EC update schedule 2015

[brasca]

I hope both return since this is just another string of webcomic losses I've experienced lately. I was ready for Shortpacked to end, but then I find out Girls With Slingshots is ending in a couple of months followed by Guilded Age cutting down to 3 updates per week and now this. I understand and it's actually quite amazing all you did per week for so long. If given a definite time I can wait because it's just that great, but whenever it's an open ended hiatus the uncertainty is demoralizing.

[mittfh]

It's likely at least part of the decision is a case of too much inspiration, too little time - what originally started as EC and Ma3 have each spawned two spin-offs apiece (plus, of course, Shouri started Fragile in addition to Springette). I don't think it's lack of popularity of the *C series that has caused them to be put on hold - after all, when the EC/MC books go on sale, they're sold conventionally without the need to crowdfund them beforehand. As we witnessed with the Ma3 kickstarter, it appears as though crowdfunding requires a significantly greater burst of effort - not only because of volume but because of all the various tiers of perks (rather than just the standard and collectors editions with the EC/MC books).

As if collaborating within the PixieTrix stable wasn't enough of a demand on their time, Shouri's both had a huge commission with some work on a couple of issues of Archie and has also had to fit in recovering from various periods of illness. It's possible other members of the team have various work demands outside PixieTrix which reduce the time they can spend on the webcomics.

[Gotoh]

I would prefer a million times to see the "realistic" (Ma3, SDB, SotR) series trimmed in favor of the "paranormal" ones, because I find both the characters, the situations, the "mysteries" and the conflicts in the latter as far superior, much more engaging, than the former.

My sentiments in a nutshell.

Give me a choice between a something like 'Three's Company' or 'The X-Files' - I'd much rather keep up with what Mulder and Scully are doing, because of all the mystery, intrigue, alien conspiracies, and paranormal investigations. It's the reason 'Paranormal Mystery Squad' appealed to me more than 'Vampire Cheerleaders' did. And it's the reason the *C-verse comics piqued my interest over the 'Má3' related ones.

I'm with brasca, it kinda feels like we're losing all the really good stuff all at the same time: 'The Legend of Korra' ended not too long ago, so is VC by the end of this month, now EC and MC too (until further notice).

Having said the above though, I do *NOT* in any way wish to be disrespectful to the amazing creative team at PixieTrix, I have enormous love for them for all the free entertainment -and art!- they've given us all these years (and will continue to do so).

Agreed.

[Cortez]

I think it just means EC and MC will be replaced by something new. Like a new comic with cast in college perhaps?

Or a comic where Mel is the new Dark Queen of earth. Who knows?

[vampire hunter D]

I was thinking the natural progression of MC would be to follow the Dark Cerise Arc with Mel on a journey that woukd lead to her reclaiming her mother's throne. With help from Jacqui and the Artemis Student Council of course.

[Gotoh]

@vampire hunter D: Why would she need to reclaim it, when Anastasia already said she was planning to hand it over to her?

[vampire hunter D]

Better story?

Besides, no evidence Ana has it still. Just she wanted Mel to have it.

[Kol Drake]

EC and MC to go on hiatus??????

Where shall I go for a weekly fix of humor and bewbies?
How will I survive without a glimpse of my fave clueless amazon, DiDi and my on again off again love hate relationship with Zi and Yuki?
Is there still time to arrange for some therapy sessions with Kiley or at least an periodic poster of Amber Amber to help during the chill of winter?

This is going to be like losing a good friend after 'getting together' for the past several years.

[Giz]

EC I imagine Giz might be feeling particularly prepriatorial about, since she's co-written & drawn the whole series to date and may not want to hand it over.

Well, it's more the case that there's only roughly 20 pages left, and it would be nice for it to be a whole package. The series "may" eventually continue but it'll be slightly different if we do start it up again, and maybe at that point, we'll put someone else on art if I'm doing something else.

I don't think it's lack of popularity of the *C series that has caused them to be put on hold - after all, when the EC/MC books go on sale, they're sold conventionally without the need to crowdfund them beforehand. As we witnessed with the Ma3 kickstarter, it appears as though crowdfunding requires a significantly greater burst of effort - not only because of volume but because of all the various tiers of perks (rather than just the standard and collectors editions with the EC/MC books).

As if collaborating within the PixieTrix stable wasn't enough of a demand on their time, Shouri's both had a huge commission with some work on a couple of issues of Archie and has also had to fit in recovering from various periods of illness. It's possible other members of the team have various work demands outside PixieTrix which reduce the time they can spend on the webcomics.

The Ma3verse is more popular than the ECverse. We never did a Kickstarter for the EC books 'cause Kickstarter wasn't available for us in Canada until recently. Each time we put an EC book out, it's a risk. Sometimes the pre-orders only pay the printing, and we only break even. The next EC/MC book will be part of the next Ma3 Kickstarter (DC will be included in that as well.)

In terms of Archie work, I'm the one freelancing (pencilling) for them. Shouri is busy with IDW (colorist) and Seven Seas (letterer) though, and Cassandra has classes now to attend to.

