MARK MILLAR AND TONY HARRIS' 'WAR HEROES' COVER COMPETITION!
Enter an original submission of your art for a chance to see it as the variant cover to issue #4 of Image's new superhero series, and get paid a pro-rate for it!
By Jim Gibbons and Kiel Phegley
Posted 5/13/2008
That's right aspiring artists, here's your chance to get your artwork on the cover of a comic book—and not just any comic, but Mark Millar and Tony Harris' highly anticipated new superhero series from Image comics, War Heroes!
"I'd like to see them do their own thing," Millar said about the contest. "What we're trying to do is let each of the variants have their own look. We're using guys with very distinct styles like Bryan Hitch or John Romita, Jr. on the other variants so I'd like the Wizard winner to bring something new to the table too. Tony [Harris] is doing the regular book and the regular cover, but people shouldn't feel the need to conform. The winner could be somebody drawing in the style of Bill Sienkiewicz or Mouse Guard or something. As long as it's good and it jumps out as unique and a new talent, that's all we're looking for. But remember: This is a superhero book first and foremost. We're looking for a great new look at super-soldiers in action."
Here's how you can enter and how the competition will go down:
-Create your art and submit it to WarHeroesCoverCompetition[AT]gmail[DOT]com (all submissions must be electronic).
-All submissions must be received by June 4, 2008.
-Fan voting will begin on June 11, 2008 at WizardUniverse.com to narrow down the field of competitors. After a week of voting, the finalists will be chosen, and Millar and Harris will provide judgment on which finalist submission will grace the cover of their book.
-The winner's cover will appear as a variant to issue #4 of War Heroes and the winner will be paid a pro-rate for their work. So, prestige and cash money—or in other words—one heckuva prize!
"With War Heroes, we really wanted to put together a contest to get the fans involved in a way that would send a wave of excitement throughout the comics community," Image Comics Executive Director Eric Stephenson said. "Wizard seemed like the logical choice as we've worked with them since our inception to drum up buzz with our fanbase."
Millar also explained the origin behind contest:
"We've actually got a part of my message boards as a place to cultivate young artists," the scribe explained. "And a lot of people have come through that and gone on to get professional work. There's people who've worked at Dark Horse and people like Nicola Scott who drew Wonder Woman— who's just absolutely brilliant.
"So people post up their artwork, and I've always sort of thought there's guys out there who are keen to do this and they never really get any exposure," Millar continued. "But they learn in front of their peers here. They're firing some pages up, getting advice from other artists—sometimes Bryan Hitch and other people drop in and give them advice. I thought one thing holding people back was doing things free of charge, so why don't we just pay them a regular professional rate, a few hundred dollars for the cover, and have a competition where the best one gets to be one of our variants? And they'll get paid for their troubles too."
So, get those pencils out folks, this could be your big chance!
For more with Millar and Harris on War Heroes, plus a five page preview, click here!
