And thus as our characters mosey off into the sunset, here is where we part ways with them. Yes, this is the final page of the comic.
…now that doesn’t mean it’s the end, but I’ll explain more about then when the epilogue (hopefully) posts next week.
Instead I suppose I’ll use this space to talk a little bit about why I decided to end it here. I know it’s kind of an abrupt ending and it may seem like it’s cutting off just as a new story is set to begin. Part of the reason I’m ending it is because this was always intended to be Nareth’s story and arguably Nareth’s story is over. Another reason is that I would anticipate anything from this point on would necessarily involve a lot of politics and I honestly really hate writing politics (what’s coming next will likely involve politics too, but not as much as I imagine this would).
…also I confess that I really like open-ended endings. It can certainly be argued that this one is a little TOO open ended, but honestly there’s nothing I could come up with going forward that would be better than what happens in your own heads. 😀
The long and short of it is that I never want a story to keep going to the point that it begins to overwhelm itself. It was always intended to end here and once a story’s run its course I want to bring it to an end.
There were a lot of ups and downs over the course of this. I always said that the ending was known from the start, and that was always true, but what the ending was actually changed over the course of writing it, which was why some parts ended up kinda weirdly paced, so I’m sorry about that. That’s something I’m intending to fix going forward.
That said, thank you for sticking with me throughout this story, for all the ups and downs. BUT! We’re not done yet! Please come back next week as I hope to post an epilogue to the comic and I’ll talk a bit more about what will be coming next. Thank you!
Oh good, we get an epilogue. I saw “END” and went “AGGGH! NOT HERE!”
I totally see the reasons for it. And I’m not saying you’re wrong, either.
But oh man, epilogue! One last little bit of closure!
Haha, well as much as I do provide closure to things anyway. 😀 But I do hope you enjoy!
…I also hope I don’t have any troubles getting it uploaded. It’s worrying me a bit. But I have a backup plan too, so hopefully we’re good.
Congratulations! A finished webcomic… and not just a short one, too!
And a well done one! 🙂
Thank you! Finishing was goal one, so even though there are a lot of parts of this I’m not pleased wit, just getting to the end in the world of webcomics is a pretty big accomplishment!
Abrupt to be sure. I look forward to the new story starting… I don’t recall how far into the future the next one is (or even if you had stated or implied it) but I look forward to it all the same!
I haven’t stated yet when the sequel will start exactly. I plan to talk about that next Monday in the epilogue post, but to some extent I want to ask readers’ opinions on it.
To jump the gun a bit: there will be a hiatus, I’m just not sure exactly how long right now, but if you’re worried about me going on hiatus and never coming back I will point out that I’ve already got several pages for the next comic done. 😀
A hiatus doesn’t worry me, it will likely be good to bask in the glow of having completed the first main story of the comic.
As for opinions, you’ve done a great job in telling this story, I have good faith you’ll be just as good with the next. Whether the next story is set two weeks or two decades after the closing events of this part doesn’t matter much to me personally.
Haha, well, for better or for worse, it is a pretty rare thing to have a webcomic finish it’s story. It’s a milestone I’m proud to have reached. If nothing else, I’ll always have that. 😀
when do you think the final book will be available? and are you planning on releasing any sort of combined, one book volume?
It’s an excellent question and one I don’t have a concrete answer to. Basically the final book will release as soon as I find the time to edit it together.
…I do have a convention I’m going to in June, however, and I really want to have it available for that. So at the very least sometime before then.
…I never really considered an omnibus edition, but it’s certainly doable since the pages will be edited already. Is that something you’d be interested in?
Yeah! I generally only buy comics for collection purposes so I tent to prefer omnibus’s (omnibusi?), especially since comic books are usually rather short reads compared to novels
A very good point!
Hmm, and as I said it probably wouldn’t be too difficult once all the other pages are done. I might have to do that!
…getting Vol 4 done is priority, of course, but after that it’d be a short step.
Thanks for the idea!
Well, although I’m sorry it had to end, I do like the way you did it! I like these kind of endings, too! I enjoyed not only meeting your wonderful characters, but also making a friend, too! <3 Can't wait to read the next one!! 😀
Indeed! It’s been a really fun journey! Thank you for taking it with me! 😀
YOU DID IT!!!!! YOU FINISHED A COMIC!!!!!! I’M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!!!!
Seriously, so few comics actually FINISH their stories. I felt that this was a perfectly legitimate place to end it; we get a clear sense of open possibilities in the future, but as you said, it’s the end of Nareth’s story, and that seems rather appropriate. It’s sad that Nareth sort-of died, but nice that he gets a sort-of second chance at life, and it’s fittingly ironic that he would do so in the form we got used to seeing him in through a large part of the comic. Elf-guy was appropriately told off for his self-centered behavior, the boetheri get a new advocate in the coming adventure, and we get an epilogue, which I’m sure will present some fun additional wrapping-up details. Overall, I say WELL DONE!
(The one question still on my mind: will Nareth’s dad be able to establish some sort of relationship with him as a boetheri who doesn’t remember him? THAT could be complicated… but where there’s life, there’s hope, right?)
I know, right? I’m in very small company with a finished story under my belt.
It feels pretty good, though. 😀 I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I don’t want to dictate too much beyond the conclusion – I’d rather you decide for yourself how happily ever after the characters might live – but I will say that per the epilogue Nareth’s dad is indeed trying. We have no idea how well it might work out long term, but he is putting forth the effort to establish a relationship between the two.
…after all, they’re neighbors. 😀