X-O cover art nitpick

[jmatt]

Will somebody please show Clayton Crain how to draw a pelvis/hips/crotch? Who has a six-inch gap between where his thighs meet his pelvis?

In his X-O #9 variant and upcoming #11 regular cover, X-O looks like one of those rubber toys I had as a kid, where after a while if it was bent enough the wireframe 'skeleton' inside would pop though (think Gumby). Where are the character's gluts?

And the geometry of that whole right leg is a little sketchy, too. I dislike criticizing people's work, but c'mon...

[kevinbastos]

Let's see...

Work = crotch.

Job = work.

Hmmm....

[jmatt]

Let's see...

Work = crotch.

Job = work.

Hmmm....

Okay. Job = Crotch?

[kevinbastos]

Let's see...

Work = crotch.

Job = work.

Hmmm....

Okay. Job = Crotch?

Try switching the words around.

[KXXX]

You dislike criticizing people's work? Dude, haven't you been *SQUEE* about a certain writer for like ever?

[KXXX]

That being said, though, I can kind of see what you mean. Something's always bugged me about the face on the #9 cover, it looks really odd for some reason. I suppose this is why I didn't notice what you're talking about... or maybe you just pay more attention to comic book pelvises than most.

[jmatt]

You dislike criticizing people's work? Dude, haven't you been *SQUEE* about a certain writer for like ever?

Mmm, perhaps I should have been more specific. Critiquing artwork.

I suppose I'm more comfortable critiquing writing because I'm a lot closer to being able to write a comic than I am to drawing one, if that makes any sense. Not that I could write a great comic, but I certainly could never draw one.

I'm happy to note that while I find a minor fault with some of the physiology, the mood set by Crain on that #11 cover is awesome.

And I'm not sure if I would define ten surly posts over four months as 'forever'. That's what the forum is about, isn't it? Talking about things we like and dislike, yes?

[hawkeyeps]

A bunch of us b!tched about this cover when it first previewed.

Here- http://www.valiantfans.com/forum/viewto ... =1&t=38699" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I stand by my "atrophied leg akimbo" comment but must say it actually looked better as a comic, I also b!tched about Crain's cover of Hairsine for Bloodshot and said plenty of smack towards FVL for A&A #5.

I even said I didn't care for the Lemire Harbinger cover

I thought Jmatt's thread on Harbinger "politics" ended up being a very good one that the OTV guys picked up on and spurred a lot of good discussion.

And who can forget the "forbidden planet" thread with Charty, a classic.

It's all good Bros

[hawkeyeps]

BTW- why the hell is this in the spoiler section?

[jmatt]

BTW- why the hell is this in the spoiler section?

I dunno, I kinda wanted to hide it. I thought the general section was too front-and-center. But I'm glad to see I'm not the only one noticing the oddity.

[KXXX]

You dislike criticizing people's work? Dude, haven't you been *SQUEE* about a certain writer for like ever?

Mmm, perhaps I should have been more specific. Critiquing artwork.

I suppose I'm more comfortable critiquing writing because I'm a lot closer to being able to write a comic than I am to drawing one, if that makes any sense. Not that I could write a great comic, but I certainly could never draw one.

I'm happy to note that while I find a minor fault with some of the physiology, the mood set by Crain on that #11 cover is awesome.

And I'm not sure if I would define ten surly posts over four months as 'forever'. That's what the forum is about, isn't it? Talking about things we like and dislike, yes?

Good and fair points all around. #11 is by far my favorite X-O cover because of aforementioned mood.

[BugsySig]

I have not been a fan of many of the XO covers outside of the beautiful Djurjevics(sp?), Braithwaits and Nords.

Art wise they are fine, but too many are just "poses," whereas those Ninjak arc covers told a story in and of themselves that made you want to read the book.

If you put the Crane cover, for example, on Issue 1 it would fit right in because it's just XO fighting random vine aliens or floating in space.

[Donovan]

I've complained about that cover before, and I'll gladly do it again. It's terrible.

The pose is weird - it looks like it was photo referenced from someone lying on a bed! Also, it's just a body floating in space! A cover featuring Aric eating Froot Loops and reading the obituaries section from his local paper would have had more action!

