OFFICIAL Top Cow Talent Hunt 2016 Discussion Thread

[Top Cow Ryan]

Can we submit art that is fully painted, like Dan Brereton or Alex Ross's, or does it have to be traditional ink-line drawings?

of course you can!

[Top Cow Ryan]

I have a question, it's about art style of the characters and pages. Does the style of your pencils have to be similar to the IX universe art style? Obviously everyone have different styles but here's an example, say I penciled 8 pages and the whole story looked like cartoony characters like Skottie Young would draw, or say Teen Titans Go? Would it even be worth entering because your drawing style doesn't "mesh" with the Top Cow IX Universe?
Thanks

I think it's important to consider where you're submitting, but frankly I think have a distinct style is a GOOD thing. I like receiving samples from artists with some unique quirks or style to their work.

[mariomaundrell]

1)Yes.

2)The companies will inquire if you are willing to ink someone else. Inking others can be a good exercise in learning new techniques. It wouldn't be frowned on to refuse. The other question is would you be willing to ink over another artists layouts? Because they might not like you pencils -- I respect your confidence though -- but they might like your inks or they might like your inks and dislike your pencils. To me, it's about working -- I don't mind inking as long as I can pay my bills!

It's not confidence, I was just trying to understand how it works.
I wish I could be more confident about myself, though. Haha
By the way, thanks for the answers. It helped a lot! And agains, sorry for the trouble.

[mysstic101]

There have been questions posted by artists already, but I also wanted to give any writers out there a little love. Pauul can't ever be replaced as our ever-present helper, but he can be copied. Specifically, here's a helpful timeline he worked out. It was in last year's Talent Hunt thread, but since that's no longer a sticky, it may be lost to the front page in short order. A lot of good info there. Between reading the current rules carefully, and reading those old posts, I think most every question you could have has been previously asked and answered by someone. From Pauul:

I've been going through the Cyber Force and Aphrodite related issues, pre- and post-Rebirth in an attempt to work out the post-Rebirth timeline for Cyber Force. All of Cyber Force's pre-Rebirth adventures are non-canon but Aphrodite IV's appearances are at least partially in continuity.

Plus the current Cyber Force series has a lot of flashbacks and other information was revealed in Aphrodite IX - The Hidden Files.

1967 – Major Dolorossa is born.

Explanation; Dolorossa is forty-five in 2012. It should be noted that Dolorossa is not given as his real name. Both he and Stryker have DNA with an unusual cytosine structure. When operated on by Cyber Data scientists, they are described as “Twins being reunited for the first time since birth”.

Source; Cyber Force #3, Cyber Force #6.

1969 – Morgan Stryker is born.

Explanation; Morgan Stryker is forty-three in 2012.

Source; Cyber Force #2.

1970 – First Outline of the Protocol Drafted by the Consortium.

Explanation; It is established in ‘Almost Human’ that Aphrodite I, II, III and IV were developed by a Private Consortium of scientists. As the date 1970, provided in ‘The Hidden Files’ must predate the creation of Cyber Data, it is logical to assume this holds true in the post-Rebirth universe as well.

Source; Witchblade #135, Aphrodite IX – The Hidden Files #1.

1980 – Phase 1 Initiated
Aphrodite I
Robert Bearclaw is born.

Explanation; Robert Bearclaw is thirty-two in 2012.

Source; Cyber Force #2, Aphrodite IX – The Hidden Files #1.

1987 – Frank and Francesca Taylor are married.
Cassandra Taylor is born.

Explanation; The Chairman and Chairwoman celebrate their 25th Anniversary in 2012. The Chairman isn’t given a first name in the Rebirth continuity, but he is called Frank Taylor pre-Rebirth and most character names remain the same. Cassandra Taylor’s profile states that she is twenty-five.

Source; Cyber Force #2, Cyber Force #3.

Unknown Date – Cyber Data is founded.

Explanation; Cairn Taylor explains that her mother and her first husband, along with a group of scientists and mathematicians founded Cyber Data. Their influence spread as they made computer programs and weapons for the military. No date is given. It is a reasonable assumption that Cyber Data was founded by the pair after their marriage.

