Hi Xyliacs!
Happy Monday!
First off, if you missed the update on Friday (which should have been on Thursday) make sure you back up a page! And thank you everyone for your understanding through my latest rough week. I’m doing fine now, but thank you for your patience and support.
A cool announcement today. First off, I am happy to announce that Xylia has joined two more collectives along with Tomgeeks. First, is Palace in the Sky Publishing which is a nifty collective of fantasy serial stories (like Xylia) that I know you will enjoy. Our own Kez’s War of Winds is included as well. Please check out the others, too- it’s a really great group of creators and stories! I’m also pleased to announce that Xylia is now a part of Tall Tale Features. This group will be a more eclectic collection of webcomic styles – currently they feature primarily funny comics, but with the addition of Xylia and Broken, they are heading into a more diverse range of stories. A funny group of guys that is. Although they don’t eat their veggies…
Thank you for your donations! Again, we hit our goal, so July will be two updates all month. I hope to have a couple wallpapers and Nigel’s Opus Chapter 5 –(with more kissies?)–up in a day or two for more donation gifts!
Today’s update sort of brings the story ’round. The boy gets his book from the sagey old guy while the doggie looks on, (but this time, the book has girly pictures in it). LOL! ^_^ The next chapter will be more whimsical, and I hope you enjoy it. A few folks have complained a bit out there that the story is moving slowly, the dialogue is a bit cornball, etc.etc. Well, I’m doing my best. ^_^ Please remember that Xylia is more of a graphic novel not a comic book, and that my stories tend to be more about character development and less about action. I’m sorry if that’s not your ‘cup o’ tea’. Guvnah. I think the introduction of some new characters will be fun though. I hope.
Thank you everyone for sharing your fairy tale favorites last week. It’s fun to hear all of these things about you readers, and of course I love to read your thoughts and comments about Xylia too…! ^_^ Today’s question: If Xylia tee shirts were available, what is something you would want to see? The logo? Characters? And what shirt colors does everyone like? We’re starting to look at getting some store items together! Stay tuned!
I am also considering selling original production art from the Xylia webcomic if there is any interest. Below is a sample of one of the pieces I would be offering. 
Vote, TWC please! Today’s incentive is a rough sketch of Claudius and Katharos.
Have you joined The Xyliacs Club? No? WHY NOT? Seriously though, it’s been a bit quiet, so please stop in!
That’s all for now! Thank you for reading Xylia and believing in faeiries.
~B
June 30th, 2008 at 2:30 am
Another beautiful page, B. I swear, your work tests my vocabulary, because such adjectives as “beautiful”, “wonderful”, etc. become all too commonplace describing your pages. So I either sound repeditive or pretentious.
Poor me, huh?
June 30th, 2008 at 2:32 am
Oh yeah ! T-shirts ! I loooove t-shirts !
For the colours, I like black and dark blue. And for the drawing, characters, of course ! I think that at least 3 types of t-shirts are necessary : one with Livy (and perhaps the writing “Livy’s fan club” ? lol !), one with only Xylia, and one with Claudius OR Claudius with Xylia.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:00 am
That wraps it up very nicely I think! ^_^
I don’t mind the pacing, personally…I always viewed yours as more of a “graphic novel.” (I consider graphic novel to be a fancy name for exceptionally long comics that usually have an end eventually.)
I suppose the color of the T-shirts would depend on the pictures used and what color they are–you’d want something that’d compliment the art…But I don’t really know, since I’m all stocked up on Tees at the moment. (I don’t often where ones with pictures or logos I’m afraid.) ^///^ *lol*
June 30th, 2008 at 5:54 am
Ohhh-ho-ho-hooooo….
Okay, a Xylia tee would obviously be dark purple, and in the typical font used for the title it just says Xylia and has her on it (Maybe an actual full-body shot of the title pose?). Livy’s would maybe be brown and would have to be an action shot. Claudius would be a kind of tan color, or maybe green. If you do one for Christopher Lee, that should be either black or dark blue, like Marie said. The commonality is that they all say Xylia on the right sleeve.
And let’s not forget the wonderful realm of hoodies! Maybe Claudis and Xylia on the main part above the title, and then Livy is hanging out on the pocket. (oh, that one’s gray)
June 30th, 2008 at 5:55 am
Oh, one more thing for the hoodie — put Xylia wings on the back! (a joke……MAYBE?)
