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Howdy, New Readers! Thanks for reading Exiern!
Written by Scott T. Hicken with art by Antipus, the comic updates Mondays. Please check out the Archive to enjoy the earlier adventures of Typh and Peonie!
Exiern contains mature themes and is best for readers 18+.
I am saddened that I waited a full week to see the king in the shower with no other extra updates. I understand pinups, but to delay the comic a full week because of this, something that should be an alternative comic, or an extra one, is an insult to pretty much all of our time and patience at what is already a slow comic.
I can understand that perspective, however it took a week for it to post, no text in it whatsoever, in terms of pacing in a book, it’d be quite acceptable. This is the net though. Its white space, and a waste of our time. Perhaps if it was released on a Tuesday or there was a Thursday post I wouldn’t care as much… but there’s no Thursdays anymore.
He looks… exhausted. Weary. Spent. Despite all of his careful secrecy and preparation, this day went almost as badly as it possibly could have. The costs to Urtica and his Alliance to prosecute the child molesters have been astronomical. At the same time, it had to be done and he tried to do it in the best way he knew how. It just wasn’t nearly as good of a way as he had hoped it to be. Now his daughter’s protector must be exiled, all of his political allies are in an uproar which will cost vast stores of political capital to quell, and his very competence and worthiness as King have been called into question. If not handled with extreme care and finesse, this whole fiasco may well lead to his own downfall. This is a Pyrrhic victory if ever there was one.
@Sigh et al: talk about entitlement. “Waste of our time”? I mean, really? For one thing, I doubt that this is just a picture of Shipeng’s bathroom because Scott could not think of anything: this clearly took some time figuring and placing both into the universe and the storyline. For another, the title of the strip alone suggests that it complements what will follow.
Where’s your own web comic so that we may compare its pacing to that of Exiern? i see a lot of web comics shutting down their comment section eventually or the comic altogether. And I really can’t blame them all that much. The entitlement idiots tend to be a vocal minority that eventually wears down the creators when they work hard to get their vision right and just get crap for it.
In the end, the main thing that’s in it for them is the story telling them “thank you for bringing me into being and relating me” and when it does that, they deserve not to have it drowned out.
In other words, I find the pacing and continuity and throughtfulness going into the Comment Section leaving a lot to be desired, particularly when compared to the story.
David’s right. So rude! Unless you’re the storyteller, you don’t know what’s key or why. As for wasting time, how long does it take you to check a frickin’ page? If it’s too much a waste of your time, go check some other pages.
To me, not having this page would have done a disservice to the comic. Yes, there are quips and randomness, hilarity and nudity aplenty, but the humanity has always shone through. And after this wringer of an ordeal where Urtica had to watch his daughter, not just his heir and the continuity of the safety of the kingdom but his Daughter (!) (for whom he has cut through the Facade of the Throne to show his true love and pride to both her and us as audience), he had to stand by helplessly and watch her step up and put herself in danger when he could do nothing. With all his power he could do nothing to help her when he had started the fight that could have ended with her death.
All of the resultant shaking of his credit with both his allies and enemies, the upcoming struggles with the Church, the barbarian threat and the vultures that circle every node of power, looking at the curve of his story, I feel that what lies heaviest on Urtica’s heart in this scene is how close he came to losing his only child. And even he needs some time to come to terms with that.
I will be another echo–to David and Hipap. Sure, sometimes I wish it moved at a faster pace, because I have enjoyed the stories, almost from the very beginning and all authors and artists. In some ways, that was a good comment- at least you have been enjoying it, and look forward to more, however snarky you got. But until you help support this comic with more than just negativity and anonymous fluff, and when you truly realize what it takes, money and time wise, to put it all together- please feel free to go elsewhere.
Whiners and crybabies in a huge rush will be pleased to note that the exit door is in perfect condition with absolutely no waiting required.
OR …. Grow up.
Life is not something you can dictate to others and the sooner that lesson is learned the more pleasant life will be around you.
In the mean time the exit door is right back there in the King’s office-work room.
Personally I can wait for the next installment as the art is excellent and the story line, while convoluted at times, does follow through eventually.
