Page 28
Woah, we’re finally here. The end of chapter 1.
I started this first chapter 3 years ago in December, so it’s kind of fun that I’m finally wrapping up in December again. The last few years have been pretty busy. I got married and honeymooned in Japan, I lost my job and started freelance work, and I got hit by a car riding my bike home earlier this year, among other things.
Regardless, this chapter took entirely too long to make. Most of the hangup has been on my end. I tried to hard to add so much and impress with my art, but ultimately it doesn’t matter if the updates come out so infrequently that people lose interest or simply can’t begin to care because it’s months (or even years) between updates. I’ve mostly been making this in my free time while working a day job, so I’m still proud of what I’ve made and honestly think this comic has some of the best art I’ve ever made in my life. Even if it’s still fairly amateur, I’m proud of this comic and proud of my effort. But I’ve been re-evaluating my process.
My goal for 2026 is to start putting out updates more regularly and commit to a schedule. It’s really fucking hard to make comics, but I’ve learned a lot simply by making the comic. BottomlessCoffin, my co-author, and I have outlined the next few chapters and a lot of story pacing and structure changes that we’ve learned while making our comics. I’ve also been listening to way too much InkPulp podcast which has really helped me to get over a lot of my hangups with my art and has given me some great insight on how to move forward as a comic artist. Coffin and I are also considering changing the name of the comic entirely because SEO (search engine optimization) is really important and BLACK just doesn’t work well very well. Enough of that rambling, I have some big news (for me, at least :D).
I’ve been contracted to make an edutainment type manga for a company. I can’t share many details yet – the story focuses on a high school girl who is working with her helper robots to help save her friend from a previously incurable disease. There will be some educational information throughout the more whimsical parts of the manga regarding nano robotics and advances in medical technologies and their potential to assist with curing the incurable. The manga aims to get high school aged kids interested in STEM (science, technology, mathematics, and engineering). I’ve started on character designs and early page layouts to get a little early start, but we won’t officially start pushing until January of 2026.
Regrettably, I think I’ll have to put BLACK on hold until at least March of 2026. Ideally, I’d like to work on both the manga and BLACK at the same time, but I still work a day job and I just don’t think I can balance 3 jobs at the same time. I still wanna try though. >:D
Thanks for reading this first chapter and lots of love to all of you who have been patient and interested all these years. It means a lot.
Knob