Iridium Magazine Issue 2
'Iridium - Where Have We Been?'
By Raistlin [Iridium Editor-In-Chief]
Many people have been asking for months now, "where has Iridium been?!" Simple - erased. Yes. Erased. Iridium was ERASED. Here's the story.
Many months ago, Excalibur and I were putting the finishing touches on Iridium #2. We had several articles -- such as iCE, ACiD, TAG, LOGiC, BAD, CyberCrime, ICN, etc.. -- Essentially, a very bulky issue. Everything that was needed, excepting the completion of the reviews, had been obtained. All that was left to do was finish the reviews, and give all the material to Excalibur to be coded (approximately a 1-2 day process). One infamous night, I closed a phone conversation with Excalibur like this: "Ok Doug, sounds great.. I'll get you all the stuff tomorrow afternoon, you can code it in, and we'll shove it out tomorrow." He agreed, and Iridium was ready to be packed and delivered.
Saturday morning, I awake. Hmm, why is it at the dos prompt? That's weird, I know I put the board up before I went to sleep. Oh well, "CD\OBV," 'Invalid Directory'. Again, same, again, same. WHAT?! "CD\IRI2," 'Invalid Directory'. WHAT?! "CD\NORTON," 'Invalid Directory.' AHH! No nerves by now, I find a backup of Norton's Disk Doctor. After several runs, I am pleased to find that only 96% of the files on my harddrive were invalid. Not to worry! Four percent can be recovered -- Whew!
So, that's the brief and frightening story. Only thing to be salvaged was a handful of articles. Art = gone. Reviews = gone. Top Five = gone. 95 percent of the magazine = gone. Iridium was NOT going out. Following this, I lost my patience with having to totally resetup Oblivion/2. The Shadowlands went down for 2 1/2 months, and the future of Iridium was questionable.
At last, I got back together with Excalibur and Iridium was reborn. And here we are. Enjoy.
Last but not least, a list of some things to look forward to in Iridium #3. (These are not all definite, but likely).
- Mouse Support
- 80 X 50 Mode
- VGA/ANSI Ansi Viewer
- File/Ansi Capture Utility
- More cool interfaces
- Side Scrolling Ansis
See you in one month.
- Raistlin [Iridium Editor-In-Chief]
(raistlin@infonaut.com)
Iridium Issue #2
The following is a list of the executives, contributing members, and distribution sites of Iridium Magazine.
Executives/Staff:
- Raistlin [iCE] (Founder)
- Excalibur [Programmer]
- Metal Head [iCE]
Members:
- Quazar [Tribe]
- R. Noble [iCE]
- Asriel [Tribe]
Contributing Writers:
- Metal Head [iCE]
- Golgatha [Gothic]
- R. Noble [iCE]
- R0NiN [iCE]
- No Carrier [Malice]
- Raistlin [iCE]
- Black Knight [BAD]
- Shihear Kallizad [Tribe/Paradigm]
- Asriel [Tribe]
Artists:
- Raistlin [iCE]
- Metal Head [iCE]
- Icy <ACiD>
- Danzig [iCE]
- Quazar [Tribe]
- Golgatha [Gothic]
Top Five Contributors:
- Metal Head [iCE]
- Raistlin [iCE]
- Quasar <ACiD>
- Lord Soth [iCE]
- Black Sabbath [iCE]
- Kinayda [Gothic]
- Corwin of Amber <ACiD>
- Alter Ego <ACiD>
- Kronos <ACiD>
- Bane [iCE]
- No Carrier [Dissident (LTD)]
- egghead <ACiD>
- Soul Rebel [iCE]
- Jabberwocky [Psychosis]
- Boardmaster [Dissident (LTD)]
- Asriel [Tribe]
-- Distribution Sites -
NOTE TO ALL DISTRIBUTION SITES:
All former Iridium Distribution sites, excepting the following, have been dropped. This is a result of ONLY the fact that the number of sites grew to be so numerous, that records were lost. If you are no longer listed, and still wish to be a distribution site, please re-apply. Sorry for any problems this may have caused.
- The Shadowlands 609-256-0332 / 609-589-1317 - World Headquarters
- The Twisted Tower - Canadian Headquarters
- Latitude Zero - Western Headquarters
- The Spawning Ground - Southern Headquarters
- Mechanical Resistance - Central Headquarters
- The Sanctuary(tm) - Distribution Site
- Countdown to Extinction - Distribution Site
- The Powergrid - Distribution Site
- Corrosive Poison - Distribution Site
- DOOM, Inc. - Distribution Site
- Eleutheria - Distribution Site
- Paradise Lost - Distribution Site
- Amber - Distribution Site
- Channel Zero - Distribution Site
* - Note: There are no Iridium 'Member Boards.' They do not exist.
'The Voice of Iridium'
By Raistlin [iCE] - Iridium Editor
-- What Iridium Had and Has to Say --
This article contains two areas of information. Please note them carefully. They are:
- The opinions felt and expressed by Iridium Magazine and Raistlin after the releases of Iridium #1 and Paradigm Magazine #2.
- The PRESENT opinions and position of Iridium Magazine.
Enjoy your reading . . .
**** ---------------
THE FOLLOWING PORTION IS FROM AN ARTICLE ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR IRIDIUM #2, BEFORE THE DELAY IN RELEASE. THE ISSUE THAT IT CONCERNS IS OLD. QUITE OLD. HOWEVER, WE AT IRIDIUM FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO INCLUDE IT IN THIS ISSUE.
MANY OF THE OPINIONS STRESSED IN THIS PORTION MAY BE EITHER DULLED OR VOID BY THIS TIME. YET -- AS A RESULT OF THE TIME GAP BETWEEN ISSUES #1 AND #2 OF IRIDIUM, PUBLIC FOCUS LEFT THIS ISSUE. REGARDLESS, WE AT IRIDIUM FEEL THIS IS A GIVEN RIGHT, A RIGHT TO DEFEND OURSELVES FOR ATTACKS AND CRITICISM MADE.
WE DO NOT WISH TO BRING THIS ISSUE BACK INTO PUBLIC FOCUS, AND WOULD LIKE THAT THERE BE NO SERIOUS RESPONSE TO THIS ARTICLE. THE EMOTIONS HELD WHILE WRITING THIS ARTICLE NO LONGER HOLD TRUE. IT IS SUBMITTED ONLY FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE.
------------ ****
As I opened Paradigm #2, pleased to see that they did indeed release a second issue, and hoping to find some of the same pleasures that I found in Issue #1. Needless to say, I did not. Not only were there countless unjustified attacks on Iridium by Shihear, but it seemed as though Paradigm lacked much change since the first Issue.
Before I go on, let me state a few things -- many which a large number of people already know.
- I have never been, and to my best knowledge, never will be biased towards Paradigm Magazine in any way, shape, or form.
- Iridium Magazine was created with NO knowledge of Paradigm Magazine's existence. (Many, such as Paradigm's former coder - Jabberwocky, can testify to this).
When Paradigm Issue #1 came out, I noticed almost immediately their lack of content. Not so much their quality - but volume. Paradigm, for what its worth, seemed to lack any abundance of useful information in both issues. Rather than being chocked full of breaking news, and interesting information, Paradigm seemed quite bare. For what it did possess, you would think that it would at least serve as an informant to those reading the magazine. Yet, it seemed to me mostly opinionated articles (the greater amount those of Shihear Kallizad), which lacked any sense of concrete information. Not only did feedback about Iridium #1 lead me to assurance that the first issue did not only possess interesting articles, but news that those not in the higher reaches of the ansi scene, could only learn from media sources, such as Iridium Magazine.
Throughout his "Review" of Iridium (though I found it more of an attack, rather than a review) Shihear mentioned Iridium's "snide remarks" and "attacks" toward Paradigm. For all of you reading this, please re-unzip your copy of Iridium #1, and search whole heartedly for any "remarks" or "attacks" made toward Paradigm, in anything but a positive manner, I doubt you'll find any. So, rather than accept and review Iridium on an un-biased platform, Shihear felt it necessary to destroy whatever "peaceful" coexistance there ever was, and embark two growing magazines on a collision course. I expected more Shihear, I really expected something more mature from you, indeed.
I, and my coder (Excalibur), will be the first to admit that Iridium had problems in the code. Problems which we hope will be fixed with this issue. Though they were present, they were hardly as bountiful as SK makes them sound ("If it will let you run it, then read it"). Give me a break Shihear, only a handful of people had problems w/ the ansi viewing, or anything else for that matter. So, rather than discuss the most important aspect of ANY magazine, the content, Shihear felt it necessary to dwell (for several pages, I might add) on the coding problems of Iridium. I suppose it is easier to ignore, than admit, right?
**** -----
THAT IS THE END OF THE PORTION OF ARTICLE WRITTEN LONG AGO. THE FOLLOWING IS NEW MATERIAL.
---------- ****
That surely was a mouthful, eh? As stated in the large disclaimer, none of that is the opinion of myself, or Iridium at this time. When it was written -- emotions were high, and thus came the proceeding response. It was included to show that personal attacks made towards Iridium Magazine after Issue #1 were NOT ignored. However, we would now like to consider them forgotten.
Best wishes to Paradigm, Corruption, and all other magazines that might be out there. There's nothing wrong with friendly competition boys, but why work AGAINST each other -- When we can work alongside each other?
Raistlin [iCE] - Iridium Editor
(raistlin@infonaut.com)
'iCE Lately'
By Metal Head [iCE Staff]
Iridium #2, good that it finally came out, only exception being that I have to write this article now. Well here's what's been happening in iCE.
Let's see, we have a new staff guy, guess who?!?! None other then the editor of this little magazine, Raistlin! (crowd cheers) Oh well, that's not as exciting as I thought it was. Hmm, what else?
We recently have acquired a whole new music section as of late. We have obtained many new members such as Psycnosis -- formerly of nothing, Necros -- formerly of Psychic Monks, and last but not least, C.C.Catch - formerly of the demo group Renaissance, and ranked #2 in the demo scene according to most charts, trailing only Purple Motion of Future Crew. Ansi-wise, a considerably larger amount of people are starting to produce once more. Along with this month's new members such as Tank, R.Noble, Lord Soth -- Special Ed, iNCUBUS, and others have been promoted from iCE Trial.
