PIC OF THE DAY

HOWL

PIC OF THE DAY

Snow Angel Costume Tweak:

CAPTION CONTEST RESULTS

Well, most of you screwed the pooch on Caption Contest number 2. We had only TWO entries, and those contestants elected to split the 10 hero points rather than be judged by the losers who didn't even choose to participate. Here are your winners:

Entry 1: Roxanne



Entry 2: Ellen

ALERTFORCE HISTORY PART 4:

ALTER EGO SPOTLIGHT: GRIZELLA (KITTY KAT)

NAME: SELENA DIMARCOS

ALERTFORCE MEMBER 2001-2002

CURRENT WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN

SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS

28-Nov Rox
29-Nov April
30-Nov Greg
1-Dec Bryan
2-Dec
3-Dec
4-Dec Dickie
5-Dec Paul
6-Dec Rox
7-Dec April
8-Dec Greg
9-Dec
10-Dec
11-Dec Bryan
12-Dec Dickie
13-Dec Paul
14-Dec Rox
15-Dec April
16-Dec
17-Dec
18-Dec Greg
19-Dec Bryan
20-Dec Dickie
21-Dec Paul
22-Dec Rox
23-Dec
24-Dec

BANE ALTER EGO PART II: OPAL SINCLAIR

CRANBERRY DEVELOPMENT ENGULFED BY SUDDEN JUNGLE, RESIDENTS RELOCATED TO SHELTER

From the Pittsburgh Press:

In another bizarre twist to the unwieldly foliage problem reported last week near Cranberry, PA, residents of the Freedom Woods housing development were forced from their homes last evening as plant life from the wilderness areas along route 228 sprung up and violently invaded the homes and town homes of the upscale development.

Resident Anna Lewis said "I was terrified. I've never seen plants moving and acting like that. You could watch them and see them moving forward, about an inch a second. It wasn't like they were going to grab you or something, but they almost seemed to work with a purpose to get all over the homes. Then they started tearing up patios, pulling down fences, crawling up the sides of homes and under garage doors. Every house and town house there is uninhabitable."

Approximately 300 homes and about 650 people were effected. Authorities who investigated the last incident are forming a hypothesis that someone or something may be influencing and controlling the rampant plant growth using a combination of pheremones and chemicals, but there is no clue as to motive. No one has taken responsibility as yet for either attack.

The Cranberry City Council and Police, along with the PTA and National Guard, are considering evacuating more residents, and nightly patrols are on the lookout for any unusual plant activity in the area.

CLONE ARMY REAPPEARS AND ATTACKS ELECTRIC POWER PLANT

From the Fargo, North Dakota Gazette:

The mysterious army of clones that last week attacked a nuclear plant in South Dakota this week struck in a remote area of North Dakota, attacking an electrical power plant near Van Dyne, North Dakota. Three Northern Power workers were injured when approximately 300 men wearing green outfits walked up the road, swarmed through the security gate, and attacked the facility, taking control of it for a time.

Police and PTA agents arrived approximately 35 minutes later (nothing was reported as wrong until power grids began draining), and surveyed the situation, locating at least Northern Power workers huddled alongside the highway, awaiting help. Within 20 minutes of their arrival, authorities stormed the plant, but were mystified when they found no one inside.

PTA Captain Carl Lewellyn said the area was being combed for clues to the bizarre occurrance. Nothing was stolen or vandalized, but power levels at the plant were reduced for approximately 40 minutes during the siege. Three employees suffered serious injuries, but all were noted as in stable condition last evening at Mercy Hospital, and are expected to recover. Authorities are still baffled as to the motive or methods behind the attack.

EASY BIG FELLA

Bane holds back the rampage of Guzzler with a calm hand.

MINI CONTEST

The first player to accurately identify this famous comic villain wins FIVE hero points. Post answers in a comment below this blog entry. In addition. DON'T FORGET TO GET IN YOUR CAPTION CONTEST ENTRIES BY SUNDAY!

ALERTFORCE, 1986

The final version of the DREADNOUGHT image.

JUST FOR COMMENT, NOT GAME RELATED

Here's a second jedi character drawing. I like it, but realized too late that it is quite similar in pose to the earlier one. Oh well.




I attempted a character sketch for my Star Wars Galaxies character, Jedi Raxx Raster. Just wondered what it would be like to do a char from a different game. Comments welcome.

ALERTFORCE HISTORY PART 3

Long before he was a bitter old man yelling at teen mutants in Alaska, Nathan Thurm was a young, happy-go-lucky, hero on the scene in Mid-City. A founding member of AlertForce, and one-time team leader, this mutant has gone by many names. Thermo, Weather Wizard, Firefist... but perhaps he is best known as his original name, for which he was widely known as a hero, spokesmodel, and pitchman for his own brand of ice cream: ICE AVENGER!

