Lovely progress!

[Karuto]

I'll throw in my two bits and see if I can form a nice valid opinion here.

I'd just like to first start off with commenting on how well you've progressed Amelius. I mean, the first comics after Pirate Days was... Um... Well, that was definitely me with the bleeding eyes in your introductory page...

But you've went from that, to something divine! The detail! The shine! The beauty! Oh, it's so nice. How did you progress so quickly? Magic? It's Magic, isn't it? No wait, you used the Robot Devil's hands! Either way, you did a great job improving.

I'd also like to point out the nice subtleties (Is that even a word?) I didn't notice until I re-read CTV. I should've caught them the first time, but the second time around, I felt that they really meant so much more. Like, I loved it when I could pinpoint the exact moment Master took over Zeno. I was so overjoyed.

The little things in your other comic, UIU, like the tombstones (Rick R. Mortez... Hehe, what's he got a stiff upper lip for I wonder?) were nice and added that necessary accent to it, as well.

Now for the harshness:

I felt that your beginning comics, like when the kids found Munchie or when Menu ate the fisherman, seemed to just be fillers or something. I mean, there wasn't even a formal introduction to Menu, Munchie, or Hexavier (although Hex's one was titled) and were just thrown out there. It went much nicer after the Fantastic Four finally settled down into the house, though.

Also, what's with the giant sausage fest? I don't mean to be so blunt or crude, but I always had and urge that things need a sense of balance. The 11:5 ratio of boys to girls in the house jottles me so. It's just my opinion on the matter, though, so don't even worry about having to add more characters just because I said so. You could make one gay if you wanted, but that would probably just create lots and lots of pain for everyone, including the readers. Don't worry about it, though, as I just wanted to say that.

The only other things I'm a tad-bit concerned with is the fact that they're all small kids (Are you a Loli-lover?), and there is no swearing. The maturity of everyone offsets their small appearances, so that's fine, and the swearing is, again, only my thing.

Don't go changing, Amelius, and keep up the good work.

Stay classy, San Diego.

[Amelius]

Hehe why thank you for the honesty too ^_^
Well, in the original book (referring of course to the archive of pen-and-ink stuff in a folder that is about to explode, as well as the spilloff folder) those guys get a whole intro which I didn't have time for (Menu's especially) I had wanted to add them but time was not working with me and I had just run out of my surplus of UIU comics so I was doing those every day as well as trying to work out the new comics for CTV. So yes they were regrettably most like filler comics online than actual intros. Menu started off as a running gag that he would just pop up after Charby bested Vic, until I did an actual origin story for him much like Charby's Pirate Days arc. If I could possibly fit in the 10 or more pages it took for Menu to get his wolfy powers I would, but after DD crashed they lost that option (to insert pages between pages that is) so I'd have to upload pages and spend the day scooting them down one page at a time through 11 pages of archive lists >_< Plus I have to redraw it too.
Hexavier however did start off as a one-shot filler-type comic until he met up with the rest of the crew, it was CTV then a Hex comic in between when something was upsetting me (my biggest influence for Hexavier's adventures) he really couldn't have an extravagant intro because he needs an air of mystery about him, like who is this little boy and why is he wandering around alone? Which is what he was, a lost boy in the city. Hex was a wanderer until he met the rest of them, so now that he's there I get to focus on the how and why, rather than starting off with his history right away. It would have given way too much away. But still, I probably could have worked on a better way to bring him into the comic, perhaps meeting Mye first then the filler from that point on? Even if that messes with the original order a bit ^_^

As for all the guys, that's because all my friends are guys so when I write things from people around me, guys are just easier to write for. Out of 20 friends I can think of off the top of my head, 3 are girls, and I've never hung out with just the girls before. I didn't have many friends in school and the one female friend left I had introduced me to the "group" which consisted of her brother's friends, and eventually after she stopped talking to me (because her boyfriend, now husband, hates all her friends) I started to hang out with them more often. Plus, I just like drawing guys better ^_^

