Totally 80's - Lightnight crest rework

UPDATE: I got an email today from Erik D., a sports designer for a minor league baseball team, who suggested a different look to the updated crest. It was a variation that I actually tried, but for whatever reason, thought it looked weird. I'm posting the image so I can get your thoughts on it as well. How does it rank with the other 4 that I posted? 

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Yesterday's post was the latest entry into my Totally 80's redesign project and most of the reviews regarding the Tampa Bay Lightning concept were that the crest was too cartoon-ish. I do not disagree. I tried to give the lightning bolt more movement by adding some curves, but it actually made it look more like something out of a cheesy comic book.

So I went back to the drawing board.

I came up with an alternate crest and made some variants of the new design, which you can see below.

Image 1 - The bolt looks much less cartoon-ish, but looks a little flat on top of the dark-bordered, beveled circle background.

Image 2 - I gave the bolt an outline to match the beveled circle, which creates a bold, less flat feel.

Image 3 - This version is pretty much the same as Image 2, except I made the bolt more compact.

Image 4 - I liked the compact bolt, so for my last iteration, I added one more circular fill to the beveled circle background.

Out of the four that I came up with, I like Image 4 the best. However, something tells me that I may like Image 2 if I add the extra circular fill that I gave Image 4. I may try that later. But for now, I'd like your opinion of these four designs. Are they less cartoon-ish? Which one is your favorite?

Comments

[Alex]

As a Lightning fan I'm a fan of the third logo. I think one more adjustment for this logo would maybe having the lightning bolt going into the circle.

[Link]

Anyone who didn't vote for three, sucks

You hear that Ryne!

[johnny griswold]

so are these less cartoon-ish at least?

[seancoxtattoo]

here's an eighties lighning logo.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj187/scox1313/SCHOOLHOUSEROCKSTB.jpg

[potvin sucks!]

i voted for 3. the problem with 4 is that the outside edge of the lightning bolt is the same color as the background of the seal or circle or whatever

[Link]

Yeah Johnny, I think any of these four are highly serviceable.

[nick]

these look just as cartoonish to me, i like this one as well; http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj187/scox1313/SCHOOLHOUSEROCKSTB.jpg

[johnny griswold]

I think these are much less cartoonish than the original crest that I came up with.

[Ryne]

I guess I suck, I voted for number two.

Number three looks bunched up.

Go Wings.

[johnny griswold]

I just wanna know who the 8 people are who voted for number 1 so far are!