While I am not interested in the King as a piece of eye candy I do enjoy some of the scenes with the ladies in various states of undress?
Oho! A little eye-candy for the lady readers, is it? 😉
Remember though, girls, Urtica is already married. (And more than likely still pining for his last wife, Peonie’s mother, on some level.)
I just want t go on record as saying I have no problem stretching this shower out for six weeks or more. No… problem… at… Uh, excuse I got a little drool thing going on. That is totally what I look for in a man, a nice tight body who doesn’t look like he is one set of weights away from a roid rage rampage or have those freaky sticking out veins.
If you want comedy just picture Tiffany walking in on him to say goodbye and suddenly regretting turning down that royal hand in marriage all that time ago. Speaking of the scars, wasn’t there a donation image a long time ago of Urtica as a highwayman or something with a note that it was considered canon? Knowing Urtica he probably talked himself into position of heir apparent before the final lash had fell.
@Random22 – you just reminded me of ‘Following the Sunset’. An Elven historian revealed he had been involved in the founding of the kingdom where he now served as chief historian; he had been involved with the group that first built a fortification on-site.
…
It was a fortress occupied by a gang of brigands. :p
There’s something to be said about pacing in a comic. There’s been a lot of activity going on, he’s done away with Thursday comics. In a workplace environment, having such extensive blah spaces, so close together, and repeated, can be seen as a viewer’s waste of time.
Yes, I know there’s been pleeeeeenty of splash screens, but those are USUALLY at the start of a arc, not suddenly after revelations that could easily have had SOME allusion to in this comic.
My gripe still is, this would have been great in print, but throwing it out there makes me think of Drag On Ball Z, where every sat around doing nothing, no action, for an entire thirty minutes. Annoying for us, despite having access to the entire abridged and Kai versions now, more so for the original Japanese viewers who had to wait full weeks for each episode, perhaps more.
Give us actual meat to chew on, even a light bit of text off in a corner, but a full page of nothing can be condensed for those viewers who actually live and work, rather than make us feel like you don’t value our time.
The pacing would feel on target if you were a newcomer to the website who had just read through the archives. After all the rough, go-go-go of the last several pages, a transition page like this is necessary.
Add me in as a vote that if you’re going to slow the comic down to weekly updates, especially when we currently have a cliffhanger going on in regards to Tiff’s a fate, wordless splash pages as the only updates are a bit ill timed pacing wise.
Also, to respond to criticism with ‘where’s your webcomic’ is hilarious. The idea that everyone has to have a webcomic to weigh in with feedback on a comic is a ludicrious notion, David.
That scar on his shoulder is featured prominently in last week’s and this week’s pages. Also, the shower seems different toward the bottom of the page compared to the top. Maybe I’m reading to much into it? Heh… I’d be guilty of doing exactly what I complained about people doing once some months ago.
As for complaining about waiting a week for this page, I’ll admit I grumbled a bit… but it’s only because I always want more. Honestly, if I came and found 10 pages here for my weekly reading, I’d still want 10 more.
@Ilikepie: “female readers” or gays are a weak excuse for male nudity. If you take a look at the audience in male bodybuilder competitions, most are neither. Michelangelo’s “David” was not created for a female or homosexual audience. And wildlife paintings are not mainly interesting to people into bestiality.
Visual aesthetics have a lot broader appeal than just what you plan to drag into your bed. It’s a sad kind of Puritanism that will admit visual enjoyment of well-proportioned bodies only in sexual contexts.
Oh kingy, you should take your crown off in the shower. Use your left hand to do it.
One way to find out if the crown is real gold or not.
Hope it doesn’t tarnish.
(wonder if we are about to see an assassination with Tiff getting bladed for it)
Good to see that those who want it are getting their beefcake to go with all the cheese. >.>
I think it may be riveted on.
I can’t help but wonder if the shower is meant to a symbolize a purifying ritual?
I am saddened that I waited a full week to see the king in the shower with no other extra updates. I understand pinups, but to delay the comic a full week because of this, something that should be an alternative comic, or an extra one, is an insult to pretty much all of our time and patience at what is already a slow comic.
