HEY everyone! Finally have a new page up! (If you can’t see it, REFRESH, REFRESH!!)
I want to apologize for the lack of update lately. I had a very nice big freelance project, but it was a big one with a quick turnaround and then they needed more from me after it was completed. It is done, and everyone is happy! ^_^ And now I’m back to work on Xylia.
This scene is undergoing a rewrite too, which has added to my angst.
Anyway, how ’bout that scary baby? No wonder Deimos was so intent on getting rid of it. ^_^
Two questions for y’alls today.
1) We are considering going back to a comic on the front page format. What think you all about that?
2) What is your favorite children’s book?
NO, I didn’t forget about the fan art contest, just been off in another world. I’m going to really try to make that happen not next Monday, but the following week. THis coming weeked I will be out of town doing caricatures all weekend. Wheee!!!!
Thank you again everyone who continues to support this project, and for your patience and understanding!
<3
~B
October 6th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
I really really really like the current format for Xylia Tales. It helps with organization and it really helps create a sense that there is more to the world of Xylia than just the comic.
It also makes it easier to find the different bits (e.g. the comic, the novella, donations, voting, etc) right off the bat.
Favorite children’s book? There is one about a monster that I absolutely loved when I was little. I’ll have to look it up to find the actual title and author, etc.
Otherwise, any of the Little Critter books as far as picture books go, and I was a real Bailey School Kids nut when I was in elementary school.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I like the way it, cara said it right.
My favorite book as a child was The Ghost of Opalina. It is now out of print and when it can be found in good condition, it’s pricey. Opalina is a cat that only the children living in an old house can see when the moonlight is shining right through the window of one of the rooms. At that time, she tells about her past lives going back to the Revolutionary War. I think. It’s been a loooong time since I’ve read it.
October 6th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
I like the current format
My favorite children’s book was “Please Try to Remember the First of Octember” by Theo LeSieg (Dr. Suess)
October 6th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
lol It would have been hilarious if Claudius spit up on Deimos. x3
To answer your question, I like it the way it is, and my favorite book as a kid was Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss.
October 6th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Oooo, that mean ol’ stupid poopy-head Deimos! How can he be so mean to something that tiny and cute?
For the questions, the extra clicking doesn’t really bother me, and with Nigel’s updating weekly it makes it easier for me in my opinion. As for fave children’s books…..The Grinch, The Nutcracker, Choose Your own Adventures, and Bartholomew and the Oobleck. Oh, and berenstein bears books. I had a ton of those.
October 6th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
The LAME!? Claudius is not lame, you big red ninny! *slaps Deimos*
Book? Hairy Maclary: Scattercat. I just loved all the cats in it
October 6th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
The extra clicking doesn’t really bother me BUT it bothers me A LOT that the new pages come up in new windows – I come here to read the comic & novella and end up having three instances of the programme working… I was actually thinking of telling you that even before you asked.
Favorite childrens’ book… can’t really say, I must have read everything as a child! I I liked the more complicated stories rather than the collections of fairy tales though… hmm, Enid Blyton’s series probably…
October 6th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I think Deimos is the perfect evil bad guy! I love him! lol..
I like the format now…..
hmm….fav. childrens book would have to be the Nate the Great books and Frog and Toad. Those rocked my socks when I was little.
October 6th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Wow, Deimos really is vile. Taking a baby from its mother and banishing it to a “world of evil”. I’ve gotten used to the current page format, keep it. Favorite children’s book? There’s Something under my Bed by James Stevenson.
October 6th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Yay! Barb’s back! ^_^
Claudius the Lame? HE’S the lame one – sheesh! *rolls eyes*
Um – I was a way early reader, and my memory is atrocious. The earliest book I remember reading is Where the Red Fern Grows. I’m pretty sure that doesn’t fit the genre you want. Sorry!
October 6th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I like the current website format, but I would also prefer if the links would open in the same window.
As for kids books, Green Eggs and Ham and the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
btw, current page (and all previously) have totally fabulous artwork!
October 6th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I feel like I’m going against the pack, but I like the comic on the front page. Apparently, its just me!
My favorite books (I can’t pick just one!) as a kid were The Dark Crystal and Where The Wild Things Are.
October 6th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
I really like the style it is now… page to page navigation is a little awkward but it’s bearable.
My favorite children’s book was called ‘Piggy Pie’ It was about a witch who just wanted to make piggy pie and was being foiled by the pigs at every turn. It’s hysterical.
October 6th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
1. Don’t really care. I’ll simply adjust my bookmarks to whatever you decide to do.
2. I didn’t really have a favorite book when I was a kid. I’d read pretty much anything that I could get my grubby little hands on. Currently I suppose that my favorite children’s book (yeah, I still read kiddie-lit once in a while — helps give my brain a vacation from the grown-up reading) is “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH” by Robert C. O’Brien. (I’m also a big fan of the movie “The Secret of NIMH”.)
October 6th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
I like the comic as the front page…
and my favorite story is a toss up between Black Beauty and Ferdinand the Bull
October 6th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
My favorite book as a kid was “The Silver Llama.” I was never really fond of the Berenstein Bears or Dr. Seuss. I did like Where the Wild Things Are though.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I like the current format just fine. But I don’t really care either way.
