The Voice of the Multitude

posted by Chris on 2013/8/8 (Comics)

Hello hello, it's Thursday and it's time for a one week delayed follow up to Keriss's unintentional and unplanned little trip.

Enjoy!

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Comments

leakingpen2 - 2013/11/6
Long time reader, I'll address that. We have the plot from Zara, even to take us to the end of the existing arc. I would say a good six months of comics at least, possibly more. So there are no worries there. (as to why you didn't hear from us... if we didn't have the time, energy, or ability to work on the comic, WHY would we have the time, energy, and want to come here, remind ourselves more and more of how badly we were failing everyone involved, on top of all the other things we couldn't get right in our lives right then? I for one was quite aware of how much i was letting you all down, and I felt ****ING HORRIBLE about it. Last thing I wanted to do was rub my own face in it. We did fail in our charge to provide this comic to you all, and we are going to work to make it up to you. I comfort myself with that knowledge. Also, CONTEST! (see next comic's comments)
A long-time reader - 2013/11/2
@Loyal: I don't think anyone's saying that. It's not about demanding more comics, it's about the fact that if things cannot be resolved, to the point where it's been 3 months since an update, and even then, if I remember right they haven't been able to get enough notes from Zara to really move the main plot forward in a long time... Then there's really no point in continuing. I feel for Dypen and their job issues. And if things are really that hard for them over there (I imagine it's worse than I can imagine, especially the stress), then it's the smart thing to just focus on work.

But, again, having both the artists who make the comic in a state of stress and serious real-world problems doesn't speak well as to the future of the comic.
wofgang - 2013/11/1
very few people said that the comic were a failure

we are mainly meta comenting the comment, self ironising on our hopes or fatalism

We know that the author have either real life roblem, or expensed the original notes
A loyal reader - 2013/10/31
What I really can't believe, after months of lurking on this same comment page, is how selfish some readers are. Let's examine the facts: one of the replacement authors loses his job, has to work overnights with no time to spare, and all you care about is that - and this must make so much sense on those readers' brilliant minds - he must deliver free (I repeat, free, no costs for the reader, no one is paying his bills but himself, bills that if he doesn't pay will make his lose his ability to write and put your precious webcomic on permanent hiatus anyways) comics to your full satisfaction, no mistakes - again, which only makes sense on those people's minds - allowed.

Those readers just sound like spoiled children throwing a tantrum over something they can't control, they wish they could control, but if they could, would more than certainly be an absolute failure.

And those of you who think this webcomic is already an absolute failure are more than welcome to start your own, with your brilliant ideas of how comics should be! I will be part of the fanbase, throwing snarky comments at every single comic, nitpicking every single detail and complaining over every delay, no matter what happens in your personal lifes.
Me - 2013/10/30
It's been a week, but don't worry! Dypen said a new comic will be up "shortly"!
Zaphod - 2013/10/30
I'm with the others suggesting this just be wound up with a plot synopsis. (Whatever notes were passed when the comic changed authors would be fine).

Real life comes first, that's fine. I've seen many webcomics end as the authors move on to other things, and it's generally even harder to start again after a break, so it's probably the only way this story will ever get finished.

As for now, I'm removing this from my bookmarks. May check back once a month or so (if I remember).
anonymouse - 2013/10/29
I honestly almost don't even remember what the comic is about anymore - I just recall the general theme vaguely, but no details whatsoever about what happened 'recently' (in comic time, not real life time), for example. I *don't* want there to be any more attempts at continuing the comic (because that's either not going to happen, at worst, or would take like 5+ years, at best) - but I do want the plot summary of whatever was untold yet (because I found the original storyline interesting).

I mean - look at Erfworld. At some point, they started having real life troubles preventing them from drawing the comic frequently enough - so they added text-only updates, which could be done on schedule a lot more reliably and which proved a lot more popular than the creators expected.

It's just my opinion, though... DyPen already exceeded my expectations when they did keep the comic running, so I can't really ask anything of them.
c0rw1n - 2013/10/29
One more to hoping someone ends up posting the end of the plot. What was the prophecy? What would happen? Which character would do what?

All existing author notes probably were first created in electronic format, it might not be that hard to roughly trim them into a semblance of synopsis, just for closure.

That's all I hope. I'm not even asking, just leavin that idea to bitrot here.
wolfgang - 2013/10/29
i read temmer comment and i have a question :
do you think the total number of comment is convergent?

if the comment decrease in n^2 even with immortal robots, they will never cross a certain number.
if they derease in n, it will reach infinity, but very slowly.


well the real question is how many pages will be addedbefore the next hiatus? sorry to be pessimistic.

i hope it is not one
Next Please - 2013/10/29
Pretty slim, Fennig.
Fennig - 2013/10/29
Given that I check this comic once every 6 monthes or so, what are the odds that this updates ever again?
Temmer - 2013/10/28
There are fewer comments added each week I mean, not that the total number would somehow decrease. The comments will become fewer and farther between with passing time, with the occasional burst of activity, until eventually (after months and months) it will cease altogether.

Or, you know, Dypen will come back. One or the other.
Night Templar - 2013/10/28
Temmer: Fewer and fewer comments? This hiatus has given this page over seven times as many comments as the last one. We're going to hit 150 comments pretty soon. Let's face it: This comic's comment section will never die. Even after humanity has been forgotten to time, robots designed specifically for the purpose will still be struggling along, finding batteries to power them while they type up complaints about the comic's update schedule.

(The above was exaggerated for comedic effect, and all readers are eligible for one free grain of salt to take with it.)
Temmer - 2013/10/28
A new team is almost certainly not going to happen. I was frankly shocked that a new team was found the first time, comics don't usually survive the loss of their artist/author.

What's probably going to happen is either DyPen suddenly decides to pick up the comic again (after quite the hiatus), or it'll simply languish and die, getting fewer and fewer comments, hopeful or otherwise, with each passing week.
Next Please - 2013/10/28
I stand by my earlier statements. A new team would be better for everybody.
Me - 2013/10/28
It's five days later, but don't worry! A new comic is coming "soon"!
Gary - 2013/10/27
Yeah, none of us really helped, not even me, and I stayed mighty cheerful.....

For some reason I keep trying to find ways to apply songs to this situation.

