Exiern is dead… Long live Exiern
This… This is a very hard post to write. I have rewritten it a number of time. So let me just cut to the chase;
I am quitting Exiern.
Now the answer to the big concern about this announcement;
The comic will NOT be ending.
How is this possible? I have sold the comic to Dan Standing Entertainment and Dan will be the managing editor of the comic. He is going to keep the comic running after I “retire”.
As for who is going to write it, I honestly I don’t know the answer to that one yet. Dan is will be looking for a new writer and I have promised to stay around to do some script doctoring and helping the new writer get a feel for the story. Dan will have more information about that shortly. We are going to be running on my script for a couple of months at least as I have some buffer built up.
As to why I am quitting there are a number of reasons from but it all came down to this. When I open up the comic a couple of weeks ago to upload the latest page, I just stared at the page a sense of dread overtaking me. “I don’t want to do this anymore” I said to myself.
After another 5 minutes of staring I said “I don’t have to do this anymore”.
“I am not going to do this anymore” I finally said after staring at the screen for 2 more minutes. I wrote Dan an emails saying “how’d you like to buy a comic” and after thinking about it he said yes. We are in the paperwork laden period known as the transition. Transferring a comic with revenue sources from a million places is no easy task.
The deal I worked out with Dan is that he gets the comic as long as he promises to keep it running because the one thing I don’t want to do is have the story die, like so many other webcomics. We have a good thing going here and there is no reason for it to stop just because I don’t have the time for it.
In general I feel really good about this. Dan is dedicated and has a lot of good ideas. I really think he is going to take the comic to new heights. I also think that it’s a good idea to get new blood into a story from time to time. Webcomicer tend to get a bit clingy with their creative works and often strangle. The dedication must always be to the story not to the glory of one individual and when that story is no longer speaking to you then you pass it on to let it grow and flourish.
There is on down side to all of this. I am going to miss you guys. I must say I have been blessed with the best audience of any webcomic. You guys are funny and intelligent and quite simply a joy to interact with. It was an honor to talk to you on a regular basis through this comic and I am proud to call you my friends.
Not that I am going away. I’ll still be kicking around the site and doing other small projects. But I will miss that direct connection I was able to have with such an awesome group of people.
Well… See you guys around and as always a cookie for you if you read all this.
PS: Dan will start posting here in a day or two. Be nice to the guy. And when a new writer is selected be nice to them as well. The comic will be different of course but different is a good thing for the growth of a series.
Man, I have big shoes to fill…
Thank you very much for creating this wonderful comic and my compliments on a marvelous story concept. Please, please don’t let it become too serious. Part of the fun is the outrageous situations that Typhan-Knee and Peonie find themselves in because of an errant magic spell in the course of an epic sorcerer vs. barbarian battle. Such as when they occasionally visit the dressmaker. Really, this thing would be good for a comedic movie or TV series.
Where do I apply for writer? mwahahaha. Id have big shoes to fill but Im a girl, I rock heels all the time. So I say bring on the challenge.
ps: I cant say goodbye to you Drow because you know I”ll always bug you muahhhzzzz
Thank you for keeping the comic going through thick and thin and thank you most of all for trying your best to leave it in good hands so the story can be told. I hope you will come up with some other less stressful projects in the future. Once things are settled down hopefully you’ll be recharged to do something new.
I am glad to hear that Exiern will still be around. I really like Tiffany and hope to see more of her story in the future – no matter her outcome (whether she gets relieved of her curse or decides to fully embrace it and become a warrior princess/queen a la Red/Queen Sonja or Xena) 🙂
Bel’la dos, abbil. May your future endeavors be kind and generous as you have been to us, your humble readers.
And a Question: Will the downloadable Wallpaper links/images be fixed? I find no option to download the images.
Good-bye, good luck and good hunting. Thanks.
Thaanks for the smiles, lols and drama. Good luck with life, work, and whatever hobbies you turn your hand to next.
