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Kent Family Scrapbook 001

Don't overdo it just because you like a character.

The DC Database has tons of images - out of all our pages, only a fraction still needs visual representation. In our past, we've gone by a number of different standards, or no standards, which makes our 166,069 images awash with inconsistency. Here's some short ground rules.

The technical

Editing

The image should be completely unaltered from the comic.

  • Do not remove lettering from balloons or captions.
  • Do not obscure or crop out backgrounds.
  • Do not change the orientation of the image.

Naming

 Main article: DC Database:Naming Conventions

  • Character names should be generally be "[Codename] [Universe] 0001" (or whatever number is next).
  • There's room for variation; if there are multiple people of the same code name, "[Code Name] [Real Name]" or [Code Name] [Team/Organization Name]" are also possible.
  • For pages with a universe designation, do not use parentheses, or the full pagename. This upsets the bot if we ever have to move the page.

Template

 Main article: Help:Image Template Hub

  • Adding a source is mandatory for any panel, textless cover and screenshot you upload. This is your responsibility as uploader.
  • We've got the Image Template to cover this, as well as license and artist credits.

Size

  • The template sets the image width at 300px, so that should be as a minimum - but not a maximum. Don't compress images any further than they need to be.
  • Avoid images that are narrower than 300px, unless there is no alternative.

The practical

Main image

  • The main image should be a recognizable image that represents the character from a historic perspective, not what they happen to look like this month.
  • It should portray the image subject, and only the image subject. If there's multiple people in the image, a good image allows the reader to see which is the subject without further research or looking at other images.
  • The main image should always match the MainAlias. The main alias is the "most iconic from a historic perspective" alias, much like the main image.
  • DO NOT CHANGE THE MAIN IMAGE WITHOUT DISCUSSION. There's an Abuse Filter in place specifically to prevent users from changing an existing image. You can bring up suggestions on the talk page, using {{ImageDiscussion}}.
  • Pin-up variants by artists who have not done sequential art should be avoided.

Galleries

  • By default, all galleries on DC Database are set to mode=packed. Disambiguation pages need the mode=packed-hover added, which is repurposed into a style more like the old disambiguation galleries.
  • A gallery is meant to visually represent aspects of a character that cannot be conveyed in the main image. Galleries with just one image are pointless. It should have at least images of the main costumed identity/identities, as well as the civilian look.
  • This doesn't mean "use every image we have of them", or "use every textless cover from their miniseries". That's what the Character Images category is for.
  • What we also don't need is every frame that one character you like is in.
  • Iconic scenes, such as origins, deaths, or participation in large events, can also be included in the gallery.
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