THE TWO FACES OF BANE

CLASSIC ALERTFORCE REVISITED

Kickin' it old school... It's KNIGHT WATCHMAN! A blast from the past, with a re-imagined look.

ZEPHYR ALTERNATIVE UNIFORM DESIGN

Just for kicks:

ALTER EGO SPOTLIGHT: STINGER

Stinger of Alaska7, alter ego: Debbie Reed:

DETROIT CONSTRUCTION SITE IS SCENE OF SUPER BATTLE

From the Detroit Free Press:

The sound of superpowered battle rang out on Durella Street This afternoon, as two super powered women invaded and attacked the owners of a local club that is under construction. No one was injured, and one of the women was apprehended, apparently by a Green Lantern. PTA officers took the woman, who referred to herself as Razer, into custody from the Green Lantern, and confirmed that although one man inside the construction site was hit by an energy blast, he recovered without serious injury. Damages to the club, which is set to open shortly under the name "Fire Opal's Pussycat Lounge," were minimal.

CRANBERRY HOUSING UNITS OVERRUN BY MASSIVE FOLIAGE OVERNIGHT

From the Pittsburgh Press North Section:

Five condo units of the Misty Pines housing complex were overrun, seemingly overnight, by thick vine and weed growth, requiring the owners to move out temporarily, until professional landscapers could be called in to remove the overgrowth.

"We don't understand it. Our lawn was neatly trimmed yesterday afternoon, and when we awoke this morning, the entire back half of our home was covered with thick, thorny vines and roots. We can't even open the back patio doors and plants are even coming in through cracks in the walls and beneath the doors. We may have to move permanently." Said Dolores Crumb, owner of 519 Teal Terrace in Misty Pines. Her unit and four of her neighbors' suffered the same fate.

City police called in experts from the University of Pittsburgh to examine the plant life before it was removed. Expert Horticulturist Ellen Mayfair indicated that initial studies of the overgrowth seemed to indicate a plant disease causing rapid, massive growth. Officials are performing further studies on the samples, to determine whether there is a danger of additional outgrowths, or the spread of the apparent plant disease.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE MANTIS!

From KABC-TV in Los Angeles:

This is Lydia O'Rourke with an exclusive interview with The Mantis, who claims the PTA recruited him and his super team to quell a prison uprising on Wheeling Island in West Virginia two days ago.

--Camera footage shows Zephyr, Loup, Bane, Snow Angel, Iron Maiden, and Mantis fighting villains on Wheeling Island---

Mr. Mantis, tell us in your own words what happened:

---paraphrase from the GM----

"Well, me and Team Mantis got word that the prisoners were using a super computer called EVE to bring down the force field holding the prisoners inside. Director Gregory was very concerned about this, because they were within 3 hours of completing their escape. He authorized me and Team Mantis to go in and take control of the situation. My team consisted of Loup Garou, Zephyr, Snow Angel and Iron Maiden, and a special operative called Bane."

O'Rourke: "Arent Snow Angel and Iron Maiden affiliated with a group out of Pittsburgh called PMS?"

Mantis: "Yes, but in light of her likely affiliation with former AlertForce member Iron Knight, whom we understood was once the owner of the EVE computer the villains were using to escape, we contacted her and asked if she wanted to assist in our efforts."

O'Rourke: "So do you disagree with the PTA's statement that their force field was sufficient to hold the prisoners and that no civilians were hurt?"

Mantis: "The villains were within hours of dropping the force field, and the PTA had the surrounding area locked down. It's true no civilians were hurt, but that was in large part due to our intervention. I don't disagree with the existence of the PTA, I just disagree with the fact that they are trying to hide the role that supers played in solving the situation. They portray all supers as evil, and that isn't true. I think the PTA is a necessary check on the awesome power wielded by some supers, myself included, but the public needs to know the truth and to judge each super on his own abilities and actions."

O'Rourke: "Thank you, Mr. The Mantis. I hope our viewers find your views informative."

--camera focuses O'rourke--

"In addition to our interview with the Mantis, in which he criticized the actions of the PTA, viewers might also be interested to know that Los Angeles Werewolf and AlertForce member Loup Garou apparently submitted to a local newspaper a letter to the editor, decrying the PTA's "cold war" mentality and "McCarthyism." Have AlertForce, PMS, and even this new Team Mantis declared war on the PTA, or reached some kind of secret agreement to assist them. This reporter will be watching closely for more details in the upcoming days. Thank you for watching, and be safe."

THE IRON MAIDEN

THE PART OF LAST NIGHT'S ADVENTURE NO ONE SAW...

At home with Figulus and Dryad.

