A request to Rich

[SolkaTruesilver]

I've read many comments about this, but the panel #1 of OoTS #430 is just too good to pass.

May we have the opportunity to download it as a wallpaper? If possible, you could add a good background of Azure City under siege, details about V's position (the breach with Giants), etc... That would be AWESOME!

[Black_Light83]

Great idea, make this whole epic battle into a wallpaper....it would make me happy on the inside:smallbiggrin:

[Jazzvader]

Me too real happy

[Kirinith]

I agree; however, I took the initiative and made one up (in 1024x768).
Not as good as an official one, but feel free to help yourselves to it nonetheless: link removed due to copyright violation

[Sylian]

Yeah, it would be nice.
Kirinith, could you make that in 1280x1024?

[SPoD]

In the past, Rich has made wallpapers available as an incentive to donate money. Who here would be willing to donate $5 if it meant a spiffed up panoramic scene like the OP described with Roy and Xykon in the skies above it?

(Raises hand!)

[SolkaTruesilver]

Hey, an even better idea:

Screw the wallpaper, and make it a poster! A big poster, with full of small details about the below battle (where you could spot the characters) would rock!

[Coffee_Dragon]

And here I am heading for the forums with the sole motivation of suggesting that someone turn panel one into a wallpaper. :smallsmile:

[Hinton]

I'd love to see an official wallpaper of that first panel. The city/battle below it or behind it or whatever would be cool, but not necessary.

[BisectedBrioche]

I agree completly.

[Kriel]

I wholeheartedly agree. That's just too epic not be made into a wallpaper.

[Vladimir]

That is something I would really like to see as well.

[The Extinguisher]

Hey, an even better idea:

Screw the wallpaper, and make it a poster! A big poster, with full of small details about the below battle (where you could spot the characters) would rock!

Yes yes yes. I would so buy that.

It must be done!

[ElfLad]

Yeah, although I'd rather have the poster than the wallpaper.

[Last_resort_33]

I'd have the poster... AND The wallpaper

[Black_Light83]

i duno if the Giant ha seen this thread or not but some one or some people need to send some e-mails to him with a link to this thread showing how much people want to have this thing :smallamused:

OOOooOOOoOOo, just a little addition to the wallpaper it would be cool to have Greenhilt fighting xykon, elan leadinga group of blue guards, Belkar stabbin some hobbs, V dueling redcloak etc:smallbiggrin:

[Sisqui]

My husband wants that panel put on a new OOTS T-shirt :smallcool:

[bluish_wolf]

You know if he makes a wallpaper, that you would have to pay for it, right? So, really, what's the point? I would rather him work on the comic.

[The Giant]

This is already in the works. A poster was the idea originally, as the OP described, with the battle going on below; it would probably not be available until the summer, though. After seeing this thread and numerous emails about it, I've decided to ALSO offer it as a donation-incentive wallpaper, like I did for the Xykon-and-army scene from #300.

However, there are two things that will slightly delay it. One, I have to finish the panoramic scene below Roy and Xykon, and that will take some time being squeezed in between the regular strips and the deadline for the next book (which I am furiously slaving away on every day). Two, some of the details that will be in the background would spoil the next 3-4 strips, so even if I finish it this weekend (unlikely), I wouldn't be able to show it for 2 weeks.

However, keep an eye on the News page, it could pop up at any time after that.

[SPoD]

You know if he makes a wallpaper, that you would have to pay for it, right? So, really, what's the point? I would rather him work on the comic.

The point would be to support Rich's business. Without people paying for things, Rich will need to go back to his Day Job to support himself, which means he will probably go back to the 2-a-week schedule he had when he started. He didn't switch to 3-a-week until he was able to support himself on OOTS merchandise.

So, buying stuff that he makes directly leads to more comics per week. If everyone who read OOTS said, "Why pay for anything when I can get something for nothing?" I'm pretty sure the comic would first slow down and then eventually stop altogether.

[SolkaTruesilver]

This is already in the works. A poster was the idea originally, as the OP described, with the battle going on below; it would probably not be available until the summer, though. After seeing this thread and numerous emails about it, I've decided to ALSO offer it as a donation-incentive wallpaper, like I did for the Xykon-and-army scene from #300.

However, there are two things that will slightly delay it. One, I have to finish the panoramic scene below Roy and Xykon, and that will take some time being squeezed in between the regular strips and the deadline for the next book (which I am furiously slaving away on every day). Two, some of the details that will be in the background would spoil the next 3-4 strips, so even if I finish it this weekend (unlikely), I wouldn't be able to show it for 2 weeks.

However, keep an eye on the News page, it could pop up at any time after that.

Whohoooo!!! Yhea!

And I don't really worry about the delay. I will gladly pay for high-quality stuff, Giant! :smallbiggrin:

[Hinton]

This is already in the works. A poster was the idea originally, as the OP described, with the battle going on below; it would probably not be available until the summer, though. After seeing this thread and numerous emails about it, I've decided to ALSO offer it as a donation-incentive wallpaper, like I did for the Xykon-and-army scene from #300.

However, there are two things that will slightly delay it. One, I have to finish the panoramic scene below Roy and Xykon, and that will take some time being squeezed in between the regular strips and the deadline for the next book (which I am furiously slaving away on every day). Two, some of the details that will be in the background would spoil the next 3-4 strips, so even if I finish it this weekend (unlikely), I wouldn't be able to show it for 2 weeks.