I'm about to lose my mind,
You've been gone for so long.
I'm running out of time
I need an author
Call me an author
I need anAuthor, author
To bring me ba~ack to life

You told the world, one day you would pay it back, said it in the comments but now they say you're laying back.
But what they didn't know was that they were laying you two off, but you two were never that soft, you two just got back up again, because you are team DYpen.
Hope, they just need a ray of that, half your viewership just left and the other half be saying that you two are wack,
Just pick this comic up, back from its lowest, breath new life in it, it owes it's life to you, but for the life of me, why won't they see as you do, maybe it will dawn on them that you just lost a job, and I know it's hard, but you will get through it, nothing stopping you, just prove it, and show these ****ers they were wrong, do I have to say it in song, that.
I'm about those my mind,
You've been gone for so long,
I'm running out of time,
Call me an author
I need an author, author,
To bring me ba-ack to life.

Bad lyrics change, ho!
A long-time reader - 2013/10/27
@JHSII: I don't really see how anyone can 'help' things here. Unless one wants to take on writing/drawing duties themselves.

Anywho, that's a pretty good reason for an absence. IRL always takes precedence over things just being done for fun, after all. With that said, I have to wonder given the circumstances if the comic will /ever/ return to a reasonable rate and quality of posting. Stress and pressing IRL issues aren't very conducive to keeping a webcomic going.
JHSII - 2013/10/27
Interesting how the people who are doing the most to complain are also doing the least to help. Sigh...
I bet you a Coke - 2013/10/25
A 40 word update after chewing on silence since August? A comic soon. Forgive me if I don't hold my breath waiting and I am not buying that excuse. It does not address the fact that there has been majority of filler in the strips from the past year. (Go look at the archives and see for yourself).
Temmer - 2013/10/25
Oh quit griping "Me." We got an answer, that's what we wanted. Maybe we'll get a comic soon too.
Me - 2013/10/24
So almost three months later there's an 'explanation'... what crap.
Gnomeking - 2013/10/24
Thanks for the word! Sorry to hear about both of your troubles. I hope that things get better soon. Still looking forward to the next comic, too.
Next Please - 2013/10/24
Finally, a word on the comic. What I must know is why this word didn't come any sooner. Say, before the months of fan outrage at the lack of information.
Gary - 2013/10/24
I ****ing knew it was irl causing trouble! Now where is my coke?!
Avetzan1 - 2013/10/24
Thank you so much for the reply! Very happy

Sorry about the jobs though...
Leakingpen2 - 2013/10/24
Dyluth having seasonal job issues, followed by my losing my job (small company downsizing) , and working the overnight shift for 6 weeks for my new job's training class. Comic coming shortly. ie, script is on its way, things are happening!
I bet you a Coke - 2013/10/20
I agree. If this delay were the result of a computer glitch, I am pretty certain that ANYONE could find access to another computer with internet and post a text comment indicating the reason for said delay. This is clearly a case of not desiring to post information rather than an inability to post information. The team agree to consistent updates and Jordan agreed to provide them the storyline information. If Jordan has provided the latter, then the fault is clearly on the side of the team. If Jordan has not provided sufficient story development information (as he promised), then they should at least confirm this in a public form. Leaving readers with silence or filler is not the solution.
Next Please - 2013/10/20
For this long, sir? That's way too optimistic.
Gary - 2013/10/19
Are you sure that they aren't just having computer problems? Or personal problems? Maybe a bad break up? Maybe some hard times with money and a broken computer?
Night Templar - 2013/10/19
Next Please: Yeah, that was a bit ad hominem, though to be fair they were way more so, so I'd say it wasn't really uncalled for. However, we're getting off topic. Don't start a flame war, people. We know that we aren't always gentlemen, but that's no reason to create another hundred comments of fighting.
Avetzan1 - 2013/10/19
@NextPlease (and others), may you please stop with the flame war before it starts to clog the comments or get worse. You have said you're opinion and others have said about it. There's no need to start an argument over this. (by the way, there was "ad hominem" in your comment with the betting. See description of the word below)

Note:An ad hominem (Latin for "to the man" or "to the person"), short for argumentum ad hominem, is a general category of fallacies in which a claim or argument is rejected on the basis of some irrelevant fact about the author of or the person presenting the claim or argument.
Next Please - 2013/10/19
You have no idea what "ad hominem" means, do you? Because there was nothing "ad hominem" in there. Unless you are referring to my response to the guy who named himself "Next Please is a jackass", because that was not at all directed at Dypen.

But hey, who wants to pay attention to FACTS when they're trying to scapegoat someone. Yeah, sure, blame me. Because that makes so much ****ing sense.
wolfgang - 2013/10/19
you are really hard with them. Now, even if they get new motivation and idea for the continuation, reading some comments may discourage them.

maybe, it will never be continuated. maybe it wil be filler, but 'next please' comment for example, is far too aggressive, and ad hominem
Next Please - 2013/10/19
Real witty, cretin.
Next Please is a jackass - 2013/10/19
Next Please is a talentless jackass. The world would be a better place if he'd take a step away from the keyboard and get a life.
Next Please - 2013/10/18
If I had a thousand dollars, I would bet every cent this comic will not update by the end of the month.

If I had ten thousand, I would bet Dypen's excuse holds no water.

If I had a hundred thousand, I would bet that we'll have another month until the one after that.

If I had a million, I'd bet that the next installment is filler with no entertainment value that does nothing to advance the plot.

Dypen, it's been fun. Okay, not really, but whatever. You came up short. Next please.
Gary - 2013/10/18
I wasn't saying it would be good, I was just saying it'd be better, that meme thing really made me think it's worse than a Disney sitcom.
I bet you a Coke - 2013/10/18
I bet you a Coke that the next installment (should it ever appear by some miracle) will be more filler that does nothing to advance the storyline. If that happens (and I bet if it does happen, it comes with no reasonable excuse from the team for the lack of progress) then this comic should be considered well and done.

If this were a television series, it would have been cancelled long ago. The only real hope for this story is a good and true reboot of the entire series with a writer and artist who is truly dedicated to providing updates in a regular and timely fashion.

