The Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor)

Understand that no offense was meant. Your work is excellent. So was Mr. Hickman's. But I was imagining GCA *as* an anime when I wrote it, to be honest, and this was very like much of the imagery I had.

You should also be aware that I like seeing MULTIPLE interpretations of things. Different people will take the same description and make something different -- and in many cases, it will be JUST AS GOOD. In some ways I'm reluctant to WANT to show another artist what the first artist did because I want to see what the second artist's going to do with the same stuff the first artist started with. For instance, you had a dialogue with me on what things looked like, and so did Steven Hickman. Fortunately on your side it was Email exchanges which meant they could be referenced; Steven Hickman had a couple phone conversations with me which meant that I ended up confusing him as to how some things looked.

Yes, DQ's beard should be a single VanDyke, as you did it and as Mary Dell did. Note that Mary's DuQuesne and yours differ significantly, but I can't tell if that's just because your style is different or you have a slightly different vision for him. Both are good, though. For some reason the Japanese almost always do short little beards as a double spike. I don't know why. It looks good on that version of him, but wouldn't, I think, on a more "western" take. You're right it's not IMMEDIATELY evident how huge he is, although when one notices that it's his THIGH visible in the lower left, you can start to get the picture, I think.

I suspect Ariane's lighter hair is a matter of contrast -- dark blue wouldn't pop out as much in that image. I believe she actually IS wearing Wrath-Of-God -- it's the bracelet on her forward wrist (compare with the other arm, it doesn't LOOK like she's wearing a matching object there). If that's meant to be Wrath-of-God, it's... sort of correct, but too small and missing some details (not surprising, I didn't go into great detail as to what it looked like).

Hard for me to tell on Simon, too; I don't think he IS wearing glasses, but at that angle they could be reduced to a very thin line depending on the artist's choice.

You're right about the Molothos. Your drawing of it is in general more accurate, though I like the pose and the menacing look of this one; I SUPPOSE those COULD be manipulating tendrils around the mouth, but they look more like jabby spiky jaw bits to me. I see hints of the feet lower down but exactly how it all goes together you sort of have to guess. The coloration definitely isn't what I envisioned, but -- as you point out -- it works well in context of what's around it.

Amas-Garao, well, there's only so many ways one can do Dark Wizard Hooded Robes, and I like the way they got a hint of the Really Hideous Face under there.

Orphan is ... interesting. Yes, avoiding just cloning Cell is a challenge, but this wasn't anything like I was thinking. It IS, I suppose, technically correct depending on how you interpret the words, in terms of shape (the color, as you say, is off), and taking a locust-like body plan sure gets you away from the general humanoid. But I'm not really seeing the headcrests, and for the whole face I was looking for the "Uncanny Valley" -- Orphan's face looks REALLY ALMOST HUMAN and that's really really creepy. This is more a humanoid insect, which paradoxically isn't quite as creepy. I liked your initial attempt to make a version that was obviously inspired by, but wasn't identical to, old Cell. It fits my description, keeps much of the key "feel", but isn't just a clone.

Anyway, I'm sorry if my squeeing bothered you.