I'd like to mention that even though the iCEPACK for November was a bit large, that was due to it being just what it is called.. the iCE *PACK*, and as the ICE-????.STS file in the pack states:
"The iCEPACK is a monthly release from iCE(tm) Advertisements, similar to that of ACiD(tm) Productions, which showcases all of the artwork that has been officially released by iCE for that month."
It does not in any way mention the fact that certain things shall be left out to accomadate the size of the iCEPACK. Perhaps in the future if the packs get over two megs once again (the only occurance of this was the ICE-0693 iCEPACK) the pack may be split up into two parts, but for that month only.
Last, but not least, I would like to note that iCE is at the moment working on a MusicDisk featuring Amroth, C.C.Catch, Necros, & Psycnosis. This is scheduled for release in February or March, but who knows, it might be WAYY later :).
Well, with me never being a fan of writing long articles i'll stop this with this short little semi-informative thing, and say.. READ .NFO FILES! Get the info there.
- Metal Head [iCE] Staff
metalhed@phantom.com
ACiD
At the time that Iridium #2 was being compiled, Rad Man and SharP were vacationing. Therefore, because of their absence, we regret to inform you that ACiD does not have a column in this Issue of Iridium.
'Gothic Productions - History (almost)'
By Golgatha [Gothic Productions]
One Night Elminster and I (Golgotha) were vigorously hacking away at making an ansi when we were suddenly hit by lightning. After 30 minutes or so we eventually awoke to find out that both of us had had a revelation from the gods. We were chosen to found the knights of the non-existant table, otherwise known as Gothic. At that moment we headed toward the nearest mini-mall to purchase our weapons and armor. On our way out of the mall, with our purchases in hand, we ran across a young man named Lord Carnuss. This young man made fun of our armor and weapons, which we had so cleverly made from various housewares. This made Elminster angry. Suddenly Sir Elminster pulled out from his white and red plastic pouch, a giant sausage. With a swift blow Lord Carnuss was out cold. Elminster smiled greedily.
When Carnuss awoke he found himself bound in chains in what appeared to be a dungeon/laundry room. "Who are you!" he cried, "What do you want!". His ears were deaf to a reply. Soon after a shadowy figure handed him a laptop computer and quietly said "You will do ansi for us or starve! Every time you do us ansi, we will reward you with a meal." Lord Carnuss was very frightened and lonely. He missed his parents but most of all he missed the sex with his goldfish named Hubert.
After another masturbation session Elminster and I headed out. We needed more artists. We then came upon a young warrior named The Retard. Politely we asked him for the time. There was no response. We then lost interest and followed the endless line of drool from the young warriors mouth which to our surprise led to another young man who was setting up slinkies on several escalaters. When we inquired his name he the exposed a large fire-arm and shot an old lady. Elminster with a grin again reached for the sausage.
to be cont'd.....
'Untitled'
by Shihear Kallizad [Tribe/Paradigm]
Four wars, and 7 packs ago, I was in iCE as Senior Staff. Today, that doesn't mean a whole lot. iCE isn't what it used to be, and literally anyone can be iCE Staff. Even then, iCE had started it's long slide down the mountain they were once king of. Part of the unstated reason I left was I just didn't believe in that type of group enough anymore to try to rebuild it. To get iCE back to where it was would take alot of work.
Why I joined iCE in the first place was to play with Tempus Thales. He was a fun guy with alot of knowledge and energy. Having plucked many a fruit from his knowledge tree, and watch his energy slowly drain away, he just wasn't as fun anymore. He eventually stopped doing anything but "nag." me, and it was obvious that I was going to end up being a scapegoat if I didn't do something about it.
Anyone who was around to remember it, he and I used to argue about all sorts of group stuff on CCi, back when I was the only active part of the MiRAGE Triumvirate. (Where were you then, Ren.) Even when I was in iCE, we used to argue about all sorts of philosophical and policy wonk differences. It was all basic, general principles type stuff, but it was proof that we just didn't agree on alot of issues. Looking back, I'm surprised we got along as well as we did.
So, finding myself out in the cold, hard, crewl scene without a group, what did I do? Started my own, again. I'd done that once before, for much the same reason. I didn't like the groups already out there, so instead of simply sit and bitch about it, I decided to DO something about it. That's how DREíM came about. As way too many people than should know DO know, that group changed it's name to Licensed To Draw (the ORIGINAL and ONLY), which merged with MiRAGE (back when they DID stuff), and then finally MiRAGE went the way of iCE.
TRiBE originated as a joke, a joke on Corigan. You probably don't know him, he hasn't done a whole lot, but he almost did. See, he didn't like the comic book and I did. At the time, we were both in iCE and I joking said, "Oh, didn't you hear? I quit iCE to start a one man group called TRiBE." At the time I didn't know just how clairvoient I was, for a few weeks later, that happened.
The original intention of TRiBE was simply to poke fun of all the groups out there. Comic book name, little i, litterly only one guy in the group (who's not very good or very productive) and clearly going against nearly every convention in the scene. Then, something started happening. Something I didn't expect. Other people wanted to be in TRiBE.
Most members in TRiBE, past, present and probably future ASK to join, they're not ASKED. Sure, some like LogaN and dreamevil were ASKED. Over time the concept has developed to be, "If you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door." We feel that TRiBE is a better mousetrap. Not because of who's in it, or the art they produce, but simply because we're not the same type of group that iCE or ACiD was/is today.
We're not 70 to 100 members, like iCE and ACiD are. (iCE is even bigger now that SKiLL is out there. No matter what you call it or how you run it, it's still iCE TRiAL.) We don't have non-artist guys as Staff trying to get the artists to conform to their standards. We don't even HAVE standards. No TRiAL. No Quality Control. NO QUALITY. It's all about the ARTIST. Hell, ARTISTS are the ONLY members. No Telecom, no couriers, no sites. It's FRIENDSHIP over MEMBERSHIP. (Tempus still thinks anyone who leaves iCE is an "asshole" and they need a "reason".)
We're a small group of friends who like to play together. Do you know, there are people in iCE who don't like other guys in iCE. There are people in ACiD who don't like other members in ACiD. There are people in these groups that'll say, "Hey, we don't have to like each other to work together." That's how they operate, a business. It's not a hobby, it's not for fun, it's not even about the art. It's just about seeing which group can outdo the other. Which can piss farther, if you will.
The people that leave do so because they thought all this was just talk. When they find out it's true, and we don't care, and we aren't trying to use TRiBE to get Dist Sites for their BBS's, or whatever else they imagine these groups are good for, they leave and go to iCE or ACiD. Yet, when other artist see how they're ignored or forgotten, left out of the little cliques within the groups, when they tire of all the policy wonk of their names being omitted from member lists because they have better things to do, or whatever specific case they may find themselves in, they look to us. Not just TRiBE, but all the small, friendly, laid back groups where your membership means something to the rest of the guys.
Whatever you think of me, whatever you think of any other member of TRiBE, or of TRiBE itself, it has changed the scene and the way the people of the scene think about the scene. Before TRiBE, how many small groups were out there at that time? Not many. There was only iCE and ACiD. At times you might see a group like MiRAGE, Legacy or VALiANT. Did groups like CHAOS, m/¥x or UAA ever go anywhere, do much of anything?
Today, look at how many small (and even TINY) groups are out there. Look at the respect and recognition they're getting. Look at their desire to stay small, stay independent of the "big two", and make it on their own. I'm still down right knocked on my ass every time I see anyone (bother to) rank TRiBE as better than iCE. Of course, I shake my head every time I see anyone even bother to talk about TRiBE in a comparative manner with any other group.
I still don't understand why Iridium, Critic, Artistry (the real, original one by AADA, not the rip off in development), et al feel the need to include us, when we've asked not to. We've always said, "We don't want to play your reindeer games.", yet they always try to force our round peg into their square little hole. If any of them REALLY wanted to accurately portray TRiBE to the scene, they'd just leave us out of it. I guess they just don't understand, we concede the victory to anyone who wants to claim it. This #1 (or #2, #3, #4, ...) stuff is just a race we don't want to run. We're not scared to, we've just gotten beyond that.
- Shihear Kallizad
'Mirage! Mirage! Where are you Mirage!?'
By R.Noble [Mirage/iCE]
In the past months you have seen Mirage, or at least heard of Mirage, or have at least been told of Mirage, either way, you know about Mirage. That Non-producing group that never calls it quit. Everyone wants to become a site, for some odd reason, and wants to know what the hell is up with Mirage. Well, in this article you will find out and it'll answer all your pathetic questions pertaining to NOTHING.
FAQ Sheet for Mirage 0.01alpha beta gamma epsilon gamma version.
Q) So where's Mirage now?
A) What do you mean "where"? It's in the US. Think of a better question.
Q) When's the next Mirage Compendium coming out?
A) Well, if everything goes well, it should be out sometime around Jan 1st. IF everything goes okay. And it'll be REAL easy to download, even for you 2400 d00dz.
Q) Cool! So is Mirage producing art?
A) I guess. Terminator2 is our major benefactor, producing alot for us. Our other artists, Beez and Bad Karma, left to TRiBE and ACiD, respectively. Another artist we have is Voivod, tho he's seems to be a New Jack in ANSIs, so I don't expect much from him. I'm still off and on, producing some little logos.
Q) So where's Kaska and G.Washington?
A) Kaska is at home for the holidays, and I assume the same for G. Washington. Kaska already told me that he wasn't gonna get back into it, so this just backs up Shihears theory of relativity : The Groups activity is relative to the founder's activity. <I think it was Shihear's... someone's...> G.Washington probably <"PROBABLY" not "PROLLY"!!!> won't be back in the scene either. So that leaves me as the last founder still in Mirage. Great.
Q) So are you bringing the group back?
A) Uh... no. The group has attempted 6 comebacks. All of which have failed and brought minimal success. Right now, the situation is that after the Compendium is released, that's it. Mirage is GONE. Mirage is RIP, DOA, DUI, XYZ, and all that. Bottom Line, Compendium 6 is the last pack Mirage will EVER do.
Q) WHAT?!?!?!?
A) Get over it.
Q) But you can't kill Mirage!
A) Yes I can. Kaska has no objections. Ricochet none. Zandorf cares little. That's enough reason to. Goodbye.
Q) Okay, so now that Mirage is gonna be gone, where does that leave the artists?