June 30th, 2008 at 7:30 am
The perfect Livy t-shirt would be her action shot of breaking down that door, I think. Maybe even having one of that dark fae on it… for those cheering for the other team, of course. *l*
June 30th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Livy T-shirt Front: Attack mode “Big” Livy jumping out at you with caption “Big Attitude”
Livy T-shirt Back: Livy’s little Corgi Posterior with the Caption “Little Package”
Dark Brown Tee
June 30th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Hey barb, You perfectly speak in Russian:))) we too have comics, not such colourful as at you, but our artists try, study at foreign colleagues:)
here approximately so…
http://amokanet.ru/gallery/13r/ (Ã¥þ÷ÑÂøý ûðñøрøýтð – The owner of a labyrinth)
http://miderra.amokanet.ru/comix/ (Ã¥þ÷ÑÂøý ø ÑÂûуóð – Master and and the servant)
I apologize for my bad English
June 30th, 2008 at 9:45 am
http://minomix.narod.ru/Karenina/Karenina.htm (ÃÂýýð Úðрõýøýð – Anna Karenina)
Comics on product of the Leo Tolstoy, classics of the Russian culture of the end of 19-th century, but in a new way – some kind of too fairy tale (here at once in two languages – Russian and English):)
June 30th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I second Brent there- wings on the back of a shirt or a hoodie would be cool. It could also be ONLY wings… and maybe a small logo in the front. I love the picture you made for the future-cover-so-right-now-it’s-for-spreading-Xylia-around-the-web. You, know, when C+X almost kiss, and the rest of the gang are in the back. on a olive-green shirt this would be gorgeous.
OMG! a spear shirt! CC’s tuxedo shirt with the spear in the shoulder (with blood! mewaha ha!). That would be awesome. Of course- a bloody back is a must.
How about one with Xylia as a statue and above her the words: “find me Claudius”?
And I think Xylia in the garden is also a good one.
Wow, I have so many ideas…I’m practically sleeping on my laptop here so tomorrow then… Did I say it’s a great page? can’t wait for the next one (doing the only-two-more-days-dance). Good night!
June 30th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I’d totally buy a shirt with Livy on it!
I think there should be a black one with that little mini-comic with Livy and Claudius in it where they were talking about popularity! I loved that little comic. =P
Also…I think another cute shirt would be using the images of Livy from very early on when she was sleeping and then she wakes up to the sound of the keys in the door. “Livy: She’s all ears” lol. Whenever I think of corgis…I think of ears so I had to throw that in there! =P
Or just a little corgi montage with Livy’s name underneath. I would totally wear that.
Also…I really like the idea of Big Attitude, Little Package. And the hoodie with the wings. That’s cute.
I would also like a shirt with the image of Xylia and Claudius all close to eachother with something along the lines of: “True Love Never Dies” or “I’ll return to you…” That would be sweet. =)
I’ll stop babbling now. lol
June 30th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
This really is a beautiful page — yet another reason why your art gives me something to aspire to!
July 1st, 2008 at 6:39 am
A few more ideas….
The words “Find me, Claudius….” in classical font on black with no picture
This is just in support, but the attitude/package design sounds awesome.
A group shot of all of Claudius’s incarnations in various states of beatupness.
I know we’re only supposed to be saying t-shirts and hoodies, but if you can find someone to design an ACTUAL mini-Xylia statue based off what Nigel finds, than I would SO think about buying that and then not doing it but really regret it later and still not do it since I’m weird like that.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:52 am
When you get a comic one page at a time, you have to expect some time to get the story moving. On the other hand, when you get quality of story like this (not to mention the artistic beauty) getting anything to tide one over is a nice treat.
As for t-shirts, I don’t know that anyone else will like this idea, but the idea of cream or natural linen colored shirts with sepia drawings would pull so much of Claudius’ sketchbook onto a tee that I’d be sorely tempted to buy it, not to mention the classic look to it.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:57 am
Another idea for down the road when you have introduced them all would be a Villians T on either a Red or Black Tee with a group shot of them with a caption of “Evil is fun” or something along those lines…
July 1st, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Thank you everyone for your tee shirt ideas! Very helpful- a lot of them are things I was already considering. I did wonder what shirt colors you all would actually wear, however not just what looks good for the art.
Thank you for the nice comments on the page. This story is still giving me fits, and your support goes a long way to keep me from giving up! ~B
July 1st, 2008 at 1:28 pm
i vote for shirts with xylia and claude! sepia old style tones and or black and grey
July 1st, 2008 at 3:07 pm
I’d wear pretty much any color t-shirt…whichever looks best with the art. =) I think black, brown, or blue shirts would probably suit most of the art.
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:40 am
the usual colors are good for T’s barb. Hunter green, Dark Brown, Tan, black, Navy Blue, Teal, Orange, Red, Grey, and of course White (I live in T’s when I’m not at work), so whatever!
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
About shirt colors, you should look here: http://www.threadless.com
the white is very popular, but looks kinda cheap. I like the earth tones- olive-green, dark khaki etc. Colors look better on them and shirts like that looks good with almost any skin tone and figure. Just please no light khaki, it was the color of my army uniforms… brrrr….
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:59 pm
wow it is the drwing he did cool of what is her neam agin
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:17 am
Regarding T-shirts: I second the “earth tones” suggestion; definitely do one of Livy. (-=