Many of you might already be asking: Was it really necessary?
I believe so, and for several reasons.
The original Project ReFur thread had a long life, and many generous volunteers contributed to make it grow, to publish their versions of those 87 B&W comics in the space of 3 years and more. Alas, many of those recolored strips are no longer available
25 of them have been replaced by the sad ‘image’ marker, just like it had happened with Valerio’s first translation thread, due to Imageshack’s and Photobucket’s policies.
You know what happened with THAT thread: it had to be rebuilt from scratch (with precious help from Cesco and his comprehensive archive), and thus -having all the new and recolored strips ready to publish from a more reliable server, and being all of them formatted in PNG, properly restored to fix some minor technical problems, and basing all the work on Rick’s original B&W work….
Well, to cut a long story short, I did it.
Here, in this all-new ReFur thread, you’ll find my choice of recolored comics in a by-arcs post.
On the left of each title, (I used the files’ name), find a button that open the ‘blank’ version, that translators will surely find useful. On the right, I’ll add the links to further variation in case there might be any. I hope so.
Because this is the purpose of a reboot, after all: A fresh new start, though with some basic difference.
And since that now each one of these fabulous 87 is present and in its proper order, should you feel the itch to customize any of them, just do it and post it here.
Awesome, right?
Well, since I'm for an half a sort of "restoration nazi", I hope you’ll follow these teensy-weensy suggestions:
- Rick’s pixels are sacred.
You can use any method to work on the colors, but it should be as less invasive of the original B&W work as possible. A good colorist will work ‘behind’ the artist’s ink, without creating the dreaded sawlines.
- Be ‘continuity’ your mantra.
Try and use as much as possible the colors and the color style Rick used in the first phase, so that your work can be indistinguishable from each other’s.
- Please replace the B&W comics’ credits with the ones taken from the transparent-frame comics: It offers a better sight
And now some words from the other half-me, your "restoration anarchist":
- Follow the suggestions, don’t adhere to them as if they were rules.
- This is a free room. Constructive critics are welcome, especially when bearing exchanges of ideas and techniques.
- Anyone can work on any comic. This is a cooperation effort, not a contest. Who knows, Rick could eventually ask himself if it’s not the case to use ReFur in place of the original work.
And so, old and new colorists, here’s your brand new playground. The gates are open, let’s have fun!
I ment Renato...
YAY! 