by : Rtr.Shanaka Abeyewardene

On August 24th 2016, Rotaract Club of SLIIT opened the stage for “The Comic Artist” an Online Comic Art Competition. This competition was solely organised with the motive of bringing great new ideas to the geek world and to enable creative individuals to be recognized in the related world today by presentation of their new and unique character ideas as well as to innovative ideas to the comic world. The competition began by us requesting submissions of Comic Art from the 24th of August. By the time of the closing date which was 20th of October 2016, we had about 30 submissions of Comic Art; each one unique while being creative, interesting, and a great demonstration of what’s possible with today’s youth.

On behalf of the Rotaract club of SLIIT we would like to thank all who submitted their wonderful, most intriguing work for this year’s Comic Artist competition! The organizing team has been overwhelmed with the support they received by all the contestants who submitted their ideas for the Comic Artist competition that we launched in August 2016, which made this event a great success. The competition ran for almost 2 months accepting all submissions, and during this time we received, as I mentioned earlier a number of almost 30 submissions from the 2 categories the competition was limited to. The 2 categories being, ranged from the level of School students through University Students.  Namely, the two categories were “The Rotaract category” and “The Open Category”; where, Individuals from the Rotaract club distinct fell under the Rotaract category and the rest under, Open category. The submissions we received were of extremely high quality in terms of uniqueness of the comic ideas as well as the proposed description the comics came with was alluring. Out of the submissions made, the Rotaract category reached a number of 7 submissions and the Open category tolled in with a number of more than 20 submissions.

Everyone who submitted their ideas to the Comic Artist competition should feel proud of the work they did and know that they have in some way helped to give awareness about how we as youth can be part of the comic community. Creativity is crucial for the growth of the field of Comic Artists. We hope that in some way this competition has motivated and inspired those new and old to the field to continue being creative and bring out the worst to the utmost best of their ideas to the comic world.

We had many amazing submissions for both the Rotaract and Open Categories, and we, the organisers sincerely enjoyed working through and about all the submissions that have been coming through to us for the 2 months. The judges had a very tough time evaluating the submissions due to the fact that the Quality of submissions was grand, and it made their jobs difficult to distinguish one over the other. Unfortunately, naturally there must be a winner, and after much deliberation the winners for the Comic Artist Competition was decided and revealed to the Contestants on the 1^st of November 2016.

The winners are as follows;

• Rotaract CategoryAccording to Harindi Jayasooriya, her comic character, Kiru, represents;

  “In an alternate universe where demons walk the earth and evil has reigned supreme for thousands of years- Kiru is the only remaining hope in mankind’s’ greatest hour of need.

  Blessed by Kāli, the all-powerful goddess of time, creation, destruction and power, Kiru wields the power to foresee the future and control the minds of others at will.

  Taking the form of an unassuming blind girl dressed in rags, moving from village to village– she metamorphoses into a blue skinned, three-eyed embodiment of power in the face of evil. Kiru is truly a force of nature that will stop at nothing.

  But her journey is long, and the stories countless. As she travels and grows, experimenting and learning to harness her powers, the sinister forces at work sense a disturbance in their dynamic; Will Kiru survive? Will the world meet its end?”

  • Open Category

    1^st place

    SAHAN MUNASINGHE

    Comic character name – THEODORE PENDERGHAST

    

   

  Character description:

  Theodore Penderghast used to be a witch/monster hunter, and managed to gain an impressive reputation as being the toughest of the tough. After highhandedly exorcising an unprecedented number of demons from unfortunate victims, Theodore attracts the attention of a powerful demon by the name Nevadaak.

  Alias – The Ashen Reaper

  Time period – Victorian/ medieval era

  Powers/ abilities –
  – Can absorb energy released from combustion/flame.
  – Can transfer absorbed energy to living beings and inanimate objects.

  – Can force living/inanimate targets to catch fire and reduce them to ash.
  – Can absorb the essence of fallen enemies through the energy released from the finishing move (setting them ablaze)

  – Mild telekinesis

  – Former professional witch/monster hunter.
  – Master swordsman

  – Competent in occult arts and low level magic.

  2^nd place

  PIYATH MALAKA

  Comic character name – 18 SANNI

  

  Character description :

  In Future a World of that Science overtook and no one believe myth and beliefs or remade traditions. Ruled over by a Maintaining and also corrupted civil system.
  In a small urban town in Sri Lanka, where a 19 year old boy with little bit of tradition attached to him from his grandfather gets possessed by One of the spirits of 18 ata Sanni ! Nor a Hero Nor a Villain! It walks covered with flames and summons snakes and only visible while it walks is its terrifying bone face and the arms that covers in Snakes skin tattoos. Attacks with the fear of their prey’ sin. Kills the Evil and Judge the ones who have a second chance for what they did.
  ( Created and Base on Naaga Raksha of 18 Sanni in Western Dancing Culture.

  3^rd place (Two Winners)

  NAVINDU CHAMARA

  Comic character name – ‘ZZ ( Zimaaku and Zooki )’

  

  Character description:

  Zimaaku, a legendary native warrior wanders around the mother earth with his companion Zooki, a spirit wolf. They uprise against any act that violates the law of the environment. Zimaaku being highly spirited knows ancient magic and have the ability to feel the whole earth itself. Zooki on the other hand runs like lightening and can summon six other spirit wolves with a single howl.

  Anton Brian

  Comic character name – The Summoner

  

  Character description:

  Young Arthur Neil survives an unexpected, fatal accident and recovers to find out that he is bestowed with the ability to communicate with Angels. Ultimately he finds out that the accident has opened up his mind to other alternate realms/planes of reality. With the help of the angels of alternate realms Arthur helps the innocent and fights evil forces from succeeding in destroying humanity.
  Abilities – Physical Agility, Psychic/Telepathic communication, Open up time portals (with the help of angels), agile swordsman.

  Here are some more of the Ideas submitted by our other Creative individuals,