@ Sigh I think this scene is meant to symbolize the king trying to wash all of his sins away. When you look at it like that it’s not a waste at all.
The scars on his back and shoulders still look to me as if he got 50 lashes at some point.
Talk about a bold new look!
No steam. The King takes cold showers.
And concur with Sigh on the update. For me, this isn’t even a pinup.
I can understand that perspective, however it took a week for it to post, no text in it whatsoever, in terms of pacing in a book, it’d be quite acceptable. This is the net though. Its white space, and a waste of our time. Perhaps if it was released on a Tuesday or there was a Thursday post I wouldn’t care as much… but there’s no Thursdays anymore.
I don’t mind this, pacing-wise. Urtica’s trying to relax for a moment after some serious events occurred. Just look at that expression.
Quirky fancy shower, too.
He looks… exhausted. Weary. Spent. Despite all of his careful secrecy and preparation, this day went almost as badly as it possibly could have. The costs to Urtica and his Alliance to prosecute the child molesters have been astronomical. At the same time, it had to be done and he tried to do it in the best way he knew how. It just wasn’t nearly as good of a way as he had hoped it to be. Now his daughter’s protector must be exiled, all of his political allies are in an uproar which will cost vast stores of political capital to quell, and his very competence and worthiness as King have been called into question. If not handled with extreme care and finesse, this whole fiasco may well lead to his own downfall. This is a Pyrrhic victory if ever there was one.
@Sigh et al: talk about entitlement. “Waste of our time”? I mean, really? For one thing, I doubt that this is just a picture of Shipeng’s bathroom because Scott could not think of anything: this clearly took some time figuring and placing both into the universe and the storyline. For another, the title of the strip alone suggests that it complements what will follow.
Where’s your own web comic so that we may compare its pacing to that of Exiern? i see a lot of web comics shutting down their comment section eventually or the comic altogether. And I really can’t blame them all that much. The entitlement idiots tend to be a vocal minority that eventually wears down the creators when they work hard to get their vision right and just get crap for it.
In the end, the main thing that’s in it for them is the story telling them “thank you for bringing me into being and relating me” and when it does that, they deserve not to have it drowned out.
In other words, I find the pacing and continuity and throughtfulness going into the Comment Section leaving a lot to be desired, particularly when compared to the story.
The female readers also need their faservice.
David’s right. So rude! Unless you’re the storyteller, you don’t know what’s key or why. As for wasting time, how long does it take you to check a frickin’ page? If it’s too much a waste of your time, go check some other pages.
Kids…If this is a waste of your time….
Stop following the Comic.
I echo David….
To me, not having this page would have done a disservice to the comic. Yes, there are quips and randomness, hilarity and nudity aplenty, but the humanity has always shone through. And after this wringer of an ordeal where Urtica had to watch his daughter, not just his heir and the continuity of the safety of the kingdom but his Daughter (!) (for whom he has cut through the Facade of the Throne to show his true love and pride to both her and us as audience), he had to stand by helplessly and watch her step up and put herself in danger when he could do nothing. With all his power he could do nothing to help her when he had started the fight that could have ended with her death.
All of the resultant shaking of his credit with both his allies and enemies, the upcoming struggles with the Church, the barbarian threat and the vultures that circle every node of power, looking at the curve of his story, I feel that what lies heaviest on Urtica’s heart in this scene is how close he came to losing his only child. And even he needs some time to come to terms with that.
I will be another echo–to David and Hipap. Sure, sometimes I wish it moved at a faster pace, because I have enjoyed the stories, almost from the very beginning and all authors and artists. In some ways, that was a good comment- at least you have been enjoying it, and look forward to more, however snarky you got. But until you help support this comic with more than just negativity and anonymous fluff, and when you truly realize what it takes, money and time wise, to put it all together- please feel free to go elsewhere.
Whiners and crybabies in a huge rush will be pleased to note that the exit door is in perfect condition with absolutely no waiting required.
OR …. Grow up.
Life is not something you can dictate to others and the sooner that lesson is learned the more pleasant life will be around you.
In the mean time the exit door is right back there in the King’s office-work room.
Personally I can wait for the next installment as the art is excellent and the story line, while convoluted at times, does follow through eventually.