PTA ANNOUNCES PRISON STANDOFF AT AN END

From the Pittsburgh Press:

Martin Gregory, Regional Director of the PTA, announced this afternoon that the prison riot/standoff/takeover which had been reported yesterday at the PTA's Wheeling Island "Super" prison was ended without further loss of life. The death toll was reported at 33 PTA Prison guards and officers killed, 2 inmates killed, and much property damage. "We have learned valuable lessons in upholding our task of keeping society safe from renegade supers over the last two days" said Gregory. "Our methods will be improved, in order to prevent this type of event in the future. However, the one fact the public can take solace in is that our primary containment system was never breached for one moment during this crisis, and although we mourn the tragedy of our lost PTA officers, we take pride in the fact that not one civilian was harmed in this entire incident. As devastating as this situation was, it proved the effectiveness of our containment system, if not our internal policing methods, which we will review and improve."

Some inside sources on the scene reported, however, that Gregory resorted to calling in supers himself to quell the uprising, and that PTA officers on the scene were outclassed, if not intimidated, by the renegade prisoners. It remains to be seen how this will effect Gregory's position with the PTA hierarchy.

PTA ANNOUNCES MARTIAL LAW IN WHEELING AS "SUPER" DETENTION FACILITY OVERTAKEN BY INMATES

From the Pittsburgh Press:

PTA Director Martin Gregory held a press conference this morning to confirm persistent rumors of the last 24 hours, that the PTA has placed the area surrounding Wheeling Island (in West Virginia and Ohio) under martial law, to protect citizens and deal with a crisis caused by an inmate revolt at its Wheeling Island incarceration facility.

Gregory noted "citizens are in no danger if they comply with PTA directives. The facility is equipped with a double layer force field protecting against both escape by inmates and incursion from external forces. Some prisoners have taken control of certain areas inside the force fields, but protective systems, including the external force field, remain intact, and no prisoners have escaped. We are actively engaged in discussions with forces inside the field, as well as those prisoners who have orchestrated the disturbance, and should have the matter in hand within a matter of hours."

The PTA does not release details of identities of inmates, but it has long been rumored that prisoners at the Wheeling Island facility include Antenna Man, Brutus, Avalanche, Maledictus, Vic-20, and numerous other super criminals.

SPECIAL EVENT 11/11

We will be having a special plot on friday evening, November 11. Anyone who wants to attend, post here. We will try to work out skype details, and may have to put people on and off the conference if we have too many participating. Any campaign members who want to attend and participate may do so. Details may be forthcoming from other campaign members, so watch your email!

Chad

LOOK OUT FOR...

Who is she? No one knows... yet.

OLD SCHOOL

I saw an Alex Ross Superman drawing and could not resist...

AT LAST, THE DEFINITIVE GREEN LANTERN PIC

JUST FOR FUN...

Can anyone guess what was on Patricia Lassiter's mind when James Greywolf finally took her to dinner?

a. I hope he goes into wolf form before kissing me good night.

b. I wonder if my outfit is too subtle for him to get the message.

c. Is that Dreadnought over there at the bar?

We may never know, since Loup's cel phone interrupted the evening before its culmination.

CAPTION CONTEST NUMBER 2!!!

With the wild popularity of our last caption contest, we will now commence CAPTION CONTEST NUMBER TWO! We will use the team image below for the contest, so put on your thinking caps and come up with something funny! The image here on blogspot is a bit small to be adding text to, so if you want a bigger version, go to the following link and you can get a bigger version for your photoshop/ms paint manipulating pleasure!

http://www.deviantart.com/view/24886574/

SCIENTISTS REPORT DECREASE IN HIGH ALTITUDE LIGHTNING PHENOMENON

From the Journal SCIENCE:

Scientists from the National Weather Service and United States Space Command (the branch of government that maintains the nation's space satellite fleet) reported yesterday the results of a month-long study of the high altitidue lightning phenomenon called "superburst" lightning. The weather and science community had of late been becoming quite disturbed over increases in this phenomenon, and FAA officials were taking note of the bursts, which had been fingered as the cause of at least three airline crashes over the last year.

The most recent study actually finds that up until mid- October, 2012, the frequency and intensity of superburst activity had been on a steady inrease. However, the pace seems to have peaked, and during the last three weeks, scientists and satellite observations have seen a steady drop in the rate and intensity of superburst activity.

National Weather Service and Space Command officials have promised further investigations and reports into the causes of the initial increase, then the recent drastic decrease, in this phenomenon.