A) To go where ever they want. Beez and Bad Karma already left, Terminator2 can get into any group he wants <he's THAT good> and Voivod probably won't care :) . Kaska and G.Washington are never coming back as far as I know, retirees of the scene, and I'm already set for iCE. Everyone else in Mirage can do whatever they like. Hi Deep Freeze, Zandorf!
Q) You're joining iCE?!
A) Yes. Get over it.
Q) Great, so the Mirage LEGACY died VALIANTly in a GOTHIC environment. Sigh.
A) Uh.. SURE.
--eof--
Okay peoples. There's the story of Mirage. Once a great powerhouse, but now reduced to scrapping the butter off a cow's foot. As far as I know, ONE person was the instigator of Mirage's downfall, and that unnamed person know's who he is. Ah well. I'm over it, it's only Mirage, and not my baby.
So thus ends Mirage. For now, Mirage is alive and kickin'! But after the Mirage Compendium VI is released, Mirage will be officially dissolved and dead. All affiliates of Mirage, are now un-affiliated <duh>. And to anyone that wants to start another group with the name Mirage, don't. Kaska will get mad. And Shihear might too :) .
Greets? Who needs em. I'll make a giant quote ANSI for Kronos and call it even.
ps. iCE is STILL a warthog, but now I'm riding it. :)
- R.Noble/Ren/Charles/etc. - Mirage/iCE
'What We're About'
By Black Knight [BAD]
Just the other day, I was thinking to myself (as I typically do), "I haven't been bugged by anyone for awhile about getting an article written up for a magazine. What's up with that?" Then, of all the weird-ass things that could happen, I get a call from Raistlin asking me if I wanted to do an article for Iridium. Of course, as you can see, I did. And now to stop boring you to death, I'll start what I planned to do.
I am often (not often enough, you understand) asked what it's like to be in BAD by prospective members. I usually mumble around thinking of something to say and usually end up saying, "We're a pretty much layed-back group," or something equally lame. As it turns out, that's not untrue, just terribly inaccurate. BAD actually doesn't mess with the members all that much. We talk occasionally, but leave each other to deal with what they want to do. There is no quota every month telling what must be done or you're out. The only quota we ever had was a One-Ansi-Per-Month deal which we never even enforced and don't even go by any more. As Number Cruncher once said to me, "I feel kind of stupid not having anything in the pack." Then again, that might have been something I told him about himself.
Another thing that should be noted about BAD is that we're a small group. I know, it sounds weird, but we actually are and, to top THAT off, we've been around for a year now. A small group being around for a year. THAT's something you don't hear often, if at all. We plan on staying around as BAD because being in a small group is fun. Being the head of a small group is even more fun (damn, I hope this doesn't start a million new groups). I consider myself lucky being the head of a group that puts out good quality artwork and is also well-known.
There's something about BAD that's different from many groups around in that we don't DO trial members. Trial Membership is a bunch of shit used only to tie a talented artist to a group so that he can improve and become a member later on instead of leaving for another group that might actually want him immediately. If BAD likes your work when you present it, we'll give you a "bad" or a "[BAD]". For artists who have potential, we'll give ideas and suggestions, more than many trial members get.
That's about all I have to rattle on about. If you have any questions about BAD, contact me or any other member on the WHQ, The Chasm of Doom at 904-668-6745.
Black Knight - BAD Senior Member
(bknight@freenet.fsu.edu)
DiSSiDENT '94
No Carrier [DiSSiDENT]
-Õ[ DiSSiDENT '94 ]Õ-
Ok, this is my 2nd article for Iridium in my continuing saga about my ANSi group. You probably know the group as LTD, but we have officially changed our name to DiSSiDENT. This change caused alot of confusion and shit, but because of many unfortunate incidents regarding the old group name, we were forced to change the name to something else. We had originally decided to change the name to MALiCE, but we were soon informed that there was another group in the BBS scene using this name. So, now we're DiSSiDENT, named after Pearl Jam's newest hit from Vs. (As if you really cared, yeah right!)
So, what is DiSSiDENT doing? Well, LTD was totally disorganized and run in a very shitty manner. This was my fault, school was my main priority and the group went to hell because of it. Whereas LTD was run with 1 man running the whole show, DiSSiDENT has 3 senior staff members. Might seem minor to you, but believe me it makes a big difference in the efficiency of the group. DiSSiDENT is concentrating primarily in ANSi and VGA graphics, with occasional music pieces included. To us, literature is a load of shit.. ANSi groups are for ANSi, not for literary stuff. We most probably won't release any RIPScrip files, because no one has really expressed a great interest in it. It's too new or something I guess..
What's new with the group? Well, we had promised you a killer ANSi viewer for the next pack which would have made iCE & ACiD drool, but due to personal differences with the programmer, he is no longer a part of DiSSiDENT. We will be including an ANSi viewer, but it won't be anything like we were expecting. Excalibur, the programmer of Iridium, is a welcomed addition to the DiSSiDENT crew. He is currently working on an application generator for us, which will be in the coming pack. Hopefully, you'll also be seeing alot of VGA screens in the next pack, as we should be getting quite a few VGA artists shortly. If not, life goes on. Packs are now released at the end of every month like some groups do it. It just works out better for us, so we're gonna stick with that for awhile. Lastly, we dropped most of our distribution sites last month. In the next pack, there will be a site listing. If you're not in it, you're not a site anymore. Due to the overwhelming number of sites we had, we decided to cut back to 1 site per area code, and we only want art-oriented boards serving us. Hey, life's a bitch, but we manage somehow..
How do you contact us? Well, easiest way would be to logon to our World HeadQuarters : /¥lternate Reality : (609)-231-9582. We can also be reached on íLTERNET, the official network of DiSSiDENT, as well as on UltraTech. We should be getting a base on CCiNet soon for your convenience. I can also be reached via e-mail on the InterNet if you have an account. You can e-mail me at sujpatel@clam.rutgers.edu. That's about it. If you have any questions, you know where to reach me. L8r
-- NO C/¥RRiER [DiSSiDENT/IRiDiUM] --
Interview with Marshal Law
Raistlin [iCE] and Metal Head [iCE]
Interviewed Artist's Profile
- Handle: Marshal Law
- Name: Darren
- Current Age: 22
- Place of Residence: Carteret, NJ
- Computer: 286/12
- Groups (In Order): JiSM, iCE, RPM, ACiD, GRiMM, iCE.
- Favorite Artists Past/Present: Tempus, Lord Carnuss, Quicksilver.
- Startng BBSing: Off a Commodore 64 at age 15.
Question and Answer Section
NOTE: The following are general questions concerning nothing in particular in no particular order. They are simly general questions -- We hope you find them interesting, but don't expect any coherent pattern.
- - -
Q: Darren, when did you start drawing ansi?
A: I guess it was about, hmm.. Lets see, about two and a half years ago. It was around the time of Illuminatus Magazine. I saw an issue of Illuminatus, the art impressed me -- So, I decided to give it a try.
- - -
Q: When do you feel you were most active in the art scene.
A: Most likely, it was around the time of Insanity Magazine -- that era. But, just like now -- I wasn't your everyday 'ansi-scene guy.' I mean, the reason I say I was most involved then is simply because that is when I was drawing the most ansis. I was still mostly uninvolved and unconcerned with the politics aspect of the scene. I simply drew more then, I had more time.
- - -
Q: Today, most ansi artists draw directly from comic books. What is the source for most of your pictures?
A: Well, although I enjoy original art -- I'd have to say its a fifty-fifty split. I do use comics, although I rarely DIRECTLY copy them. In fact, my Pitt for Cybercrime was my ONLY direct copy. On the contrary, some of my work is totally original, but I'd have to say the greater bulk of my work is a combination of comic influence and originality. For example, I'd see a comic book picture -- then later I'd try to draw it. Maybe from my head, maybe peeking once in awhile. I always tried to change things, it always seemed to look better that way.
- - -
Q: Have you ever tried any other art type besides ansi?
A: Not really. I've considered cartoons, but I tend to like the detail and intricate steps involved in doing a shaded ansi. Yes, cartoons do take talent -- the idea of doing them just doesn't apply to me. As for VGA.. I've thought of it -- I just like ansi, alot.
- - -
Q: What is your personal favorite amongst your own work?
A: Uh.. Well, I don't really have any particular favorite. I generally "like" most of what I do -- and then the public response adds to my opinion. If I had to make some sort of general conclusion, I'd have to say I respect my original work more than others.
- - -
Q: Do you feel the ansi 'scene' has progressed or regressed in the last two years?
A: It seems to have slowed down a lot in since then, since the time when I was more involved. I mean, I'm not saying that's a direct result of my absense. I'm just saying that there doesn't seem to be the same type of innovative and original production as back then, or amount of production in general. I'd like to do my part to change this, by drawing more often, but I simply don't have the time.
- - -
Q: How do you feel about artists charging money to do ansis?
A: I don't really see anything WRONG with it. Its just not necessary. I've charged only once, twenty-five dollars for one of my ansis -- I don't recall exactly which. I don't think that charging is something people definately shouldn't do, but I mean -- Its only an ansi, right? Let 'em do it if others are willing to pay, I've just never been too comfortable with it.
- - -
Q: Well Darren, you seem like a terribly nice guy, have you ever had any differences with anyone in the scene?
A: For the most part, I've gotten along with everyone I've come in contact with in the scene. Basically, I've only had problems with one person -- Would you like to hear the story (We OBVIOUSLY said, "YES!"). Well, back when I was in ACiD, I had a little 'tiff' with Rad Man. He called me up, and demanded that I consistently produce two ansis per month, or be removed from the group. Essentially, I told him to take ACiD and shove it up his ass. Well, that's about it, the wonderful story of my lone "fight" in the scene.
* - Any opinions expressed in this interview do not represent the opinions of the Iridium Magazine Staff Members or contributors.
Interview Completed by: Raistlin [iCE] and Metal Head [iCE]
"Literature, Here to Stay"
By R0NIN [iCE/PSY]
I was spooging around in CCi and TXN when I noticed an alarming number of people jumping down my throat, complaining about how elite literature is nothing but a bunch of death/destruction, wanna-be ansi artists looking for affiliations. Of course, as director of iCE LiT, I couldn't put up with this without a making some sort of reply.
To start off with, I'll go over a quick overview of the main lit groups around, just tell a little about them and how *I* rate them.
