Before we get started, here's a quick, very incomplete list of things I hadn't done in a long time:

• Played a WipEout game
• Designed anything inspired by the WipEout franchise
• Posted a blog entry on Giant Bomb

So, let's mash all those elements together and get down to business!

Those of you who know me are fully aware that I love WipEout, and I love the Designers Republic. The worldbuilding and tone of the WipEout games is so compelling and verging on the tangible that it rarely fails to ignite a creative spark in me. Sometimes I'll get the urge to redesign existing team logos. Other times I'll create whole new teams based on the Giant Bomb crew. Hell, I even got do a shirt for the guys because they were lovely enough to indulge my obsession.

But it's been while since I've made anything like that, and I think it's because I've not been playing much WipEout in more recent years. Thankfully, the release of the Omega Collection on PS4 has pulled me out of my creative nosedive. Once the Omega Collection landed, I knew it was only going to be a (probably very short) matter of time before I'd feel the need to fire up Illustrator and get to work.

But I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do, exactly. Would I create yet another series of logos for the in-game teams? Or would I look elsewhere for inspiration? When the Quick Look for the Omega Collection popped up on Giant Bomb, the answer came pretty quickly: Dan and Alex both seemed like they very much appreciate the franchise, and they're two members of the GB staff I'd never made logos for. Bingo.

A couple of hours later after that epiphany, I had myself a Dan-inspired design:

As I mentioned long, long ago when I made a team logo for Drew, I always create a little headcanon for myself to inform the direction. With Dan, the touchstones are pretty obvious: wrestling, and the US of A. So I wanted to make a team that was about exertion and sweat, something with a design that could almost come across as athletic apparel; it also had to use the colours of the American flag for added jingoistic flair. Oh, and obviously the team name is a wrestling pun, so bonus points there, I guess.

I guess I'd better get to making one for Alex now, huh?

Awesome work duder!

I've always super liked your designs and this one's no different.

Team name for Alex should be something Wolf related maybe?

I really like this! Thanks for taking a bit of time to explain the creative behind it, always good to hear how other designers approach their work. Super cool duder!

@turboman: Oooh, good idea. I honestly hadn't started thinking about it yet, but that's probably a very good jumping off point.

This is super awesome. Makes me wish I had the knowledge and talent to design ships for the ballisticNG workshop; I'd love to bring designs like these to the track.

I want to do a motion graphics/video effect/gif/webm thingy with this very dope shit.

I've always loved the Wipeout aesthetic and your designs are spot-on every time.

Wülf? I could see that in a Wipeout font.

I like it a lot. Not sure about the "100% Authentic Effort" tagline though, that sounds more like some kind of athletics apparel.