To watch the comic now is like watching a mortally wounded animal go through its death spasms. Someone please get a gun and put this poor creature out of its misery. The team should admit defeat and Jordan should decide if he is just going to opt for plan B and reveal the entire planned storyline or go for plan C and release the intellectual property (aka story resources he has in his possession) to another writer and artist and allow for a reboot of the comic, likely on a completely different site.

At least this way, we can hope for a successful reboot free of filler and free of a collection of useless characters that have little to nothing to do with the main story and characters.

That's the way I see it. Like it or lump it.
Xykeb Zraliv - 2013/10/18
You know I hate to be "that" guy, but I can't believe that, after taking a long multi-month break from this comic in the hopes that something would be happening when I got back, we are precisely two updates past where I stopped, and exactly zero plot development has occurred in either of them.

What kills me about this is that this is exactly why we got new people to work on the comic in the first place, and to be completely frank I kind of can't believe that people are still feeling optimistic that this comic will ever get done when Dypen's leading contribution (besides finishing up that one plotline Zara was in the middle of when he quit) has been tons and tons of filler, before completely disappearing and thereby recreating the exact same problem they were meant to fix. The irony is just staggering to me.

The thing is, even if you've liked their work thus far (most people that have frequented previous comment sections probably know that I haven't, but that's beside the point), this honestly seems like a pretty dismal situation for the comic that I'm not sure it'll ever fully recover from. Even if Dyluth and Leakingpen come back I think it's kind of over -- because whether you think they've done a good job or not, the plan to pass the torch so the comic would continue at a reasonable pace has clearly failed completely. Besides that, the fact that there are over a hundred comments squabbling about whether the comic is worth reading anymore just screams to me that something has gone horribly wrong. I'm sure people are going to disagree with me for saying all this, but I really do feel like this comic is sort of just done -- if not literally, then at least in the sense that I don't see it ever recovering from this awkward limp that it's been doing for the past four years or so.

I mean, I'm not really sure what I was expecting to find when I came back here, but it wasn't this. I've always tried to find reasons to keep giving Dypen a chance, because I really liked the original story and wanted to see it continue, but...I dunno, it might actually be time for me to give up on this comic for good. It's been so long that I almost don't even care about the original story anymore, and my interest in that is really what kept me coming back after the switch.

I know that being generally pretty negative about the comic since Leakingpen took over writing probably hasn't made me particularly popular with the current fanbase (or Leakingpen himself, for that matter), but I do want to mention that I really did like the comic at one point and as pervasive as the "don't like it, don't read it" mentality is around here I do genuinely feel bad letting go of the comic, because I really did want to see the conclusion to Zara's story.

Still, it'd be nice if they proved me wrong and finished this up for the folks who are still waiting and interesting to see where they go with all this.
wolfgang - 2013/10/16
I dont think people hate the comic : quite the opposite : the beginning and the idea were so good that upon coming here and seeing that : its filler / nothing happenned, we are a bit disapointed. some people comment on that.

if the comic had been bad, there wouldn't be 100 comment on the last page, or hopeful people keeping coming.

i believe myself this webcomic to be one i am most looking for the restart.

@Night templar : they did : those who come back want more of it, other left
Night Templar - 2013/10/15
David: No fair getting the last binary comment!

...On second thought, we might very well hit 1000 comments at this rate. Never mind.

At any rate, yeah, I agree. A lot of the people claim to hate the comic, but are demanding the comment update anyway. I wish people would make up their mind about whether they wanted to hate the comment or like it and want more of it, instead of hating it and wanting more of it.
David - 2013/10/15
My impression is after so many ungrateful comments by audience that seems never happy, I would be tempted to just leave comic as well.

It goes both ways, yes nice if author keeps audience up to date, but also nice if audience is not mostly snarking if they want more comics.
Gary - 2013/10/12
This feels like it would sound better as a show or something, everything that dypen did seems to be better off if it was animated in retrospect.
Avetzan1 - 2013/10/11
I haven't , but since I trust that DyPen is just on a long break I don't think I I need to. Good idea though.
Wondering... - 2013/10/11
...has anyone even bothered trying to use the contact form to contact the artist and writing team? - Just Wondering.
Void-Calling Panda - 2013/10/10
I wonder if the void will be more responsive than Dypen?
Night Templar - 2013/10/10
Next Please: I know. That was a joke about the wording he used, not a statement that I didn't get why he was still reading it.

Also, to both Readers: This is the problem with such a common name and no email. It happened to Me (not myself, the commenter named Me) at one point, too.
RealReader - 2013/10/10
Hm, I'd just like to say that the latest comment from someone named 'Reader' wasn't me. I'm the one who made the bullet-pointed comment about ten comments down there, and I'm of the same mentality as Next Please: I became invested in the characters of this comic. It was a really good comic. The story was the right balance of funny and serious, the characters were interesting, etc, and it hurts to see this happening to it. I can't just stop caring about what may or may not happen.
Honestly, DyPen, if you are reading these comments, can you tell us so that we know we're being heard and not just speaking to the void?
Next Please - 2013/10/10
Night Templar, it's called a "hatedom" and I wish it would go away. They're undermining the legitimate complaints of actual fans, like myself.
Night Templar - 2013/10/9
Reader: ...You're not keeping bothering reading it? That's a bit strange, as you're commenting on it.

Or did you design some sort of advanced script to make this sort of comment every so often? I'm somewhat convinced that some people are doing that. That, or they just hired people to comment every so often.
anonymouse - 2013/10/9
Heh, "Last in the Coffin" was the title of OOTS #914.
Reader - 2013/10/9
Nailed what Night Templar, the last nail in the coffin for the comic?

Or you mean the part of "the fanbase is smaller now"? Because I can agree to that. The comic just doesn't have the quality anymore for me to keep bothering reading it. And many others seem to think like me.
Night Templar - 2013/10/9
Wow. I get to make the 100th comment on this comic.

Guys, relax. They haven't left us completely. Avetzan1 basically nailed it.
Avetzan1 - 2013/10/9
@Next Please: Well you're very pessimistic about this aren't you?

They said they were backed up and they said the next few are going to be filler.

If it ended they would say so instead of leaving us without a warning. it's still ongoing. It's just taking a break.

