The End of the Night
And with this comic the arc comes to a close.
The reaction to Sam and Amy has been overwhelmingly positive. Sure, a few folks are not crazy about it. Some feel that Amy hasn’t been in the comic long enough to warrant it. Some hate her quirkiness and confidence. Some hate that they’ve slept together on their first date. All I can say to those folks is that I do my best to present engaging stories and good jokes. In my experience, life isn’t always 3 seasons of flirting and will they/won’t they. Sure, long form romance and shipping is great but sometimes life just grabs you and you dive in. In this case, Sam has decided to dive into the deep end and see what happens. That is a big step for him and I love that so many picked up on that.
I never shy away from criticism and there has been a bit but I am okay with that. I write what I like and hope that folks will enjoy it. I am pretty excited about the prospects of Samy and introducing a little more mature content and I hope it shows in the work to come.
Speaking of that, next week brings a batch of guest comics from folks I respect a great deal while I hunker down to finish the last of my Kickstarter commitments and work ahead on the next arc. It’s November… I think we all know what’s coming.
Brian this is by far one of the best comics I’ve ever read. I never forget to check new updates and hang on every word. I hope you enjoy making this comic for as long as people are rolling for initiative.
Well, the other side of the coin is that Amy may have no interest in a ‘serious’ relationship with Sam. When it comes to story ‘beats’ if you will it’d be Sam on the upswing here and them bam, down again.
*coughs* Yeah, I think he was on the upswing, then bam, he was down again. See the smile? *coughs* Oh, did you mean something else? *whistles and strolls back into the shadows*
Don’t look at me for classy. I’m still snorting about “diving into the deep end.”
I think what Joe may have meant was that Sam is on the upswing from having gotten laid, but if he is looking for something long term and she isn’t, then “Bam!” Sam will be down again once he finds out.
Brian, excellent job, I like the story and the direction. Keep up the good work. Can’t wait to see where you take things next.
Thanks,
James V.
I just want to say that I love the fact that you didn’t do three years of “will they/won’t they.” Also, I love the Arkham Horror story you had running at the same time.
Thank you, Sir! I am enjoying the contrast of hopping back and forth between two ongoing threads, just to keep it interesting and feature more of the cast more often. I might make this a habit.
I feel like Brett will be leaving money that equals to what Arkham costed and a note: “Look things happened, and if you ever buy that game again I’ll be lighting you on fire.” Even though he said no one speaks of the matter again.
You know, I feel the same way. I can see Brett burning that game and catching a minutes worth of flak over it only to have a brand new copy appear under Sam’s tree on Christmas morning.
Brett could burn every copy in existense, and then just replace it!
Typo in the second last panel. “Better night that us” should be “better night than us”
Nitpicking aside, it’s good to see things coming up Sam for a change
Thank you for the heads-up! Fixed now and I am glad you’re enjoying it.
i’ve wanted to play Arkham horror for over a year now
My only problem with this comic right now is the fact that you didnt give Trevor that streak of white hair like rogue or grey sideburns like Mr. Fantastic… FOR SHAME BRIAN! FOR SHAME!
Keep up the good work… also the Sam/Amy relationship reminds me of Me & My Girl (i miss her, she went back to her home country to visit her folks)
Sometimes shock hair doesn’t set in until you go to sleep. I know I had some as a kid.
Love this arc! I don’t think things feel rushed at all. When I first started dating my current girlfriend, things moved at a very similar pace. She knew what she wanted and was not afraid to get assertive. 3 and a half years later we are still together.
My wife and I moved rather fast. Thirteen and a half years later we are going stronger than ever. Sometimes you just know
Yup, my husband and I had the whole love at first site thing happen and aside from one month at the very beginning or our relationship we have been together for nearly 23 years.
I do like this arc, I just hope you don’t pull a “Hey, we aren’t really together!” type thing. That would be a let down XD. Let them be happy for awhile, sheez. Torture some of the other characters heh.
I’ll just come right out with this one: No swerve here. Sam and Amy are dating now and we’ll see where it goes.
And that is a fine example of the “Word of God” trope used in the name of good. 🙂
Well cool! I didn’t think you’d come out and say it. I shall rest easy now 😉
Unless he’s telling us this to set up a particularly mean-spirited psyche. Trust noone!
(Lol sorry, I don’t actually think that.. even if being an MSPA reader does have me jumpy.)
Dang it! I should know the mind of those wily Webcomic creators! Now I shall not rest easy, knowing that a *gasp* “twist” could be thrown at is at any time now.
I curse you DaMunky. I curse you and your 88 Clones!
No! You never burn something from the Lovecraft Mythos unless it’s a ritual fire using both blessed and cursed fuel sources. Even burning the board games will bring ill.
What have you done! Oh by the towers of Unknown Kadath, across the river sky what have you done!
