MetalDoom's art Reviews on Newgrounds

[the ultimate mascot]

Named Smoothie because they've got a smooth brain.

SmoothE responds:

this is true

[Jokers]

why you bein the joker dude

RenTheMonkey responds:

The joker's awesome get off it

[Break the Bat]

You know, I'm something of a Bane appreciator myself.

He's actually my favorite DC character and a top 10 villain as a whole for me, so I very much get that passion for the character. It's funny, I've had almost the exact opposite experience as you when it comes to the art of Knightfall. That interior panel of Bane breaking Batman's back really landed for me when I first saw it. That dynamic onomatopoeia of the crack, the bright orange background that contrasts the two characters, and the bold, almost primal, "BREAK YOU." Even viewed outside the context of the story as a kid who just liked Bane from a design standpoint and was looking for cool images of him online, it hit like a truck.

The cover? I actually wasn't a fan. I think by the point I saw it, I already had my perfect mental image of the character. That overly muscled, monstrously roided up look just didn't suit how I saw Bane. Tend to prefer a comparatively subtle kind of musculature for him, something that reflects the kind of characterization I prefer for him. Still huge, but not to such an exaggerated degree.

As I've become more familiar with Kelley Jones' art style, I've grown to appreciate it that much more. Everything Jones draws is exaggerated, not just Bane. So that ridiculously top heavy beast that normally feels a little out of place in most depictions of Batman, actually fits perfectly within the world he draws. I also get what you mean as that exaggerated style also means that the impact of the back break is much more visually visceral and painful to look at. In the interior panel? Ehhhh, yeah that looks like it hurts. On the cover? Oh my god, his spine is definitely not supposed to bend like that.

You've really done a great of capturing that here, while still keeping true to your style, and I can definitely feel the love put into it. Really great stuff, my man.

HeartisttheArtist responds:

“Why yes, I do like Bane, how could you tell?”

I didn’t mean to come off vindictive, I still have huge respect for Jim Aparo and cannot stress enough how critical his art is to making Knightfall the masterpiece that it is. Everything you’ve described is 100% right, and is the reason that Bane got put on the map as a character. So when I talk about why I don’t think the interior art works as well, it’s my own personal opinion and not something that I want to be taken as fact.

See, this is how the tables turn, because the stuff that didn’t work for you about the cover is why I liked it, or was at least mesmerized by it, when I first saw it. I wasn’t familiar with Kelly Jones’ art at the time, so seeing Batman and Bane depicted so grotesquely and in such a violent scene struck a chord with me—like I said, it was something that scared me as a kid! It’s almost comically exaggerated, but it had the intensity that I was looking for.

Ah, that’s a huge honor to hear! Making it feel like a proper tribute while still making it my own was what I was hoping for more than anything. Thank you so much!

[Ronin Rain]

For all the flaws Spider-Man 3 has, so much of the marketing material surrounding it has stood the test of time for a reason. This poster and the one with the black suit mirrored in the window (and vice versa) are genuinely iconic pieces. You can hear that Christopher Young score just by looking at them.
From everything you've told me about Zack, this suits him all too perfectly. Definitely nailed that moody atmosphere you were going for with this one. Color me interested in seeing what you do next with your characters.

HeartisttheArtist responds:

My thoughts exactly! Seeing a beloved hero grappling with such a dark reflection of himself really struck a chord with me when I was young, and still resonates with me now. It might not have been what the movie was meant to be, but it still managed to nail it.
That’s what I was really hoping for! I’m planning to do more with my OCs this year, especially capturing their emotional and tonal beats. I’m looking forward to sharing them with you just as much!

[Eh, What's Up Cock?]

Love that this image implies that Mike Matei is some kind of freakishly top heavy monster under that Bugs Bunny suit.

AAIllustrator responds:

I really just wanted to play around with making different character builds and thought it'd be funny to make Mike's Bugs a hulking creature cause of his antagonist nature in contrast to the Nerd being scrawny as hell

[PROJECT: SOUL SURVIVOR TEASER 1]

BANGER, super excited to see what you've got in store for this. I've always been kinda curious about what was going on with Vexle, if there was more to his story. Can't wait to learn more in 2024!

Xaloid responds:

Vexle and more will be unveiled! My only hope is to kick production into overdrive!

[Heartist Doodle Dump: 2023 Sketchbook]

Really digging the way you draw Sonic and Shadow, actually. They way you colored and shaded them is very pleasing. Their proportions are also very tricky to nail down, but you make it look so easy.

HeartisttheArtist responds:

Thank you, I’m pretty happy with it myself! They’re built in a strange way, with really big hands and feet but skinny little limbs, and huge heads as well. I suppose drawing Sonichu in the past served as better practice than I thought…

[Bowser VS Ganon]

Great King of Evil Ganondorf absolutely spittin' guaranteed

SmoothE responds:

unfortunately, bowser clears him in this rap....

[Ultraverse Amalgam Poster]

Just as before, I feel Hivemind is my fave for sure. The pose is simple, but still manages to say so much about the character with only a slight head tilt

HeartisttheArtist responds:

You’re not alone in that—Hivemind seems to be the breakout star of these Amalgam designs! I’m so glad you pointed out the head tilt in particular, that was something I included with big intention. It helps to make him feel more detached and inhuman, like when Michael Myers does it. Thrilled that you caught it!

[roogue]

I'm not even a huge X-fan or anything, but I'm seriously really digging your recent X-Men images. I really like the sheer variety of styles you got going on with them and they're all super charming.

dum-dum responds:

thank you!!