@Gary : I think the fanbase is getting smaller now...
Next Please - 2013/10/9
I'm 100% certain we're wasting our breath. They aren't reading the comments anymore. If they are, they would have proven that suspicion wrong by now. Nothing we say here is going to matter.
Gary - 2013/10/9
You see? This is what it feels like to be in fan base hell.

Not enough to have someone artistically talented enough to put in some guest strips, but just enough so that you have people to bitch and moan.
A long-time reader - 2013/10/8
I concur with NextPlease.

Two months since the last update. Almost a month since the last author comment. It'd be nice to hear SOMETHING from either of them.
Next Please - 2013/10/8
See, I can't do that. I can't stop caring. I really liked the comic, and seeing THIS happen to it ****ing hurts.
I don't even care anymore - 2013/10/8
Not sure about anyone else but I don't even care anymore what the rest of the story is.... This comic is so full of filler that I have completely lost contact with the original storyline plot... sorry, but that is my two cents. This is really sad because I liked the original cast and story.
Next Please - 2013/10/8
Huh. Well that's odd. Especially since that would have been a decent excuse. (Although it STILL would have supported my position.)
Gary - 2013/10/6
Well that hasn't been updated in a while either, want a link?http://www.disrealitygears.com

I don't really like the art style, reminds me of old cartoons, oh how I detest them...
Next Please - 2013/10/6
Maybe they started, oh I don't know, THEIR OWN COMIC, and are neglecting this one to work on it.
Avetzan1 - 2013/10/3
Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll find out "relatively" soon...
Gary - 2013/10/3
Hey! That fanfiction was stated as bad and was tried to use as a sin against writing! It was a threat from the get go! And I shudder at my friend's drawings already, but you don't have that right until you see it! And the anime girl would have no part in this! Exclamation point!

Maybe they forgot about us? Maybe computer problems and a budget?
Reader - 2013/10/3
"You guys are as bad as Zara at his worst." Hm, that's odd, I seem to remember a May to August gap in 2010, and a January to April gap in 2011. While we are getting up to that point, that comment's a little soon.

However.

Dyluth, LeakingPen... I really, truly appreciate the effort you've put into this comic for more than a year. You haven't matched Zara's writing, but I don't think anyone really expected that to happen. But it might be time to either call it quits, or at the very least tell us what's going on. You have to have noticed these comments piling up, I find it odd that you haven't said anything for nearly a month amidst all this discussion.
To people who say, "This is a free comic, they don't owe us anything!" There may be some truth to that, but don't you think they owe us a little bit, just from the fact that they are human beings? They've built a relationship with their fans (good or bad), fans who have taken the time to read, comment, and share the comic. Sure, that doesn't take as much time as writing and drawing the comic, but the point of a comic is to have readers. Without them, a comic is absolutely nothing.
So, that being said, I would at least like to see some comment from LP or Dyluth on any of these:


  • an explanation for why they seem to be ignoring this comic

  • a firm date that we can expect the comic to be "running" again

  • or a notice that we can come to pay our respects and move on.

You owe us that much, at least. The readers and commenters who are still here have been here through thick and thin. I myself have been here for five years in January. If you should choose to do the last one, I know a lot of readers would be grateful if you or Zara would tell us how the story progresses and ends from here, for closure. Otherwise we might be stuck with more bad fanfiction (and no offense to your friends, Gary, but I would shudder in disgust if this comic were to be drawn lazily or in anime).
While, again, I really do appreciate the time and effort you've put into this comic (although it probably doesn't seem like I do), I think the original spirit of the comic deserves better than half-promises, plotless and confusing filler, and plotlines that are picked up halfheartedly, picked at, and then put down. Please.
With respect.
wolfgang - 2013/10/2
first, thank Night templar for the precision.

Now that i know that it is filler, and why they are waiting, i am reassured. Since the idea univers of the original story (zara's mind) is distinct fromthe one of dypen, why not take it into account and use an alternate devellopement as the filler? with two fate (or more) for the hero, antiheros, villains, and unmentionned character.

It has been done with fullmetal alchemist / brotherhood : same start, character, plot amorse (philosopher stone), but différent reveals explanation and devellopement.

of course, it is just a suggestion from someone not even an artist, but it would interrest me more

exept if it break some law about copyright and parodie?
Night Templar - 2013/10/1
The Ancient One: It has the same art style and it's based off the same game, but that's not really enough to make it a rip-off. It's not really a rip-off any more than OOTS is a rip-off of D&D, as it just has TWO TRAITS in common with OOTS.

Legally, it's not parody, it doesn't infringe copyright, and it's for all purposes considered its own work. Art styles can't be copyrighted, so the fact that it has the same art style wouldn't change anything, and as long as it sticks within things in the OGL, it's not infringing the copyright of D&D either.

Oh, and thanks for breaking out the "OOTS rip-off" thing. That always cracks me up, whether it's used against OLA, this comic, or whatever else. Because really, at this point, OOTS' style is so commonly used that it's just another art style, not ripping off OOTS every time it's used.
Myself - 2013/10/1
I agree with those who say that we should have taken the "spill the beans" option. I thank DyPen for trying, but this is getting nowhere and I'd rather not keep putting my hopes up to end up having a disappointment.

Too many fillers, jokes are not funny, no plot advancement, seriously, I do thank the effort, but stop. I'm not blaming anyone, but I don't like the way things are and I would rather have the beans spilled and let it go.
Avetzan1 - 2013/10/1
@Ancient One: Is that what actually happened to Jordan (I started reading sometime after the team change, tbh I didn't realise it changed hands until I re-read the pages with the comments) because I was never sure?...

Fair enough if you want the story, but burying the webcomic?

Also,"rip-off"...not really...It copies the art style and doesn't attempt to claim it as it's own. It clearly says that it is inspired and takes the style from OOTS. Is this comic even earning money?

@Me: It still exists. It's taking a while, but it's still there. If you don't like the quality of it compared to back then: So what? Things change as they progress.

As a note: I'm not trying to start an argument (I re-read this and thought it might give off a bad tone), I'm just bored and commenting.
The Ancient One - 2013/10/1
I said it before and I'll say it again. Jordan should have just handed over everything and got out of the way. Instead, he quit, but he really didn't quit. The new team was always going to be stuck waiting for him to dole out new plot points bit by bit. So this was a deal searching for failure right from the start.