Dude, if it’s a game where you pull a card and it goes “Oops, YOU LOSE!”, it’s already bringing ill. I mean, damn.
THAT would be a great story arc. I Know What You Did Last Summer meets the Mythos via Fantasy Flight. The group (minus Sam and Amy) stalked by ill omens and cultists until they make things aright.
Personally i have no issue with the relationship nor the speed with which it happened. My issue is that the way it was intially presented was as it if was a long drawn out crushing process now leading up to her making a move.
However since that had never appeared in the comic it felt confusing. That has since been remedied and more focus has been put on it happening quickly than implying it happened over time.
Some people hate Amy’s confidence? Like, a woman who knows what she wants and doesn’t wait around until it may or may not happen is bad? I need to know in what universe these people live so my Tardis doesn’t ever take me there.
And the first panel captured my game group after playing Arkham Horror perfectly. Although we didn’t burn the game.
Yeah, a few guys HATE her confidence. I don’t get it. Personally speaking here, I find her directness refreshing.
Some men are intimidated by confident women, it somehow makes them feel like less of a man if a woman is confident and knows what she wants.
I’m not sure I like the implication that it’s just men who have a problem with that kind of thing. Plenty of women are just as ready to scream “slut”.
Sometimes exciting new people just show up in your life out of the blue and are 100% amazing.
I met my wife in a way that wasn’t all that different from what’s happening with Sam. I think it’s cool, but y’know. I’m biased.
Personally I’ll always prefer the in game stories to the real life stuff but you’ve still got an interesting cast of characters and scenarios so I’ll stay along for the ride whatever direction you go dude 🙂
I can’t believe people are giving you grief about Amy’s “quirkiness and confidence” though, what do they want, some kind of 50’s stereotype dull, servile woman?! She reminds me a lot of my wife so I’m totally on her side 😉
Sadly that is exactly what some men want. If a woman isn’t totally relying on them then they feel like they are less of a man. So for them it’s all the “Now get back in that kitchen and make me a sandwich.” Most of them don’t understand that a strong confident woman can also still be willing to meet them half way and still wants them even if she doesn’t technically need them.
I’m a strong assertive woman, but my husband is confident enough in himself that it doesn’t bother him. And when he jokingly tells me to get in the kitchen and make him a sandwich I usually smile and ask him what kind. Most times he laughs and says he doesn’t actually want one, but on rare occasions he tells me what kind of sandwich he wants and you know what… I go make him a damn sandwich, I usually make myself one too while I’m at it.
Brian, I was 100% with you through what you were saying, until you said “Samy”. I love the couple, hate the name. I have always loved playing with language, my favourite movies and childhood storybooks were Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass, and I’ve loved portmanteau words and neologisms aplenty. Until this semi-recent trend to squish individuals’ names into couple names – it doesn’t strike me as either innovative or cute, just lazy. *grumble grumble grumble* *grammar grognard*
I’m glad Sam is finding happiness, and that Larry’s advice finally paid off. I like Amy and her confidence, not pushy, but realizing that Sam was interested, just not confident enough himself. I look forward to see Brett Claus’ reaction… doesn’t he see them when they’re sleeping???
Whoops… I actually had fake html tags for “rant” and “slash end rant”. Please don’t be offended, it’s just a little criticism, the comic is itself terrific, today and always 😉
In terms of the types of story, personal and gaming, I enjoy both but I’m always glad to see the personal stories evolve. For example, way back in the day, Scott, the writer of PvP, in #4 of one of the early launches, said that Selina and Jade would NEVER get married. That there was more he could do with them as a couple. That they could see other people, break up, make up, etc… I was glad to see him change his mind because over in Dork Tower, as much as I enjoy some of the jabs at the follies of gaming, Matt and Gilly’s not even getting together to date, much less do anything else, was just… m’eh. I’d rather see the characters moving forward than be stuck in static time.
She doesn’t take out her piercings to sleep????
Other than that totally off-the-wall question, I (a 55-year-old gamer) love your comic, and think you are doing well with the adult issues–after all, most of us are adults these days.
Yeah, I think Sam had a better night.
Actually, my group wins the majority of the time we play Arkham Horror. Being lucky helps, and the game’s difficulty zig-zags depending on how many players you have and whether you’re using the Innsmouth expansion, but the major factor is that both my friends who have Arkham are control freaks who direct the efforts of most of the table on any given turn. It can be frustrating, but I can’t deny they get results.
i’m all for it but just please don’t make him f this up… every other comic i have been reading leads our main character to do stupid stuff and leave him foreveralone… i just one one guy to be happy… is that so much to ask for! lol
Ok that was awesome dryness right there at panel 4
Hell yeah to panel 5!
SAM’S THE MAN!!!
And it was NEVER spoken of again