While I am not interested in the King as a piece of eye candy I do enjoy some of the scenes with the ladies in various states of undress?
Oho! A little eye-candy for the lady readers, is it? 😉
Remember though, girls, Urtica is already married. (And more than likely still pining for his last wife, Peonie’s mother, on some level.)
Can water come out of any of the star holes in the walls?!?!?
I just want t go on record as saying I have no problem stretching this shower out for six weeks or more. No… problem… at… Uh, excuse I got a little drool thing going on. That is totally what I look for in a man, a nice tight body who doesn’t look like he is one set of weights away from a roid rage rampage or have those freaky sticking out veins.
If you want comedy just picture Tiffany walking in on him to say goodbye and suddenly regretting turning down that royal hand in marriage all that time ago. Speaking of the scars, wasn’t there a donation image a long time ago of Urtica as a highwayman or something with a note that it was considered canon? Knowing Urtica he probably talked himself into position of heir apparent before the final lash had fell.
@Random22 – you just reminded me of ‘Following the Sunset’. An Elven historian revealed he had been involved in the founding of the kingdom where he now served as chief historian; he had been involved with the group that first built a fortification on-site.
…
It was a fortress occupied by a gang of brigands. :p
There’s something to be said about pacing in a comic. There’s been a lot of activity going on, he’s done away with Thursday comics. In a workplace environment, having such extensive blah spaces, so close together, and repeated, can be seen as a viewer’s waste of time.
Yes, I know there’s been pleeeeeenty of splash screens, but those are USUALLY at the start of a arc, not suddenly after revelations that could easily have had SOME allusion to in this comic.
My gripe still is, this would have been great in print, but throwing it out there makes me think of Drag On Ball Z, where every sat around doing nothing, no action, for an entire thirty minutes. Annoying for us, despite having access to the entire abridged and Kai versions now, more so for the original Japanese viewers who had to wait full weeks for each episode, perhaps more.
Give us actual meat to chew on, even a light bit of text off in a corner, but a full page of nothing can be condensed for those viewers who actually live and work, rather than make us feel like you don’t value our time.
That’s my response to everyone who is trying to call me out on being entitled. Its a pacing issue.
The pacing would feel on target if you were a newcomer to the website who had just read through the archives. After all the rough, go-go-go of the last several pages, a transition page like this is necessary.
There’s a reason I said it’d work well in a printed medium.
He looks guilty.. I think he just had to make a compromise…
This reminds me of an old saying,
“Weary lies the head that wears the crown.” King-man sure looks weary in this scene.
Add me in as a vote that if you’re going to slow the comic down to weekly updates, especially when we currently have a cliffhanger going on in regards to Tiff’s a fate, wordless splash pages as the only updates are a bit ill timed pacing wise.
Also, to respond to criticism with ‘where’s your webcomic’ is hilarious. The idea that everyone has to have a webcomic to weigh in with feedback on a comic is a ludicrious notion, David.
That scar on his shoulder is featured prominently in last week’s and this week’s pages. Also, the shower seems different toward the bottom of the page compared to the top. Maybe I’m reading to much into it? Heh… I’d be guilty of doing exactly what I complained about people doing once some months ago.
As for complaining about waiting a week for this page, I’ll admit I grumbled a bit… but it’s only because I always want more. Honestly, if I came and found 10 pages here for my weekly reading, I’d still want 10 more.
Now, who showers with their crown on??? Take that off! Slowly… VERY SLOWLY 😀
Should be interesting.
This illustration missed his majestic manhood.
Grrr. Stoopid HTML.
@Random22
His crown is probably a mind shield like Peonie’s.
Washing the sins away or cleaning up for mommy and daddy time?
@Ilikepie: “female readers” or gays are a weak excuse for male nudity. If you take a look at the audience in male bodybuilder competitions, most are neither. Michelangelo’s “David” was not created for a female or homosexual audience. And wildlife paintings are not mainly interesting to people into bestiality.
Visual aesthetics have a lot broader appeal than just what you plan to drag into your bed. It’s a sad kind of Puritanism that will admit visual enjoyment of well-proportioned bodies only in sexual contexts.