Correction, adults trapped in small kid's bodies. I like to mess with the minds of a character and having them like that is just amusing to me. So many vampire/monster comics have attractive bishonen males, tall and dark and handsome, so I thought my (what started off as monster-movie parodies mind you) comic consist of knee-height nighttime nuisances. It has to suck for a demon with an adult's mind be attracted to someone that looks their mental age but could never feel the same way because they look like a child and it isn't natural to be attracted back (like in Viki's case) there are people out ther that look all but 10 years of age but are actually in their 30's, though I'm not sure if they have the same problems. But characters like Tony, he's in his adult form for his species (alp, where goblin/fae type are usually small of stature) and Kavonn is no longer even human. The only person I can assure you is still a child is Phineas, who is 11. I just like the whole appearances being decieving angle too. What appears to be more innocent than a child? Or an angel? Of course we know that the characters here aren't "innocent" though ^_^

Because of their appearance though this is why they are not in "intimate relationships" beyond makeout sessions, and will likely not go beyond that. Also because I don't wanna draw that kinda thing, and of course I don't wanna throw that kinda thing around (hey if I can wait so can they)
And as for loli, nononononono NO, I don't even like little kids! That's just creepy to me...I have to admit I'm little hurt by the insinuation there I've already gotten two pedophile accusations T_T I am NOT into that kinda thing!
They're more like chibis or midgets than anything, like I said it's a conundrum of their appearance versus mental age, which makes for more storyline for me than a "brooding handsome 20-something vampire" like Zerlocke for example. Plus, their chosen one is nothing like they imagined also. Usually the hero of the story can at least reach the top shelf in the fridge. And admitably childlike characters are more fun to write for, because they aren't constrained by the things expected of "adults" and maturity. So Charby can wolf-whistle a hot lady one moment, then snuggle a kitten and talk funny to it the next, then sit down to read a complicated novel with his bubble-pipe without seeming out of character. This is also why UIU is done in chibi-style (they are not little kids, thought I'd clear that up) because it's more fun to work with a wide range of personality than what is usually expected of adults.
Also from personal experience, I've been told I look a lot younger than I am. When I told someone at the time I was 21 they looked absolutely shocked and thought I was 16 at least.
I also have problems with my identity too, I'm not anorexic or weird looking but I tend to think of myself as bigger and scarier than I am, and whenever I walk by other people or parents with kids at the park I wonder if they look at me like I might try to injure them or kidnap their children...but when in actuality I'm not a big creepy stalker in a giant black trenchcoat, I'm a skinny brat in a slightly large brown coat this is another reason it is easy to write for. Some just don't know what others think of them.

As for the swearing, that's another personal choice, offline and in real life I do not swear so I don't like to write it either, even if it is an appropriate reaction for a character to use explitives. Also excessive swearing would make the comic a bit more mature, and I do not want to exclude anyone. Despite the violence and every once in a great while a slightly mature joke (which usually goes over heads intentionally) I want to keep the comic more...well, wholesome as one person said to me haha. I'm not gonna preach abstainence and language control but my characters certainly won't be doing most of that stuff either.

Thanks very much for the review, I'll try to keep doing my best.

[Karuto]

Ah, you clear so much up with that and explain a lot, also.

I guess I was just wondering that, although they are restrained to their childlike forms, a majority of them could just shift into a more adult version, like Tony, Charby, and Mye (although, I do understand why she wouldn't want to look more like an adult... Her natural form is her best defense). But I can see what you're saying about how their personalities can be so much deeper if they were just diminished like that, and it's actually pretty ingenious.

So, thanks for the explanations, even though you didn't really have to explain yourself.

And is it so wierd to feel so jittery and giddy just because the author of a popular webcomic responds to your post?

[Flagg]

I want to keep the comic more...well, wholesome as one person said to me haha.

