I Want to Believe is a Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild fan comic by pittssmitts. It takes place three years after the events of the game during a diplomatic visit by a now Queen Zelda to Zora’s Domain. Link, still appointed knight to Zelda, accompanies her and reunites with Sidon, who has been harboring feelings for Link for years. During their reunion, Link comes to terms not only with his reluctance toward the destiny thrust upon him, but he also realizes that he is finally able to accept his own feelings for Sidon as he is now truly free to peruse his own happiness.
Why isn’t the comic fully colorized until towards the end?
The symbolic meaning behind colors in comics has been discussed on this blog before. As a visual art medium, colors play an intricate part of comics, and a rich discussion can be had over the way colors are used, combined, and placed in a particular piece. The use of colors in storytelling mediums such as novels, short stories, and comics and graphic novels are also particularly interesting because they generally signify certain culturally-specific archetypes. Creators can make use of these as a kind of shorthand to communicate ideas and feelings non-verbally. The question that often comes up with this approach, though, is whether or not discussing the use of color in a text leads to over analysis. Honestly, sometimes yes. As much as some may argue that all choices made by a creator are 100% deliberate and well-thought out of, it all comes down to a nuanced middle ground. A creator may deliberately use color, for instance, to communicate ideas for the readers pick up on. At the same time, meaning can be ascribed by the reader who is able to see a pattern that the creator never planned or considered.
Credit: pittssmitts
A four-panel page.
First panel: A shot from above of Sidon moving towards the edge of his pool where Bazz is waiting for him, lance in hand. Only the water is painted in light blue.
Bazz: Are you ready for your daily spar?
Second panel: A close-up of Sidon glaring up at Bazz (off-panel) apprehensively. The water is colored light blue, and Sidon’s eyes are golden.
Third panel: A close-up of Bazz taken aback by Sidon’s look. His eyes are lime green.
Fourth panel: Sidon pulls himself out of the water as Bazz stands nearby looking unsure. The water is colored light blue, and Bazz’s arm fins are lime green. The background is drawn with simple undefined lines.
Sidon: I suppose so.
In the case of I Want to Believe, the use of color is very much deliberate. However, the meaning behind its use has to do more with the story progression — tied to both Link’s and Sidon’s psychology and emotions — more so than with archetypical symbolism. When the comic starts, it is all drawn in grayscale. In terms of the medium and creative process, this isn’t uncommon. Many webcomics start or are completely drawn in grayscale for many reasons; the most common being that it reduces production time. This isn’t to say that a comic or its creator should be judged by this decision. It’s simply a matter of life. With I Want to Believe, the reader could think this may be the case with how the story starts, but color is then introduced little by little. In the panels above, the water is colored a pale blue, and below, blues also stand out. These panels are from Sidon’s side of the story, so his overall insecurity about Link’s feelings for him are reflected in his environment. The grandiose opulence of Zora’s Domain is gray and undefined. The question is whether the blues stand out as archetypical gloominess, or is it because it’s the color of Link’s tunic?
Credit: pittssmitts
A five-page panel.
First panel: An image of a softly colored Link surrounded by a pale pink backdrop is depicted in-between a grayscale Sidon and Bazz. Sidon is holding his hand top to his mouth in surprise, blushing. Bazz is looking sheepishly amused.
Bazz: Yes. He looks at you as if you were a meal made by Hylia herself.
Second panel: A close-up of Sidon blushing, averting his gaze from Bazz (off-panel).
Third panel: A frantic Sidon leans towards Bazz, who seems taken off guard. Sidon’s sash and blush are colored blue, and there are green highlights under Bazz’s eyes.
Bazz: Oh. You didn’t notice.
Sidon: Well then, how did you confess to Ledo?
Fourth panel: A partial close-up of Bazz, covering the lower part of his face with his hand, blushing and sweating in embarrassment.
Sidon: I. Er. Am not the best to consult about that.
Fifth panel: A close-up of Sidon looking at Bazz (off-panel) in amusement.
Sidon: Oh Bazz. What did you do?
Credit: pittssmitts
A four-panel page.
First panel: A close-up of Link blushing as he talks and looks at Sidon (off-panel). His hair, eyes, and shirt are completely colored in. His skin is still a pale gray.
Link: Sidon. You asked me if there was anything I truly longed for. I don’t think I can keep lying to myself about it…
Second panel: A close-up of Sidon looking at Link (off-panel), blushing slightly, with a question mark hovering over his head. He is fully colored, but still in ashen tones.
Third panel: An extreme profiled close-up of Sidon’s face as Link’s hand cups his cheek. Sidon is surprised, and an exclamation mark and question mark appear over him. The panel is still colored in ashen tones.
Fourth panel: A break-out illustration of Link fully kissing Sidon. The illustrations is fully colored in bright , warm colors, including Link’s skin for the first time.
Regardless of the answer, this is what I Want to Believe does with this deliberate use of color. It is an overall gradient of Sidon’s and Link’s happiness and honesty with their feeling about themselves. This idea is strengthened when noticing that the characters’ eyes have been consistently colored from the start of the comic. It’s exemplified in the first and second groups of panels above: Sidon’s and Bazz’s eyes are golden and green respectively. In those panels, they also heavily communicate with just looks, giving credence to the old saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In the comic’s case, eyes are colored because they are the only consistent gauge for a character’s true feelings and intentions. Towards the end of the chapter, after Sidon is more aware of Link’s requited feelings and Link accepts he is allowed to be selfish, there is more color in the panels. It all culminates when Link kisses Sidon, when the world is teeming with affection.