If you're interested in comics or manga, you've probably seen some Original Character Battle Contests going around. ~ashwara and I have participated in one now and we figured we'd love to start our own and offer our own spin on it.

-Entrants will submit a character reference sheet by May 1st that features several views of an original character they would like to enter.
-A day or two after the deadline, the judges will post the pairings for individuals and entrants will be tasked with drawing a duel between the two characters within 10 days.
-You do NOT have to kill your opponent but you DO have to dispatch them in some fashion, either through diplomacy or killing. Pretty much anything goes.
-Winners will be determined by votes from the four judges. Winners will move on and losers will be removed from the contest.

So what are we doing differently? Well, we have a very clear system for judging each battle, we have four intelligent and fair judges, and we're trying to shift the focus from mere violence to a more holistic view of comics. We want people improving everything about their comic skills!

We're going to endeavor to comment on every comic and point out what we think is good and what we think could use work, so if you want to improve your comic-making skills, come along and join the contest! You can find more info about the criteria, judges, current entrants, and prizes on my journal!

-K