I continue to state that the entire plot summary should be released and bury this comic. Hell, it is pretty sad when even choppingblock.org updates more frequently than anti-heroes these days.

As far as any discussions regarding copyright goes, that is pretty rich considering that this entire comic is just a rip-off of Rich's Order of the Stick art style. I'd love to see how that would play out in court if any creative folks decided to run their own direction with a possible storyline.

Like Breaking Bad, this series is done.
Me - 2013/9/30
It's been almost two months. I keep coming back because I remember when this comic was as good as OOTS. Now, it can't even suck because it doesn't exist anymore. I'm hoping The Goat releases the whole story to those who want to read it. Right now, that hope is all that keeps me coming back here.
Night Templar - 2013/9/30
Guys, it's been like, a month. I've seen comics go on hiatuses for over two years and still come back. This comic isn't dead yet.

Be patient about saying things like "well, the story's never going to get done" or "looks like there's never going to be an update" because, even if you're right, it's way too early to say.

Also, it seems that the fanbase is split into people who want an update already, people who want the artist and writer to take a break from it so that they'll have good content, and people who don't want to wait for the new comic but want the artist and writer to take a break. Oh, and people who want the comic dead. This amuses me greatly.
Talkamancer - 2013/9/30
I agree with the long time reader, I enjoyed the comic thought the writer had a story to tell and added it to my list of places I visit daily. If a haiatis is where this comic needs to be for work reasons or whatever, then I have no problem with the new writer team saying that.

However, if someone from the DyPen team says that they will post some story but in written format and then doesn't, then I'm just going to assume they are toying my my effections and making sport with me.

At this stage the original story is never going to be told, the board will slowly fizzle out and eventually the only place you might see Zara's work will be on google cache. In my eyes this will be a shame as the original story (without ophra and murder mystery weekends) looked like it was going somewhere interesting.
A long-time reader - 2013/9/29
@JHSII: Because I would like closure regarding the ultimate fate of a comic I did enjoy once, and also out of the hope that either the current author team will be able to get their stuff together, or that new creators might enter the picture and salvage things.

It's not about 'not liking the comic,' it's about liking the comic and acknowledging that things have taken a turn for the disappointing.
Temmer - 2013/9/29
I will say that the comic is not as good as it was with the old author, but I keep coming because it's better than nothing.

Also, lately I've been coming back to check on the chatter. It's amusing at times.
JHSII - 2013/9/29
:::Checking to make sure that nobody is holding a gun to anyone's head to force them to come here:::

Nope, I don't see it.
If you don't like the comic and don't want to help - then maybe you can tell me why you're still here????
A long-time reader - 2013/9/29
If they cannot get on with the main plot, then they really should just say so, instead of putting up strips that have nil entertainment value and are, at their worst (werewolf arc) incomprehensible as well. As dreary as the long waits keep being, I would rather wait longer for something good than to be disappointed continually by filler.
Night Templar - 2013/9/29
Actually, wolfgang, these strips ARE filler, or at least some of them such as the werewolf plot are. Zara needs to give them the next plot notes before they can advance the main story, so for now, they have to make their own minor stories. Until they get the next plot points, centering is tricky.
wolfgang - 2013/9/29
I like this wbcomic much and will not ask for faster or regular update (after all, its free)

but i think the latest direction are a bit strange : in parallele the werewolf game, the drug induced trip , which are two non primary to the plot, sorts of filers.

honestly, i wish the strip go back a bit and recenter. The authors probably know what they do, but the waiting make it difficult to understand keep speculating on the role of thoses arcs
Next Please - 2013/9/29
Let's face it. If a new team doesn't take control, it's over. The comic is dead.
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/29
ERMAHGERD DYLUTH IS DEAD!!!!

^Can we please refrain from that sort of stuff?

Come on, they have the stuff and they will be posting it. So what if it takes a while? Something is better than nothing.

@Talkamancer: Unless they say it's up for debate I don't think they're going to do it. And they have said about it,and provided reasons, so there is no "flagrant disregard for the readership".
Gary - 2013/9/29
Did..... Did Duluth die?
Talkamancer - 2013/9/29
Make that 2 votes for the notes on Zara's original story. I think the new writer / artist experiment has failed. Work commitments I understand but saying you will post text updates and 2 weeks later still having posted nothing shows a flagrant disregard for the readership.
anonymouse - 2013/9/28
I totally vote for the "spilling the beans" option! Though, at this point, I forgot what most of the story was about already.
A long-time reader - 2013/9/27
I really wanted to like the new incarnation of Anti-Heroes. I really did. I was happy to see the comic continuing after Zara gave it up. I wasn't entirely satisfied with the quality given by team DyPen at first, but I figured it would smooth out over time.

But it hasn't. It's actually gotten a lot worse. The Ograh thing was pointless and boring, the Tempts Fate reference fell flat on me, and the Werewolf stuff has been probably the most painfully unamusing and incomprehensible thing I've seen from any webcomic I've ever liked at one time.

So honestly, at this point, I would really just like to hear how the story ends. Unless it's possible to get more replacements (especially a new writer, to be blunt), but I'm not seeing it happening. What this webcomic has become, just isn't enjoyable. At all.
Night Templar - 2013/9/27
Temmer: I think it depends on the situation. For this case, they'd probably have to send a CaD first, but I think it would vary depending on what had been done with the comic.
Temmer - 2013/9/25
Don't they have to send you a cease and desist order before taking you to court? I could be wrong about that, it just sounds likely.
Night Templar - 2013/9/25
Ah, okay. Some of the people sounded serious about it, and I definitely didn't want this to escalate to a court case. Glad to know you weren't actually planning it.
Gary - 2013/9/24
I was just kidding, and his art is a bit... Boxy, with a computer he might be able to do it but he gets lazy with details sometimes, I'd had to threaten to beat him with a fish for him to draw a character I paid him five bucks to do, we ate the fish later, my writing suck, everything I do somehow leads to a hot pot filled with parody, puns, and innuendo with idioms that turn literal, or something too angsty and drama filled going into detail about everything and filled with crying, chainsaws, and a masked assassin....
How about a few fan panels?
Night Templar - 2013/9/24
Guys, we're getting ahead of ourselves. We'd at LEAST need Zara's permission, and this comic's still going, if slowly. Without Zara's permission, then it would probably be copyright infringement, not to mention just plain problematic. IF Zara decides at any point to replace DyPen, then a new group would take over, but as long as they're still going and Zara's still behind them, then DO NOT TRY TO REPLACE THEM! Not least among the reasons not to is because I doubt Zara would go for it, and you'd need their plot points to advance things.