Source; Aphrodite IX/Cyber Force #1.

Unknown Date – Cyber Data discovers the Archimedes Algorithm.

Explanation; The Archimedes Algorithm allows Cyber Data to accurately predict and thus, manipulate the future. It is through the Algorithm that they learn of a coming apocalypse that humanity cannot survive. They embark of research which will create new species capable of living in this new future.

Source; Cyber Force #2.

1989 – An unnamed girl who will one day become Aphrodite V is born.

Explanation; Aphrodite V is twenty-three in 2012.

Source; Cyber Force #3.

1991 – After being wounded in the final days of Operation Desert Storm, Stryker and Dolorossa are rebuilt as Ares II Combat Model cyborgs.

Source; Cyber Force #6.

1992 – Aphrodite II

Source; Aphrodite IX – The Hidden Files #1.

1994 – Selver is brought to Cyber Data Plaza is Pittsburgh by his parents.
A flirtation begins between Morgan Stryker and Francesca Taylor.

Source; Cyber Force #6.

1996 – Chairman Taylor discovers the affair between Stryker and his wife (?)
The Beijing Mission (?)
Stryker turns on the Chairman (?)
Stryker is thrown out of Cyber Data (?)
Cairn Taylor, the first child with Biosynthetic DNA, is born.

Explanation; Cairn Taylor turns sixteen in 2012. The Beijing Mission and Stryker parting ways with Cyber Data is only described as being ‘Many Years Ago’. However, Francesca is not visibly pregnant with Cairn yet, so this certainly can’t happen any earlier than 1996. It could occur after Cairn’s birth, but that would likely have made the Chairman immediately suspicious.

Source; Cyber Force #2, Cyber Force #4.

1998 – Aphrodite III
Generation Prototypes Engineered for Alternate Designations.

Explanation; The alternate designations referred to are likely other names taken from the Greek Pantheon of Gods, however, we know from ‘Almost Human’ that none of these were created until much later.

Source; Witchblade #135, Aphrodite IX – The Hidden Files #1.

2001 – Killjoy, a Medusa Series cyborg, attempts to go rogue while on a mission with Ripclaw.

Source; Cyber Force #7, Cyber Force #10.

2002 – Cyber Data takes control of Pittsburgh in an attempt to revitalize the city.

Source; Aphrodite IX – The Hidden Files #1.

2002 to 2007 – Cyber Force attempts to assassinate Francesca Taylor.
Stryker parts ways with Cyber Force. He is presumed dead.

Explanation; Cairn Taylor reveals that Cyber Force attempted to assassinate her mother. Ripclaw was, presumably, part of the group, so this must happen after the year 2001. In 2012 Morgan Stryker is either described as a myth or long dead, so it is a reasonable guess that he went into hiding at least five years prior to this.

Source; Cyber Force#1, Cyber Force #2, Cyber Force#3.

2007 - Aphrodite IV
The latest Aphrodite is built by the Consortium; they house the previous models in their facility.
Members of the Consortium include Dr. Amish Singh, Dr. Palmer, Dr. Volckert and Dr. Yeboah.
Aphrodite IV is sent on test missions.
Aphrodite IV infiltrates Cyber Force’s base (?)
Cairn Taylor (Age 11) receives texts from friends (actually Cyber Data Employees).

Explanation; Aphrodite I, Aphrodite II and Aphrodite III can be seen in Witchblade #134. In her early appearances, Aphrodite IV is test on missions to test her abilities. One of these involves infiltrating Cyber Force’s base. However, this is pre-Rebirth, and the Cyber Force that appears in these issues is no longer in continuity. Aphrodite IV’s first appearance is included here for the sake of completion. If it happened, it occurred under different circumstances.

Source; Cyber Force v.3 #6, Cyber Force v.3 #7, Witchblade #134,Witchblade #135, Witchblade #136, Cyber Force #8, Aphrodite IX – The Hidden Files #1.