I think it just means EC and MC will be replaced by something new.

That is quite possible. I stopped Penny & Aggie after 5 years (well, my part in it anyway) and 5 years is a fairly long time to work on a series. Ending EC/MC will allow us to rethink what we want to do. When it's deadline after deadline, it's hard to reassess yourself. Ma3 is still ongoing 'cause we still have a few things to touch on, and SDB, SOTR and DC are still new.

EC and MC to go on hiatus?????? Where shall I go for a weekly fix of humor and bewbies?
How will I survive without a glimpse of my fave clueless amazon, DiDi and my on again off again love hate relationship with Zi and Yuki?
Is there still time to arrange for some therapy sessions with Kiley or at least an periodic poster of Amber Amber to help during the chill of winter?

You should survive as DiDi, Zii and Yuki aren't in EC or MC. ;)

[OldBrit]

EC and MC to go on hiatus??????

Where shall I go for a weekly fix of humor and bewbies?

You could Go Get a Roomie as discussed on this very site. But you don't need to as Didi and chums aren't going anywhere.

[Searcher]

* looks at his join date *

* looks at the info Giz provided *

TBH, I don't even remember how I even found EC in the first place. I hate to see it end but if it does ... Oh the memories of the internet squabbles that have arisen over the years ... and still to come because until they shut down this board ... a fan I shall be.

[Raamyah]

Urgh. I think I was hit with the news pretty hard since I've been with the strips since Cool Cat Studio. Yeah, it's been a long time. However, it has been said that Archie Comics is in real need of a good defining artist, and if it's you, Giz, I'll start buying them again.

As for the future of EC and MC, I'd love to see them return someday. Soon.

Dang, this is harder than I thought.

[vampire hunter D]

I know. Feels like I'll be losing good friends soon....

Quote removed. The DAMNed

[Giz]

However, it has been said that Archie Comics is in real need of a good defining artist, and if it's you, Giz, I'll start buying them again.

Glad you feel that way but I honestly have no idea what's going on over at Archie Comics. The regular floppy series is being rebooted with a totally different style. The digests however are still with the "old style" at the present. I generally accept work from Archie when I'm interested in the story I'll get to draw, or which characters will be featured. I was still a bit too busy to accept this time around but seeing as these were short stories, and one story had Josie and the other Sabrina, I couldn't pass it up.

[Zippy]

Sure, but we've all (I know I have) encountered hiatuses that became permanent. Given the phrasing as "coming to an end" rather than "going on hiatus" (which they used when discussing MC last summer) and "What comes next for the EC verse?...To be honest, we're not sure ourselves right now!", it sounds to me like they want to tie things into a neat enough bow that there'll be no major danglers for later, but with a "road goes ever on" ending that they can come back to if inspiration strikes.

Both EC and MC would have too many plot threads left hanging for them to simply end it in any fashion.

MC... probably not. The weird interlude that was Chapter 10 surely can't get a satisfactory resolution in the issue's worth of pages they have left, and it seems at least likely that the Shadow Kingdom backstory was intended to hook into what must be a now-largely-aborted plan to follow the current arc. But at least things can be nailed down back into SOME sort of status quo, rather than things being as unstable as they've been throughout the Dark Cerise Saga.

EC,... I'm not seeing anything absolutely critical other than "fix or kill Layla/Lamia and Ace/Blair", which is the entire subject of the current arc ANYWAY. There's bits and bobs, perhaps, but certainly nothing major.

I can understand that they wouldn't want to lose money on it (isn't that why Vampire Cheerleaders is ending as well, it just isn't making enough money to pay the artists and make a profit?)

According to Adam (the writer for VC), that had more to do with the larger part of their readership (which was on Facebook) having a sh*t fit over the "Vampire Cheerleaders Must Die!" arc, which caused most of 'em to drop the comic. So they lost a lot of revenue in print sales and advertising, which made it difficult to keep up with the production costs.

They had plans for an entire arc, plus a spin-off, that were aborted as a result. The trivia page at TV Tropes has a direct link to where he told the readers about it, along with some of the things they had plans for that wound up having to be dropped (it's noted in the "What Could Have Been" entry).

I'm not seeing anything in your link (or links on that page - one of which to is the ever-popular dropdown f-up!) to say that it was due to a massive drop in viewership owing to a specific arc. Just that the numbers didn't merit continuing two comics, and they needed a big spike in the current arc to make even one viable, which it didn't get.

EC I imagine Giz might be feeling particularly prepriatorial about, since she's co-written & drawn the whole series to date and may not want to hand it over.

Well, it's more the case that there's only roughly 20 pages left, and it would be nice for it to be a whole package. The series "may" eventually continue but it'll be slightly different if we do start it up again, and maybe at that point, we'll put someone else on art if I'm doing something else.

Ah, see, I was looking at it the other way round - i.e., "ending after the current arc because you didn't want to put someone else on art" rather than "don't want to put someone else on art because it's ending anyway"...