Toriban's Random Up All Night Rants

[Toriban]

You know what always puts me in a really emo mood? Looking back at the Avalon forums. Do you know why? These people formed a community, a gathering of people all drawn together to celebrate their love of a good story. Then, after a good time, the story was taken away. Slowly, people gathered there less and less, gatherings and friendships lost as people slowly drifted away and lost hope. Even though I was just a lurker and not an active member of the community, I was still a fan of the comic, and it was still sad.

But then, two years later, Avalon returned. A few came back. People were happy again. Then, nothing. For another year, people waited for their beloved tale to end, for closure to find the characters they'd connected with. But there was nothing. No ending. No passing of the torch to someone to finish the series. Not even a print version of what there was to be had so far.

Then, to top it all off, the author, the man who could brought these people together, betrayed them. He said that his fan base was "embarrassing."

So, to all of us at EZS, if we ever were to get as loyal a fan base as that, I pray that we would never do something like that. I hope we would stick with it to the end, or at least fix it so there was an end in some way. And I don't mean a block of text like Phillips did.

[SimsHsia]

Indeed, I agree.

Although some may be busy with work, family, etc; if you start a book, or other medium, for that matter, there's a beginning and an ending. Who would want to buy a book that is on the New York Times Best Seller's list and get a a book that is half completed with text and/or images, while the other half is left blank.

If you start something, there has to be utmost obligation to complete it with the best of your ability. Even if one is very busy, at least release a comic every month to show that you are still updating content to maintain at least a partial fanbase, to keep the dedicated fans coming back for more comics.

Now, I'm a fan of Kazu Kibuishi's comic Copper, it took some digging on his web blog that he has put the comic on temporary hiatus to create his two-volume novel series, Amulet. Among other things, are the Flight Comics and other comic projects he is also involved with. Thankfully, he's kept those wondering about a new Copper comic that he is indeed working on it, and even has a preview for its release when it's completed. His work of other comic projects is understandable, but at least he's pledging that he will go forward with Copper, despite the fact that he is going to complete the 2nd volume of Amulet (with Scholastic Publishing), create his part of the Flight 5 Comics (he was also involved with Flight 1, Flight 2, Flight 3, and Flight 4).

A comic YOU created and the fanbase that YOUR comic created is not supposed to be embarrassing for a comic artist and/or writer; they are there to read your comic, support you in anyway, and promote you when they go to comic conventions, conversing on other forums, instant messages to friends, word of mouth, and so forth. If it's so embarrassing, then why not utilize your "powers" to change the story around to something that you find more suitable. People are able to change, not all, but most, to the story. If your art can change over time, so should the story, it should evolve and grow outside of the box, but also maintain the relationship within the box so that veteran fans who have read the comic since its beginnings can see that its roots remain, but some new characters or a new situation has befallen upon the main characters.

The block of text there is more of a summary of what happens toward the ending, not what the characters say to each other or what their actions or reactions are. No scenery of where they go or where they are for each paragraph. At least have an ending that is graceful like MacHall or something similar to end the comic and its story.

See, another example is Star Wars (oh load, here we go again) - OK, just as an example, no flames, conspiracies, speculations, etc ... JUST an example. The story started in the middle, and went to the end, then went to the beginning toward the middle where the movie series first began. Now, today, we have the full story in line so that one could watch it from the first episode to the last. And what happened at the end of Star Wars? The Republic was defeated, the Dark Side was vanquished (for the most part), and the Light (or Good?) Side of the Force was restored. The story continues, of course, but in each person's imagination. Be it in their minds, or actual production of the continuation of the series or their own series. Star Wars eventually evolved from movies, to video/computer games, comic book series, books, toys, and so forth. They are continuing the idea, and it doesn't seem to be stopping anytime; something like stopping a freight train with a toothpick, you just can't do it.

However, for our sake, we are a group of four individuals that are able to do different tasks, but indeed, if we do have a loyal fanbase for whatever it is that we create, and they took the time to look at it and become a fan of it, we better make it a graceful ending and not a permanent hiatus or abandonment of comic or animation. Can it be a sad ending instead of a graceful, peaceful ending? Sure, as long as the words "END" (if not a chapter-release-comic) or "END SERIES" (if a chapter-release-comic) at the bottom of the very last comic is there. Sure, we're all busy in life, but every little bit of time creating something will in the end turn up to be something big when you've completed it. Find some time where watching the television can be replaced by doing something productive and beneficial to yourself, and potentially others.

This is my $0.02 and my opinion (although not heavily edited and proofreaded).

[Toriban]

So, yeah. Robert Jordan's dead. Harriet Jordan may or may not get the last book finished.



...and that's all I've got to say on that topic, honestly.


But it does bring up a related topic. You know what annoyed me? The Salmon of Doubt. The remains of Douglas Adams' last Dirk Gently novel, which was supposed to be scrapped to make the last Hitchhiker novel. I just sit and wonder as I write this how it could have possibly been the seventh Hitchhiker novel. Ignoring the fact that most of the Hitchhiker characters were dead at the end of the sixth book, the entirety of what was written did in all honesty feel like a Dirk Gently story more than anything.

