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!)
im sorry to see you go this is an awesome comic. good luck.
We appreciate it. This does indeed suck. Thank you though.
I have loved ShadowGirls for years now and I am REALLY sad to see this go, but I completely understand.
I am going to miss the adventures of Becka and Charon. But who knows. Maybe their story will be picked back one day.
I doubt this is the last you’ll ever hear of the McKay Girls.
It’s sad to see it end, it was a fun ride. I owe a lot of my current interest in comics to Shadowgirls. As a graphic designer myself, I can definitely attest to it being nearly impossible to find a job. It’s mostly luck and a large amount of who you know. The place I’m at just laid off 250 designers at different locations. It’s a tough time. I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide to do.
Yeah, the thing is… I’ve given up looking for a graphic design job, and now I’m just willing to settle for anything that will pay the bills. I have Graphic Design friends all over, and they’re all dealing with the same crap. The big problem is that most of my design skills are in the field of print, and well… Guess what’s having problems these days? It’s frustrating, because I spent so much damn money on this degree that is essentially worthless. Most of the graphic jobs around here (and even going into other regions) don’t pay a whole hell of a lot. The thing is, with my dad up there in age, I’m a little hesitant to be moving far distances away… I’m looking into the Chicago area right now, but I reeeeeally don’t want to. (I HATE Chicago traffic!)
Yea I work for Gannett, doing print ads for news papers. Right now we’re hiring mostly online artists; but print artists like me have all been consolidated at two locations. Here in Indy and in Des Moines Iowa. Other than us, the only other print artist positions I can find are for small time companies like sign makers and the occasional place that makes used car mags; and none of those pay very well.
Wow this sucks. Whats next for you guys?
Well, let’s see…
For 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. I’ll probably be making announcements on future projects on my above mentioned blog.
As an IT man that hasn’t had steady work in 3 years I feel your pain. Good luck and thanks for the cool stories.
The reception to Please Don’t Wake Dagon is apparently so good that it’s been out of stock for six weeks and counting.
Guys, I’m so sad to read about this. You guys are awesome, and I love Shadowgirls and her characters.
And if I can commiserate for a second, I’m a 36 year old unemployed graphic designer. Somebody hire me, already! Anywhere in North America is fine and I’d consider other places. Maybe we can get a job at Wal-Mart? I hear they put in a billion dollars in their Mexico ops.
I miss you guys already. Come to local cons for a day still, eh?
Yeah, you know what’s going on. This freakin’ blows. I should have went into HVAC instead… (Maybe it’s not too late?)
We’ll still be going to conventions, and we’re not quitting comics. (I’m still planning on going to C2E2 with some friends in April.) It’s just we can’t be constantly going on hiatuses hoping that everything will stabilize out. That’s not fair to us, it’s not fair to you guys, and it’s not fair to the McKay Girls. As you can see from the reply to DatDude above… We’re not retiring. Speaking personally here, I don’t think I could retire if I wanted to. We’ll still be around in some way, shape or form.
Damnit, this is disappointing. I know you guys kept it up as long as you could, but it really freakin’ hurts to see this go. I want to be positive about it, but this made a bleah day really suck.
We’ll miss you.
The comic may be going away, but WE’RE still around. Hell hon, you’re on my Facebook friend list so it’s not like we won’t be able to pick on each other.
And like I said to Tim above… I seriously doubt this is the last we’ll ever hear from the McKay girls. I don’t know when, but I’m sure they’ll pop up again some day.
That reminds me. We need to start working out whatever bootlegger / Tribal setup we’ll have to resort to when this stat shuts down because it’s a train wreck.
It was fun while it lasted. Sucks to see it end so soon but it got out there and entertained a whole lotta people. Take the positive and leave the negative! We’ll all be waiting around for whatever else you guys got up your sleeves.
Unless I can successfully become the Chief of Michigan. I promise to fund the crap outta you guys and your projects!
Can this possibly be solved with violence?
…
What? I’m going with my strengths!
Seriously, I’m sorry this is happening. Not just because of the injustice of Shadowgirls’ premature closure, but because you guys aren’t seeing it through as much as you’d like (that and the other economic woes mentioned).
…
But really, isn’t there someone I could karate chop in the neck to undo all this? Hitler, maybe?
well damn,it’s totally understandable. doesn’t mean i have to like it. i will wish you both the best. and hope that you get something w/o having to go to chicago.
BTW:i TOTALLY agree with sporkbot. i LIKE simple solutions-if you figure out who to hurt to change this- count me in.
I am beyond saddened by this news. I was never active in the comments, but I have been reading Shadowgirls for quite some time now and I can honestly say that I loved it. But, I understand why it must end. I wish only the best for you guys and hope things start looking up very soon.