I’d personally rather see it die than be taken over by someone else. They did this with the X-Men 3 and Spider-Man 3 movies where they changed directors and it didn’t even feel like they were connected anymore and it honestly hurt my opinions of the movies. It’s just not possible for someone to keep the characters following the paths they were meant to follow or to write them as the same people they’ve been so far. It’ll be too jarring for me as a reader and fan to see the story you’ve already established go right off in another direction with someone else leading the parade.
I am not dissing Dan’s ability he may be a brilliant artist, but to me, it will be Exiern in name only no matter who the new writer is. Nor am I saying quitting is bad. You do what need to do, but it adds salt to the wound that you “canceled the show” on a pretty major cliffhanger. I’m going to have to force myself not to wonder what happens in next because it will never come. That’s gonna suck. 😛
Farewell, Exiern. It was good while it lasted. I’ve been following since…well, damn near from the beginning. Good luck with your future endeavors. Running Exiern can’t have been easy with all the roadblocks that were put in your way.
Thank you for creating this comic, and all of your hard work over the years. Good luck on all your future endeavors!
And welcome to Dan, and the new writer(s). You’ve got big shoes to fill, but I’m very interested to see where you go with it!
While I am very sorry to see leaving Exiern, I am glad to hear that you are doing so for the right reasons – your own well-being. It can be difficult to know when a long-term project is no longer personally fulfilling and it can be even harder to leave when you know how much your fans will miss you. I am heartened to know that Exiern will continue and I will look forward to seeing what you, Drowemos, will do next.
Well, so long to you sir, and thanks for the laughs! I’m glad you are leaving a buff behind, it will make the transition smoother – plus, the story is at a point where first part has ended, second part is starting, so this should accomodate changes too… So yes, I’m optimistic about the transition. I only hope the next writer will be as good.
So… goodbye and good luck to whatever you decide to do next. And hello and good luck to Dan and the next writer! 🙂
My first question is, Who is Dan Standing, and how is he qualified to run this comic? (My apologies if this is a “stupid” question that 99 percent of Exiern readers already know the answer to.)
I love the relationship between Tiff and Peonie — don’t mess with that. To steal a line from “Roger Rabbit,” Peonie isn’t a bimbo, she’s just drawn that way. Also, don’t mess with the comedy potential of having a super-macho mind inside an OMFG babelicious body.
Let Tiff marry the king, and let Teresa have Denver. Teresa-Denver are better suited, because they’re both scholars.
Get the story moving again. The story arc is stagnant.
@GrimGhost So are you asking what standing Dan Standing has to run the comic? 😀
Right. Why is Dan Standing better qualified dan someone else?
Does he have a Black Belt in webcomic writing?
First off, having too many characters really will make ANYBODY want to quit doing/writing this comic. Kill off everyone THEN RESURRECT ON THE THIRD DAY!
Well, Grim, I wouldn’t worry since Drow still will play a part in the process and the new writer may add a lot more to it. Hell, I hope I become the writer. I mean what’s better than that?
Vote Nixia for the next writer!!!! muahhhzzzzz
Why is Dan qualified to run the comic; To be perfectly honest he showed up. The famous Woody Allen quote “90% of life is showing up” applies here.
Dan was not my first choice of manager. I ran thought a number of people trying to find someone to run the comic. Most people were either unreliable, uncommitted, untrustworthy, or just difficult to work with.
Dan actually has been doing a number of administrative tasks for the comic for about half a year now. He has done this work asking for nothing in return and has always put his bets effort into it. He is the most qualified because he has shown up every week done a good job and been pleasant to everyone even when things are going wrong.
These are the skills that you need to run a webcomic.
Dan also has some conventional media knowledge and experience with risqué material but these are just supplemental skills if you ask me.