Assault
This is the first group that comes to mind when people think of literature, although they claim an all-around lineup, literature has always been the strongpoint of this small group. Now, Assault has its strong writers, I consider Morat the Black a genius. His works seem to me an amazing mixture of surrealism and couplets, all in all a great writer. Dreadnought, the president of Assault, is an interesting writer, although many of his works are death/destruction types, most contain interesting topics, and nicely flowing rhythms. As for the rest of the group, there are several decent writers, but many that I would imagine joined for the affilliation or so they could write strange poems and try to portray a psycho image.
Tribe
Well, although this is a decent ansi group, literature is NOT a strong point. Nothing I have seen merits any respect, except for a Dungeons and Dragons type poem done by Stormblade.
GOTHiC
"GOTHiC LiT" is now being led by Israfel, which is the greatest boon a literature group can have. Cybernary wrote some interesting work for the first pack, but he has apparently left the group (my apologies if I am mistaken), which leaves the group with Israfel (indisputebly one of the top writers in the 'scene') and another writer who has yet to produce.
iCE
Well, I'll try not to be biased (I run "iCE LiT"). Recently I picked up an interesting writer by the name of Scimitar Wraith, his works are strange, but quite good, look for big shit coming from him. I write for iCE regularly, most people tell me I'm good, some disagree, decide for yourself. Israfel was a large producer for iCE, his loss will no doubt be felt.
Now to the opponents of 'elite' literature
People have a problem with writers incorporating their literary talents (or lack thereof) into the 'elite' scene, they often state that the only people who write lit for a group are the people that can't draw ansi or VGA. I agree, to an extent. Many supposed writers write a pathetically weak poem or story, then apply to a smaller group and sprout an attitude, these people make authors in general look bad, but when one examines the issue one will discover that the same can be said for any field of the art scene, there is no doubt that many of the smaller ansi groups do the same with ansi artists, but this is never mentioned.
Another strong point is this: What good is ansi outside of the BBS scene? Can one make a living with ansi? Can one get a scholarship with ansi? Unless my understanding of the world is warped, no. Ansi is no good outside of the modem community. Speaking for myself and Israfel, I have already been invited to write for UTA (University of Texas at Austin) when I decide to attend college, and have had several of my better works published in school and local newspapers. Obviously literature is more than just something used to promote a lamer to an affiliation, it is an artform, no better than any other, no less than any other. As with the more visual of arts, there are good writers, and bad writers, but unlike ansi (to an extent) opinions of the same work can be extremely varied. Look at it this way, my poem, The Demon and the Rose, is praised by some of my friends, while others don't like it.
Can the same be said of a good Tempus ansi? No, with ansi the goal is normally to make a picture appealing to the eye (no easy feat considering the limitations of ansi), with literature the possibilities are endless. One can write to express an emotion, to invoke an emotion, to argue a point, etc . . .
All I am trying to say is that literature is an artform that should be respected, and examined as any other artform should, that's about it.
- R0NiN [iCE] Literary Division
What's Happened Lately
Iridium Staff
As a result of the fact that Iridium Issue #1 was released such a long period of time ago, some of this information may be outdated. Yet, the majority of the information will be current, some of the more mom- entous happenings may be from some time ago.
------
To start off, all former Canadian iCE ansi artists (with the exception Forbidden Image) has left iCE to form a new art group called "Gothic." Best of luck to this new group.
------
LTD Productions, after urging and nagging by Shihear Kallizad, had changed its name to Malice. Now, for reasons unknown. It has changed its name to Dissident. We will inform you of any other name changes.
------
Mirage, after reformation after reformation, has been dissolved. With the release of Compendium #6, Mirage will be no more.
-------
R. Noble, former president of Mirage, has joined iCE Advertisements.
--------
Bodily Harm, longtime popular art board, has been taken down. The sysop, Fusion of ACiD, reportedly was "tired" of the responsibilities of running the board. Along with the removal of Bodily Harm comes the removal of Toxicnet -- perhaps the largest ansi net ever known to the scene.
--------
Your faithful editor of Iridium, me, Raistlin -- has been accelerated to iCE Senior Staff.
--------
Beastie, former president of TAG, has been promoted to ACiD Senior Staff. No one we have spoken to is aware of when this happened. But apparently it has.
-------
Xerobe, former ACiD doer of who knows what, has recently become the present iCE does of who knows what. Actually, in iCE -- Xerobe is directing the control and formation of ICN, Insanity Corporate Network.
-------
C.C. Catch, Renaissance music author -- rated the second best music author by the Future Crew, has also joined iCE as an author. His first iCE release is in the December iCEPak.
-------
Terminator2, formerly a member of the fallen Mirage, has been supposedly picked up by ACiD Productions.
-------
Most recently, Kinayda and Aphex Twin, former ACiD Members, have left ACiD to become members of the canadian-rooted Gothic. Rumors speak of ACiD internal problems, we have found nothing to confirm this.
What is Real Art?
Asriel [Tribe]
Ok, before I begin one of the most acidic rants I've ever thought of giving, let me introduce myself. I'm Asriel, and for better or for worse, I'm a part of Tribe (seems more like a team than a group... for whatever you have against Shihear Kallizad, world, know ye that he runs one hell of a nice shop). I'm an adult, a trained artist (pencils and papers. I hate paint and paint hates me.), a student, a writer, and a fairly... vivid... human being.
I have no qualifications to say ANYTHING. Let's get that settled now. I'm writing an editorial/scene rant, and in a situation like this, I think the most sane and mature thing to do is take any semblance of authority and doff it like so much unneeded garb... it only leads to arguments about who has MORE authority.
None of us want that.
So, at ground zero, we have the following information about me. I'm an artist, an adult, a writer (obviously, neh?) and I have no authority.
<extending hand> nice to meet you.
Now, I'd like to throw out a disclaimer. I'm about to spin off an article that opens a can of worms that EVERYONE has a passionate opinion about. I'd like it established that my views are not the views of Iridium, Tribe, or any other organization I happen to mention in this file. I would like it known that my knowledge of the inner workings of ACiD, iCE, Gothic, or BAD are as flawed as any other non-members, and many of my observations are going to be based off of rather extraneous information. However, I feel I'm justified in MAKING these observations, given that all these groups are in some way seeking publicity, and all I can see is all anyone else can too. Your external impressions are the only impressions an audience gets, and they are therefore the only impressions that matter in a situation such as this.
--- -- - - -
What I'd like to talk about today is a taboo/buzzword/code/ideal that the scene is intent on referring to as originality/talent/what have you. I'm going to summarize the article in one quick paragraph.
I contest any vocalization that ANSI art copied from a comic book, or any other source not drawn by the artist himself, can really truly take talent, originality, or artistic ability.
--- -- - - -
I've recently become a part of several highly... spirited... arguments revolving around whether copying comic book art takes talent. In my opinion, for whatever it's worth, it does not. It takes a good deal of technical ability, and it does take an amount of drawing ability... but when you get to the core of the matter, anyone can do it, given the time to practice.
Let's take a look at what goes into drawing a comic book picture, on paper (or bristol board, or in Adobe Photoshop, ad infinitum). In order to draw something, an artist faces what every art instructor I've ever spoken to refers to as 'an artistic problem'. Why? Let's think about it.
Whenever you render any three dimensional image in any medium, you need to interpret reality. Shading, as it exists in ANY two dimensional medium, does NOT exist in real life. 'Shading' is the art of interpreting the depth and lighting (as it interacts with that depth) using a two dimensional medium.
When you shade a picture, you are faced with a big 'artistic problem'. In fact, this is one of the places where the talent and creativity inherent in ANY artistic endeavor shows through best. As an artist, you are faced with the daunting task of transforming the image of lighting and three-dimensionality using a two dimensional medium. To use an example, if I want to draw a styrofoam cup (anyone in an art class has probably had LOADS of fun doing this), I need to examine the depth and lighting and shadows on that cup, and use a pencil to convey that on paper. Now, because I'm not a camera, my work can only be an interpretation of the shadows on that cup. In fact, my work is nothing more than an optical illusion... a bunch of pencil lines and strokes that resembles a styrofoam cup.
With me so far?
The point I'm trying to make is, the original artist faces a problem in interpreting his model, be it physical or mental, to visualize it on paper. This problem, and the overcoming of this problem, is one of the facets of sketching and drawing that really makes it art.
Magritte made a very eloquent point in one of his pictures. It's a picture of a pipe, and on the picture, in french, is the sentence 'This is not a pipe'. When people first see it, they usually tend to think, 'what the fuck was Magritte on when he did THIS?'. But if you think about it closely, he's right... and it's brilliant. It isn't a pipe. Quite simply, it's a picture of a pipe.
Now, lets say I copy the original artist's picture on another sheet of paper with a pencil.
What problems do I face here? If you think about it, the only 'problem' I face is how to make my pencil lines follow the original picture's pencil lines as closely as possible. It's more an exercise in hand-eye coordination than it is an artistic endeavor... VERY LITTLE thought needs to go into it.
Now, to give my point some relevance, lets take a look at what it takes to copy a comic book pictures into ANSI.
There is a new 'artistic problem' involved in doing this. There is a limited amount of characters available in ANSI. There is less resolution. There are rules as to how colors can interact. However, these are primarily technical problems. While it is very similar to the task of interpreting reality on paper, what with interpreting a highly detailed image in a less detailed medium, there still isn't as much creativity involved in it than there is in drawing the picture in the first place. I haven't CREATED anything in doing this... I haven't made anything but a less detailed interpretation of an already extant image.
When I copy a McFarlane comic book picture, I have a blueprint available to me as to how that image should work. I have a sheet of paper mapping out where every line should go, and where the colors are placed. In principle, all the effort of copying this picture IS is a more sophisticated version of 'connect the dots'. If you ever look at a children's activity book, many times you'll come across a picture of half of a clown on a sheet of graph paper. The 'activity' involved here is the effort of finishing this picture by copying the lines on the drawn half to the other, undrawn half... and you'd be surprised how many children can do this WELL. The reason? All the child needs to do is look at the drawn half of the picture, and put the same line down on the other half. He or she needn't think about what a clown looks like, or how to render a clown well. All he/she needs to do is look at a line on a sheet of paper, reverse the line, and put it down on the other half of the paper.
When you draw an ANSI from a comic book, you have a FULL sheet of paper, and you have colors and shading to deal with, and you have restrictions inherent in the medium. I'll grant you that. It's HARDER than the children's book example. But it works on exactly the same principle. All you need to do is look at a picture, find a line or a color block to draw, and put it on the screen. No thought really needs to go in to this other than the thought involved in finding out how to use ANSI blocks.
