Heya losers!  Lance here, I'm gonna be explaining the rules about this awesome event you may have heard of.  It's a little thing called The X-Men: Evolution OC Tournament.



It is the first ever official fandom OC contest bridging the with the .  This is where you, the fans, get to introduce just about any kind of wacky fan character you wish!  It's all in good fun!  Only one OC on each side will be left standing as the champion of this here Tournament.  One Brotherhood, one X-Man.  

I've been getting a lot of questions about this Tournament, so I'm going to do my best to explain everything here in this journal, so please...

READ THE ENTIRE JOURNAL!!!!!

I DO NOT want to have to answer a question like, "can I enter my OC into your OC contest?"  Because I...will headdesk.  You don't want me to headdesk.  I do it too much already.  My forehead is practically concave at this point.  Please read THE ENTIRE JOURNAL.

BREAKDOWN

Our contest is a comic contest.  All entries (with the exception of the bio picture) will be submitted in comic format (panels on a page that tell a story).  Each character will focus on one OC (one OC per person entering).  This OC will have joined either the X-Men team or the Brotherhood team.  Once teams have been decided, the OC will be separated into sub-groups (depending on the number of characters received) and given challenges.

These challenges will be faced in comic format (at least one comic page in length).  The contestant will include their OC and other contestants' OCs in their comic to show how their OC completes the challenge.  The comics do NOT all have to follow the same pattern.  The contestants' stories do not have to be consistent with OTHER contestants' stories.  Contestants can take control of other OCs for the duration of their comic and use them to help tell the story of how their OC deals with the challenge.  AGAIN.  These comics do NOT have to be linked together, the stories and decision-making can differ WILDLY between contestants' comics.  When using other contestants' OCs, utilize the bio provided for each OC to represent the character as accurately as possible.  It doesn't have to be spot on, but at least try.

After the first phase, characters will be eliminated.  Those characters are out of the competition and will be "sent home" in the comics world.  They are not to be used further in remaining contestant's comics (unless special arrangements are made that may involve "bystander comics."  In which a character dropped from the competition can hang around and mess with other characters but can no longer participate in challenges).  New challenges will be submitted to the remaining contestants.  

This cycle will continue until there are only two OCs remaining on either team.  They will be issued a final challenge.  Those characters will complete the challenge and the one with the best resolution (most hilarious, clever, true-to-character, thought-provoking, brilliant, what have you, etc, etc) will win the competition.  There may be voting from the audience and past contestants to assist with naming the victor.


CHARACTER RULES

Rule 1: Your character cannot be involved with any canon character in any way. They cannot be the child, sibling, parent, friend, or lover of a canon character. They can't have gone to school with them, have seen them once in a book store, their uncle can't know your character's father... NO INVOLVEMENT. IN ANY. WAY.  They don't even know the canon characters EXIST until they meet them at the mansion/boarding house.  

Rule 2: No omega level or super-skilled characters. This means: No powers since birth, and no powers capable of world-ending effects right off the bat. Your character should be JUST receiving their powers (the only exception on this is physical mutations. Please do not abuse this exception).  You character can have mutant powers or a physical mutation or both. No "super skills" means your character has to be limited by the normal teenaged levels of skills.  They can't be a prima ballerina/master chef/FBI agent.  Sorry.  Maybe they can be really good at ONE of those things, but not PROFESSIONAL LEVEL or really good at multiple activities.

Rule 3: Your character cannot have killed or seriously injured any other person when their powers manifested. If it required stitches, or a trip to the hospital, then it's too serious an injury. Bumps, scrapes and bruises are fine.

Rule 4: Your character must be a HUMAN MUTANT. Aka homosuperior. No mutant octopuses. No aliens. No "inhumans".  No alternate dimension folk. No plain old powerless humans (aka homosapien).

Rule 5: This will be taking place in EVO canon. Do not try and sneak comic canon characters in. Your contest mods are very familiar with comic canon.  It's better just to use your imagination!