For now, nobody's getting replaced. That's just how it is. Sure, you can take it to Zara, but unless he specifically chooses to replace them, there's no point trying to make plans.

I apologize if this is harsh, but I know I at least wouldn't want to read a copyright-infringing comic going off the rails from the main plot completely, especially when the comic it's supposed to replace is still going.
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/23
Would you do it? Also, could we get a snippet of the art?
Gary - 2013/9/23
Me and my artist buddy?
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/23
Well, if that is the case (even though filler /is/ coming up, patience people) who would actually want to run this webcomic after DyPen?
Temmer - 2013/9/22
You really can't replace replacements very easily. More than likely it's either these guys or no one.
Me - 2013/9/22
What he said.
Next Please - 2013/9/21
We're going to be waiting for weeks, and when it does update, it'll be more FILLER. TEXT filler, no less. Then we'll have ANOTHER month to wait. You guys are as slow as Zarah at his worst, with inferior quality and tonnes of filler. Please, just get replacements. Fast.
Prowl - 2013/9/19
oh look we're still on the plane of possibility that this comic will never be updated ever again
Temmer - 2013/9/19
Although it does, I kinda preferred the image of a rioting panda.
Riot Stopping Panda - 2013/9/19
Does that clear it up for you? Tongue
Gary - 2013/9/18
I'm doing fine, is it possible to make a gelatinous cube paladin? On a scale of face palms, how pissed would my DM be?
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/18
I think they implied that they are a panda that stops rioting by "WE WILL HOLD THEM BACK!!!"

Comments fine on my screen now.
Temmer - 2013/9/18
As in you are a panda that riots, or a panda to stop rioting?
Riot Panda - 2013/9/18
Time to get the tear gas ready. WE WILL HOLD THEM BACK!!!
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/18
Ah, I read it in the wrong context Tongue

I'm good. You?

PS: I'm not sure if this is just my laptop, but I opened the comment section and the comic page turned into an archive by month with the comments underneath. This normal?
Gary - 2013/9/18
Yeah I am
Temmer - 2013/9/17
I think Gary is just bored and wants to chat.
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/17
Gary: What do you mean?
Gary - 2013/9/17
Avetzan, what's up man?
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/17
...Looks like a mob is starting to come... *gets out riot shield* ... Tongue

Still, they have said the comics are on their way and that the next few are filler. They have given reasons. The comic isn't dead, it's going through a rough patch. It'll get back up eventually. Just give it (even more) time.
GoGary - 2013/9/17
This webcomic is so dead...
Temmer - 2013/9/17
Maybe it's not too late to get the data dump option that was offered when we lost the first artist?
Me - 2013/9/17
What the last two guys just said.
Next Please - 2013/9/16
Can we just get another writer and/or artist like last time? Because we'll need that to salvage this comic.
c0rw1n - 2013/9/15
This comic is so dead. It was promising, but it's getting obvious the story will never be resolved. Does a story even exist? Really? When does it advance? The last jokes were not even funny. I should have voted for releasing the story in text to get it resolved, because at the current rate of a few new comics per year, we'll all be dead before the current story arc ends. If that's an arc. Or a story.
Gary - 2013/9/14
Hmmm, I found two potential artist at my school, one draws good anime and one.... I really hope if he used a tablet to draw it would be less messy with thinner lines, he tries to put detail in tiny characters with a pencil and it just comes out wrong to me, also his heads and necks are creepy to me, but *sigh* he's reminds me of a Hispanic version of me with commanding parents and less flamboyant attitude..... Yeah we're only linked by our mutual weirdness and love for webcomics..... Well, at least I got some options and a way to start

Time for some written filler, has filler ever been in the form of fanfiction before? And it's still a threat, if you don't post I will keep writing fanfiction, beware the wrath a a guy bored on midnight!

"Wounds.... Closing.....crazy red girl..... Still here..... Crazy sailor suit girl.... On top of me.... Oh sweet angel, am I dead, and if not, is she still trying to kill me?"
*kaslap!* Keriss slapped aldran hard in the back of the head while Sailor Druid giggles

Sailor Druid undies the illusion that caused her costume change and went back to her normal clothes of loose white linen robes, and her pig tails fell loose and back to default messy blond hair, "I'm Jessica, I just saved your life, you are now required to take me into your party! Give me my share of gold, items, and screen time and we can get rolling!" She says while holding out her left hand.

"What is the hell she talking about? Should we just walk away?" Says Keriss to Aldran.
"No no, this the nature of things, you want some gold, here's a third of it!" Aldran says while slapping Jessica's hand,"Want some items? Here's a third of it!" He says while tearing a peice of his robes and handing it to her, "You want some of our XP? Here's a dire rat for you to kill!" He says as he cast summon monster I.
"Hurray! I'm finally part of a party, take that mom, am I a failure and a background character now? Huh, am I?!" She yells into the forest as the other two slowly walk away....

"Back then, you said we, why not just leave by yourself?" Said aldran to keriss, "... I have no where else to go, I guess I wanted company." "From the guy you stabbed?" She stabs him in the gut for was sasssing her, "MEDIC! Doctor! Crazy girl!"

Jessica comes up behind aldran and heals him with a slap,"Now do you see why you need me? Who else will save you from that mad woman?" "You sure you want to party with a bi-polar tiefling and a robed man with a dark and mysterious past?" "This is the moment I've lived for, we need a quest, to the tavern!" She says as she sprints to town dragging the two of them with her after casting bull's strength.
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/11
Woo! Possibly a forum!

Gary, you are now being told advice by a current webcomic maker. Come on! Tongue

Also, the image verification says I don't need to, so it isn't a problem for me Very happy
Leakingpen2 - 2013/9/10
Yes, I'm going to post some text ish updates, similar to the journals of Laris. Dyluth should be back with us shortly, and I apologize for the... I hesitate to use the H word, but it was.