As far as my favorite book, it was definitely Harold and the Purple Crayon.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I like the format the way it is actually. It’s something I’m used to.
As for my favorite children’s book, The Giving Tree and Strega Nonna.
October 7th, 2008 at 12:15 am
I enjoy the current format actually
And my favorite children’s book is a tie between Where the Wild Things Are (I know, typical) and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
October 7th, 2008 at 3:49 am
I, too, don’t mind (even like) the new format, but I agree that I do not like the comic opening up in a new tab.
Also, favorite childhood book has got to be McElligot’s Pond by Dr. Seuss.. or wait.. One Fish Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish? ‘Cause of all the interesting creatures in those! ^_^
. o O (Oh, but I love The Lorax too! So hard to pick just one!)
October 7th, 2008 at 4:08 am
A) The baby don’t look scary, B) Don’t like “World Epsilon”, sounds too sciencey for how I perceive Xylia, C) page on the front page would be nice, and D) “Where the Wild Things Are”.
October 7th, 2008 at 4:11 am
Oh, and GENIUS transition from baby to man. You’re REALLY good!
October 7th, 2008 at 4:52 am
The baby is adorable!
I liked the front page format and my favourite children’s book is Trouble for Trumpets by Peter Cross, a not so well-known but brilliant book, that still amazes me now (I’m 35). Yeah…
October 7th, 2008 at 5:32 am
1) I like it the way it is now. Really, it’s cool.
you can really see the resemblance
2) When I was a child, it was “The Tawny Scrawny Lion” but now it’s “The Land of Green Ginger”
Also, great job carrying the features of baby Claudius to adult Claudius
One final thing: Don’t worry about missing the occasional week. I’m sure I’m not the only Megatokyo reader here, and sometimes Fred misses a whole month! ^_^ But we still love him, and you!
October 7th, 2008 at 7:33 am
Excellent work with baby and adult Claudius.
1. I like the title page, but, like a few others, would prefer the links to open in the same window (or tab, as the case may be).
2. I started reading early, and have always been a bookworm, so I’m not really sure, but the earliest thing I can remember that stood out were the books by Dr. Seuss, especially “Oh say can you say”.
I was trying to find a symbol for world within Unicode, to say World Epsilon with. Does anyone have an idea? My father suggested Ω, from the ancient greek for “that which is”.
October 7th, 2008 at 7:47 am
I like the format as it is, only bad thing about it is that The Web Comic List doesn’t keep track of updates anymore…
My favourite book: One of my favourite books as a kid was Farmer Giles of Ham by Tolkien. I also loved Roald Dahl.
October 7th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Yeah, I would actually personally like going back to the comic being the front page. It’s just quicker, and easier for me… Does Harry Potter count as a children’s book/ series? Well, if not, i would say that I love all the stories from Hans Christian Andersen. Especially the Emperors new robes and The ugly duckling. Classics!
Brilliant new page by the way! Love the way u tied it in with our world, ‘World Epsilon’!
October 7th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I like the current format. However Id consider the options mentioned by the others in a previous update about the new window opening.
My favourite childrens book? All dutch ones Im afraid.
I loved Minoes from Annie MG Smith about a cat who gets transformed into a ladie by drinking chemical stuff. She meets some human friends but is also still able to communicate with her cat friends and still has some cat behaviour. This way she can help the nice guy who took her in his house. mr. Tibbe writes for the newspaper and the cats in the neighboorhood bring Minoes all the news he needs. Of course this leads to trouble. Also Minoes has to choose between staying human or become a cat again.
Annie MG Smith is one of the most popular authors of childrens books for the yonger children in our country. Lots of her books have been made into movies (the netherlands are following the trend: making movies out of books) and though Annie has passed a few a few years ago now her books are still popular.
The most recent childrens book I read and really enjoyed is (translated) the letter for the king from Tonke Dragt. Its a knights story. A boy named Tiuri has one more night to get through before he gets knighted, he has to stay awake in a chapel and must remain silent and cant open the door to anyone. A man calles for his help in that night and Tiuri decides to help him. He must bring a letter of great importance to the king of the neighboor-country, so he has to take a hard and long journey to get there, while being followed by black knights and stuff. Lots of excited situations, friendship and a bit of romance.
They made a movie out of it this year but it cant stand up to the book. I loved it!
October 7th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
About the page: I might be a bit slow because its late, but I had to read it two times before understanding it.
Poor Claudius, thats a tough start for such a little one. And poor Phanessa, the last panel is really touching.
I love the lighting on grown up Claudius face, the comparison panel of the baby and the grown up man is really good.
October 7th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Awwww, the Pink Fairie (I forget her name) is wiping away Phanessa’s tear! How touching! Dang, Claude started cute and got cuter.
But now I wonder, is that why Phanessa is old…had her immortality taken away–or vanished when she was herself banished–as her own punishment? I do notice that Deimos and his people seem to have banishment as their favorite punishment…
October 8th, 2008 at 2:22 am
well,
), take your time.