However, keep an eye on the News page, it could pop up at any time after that.

Thanks, Giant! You rock!

Like so many others, I'll keep an eye out for it.

[Icewalker]

Hoorah! I would/will definitely buy the poster!

That is one hell of an awesome shot, same as several others (like the army). With the battle below, that is definitely worth getting on a poster.

[bluish_wolf]

The point would be to support Rich's business. Without people paying for things, Rich will need to go back to his Day Job to support himself, which means he will probably go back to the 2-a-week schedule he had when he started. He didn't switch to 3-a-week until he was able to support himself on OOTS merchandise.

So, buying stuff that he makes directly leads to more comics per week. If everyone who read OOTS said, "Why pay for anything when I can get something for nothing?" I'm pretty sure the comic would first slow down and then eventually stop altogether.

I meant, what is the point of asking him for it, since he won't let you have it for free, anyway? I didn't think many people would pay valuable cutter for a desktop image.

That being said, since the comic is, at least originally, something that he did for fun and/or publicity, I'm sure he would do it even if nobody gave him money for it.

[SPoD]

I meant, what is the point of asking him for it, since he won't let you have it for free, anyway? I didn't think many people would pay valuable cutter for a desktop image.

It all depends on your disposable income level, then, I guess. I'm sure there's a significant portion of the message board community for whom $5 isn't really that valuable. I think I remember Rich saying that when he used to have regular donations, there were always a few people who dropped $100 or more for the $5 wallpaper, just to support him.


That being said, since the comic is, at least originally, something that he did for fun and/or publicity, I'm sure he would do it even if nobody gave him money for it.

That was three-and-a-half years ago, though, and when he started it, he had less than 100 people looking at his website each month. Given the size of the comic's readership these days, I imagine it generates a web server bill in the hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars a month. If it didn't generate at least that much revenue, I would expect him to not be able to afford to continue to distribute it for free. At the very least, he would have to begin cluttering the website up with advertising.

[BlueWizard]

Why not, it is excellent, and Rich should be proud. And all of us Roy fans love it.

[Izodor]

Is Rich still giving backgrounds to people who donate?

[Hinton]

I meant, what is the point of asking him for it, since he won't let you have it for free, anyway? I didn't think many people would pay valuable cutter for a desktop image.

That being said, since the comic is, at least originally, something that he did for fun and/or publicity, I'm sure he would do it even if nobody gave him money for it.

Many artists, regardless of their chosen medium, usually start out giving some of their pieces away for free, simply to get their name out there. As time goes on and their pieces become more in-demand, then they usually charge something for them. While it may be a labor of love, there's nothing wrong with making money from one's artwork.

Mr. Burlew could say that he won't be posting the comic on the web for free anymore. He could say that there will be membership fees from now on to view the comic (I certainly hope that doesn't happen). It's definitely popular enough that he would probably make some money, even though it might lose some fans in the process.

He doesn't even have to make a desktop image or even a poster for the fans. He could let those of us that would like to have it just sit here with nothing. However, he will take a part of his valuable time to create something simply because fans have asked for it and all he's asking is a small (if indeed it is only $5) donation in return. Some people may pass on that; but I think many will not.

Mr. Burlew honors us by producing a comic that is incredibly entertaining, updated regularly (barring unforeseen emergencies) and doesn't charge us for it. On top of that, he's given us this forum (also free) where we can come to discuss a great many topics.

To put it another way: he's invited us onto his playground, let's us enjoy his antics and toys and all he asks in return is that we occasionally pay for the snacks.

[bluish_wolf]

Well, I suppose if you were already willing to pay for it, then it's okay. It's your money, after all.

[Zynex]

And here I am heading for the forums with the sole motivation of suggesting that someone turn panel one into a wallpaper. :smallsmile:

ditto. wish i'd seen this earlier, could've saved me the embarassment of starting a thread much similar to this.

oh well, I vote to yeah, either make it one free with a 5$ donation, since that's Rich's usual way of providing wallpapers. Or, having it free ain't that bad either. :smallbiggrin:

[Sisqui]

I love the smell of capitalism in the morning! :smallcool:

[Phylactery]

I haven't read the episode discussion thread so my apologies if this has allready been brought up, but the huge purple gash on the zombie-dragon's kneck/sholder made by roy's first attack is visible just after roy hits him, and in most of #430, but not in the big inpressive first panel.

dont know if you (rich) mind that much or if it's an artistic desicion, but if it's gonna be in a showcase type poster i guess attention to detail might be more inportant. plus it makes the dragon look cooler imo.

[SumGuy]

I love the smell of capitalism in the morning! :smallcool:

It smells like...like victory!

add me to the "I wanna poster really really bad" list

[Chrismith]

...some of the details that will be in the background would spoil the next 3-4 strips, so even if I finish it this weekend (unlikely), I wouldn't be able to show it for 2 weeks.


Might one of those details be the MitD without his Hello Goblin umbrella?

Nah...

[agentx42]

Well, I suppose if you were already willing to pay for it, then it's okay. It's your money, after all.

Right. What difference does it make how others spend their money anyway...? Better to worry about your own finances.