Cover layouts

Here are the first cover layouts Brad T put together before he started working on the final version you that was eventually submitted for Round 1 of the contest.

This is the first one, but we both felt it needed something a bit more dynamic.

So it evolved into this, with the cool "worms eye" view you see on the finished cover.

And, just for fun here's a work in progress version, and the first completed cover art that I got to see. I think all this waiting is the hardest part of being the writer. Those artists guys have all the fun.

Round 2 progress

Not a lot I can actually share due to the contest rules, but our material for Round 2 is coming quicker than I expected.

This round requires a 360 degree view of each main character (we have 5 main characters) and also three action poses for each.

The first two 360 poses are done and headed off to the inking phase.

There's still a lot of work to do, but considering these aren't due until April 1, I think we're off to a great start.

Round 1...

We submitted our Round 1 entry on Wednesday 2/18.

What a day.

The first judge left his comments and vote within an hour of the project going up. And it was good! Here's a little excerpt:

"There's real meat and potatoes here, folks. And I suspect we have one that other contenders should really be worried about if it makes it to future rounds.

Do I have confidence in this project?

Yes-- Unquestionably. "

Nice way to start the day. But, then I had to head off to do some work for the real job and got to spend the next few hours wondering how the other two judges would vote. That was not fun. This project means a lot to me, and it was torture to have to wait to find out how it was going to go.

Luckily I came home to find that another judge had made his decision. Another Yes!

"so far, i think this project is the front runner!
of course we have quite a few still to see.
keep up the high quality of work gang.

my vote
absolutly

YES"

That was enough right there, 2 out of 3, unless the third judge absolutely hated us. But the third judge was another "Yes", although not as enthusiastic as the rest.

And we're moving on to Round 2...

Welcome...

..to the the home of the project currently called Steel Rising. I say "currently" because that title is going to change, but I'll talk about that later.

Steel Rising is an entry for the 2009 Small Press Idol competition. For those that don't know what SPI is, the easiest way to describe it is as American Idol for the independent comics world.

The creative team consists of:

Brad Huffman-Parent (me): creator/writer
Brad Thingvold: pencils
Joe Armour: inks
Michael Summers: colors

So, there's the basics. What's next? Well, quite a bit. I'll break things down round by round throughout the contest(the contest consists of 4 rounds, and I'll explain that in more detail later, too) and keep you all updated on the status of things as they come.