1. I like the way it is now, don’t change it.
2. The Dr.seuss series, they’re awesome ^^.
As long as the story’s good (which it is now, and will probaly stay so
keep it up, yo.
October 8th, 2008 at 6:33 am
My favorite children’s books are “Grandfather Twilight,” “When the Sun Rose,” and “The Velveteen Rabbit.” I loved the first two mainly for the illustrations. The third I loved because it explained the magical world of toys. I always thought that my stuffed animals must get really bored when I wasn’t playing with them so it made sense that they would have thoughts, fears, and friendships of their own.
Even though I am 25, I must admit I still have stuffed animals that I play with and they tell me that they play boardgames and blow stuff up in their secret laboratory when I am not around. They also make plans to torment my cat.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Like the format, but I have it bookmarked so it’s easy for me.
Children’s Books:
1. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
2. A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams
3. The Diamond in the Window by Jane Langton (a little older)
4. Peppermints in the Parlor (a little older too)
October 8th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
agreed that the baby/claudius transition is sweet/lovely/perfect
agreed that the new window pop-up is the problem with the current format – let us navigate your site on our own from your current home page with no new windows (including twc voting!) and i’d be perfectly happy. comic on the home page is better than new windows though.
once i began obsessing about children’s lit:
the boy who could sing pictures – i wrote a review on amazon. this is out of print, one of the most magical longer (about 100 pages and a lot of text) picture books ever made.
the house on the edge of things – all books by ethel cook eliot all focus on those who can see clearly – these are the people who can see fairies and whatnot – eliot’s stories are other-worldly and enchanting.
sees behind trees by michael dorris. his very young adult native american stories are inspiring and powerful for young minds.
walker of time series by helen hughes vicks. she is not native american herself, but her sci-fi/fantasy/native american young adult series is very very good.
books i actually loved in childhood:
jacob two-two and the hooded fang – picture book is slightly scary – good for 5/6-up
trixie belden mysteries – young adult mysteries with more teamwork than say nancy drew, horses and farmland scenery
October 8th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
your comic is wonderful! ahh earth is not that evil it just has too many possibilities for evil to thrive, my favorite kids book was the trumpet and the swan, awesome! dr. suess and wind in the willows, hmmmm thats probably all i can remember
October 8th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Either format is fine with me.
When I was a child, my favorite book was The Wind in the Willows. It’s one of those books that both children and adults can appreciate, just in different ways.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Favorite Children’s Book Title: No More Monsters for Me!
Author: Peggy Parish
Illustrator: Marc Simont
Published: August 1987, one year before I was born ^_^
October 9th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I don’t mind the comic either way, but I would prefer (as others have said) that when we go to other pages, it doesn’t open a new window. It gets kinda annoying.
My favorite book as a little kid was The Color Kittens by Margaret Wise Brown. I also LOVED the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science book, An Octopus Is Amazing by Patricia Lauber. It’s not actually a story book, but it was a book I loved.
October 9th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I like a comic on the front page, but it might make the rest of the fun stuff on the front page feel kinda cramped. And my favorite book was Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel! Yup, still a tomboy!~
October 10th, 2008 at 12:57 am
I like the format you have now. The person with the first post said it all.
My favorite childrens’ book was some personalized story my grandmother had gotten for me. It had my name and my best friend’s name and we went on a scary adventure to rescue something or other. I wonder where that book is now…
October 10th, 2008 at 7:40 am
The current format is fine, & the illustrations are absolutely beautiful. Favorite children’s Book will have to be all the Enid Blyton stories especially “The Magic Faraway Tree”. And the chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.
October 10th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Thank you for sharing your opinions on the page layout, and your favorite children’s books.
My favorite children’s book(aside from the Oz books by L. Frank Baum) is a story called One Fine Day which won the Caldecott medal for outstanding illustration when I was seven years old and became the book that long ago made me decide I wanted to be an illustrator and win a shiny medal. 30+ years later, I am an illustrator, but no shiny medals. Not a single one.
That said, I have entered Xylia in Bomb Shelter Comics Webcomic Idol contest. Click on my name if you would like to see what it’s about. The judges will choose the top ten, so with as many entries out there, I’m not sure of the likilhood of that happening, but if it does, I hope you will all consider voting for Xylia!
Thank you again for commenting!
~B
October 10th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
so the butterfly demon made him human why did do that
October 11th, 2008 at 7:29 am
To add another thing to the layout: As I said, I’d prefer the links to open in the same window. The reason is that one can still cause them to open in a separate window then, but one cannot make them open in the same one now.
October 11th, 2008 at 10:54 am
I’ve been lurking in shadows; reading your comic ~ adore it..
As to your questions:
I like the current setup.
And my favorite books when I was a kid? The Mrs. Piggy-Wrinkle books! Also everything else ~ I was a bookworm as a kid (still is as a adult)
April 3rd, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Look at all those comments! O[]o
Anyway! Good job cutting the scene right before baby Claude peed all over Deimos! XD
(J/k but it could have happened, right?)