--- -- - - -
If you think I'm wrong, and you're of artistic bent, try this experiment out. Find a picture of an apple, and find a real apple. (The reason we're using an apple is because much of drawing is also a memory exercise... everyone knows what an apple looks like, while not nearly as many people know the muscle arrangements around the clavicles.) Now, try drawing the apple from the live model of it. After doing that, draw the apple from the picture of it. Finally, draw the apple from memory without ANY model.
Unless you're weird (you're kids will eat it...), or a better artist than the person who drew the picture, the best of your drawings should be the one you copied from the picture. You had a reference that not only provided you with the details of the apple, but also had the problems of shading and depth already worked out. All you needed to do with the picture was copy it directly.
The picture drawn from the real apple should have been harder. You can't directly copy a real apply on to a sheet of paper... in fact, unless you have a hologram laser, you can't directly copy an apple onto ANYTHING. You needed to interpet the apple on paper... you had all the details of the apple, probably more accurate than those provided by the paper, but you are presented by a set of problems not apperant in copying a picture.
Obviously, drawing an apple from memory is the hardest of the tasks picture, and few of the best artists can do it well. Comic book artists get paid six figure salaries to be able to accurately portray human anatomy on paper. Most artists have to spend years memorizing it, and decades smoothing out their style, to do it well. The task is so hard that few people expect an artist to be able to do it, and most people have great respect for those who can.
--- -- - - -
Now, in practice, there's a gargantuan difficulty involved in drawing purely original work in ANSI. You can only see 25/50 lines of it at a time. You can't look at the rest of your picture to reference, or get proportions straight. It's hard enough that nobody expects an ANSI artist to be able to do it, although a few people have shown the ability to do that. I'm not one of them.
However, too many people have taken the stance that this difficulty gives them a license to simply copy other pictures. For the same reason that it's easier to draw an apple from a picture than it is from life, or god forbid memory, it's also easier to copy a picture into ANSI than it is to draw one. It's also not original. It's also not creative. What you end up with is a finished product that looks GREAT... but isn't truely yours.
--- -- - - -
Primal Energy recolored a Tempus Thales ANSI, and was for all practical purposes given a court martial from the scene for doing it. However, I'd like to give you some food for thought.
Every time we copy a comic book picture into ANSI, could it be that all we are really doing is recolor a paper-based image in ANSI? What have we really DRAWN?
Food for thought (and thought from the fodder that I've most likely become for having written this).
--- -- - - -
Some quick alternatives that may actually make your ANSIs a bit fresher. Get a piece of paper and a pencil, and get a G.I. Joe guy or similar action figure. Look at the figure... what you have before you is a usable three dimensional model of accurate human anatomy. You can pose it in any way you see fit. When you copy it to paper, you can interpret it in any way you see fit. You can make it Spider Man, or Spawn, or what have you, with a minimal amount of effort. And you're picture is going to be original.
Copy the picture you've just drawn into ANSI. Face all the problems involved in coloring the picture well, and face all the problems inherent in shading and such. Given some practice, if you can draw from a comic well, you can do this just as well. And it's going to do wonders for your drawing ability.
If you need to copy from a comic book, re-pose the character. Move him around in some way. Close or open his eyes. Do SOMETHING. Change the picture. Show the audience that you can really DRAW the character instead of simply transposing an image.
--- -- - - -
In sum, I'm not trying to say ANSI art is easier or harder than any other medium. The DIFFICULTY behind art lies in the interpretive factors involved, and not the technical problems involved in drawing the lines. Anyone can draw lines. The problem comes in knowing where to PUT them.
- Asriel, [Tribe]
Review Information
Iridium Magazine's reviews are based on a 1 to 10 scoring basis. Each of three reviewers rates the ansi, and includes a 1-5 line desc- ription -- The ansi is then averaged, and a final score is devised for that particular ansi. These scores are not only used for that individual ansi, but for computing the 'Pack of the Month' also.
Pack of the Month -- The final scores of all ansis for their respective pack are totalled, and an average per ansi is obtained for each pack. The pack of the month is the pack with the highest average.
However, the 'Artist of the Month' is not obtained using the reviewer's ansi scores. It is obtained by adding the total points of voters in the 'Top Five' voting for each artist. So, not only does quality count -- But level of production is also a factor (and no, artists who produce 20 lousy ansis will not be awarded 'Artist of the Month').
iCE December 1993 Ansi Pack
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
BR-PANTH | Pantheon - Blade Runner | 5.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Is this the same Blade Runner who's been around for ages?!? | 5.5
| Hope not, because if it is, holy degeneration Batman. No |
| offence, but I was glad to see the font. |
Corwin | What did he try to draw? I really can't tell what it is | 4.0
| supposed to be. Font was ugly as well. |
Raistlin | I liked it, its Die Hard, simply -- But nice. | 7.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
DZ-GORE | PC-Board Main Menu - Danzig | 4.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| A real dissapointment. I'm a big Danzig fan, and I tried | 4.0
| to force myself to like it, but it just wasn't meant to be. |
Corwin | Not one of his best. The blood looked added in, like he |
| cut and pasted it afterwards. maybe he should stick to VGA | 3.5
Raistlin | Its not that bad! Kind of neat-o! | 6.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
DZ-STAT | Stat Screen - Danzig | 5.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| While I see the humour, it's in bad taste. The had that | 4.5
| Danzig style, but it was a leeetle bland. |
Corwin | Interesting concept, but it didn't make me look twice.Kinda | 4.0
| plain and the joke was a bit offensive. |
Raistlin | I loved this, maybe its because I'm a HUGE Danzig fan! | 8.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
GM-INTOX | Intoxifornication - G-Man | 8.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Now, finally a light in the darkness! This ones great! | 8.5
| Good style, not to mention hilarious. |
Corwin | Wow! G-Man can still draw as well as ever. This picture | 8.5
| impressed me.n Great cartoon of goofy with nice detail. |
Raistlin | One of the best cartoons I have seen in a LONG time! | 9.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
LS-HG | Hell's Gate - Lord Soth | 7.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| I love this one down to the gem, but as you go down, so | 7.0
| does the quality. The font pretty much killed it. |
Corwin | Great picture of Union. Lots of detail, but the font killed| 7.5
| it. |
Kinayda | Excellent picture, like the style. Font is barely important.| 8.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
LS-WALL | The Wall - Lord Soth | 7.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Yet again, potential. Yet still a little rough. I like | 6.5
| font better than the last one. |
Corwin | Not as good as the last picture. A bit rough and the shading| 7.0
| could have been done better. Nicer font though. Take the |
| last picture and this fone and you have a nice ANSi. |
Raistlin | Just as good as the previous, although the eyes were weird. | 8.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
MH-SL1 | Shadowlands - Metal Head | 7.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Must admit, I was hopeing for more. The nose looked messed | 6.5
| but the eyes were cool. |
Corwin | I usually don't like MH's art, but this was an exception. | 8.0
| picture and a nice original font. |
Raistlin | I'm biased here :) Excellent picture, forearm needed work. | 8.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
MH-TASB1 | Armaggeddon Support BBS - Metal Head | 7.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Liked this one much better! Can't say anything bad about | 8.5
| it. The shading is amazing. |
Corwin | Blah. Nice shading but the subject of the picture sucked. | 6.0
Raistlin | Another great by MH, nice shading.. Had the "cute" effect. | 7.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
NM-AMBER | Amber - The Necromancer | 6.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| It's a shame to see so many ANSi's that could be amazing | 6.0
| but not enough effort put in. This one needed more shading |
| and colour. |
Corwin | I liked this one,it was taken from a black and white picture| 7.0
| and i think he did a good job with it. The font was superb.|
Raistlin | I like parts of this, and disliked parts. Overall - OK. | 7.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
RI-PH3 | Phone Henge - Riothamus | 5.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| It looks as though this one was shaded until the light. It | 6.0
| as well had potential, but... |
Corwin | Can you say ugly? he tried to mix cartoon style and shaded | 4.0
| style and couldn't do it right. Font was horrible as well. |
Raistlin | Didn't much care forthis. Sloppy, undefined. A total mess. | 5.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
RT-MS | MaelStrom - RipTide | 7.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| He looks fat! And squished. Stretch and squeeze it and it | 7.0
| would have been better. |
Corwin | Nice font. The picture is okay, but the head looks too small| 7.5
| otherwise a good picture. |
Raistlin | Head looks to small, would have been better if proportioned.| 7.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
RT-NOC | The Nocturnal Deathcamp - RipTide | 7.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| The font was basic and the hair made the head look flat, | 7.5
| but otherwise it is pretty good. |
Corwin | Nice picture of grifter without a shirt. Clean font with | 8.0
| good shading. Not bad at all. |
Raistlin | Decent. Face was done well, body and font needed work. | 6.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
SD-CORP | Corrosive Poison - Sand | 7.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Too many greets! A BAD font, and the proportions are way | 5.5