Oh, well. As long as George R. R. Martin doesn't die, I'll be cool.



And for those of you who think this rant stupid and completely lacking in relevance to anything, realize that this rant was almost of the topic of multi-song compilation tracks on video game soundtracks. So count your blessings. I'm going to bed now...

[kuponut]

You know what always puts me in a really emo mood? Looking back at the Avalon forums. Do you know why? These people formed a community, a gathering of people all drawn together to celebrate their love of a good story. Then, after a good time, the story was taken away. Slowly, people gathered there less and less, gatherings and friendships lost as people slowly drifted away and lost hope. Even though I was just a lurker and not an active member of the community, I was still a fan of the comic, and it was still sad.

But then, two years later, Avalon returned. A few came back. People were happy again. Then, nothing. For another year, people waited for their beloved tale to end, for closure to find the characters they'd connected with. But there was nothing. No ending. No passing of the torch to someone to finish the series. Not even a print version of what there was to be had so far.

Then, to top it all off, the author, the man who could brought these people together, betrayed them. He said that his fan base was "embarrassing."

So, to all of us at EZS, if we ever were to get as loyal a fan base as that, I pray that we would never do something like that. I hope we would stick with it to the end, or at least fix it so there was an end in some way. And I don't mean a block of text like Phillips did.

Man...re-read this thread last night and decided to start reading Avalon...The ending didn't disappoint me because of the text; but because the male protagonist ended up with the poorly developed femal character....wtf Odis?

[Toriban]

Yeah, Helene always felt like comic relief to me. Might as well say that Joe hooked up with Noel or Nancy for all the impact it really had on the story.

(Hmmm... Considering their rivalry, Joe and Nancy would have been interesting, actually.)

And Ceilidh with Phoebe? WTF?

And we never got resolution on Alison and Ian. Or with the Bradleys, really.

And what the hell happened to Ghada?

[kuponut]

Yeah, Helene always felt like comic relief to me. Might as well say that Joe hooked up with Noel or Nancy for all the impact it really had on the story.

(Hmmm... Considering their rivalry, Joe and Nancy would have been interesting, actually.)

And Ceilidh with Phoebe? WTF?

And we never got resolution on Alison and Ian. Or with the Bradleys, really.

And what the hell happened to Ghada?

You forgot the thing about Phil(Feeb's dad) Gar and James...that never really got finished.

[Toriban]

So, anyway, I'm jobless yet again. You know looking at it in a certain way, I should work at a place that I want to destroy, because with my track record the place would have an approximate 33% chance to close down permanently.

So, I haven't worked since December 30th, and boy, I tell you its great. You remember part of my New Year's resolution was to revert to a normal sleep schedule? Ha! That part of it got shot, stabbed, mutilated, torn, shred, spindled, mangled, maimed disemboweled, incinerated, kicked, shot again, and urinated on. There's just something about having a few days where you can wake up at three in the afternoon and know that your only real responsibility for the day is to return your movie rentals that just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

I'm really enjoying actually cooking and eating real food, as opposed to whatever I grab at work, or frozen pizza or ramen. And I don't think my bedroom's been this clean since I moved in here. Granted, with me actually cooking on a regular basis the kitchen seems to be getting worse, but, hey, we're out of dishwasher detergent and I'm too lazy to either go out and buy more or to wash them by hand. Besides, its laundry day today anyway. Screw the kitchen.

Its also given me time to try and figure out where the hell my life's going. What to do, what to do? Another dead end job? Take my writing more seriously? Go to college? Eat pancakes?

I'm seriously considering the last one, but I don't think we have the ingredients. Maybe scones. Scones are more random than pancakes, anywho.

I've still yet to see little Cy, my ex-roommates little hell spawn. Still trying to decide whether the name's Celtic in origin or from the god of the dead in the Forgotten Realms. All I know is that the man has a WoW character with the name, too.

Anyway, that's all from me for now.







What, you're still here? Go away, I'm tired.









I SAID GO AWAY DAMMIT! Damn kids and your rock music. And churros.

[kuponut]

Not exactly a rant...but just a quick question;;;

When Heath Ledger died, does it make me a bad person if the first thing I thought of was "Did he finish Batman?"

[Nux]

I don't think so, because that's the first thing I thought of when he died. Maybe that just makes us both bad people...

[Toriban]

They keep putting ads for some crappy Dreamworks movie inside the packaging of my preferred brand of cheap sammich turkey. Bastards.

[Toriban]

NOOOOOOOOOO! The... freaking... POWER WENT OUT!!! I'd just found time to write for, like the first time in a month!! Please, God, auto-save, auto-save, please, please, please, please, YESSSSSSSSSSS! Only lost a paragraph and a half! *phew*