Finally up. Sorry. It is a holiday weekend, and I have been on the run since Friday at 6PM with little time to work. My apologies.
BE AN AZLOEAN CONTEST – THIS IS THE LAST WEEK FOR ENTRIES! For detailed information on this chance to ‘appear’ in Xylia, please go to the forum here. All entries must be received by September 7!
A few people were confused about the current story twist, which I can’t help but blame myself for- the story tends to wind around a lot. Right now, we’re in a flashback sequence. Claude is not born, but about to be. If you need more explaination, you can go here for a pictoral walkthrough. FWIW- Livy is not in this part of the scene, sorry Corgi fans. As much as she probably should have been, Livy is not the lead character. She will return.
Speaking of Livy, the very first Xylia tee has been designed and set up and we are now pricing printing! It’s a front/back print that features none other than our irrepresible Corgi, Livy. Order info soon. 
Xylia Chat is on air late today (or early tomorrow depending on wherebouts you are!)… midnight Sept. 2 (11 CDT for me). I thought I would try this peculiar time to see if we pick up some international callers and get people when they aren’t working! I would suggest to anyone interested in actually talking on the air instead of just type-chatting, that you get the Talk Shoe download ahead of time and try it out in some other chats. The download is free, but you have to restart a lot of times. Also you need a mic (can be built in) and headphones. Or, you can call in on the phone, but that may require long distance fees. You can also log in with Skype, but again there may be fees. Scheduled topics this week will include:
-Xylia: the current story line
-Weekly movie talk
-What’s happening in other webcomics this week
Coming soon in Xylia Chat, I am hoping to bring some special webcomic guests on air liveto interview and answer your questions. Please stay tuned for that!
TODAY’S QUESTION:How do you feel about nudity in webcomics? Should it be in adult comics only? If you have a commment about this, please state where you are from as well.
This came up when a European friend posted a bit o’ nudity on the forum, and we talked about the cultural differences on the acceptance of nudity. And interesting and lively topic, to be sure.
Thank you for reading everyone!
~B
September 1st, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Ummm…
I hate to make you feel any worse Barb, but the page isn’t showing up ..?
Hugs, and congratulations on the kids getting back to school!
September 1st, 2008 at 2:45 pm
You may have to refresh. When I first loaded the page it didn’t work, so I reloaded it.
Always remember to refresh if somethign doens’t show up.
~B
September 1st, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I had the same problem but now it’s cool. Great page- Ambrosia’s dad?!? you got me biting my nails. It’s gonna be a long week…
good thing we have a date on Thursday!
I think that tasteful nudity is a good thing. I do think it should be in a more adult comics- kids take nudity very simple, as the way we all look under clothes. But society teaches shame, so around 9-10 till 17 it’s harder to take. But I don’t see anything wrong in nudity- especially if it shows variety of beautiful bodies and not the skeleton type. I’m 25 and (as some of you know) I’m from Israel.
September 1st, 2008 at 3:33 pm
So! Ambroisia’s dad is the most powerful of them all! Does that mean he controls the One Ring?
As for the question, I am staunchly not opposed so long as it’s not just for the hell of it. If it’s a bedroom scene and the characters are just waking up, or there’s a gym shower scene where it HAS to take place in a locker room…..well, tastefully is okay. If, however, it’s more blatant and “LET’S SHOW THE BOOBIES” and with no purpose, then I don’t really care for it. The exception for this, though, is SIN CITY, cuz Frank Miller is awesome.
September 1st, 2008 at 3:36 pm
By the way, that was mine, and I’m from Connecticut.
September 1st, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I had refreshed, I promise. However, now it’s showing up. I’m guessing that I hit the 30 seconds between the beginning and ending of the download. Pretty, pretty pictures.
September 1st, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Hmm. The plot thickens. Nudity? Well, I personally like things to no higher than PG13 rating, just for myself. But there is a big difference between say Playboy and Michaelangelo’s David. I guess I’m opposed to gratuitous nudity. I thought Claude’s death scene was okay, for examle. Wow, this is turning into quite a ramble. If any of you have read The Naked and the Nude by Robert Graves, that gives a good contrast. I’m from Utah.
September 1st, 2008 at 6:58 pm
So not only did Deimos trap Xylia, but also is doing something horrible to Claudius’ granddad['s soul]? IT IS BEYOND PERSONAL now.
September 1st, 2008 at 7:07 pm
I just thought of an interesting example for this nudity-talk and what bothers me and what doesn’t.
I work in a public library, and over the past year, our graphic novel section has grown quite a bit. Mind you, the public library is absolutely prohibited from any sort of censorship.
So, we have all of these graphic novels accessible to people of all ages. Unfortunately, this means that every five year old alive wants to check out the graphic novels because they have pictures. And then the parents see them and think it is fine because they have cartoon looking characters on them, even though they are labeled “older teen 16+.” Anyone want to take a guess as to why?
