I would assume Prince Mael is the legitimate mostly-orcish son peeking round the cavern wall while his dad makes a fuss of his not-even-royalty-technically mostly-human-half-brother Westlock.
I didn’t think of it then, no! But when I created the Bloodhand Dynasty I realized I had a golden family trait! (Though to be honest, it looks a little overdone here to me.)
This rather adroit observation is just one more of many, many moments where I stop, smile, and think to myself, "I love it when t! comments on a strip…"
Thank you for making the YAFGC comments area so awesome.
I used to read chapters of this at a time over and over again years ago, but I forgot about it until recently, when I needed a sea captain NPC for a game I was DMing (Captain Fang did wonderfully).
I have re-read all 3154 pages in the last three days, and as much as I want to start demanding more, I just have to say…
Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the adventures thus far. I’ve laughed and cried, I’ve watched children become heroes, I’ve seen the schemes of Wizards, Kings, and Gods turn to dust, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Shaurmiath!
You’re making me tear up. 🙂 Thank you for reading and enjoying it so much. To be thought of as an inspiration is the greatest compliment one can receive and I can only hope that my little [okay, it’s not so little anymore] creation continues to be worthy.
I am thrilled to bits that Captain Fang was able to appear in your campaign and I would love to hear more details about his adventures in your world! And how your PCs eventually ‘did him in’… because of course, inevitably sooner or later they’re going to try.
3154 strips in three days? How are you feeling, are you recovering okay?
I’m very pleased to hear your reaction to the ‘generational’ feel of YAFGC. That thrills me.
I decided early on that my characters weren’t going to suffer from ‘Charlie Brown’ or ‘Archie’ syndrome. Y’know that sense that these poor kids are working their butts off to learn and develop and we know that they will never get out of school. I wanted there to be payoff and rewards for them.
And my plan now is to get them through their current adventure and then make a little forward jump to bring the comic into a new era. Not just another AGE, but … a future. Where the adult characters here are the elders, the young ones become the adults and a new generation of children begin anew. There will be cultural, technological and costume changes.
On the surface, I want YAFGC to be entertaining, funny and dramatic. On the artsy-deepsy side, I want YAFGC to be an organic world simulation. Those characters are alive for me. And I only hope they feel alive to readers like you.
Thanks so much for taking the time to write out such a thoughtful response! As far as my feelings go after reading all those strips… I kind of wish there were another 3000 to sink my teeth into! 🙂
The group’s rogue almost immediately tried to kill Fang, but I’ve built his luck feats to make him almost godlike. In the end, they just helped him take over the submersible that sank their ship.
And I have no doubts that this work will continue to impress as time goes on. The last few chapters of the current story have been very grim, but from such circumstances do great heroes emerge. For example, I have to be honest, I freaked out when Cadugan and Lucas were petrified; Cadugan’s my personal favorite, but like I said, a new hero emerged from the chaos. High stakes make the adventure more meaningful.
I think my favorite aspect of the Generational style to the comic is the sort of sense of pride you can feel in the characters: "I remember when our Glon was sweeping floors, and look at him now!" I can’t think of a word other than pride to describe the feeling. It creates a real connection. We watched them grow up, and it feels great.
I’m very excited to see the future of this world unfold. I understand how you must feel when I say that; I have a new player in my game, and after a few sessions, he’s started saying he can’t wait to see what happens next with the story, which both humbles and motivates me. It is a wonderful thing to be able to bring others into the worlds we forge.
I’ll try to make this a quick comment, regarding the New Generation.
The way you brought the kids up by introducing them entering their early years of school, then watching them interact as they progressed through the grades. Yes. That was great. Not saying you "should" do that again, at least not in the identical fashion. But, it’s a good model I’d suggest exploring elements of that were glossed over or skipped last round.
Just as important were the origin stories of Glon and Jone, the trials & tribulations of deprived and unfortunate children and how they found their ways into adulthood. For better or for worse.
