19: The Skullgirls Save Christmas
Or the holidays, if that works better
But here’s the real question, o’ alert ones… who’s going to save me?
Actually, scratch that for now. I don’t want to bury the lede. And in this case that’s this…
Skullgirls is back!
You can go to Webtoon right now (or click the image above) and read the recently released Episode 20 of Skullgirls! And if you, like I, have been waiting for months and are wondering if the wait has been worth it, then all I can really say is… oh hell yeah.
And then once you’ve read that episode, if you’re so inclined, you can also read the next three episodes of Skullgirls through Webtoon’s fast pass system which enables you to read ahead by at least one or more episode each and every week. Dang.
So what you’re saying is that rather than waiting weeks to see what happens to Peacock, Parasoul and the gang in Episodes 21, 22 and 23 I can find out right now? Right this second, even?
Why, yes… yes, I am.
So that’s all pretty good news, yeah? Maybe even great news! And don’t get me wrong, o’ alerts ones, I actually feel pretty darn great about it. And I think maybe that’s part of the problem because…
What took so long?
I don’t necessarily mean what took so long to get Skullgirls back on Webtoon. I mean, it’s comics. And if you don’t know what I mean by that then imagine that comics is like the kitchen at a busy restaurant. And in order for a single plate of food to be served each chef has to do their own unique thing to it first.
Now, when things are running smoothly that plate flies from chef to chef, to the waiter, from kitchen to table in minutes. And it’s a beautiful thing. And comics can be like that too. Script to sketches to lines to finishes to colors to letters to readers in weeks or sometimes, sometimes even in days.
But when things aren’t running quite so smoothly at the kitchen, no matter the reason, you get a half-finished, ill-conceived or under or overcooked meal. And nobody wants to eat that. And it’s the same with comics. It takes everyone working in concert with one another to put out a product that entertains, resonates with and is memorable to readers. To produce something satisfying and filling, just like your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant. Maybe it takes us a bit longer, but that’s just because we want to make something that was worth the wait.
However! Like I said, that is not what I mean by “What took so long?”. I guess what I do mean is…
Okay, look, way back in August I wrote my last Exner Alert, right? That’s a good 4+ months ago now. The April before that I said I was “back”, hopefully for the long run, and while I was addressing the state of Skullgirls at the time, I readily admit I was talking about myself too.
And, uh… yeah. That didn’t age well.
So… what happened? What took so long? And, honestly, I’m trying to figure that out myself.
What I do know is that my absence coincided with my projects going on hiatus. Not only Skullgirls but MoonRise as well. Which, for those of you who might be wondering, will be coming back in the new year.
But there are other things I’m working on as well. Projects with talented people behind them that I should have pitched long before now and still aren’t quite ready because I haven’t finished the work required to get them where they need to be. And that isn’t fair to the people that are waiting on me to do my part. To maintain a level of consistency that’s, thus far, proven to be extremely difficult for me.
Why that is, I still don’t quite know. I’ve often said that I believe when you’re struggling to create really the only thing you can do is keep creating and eventually it’ll get easier. And I still believe that. But what about when you stop altogether? How do you get started again?
I think, much like with this newsletter, it’s just a matter of chipping away at it until it’s done, and not being too hard on yourself when things don’t go to plan. Because that’s always a luxury most of us rarely experience. And if you need to take a step back to get to a place where you can start moving forward again, then do that. Understand that that’s okay and that, like Parasoul…
The decision that was right for me at the time. Just like the decision to come back and be better than I was before is the right one for me now. I hope you’ll stick it out with me, o’ alert ones.
Happy Holidays.