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| The Oiler |
What is that you ask? That's the new Guardian Project superhero that represents the Edmonton Oilers. Yes, you read that right. A Oilers superhero.
*blank stare*
Since I don't know know how to explain this well, this is what the Oilers official press release had to say.
"Oil Country now gets their first glimpse at the newest superhero, The Oiler. As part of the new Guardian Project presented by the NHL and Stan Lee, the Oiler was revealed after a 17-day Facebook Battle between the Oiler and the Flame. Both teams fans put forth a valiant effort but in the end, the Oiler and Oilers fans were victorious by a vote of 52% to 48%.
VIDEO: The Oiler Revealed
Meet the Oiler:
The Oiler is serious in a way that only a guy living on the outskirts of the most northern Canadian metropolis can be. He’s gritty and tough like the roughneck oil rig workers he mostly associates with. He loves getting his hands dirty and not only doesn’t he shy away from hard, physical work, he relishes it. He spends a majority of his time roaming the Northwest Territories. He’s most happy when he’s exploring the vast northern wilderness. He does have a lighter side although his superhero buddies don’t always get his quirky sense of humor. He’s a modern day Cain constantly searching for the wisdom that he’s certain the frozen north has to offer. In stature you’d be hard pressed to find a more impressive Guardian. He’s a 10 and a half-foot tall and 950-pound mountain of muscle. Whether it’s blasting bad guys with torrents of energized oil, engulfing them in a horrendous blizzard or crushing through concrete walls, the Oiler is one devastating Guardian. The Oiler was the seventh Guardian to be revealed in 2D.
“We love our new “Oiler” Guardian character and thank our fans for starting him off with a win. Oil Country loves to win at everything we do,” said Patrick LaForge, Oilers President & CEO.
“The Oiler’s power to create blizzards seems appropriate for him considering Edmonton is the NHL’s northernmost city,” said Tony Chargin, EVP of GME Creative Affairs. “Beyond that, he can sense oil deposits in the ground, can suck them up with his pump, refine them in the portable refinery strapped to his back and uses the converted (green) energy to power his cannon.”
The full unveiling of all 30 Guardian superhero characters within the Guardian Project will be held in a special presentation during the 2011 NHL® All-Star Game presented by Discover in Raleigh, N.C. on Sunday, January 30 (4 p.m. ET live broadcast on VERSUS in the U.S. and on CBC and RDS in Canada).
Created and developed by Stan Lee, Chargin, and Jake Shapiro, each Guardian has been derived from its corresponding hockey team, complete with special powers representative of each team and city.
With an initial plan to reach an all-family audience and narrower target demo of tween boys, GME hopes to bring a new audience to the NHL, while engaging the existing, established hockey fan base through a compelling tale of good vs. evil.
Fans can continue to vote for their favorites and learn about the Guardian Project and the individual Guardians, as they’re unveiled, at www.guardianproject30.com and by going to www.facebook.com/theguardianproject."
Do I find this interesting? Meh! No, not really, but then again, I'm not a comic guy. Or a tween. But even as a regular Oilers fan, I still think this idea sucks.
My one question; He's blue and red? What? No orange? I bet they didn't consult Mr. "I love blue and orange" Katz.
This just whole contest reveling seems like a poor gimmick to draw attention to an all star game that lacks... well, the game part. A bunch of floaters and fancy pass hockey. That's not a game unless you play in my beer league. ;)
The all star weekend is, in my opinion, a waste of time and I usually don't watch it. If I watch anything, I watch the skills competition. Even them I usually forget it's on and I miss half of it. So is this really going to draw new viewers to the all star game and to the rest of the NHL after this is over? I have my doubts.
I guess on one hand this is a unique concept and the NHL does seem to be trying to make fresh idea's integrate more into the modern day system. On the other? I'm just not sure if this was one of those "good idea's".
Do you like this project and the Oiler? What's your thoughts? Did you vote for the Oiler?
-Written by Smokin' Ray-