I wouldn’t mind seeing one or two of the current characters taking ‘retirement’ as teachers and/or mentors, especially if they manage to avoid an untimely death sentence. I’ll always mourn the loss of Arachne. 🙁
But, I’m along for the Long Ride. My best wishes always and, always, Thank You so much for sharing!
Oh :O. This took me by surprise, and must say, I have somewhat mixed feelings about it… I can understand the desire to move the world, I think I am not the only one who thinks its a really good element of your comic. It keeps it fresh, dynamic, and as others said before, it makes one more attached to the characters as well, to see them grow up- biologically, mentally, spiritually, and who knows what other ways. It is also always an amazing experience to re-read the earlier strips and see where and how certain heroes started their journey.
But I do hope that this story arc is far from finished then, and that eventually there will be some intermission inbetween. There are still far too many of these people, who’s fate I want to know, and I guess I’m not alone with it. A few examples: Chimera, Clover and Eric, Adwen, Catianus, Thomas the bard, Nike, Gren’s and Bob’s families, Anancy and Tara and the list goes on. None of them were seen since the Black Mountain is gone, and we know nothing of them. 🙁 Also, I would have love to see more of Adina’s adventures (she is one of my favorites :D), especially now that she got a new friend on board…
I don’t want to sound too greedy or too demanding… its just… you know, its hard to get enough from Yafgc… 🙂
I love that the characters and the world are moving forward, that there’s not just a history to the world but that that history is continuing.
And if you ever get an idea involving younger versions of your characters, you can tell it in a flashback like we’re seeing now, so jumping forward doesn’t close that many doors.
Pick up your copies of YAFGC Volumes 1 - 5 at our online store. Multi-book bundles and sketch editions available.
Yeahhh not the smartest move there, politically speaking.
And here we see the foundation for Halvelock getting deposed being laid.
Got to ask, Princess Asha is in panel 3, I figure. Is Prince Mael the (mostly) human son? Who’s Westlock, then?
I would assume Prince Mael is the legitimate mostly-orcish son peeking round the cavern wall while his dad makes a fuss of his not-even-royalty-technically mostly-human-half-brother Westlock.
Damn, Rich.
Did you have any idea, back when you created the Bloodhand Hairlick, that you’d be able to use it to tell AN ENTIRE STORY in ONE panel?
Wow.
t!
I didn’t think of it then, no! But when I created the Bloodhand Dynasty I realized I had a golden family trait! (Though to be honest, it looks a little overdone here to me.)
Maybe adult length on Westlock.
t!
This rather adroit observation is just one more of many, many moments where I stop, smile, and think to myself, "I love it when t! comments on a strip…"
Thank you for making the YAFGC comments area so awesome.
What Rancourt said goes for me also too as well.
You two are both very sweet. Coming from people I deeply respect, that means a lot, thanks.
Also, I’d be remiss in not reiterating that Rich gives a commenter plenty to work with.
t!
So, Rich, I am now caught up.
I used to read chapters of this at a time over and over again years ago, but I forgot about it until recently, when I needed a sea captain NPC for a game I was DMing (Captain Fang did wonderfully).
I have re-read all 3154 pages in the last three days, and as much as I want to start demanding more, I just have to say…
Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the adventures thus far. I’ve laughed and cried, I’ve watched children become heroes, I’ve seen the schemes of Wizards, Kings, and Gods turn to dust, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
You are an inspiration to me. Thank you again.
Shaurmiath!
You’re making me tear up. 🙂 Thank you for reading and enjoying it so much. To be thought of as an inspiration is the greatest compliment one can receive and I can only hope that my little [okay, it’s not so little anymore] creation continues to be worthy.
I am thrilled to bits that Captain Fang was able to appear in your campaign and I would love to hear more details about his adventures in your world! And how your PCs eventually ‘did him in’… because of course, inevitably sooner or later they’re going to try.
3154 strips in three days? How are you feeling, are you recovering okay?
I’m very pleased to hear your reaction to the ‘generational’ feel of YAFGC. That thrills me.