| off. Not to impressed. |
Corwin | Good picture. The font was too small tho. The purple in the| 7.0
| font also didn't seem to fit with the rest of the picture. |
Raistlin | Excellent! This is the best of the month. Great style, ex- |
| showing of detail and use of light-source shading! | 9.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
SE-GARFD | Damage Incorporated - Special Ed | 6.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| This is one of those average ones enhanced by humour. The | 6.5
| font could have been better though. |
Corwin | Definately one of the funnier pictures have seen in a while | 7.0
| The font was okay, but the picture made the whole ANSi. |
Raistlin | Funny, but the Garfield lacked detail. Liked the font. | 6.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
SE-HAND | iCE Logo (w/pic) - Special Ed | 5.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| A case of over highlighting. Also, it's a little vague at | 5.5
| the top. |
Corwin | The hand was way overhighlighted. Ruined the whole picture.| 4.5
| The font was clean and well done however. |
Raistlin | Liked this new style again, done badly at the top. Nice tho.| 7.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
TK-XMAS | X-Mas ANSi - Tank | 6.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| For a comeback ANSi, I wasn't too happy. That igloo just | 6.0
| totally turned me off. And the fact the wrap-around didn't |
| line up right also brought down the quality. |
Corwin | Bleah. Not a great ANSi, but not even a good one either. | 4.5
| The greets were unreadable. The ANSi was WAY too long also |
| the wrap didn't work right. |
Raistlin | The wrap did work w/ ACiDView. Nicely done, bravo Tank. | 7.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
TSU-GH1 | Gallows Howe - Tatsu | 4.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| I was VERY dissapointed by this one. All around it was | 5.5
| just bad quality. |
Corwin | This ANSi should have stayed out of the pack. It was not up| 4.0
| to "iCE quality" in my opinion. The font was horrid and the|
| picture was very poor quality. |
Raistlin | Bad. | 4.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----ACiD January 1994 Aquisition Update
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
AN-LD | Lost Destiny - Andrew Nice | 5.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Not one of his better works. Necks to long and I lost | 5.5
| interest towards the end. Looks like a rush job. |
Corwin | Not as good as some he has done. The picture looked | 5.0
| unfinished and the font was okay at best. |
Raistlin | This one looks terribly rushed. Take your time! | 4.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
AT-CCI | CCi Logo (w/pic) - Aphex Twin | 8.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Really liked this one. Great rendering of Mako. Good | 9.0
| shading and use of space, but the space around Maxx's |
| shoulders looks like floating muscles. |
Corwin | Excellent picture. Definately one of his best to date. The | 8.5
| on it part which could have been better was the font. Kinda|
| small compared to the rest of the picture. Otherwise an |
| excellent picture. |
Raistlin | Nice overall, but the MAXX looked a little undiscernable. | 8.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
AT-NS | Northern Sector - Aphex Twin | 7.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Fairly good ANSi. A little to much darkness. The only | 7.0
| hint that it's Union is the little message at the top. |
Corwin | Not bad. But not defined enough. the picture could have | 7.5
| used more color and less black. The font was nice, but that|
| was drawn by Dr.Tongue |
Raistlin | A little too undefined, needed ALOT more detail! | 6.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
AT-PSY | Psychosis Logo - Aphex Twin | 6.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Pretty basic 25 liner. The font is average, but the pic is | 6.0
| pretty funky. The definition was a good touch. |
Corwin | Not bad as an mag interface, but not really good enough | 5.5
| to be released by itself. Kinda hard to discern the picture|
Raistlin | I loved this one! Alot like a Danzig-style! Impressive! | 7.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
BE-GOD | Gates of Destiny - Beastie | 8.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| A good rendition of Maul from WildC.A.T.S. Good use of | 8.0
| colours and darkness. Basic font, looks rushed. |
Corwin | I saw this ansi before it was released. I liked it then and| 9.0
| I still do. One of the better pictures of Maul i have seen.|
| The font is nice and clean. |
Raistlin | Waaaaay too simple, too clean. Everything is too basic. | 7.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
BK-CHO1 | Channel Zer0 - Bad Karma | 7.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Considering the length, it's quite good. The Warblade part | 8.0
| blew, and Voodoo's hair needed work. Spartan's face looked |
| wrong as well. Really liked the Zealot part. |
Corwin | Alot of people liked this ansi quite alot. Not me however, | 6.5
| not bad all in all, but in my opinion the shading needed |
| work. The font was th best part. |
Raistlin | The pictures aren't of the HIGHEST quality, but because of | 8.5
| the length, it warrants a higher score. |
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
BK-HARD1 | Hard Wired - Bad Karma | 7.1
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Once again the hair was too vague. The blood was good, as | 7.0
| well as the shading on the face. The font was meek. |
Corwin | Good picture of PiTT. It looks just like the picture it was | 8.0
| it was taken from. The blood and shading were awesome. The |
| font however, needs work. |
Raistlin | First off, WAY too much void space. Leaving that much blank | 6.5
| space in an ansi draws attention to its flaws, and they |
| stand out. Such as, bad curves and shading. |
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
CB-ADC1 | After Dark Club - Crewl Blade | 7.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Looks like Prophet's going for the bee-hive hair-do. And | 6.5
| the face and 6-pack are a bit too symetrical. |
Corwin | Excellent up close picture of Prophet. I especially like the| 9.0
| "Alter Ego" type shading. One of the better pcitures of |
| Prophet. Font was clean and well shaded also. |
Raistlin | Agreed - The hair is looking a little wild. Muslcles are | 6.5
| done kind of vaguely. |
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
GD-CODE1 | Codename: Overlord - Glenn Danzig | 7.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Basic comic ANSi. Nothing special, but nothing wrong. The | 7.0
| font by CB was good. |
Corwin | A good picture of Pike. A little short, but the poem an font| 7.5
| make up for it. |
Raistlin | Not enough color. Font kicked ass. | 7.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
GU-GOD1 | Gates of Destiny - Guile | 6.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| On first impression, I thought 'Not Bad'. But after taking | 6.0
| a good look at it, I realized the head was equal in length |
| to the pecks and abdomen combined. The jaw looked like it |
| was dislocated as well. |
Corwin | Good picture, but a bit unsymmetrical. The head was too long| 6.5
| and the body too short. The font looked a bit recycled as |
| well. |
Raistlin | This is terribly dis-proportioned. However, I still like it.| 7.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
IM-EOT | End of Time - Iron Man | 8.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Not bad. Too much black space. Jaw looks dislocated as | 7.5
| well. |
Corwin | Great picture. A bit long, but worth the look. The shading| 9.0
| was well done and the font was well done as well. One of |
| IM's best. |
Raistlin | This is EXCELLENT in VGA, but TOO vague in ansi. | 6.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
IZ-KEG1 | The Keg - Icszer | 4.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Ouch. Where did this guy learn to draw? Can we say | 4.5
| symetrical? The drool is the only non-symetrical part! |
Corwin | Eh, not a great picture, but kind of striking. The font was| 5.5
| was the best part. |
Raistlin | This is very bad. Too much black, everything is loose. | 4.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
KS-CR1. | Critic ANSiMation - Kronos | 7.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| For an ANSiMation, the art was fair. A little slow. | 7.0
Corwin | Interesting concept for an ANSiMation. The hippie idea was | 8.5
| very orignal. A little slow, but still one of his better |
Raistlin | Pretty nice, slow though. Getting better w/ each one! | 7.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
KS-PLOST | Paradise Lost - Kronos | 7.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Kronos's best ANSi yet in my opinion. Finally got it! :) | 7.0
Corwin | Killer shaded ANSi from the gut who supposedly can't draw. | 8.0
| The best shaded ANSi kronos has ever done and the font was |
| sweet as well. |
Raistlin | This ansi kicked ass! Great job! Stats looked bad, though. | 8.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
QR-HRVST | Harvest Moon - Quasar | 7.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| This ones pretty good. Didn't realize Quasar did pics. Or | 7.5
| maybe I was thinking Quazar didn't do pics... Ow, my head! |
Corwin | Which way is this guy facing? Not a bad picture, but the | 6.5
| way it was drawn,you can't tell if the guy is facing forward|
| or to the side. |
Raistlin | Didn't care for it too much, too vague and undetailed. | 6.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
SX-CP1 | Corrosive Poison - Sushi X | 7.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Wow! A comtoon. The font was a little simple, but the pic | 8.5
| was nice. Someone explain the date to me though. I think |
| I see a 94. |
Corwin | Interesting picture, but what is it? Font is okay, nothing | 7.5
| nothing really special but it fits. |
Raistlin | This one was crazy. Nice innovative idea, but TOO sloppy. | 5.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
TC-REICH | The Fourth Reich - The Clone | 6.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Another one that I thought was good at first but then, wait | 6.5
| a sec, it isn't. Face fades away, and those teeth! Ugh! |
Corwin | Good beginning of a picture, but where is the rest of it. | 6.0
| Nice detail but looks unfinished. The font was clean, but |
| not drawn by him. |
Raistlin | This was very good. Nice detail, clean but accurate style! | 7.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----Tribe Pack Number 7
Review Staff
*NOTE: The Tribe Archives will no longer be reviewed in Iridium Magazine after this issue, because their president -- Shihear Kallizad -- wishes it so. We have no reason, or incentive, to review a group that wishes NOT to be reviewed.
