OFFICIAL Top Cow Talent Hunt 2015 Discussion Thread

[Temujin]

Maybe Iam interested to team up with an Inker and a Colorist. You can find my work in my profile (go to hompage).

[A76]

Hi, as to future Witchblade bearers: I'd like to know if the rights of Takeru (from the manga) and Masane Amaha (from the anime) characters are with Top Cow and are thus usable.
It's not a problem if they're not, just narrowing down options.
Thanks in advance.

[Carmdq]

Answer from Ron Marz at Twitter:

...as he turns to look deeper in the panel, where Sara is examining the... THE BATTERED DOOR!!!!


...Gleason gestures toward or points to the" What is he pointing at...
JUST STRIKE THE LAST SENTENCE!

Thanks! Let's hope those are the only uncorrected things in that script.

[jamesmmo]

Where do we download the new bundle to get the new Cyberforce script? I tried going back to the link on the first page but the link will not let me download anymore. I still cannot even open the word documents from the old one.

[Top Cow Ryan]

Hi, as to future Witchblade bearers: I'd like to know if the rights of Takeru (from the manga) and Masane Amaha (from the anime) characters are with Top Cow and are thus usable.
It's not a problem if they're not, just narrowing down options.
Thanks in advance.

Unfortunately, Takeru and Masane are not canon Top Cow characters, and I would advise against using them.

[Top Cow Ryan]

Where do we download the new bundle to get the new Cyberforce script? I tried going back to the link on the first page but the link will not let me download anymore. I still cannot even open the word documents from the old one.

If you're having trouble downloading the bundle, CBR may have been in the middle of an update or something. But if you can't open the word documents, that has nothing to do with the bundle itself - they're standard .doc files and the problem may be on your end.

[A76]

Unfortunately, Takeru and Masane are not canon Top Cow characters, and I would advise against using them.

OK! Thanks, Ryan!

[Dark-Flux]

Unfortunately, Takeru and Masane are not canon Top Cow characters, and I would advise against using them.

Masane was actually confirmed as canon in a recent issue of Witchblade. Well, not "confirmed" exactly but it was said that the events of the anime could be entirely possible with the comic canon.

[Harry Koverr]

This was added as a response to people asking me why they could NOT create new characters. In the first year we specifically forbade it because why give away your own creations? You can't use characters from other companies. Our preference would be you use the existing characters. I added this last year specifically by request. I would not do it. No way I'd create new characters for a company on a pure work-for-hire basis, but that's me. Some people don't care. I just want it to be clear that if someone DOES create a new bearer for the Witchblade and that person DOES win then they are giving Top Cow that character as part of the rules of the contest. I think the language might have been me trying to be too clear which made it confusing. Sorry about that.

So wait, I'm still a little confused about last year. (I know it doesn't matter at this point, but still.) The way I understood the instructions last year was that we were supposed to make up our own past or future bearer of one of the artifacts, and that we were specifically told not to use the actual present-day bearers from the Top Cow comics. Did I get this wrong? I'm relieved to see Ryan's post saying there were no disqualifications last year, but I'm still kind of baffled to think that I might have misunderstood the instructions to such an extent.

[Harry Koverr]

It's not against the rules, but I wouldn't say it really increases your chances of winning.

Personally, I'd say to focus on making one really solid submission that will stand out above the rest.

Let's say hypothetically that I finish the first script I start writing, doing everything I can to make it as good as possible, not rushing at all, but I still have time left over to write another script with an equal amount of care. Let's even say hypothetically that I have time for three or four scripts. Wouldn't this increase my chances because the people reviewing the scripts might just not be into what I was trying to do in one script, but one of the other scripts might appeal to them more, based on their own taste or mood, or even based on which of the scripts comes closest to nailing the themes and style that Top Cow is looking to publish?

[jamesmmo]

1. Re-downloaded and the doc files now work fine. Yay!! Finally. Reading cyberforce script, and one character is described as being Asian? It does not specify if they mean East Asian or South Asian. Am I supposed to be drawing a woman who looks like Bipasha Basu or a Maggie Cheung type? Or perhaps Sonya Coulling?? I have Asperger's Syndrome so this is a very serious question, I am not making a joke. Please let me know which Asian race they want.

2. Re: drawing a minimum of nine sequential pages...does this mean we have to draw nine pages as they are written consecutively (like pgs. 1 through 9, or pages 9 through 18) or can we draw nine pages from any points in the script (like 1, 3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 18, 19, 21,)? I assume we should do a consecutive block of pages...I will chomp down on one through nine...and then perhaps pick a few other random pages that I think will showcase my strengths and distinctive style...like the splash at the end with Ballistic. Also, should we do a cover possibly...or do they not care at all about that?

3. What is a good approach to panels? I have never done sequential art before. When should I be using normal squares, and when should I be using jaggedy ones that float around and do not necessarily connect with each other's edges??

4. Should I order the exact book I am referencing a script from...or will that be a negative influence? I have cyberforce v4 issue two...I did not get a chance to see the first issue. I am worried that if I look at the actual issue that I will end up creating something too similar...and that any unique aspects of my art and storytelling would be too influenced by the actual rendering. Or should I use it as a reference, since I am so green at this type of project?

5. I have standard comic sheets of board-paper to work on. If I mess up, for example, on the last panel of a board- but the rest of my page is the way I want it...do I have to start all over again? Or perhaps can I use another piece of board and just re-make the bad panel and cut and paste it over the original?

6. Does anyone have good tips for how to use references?...I often use my hands as a reference. Can anyone post me to a link of a webpage that shows how to properly reference an image? I have never drawn a drone plane or a dog before and would really like to know how to use a reference for when I have to draw them in.

[RamblingBeachCat]

Odd/potentially stupid question:

Do we need to provide some type of recap/intro page? My story referencing something that happened in a recent Witchblade issue, so I wasn't sure if that needed to be added to the script.

[Harry Koverr]

Question: I was brushing up on some of the minor characters in Cyber Force and realized that a few of them were based on real-life Kickstarter supporters. Are we allowed to write about these characters, or does Top Cow have some kind of agreement with the supporters regarding how they will be portrayed, how many appearances they'll make,or anything like that?

[Lightningmax]

Question: If we get professional work before the end of the contest, does that disqualify us from participating in the contest?

[Daniel Oliveira]

_removed_removed