2008 (?) – After years of inactivity, Cyber Data returns with Jett Smart phones (?).
Dr. Singh defects, selling data about the Aphrodite Project to Cyber Data.
Aphrodite IV has two handlers, one named Milos.
Aphrodite IV is sent against Sara Pezzini, to test her abilities.
Aphrodite IV is hired out by the Sovereign to abduct Jackie Estacado (?)

Explanation; Singh’s defection is described as only months before ‘Almost Human’, meaning it must predate Sara Pezzini’s first encounter with her. Not much time passes in-universe between ‘Aphrodite’ and ‘Almost Human’. It is known that Aphrodite IV is activated in 2007 but the dates I have used here (2008, 2009 etc) are merely guess work.

Source; Witchblade #118, Witchblade #119, The Darkness #8, Witchblade #134, Witchblade #135, Witchblade #136.

2009 (?) – Artemis, Athena and Hera are built by Cyber Data.
Aphrodite IV and Sara Pezzini infiltrate Cyber Data.
Artemis I, Athena I and Hera I are destroyed by the Witchblade.
Singh is assassinated by Aphrodite IV.
Aphrodite IV returns to the Consortium facility to find it abandoned.

Source; Witchblade #134, Witchblade #135, Witchblade #136.

2010 (?) – Aphrodite IV is captured and reprogrammed.
The Coin of Solomon is placed within the chest of Aphrodite IV.
Aphrodite IV is Mass Produced.

Explanation; These acts were committed by the Curator pre-Rebirth, but given her possession of the Coin of Solomon post-Rebirth, it is a safe assumption that these acts were committed by Francesca Taylor post-Rebirth. According to The Hidden Files, Aphrodite IV is mass produced as seen in Artifacts (this is included in the 2007 section, but it is merely stated that Aphrodite IV is the first of the mass produced pure android line). The Consortium is never mentioned after this point, meaning that Cyber Data must fully take over the Aphrodite Protocols.

Source; Artifacts #0, Artifacts #7, Artifacts #8, Aphrodite IX – The Hidden Files #1.

2011 – Aphrodite V
First Successful Biosynthetic Hybrid Organism (New Species).

Source; Aphrodite IX – The Hidden Files #1.

2012 to 2013 – Sara Pezzini encounters the MAL Analytics Corporation in Chicago.
MAL Analytics is a mystical division of Cyber Data Technologies.

Explanation; MAL Analytics stands for Mana And Ley Analytics. It is run by Esquivel Mohamed and has numerous mystical agents.

Source; Witchblade #151 to #169.

2012 – Pittsburgh is rechristened Millennium City.
Cyber Data is now known as Cyber Data Industries or CDI.
Aphrodite IV is seen active, as the bearer of the Coin of Solomon.
[Cyber Force series launches]

Source; Artifacts #13, Cyber Force #1, Aphrodite IX – The Hidden Files #1.

2014 – Phase 2 is Initiated.

Source; Aphrodite IX – The Hidden Files #1.

[JesseG]

[question deleted] never mind i think i got it!

[Mike Gutowski]

Thanks for sharing the notice about the Top Cow Talent Hunt. This time will be my 3rd year in a row to enter. Looking forward to the opportunity as a writer.

[JesseG]

Im kind of confused about what you guys want exactly, first you say you want pencil pages, but then you say stuff like "if you only submit pencil pages" like there is a choice or an option or its not what you really want..., but you also say its got to be in black in white because its going to be published in black in white, so... no color allowed? Im confused, help!

Im down to do it how ever you want, im just not sure what you want exactly, im able to write, pencil, ink, color, and word balloon myself, but if you just want me to do one of those things thats fine to, I just need to know before I start doing pages.

[Lightningmax]

Im kind of confused about what you guys want exactly, first you say you want pencil pages, but then you say stuff like "if you only submit pencil pages" like there is a choice or an option or its not what you really want..., but you also say its got to be in black in white because its going to be published in black in white, so... no color allowed? Im confused, help!

Im down to do it how ever you want, im just not sure what you want exactly, im able to write, pencil, ink, color, and word balloon myself, but if you just want me to do one of those things thats fine to, I just need to know before I start doing pages.