Gary.... I'm laughing my ass off. We may get D to do that for some bonus fun!

Also, if you are on twitter, the #createcomics hashtag was set up to be used SPECIFICALLY for artists and writers to find each other. I would suggest writing an outline of a story you like, a couple pages of script, and post it somewhere, then link it on twitter with a brief description to get some artist interest, and see if any bite. (And if you make money, i suggest a 60 40 split, in the artist's favor. Doing the art is the HARD part, and most time consuming, imo. )

also.... man I hate the image verification...
Gary - 2013/9/8
It was a threat from the start, your move, next time. I. WILL. USE. MEMES.
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/8
erm...I hope that "staff" is an actual staff that druids use to cast spells and incantations .... sailor druid ...

Maybe you could hurry up DyPen...if not just for Gary's fiction to stop getting worryingly awkward...
Gary - 2013/9/7
For some reason I feel like artist have a tougher job than writers, how many pages would this take up if it was a comic? It took me about an hour or so to write counting the time I used to get snacks and get off task.

Anyway, I forgot to put cat girls in here! Why oh why did I forget?! I was gonna include it in the transformation sequence?!
Gary - 2013/9/7
Their version of soon must be different than mine.... So prepare for more badly written and improvised fanfiction!

Somewhere else in this forest that I assume our setting was, because its always a forest or a tavern, name one time it isn't I dare ya, now, I dare you to find one that was different and didnt have that theme for the whole story!

Anyway, in a lush forest, somewhere else not far from our angsty demoness and naked bleeding man, we see two people, both dressed in heavy ragged green robes, both were females yet one was older and more calm, she had straight brown hair tied in a bun, glasses, and very pale skin, unusual for a forest elf, the other was younger and looked pretty pissed, she had messy blond hair, tan skin, and slightly more round ears than the woman she was arguing with, "I ask again, why do you want to stop your studying and start adventuring?"
"Because I want to experience life, I don't get much from finishing off a book, isn't living in the world free and without burden what a Druid is meant to do?"
"No, you're thinking of bards, and if you want to be a bard, look through that window and see the pile of them beside our pet bear" she motions to a window, "tsk tsk, they were so young, and only against a challenge rating 2..."
"I'm not gonna be a f***ing bard! I can actually heal and fight, I can actually not be useless in a fight! I'll survive, just let me go!"
"On one condition."
"What?"
"Ask yourself, 'why didnt I just ignore her and leave?'"
"AUUURGBLE", she declared as she foamed from the mouth and flipped many tables.
"Now now, you can leave, have fun being an NPC and dying on the first day though, as if you could find a group to take you, you little NPC girl, Take care~"
"****! **** this forest! I'll show you! I'll find a group and be an important character!

And with that she slammed the door, "OW" boomed the sentient tree house, "I really hate it when you two fight, do you think she'll be okay?"
"Trust me, she'll be fine, now, do you want to stop possessing a tree cand come out Hubert!"
"Yes, dear."
A wisp of blue light came out the tree and into the original human body, "that tree was so relaxing, now how will I get rid of this pent up stress?"
"Oh I can help you with that, would you like me to, ahem, polish your staff?"
*gulp*



Back to our favorite potty mouth!


After running angrily in a straight line for about ten minutes she was finally trying to think, "now if I was an adventuring party where would I be?.... I guess it'll just hit me when it hap-" she said as she was hit by a crazy girl with red skin carrying a bleeding guy.
"F***! What the s*** happened?!" Both women said simultaneously, "Who are you?!" Again, at the same time, "Stop that! Don't you see this bleeding man?! He needs help!" Simultaneously!
"I need to find a he-" "I can heal him!" She said as she cast cure moderate wounds, She was surrounded with a bright light as her robes came off one article at a time and were replaced with an overly short skirt and blouse, she wore a ribbon for no reason on her chest and hair, she got two pony tails and a circlet, "Sailor druid to the rescue!" there was a faint green glow as the energies of the universe stitched together flesh to flesh and rapidly producing new cells....
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/7
No. Pen did comment below that he had some more to post soon.
Gary - 2013/9/7
Did they.... Did they stop updating completely? It's been almost a full month...
Scott - 2013/9/6
I hope you guys update soon I've been checking almost every day.
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/6
Fair enough.

Hmm...Perhaps if this story of yours keeps on getting posted it might become canon...

If so (long shot...but still a maybe for a cameo?...well probably not...) do you mind introducing a new character to the mix?
Gary - 2013/9/5
But.. But... I'm afraid of Internet people, a good artist might be mean and insult my writing, a bad artist could still insult me but give crappy art, I want to meet a real person and become bro's with them, I need someone I can trust basically.

Thanks, is this what having a fan feels like..... It feels good.... I want MOAR!

Expect cat girls in next filler
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/5
It's good filler, although I'm not sure about taking down the hood...

You should make something on the OOTS forums or elsewhere (maybe deviant) saying "Webcomic Artist wanted". You could probably get a fair few replies fom something like that. Very happy
Gary - 2013/9/4
All those long cold months tracking the man who destroyed everything she ever knew, camping for days living on cold and barely nourishing stale bread to keep the edge off hunger, for she depleted her life savings on the sword and dagger now dripping in blood, not much room was left in her budget for many provisions, all those months, brought to a climax right here right now, all the anger, loathing, and grief, her face was showed a mix of rage and dispair, knowing that after this vengence was fulfilled, she had nothing to go back to, As keriss prepares a hard slash to decapitate aldran she says, "good bye, I hope to see all you and your paladin goons in h-" "wait." Aldran interrupted with his hand out at the mention of paladins, "Did you say paladins? Wearing uniforms with dots and led by a blond jerk?"

Keriss was thrown off guard with this question, and out of curiousity of where he was going with it, she replied, "That blond Mother****** was you, why do you ask?"

Alran ripped off his robes, showing a head of soot black hair and a scrawny wizard body bleeding profusely out of many holes, he was down to his last ten hit points and losing fast.

