Tuesday, October 30, 2007

A Taste of Things to Come?

This is an episode, (from August of this year), that you've seen already. However, here it is in a way you've never seen it before! Just CLICK on the episode image, at left, to view it at FULL SIZE.

If you'd like to compare it to the original, just click here.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your feedback.


26 comments:

Anonymous said...

The colors look great!

Will-

John said...

The colors add depth to the strip. You have always provided strong and generous details in each frame to give scenes dimension-and that works. The addition of color means you can do more palette and less line but I hope you will do both. Thanks for continuing to evolve as an artist.

Anonymous said...

The colors look fantastic. They add depth and visual energy to the strip. It is an amazing addition to the stip; definitely a big step forward. I vote for making all future strips color.

Kirby Holt said...

Looks great, hope to see more in color in the future!

CondoBlogger said...

I really like the color... I like the Black and White too though... your strips are fantastic regardless. They make me feel so normal! Well except for my fitness level. How about a guy who couldn't be on the cover of Men's Health at the B and B now and then?

Anonymous said...

NICE... ;)

I do prefer color, but above all it's the characters that keep me coming back... Keep up the great work Greg.

Darren

Frater Gymnos said...

I love the colors! they give so much depth and subtlety to your work.

the only thing in your work I have wanted more of (which I haven't told you about) is a better sense fo where my eyes shoud go in the midst of all of your meticulous (which I also love) line work.

The colors lead me into the story, and also lead me around the page so I was better able to appreciate the expressions on each face and the body language which had been getting a little lost for me in the backgrounds.

I still like the older drawings - i love your drawing... but the colors... WOW!

thanks for taking the time to do the extra work... and to ask what we think of it...

Frater Gymnos said...

Also... what is the base color (the mid-range color) you use for the skin tones of Richard and Brad?

And does every character get a different mid-tone, or aren't there enough HTML safe colors to do that?

Anonymous said...

I hope this is more than a TASTE of things to come. The color adds a richness and depth to the proceedings. When the first Kyle's BnB strip premiered in Genre a few years ago (before you brought it online), it was in color. I was actually surprised to find your site two years later and see it all in B&W. What happened? The strip is awesome, by the way.

Anonymous said...

I just read a discussion in one of the blogs about the way TV characters are always covered when they get out of bed naked. You know the scene, a guy gets out of bed and he already has his underwear on or he wraps himself with a sheet. the women always pull the bedcovers up to their chins. Unrealistic at best. And here is modest Matt, carefully draping a sheet around him ... it even looks like he wears his underwear in the black and white frame. Don't you hate unnecessary censorship? I wish you could draw your characters without worrying about it!

Anonymous said...

I didn't think it was possible to improve perfection. PLEASE continue using color going forward.

Lance

Iannz said...

Great in black and white! Even nicer in colour! (Yes we spell funny in New Zealand). But most of all, my partner and I love the wit and humour. Keep on keeping on!

Notes from the City said...

Call me old-fashioned but I like the B&W version. But it's a great series any way you do it - keep it up!

Daibhi said...

Most Excellent! Love the colour, would love to see some adult pages as well. ;)

But hey R is cool!

THanks for a consisently great toon!

Frater Gymnos said...

That's an idea!

There are naked pictures all over the blogosphere (don't make me list them)...

It would be great to have an "outtakes" sequence or two where LOYAL readers could get the uncensored version...

And just think... fewer lines to pencil,ink, and render!

what do you think Greg?

Greg Fox said...

Hey, thanks so much everyone, for your very informative, and sweet, comments!

I have been planning the move to color for a while now... it's something I've actually been mulling over for years. Most importantly, my feeling was, (and is), that if & when the strip goes color, there's no going back. When you think of all those reruns of TV shows from the 1960s, which switched from black & white to color midway through their runs, (like "Bewitched" & "Lost In Space"), NONE of them ever went back to black & white after they'd made the switch to color. So, I really wanted to be SURE about doing this before I do it, because I don't want to go back. It certainly does add some extra hours of production time on to each episode, but... I think it's worth it!

At this point, the projected launch date for the strip to go color is January, 2008. So, that means about 4 more episodes in black & white. I DO like the B&W look... in fact, I'll always offer that option for people to view, because I know there are many who prefer that, (like "notes from the city"...thanks for your input here!).

And frater gymnos... your points are well taken about showing "uncensored versions" of the strip. It's an interesting idea, although, especially now with the strip going to color, it's hard to imagine finding the time to produce additional x-rated versions of the strip. And then, there's a part of me that likes to stay within a "PG-13" level with the strip, (or maybe that's "R", or whatever the current ratings are). It's not that I'm morally opposed to erotica or erotic comics; I just don't know that it's a direction I'm completely comfortable taking the strip in, even if it is only for limited viewership. But it is something to think about, and I certainly will.

One more thing... if anyone reading this has any technical expertise who could advise me on how to reduce the file sizes of the comic strip, I'd greatly appreciate it. The color episodes are enormously larger in file size, and this is after reducing it to the lowest quality jpeg size, (zero). And then there's the issue of maintaining visual quality while reducing file size, (this episode looks fair to me... another one I did, not so great). I'd like it to have a quality look while keeping it at the smallest file size possible. (The file size of this one is 273K, which is way too large... I'd like to be able to make it half that, if possible). So, if anyone has any advice on this, I'd so greatly appreciate it... please e-mail me at kylesbnb@aol.com, if you could!

Thanks so much, everyone!

Unknown said...

I like it better in color. (This is not profound).
The black guy looks better and more realistic and the white guy looks more cute (cuter, queuererer?) ugh.
Blonds always have more fun.
Eh?

Anonymous said...

Very nice. Looking forward to the color strips.

Anonymous said...

I love your strip, black and white and the version in color is outstanding! It's so vivid and appealing to the eyes! Whatever decision you make (for example, Jan. 2008 release date) it'll be the right decision.

Also, as long as it doesn't change the frequency of when we get the strip, I'm all for it!

Greg, keep up the great work! You rock!

Anonymous said...

EXCELLENT WORK -- HOPE TO SEE MORE COLOR!

Phil & Mike

Anonymous said...

I think both are great and you should pubilhs both, so we can decide wich one we want to read.

Anonymous said...

Hi Greg,
I have appreciated the quality of your work for a number of years and I am pleased to see you are continuing to improve your strip with the additon of color. It is unfortunate it must come at the cost of greater work for you, but I hope you will be encouraged by those of us who admire and enjoy your superb work.
Thank you,
Larry
P.S. I would like to comment on gymnos' suggestion for an "uncensored" strip. I really enjoy the story lines, but must admit there are times, however, when I find the PG-13 presentations jarring within their context. Since the quality of your strip is so high, nudity is certainly not necessary, but it seems to be a fundamental part of who you are as an artist and it's unfortunate you can't/don/t/are unable to present the strip within the context of your full talent. Perhaps sometime in the future you might be able to revisit the issue.
Thank you, again and continue your outstanding work.

buff said...

Howdy Greg. Great news about the switch to color in 2008. Looking forward to the change. WOOF.

I will fondly refer to the B&W Kyle's B&B as the classics.

You and your creativity always bring a great big smile to my face.

Mega hairy muscle hugs for portraying us, as gay men, interesting and sexy creatures, that we are.

Anonymous said...

The coloured ones look GREAT!!!! Love the Kylecomix series!!!!

Anonymous said...

Color is Great
Keep on coloring all the online strips.

Unknown said...

Speak for yourself, sailor! ;-)