Rule 6: ONE CHARACTER ONLY. Only one character per contestant.  It's easier that way for you guys to put all your effort into one character than try to split focus over several.  Also, your character is welcome and encouraged to have a back story, but it needs to stay a back story.  Heck, your character, in their intro comic, can be hanging out with their friends or family or mutant octopus or whoever!  But after the intro comic, they LEAVE THOSE PEOPLE BEHIND. Your characters estranged ex-boyfriend cannot show up at the X-mansion and demand a conversation.  We also can't have a five page flashback of your OC and their girlfriend. ONE CHARACTER ONLY.

Rule 7: Your character must be between 13 and 18 years old. 'Kid's gotta  go to high school, right?

Rule 8: X-Men Evolution OC's only please.  This means people can't drop in from an alternate dimension and have mutant powers.  You can't have a yoshi-riding keyblade-wielder in the X-Men universe.  You CAN revamp other fandom OCs to FIT IN to the X-Men: Evolution world, but no crossover OCs.


CONTEST REQUIREMENTS

Rule 1: You will have ONE MONTH to create an (at least) one page comic for each contest round. Your comics do not have to be colored, finished, or even all that GREAT-looking.  They just need to be readable and tell the story/complete the challenge.   

Rule 2: This is a VISUAL ART tournament.  Sorry writers!  We need to keep the medium consistent and comics is a great way of marrying two popular media, visual and written.  Writers, you can team up with artists if you want!  Artists, you can team up with writers!  It's part of what this tournament is about, bringing our Evo Community together.

Rule 3: OCs and Canon characters can not EVENTUALLY get into a relationship. Look, I'ma bust some balls right now.  This contest isn't for you to giggle and squee over your OTP OCxCanon lovefest.  Nahhhhhhh.  So, don't enter the contest if all you want to do is draw Canon characters smoochin' with your OC.  Noooope.  That's not what this is for.  More likely than not, your character is going to be friends with and hang out with OTHER OCs in your group/on your team.  It's more fun to connect with other deviants anyway!  So don't waste your time trying to lust after a canon character.  

Rule 4: Be nice to others. Do I even have to say this?  Don't be cruel to other characters...no "killing off" other competitors in your comic....unless they agree to it.  But really...really...come on.

Rule 5: No comics can be over "R" rated.  No porn or heavy sexual situations, no overly graphic violence.  You know our clubs.  It's good clean fun!

Rule 6: You MUST fill out a bio and have an intro comic to enter.  You cannot enter without BOTH of these things.  Bio AND intro comic.


PHASE 1 (How to enter)

1. Create an OC/choose one of your preexisting OC's. Remember that even if you have a preexisting OC, they still have to follow the character rules!

2. Choose a side. X-Geeks or the Loserhood?  Sorry, no Acolytes or Morlocks this time.  Ya'll just GOT your powers!  Magneto don't want you. u.u

3. Fill out the bio template for your character's bio. *BlazeRocket is just SUPER AWESOME and created our bio template!  X-Men template HERE, Brotherhood template HERE.  Don't know how these new fangaled template dohickers work?  See Blaze's fabulous example HERE (please remember that it is an EXAMPLE and not an ACTUAL CHARACTER in the competition.  It's there to show you how you SHOULD fill out the template).  Please remember that EVERYTHING we'll know about your character, and everything ANYONE ELSE will know, is going to be in your bio.  Please fill it out the best you can so that others can represent your character appropriately.

4. Create your character's introductory comic. The first time your character receives their powers and would be detected by Cerebro!  We want to see when they got their powers and what was that like.  This first comic is a great way to show us who your character is and what he/she can do.  Did their powers manifest in class?  At night by themselves?  At a party?  On a murder mystery cruise?  DO NOT SHOW CANON CHARACTER REACTIONS.  FOCUS ON YOUR OC during this.  Remember to keep within character rules and contest requirements.  You DO NOT mention/show them going to the mansion/boarding house.  We only want to see YOUR character in YOUR element getting their powers.