"What?! I almost killed an innocent man!", Said Keriss
"Innocent is a strong word, I prefer not guilty." Aldran said, though keriss was busy freaking out to listen to comments.
"B-But the bartender said there was a man with grey wings and looking like he was on the run."
"Like these?" He said as great majestic wings spread from his back, covering the sun and casting a shadow the same shade as the wings, "and I was in a hurry, before SOME mad woman attacked me."

"I can't even have the pleasure of killing him..... And I lost my home... Why don't I just end it here?..."
They stood there I awkward silence, wondering what to do next until..... *thump*

Aldran had collapsed from blood loss, and Keriss is running urgently with him slung over her shoulder in a desperate race against time...


I always wanted to make a webcomic, but never found an artist, so now I'm trying to learn how to draw, sorta like I learned how to play bass but couldn't find a band, and now I'm learning guitar, I feel like a damn background character if I can't find a proper rock band story or a comic buddy, I don't want to die! I need more plot significance!

As I've said before I have never ending faith in these guys, consider this filler until they get back, later folks!
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/4
I think that's going a bit far "GoGary". DyPen is still doing their job, just slowly.

I do however agree he should do something though...

Gary: Find an artist, force them to work for you, make a webcomic, ???, profit.
GoGary - 2013/9/4
Gary should write the comic.
Gary - 2013/9/2
I promise to update whenever I'm bored and have ten minutes to kill.
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/2
To be honest it doesn't seem /that/ bad of a fan fiction.
Temmer - 2013/9/2
Is it bad that I like Gary's story better than the actual plot?
Gary - 2013/9/2
Until it is noted otherwise, let this be canon how aldran and keriss first met, all for say I, I!
Avetzan1 - 2013/9/1
I want to point out another reason for a forum: Fan fiction

\/
Gary - 2013/9/1
I didn't want to do this but..... "You killed them, all of them, even the children.... Even my little sister, you monster.... Die!"

Keriss swung with teary eyes, making her strikes miss barely, one nicked the edge of his cloak, not that it made much of a difference, his cloak was already torn and ragged. Aldran swiftly drew a tiny bar of iron from his bag, grasped it tightly, and raised his middle finger, "Hold person!"

The magic manifested as a ring of light moved from foot to head, paralyzing any muscles as it went, she was stopped in mid swing, in the last second she spat in aldran's face before she was frozen in a look of anger and loathing, "I did not kill anyone that has never gotten in my way, and I would never harm a child, why do you accuse me of these crimes when there are so many others?"

There was dead silence for the next minute, until the spell wore off, she began swinging wildly and speaking between hits, she first struck the side of his face with her sword in a downward swing, leaving a scar for years to come, "I hate you because-", she swung her heavy dagger, leaving a deep wound his forearm as he tried to evade, "-you damn genocidal angels-", she then delivered a solid kick to his crotch, sending him back, reeling in pain, "Killed my parents, my friends, my sister, and burned down my home!"

To be continued.....
Gary - 2013/8/30
C'moooooon...... I know this is going somewhere, if there isn't anything that happens by the end of this weekend I'm gonna write bad fan fiction on the comments section, do you really want that? WELL? DO YOU?!?!?!!!!!
Ming - 2013/8/30
Well... as much as I have tried to be a loyal reader, the truth is that updates are very slow. Once a month is a lucky average. Without an easy-to-see section for LeakingPen or Dyluth to post updated comments even, it's all too easy to assume this comic has already gone inactive if one is just casually peeking. The comments section doesn't seem to be the best place to post creator updates and news.
Leakingpen2 - 2013/8/29
Dyluth has had a few work issues preventing working on the comic. I have a few fillers I'm going to be posting soon. Prowl, the wounds are healed, his robe isn't fixed. There's a difference.
Gary - 2013/8/28
I feel like these are gonna be good if I just flipped through them in an archive binge sometime later in a few years..... Please tell me what other stuff Zara is working on, if any, or can you suggest other webcomics?
Prowl - 2013/8/28
> Feel like we losing viewers, barely any comments....

One, this comment mechanism is horrible.


Two, the updates are so far between and inconsistent that a reader can't maintain any consistent interest. Like myself, I'm sure all these other readers got into it, kept checking back only to find no updates for long periods of time, and lost interest. According to the index, this comic has gone from four updates a month last year to one a month presently.

Three, this comic has lost all coherence. Without making any significant progress on any of the multiplicity of plots to date, two brand new plot lines, the relevance of which are not clear, have been launched.

I don't know how much clearer it could be than to point out that the main protagonist of the comic is still sporting wounds that occurred in a battle from July 2011. That's right, over 2 years and the main character still has the wounds from the same battle, hasn't even gotten a heal spell or potion even though he's ridiculously powerful and access to these things is trivial to him.
Gary - 2013/8/25
Sounds nice..... What other projects do they have? I might wanna check them out
Avetzan1 - 2013/8/25
I've got an idea: What if you guys (Team DyPen) take a long break of uploading in which you can make the comics and do your other work. Then after the break (probably a long one) you can come back with updates on a schedule, maybe weekly or something.

This way people can stay interested in the comic and it's developments without being annoyed at the comic taking so long. Bearing in mind the wait will be long at first, but then we could get a nice flow after it Happy
Ertai - 2013/8/25
I am here like twice a day to check new comic or comments... though I never had any reactions to my comments... even I am begining to loose interest slowly...
Gary - 2013/8/23
Feel like we losing viewers, barely any comments....
loosefoot - 2013/8/20
This is not going to end well, Keriss's Gullibility.
DukeGod - 2013/8/17
@Mad Lemmey
First, the crowdsourced prophecy will actually talk about the past, to further annoy people who think this is progressing slowly

Then the actual one won't be shown! Or perhaps only dramatical details of it, which we will horribly misinterpret because of the lack of other context
Mad Lemmey - 2013/8/8
Nicely done,
Wonder where this will go and how it will link up to the plot...?
Night Templar - 2013/8/8
Heh. Quite funny. This is why you don't get high when some of your friends have magical powers.

The only thing that could make this more bizarre is someone hitting her with Confusion.
Gary - 2013/8/8
Nice, if there's a male keriss, wonder what female aldran would look like, is the fan art of aldran canon?
Ertai - 2013/8/8
I do like "alternative" Keriss picture, but PLEASE show me what is going on with Finx, just one strip Happy
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