Oh, well. The girls’ll be back, eventually.
I don’t know what to say to you guys… this must be awful for you both. You make something that touches people (in a good way before any of you wags start making jokes), something really fresh in a place full of the same old crap repeating like some trashy earworm popsong, and the real world goes and pulls the rug out from under you… sucks is nowhere near strong enough a word.
I’ll miss this world you both made. Really, I will.
All the best to you both. I hope everything resolves and lets you continue what you love on your own terms sometime soon. Take good care of yourselves and I hope to God we get to see you again soon. Daves, you gave us all a lil’ magical bit of yourselves, and I think we’re all unanimously thankful for every last bit of it.
Faithfully yours,
A Fan called D’Mo (and you gave me that name too!)
Thank you everyone. I’m going to miss you all too. You were really the best part of doing the book. Live Dave said, you can follow the FB page or any of the other project pages if you want to keep up with what we’re doing.
It’s been a blast guys. Thank you for making this comic and allowing me to be a part of it.:) I shall definitely be keeping an eye on both of your future projects
-sad puppy eyes- Nooooooo!!
I kinda figured…but still…noooooo!!!! D: I’ll be keeping tabs on you guys though. Good luck with everything! -hugs-
I, too, am sad to see this come to a close since I also got to be part of it, but as much as I will miss this and all it involves, I want more for you both to have happy successful careers as you both deserve. You will definitely be followed and I am sure that future projects by either of you will be equally worthy of the following and appreciation that ShadowGirls enjoyed. Hugs and much love to you all.
Any shot of continuing in a self-pub graphic novel or pay-per-download model? I can’t help but think that, with all the good will and dap you’ve built up with all this, there’s got to be some way to monetize it.
I know I’ll be waiting for whatever continuation or conclusion you decide to bring to the story. Good luck!
Well, like it was mentioned above, the current story arc will be finished and collected, and it’s very likely that some of the characters will show up again somewhere.
Thanks for everything you do, Dave(s). Best of luck to you. I’m sure we’ll see you down the road.
Now I almost wish I ahdn’t posted in the forums asking when the “re-launch” would be, or reminded that it was stated for “late summer/after summer”. Thank you for actually telling us, anyway.
And thank you for posting what you did post, it was enjoyable.
Sorry to hear about your situation. Having spent the better part of three years unemployed I know how much it sucks. Try to keep positive and don’t give up, no matter how rocky the road things will get better.
It always sucks to see something like Shadowgirls go.
I’m guessing that pouting and stamping my feet isn’t going to help anything. No one to hit, hummm….rob someone alla “Fun With Dick and Jane” or “How to Rob a Bank”? Oooooo perhaps start up your own comic company? I know it takes money to do that…..but it would be really cool if you did.
As for you letting the comic go, well other comics that I have loved have come across this very same problem. They stall out, updates become erratic or non existent and then just kind of die. I had hope that that was not going to happen, however the signs were there.
I’m really sad, but I’m sure that this isn’t goodbye, just a “See ya later”
Don’t know when but we’ll see you again
We’re both still comic creators, and we’re both still going to be doing comics. You’re absolutely right that this is not a goodbye. Keep an eye on the pages and the blog mentioned above.
I’m really sad to hear this–this comic is great! I’m glad we’ll at least get the rest of Season 2, though. And hopefully things will improve in “real life” for you both, and we can hear something about the McKay girls again someday.
I don’t know if you’ve heard of this, but there is a website called kickstarter.com where you can post a project, the details, and how much money you need to get said project off the ground. People then look the project over and decide if they want to donate, and if so, how much. If your project gets the full amount of pledges for funding by the set date, then the pledges are called in and you get the goods.
It is something worth thinking about. There are webcomic artists and writers that have made this a career, and I think Shadowgirls could have done that too. I think it still can, you just need to find a way to do funding. Don’t you have enough fans to do a money drive? I know me and my husband would want to donate.
Don’t let Shadowgirls end! You can find a way around this bump!
We’re aware of Kickstarter as that’s how our first book got published. It’s not about not having money to publish Shadowgirls. (The story here will still get completed and collected.) It’s like I said… It’s about the fact that the economy blows, and I have no job. 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 we’ve always ran into. Right now, I need to get my life in order and I don’t want to be making any more promises I cannot deliver on. It’s not fair to you, it’s not fair to me, and it’s not fair to the project. So for now, this story will be completed. There will be future projects, and the girls are likely to pop up in a few of those.
Trust me, no one thinks this sucks more than me.
*pout*
It’ll be okay. I promise.