5. Send links to the bio and to the comic in a note to the respective team you which to join.  Note #Evo-Obsessed-Club for X-Men OCs and #TheBrotherhoodclub for Brotherhood OCs.

FAQs

Q: Can I collaborate with other artists/writers and have our characters be involved with one another in some way
A: Yes, of course!  Collaboration is highly encouraged!  If you and another artist/writer want to create a character together, fine.  If you and another artist want to have separate OCs and have them involved in each other's back stories/personal lives, that's great too!  OC's can be involved with each other, not canon characters.  Remember, one OC per person, and stick to the character rules.

Q: How limited is OC/Canon character interaction?
A: Preeeeeeeeeeeeeetty limited.  You CAN interact with main characters, but the focus should be on your OC and their interaction with their challenge and/or other OCs.

Q: Can my character deflect to the other side?
Deflecting is totally acceptable. But...we don't HIGHLY encourage it as it'd get annoying to have someone constantly switching sides. I think we can allow one deflection per OC though. One side to the other during the contest. If it's the beginning of the contest and we have too many on one side and not enough on the other, we might throw in a bonus deflection to even things out.

Q: I have an OC but they don't fit the requirements of the contest.  Can I still use her?
A: Uh, no.  Not unless you ALTER HER to FIT the contest requirements.  It's a FUN contest.  Don't take it so seriously.  

Q: What restrictions are there on the amount of abilities/powers?
A: They have to be able to fit in the bio area that is there to list powers.  They also have to follow the power restriction rules.

Q: Can they manifest OTHER powers later?
A: Yes!  As long as they, too, fit into the character rules.  

Q: Can I use other peoples' OCs in my comics?
A: Yes!  Please do, or we can't have a contest. o.o

Q: Do I have to ask their permission?
A: Heck no!  Their OC is fair game to play with.  Remember that yours is too, so make sure that your bio is complete as possible to inform your fellow participants about what your character is like.  You can also team up with other contestants to make little sub-plots if you want.

Q: Do our comics all have to match up?
A: No. These comics do NOT have to be linked together, the stories and decision-making can differ WILDLY between contestants' comics.  


OTHER NOTES

Judging is not based on skill.  If you're not the best artist it's okay.  Don't feel like just because you're not a fantastic artist doesn't mean you can't join in.  Your CHARACTER is what we want to see, and I'm sure you want to share him or her with us.  So bring on the macaroni art!  

Your character succeeding may not always be the best path for comics.  We're not always judging based on who solves the challenge fastest or with the most action.  Creativity, humor, honesty to the character are all things that can get your character ahead in this crazy contest.  Have fun!  Sometimes, just using your awesome WORLD-IMPLODING ABILITIES to blast off the enemies head might not get you as far as you think....

The tournament will be taking place just after the end of season four, approximately a month after the fight with Apocalypse. All the teams are back in their respective home/bases.  Everything is back to normal...ish.  This gives you ALL OF EVO'S HISTORY to play with.  We went with the end of season four for this very reason.  Mutant's are exposed, Principal Kelly is running for mayor, Evan is a Morlock, X-Men have been shown briefly on the news, etc.  If you use the phrase "season 5" at any point in time, you WILL be disqualified from the contest.

We'll clarify more rules as we get closer to the second phase.  For now, SEND US BIOS AND INTRO COMICS!  Remember to follow the rules!  Also, another huge "thanks" to #Star-Trekking for the fantastic idea!

Welcome to the first ever official X-Men: Evolution OC Tournament!!

Tournament Phase 1 Begins: October 1st
Tournament Phase 1 Ends: October 31st

X-Men Bio Template
Brotherhood Bio Template
BlazeRocket's EXAMPLE Template

X-Men OCs: Note the #Evo-Obsessed-Club
Brotherhood OCs: Note the #TheBrotherhoodclub