Either
Just pencils or
Pencils and inks (Black and White) or
Pencils and Inks and Computer Color or
Completely digital art (Computer painting) or
Completely painted art (water color) or
Completely painted art (oils) or
Colored Pencils or...
other techniques

It is about telling a story with artwork that can be reproduced by standard printing practices. My advice is to show the stages because you might gain work as a colorist or inker over someone else's art.

[Attila Kiss]

Im kind of confused about what you guys want exactly, first you say you want pencil pages, but then you say stuff like "if you only submit pencil pages" like there is a choice or an option or its not what you really want..., but you also say its got to be in black in white because its going to be published in black in white, so... no color allowed? Im confused, help!

The guideline states that Top Cow is looking for 2 artists who can do finished pencil work, as opposed to a layout artist who provides the art only in a rough form. Obviously, sketch won't be sufficient. Your pencil art has to be ready for ink. Further it states that finished pencil art can be enhanced, with colors by traditional or digital means, or it can be inked, possibly even ink washed.

HOWEVER, if you can't (or don't want to) enhance your pencil work in any other way, THAT IS OK, too. Your submission is still welcome, BUT in the case you submitted pencils only and you are the winner, you can't chose who is going to ink over your penciled art. You will be consulted about it, but the final word and decision regarding the ink and the inker will rest with Top Cow, solely.

Hopefully, this made it little bit clearer.
Good luck JesseG.

[barsoomcore]

Thanks for reposting that timeline, mysstic101!

We also know (from IXth Generation) that in 2102 Francesca Taylor, with the help of a young Ares and somebody called Hope(?) (I don't know who they are) stripped the power of the Angelus from a woman named "Abigail" AND what I assume was the Darkness from that Hope person, who seems to be still hanging around at the Acension. We don't yet know what that's all about, unless I'm missing something major...

[Guyyoudontknow]

Thanks for reposting that timeline, mysstic101!

We also know (from IXth Generation) that in 2102 Francesca Taylor, with the help of a young Ares and somebody called Hope(?) (I don't know who they are) stripped the power of the Angelus from a woman named "Abigail" AND what I assume was the Darkness from that Hope person, who seems to be still hanging around at the Acension. We don't yet know what that's all about, unless I'm missing something major...

Hope is the child of Sara Pezzini and Jackie Estacado, the bearers of the Witchblade and Darkness for much of Top Cow's history. She was a central figure in several battles over the fate of the universe due to her unique parentage with respect to the magical Artifacts of the Top Cow world.

Bottom line is, the Artifacts were sent to the future by Francesca, the former head of CDI to await the reawakening of her IX series creations (one of which she intended to inhabit - Aphrodite IX - so that she could rule over what was left of the world following an extinction level event). Things didn't work out for Francesca, though, and the IXs are in the 29th century, trying to figure out how to interact with each other, their cyborg servants, and these mystical Artifacts that they've awoken to find.

[JesseG]

So according to the rules, artists are allowed to post art and pages at anytime on the forum, and i seen a lot of other artist upload to deviantART. I wasn't going to, even though i did a lot of reading between the lines of the rules and it felt like top cow wants to see all the art early anyway? Thats how I read it, so here goes nothing... whew! I Just finished the first of 18 pages, not counting the cover page im doing. I wasn't going to post any art for fear of story and art theft, but i have a super serious question to ask that needs to be answered before I do anymore pages. On the left is old school digital inks, just solid lines and colors and basic shading, and on the right is the new school glossed over smudged look, which one do you prefer I do or send in before I do anymore pages? Should I just send in both versions of every page AND all the other versions of the page to like my line art and my flat colors before shading?
rough d41.jpgrough d50.jpg
I will have this one shot done in no time and send it in sometime soon next month, im super fast, this page only took about 3 to 4 hours start to finish including going over it with the smudge brush for that smudgy new school look every body does.

And like I said I already have 18 pages finished in thumbnail form which I will keep for myself, but here is a preview to show im already done with the test pages: rough d51.jpg (i did all 18 of these test pages in one night in about 2 to 3 hours start to finish!)

