Hello!
Well, I know I said that I would be updating at noon, but I got this done early- I had hoped to have this up on Thursday, but it didn’t work out that way. But thus ends Part I of Book I on a sadly nostalgic note.
The next few weeks will be a bit different in Xylialand. Because of the vast amount of information I need to convey and the direction I want the story to go, I will be posting exposition pages (from Claude’s POV) that will eventually be FAQ type pages. I hope to present these on Monday’s and Thursdays. Gotta get through the next couple of weeks. 
Thank you everyone who has been purchasing Xylia items, and donating! Donations have slowed a bit, so I appeal to those of you again who enjoy Xylia to consider making a donation to receive one of the wallpapers. Every bit helps, and it keeps the boat in the water. With the recent pulling of comic sites by Adsdaq, including Xylia, our ad revenue is nearly non-existent. I hate to keep bringing this up, but Xylia‘s future depends on your support.
PLEASE REMEMBER:
If you have any difficulties with, or do not receive your donation gifts, PLEASE EMAIL ME directly: bji2001@mchsi.com. I am trying to email everyone with a personal thank you anyway, once I receive Paypal notification, but if I should miss you or not get a notice, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Here are the links to the ways you can help support the series!
Please buy Xylia merchandise. I’m hearing that the calendar looks great! I still don’t have my own copy, but the Cafe Press quality is superb. One of the images (December) is unavailable anywhere else!
Please donate to receive wallpapers and story chapters. I hope to add some new goodies soon.
On to today’s news:
Today’s page is another heartbreaker. But there are a few bits here that may make some of you go “Oh…look who’s there!” Not to mention an appearance of the favorite Azloean- Xenor. And if you haven’t seen enough Xenor, check out the new incentive! Xenor and…someone else!
Like I’ve said, things shift gears a bit from here, first with some explanitory journal entries from Claude, and then with a new vibe in Part II. ^_^ Also- we will be resuming a comic on the front page format. This is due to technical reasons, but Nigel’s Opus will have a prominent button that lets you know when there have been updates. Watch for these changes in early 2009.
You all had some fun with last week’s question- especially some chatter in the forum about Xylia/Star Wars ideas. Being a SW geek myself, it was killing me not to sit and draw those right away. Gruh! Soon!! I need to get through Christmas, children. This cast is a little trickier to place than some…but the ideas were really fun.
Today’s question. Would you actually purchase a print version of Xylia Book I Part I? Or is the online version just fine, thank you very much!
Hey, everyone, thank you for reading, thank you for the donations, and the emails, messages and forum posts of encouragement. I can’t thank you all enough.
Hugs,
~B
December 15th, 2008 at 12:51 am
I already said this in the forum but it can be said again…I love the new vote incentive…it’s so pretty! *makes googly eyes at Xenor and his companion*
The newest update is also pretty with Xenor, Livy, baby Claudius and young Phanessa. Xenor looks a bit sad, hmm can he be sad for phanessas sake since she has to say good bye to baby C. since the kid is getting banished or is it something else. So many questions and theories that it makes my brain hurts.
Hugs
/Silvara
December 15th, 2008 at 5:30 am
I would love to see a print version of part one!
I look forward to see the new direction you take with both the site and the story.
December 15th, 2008 at 5:34 am
Just found this comic and am loving it so far. Interestingly enough right as I finished reading this last page, my mp3 player started “My Last Breath” by Evanescence which seems oddly appropriate.
Looking forward to more story!
December 15th, 2008 at 7:13 am
I would definitely purchase a copy of Part I in print — and I would recommend it to the library system I work for.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:20 am
I would be interested in a print copy. I love this latest page. Poor Phanessa.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:59 am
I’m not sure if you realize this but there are a some porn ads on your site. Around your main comic. I’m a pretty liberal person but I was a bit turned off by them. Just thought I’d let you know.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
What a great way to end this part! I said it before and I’ll say it again- Barb, you ooze talent! I love the pink girl on the left… her face… Brilliant! That thing the Xenor has on his head- that means he works for Demiuse? Right? Who is the pink girl? is she someone? Is Cloud the eldest kid? How come (forgot her name… writing-to-much-papers-related amnesia) the little fairy is, well, small? Are their others? is she a different kind of a Fairy?
Quiet down Hagar! Down girl down! Sorry about that- that was can’t-wait-big-talker-me. She’s going now to get ready for bed. But you know what could quiet her down? A couple of answers… *whistles*
And about the question- for diplomatic reasons I rather not answer at this point….
Hugs and kisses Barb!
December 15th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Aw so much cuteness today! In here, baby Claude and his mom and Oly and Livy and his future father-in-law! In the VI, Xylia’s parents and the info that fairy names are combos of their parents names sometimes! Beautiful! Lovely! Magnifique!
*hugs himself*
Now, for the question, I usually just go for the online reading — much as I love the comics, I don’t normally buy collected editions (the one exception is Order of the Stick), although in fairness only a few of the webcomics I read are even in print editions (Ctrl-Alt-Del, OotS, Evil Inc, Misfile, marry Me), so there’s that.
@Drowwolf — Frankly, I think “My Immortal” would be even more appropriate — not just for this image, but the comic as a whole.
December 15th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I would so love a print copy! Your artwork is stunning and I’m seriously trying to figure out how to get away with purchasing your calendar without my husband thumping me on the head (figuratively, not literally)
December 15th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Yeah, I’d buy a dead-tree Volume 1 (for the artwork alone!), but unfortunately the Economy is so far in the toilet right now that I’m afraid to buy anything other than the bare essentials. I might be more inclined to think about it in the Spring if things start to pick up, but for now I’ll have to content myself with reading it on the internet.
December 15th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Marcy: can you send me a screenshot of the ad, or a description? I have to go through hundreds to find the one to shut off. Any bit of description would be of help!
December 17th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Kez,
Dang, I didn’t really think about taking note of where they were coming from. If I see them again I’ll take a screenshot. I refreshed a couple times that day to see if they showed more then just once (as the ads are rotating) and they came up a couple times just in different spots. I’m not sure if you want me to describe exactly what I saw on here
But I will certainly e-mail you a short description if you wish.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Hey Marcy! I posted on the Keenspot forums asking if anyone else had seen the ad, and they helped me track it down. It has since been nuked. Sorry for the trouble with it! We try to make sure the ads are as G-rated as possible, but sometimes one or two sneak through. Please let us know if you spot any more!