ARMY OF CLONES ATTACKS NUCLEAR WASTE FACILITY

From the Lavina, Montana Gazette:

The Ogden National Nuclear Waste Storage Facility, 24 miles outside Lavina, Montana, was attacked yesterday in a bizarre and frightening scenario. Facility director Marion Rutager reported yesterday that an army of clones, robots, or otherwise identical humans walked slowly to the perimeter fence yesterday at about 4 p.m., climbed over each other's bodies into the grounds, swarmed guards, and siezed the facility, chasing staff and management employees from the scene. The "clones" went into the offices and storage bunkers, and held the facility for approximately 5 hours, during which time Northwest Regional PTA forces established a perimeter and began the process of infiltration. PTA forces stormed the facility at about 9:30 p.m., only to find the grounds empty, and no clones in sight. Facility staff are working with the PTA to determine whether any nuclear waste material was taken, whether computer systems were compromised, or if storage safeguards were compromised.

The "clone" attackers were described as male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, slender in build, and wearing dark green outfits that appeared to be metallic. They wore goggles of some type. They appeared to walk in unison, and to communicate without words. PTA director Helen Cutter noted that this was a new one on her, and promised a prompt investigation into the causes and motives of the crime.

PTA OFFICER

Just so you can visualize, here is an image of a PTA officer's standard uniform. This is not the body armor, but what they wear normally when they are on duty but not going into a firefight.

GUZZLER UNLEASHED

RE-DO OF AN OLD IMAGE

Just because.

THE PROCESS OF A PINUP

DAY 1:

In the comic art industry, any "poster" type image of a hero or group of heroes is called a "pinup." I've decided to do a pinup of our campaign characters. Not just AlertForce, but everyone and a couple important NPC's too. This will take a few days, and I figured it might be interesting for you to see the process.

First, I did a very basic outline of who will go where in a pose. I don't even waste a piece of art paper on this rough outline, and I actually do it in pen. Sometimes a pen flows more easily than a pencil for me, and I try to get the character gestures and poses right, without any detail.




Then I did some individual character sketches of those people in the poses I need for the final image. Again, I don't even use art paper for these, and they are still not very detailed. I'm just trying to flesh out the proportions and angles of the poses. I did more of these but here are a couple examples.



Then tonight, I started doing a rough pencil sketch on art paper with some more detail. This is only the beginning, with the central group of "AlertForce" folks. There will be more characters put in to the left and right of this group.




That's as far as I've gotten. Stay tuned as this big image comes together. If it comes out the way I hope it will, it will be a great image of everyone.

Here is the initial part of what will be a larger sketch of the basic poses.

DAY 2:

Went to dinner with Kahuna this evening, so I didn't have much time to move forward on this image. All I was able to do tonight was to tighten up my main sketch, so it is essentially ready to begin inking:



And work up a couple possible poses for the Exiled, who will appear off to the left of our main hero group in the picture:




Stay tuned.

DAY 3:

And now to add a rough sketch of the other campaign folks to appear to the right of the main AlertForce group in the final picture:




Then jump into photoshop and cut and past for a final mockup pencil sketch approximating the layout for the finished image...



NEXT STEP: INKING

Here's the whole image inked and assembled, ready to begin the coloring process:



And here is the initial round of FLAT (non shaded) color:

ANOTHER PIC

GANGLAND ATTACK ON POLICE ORGANIZED CRIME TASK FORCE LEADER

FROM THE DETROIT FREE PRESS:

At approximately 10:15 last evening, Police Organized Crime Task Force Director Thomas O'brien was attacked by a masked gunman while walking down Durella Street. Although O'brien had no comment for the press regarding the assault, occupants of nearby buildings reported hearing several volleys of gunfire from an automatic weapon, along with quite a few single shots, as well. Details are sketchy, but one nearby apartment-dweller was able to scramble to a window and reported seeing a late model sports car parked in the street, and a costumed man firing a machine gun at O'brien, who apparently dove behind a dumpster for cover and returned fire. O'brien was unharmed, and the assailant was taken into custody when police backup arrived. A statement was later released by the department, identifying the attacker as Robert P. "Ralph" Gaitano, a well known hitman and underworld operative.

An unidentified woman was also on the scene, and she apparently was also uninjured, and left the scene before police arrived.

TODAY'S PICCY GOODNESS

NOVEMBER SUBPLOT SCHEDULE

Here is the schedule for November. Tim will not be assigned a weekly night, since his schedule has not permitted him to utilize his night for the last month or so. If Tim wants to do a subplot, all he needs to do is email me and I will make arrangements to assign him a night at his convenience. There will now be a six person rotation.

November 1 Dickie
November 2 Greg
November 3 Rox

November 6 Paul
November 7 April
November 8 Dickie
November 9 Bryan
November 10 Greg

November 13 Rox
November 14 Paul
November 15 April
November 16 Bryan
November 17 Dickie

November 20 Greg
November 21 Rox
November 22 Paul
November 23 April
November 24 Bryan

ALTER EGO SPOTLIGHT: ZEPHYR

GALE TREMONT:

Former U. S. Air Force Pilot
Weather Research Scientist for the National Weather Service
Resides in Pittsburgh, PA