I decided early on that my characters weren’t going to suffer from ‘Charlie Brown’ or ‘Archie’ syndrome. Y’know that sense that these poor kids are working their butts off to learn and develop and we know that they will never get out of school. I wanted there to be payoff and rewards for them.
And my plan now is to get them through their current adventure and then make a little forward jump to bring the comic into a new era. Not just another AGE, but … a future. Where the adult characters here are the elders, the young ones become the adults and a new generation of children begin anew. There will be cultural, technological and costume changes.
On the surface, I want YAFGC to be entertaining, funny and dramatic. On the artsy-deepsy side, I want YAFGC to be an organic world simulation. Those characters are alive for me. And I only hope they feel alive to readers like you.
Thanks so much for taking the time to write out such a thoughtful response! As far as my feelings go after reading all those strips… I kind of wish there were another 3000 to sink my teeth into! 🙂
The group’s rogue almost immediately tried to kill Fang, but I’ve built his luck feats to make him almost godlike. In the end, they just helped him take over the submersible that sank their ship.
And I have no doubts that this work will continue to impress as time goes on. The last few chapters of the current story have been very grim, but from such circumstances do great heroes emerge. For example, I have to be honest, I freaked out when Cadugan and Lucas were petrified; Cadugan’s my personal favorite, but like I said, a new hero emerged from the chaos. High stakes make the adventure more meaningful.
I think my favorite aspect of the Generational style to the comic is the sort of sense of pride you can feel in the characters: "I remember when our Glon was sweeping floors, and look at him now!" I can’t think of a word other than pride to describe the feeling. It creates a real connection. We watched them grow up, and it feels great.
I’m very excited to see the future of this world unfold. I understand how you must feel when I say that; I have a new player in my game, and after a few sessions, he’s started saying he can’t wait to see what happens next with the story, which both humbles and motivates me. It is a wonderful thing to be able to bring others into the worlds we forge.
I can’t wait to see where our roads take us!
I’ll try to make this a quick comment, regarding the New Generation.
The way you brought the kids up by introducing them entering their early years of school, then watching them interact as they progressed through the grades. Yes. That was great. Not saying you "should" do that again, at least not in the identical fashion. But, it’s a good model I’d suggest exploring elements of that were glossed over or skipped last round.
Just as important were the origin stories of Glon and Jone, the trials & tribulations of deprived and unfortunate children and how they found their ways into adulthood. For better or for worse.
I wouldn’t mind seeing one or two of the current characters taking ‘retirement’ as teachers and/or mentors, especially if they manage to avoid an untimely death sentence. I’ll always mourn the loss of Arachne. 🙁
But, I’m along for the Long Ride. My best wishes always and, always, Thank You so much for sharing!
Oh :O. This took me by surprise, and must say, I have somewhat mixed feelings about it… I can understand the desire to move the world, I think I am not the only one who thinks its a really good element of your comic. It keeps it fresh, dynamic, and as others said before, it makes one more attached to the characters as well, to see them grow up- biologically, mentally, spiritually, and who knows what other ways. It is also always an amazing experience to re-read the earlier strips and see where and how certain heroes started their journey.
But I do hope that this story arc is far from finished then, and that eventually there will be some intermission inbetween. There are still far too many of these people, who’s fate I want to know, and I guess I’m not alone with it. A few examples: Chimera, Clover and Eric, Adwen, Catianus, Thomas the bard, Nike, Gren’s and Bob’s families, Anancy and Tara and the list goes on. None of them were seen since the Black Mountain is gone, and we know nothing of them. 🙁 Also, I would have love to see more of Adina’s adventures (she is one of my favorites :D), especially now that she got a new friend on board…
I don’t want to sound too greedy or too demanding… its just… you know, its hard to get enough from Yafgc… 🙂
I love that the characters and the world are moving forward, that there’s not just a history to the world but that that history is continuing.
And if you ever get an idea involving younger versions of your characters, you can tell it in a flashback like we’re seeing now, so jumping forward doesn’t close that many doors.
Ugh, I hate that kind of thing. That time passes and the characters age and grow is great, skipping a whole bunch of time in one go is not.