And that's one of the many reasons we (and by we I mean at least me and my RL-friends that also read Charby) adore you and your work, Amelius! : )
Anyone can do dirty these days, but it's a sign of something much akin to greatness to do a webcomic like Charby/UIU clean and amazing.

...And if anyone tells you otherwise, just send 'em my way. >: (
I mean, erm, heh heh, look, a distraction! *quickly hides rather scary pointy sword* O:-)

[Amelius]

Karuto:Well hm...haven't thought about Tony. His transformations are usually limited to animal forms though...Charby is just used to his body the way it is. He's a little clumsy in his adult body so he doesn't like it as much.
I always feel the need to explain myself! I'm incorrigible, believe me.
Hehe, not popular enough to be notable by wikipedia though! (hope I'm not getting too much bitter everywhere...I really oughta forget it already ^_^) I try my best to respond to as many posts as possible...but I'm nothing special, mine friend, just another webcomic author.

Flagg: Thankyouse! And it's not just because my mom reads it too haha ^_^
I've always kinda liked walking the line...sometimes I'll be looking through my folder and notice people around me and think "this may be too violent..." and when someone who likes violence comes along all my stuff looks tame after I claim it's pretty bloody. My uncle was looking at the artwork for Pirate Days and my grandma wanted to take a look and he says "oh you don't wanna see this, it's rated R" I said "nahh, more like PG13, it's violence" (I didn't want her to worry there was nudity or swearing in it) it was at a family gathering though so I doubt she even heard him, hehe.

[Scardy G.]

Amy, sweety, I love you, but you were not kicked off of Wikipedia, you were moved to Comixpedia. HERE.

[Milky the Man]

OH MY LORDIE! We weren't kicked off after all!

[blink11]

Hmm..I will put my 2 cents in..

I love your comic, 'Melius! I have honestly never seen any type of anime-type art better than this! It is truly amazing!

On another subject, the very 1st page, where you say "don't flame me for all the characters I have, just let me kill 'em off as I please!" (or something like that..) I think that perhaps you do have alot of characters, but you know how to handle lots of characters. Unlike many comics/stories that I have read, it is easy to distuinguish each individual character, partially by aperance, and also because you use different fonts for each one ^^. Also, you did not introduce all the characters at once (which can overwhelm people) but instead gradualy put each one in their spot. I think this is supereior thinking of you Amelius!

[{×ÏÑk§tÊ®88×}]

teehee.i love this comic..because its evil and dasterdlee.
i have no complaints.

[nessakat]

I'm new to Charby and read all 690 something pages in five days (would have been less if it wasn't for school) but I love it and I'm trying to get everyone I know to read it. I think you did a great job on it Amelius.
I love that they're all so young and cute (Chibi! Kawaii!) and I'm glad you kept it "wholesome" as you put it. If it did have "intimate relationships" (again quoting you) and had curses all over the place I most likely would have stopped reading and I definitely wouldn't have passed it on to my friends.
I prise you for your skill, dedication, and everything else!
Keep up the good work Amelius! ;D

[Artemisia]

Charby is Inspiring, not in an Al gore, or "Save Rwanda" way, but a more subtle way. That you only realise when you read it twice (or more... ) It has Inspired me to write my own comic/GN/whatever... simply because of how uhh... yeeah, the first pages were and how mindbogglingly awesome the more recent ones are. Basically If a person can progress that much by determination and Practice then Maybe I could too... However Inept I think myself.
I never thought it creepy that you wrote about children? but the psychological drama of being stuck in a body that doesn't match you is something that (I don't know about anyone else) but I empathize with since I feel like I was born 35. It's a message that is hard to portray well and I have only ever seen done well in the character of Claudia from Interview with the Vampire, and In Charby. Charby is at the level of Anne Rice, at least. I really do not have any critisism since I know that Your skills at writing will inevitably progress and improve past "Mindbogglingly Awesome" and I cannot imagine, much less critique that.