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Everything Ends

September 6th, 2011 | by D-Rod
Posted In: News

Hello everyone.

I know that we have been silent on this issue for some time, but it was because we wanted to be certain before we made any formal announcements. I’m sure many of you have seen this coming, but despite our best efforts and amazing support from our fans, Shadowgirls the webcomic has come to an end.

This is not an easy thing for us and it was not an easy decision to come to. We have spent the past few months trying to find a way to make it work; trying to find a formula that would make it possible to deliver a quality product on time and without any future interruptions, but nothing really worked. And I am sorry for that.

This doesn’t mean that Shadowgirls is going away entirely, Season 2 will still be completed and collected. There will likely be other projects that involve the world and characters, but the webcomic itself has come to an end.

I want to thank everyone who has supported us over the years and I hope you know that it is not easy to say goodbye to friends and a community as strong as this one. I also hope that some of you will want to stay apprised of any future developments with the property or our other projects. But nothing will ever quite be like Shadowgirls in my heart.

Thank you for taking this journey with us.

D-Rod

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D.Rey chiming in here.

Okay, I know a few are you aren’t really all that shocked by this, but for those still around, I feel you’re owed an explanation to what’s going on. The simple truth is, we have a crappy economy. I am 36 years old, and currently unemployed, and I just used up the last of my student loan deferments. My field of study was Graphic Design, but that’s an industry that’s drying up the world over. Graphic design jobs are quite honestly rare, and sure as hell doesn’t pay more than I could get paid working at Wal-Mart. (And the ones that DO pay really well, I’m not qualified for.) Michigan’s unemployment is at 11%, and I’ve gone to several interviews these last few months, and I haven’t had a whole hell of a lot of luck. My future is, to put it bluntly, uncertain. (And of course that 11% just counts unemployment claims made, and doesn’t take into account people like me who are ineligible to claim unemployment or the depressed and nihilistic folks who just gave up… So it’s probably like around 20%.)

Honestly, I was probably in denial here about the comic coming to an end, and I was hoping we’d find a way around it, but the sad simple fact is… My time is going to be a lot less productive. I just simply will not be able to produce the comic on a regular set schedule without running into the same problems again. Right now, I got to get my life in order and I don’t want to be making any more promises I cannot deliver on. I’m frustrated, angry and scared. The only upside is that I know I’m not alone in this boat.

Hope Prevails

Yeah, this sucks folks, and I’m sorry. I feel like I let you down… But I hope you understand. Like David said, this current story arc will be completed and eventually collected. And there will be other comic projects taking place in this universe and characters. I mean… This is in my goddamned blood. I don’t really know what’s going to happen to the Shadowgirls blog here, but for those still interested in my occasional rants and discussions I’d like to direct you to my other site, Thoughtcrime Inc. where I’ll be continuing to do so.

So this is it for now. But for me personally… (And you Transformers fans know exactly what this phrase means and the legacy that it entails.)

“It never ends.”

-Dave Reynolds

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We were asked below about our future projects, so I thought I’d post them up here for everyone to read, so you don’t have to scroll through the responses to find it.

D.Rod, he’s got his project ‘Finding Gossamyr’ coming up soon. I got to read the first issue script in March and it’s really, REALLY good. And not to mention, the artist is Sarah Ellerton, who is extremely freakin’ skilled. So that’s probably a winner right there in the making. So you can keep an eye out for it on the Facebook page here. Also the Please Don’t Wake Dagon card game is still going strong, and I believe that receptions to it have been very good.

As for me, I just plan to finish up work on this current story arc and trying to find work. Hopefully that’ll all stabilize out sooner than later. I have a side project or two I’ve been thinking about, but nothing concrete. (They’re both in this respective universe, so don’t be surprised if a McKay girl or a green haired cyborg shows up.) I’ll probably be making announcements on future projects on my above mentioned blog. But until that’s all straightened out, I will probably do little short stories and artwork stuff, which I’ll post there. (Google Bloggers… Gotta love ‘em!)

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Let’s talk ponies

August 2nd, 2011 | by Dave Reynolds
Posted In: News

Okay, if you’ve been around the interwebs, I’m sure you’ve noticed the influx of fans, obsessing over the show ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’. Well, it’s a decent show and occasionally pretty damn funny. It’s enjoyable, and I understand completely why it’s so popular. It’s well written, rather aware of it’s “overly sweet” nature, and compensates by essentially having every main character be utterly insane. I suspect, with shows like this, Transformers: Prime and Dan Vs., that if the Hub network can get some better cable package distributions, they could seriously give Cartoon Network a true run for their money. Because right now, the Hub is like how Cartoon Network used to be, when it was fun and energetic, and not shoving utter garbage like Flapjack, Chowder and that… that… ABOMINATION of a show, Mad. (Seriously, CN’s Mad cartoon is the worst thing I’ve seen on television. I would rather watch a day-long marathon of the Post-Eric Foreman ‘That 70s Show’ than sit through one 15 minute episode of Mad.)

But that aside, as far as ponies go, I understand the show’s popularity. I like it. I even have myself an Applejack toy. It’s on my television, next to my Silver Age Supergirl figure and my Shadowgirl statuette. But I don’t go around, proudly declaring myself a damn brony, like I’m in a parade. “Ooooh, look at me! I watch a cartoon show meant for girls! I’m so ironic! You watch it too? Welcome to the herd! Brohoof!”

*deep sigh* (Okay girls, I’m talking to the guys here.)

Look, I feel the need to inform that this is not new grounds that’s being broken… This isn’t even re-paving an old road. Guys have been watching cartoons meant for girls for years. Back In the 80’s when I was a kid, we watched stuff like ‘She-Ra’ and ‘Jem and the Holograms’. In the 90’s, boys watched Sailor Moon and Powerpuff Girls. But we didn’t go around broadcasting it, and it wasn’t out of fear of ridicule. But out of the simple fact that we ALL watched them. No boy was ashamed to admit it, because we all knew we did. We just didn’t CARE. It’s like Rescue Rangers… We all thought Gadget was hot, but we just didn’t talk about it, because, golly, it was an unspoken truth. We were more afraid that our friends would find out that we liked a lame show more than we were if they found out we liked a girl’s show. As a kid, I was more scared someone would find out I liked ‘Silverhawks’ or ‘C.O.P.S.’ more than I was with She-Ra. Even though I’m in my 30s now, I still hold a bit of humiliation that I seen every episode of Smurfs, including the time travel season… But no one I know holds any embarrassment and ever did for ‘Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs’.

Now no one’s saying you shouldn’t have pride in a show you like. You want to like the ponies? That’s cool and you should. It’s a good show, and it’s deserving of it’s priase. (I mean, it’s not like I’ve ever been all that quiet about my love of shape-shifting robots, right?) It’s always been okay to like girls cartoons. Just like it’s always been okay for girls to like boy shows and toys. Thundercats was meant for boys, but a lot of girls watched it. Hell, it’s even okay to like a show meant for little kids. I’m rather fond of the Little Einsteins. But my question I need to ask the really vocal bronies is this: Are you just trying to be shockingly ironic? Or are you trying to spread the word about how good of a show it is?

If it’s the former, then you’re about as cutting edge as Hannah Montana.

If it’s the latter, then be a fan… But have dignity and remember moderation. Because when you’re really obnoxious, you end up looking like crazed fanboys, and you run the risk of ‘hype backlash’ where someone hears about it so much, that you actually do the exact opposite of what you were trying to do. If it’s truly any good, and if they respect your opinion, a little will go a long way.

Otherwise, you’re just being a dink.

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