Nilan8888
2014-02-19, 09:00 PM
4.5 years.
That's how long it's been, approximately, since the start of Book 5, Blood Runs In the Family.
I started reading this strip near the start of this arc at #681, and so this is the first time witnessing an scheduled hiatus of the story. Since that time I have waited for each update with anticipation, and this storyline did NOT disappoint. Rich added to his world in spades, giving us new character development, plot twists and turns, the addition of exciting new characters and the deaths of others whose origins stretch almost back to the very first strips of the comic. My own personal favorite of the entire strip occurred during this arc (the, I think, masterful and understatedly named #763 -- "Plotting Something") and it's been a very wild ride.
It's a ride spanning nearly half a decade, longer than any arc previous -- the last two spanned only 2007-2009 and 2006-2007 -- on a so far 14 year run, and I envy anyone who comes to this comic fresh and unspoiled, getting to experience every moment of the story so far with a click of the button the way I once did.
I watched a review of this site recently -- linked to on the forum -- that compared the quality of this work with some of the most seminal real works of fiction, such as The Lord of the Rings or the Chronocles of Narnia, and you know what: after thinking about it, I think there's something to be said for this comparison. I might not go comparing Rich Berlew to George Orwell anytime soon, but within the fantasy genre I really do think we have one of the 'great works' on our hands. People simply don't know yet how groundbreaking it might actually be. The comic has upended expectations thoroughly and consistently for many years.
I've created this thread as a formal thank you to the author for running this site and allow me to read his work. It's been damn well fantastic. And although the end of this series is years away, I'll be sad to see it go.
Well, until the inevitable HBO or Cartoon Network adaptation, that is.
That's how long it's been, approximately, since the start of Book 5, Blood Runs In the Family.
I started reading this strip near the start of this arc at #681, and so this is the first time witnessing an scheduled hiatus of the story. Since that time I have waited for each update with anticipation, and this storyline did NOT disappoint. Rich added to his world in spades, giving us new character development, plot twists and turns, the addition of exciting new characters and the deaths of others whose origins stretch almost back to the very first strips of the comic. My own personal favorite of the entire strip occurred during this arc (the, I think, masterful and understatedly named #763 -- "Plotting Something") and it's been a very wild ride.
It's a ride spanning nearly half a decade, longer than any arc previous -- the last two spanned only 2007-2009 and 2006-2007 -- on a so far 14 year run, and I envy anyone who comes to this comic fresh and unspoiled, getting to experience every moment of the story so far with a click of the button the way I once did.
I watched a review of this site recently -- linked to on the forum -- that compared the quality of this work with some of the most seminal real works of fiction, such as The Lord of the Rings or the Chronocles of Narnia, and you know what: after thinking about it, I think there's something to be said for this comparison. I might not go comparing Rich Berlew to George Orwell anytime soon, but within the fantasy genre I really do think we have one of the 'great works' on our hands. People simply don't know yet how groundbreaking it might actually be. The comic has upended expectations thoroughly and consistently for many years.
I've created this thread as a formal thank you to the author for running this site and allow me to read his work. It's been damn well fantastic. And although the end of this series is years away, I'll be sad to see it go.
Well, until the inevitable HBO or Cartoon Network adaptation, that is.