Boobies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Anyway, in a fit of insanity, I began to check out and read Inu Yasha and Ranma 1/2 *love love love them, by the way. Sorry to everyone who is is still peeved about the ending to the Inu Yasha anime. The manga actually has a beautiful ending*
And I realized just how much they were simply not for a younger audience. Yet, everyday, every little child that walks in there goes straight to that section.
It annoys me at least a little because my taste towards nudity evolved as I got older and got more into art and appreciation of the human body, etc. But when I was five, I really wouldn’t have understood and I really didn’t need to or want to see it.
Anyway, whatever. Kudos to any little kids who are actually able to appreciate the stories and the reasons for boobies in those comics. But it just bothers me because most of them can’t even read, so what the hell are they so into those comics for? hmph. plus they rip out a lot of the pages, so you get to a good part where the characters are reaching an important plot point in their love story, and the page is missing because it has become a five year olds soft core porn to hide under his/her mattress.
sorry for the rant. The topic just made me remember that…
September 1st, 2008 at 9:13 pm
I love how the plot is getting thicker. To answer your question about nudity, I personally don’t mind it and it’s part of nature. Here’s the thing, the only reason nudity is a big deal for people is because they make it a big deal. I suppose if you made two versions of the page (one censored and the other uncensored) it might be good for the more prude members of the audience though.
September 1st, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I suppose for me it’s a question of necessity. I would look at a scene with nudity and think ‘how much will the meaning, emotion, and purpose of the scene suffer if the nudity is removed’. For example, having Xylia nude while being drawn by Claudius shows how close they are and comfortable in each other’s presence. This could not be illustrated if she were clothed, for example.
Showing people having showers or people accidentally walking in on other naked people however is just cheap fanservice.
September 1st, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Barb, My feeling is that nudity is acceptable if it is an integral part of the storyline, such as the scene where Claudius is drawing Xylia. I would tend to suggestthat you shy away from nudity for nudity’s sake. I’ve seen webcomics that use nudity as a gimmick to try tocover up the fact that the storyline doesn’t amount to much. “Xyliatales” is far too high quality to need any such “gimmicks
September 2nd, 2008 at 1:29 am
fully agree with artsangel (sarah). i love flipside, but i figure parents can block that whole website if they don’t want their kids to see that and people can avoid that comic if they’re not into that. this comic is family friendly up until now and so it’s probably to your advantage to keep it that way. anyway, i trust that you’d do it tastefully and not full on nudity, judging from the ‘naked’ vote incentives we’ve seen over the years.
also in israel, nshikot hagar.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:42 am
Man, this flashback is nice and colorful–I’m glad it’s not in sepia this time, because I think we’d be losing out slightly. (I like their colorful wings and hair.) *and the explosion of light from their “Magic Pixie Wands”* ^_^
Well…I don’t mind nudity–if it’s necessary, but sometimes it makes me a little uncomfortable. This is probably because I have three younger siblings and I’m generally a family person…^///^ (Seriously, all my comic ideas seem to be acceptable for any age.) *except for a few*
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:52 am
nudity is ok with me as long as it’s tasteful
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:33 am
I have no personal issue with nudity myself, so long as it’s not overused for no reason (like some other webcomics out there). If it meshes with the story better than it would without the nudity – great! If not? Then you could probably do without.
~Shir
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:59 am
Those cursed (or with some more this-worldly problem) often cannot see that there is a problem at all. (It’s like “falling to the dark side”)
And: I have no problem with nudity in media so long as it serves the plot.
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:44 am
Nudity when done tastefully is perfectly okay. From everything I’ve seen you do, I’m sure a bit of nudity here would be acceptable, you won’t throw in some Playboy or Maxim scene, so it’s got my vote.
September 4th, 2008 at 4:39 am
I don’t bother nudity in comics : there is a huge difference between a drawing and real nudity, I think it creates a distance, so it’s not shocking. Don’t know if you see what I mean.
September 4th, 2008 at 6:02 am
I’m not the least confused. You need blame yourself for nothing. Not only did you say this was a flashback, it’s obvious, given the characters. Chin up, girlfriend.
September 7th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I grew up with a couple of nudists for parents. If there wasn’t company over, they were very relaxed in their wardrobe, and because I grew up with that, I don’t get all bent out of shape if I see nudity now. While I myself am not comfortable prancing about the house in the buff, if I happened to see a naked man or woman walking down the street, I would be considerably puzzled by the situation, but not distressed. I think the whole American attitude towards nudity is just silly to be quite honest. Nudity isn’t necessarily sexual, yet any time someone is portrayed in the nude, that is the assumption made, and I don’t approve of that. I find it terribly restrictive as an artist (because I try to be kid-friendly), but that’s just one of those things in life you have to deal with, because it’s not going to change overnight.
September 8th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
the demon throw fier at him och
November 12th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
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