and I agree in some situations this exageration won't work. For example the panel he is with the Scarlet Witch (penultimate panel) I had to reduce his proportions in order to make them both fit together, I mean I could have let the proportions he had but next to the female body the scene wouldn't have looked sexy, it would have looked cartoony. I like to use these exagerated proportions though, I know in reality like Dana3D2K says you don't have to be huge in order to be strong but its a symbol, a metaphor if you will. I have a cartoon/ animation background so that might explain it too.

Samcclung65, I agree that Megaton Man was a parody but Corben & Bisley, Mahnke & Eaglesham among others have used these proportions in serious stories. Others I can remember are Neal Adams' Megalith & Alan Davis Captain Britain. I know most people prefer a swimmer's build and I wouldn't draw every hero like I'm drawing Wonder Man. Probably Captain America, Hawkeye, Batman, Green Arrow, Spider-man and others would have a much less exaggerated muscular build, but I think guys like Thor, Wonder Man, Hercules, Hulk, Colossus, Doc Samson, Martian Manhunter even Conan work pretty good exaggerated like that, just my opinion & personal taste. Just hope like Cavalier said Wonder Man's size won't be an impediment for people to enjoy the stories.
_________________

Visit my website: Wonder
Man: Cooler than Superman! home of the ionic avenger.

jje · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2003 7:01 pm Post subject:

The "Marvel" feel: Part of it is the use of other book/story references. Doesn't Marvel still flog all their other titles in their story lines? They used to.

...and I had heard McMahon mention that exact same thing on TV the other night. WWE/WWF? W.G.A.F.!

>I had to reduce his proportions in order to make them both fit together
Well then that's a problem, isn't it? Changing your characters proportions would be the last thing I would think you would want to do. His size viz a viz Scarlet Witch is a constant. Maybe to try to get the bulked look in the crucifixion images use a more proportional body, a much wider lens and bring the camera in close. Let foreshortining do your work for you.

Wonderman · Forum Newbie Joined: Jun 30, 2002 Posts: 8

>>
Well then that's a problem, isn't it? Changing your characters proportions would be the last thing I would think you would want to do. His size viz a viz Scarlet Witch is a constant. Maybe to try to get the bulked look in the crucifixion images use a more proportional body, a much wider lens and bring the camera in close. Let foreshortining do your work for you. >>

I hope it won't be such a problem. You can hardly notice the proportions changed. You nailed it when you guessed I was trying to get a bulked enough look for the crucifixion scenes. Somehow the original mesh, the one I have used on my other fan-art through the website wasn't looking imposing enough in that position but beefed up like that was exactly what I was looking for. Foreshortening will help but not always, these beefed up proportions allow me a wider range of camera angles. Also, don't worry the size relationship between characters will be a constant, that's for sure.
_________________

Visit my website: Wonder
Man: Cooler than Superman! home of the ionic avenger.