Can we get any kinda status update on when/if HE or SS will ever be coming back? Or at least a “not until XX”? Are you ok? Hope all is well
I’m quite well. Thank you for the concern. The truth is the ways in which this comic, or all of my comic endeavors, previously allowed me to the support my family all pretty much started to dry up at the same time. Ad revenue, convention sales and online store sales all took a STEEP dive right around the same time, and I found myself unable to continue down the same path. To do so and to continue to just HOPE it would all pick up soon would have been dangerously irresponsible for my family. So I took a job. I had been working as a freelance writer and voice actor for Cyanide & Happiness for a few years and, when I realized my current situation wasn’t stable enough, I made the transition to full time. For the last 6 months I’ve been working every day on the recently announced (as of just a few days ago) Season 3 of The Cyanide & Happiness Show. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done, but it has taken up 100% of my creative (physical and emotional) energy, and left no time for other projects.
I am grateful to anyone who is still checking this site, and still interested in seeing more of my comics. I am ESPECIALLY grateful to my Patreon Patrons. When all of my other sources of HE related income dried up, Patreon was the one thing I could count on (and STILL count on to this day) for some level of stability. I want to reward those of you that remain for your patience, persistence and… another P word. Let’s go with “pants.” I still don’t know exactly how and when I’m going to finish HijiNKS ENSUE or if I’m ever going to revisit Sharksplode. I know what I WANT to do, but I’ve finally learned to stop announcing wishes/plans as if they were concrete facts my audience can rely on. Best to announce the things I’ve already done as opposed to the things I’d like to do. Less disappointment all around that way. I know that I would prefer to be able to say, “HijiNKS ENSUE is a completed project. It’s a comic that I made for almost a decade and you can read the whole thing, including the end, HERE.” I can’t currently say that, and it bothers me. Eventually that bother will evolve into action.
Sorry to hear that the revenue dried up, but glad you’ve managed to find fulfilling work. Having just been made redundant myself, I’m beginning to understand a little of that tension.
Looking forward to wherever the future takes HE and SS, even if that’s nowhere. It’s been a blast.
I appreciate the kind words. At some point I realized the idea of “The Experiment” was less about working for myself and more about enjoying my work. The goal is to make a living with creative endeavors and not to feel like a slave to a company/job/boss I hate. With that in mind, The Experiment is still alive and well.
Glad to hear all is well. I see you on twitter, and have enjoyed your voice acting on C&H tremendously. For a while I’d become convinced that somehow it was an error on my end and it just wasn’t refreshing. Also happy to hear you are gainfully employed, and not living in a van down by the river. Know that you still have a cadre of us who enjoy your work, and look forward to anything you put out, but don’t actively EXPECT much outside of a “hey guys, still breathing” message maybe once a quarter? Or maybe just post your twitter feed here, if that’s an easy thing to do?
If I had more money, I’d up my Patreon commitment, but in any case, I’m still sending out positive vibes your way. Enjoy life, and remember that each day is another opportunity to make new choices, and travel new paths, and if any of them lead back here, we’ll all be pleasantly surprised.
Also, tell Will Wheaton that he needs to have you guest on Tabletop. How this hasn’t happened yet, boggles the mind….
“tell Will Wheaton that he needs to have you guest on Tabletop.”
Early on this was a possibility. We talked about it during seasons 2 and 3. The bottom line was too many actually famous people got into the show and started to want to be on it. There was just never an opportunity to do a “Friends of Wil no one has ever heard of” episode.
Can we get any kinda status update on when/if HE or SS will ever be coming back? Or at least a “not until XX”? Are you ok? Hope all is well
I’m quite well. Thank you for the concern. The truth is the ways in which this comic, or all of my comic endeavors, previously allowed me to the support my family all pretty much started to dry up at the same time. Ad revenue, convention sales and online store sales all took a STEEP dive right around the same time, and I found myself unable to continue down the same path. To do so and to continue to just HOPE it would all pick up soon would have been dangerously irresponsible for my family. So I took a job. I had been working as a freelance writer and voice actor for Cyanide & Happiness for a few years and, when I realized my current situation wasn’t stable enough, I made the transition to full time. For the last 6 months I’ve been working every day on the recently announced (as of just a few days ago) Season 3 of The Cyanide & Happiness Show. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done, but it has taken up 100% of my creative (physical and emotional) energy, and left no time for other projects.
I am grateful to anyone who is still checking this site, and still interested in seeing more of my comics. I am ESPECIALLY grateful to my Patreon Patrons. When all of my other sources of HE related income dried up, Patreon was the one thing I could count on (and STILL count on to this day) for some level of stability. I want to reward those of you that remain for your patience, persistence and… another P word. Let’s go with “pants.” I still don’t know exactly how and when I’m going to finish HijiNKS ENSUE or if I’m ever going to revisit Sharksplode. I know what I WANT to do, but I’ve finally learned to stop announcing wishes/plans as if they were concrete facts my audience can rely on. Best to announce the things I’ve already done as opposed to the things I’d like to do. Less disappointment all around that way. I know that I would prefer to be able to say, “HijiNKS ENSUE is a completed project. It’s a comic that I made for almost a decade and you can read the whole thing, including the end, HERE.” I can’t currently say that, and it bothers me. Eventually that bother will evolve into action.
Sorry to hear that the revenue dried up, but glad you’ve managed to find fulfilling work. Having just been made redundant myself, I’m beginning to understand a little of that tension.
Looking forward to wherever the future takes HE and SS, even if that’s nowhere. It’s been a blast.
I appreciate the kind words. At some point I realized the idea of “The Experiment” was less about working for myself and more about enjoying my work. The goal is to make a living with creative endeavors and not to feel like a slave to a company/job/boss I hate. With that in mind, The Experiment is still alive and well.
Glad to hear all is well. I see you on twitter, and have enjoyed your voice acting on C&H tremendously. For a while I’d become convinced that somehow it was an error on my end and it just wasn’t refreshing. Also happy to hear you are gainfully employed, and not living in a van down by the river. Know that you still have a cadre of us who enjoy your work, and look forward to anything you put out, but don’t actively EXPECT much outside of a “hey guys, still breathing” message maybe once a quarter? Or maybe just post your twitter feed here, if that’s an easy thing to do?
If I had more money, I’d up my Patreon commitment, but in any case, I’m still sending out positive vibes your way. Enjoy life, and remember that each day is another opportunity to make new choices, and travel new paths, and if any of them lead back here, we’ll all be pleasantly surprised.
Also, tell Will Wheaton that he needs to have you guest on Tabletop. How this hasn’t happened yet, boggles the mind….
“tell Will Wheaton that he needs to have you guest on Tabletop.”
Early on this was a possibility. We talked about it during seasons 2 and 3. The bottom line was too many actually famous people got into the show and started to want to be on it. There was just never an opportunity to do a “Friends of Wil no one has ever heard of” episode.
Thank you for the encouragement and the support.