Does anyone else have problems with red printing on a black background? Maybe it's just me, but when you put red lettering into a black balloon, I just can't read it! Artists, please take note and ditch this gimmick!

Yup. Black backgrounds are seldom a good idea for speech balloons.

If you feel you absolutely must use them, then:
(i) use very, very pale coloured text;
(ii) use a very simple, clear font with strong lines and wide spacing; and
(iii) use a larger than usual font size.

It's also worth bearing in mind that, if you intend to have your comic printed at some stage, a cheaper quality paper will mean that the black backgrounds bleed into the text making it even less legible. The Kabuki series is a great example of how to get it wrong!

I used it once with Wyrden for a particular demon, where I followed the above rules from DAJB pretty much to the letter. I don't advocate it however...it's a pain to do as well ;)

jimlemon, I can understand your complaint but I know what comic inspired this complaint and I really think it may just be your monitor because I can read it pretty clearly. Perhaps it's the font? I know that Nick and Sarah both considered this when they decided on the colored balloons, that's why it's a lighter pinkish red on grey (transparent balloons) not red on solid black.
Well, I guess a second opinion would do, how about it guys? Is it that hard to read?
Otherwise yes it can be hard to read on some comics if the file is saved as a .jpeg, for some reason those hate red and blur it to bits! If your browser is set a certain way it could also be reducing the quality of images to cut loading time. People thought I was insane when I constantly complained about how uploading my comic ruined the quality until I found out it was because AOL sucks when showing images. I'm still embarrassed!

jimlemon
Does anyone else have problems with red printing on a black background? Maybe it's just me, but when you put red lettering into a black balloon, I just can't read it! Artists, please take note and ditch this gimmick!

Can you read this? You prolly can. If you can't then there's either an issue with your monitor or your eyes. ;)
However, the black and red combo IS unpleasant to read, for me at least, and is pretty hard on the eyes.
Generally though, with jpgs using red, this is a big issue:

Amelius
.jpeg, for some reason those hate red and blur it to bits!

Jpegs often compress reds badly, so if you're using dark reds, sometimes you really have to lower the level of compression to get a better result. ...or otherwise play with the settings.

Don't convert it to a 32 bit PNG, that's not web friendly and discourteous both to viewers of your comic and your comic host because of the unreasonably large files it produces.

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I don't know if anyone here uses 32 bit PNGs. If you have, don't be insulted, my comment is made generally, not directed at anyone at all directly or indirectly.

Maybe it has to do with my partial colorblindness, but I actually prefer red/orange over a black background. I once had my entire computer scheme set up that way. All the typical white, I dunno, it burns my retinas after a while.

You have to also take brightness settings/hardware into consideration. Different people have different screens. The modern LCDs are generally very bright, some are blindingly bright, whereas a lot of CRTs (and yes, people still use them) can be really dark. For example mine. It's so dark (at its brightest settings!) that my comic pages actually printed LIGHTER than they appear on the screen (and normally it is the opposite, print darkens colors, which has to do with the simple fact that screens glow with light, whereas paper only reflects the light it got from elsewhere... think sun vs the moon).
As such I see only one red word on the Cwen's Quest page posted earlier, "knives". To read the rest I have to go into my nvidia settings and rack up the brightness/contrast/gamma/whatever (I actually got a set of useful presets that come handy with dark images/websites).

But then again this is simply an issue with my hardware. While I had the second screen (also a CRT) I purposely kept it darkish too for two reasons. One, it was otherwise too bright on the dark areas; and two, it had the tendency to overheat if set any brighter and after an hour of work you could feel the heat radiating in your face, heh.

And yes, JPG is terrible with red color for some reason.

I've used this sort of thing for a Capital of Helsinki strip. I did a parody of The Seventh Seal and gave the angel of death black word balloons. I used a stark white font for the dialogue though, so I think it turned out okay.

I'm generally not a fan of this gimmick, however. It worked out okay in Sandman, but for the most part it's a cheesy distraction. I recall a lot of terrible comics from the mid-90's that had every character talking in goofy balloons with gratuitously inserted fonts of various kinds.

When in doubt a comics artist shouls skip the fireworks and just stick to telling the story.

ozoneocean
Can you read this? You prolly can. If you can't then there's either an issue with your monitor or your eyes. ;)
However, the black and red combo IS unpleasant to read, for me at least, and is pretty hard on the eyes.
Generally though, with jpgs using red, this is a big issue:

OW.

I must have tough eyes, because red on black has never bother me at all. Now, any color on a WHITE background, that's another matter...

I actually have my comic's DD page set up to where it is red text on a black background. But I'm not changing it though, cuz I think it looks purrrrty.

zaymac
I actually have my comic's DD page set up to where it is red text on a black background. But I'm not changing it though, cuz I think it looks purrrrty.

Like the outline of the "Bzzzt" in your avatar? O_o

Blitzkrieg1701
I must have tough eyes, because red on black has never bother me at all. Now, any color on a WHITE background, that's another matter...

same goes for me and i DONT have tough eyes. the red on the black background doesnt bother me, but if you put it on a white background, then that's just too much. feels like i'm getting zapped in the eye with a lazer. i'd say if you're gonna get rid of the red on black, then you mine as well get rid of it all together.

i have colored text on white background in PM at times, but that serves more as a highlight for emotional effect.the black text is still there under it.it gives yer eyes something to focus on instead of practically staring at the fuckin sun. i might dump it someday but for now it seems to serve it's purpose. i suppose it's all a matter of what yer eyes are sensative too.