On another note what’s with all the people saying I have big feet. I will have you know I have very attractive normal sized feet thank you very much…
…I mean not small feet. Like girl’s feet. I just have regular sized feet attractive in a manly way…
… Not that I find men’s feet attractive or anything weird like that. Just…
… You know what never mind. Forget I said anything.
Words cannot express my sadness at reading this announcement. Exiern has been one of my favorite webcomics from way back in the days when Drowemos was both author and artist. I applaud the attempt to keep the story alive, though I am also afraid that it will be for naught. This approach is far better than letting it die without a word to the dedicated fans. May I suggest that you come up with a backup plan where you could somehow finish the story, if only in text form, should this transfer not work out. I’m sure all the readers would appreciate the closure. Good luck and thanks for all your efforts in the past. You will be greatly missed.
It just… won’t be the same Drowemos. I’m sorry you feel that way, but happy that you made a decision about it and are following that through. I always say that half-committing to a decision is the only course that hurts more than not making one at all.
So, boo for Drowemos quitting, we’ll miss having you in the driving seat, but yay for cookies! They make every bit of news that much easier to digest.
Congrats Dan, I’ll be looking forward to you continuing the comic. I really love this comic.
Drowemos, I’m sorry to see you go but it’d be worse for us if you just stopped and not said anything. So glad you sold it so it won’t die off into nothingness. Good luck in your future endeavors. 😀
Well, I’m sorry to see you go Drowemos but it sounds like it was the right decision for you. So, good luck to you and please post now and then so that we know what you are up to.
Welcome Dan. Big shoes to fill and all, but if Drowemos says you’re a good fit then I have you’re a good fit.
Okay back to enjoying the ride. Drive on! 🙂
I read this, and the comments and I didn’t get a cookie…
Drowemos, best of luck to you. Every now and then, its important to clear stuff out of your life and do what’s really important for you and yours. I wish you the best of luck.
Hey Drow, sorry to see you leaving. I think you’ve done a fantastic job dealing with all the flak that has come your way, and I’ve really appreciated your work. It’s good to know that the comic will stay on though. Best of luck in whatever you do from here, sir.
I’m sorry to see you go it’s been a great time with you since the beginning and I wish you all the best in what you do next.
Drowemos,
Thank you for a wonderful story. It is very refreshing to read a story line that bucks the trend, in short, “to boldly go where no man has gone before”.
Your story encouraged me to stay true to my own work. In this story I too tossed a strong male into the alien situation of becoming a female. I was halfway through a “conformity” rewrite when I discovered Exiern. That rewrite is now a forgotten memory. My alpha readers have enjoyed the story and are pleased that the transformation doesn’t dominate the story but drives some very interesting subplots.
I would be proud to continue Exiern and stay faithful to the story arc. A story of this type is rare in the Wild West of web comics. Exiern does it with just the right blend of plot and fun. If at some point you desire to return, I will gladly return the reins.
21st Century DaVinci
Good luck and fare well. You will be missed even if the story goes on.
I will miss your wit, and I really enjoyed your work! I’m glad that you’re not ending the comic though. Good luck to Dan and I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with the script! 🙂
I understand where you are coming from. I have set aside my NAORHY stories, the ISIC and a few dozen others simply because I no longer enjoyed writing them. Unfortunately, I do not have the advantage of being able to sell them and walk away. So on occasion I return to them, work until the no longer attract my attention, then move on to something else.
Eventually I get a Wild -SPOON- up my -SPOON- and write a few hundred pages on a plot that hasn’t seen light in ten or fifteen years. So the things remain on my hard drive….
Take care.
Reese
“Dan was not my first choice of manager. I ran thought a number of people trying to find someone to run the comic”
Just let it die. Honestly. Even by giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming you sold the comic for the sole reason that you wanted to see it continue to please the fans you collected over the years, you’re not really doing them any favors. Yes, people can tell when a comic, ANY comic, has a new writer. No, it won’t be the same and people won’t enjoy it in the same way. Absolutely, the comic will change to reflect the whims of the new owner. Especially since he’s the OWNER and not the writer.