This was criminally boring.

[Phoenix8008]

I agree it looks awkward and not right. Leg bone out of hip socket maybe?

[jmatt]

I agree it looks awkward and not right. Leg bone out of hip socket maybe?

His legs appear to be attached to the exterior of his pelvis. It's like the difference between reptiles and dinosaurs. Reptiles have a sprawling hip physiology, whereas dinosaurs have their legs firmly below their hips.

See here.

And again, no disrespect intended. It's just very odd looking and he's done it on both covers.

[manga4life]

I absolutely loved the cover art for X-O #9, even my girlfriend commented on how much she liked it and she knows absolutely nothing about comics. I don't know if there was a variant or something but mine is the cover of him holding his sword with armored Vine all around him.

[hawkeyeps]

I absolutely loved the cover art for X-O #9, even my girlfriend commented on how much she liked it and she knows absolutely nothing about comics. I don't know if there was a variant or something but mine is the cover of him holding his sword with armored Vine all around him.

You're thinking about the Hairsine cover, we're talking about the Crain cover.

S'up with his right leg?

[nonplayer]

I felt the same about xo 11I just didnt want to be the one to say anything. the right leg is steping out. But it looks messed right up. Like the hip bone is separated from the socket.. I wonder if It hurts?
But ya ya guys need to make the body portions proper. I also knoticed ninjak fighting xo and some of the swings would be very difficult to do from the position. Slow down and make it right.

[Baramos]

I have really only liked the Nord covers and whichever artist does those stylized art deco ones.

I will say that while the #9 or the #11 Crain is anatomically odd when someone calls attention to it, if you're just looking at it it's fairly innocuous. It's not like a Liefeld drawing or something. Of course, I don't like the #9 one for more reasons than just that Aric's crotch is weird and his legs are too short. It's not very creative for a cover.

#11 I think has such a good composition that I don't mind the weird leg thing going on there.

Another thing is that once you see it though you can't unsee it.

I absolutely loved the cover art for X-O #9, even my girlfriend commented on how much she liked it and she knows absolutely nothing about comics. I don't know if there was a variant or something but mine is the cover of him holding his sword with armored Vine all around him.

Hairsine in the #9 really emphasizes Aric's...package. I'm not surprised your girlfriend is commenting on it.

[BugsySig]

I have really only liked the Nord covers and whichever artist does those stylized art deco ones.

I will say that while the #9 or the #11 Crain is anatomically odd when someone calls attention to it, if you're just looking at it it's fairly innocuous. It's not like a Liefeld drawing or something. Of course, I don't like the #9 one for more reasons than just that Aric's crotch is weird and his legs are too short. It's not very creative for a cover.

#11 I think has such a good composition that I don't mind the weird leg thing going on there.

Another thing is that once you see it though you can't unsee it.

Haha...touché

[jmatt]

I have really only liked the Nord covers and whichever artist does those stylized art deco ones.

David Aja.

[Baramos]

I guess the artist doing the covers I liked was not Nord but instead Ribic. Nord's are...okay, and more in line with the interior art (since they are by the same artist, heh), but Ribic is clearly working on a whole 'nother level of artistic quality.

[kjjohanson]

The leg doesn't bother me as much as the face. It's too big for the helmet. Kinda has a Modok thing going on.

But neither bothers me as much as Henry's mistake of Armstrong's missing satchel.

[jmatt]

But neither bothers me as much as Henry's mistake of Armstrong's missing satchel.

Which cover is that? As for the satchel, Mary Maria was the last character we saw with it, yes? Or am I forgetting something?

[kjjohanson]

But neither bothers me as much as Henry's mistake of Armstrong's missing satchel.

Which cover is that? As for the satchel, Mary Maria was the last character we saw with it, yes? Or am I forgetting something?

Not a cover. I forget the issue number (2 or 3), but it's the one where A&A and Mary Maria are fighting on the scaffolding. The satchel disappears for a page. When I read it, I assumed it had fallen and the other baddies were going to recover and make away with it, but on the next page it was back.