TRiBE Archive #7
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
AS-BADH | Bad Habits - Asriel | 5.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Tacky colours! The stimpy's half decent, but the rest... | 5.5
Corwin | The Stimpy was the best part, the rest wasn't that great. | 5.0
Raistlin | The Stimpy looked pretty nice, the font needed some work. | 6.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
AS-FNOXT | Fort Knox - Asriel | 4.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Not too great. Is that a sword? | 5.5
Corwin | Can someone please tell me what this is supposed to be? | 4.5
Raistlin | Ah.. The head and clouds a pretty good, then it turns bad. | 5.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
AS-RED2 | Red Dawn II - Asriel | 4.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| I won't ask what this one's supposed to mean. And those | 5.0
| fonts! |
Corwin | Boy, does this guy draw obscure pictures.. Two in a row that| 4.0
| I can't tell what the hell they are supposed to be. |
Raistlin | This is your worst of the pack, by FAR. | 3.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
AS-TRIBE | TRiBE Logo - Asriel | 6.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Not a bad font. His best work in the pack. | 6.0
Corwin | Nice font. Is this really done by the same guy as the last | 6.5
| three ANSi's? |
Raistlin | I liked this font alot, very impressive. | 6.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
BZ-SANTC | Sanctioned Carnage - Beez | 5.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| My God! It's Beez! Pretty good, nothing spectacular. | 6.0
Corwin | Pretty small. Not worth a second look. | 4.5
Raistlin | Small, but I liked it, nice to see Beez back in action. | 6.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
DC-ROC | R.O.C. Logo - Dark Deception | 4.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Yawn... next? How plain :) | 4.5
Corwin | Do they all just do logos? | 4.0
Raistlin | Fair, simple, bland logo. | 4.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
DC-UNDER | The Underworld - Dark Deception | 4.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Hasn't this satan's symbols been played out by now? | 4.5
Corwin | The font is the only decent thing about this one. | 4.0
Raistlin | Generally fair all over, font looked fairly nice. | 4.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
KM-NOF1 | No Fear - King Midas | 6.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Looks original. And for an original not bad. Could have | 6.0
| done a better job shading. |
Corwin | Best shaded picture in the pack. Font needs some work though| 6.5
Raistlin | Not too bad, decent drawing, shading was a tad weird. | 5.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
KM-PTG | Pentagram Logo - King Midas | 4.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Average. Nothing new here... | 5.0
Corwin | Nice font, but nothing very orignal about it. | 4.5
Raistlin | For a font to be good these days, it has to be original. | 4.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
KM-PTG2 | Pentagram Logo - King Midas | 4.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| About the same quality as the last. Letters look to skinny | 5.0
| in places. |
Corwin | Again, a nice logo, but the shading needs work. Colors could| 4.5
| have been beter also. |
Raistlin | Again, originality needed. | 4.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
KM-PURG1 | Purgatory - King Midas | 7.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Pretty good. Though the shoulder belt or whatever just | 7.0
| stops part way up. |
Corwin | Nice picture, the green background has to go though. Ruins | 6.5
| the picture. |
Raistlin | This would be very nice if the muscles and body were done |
| better. They were far to square and basic. | 7.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
KR-FB2 | Free Beer - Killean the Red | 7.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| This ones great! Probably the best one in the pack. | 8.5
Corwin | Wow! TRiBE has another good picture. | 8.0
Raistlin | I didn't like this one at all. Nothing worked. | 5.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
LO-LOST1 | Paradigm `Cover' - Logan | 8.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Another great one! Kitty Pryde's mouth is a little odd... | 8.0
Corwin | LogaN always impresses me. Nice job on this one. | 7.5
Raistlin | Best ansi in the pack, yet another Logan great... | 8.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
MS-AP1 | ACiD Pool - Mr. Sinister | 3.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Nothing Special or new. | 3.0
Corwin | Ugly colors. Plain font. Nothing work looking at twice. | 3.5
Raistlin | Color scheme did NOT work. | 3.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
MS-CCI1 | CCi Logo - Mr. Sinister | 3.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| A bit better, not much though. | 3.5
Corwin | Did anyone else notice it looks alot like he ripped KM's PTG| 3.0
| logo? |
Raistlin | Done like KM's, but not as well. | 3.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
MS-FB1 | Free Beer - Mr. Sinister | 1.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Ugh! That's disgusting! | 1.5
Corwin | That was so bad I thought it broke my monitor. | 1.0
Raistlin | Really bad, mostly un-readible. | 2.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
MS-PARA1 | Paradigm Logo - Mr. Sinister | 2.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Looks like the ACiD Pool one. | 2.0
Corwin | Ugly and small. Not worth the space it took up. | 1.0
Raistlin | I dunno, I liked this one -- There's something about it. | 5.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
MS-PL1 | Paradise Lost - Mr. Sinister | 2.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Another Yawn. I'm sick of logo's. | 3.5
Corwin | Bleah. Plain as hell and a bad job of shading as well. | 2.0
Raistlin | Bad. Real bad. This is overused. | 2.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
QZ-CCI2 | CCi Logo - Quazar | 4.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Looks like one he did in #6. | 4.0
Corwin | Nice logo. Not oo fancy but a good job. | 5.0
Raistlin | Nice idea, but could have been done better. | 5.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
QZ-CZ01 | Channel Zer0 - Quazar | 5.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| At least QZ can do good fonts. | 4.5
Corwin | Clean font with good colors. Nice piece of work | 5.0
Raistlin | Liked this one alot, neat-o. | 5.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
QZ-ELEU1 | Eleutheria - Quazar | 3.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| I expected more out of Quazar. | 3.0
Corwin | Fugly. Very fugly. Font is okay, but the colors are bad | 3.5
Raistlin | Again, nice idea, but this one didn't work out. | 3.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
QZ-ID1 | Infinite Darkness - Quazar | 5.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| That's more like it. | 4.5
Corwin | Not bad, not good. Best logo from him in the pack | 5.0
Raistlin | Like the 'gothic' look. Very impressive. | 6.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
QZ-PTG1 | Pentagram Logo - Quazar | 5.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Different, very different. | 4.0
Corwin | Not on of his best for sure. Kinda unreadable. | 4.0
Raistlin | I loved this one, original and very well done! | 7.0
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
QZ-TRIBE | TRiBE Logo - Quazar | 4.3
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| Another weird one, not as good as the last one. | 3.5
corwin | The green looks good. The rest of the logo isn't that good.| 4.0
Raistlin | Pretty good, nice working in the green. | 5.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
VI-TWIN | Twin Peaks - Village Idiot | 5.6
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----
Elminster| For a first, not bad. The shading and proportions need | 6.0
| work. |
Corwin | Not bad for a first ANSi. Looks like it has some potential. | 5.5
Raistlin | Very good for a first timer. Broke down after the neck. | 5.5
---------≈-------------------------------------------------------------≈----Artist of the Month
This month's 'Artist of the Month' is Sand of iCE Advertisements. With his first place "Corrosive Posion" ansi, he scored higher than several other artists who had 2-3 ansis.
Honorable Mention: Metal Head [iCE], Aphex Twin [Gothic], and Lord Soth [iCE].
Pack of the Month
This month's 'Pack of the Month' is the ACiD January 1994 Aquisition Update. With an average score per ansi of 7.0411 it safely beat the iCE Pack which scored an average of 6.5000. The Tribe pack came in with an average of 4.7500 per ansi.
Artwork Information
The selections for the Iridium Magazine 'Ansi Art' section are made in a very simple way. There are 3 reasons a ansi may be selected.
- It failed to make the 'Top Five' list, and finished in ranks 6-10.
- It is a piece of artwork done by any author, for Iridium Magazine, that was not used throughout the magazine.
- The ansi is an advertisement for an Iridium Magazine distribution site or headquarter board.
Top 5 Information
Iridium's Top Five is compiled as follows:
Several artists or outstanding members of the 'art scene' are interviewed and asked which ansis they thought were the Top Five of this month. These lists are recorded, and point values are rewarded to the ansis as follows.
(Example)
John Doe's Picks: ANSIONE.ANS 50 pts
ANSITWO.ANS 40 pts
ANSITHR.ANS 30 pts
ANSIFOU.ANS 20 pts
ANSIFIV.ANS 10 ptsOnce the picks of all the artists/members have been tallied, a final list of the Top Five ansis is compiled.
* A list of contributors to the 'Top Five' can be found in the member listing.
Poem/Lit Information
This is a brief collection of what we at Iridium feel are this month's outstanding literary pieces.
Note: Due to the lack of support for Iridium's literary section, this section may be replaced next month.
Amber
Israfel [Gothic]
___ ____
/ \ ____ | \
| /_\ | __ | |_ ____ | _| |
| _ |/ \| \ _/ | <
|__| |__|__\/__|_____/____\|__|\__\
Another night, you sink into slumber
Once again consumed by Amber
Slowly falling - soothing, sublime
Into space and out of time
Grabbing wildly at endless skies
Visions dancing within your eyes
A psychadelic dream runs true
In and out of the realm of you
Feeling, reeling from overdose
In the heavens, the dream arose
Run and run on moonlight's crest
Bury your soul in heaven's breast
Limitless, your mind runs free
Lose all conception of reality
Face all consequences, feel your pain
Till the nightime comes again..
--- iSRAFEL OF GOTHiC PRODUCTiONS ---Channel Zero
Israfel [Gothic]
The ominous light blinds our eyes
The droning sound stifles our cries
We are the children of a thousand days
Lack of morality corrupts our ways
"Buy one, buy two, buy three of mine,
Oh! This perfume smells sooo divine
Call now - operators are standing by
Guaranteed - these shoes will make you fly"
We search for truth among the pack of lies
Yet there is no doubt - no compromise
But we love it - still we pray
That the madness fills us each day
Flip the switch - and off we go
To the wonderland of Channel Zero!Israfel of Gothic Productions
CopyShaka 1993
TUKF
Forlorn Extendor [Gothic]
the urban killing fields
you'll never take me alive
they came in wave after wave
unstopping
unwavering
the zombies in their stoic death poses
stopping in the moonlight
their agonies mirrored by the strobe
from the fire from my weapon
ripping away chards of mottled flesh
a souvenir for eternity
i try to blow them away as fast as i can
but i know resistance is futile
they are mowed down by the thousands
martyrs from the anciend age
boiled and pickled in their daily rum rations
smoked and flavored in rich ciggarette smoke
leathery cover favored over the power of rippling muscle
they came stinking and choking
warm slugs ripping non existent vital organs
they were the fallen from dieppe
the butcher'd villages in nam
the baked in bergen belsen
figurative life in their eyes
but true literal murder in their hearts
and as i was taken down
i knew they had christened their land
with the love of a crippled patriot
the blood from my veins making their wine
my flesh their savior and eucharist
i am one of them
joining my brothers with the maggots underfoot
lying to rest without peace
shutting our eyes
our victims await
in the urban killing fields.
forlorn extender - Gothic!
Twisted Tower
Israfel [Gothic]
--- The Twisted Tower ---
›
I've searched alone, a thousand times fi›
For a place that's devoid of fear ‹∞±‹
I've reached into the secret of rhymes ±flflflfl≤
I found the truth - but it disappeared fi±≤€∞›
±≤›fi±∞
Those endless years, of endless pain fi±≤€≤±∞›
In which all my faith was long forsaken ±≤€€€≤±∞
And so my tears have become the rain ‹≤›fi±≤€ €≤±∞›‹‹
Slumbering soul, won't you awaken? ‹≤±∞‹fl fl≤€€€≤±∞flfl‹≤fl‹‹el
∞∞±fl‹‹∞±≤‹flfl‹flfl‹±≤‹‹fl∞±≤€‹
I continue, my lifelong journey ∞±fl‹≤±∞€∞∞±≤fi≤›±∞€∞±≤€‹fl∞±≤€
As I grow old, hour upon hour flfl flflflflflflfl flflflflflfl flflflfl
Praying for the day, I will finally be
At the pragmatic Twisted Tower,
And there I will be complete..
Israfel of Gothic ProductionsHaven
R0NiN [iCE]
When the pressures of life threaten my mind,
I close my eyes and leave it all behind.
Forget the death, the wars and the pain,
Go to a land that exists in my brain.
This innocent beauty fills my spirit with peace,
My eyes fill with tears as I feel the release.
I float through the sky, with an angel of light,
Together we sail, join her in her flight.
Alone now I swim, through oceans so pure,
No pollution to burn, no sickness to cure.
The animals see me, welcome me as a friend,
I love this pure feeling, wish it wouldn't end.
A flash of reality, I'm now torn away,
I cling so futilely, try so hard to stay.
Now back in the real world, this world that I hate,
Go on with existence, impatient, I wait.
For the day Death will take me, take me into the ground,
Never will I fear, for then I'll have found.