I could write on this for hours, but I won’t insult your intelligence. You know what’s going to happen. My advice to you is to end it. Don’t write up some quickie ending, don’t finalize the sale, and most especially don’t try to tell your readers that everything is wonderful. They deserve better than a load of bull designed to make you feel better about you not wanting to deal with the comic anymore. Just end it, wherever the story is. Heck, make up a big blank white page that says “THE END” and post it tomorrow. That way your creative vision doesn’t get corrupted by some other writer and your fans don’t have to deal with the gradual process of disillusionment as they stubbornly hang on and wonder why they can’t quite get into the comic they used to really enjoy.
It has been an honor sharing this wonderful adventure with you. I wish you the very best.
just out of curiosity Drowemos, where did you come up with your username? I can understand the -Emos part since having one Emo keen out your sorrows isn’t enough, but are you a fan of R. A. Salvatore and the Forbidden Realms?
Well, we all eventually feel a desire to move on from something we may have once loved at some time.
Thanks for all the great strips (although I must admit I liked it a tad more when it leaned heavily towards the T&A comedy elements [I’m shallow, sue me! ^_^]).
Happy Trails, and Good Luck on whatever you do next!
I don’t comment here often because there is nothing to say because you’ve done a wonderful job. I’m sad that you’re leaving but hopefully you could occasionally post a guest strip. But it’s up to you.
Dan you don’t have big shoes to fill you have hugemongous shoes to fill. The size of Mt. Olympus, on Mars. And I’ll be silently critiquing and judging your work. SO DON’T SCREW UP!!!
I’m very sad to learn you’re leaving this comics. It’s one of the best the web has ever seen, and I tremendously enjoyed reading it.
Thank you for the time and effort you put into it for all those years, and good luck with whatever you will do next!
I’m glad to hear the comic will be continueing even if you aren’t running it. I’ve been afraid it would just… end ever since the various payment plans you tried to arrange fell through.
…I rally need to read this section more often. ^^;
Ouch. Sorry to hear it – but you’re right; continuing a piece that you don’t like anymore is bad news – and letting it die, the story untold, without an intention of coming back to it… it’s almost as bad. ^^;
*Has a few series he has to get back to in the wirting world, actually…*
I’ve never posted before, but I hope you have fun in whatever you do, and I hope the comic continues to be awesome!
In case the new writer trawls comments at all, I really adore the strange faceless sorcerer people. I’m currently more interested in them than in the actual main characters. It’s awesome!
Hey, thanks for the heads up. Sad to hear of you going, but glad you found a way to keep the story up- it’s really getting good! I hope you find your calling and get much fullfillment, and I hope you got a pretty penny for the comic. Thanks for all the great work you did!
Hmm that’s a surprise I honestly didn’t see that coming, but then again that’s life best of luck with whatever future ventures you have.
Hopefully the series will keep moving forward.
(just curious does this affect all your series? though i don’t think some of them are really active persay)
I’ve been reading this comic since the original drawings. Its sad to see you go, but I am happy you feel your brain child is ready to head out on its own. I think your characters have developed enough that they’ve become their own people and won’t let someone else change them. Hopefully you’ll drop by from time to time to see how their doing. Thank you for bringing us this far into your world and I hope the new writer will keep us steady down the path you set.
This is excellent news for Exiern.
Sorry to see you go, thanks for making the comic continue, hopefully at least until we get some kind of closure. Right now everything seems to be hanging in the air. Excellent cliffhangers are served every update.
PS. I think Drowemos means “some word” (backwards) he explained that somewhere on this site. He had to find out some word to use as username sometime long ago and decided that “some word” backwards would be fine.
thanx Gustaf81. and that actually makes alot of sense.
but gotta say, “Darn!” I thought I’d stumbled on another R. A. Salvatore fan.
Ohhh well ;P