Here is my portfolio by the way: https://rosegarden.carbonmade.com/

and a free digital pdf comic book you can read on my deviantART i recently finished: http://jesse-the-art-maker.deviantar...2015-558152911

Oh and this is my first time sending in stuff to the talent hunt, and im also doing an original one shot of Athena 9 after I finish this super original one shot of the darkness. After I send it in and yall read it its going to blow your mind! It has a definite ending and its full of fun exciting fight scenes, humor, and plot twists!

[SaraKpn]

So according to the rules, artists are allowed to post art and pages at anytime on the forum, and i seen a lot of other artist upload to deviantART. I wasn't going to, even though i did a lot of reading between the lines of the rules and it felt like top cow wants to see all the art early anyway? Thats how I read it, so here goes nothing... whew! I Just finished the first of 18 pages, not counting the cover page im doing. I wasn't going to post any art for fear of story and art theft, but i have a super serious question to ask that needs to be answered before I do anymore pages. On the left is old school digital inks, just solid lines and colors and basic shading, and on the right is the new school glossed over smudged look, which one do you prefer I do or send in before I do anymore pages? Should I just send in both versions of every page AND all the other versions of the page to like my line art and my flat colors before shading?
rough d41.jpgrough d50.jpg
I will have this one shot done in no time and send it in sometime soon next month, im super fast, this page only took about 3 to 4 hours start to finish including going over it with the smudge brush for that smudgy new school look every body does.

And like I said I already have 18 pages finished in thumbnail form which I will keep for myself, but here is a preview to show im already done with the test pages: rough d51.jpg (i did all 18 of these test pages in one night in about 2 to 3 hours start to finish!)

Here is my portfolio by the way: https://rosegarden.carbonmade.com/

and a free digital pdf comic book you can read on my deviantART i recently finished: http://jesse-the-art-maker.deviantar...2015-558152911

Oh and this is my first time sending in stuff to the talent hunt, and im also doing an original one shot of Athena 9 after I finish this super original one shot of the darkness. After I send it in and yall read it its going to blow your mind! It has a definite ending and its full of fun exciting fight scenes, humor, and plot twists!

Top Cow doesn't need to see your pages in advance. It will not increase your chances of winning. Posting your pages now will allow other artists to see what you're doing, so if you don't want anyone copying you, it's better not to post now. You CAN post them if you want, but it will allow other artists to see what they're up against. I've posted my previous pages on DeviantArt and shared them here, but only after the talent hunt was finished.
If you're a writer as well, you can't post your story anywhere until after the talent hunt. You say you'll write an original Athena IX script, then be sure to enter as a writer AND an artist.
DO NOT post your original story anywhere before the winners are chosen! They won't accept a story made public before they can use it.

About your page, I don't understand why you draw Jackie. He's not in any of the 4 scripts, or are you working with a writer? Maybe someone else here can fill you in if you can use Jackie?

[JesseG]

Top Cow doesn't need to see your pages in advance. It will not increase your chances of winning. Posting your pages now will allow other artists to see what you're doing, so if you don't want anyone copying you, it's better not to post now. You CAN post them if you want, but it will allow other artists to see what they're up against. I've posted my previous pages on DeviantArt and shared them here, but only after the talent hunt was finished.
If you're a writer as well, you can't post your story anywhere until after the talent hunt. You say you'll write an original Athena IX script, then be sure to enter as a writer AND an artist.
DO NOT post your original story anywhere before the winners are chosen! They won't accept a story made public before they can use it.

About your page, I don't understand why you draw Jackie. He's not in any of the 4 scripts, or are you working with a writer? Maybe someone else here can fill you in if you can use Jackie?

I thought Jackie was fair game... Oh well, if your right then im just doing this one for fun then, and thats fine with me and no real problem.

[Mathew]

Maybe someone else here can fill you in if you can use Jackie?

It was revealed in Aphrodite IX/Cyber Force #1 that Jackie was used by the Chairwoman to "tap Dark Matter through Quantum Entanglement as an unlimited power source" and is being held in a device set in what appears to be a parabolic reflector or solar array on the surface of the moon. Matt Hawkins may have a already worked out Jackie's role in the overall IXth Generation story, so I would assume that this character is not available.