A land of enchantment, to heal my dark soul,
I'll never seek freedom, for then, I'll be whole.
My lame-ass lit greets:
Scimitar Wraith: Call me dude, I won't be wasted this time...
Mr. Sinister: Good luck with the ansi dude!
Phoenix Hawk: Welcome aboard...
Shihear: Man, sure feels great to run iCE... :)
Shade
R0NiN [iCE]
Hear their bold words that reek of black lies,
Watch the men kneel and pray for the truth,
Feel the cold darkness as their willpower dies,
They spread wicked evil to the innocent youth,
All in the name of god.
Some die for nothing but their own bad luck,
Not just the guilty will suffer in pain,
Do you really think your god gives a fuck?
Won't see me in church I've got nothing to gain,
For I know the Truth.
See the fools kneel before the white cross,
Laugh as they suffer to prove they believe,
If they get their way it will be your loss,
Nothing but fire will the 'chosen' receive,
They are the guilty.
As the Judgement Day rears its black head in the sky,
The faithful will search for their peace everlast,
They'll recognixe truth and then they'll know why,
Into the pits of hell will they be cast,
And then they will burn.
Have a nice day.
R0NiN
[iCE˘PSY]
War
Phoenix Hawk [iCE]
He turned his head to look at the wide expanse around him. It seemed to stretch forever, an unending plain of nothing but red gritty sand, with the occasional withered bit of desert grass. What was he doing here anyway? He was twenty light years away from his home, stuck fighting a war he didn't understand on some godforsaken planet in the Alpha Centauri system. It had all started so long ago, when he had decided to join the army. Hell, it was good pay, and it wasn't exactly a challenge. The last "real" war had been WWII (people didn't consider any of the smaller wars to be anything but skirmishes) but the army was still around.
He remembered clearly that day he had decided to "join up." It was one year after he finished school. He hadn't been smart enough to attend a university, like some of his friends, but then again he wasn't without hope, for he had been able to attend secondary school. But his barely passing marks hadn't been enough to get a good job, and his search had been fruitless for an entire year. So he decided to join the army. It wasn't hard, he just went to the building and asked for a form. An old, grizzled soldier handed him a form with only four blanks: name, age, address, and whether you still knew your parents. Grim looking, but efficient. They took anybody into the army, whether they should be joining or not. That had been five years ago.
He had initially been assigned to the hovertank division. The hovertank was huge, sleek, and fast. Used primarily for lightning strikes, it was therefore lightly armored. It took him one entire year to learn how to use it effectively, for only two people piloted the entire thing with its incredible array of long distance weapons and detection facilities. His partner's name had been Jack Mackan. He didn't know whether that was the man's real name, for you were allowed to change your name when you joined the army, to start over. He himself had changed his name to John Phoenix. He never told anyone what it had been. He didn't like his old self, didn't need it.
He had been in the army for two years when the war started. He had been in the first wave of attack on the planet of the "tigers." They were officially the Felissia, the nation of the cat people, but the soldiers called them the "tigers" . That wave had been dubbed the "suicide run," which was the common name for the first attack in the nineteenth century, almost 400 years ago. It had been. The light force of tanks had been nearly obliterated. The tigers had employed some type of device that affected the person commanding the weapon through their brain sensors. It was the worst thing he had ever seen. His partners head had simply exploded at his terminal. It had happened to all the weapons people in the squad. Then the Felissia moved in for the easy kill. It had been easy for them. Only sixteen tanks made it out alive. The commanders had grossly underestimated the tigers. The hovertank went into an early retirement as the commanders looked for a more effective weapon against the tigers.
That was what John was using now. They called it a hellcat. It was a steel replica of a real tiger, the kind they had back on earth, only larger. Much larger. It was a full ten meters long. The rider/driver rode on top, in a specialized saddle. The hellcat had no long range weapons; they had been proven useless against the Felissia's city shields. The hellcat had only its powerful jaws, which were controlled by the driver. Luckily the tigers didn't have long range weapons either; it was thought that they assumed that the humans would have similar shields. The human army didn't, but the tigers didn't know that.
So here he was, with his hellcat. His hellcat was special, it was a genuine AI, or artificial intelligence. The AI cats were only given to the commanders or the special units forces. He was with the special units.
His "cat" was programmed to think like a real tiger, only much smarter. Its only defect was that it was completely ruthless, making it impossible to take prisoners. No one cared about prisoners though; the majority of the commoners had adopted the saying "The only good Felissium is a dead Felissium." He himself held with that statement.
He turned around, gazed at his cat. It purred back at him. The cat had named itself Xenon, after one of the elements. John liked his cat. It was fierce, strong, and equipped with extra sensors. When he rode Xenon, John became one with the metal construction, his thoughts were the cat's thoughts, the cat's thoughts were his. He saw through Xenon's eyes, used Xenon's strength. It was truly an incredible piece of machinery, engineered for only the best in the army. He counted himself among the best, with almost no modesty. You couldn't be modest in the army. You had to know what you could do, know what you couldn't do. If you didn't, you didn't last long.
He knew he could pull this mission off. He and his small troop of twenty cat-riders, dubbed the V-men, had been assigned to the task of drawing the tigers' army away from the small town of Illidiam. The plan was for the army to take Illidiam quickly enough to prevent the "scorched earth" policy of the tigers, who burned everything as they retreated. The earthbound scientists wanted more information about these aliens: books, devices, building materials, anything would be useful. To do this they had to take it fast enough to prevent the explosion that would destroy the town.
John judged the time to be about right. He climbed up the side of Xenon and mounted it. Speaking through the communications circuit, he woke his squad. It only took one word, because men in the army were trained to wake and sleep on command. John raised his scepter of command above his head. Seeing this, the other hellcats sprang to life and quickly made formation. With a short chopping motion, he signalled the beginning of the attack. The cats literally leaped to action. Bounding across the red barren plain, these twenty made a fearsome sight, huge metallic cats streaking across the huge emptiness, jaws open, revealing their seven-inch steel instruments of death. They were in sight of the city within minutes.
The charge never faltered, heading directly into the bulk of the Felissia army. Short range weapons that were unaffected by shields began dropping everywhere around him. Here, a flash of red, there, the ground ruptured and exploded. John was cool and calm. He had seen worse situations. The charge continued.
When the elite force was within 200 meters, John again raised the scepter. The small group made an incredibly sudden ninety degree turn to the left. As expected, the tiger army began to move slowly toward them, firing the whole while. Some type of explosive went off against Xenon's side, rocking the creature. John wasn't worried; the armor was nearly impenetrable. He continued to move forward at an incredible rate.
The ground exploded in front of him. He was not alarmed - at first. Then, everything was thrown into confusion as the great hellcat tripped on the edge of the huge new crater. John was thrown from its back onto the sand, the hellcat tumbled over and over around five times and finally came to rest in the sand, unable to attain its feet. Its motor systems were probably broken. No worry, it would be recovered and fixed. Of much more importance were the nineteen other hellcats pounding around him. His world was nothing but flashing glinting steel for a few seconds, then he found himself alone on the sandy wastes, a cloud of dust marking the pack of hellcats quickly receding.
The Felissia army was slowly advancing, it would be on him in seconds. There was nothing he could do, troopers carried no weaponry on their body, should they fall from their hellcats, they were left for dead unless they could return under their own power. A cruel system, but efficient. John had nothing to do but wait. And wait he did.
It was not long before John was stunned into unconsciousness by the felissia. He had already given himself up, so as he fainted, he had no worries. It was only when he awoke that the horror began.
He found himself strapped on a table of some sort. He felt the mind linkups that were attached to his head. His eyes were closed right now, he could not seem to open them. Soon a burst of completely unintelligible thoughts assaulted his mind. He sent a string of thoughts over the links, his worries, his battle experience, and countless other things. This was returned with another unintelligible message. Apparently these links were not the probing variety, he felt no attempts at probing. Maybe the Felissia didn't have those yet. John hoped they didn't. Slowly he sank back into blackness again.
The next time he awoke was to a searing pain on his chest. This time there were no mind linkups, and he was able to open his eyes. He quickly shut them again. He did not like at all what he had seen. He nearly fainted.
He had seend his body, or what was left of it. Apparently the Felissia doctors had taken it upon themselves to remove his limbs. They had simply cut them off. His body was lying in some kind of pool of liquid, and the pain had come from a large knife running dows his chest. The pain ended, and then he felt movement around his body. He forced himself to open his eyes again. This was worse. His organs were almost free floating in the liquid solution. His rib cage had been removed. He apparently no longer had blood, it appeared as though the liquid was being pumped through his body, not his own blood. He grimly thought that even seeing his own blood spattered all over everything would be comforting. In this form he was not even human, not even a man anymore. He was only a thing to be toyed with. He could not imagine what they could do to him that would make it worse. He didn't have long to wait.
He felt something grinding against his skull in the back. He felt a sudden wetness around the back of his head. Then the crowning inhumanity came. He felt an incredible pain above one of his eyes, then again above the other. He could no longer see, and he felt himself being sunk into the liquid. John noticed he didn't need to breath anymore. It was then that he felt the mind probes entering. The tigers were invading just about the only thing he had left, his mind. They toyed with it, tampered with it. It was obviously some kind of experiment, they didn't know what they were doing. They tampered with things never ment to be touched. John's body passed from extreme heat, to extreme cold, to extreme pain.
They played on his sanity, his reality. One minute he was in paradise, the next he was in Hell. He couldn't do anything about it, and he couldn't take it any longer either. With his mind scarred and destroyed, John retreated into the whirlpool of black unconsciousness that came to greet him. He thought no more.
When the army's hellcat divisions took the town, they found John and several other troopers submerged in the vats of liquid, not even vaguely human. Many could not handle it, and that was the end of their military career. Others simply stood in abject silence, staring at the abominations before them. John and the others were disconnected from the machines by the breaking of the wires, and taken away for a proper marines burial. Before his ceremony, John was given a post mortem award of valor for his part in battling the foes of the Federation. Many men followed his example in joining the army and some even adopted his thinking style and fighting style, since his journals were published publicly. The great hellcat Xenon became one of the most powerful machines ever built, and never accepted another rider, becoming by itself a four star general. Xenon, in fact, was the leader of the final attack on the great stronghold of the Felissima.
Thanks for reading Iridium Issue #2 -- We hope you enjoyed it.
