Hello Kossacks, I hope this Sunday evening is treating you well. In a previous diary I posted a gallery of street art from the walls of our beloved Magic City and it garnered a comment urging me to add more glorious eye candy to the Great Orange Satan. I agree, Daily Kos needs more art on its walls. Tonight we have something special.
For five years starting in 2004, Upper Deck produced a trading card game called Vs. System. I played the game, won a few tournaments, and became a celebrated writer. I also got to be witness to the creation of some truly spectacular new superhero paintings. Here are a few of my favorites, with a bit of commentary. Enjoy.
"Know thyselves."
Each of these paintings has a corresponding quote that was printed on the card. The first one, from over the fold in the intro, is John Watson's interpretation of Power Girl being zapped into separate identities on a card called Moment of Crisis.
"I want that power. By right, it is mine. For ultimate power is the ultimate destiny of Doom!"
The artist is Alex Garner, the card is Devil's Due. It was a very powerful trick, and it helped my friend Adam Prosak win the World Championships.
"Within chaos exist all possibilities - your heart's desire and your darkest fears."
That Scarlet Witch was painted by Dave Devries, my favorite artist in the world. The card is Chaos Magic, and I was the only player in the world crazy enough to use it on the Pro Circuit.
Dave Devries again, on the card called Windstorm. The game text was too long to fit a quote, but Captain America sure looks good.
"X'Hal's blood! You will fall!"
That has always been at the top of my list, such bold loud color. Starfire by Cully Hamner.
"Who dares summon Mephisto?"
Sometimes I could not believe the intense quality of the painting that were created for a card game. This is Mephisto, Father of Lies, by Arthur Suydam.
Whenever Rogue stuns a character, search that character's controller's deck for a card with the same printed name and version as that character. You may put that card into your front row exhausted and then KO Rogue.
That is the actual game text, once again too big to include a quote. Ryan Kinnaird did the art, Rogue did the Skrull thing.
"Dr. Strange had to kill his mentor, The Ancient One, to prevent Shuma-Gorath from being reborn on Earth."
Shuma-Gorath was reborn on cardboard in Vs. System, art by Jim Nelson.
"I am fire! And life incarnate! Now and forever - I am Phoenix!"
That is Jean Grey swimming in the Phoenix Force by Dave Johnson, and it brings us to the end of tonight's gallery. I hope you enjoyed the eye candy, tune in next week for more!