What Is Re-Drawing The X-Men Anyway?

What It Is:

Re-Drawing The X-Men is an experimental, interactive, group pop-art project open to all interested participants.  Similar to the concept behind Star Wars Uncut, the process will involve posting available pages of published X-Men comic books to be claimed and then redrawn with the goal of completing an issue, cover to cover (minus ads, letter pages, Bullpen Bulletins and the like).  The idea is not to recreate the images made for the published comics but rather for each individual to craft their own version of the page in any manner they see fit.  The restrictions on how this could be achieved would be next to nothing. Drawing or painting of any kind, collage, photographs of models, puppets or action figures, combinations of approaches, etc., etc.  The sky is the limit.  This will not be an activity restricted by "artistic talent".  No submitted image will be rejected for not being "good enough".  That is in no way the point of this project.  Individuals, of all ages, should feel encouraged to participate, and may do so under a pseudonym or anonymously if it makes them feel more comfortable.  There will be no negative comments posted. This is not a project interested in judging the quality of the images, whatever that might mean. I am okay with stick-figures, if that's how you draw, just try to make it interesting the best you can, you'll probably succeed.

How It Will Work:

We will work on one issue at a time and move forward, starting with Giant-Size X-Men #1 from 1975, the introduction of the New X-Men.  If we manage to complete that issue alone I will consider this project a success.  If we make it to the Phoenix Saga I'd say we were downright amazing.  If we somehow reached the Mutant Massacre, that would be a wonderful miracle.  I will list the available pages, including the cover(s).  If interest ends up being high enough I might have a back cover for each issue, we'll see.  A claim can be made on each page on a first come, first serve basis.  Only one page will be allowed to be claimed at a time.  I would expect, if things get rolling, that covers and splash pages will become hot commodities.  To start there will be no time limit.  I will keep track and e-mail reminders after two weeks on a claim have passed.  If interest in the project reaches a point where a deadline seems necessary, I'll set one.  The listing will feature a brief, one or two line description.  A claim is made by sending me an e-mail to amsterdamstar83@gmail.com, asking for a particular page.  Only one page request at a time will be accepted.  Please title your e-mail requests "Re-Drawing The X-Men Page Request."  Once claimed, I will e-mail a script for the page to the claimant, transcribed by me.  The script will be in traditional rather than Marvel format, with a run down of each panel's content and text.  It will be important to try to maintain the text so the end product is readable.  I will, in very rare cases, ask for participants to rework an image before it is posted to improve sequential readability.  Likely the majority of pages to be laid out in a standard, portrait format rectangle like a printed comic book, but that is not a set limitation.  Since this is a digital project, feel encouraged to experiment with different formats, so long as your finished submission operates as a single jpeg.  As pages are finished they will be posted.  E-mail high-quality jpgs to me.  I will store the images in Photobucket and post them at this blog.  Participants are then free to claim another page if they so desire, and I hope they will.  Just to be clear, pages do not have to be finished in sequential order.  All the pages are up for grabs.  Each finished page will be treated like a work of art, and listed with the artist's name (or chosen identity), and the medium they used to create it. Any salient comments the artist would like to make might also be listed.  Finished pages will not be done over or again.  

Why The X-Men?:

Because I love these comics and these characters.  Because the narrative is tight over a very long span of issues, giving us an opportunity to craft an amazing work of collaborative art and write a love-letter to what might be the greatest long-run of super hero comics ever written.  

How Do We Start?

Pick a page, any page, make a request, and get to work.  I'm claiming the first cover.  Also, recruit, recruit, recruit.  Tell all your friends who love comics or love to make art to join in, the more the merrier.  Promote, promote, promote.  If you can think of appropriate forums to share news of this project, please do so.  The more various hands involved, the more we will get done, and the more interesting the end result will be.  We might even inspire similar ventures using other properties.  The possibilities are endless.  Please note, I am using Marvel's Essential X-Men publications as a reference.  I will not be sharing any images from the original comics on the blog or to any participants via e-mail.  If you need any kind of visual reference I recommend using Google Images or obtaining your own copy of the source material.  I do not feel it is necessary to have a copy of the original to successfully participate in anyway.