Man, and I just discovered this comic too
Ah crap, no edit button. What’s the difference between the Standard Edition of the comic, and the Artist Edition?
Standard Edition is the book itself. Artist Edition comes with a free original sketch card.
Sorry to here hard times are affecting you guys so much. I’ve been a fan for.. two/three years? I can’t remember exactly when I ran into your comic. I’ve enjoyed it vary much, thank you for the great ride. Good luck with your new plans.
I highly recommended expecting this current economy to stick around for a while, if not get worse. Make as much as you can and save some too. Might not be a bad idea working out moving in with your Dad to be close if he needs you but also to save money. Good luck.
Guys, first and foremost, take care of yourselves. Unless the ‘Girls’ are making you enough to live on you have to do what it takes to survive. Don’t apologize just keep us informed if possible as to your status. The economy will turn around eventually, probably next year when the current administration is voted out of office. Until then keep your nose above water. Best of luck to both of you.
Damnations! >.<
Well, I hope you guys get some good luck real soon.
Sucks to hear that the comic is coming to an end now (and more so because I found it just before the hiatus). You sure that Shadowgirls won't come back someday? Maybe when the situation gets better, the story might go on? Pretty please? *insert the sparkling eyes of the Puss in boots from Shrek 2 here*
Oh well… see you guys around.
Greetings from Germany,
Benjamin
Wow… I’m truly shocked at this. You guys had alot of momentum going for you and it’s truly a shame that the powers that be couldn’t find you. But, you two are both too talented not to find something that will pick you up out of this. That I believe in.
As always it was a pleasure to interview you both, and I’ll be in line for that next book.
Plus, you comic for the digital version of Webcomics: What’s Cooking? is going to be going up soon.
A shame, as I followed the comic a long time, but lately it was getting a bit stale compared to the earlier installments.
Hope you got some art for a deviantaccount, and keep posting on there at least
Well, I do have a DeviantArt account I post to quite regularly.
At least if the site goes belly up, we’ll always have that then ^^
Hey I wish you the best of luck getting a new job! I love this comic and look forward to when it all gets put together
sorry to see it go but its quite understandable
Alright. Hands on the table – HOW many books do we have to buy to keep you in the business?
Love the writing. Love the art. This is a loss, but it’s an ongoing loss for a year now…
I wish it was that easy. But unfortunately it’s not.
We still have the option of resorting to violence, right?
Riiiight?!
Knock yerself out. Just make sure you put it up on YouTube so I can see it.
So, will Season 2 be finished out on the website? Or in print form?
Print form is the current plan.
D’oh!
Please give us a heads-up on pre-orders.
BTW, Th3rd World has been showing Please Don’t Wake Dagon as sold out for a while. I got the copies I originally ordered, but I’ve got another friend who wants one, and he can’t get it…
Hello. Good luck finding/doing new work.
have a nice time.
Best wishes for success in an uncertain future. I was late finding your work, and I don’t know if the printed editions will still be available, but I’ll look for them after the Yule. Considering the quality and attention to detail that you have shown here, anybody would be lucky to have you.
If it’s employment you’re looking for… Seriously, I’m a mass communication specialist in the U.S. Navy, and we do quite a bit of graphic design, as well as journalistic writing, photojournalism, and videography. I’m not saying it’s worth making a career for everyone (really, it isn’t), but it might be a way for one or both of you to wait out the current economy. This isn’t as a final appeal to keep doing the comic (though I wish it were that easy), but I am interested in seeing you two guys having an ability to get on your feet, given I’ve enjoyed your work so much. Give it a thought, though. Five years isn’t really that long.
See, here’s the thing. I am an aspiring writer, and started writing a book. With NO knowledge of this webcomic. The title is Lightened Dark: The shadow girls. I wonder, is it still ok to use that name? Please tell me!
The funny thing about literary titles as trademarks is that they tend to be… diluted… to put it mildly. Otherwise most new books or short stories would have titles of no less than eight words in order to maintain strict uniqueness. A title search on Amazon for “shadow girls” produces 145 results, including six of the first twenty-five containing “Shadow Girl” or “Shadow Girls”. Also note that titles are like battle plans: many do not survive the writing and publishing process unchanged…
So… it would be ok?
I suggest you run the same search I did, but I’d say the title is already non-unique. (Then again, I’m not a lawyer…) If you still want D.Rod’s and D-Rey’s blessing or permission, you might try contacting them privately in the website’s Forums.
Any ideas for me?
Anybody? Replacements for shadow girls?
Maybe “Girls of Shadow”?
Or, depending on the details, “Daughters of Shadow”.
Thanks. Maybe I’ll do shadow sisters. I was honestly stumped for a while there.