#I’ve been following this webcomic for a decade haha

[glass-marzipan]

Every once in a while (like yearly) I remember Ava’s demon exists, go through tumblr posts to see if the fandom is still kicking, and then go to the website only to find like 5-10 new pages at best. I’d say it frustrates me, but it’s been like that for years, so par for the course, really. But hey, kickstarters! Sooo many kickstarters. Cause why continue the story if you can still milk the previous pages for money, right?

[hiveworks]

Interview with Mad Rupert, author of Sakana

September 2023

Sakana, the story of life and love in a fish market, is coming back from its hiatus soon! The strip comic style webcomic began in 2010 and follows Jiro, Taisei, Yuudai, and Chie as they navigate their relationships and learn to face their feelings. We asked creator Mad Rupert, author of Robber Robert and artist of Bunt!, for an interview to celebrate the series return.

Read Sakana | Shop books & merch | Read more Hiveworks comics

Sakana has been your baby for 13 years. What has the webcomic journey been like for you over the past decade?

It really has been over a decade, hasn’t it! There have certainly been ups and downs, periods where I was updating as much as I could, and also long hiatuses. I feel like webcomics have always been an amazing space to practice my craft and stretch my writing and drawing skills alike. You can kind of do anything you like with webcomics, and oftentimes people come up with wackier, and imho more interesting concepts than if they were beholden to a large publisher. Not that I haven’t made my fair share of traditionally-published comics and graphic novels… but there’s just something so gratifying about coming up with your own wild story and working towards its end on your own time. Webcomics are incredibly tough and time consuming, but also the ultimate form of self expression. 

What is the origin of Sakana? What made you want to tell this story?

Sakana actually started as a class project when I was a junior at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I had been accepted into the Sequential Art department’s yearly Japan trip to study comics and cartooning in Tokyo for a few weeks, and our final project was to create 11 comic strips based off of something that made a strong impact on us during the trip. We had visited the old inner market (now demolished) of the Tsukiji Fish Market at 4am one morning, and it was the most incredible place I’d ever been, so I decided to craft a short story that took place in the market. Beyond the first 11 strips, I decided to continue the story for as long as I could as a way to practice the comic techniques I was learning in class. That was over a decade and 600 strips ago! It really has become the most ambitious project I’ve ever undertaken.

Do you have the ending already written? Do you see a conclusion in sight?

Yes! I’ve always had something at least resembling an end in mind throughout most of the comic’s lifespan. For a long-format comic like SAKANA, I think it’s very important to have a rough ending planned out as early as possible, otherwise it becomes difficult to keep the narrative moving in a satisfying direction, drop little tidbits of plot that will pay off later, or even maintain your enthusiasm for the project. To be clear, the details of Sakana's “end” have changed many times, which is only natural with a very long project like this. But I’ve always kept crucial details the same: basically certain characters in a certain place at a certain time doing certain things (to keep from getting too spoilery haha.) HOW they get there, WHY they’re there, and WHAT exactly they’re doing will ebb and flow as the years go by and I myself get older and older. But having a general sense of the end in mind has kept things moving all this time. The story’s got one more volume to go, and then I’ll be done!

Your hiatus is a result of working on a traditionally published graphic novel, coming in 2024. Is there anything you can tell us about your book?

My new graphic novel is called Bunt! and it’s a collaborative effort between myself and my dear pal, Ngozi Ukazu (author of popular webcomic Check, Please!) Ngozi wrote the book and I drew it, and we’re both really proud of what we’ve made! It’s already available for preorder all over the place and it will officially be out in stores in February 2024. We’re really looking forward to getting out there this fall and winter and spreading the word about it!

You recently successfully completed a Kickstarter for an 18+ comic, Robber Robert, as well. What is it like balancing these different narratives, genres, and mediums of publishing comics?

It’s definitely been a struggle at times to balance everything, and I definitely don’t recommend working on 3 giant projects at the same time! I finally had to admit that I couldn’t do it all at once, which led to me putting Sakana and RR on hiatus to finish Bunt!, and then keeping Sakana on hiatus while I finished up RR. I really burned myself out on comics for a while, and it’s been a huge struggle to get myself back to a good place with my work. Finishing Bunt! and RR Chapter 1 has really helped reenergize me, but I can always feel myself trying to overload my work schedule again and again. It’s my greatest weakness as a professional artist.

What keeps you inspired?

Making something for myself, practicing my craft, and putting my own stories out there are all huge driving forces in my life. Learning to stop overwhelming myself with work has also helped a lot. Looking back on all the art I’ve made and all the different things I’ve tried makes me feel like I can do anything I put my mind to, so long as I give myself the time and space to enjoy the process.

Do you have any webcomic or graphic novel recommendations?

I’m a big fan of anything fantasy or sci-fi, especially if the narrative approaches the fantastical elements in a weird, unique, and kind of gay way haha. My favorite manga is currently Delicious in Dungeon, but I’m also a fan of historical series like Golden Kamuy and Bride’s Story. For webcomics, I love anything by Evan Dahm, like his long-format series Rice Boy and Vattu. As for Hiveworks comics, there’s too many to list individually but my current favorites are Fairmeadow by KP, and Tiger, Tiger by Petra Nordlund. 

Any advice for new readers of Sakana?

I would say…despite its high page count, it’s not that long of a read! The strip format keeps it moving at a pretty quick clip when read all at once (but it certainly didn’t feel like that over the last 13 years updating one page at a time!) I know that the format and the black and white rendering might feel a little dated in the current era of Webtoons and full-color stories, but I’m too stubborn to change now, and I really appreciate anybody giving it a shot! Also, no matter who you are, or how much you dislike him in the beginning, Yuudai will probably be your favorite character.

You can read Sakana for free at sakana-comic.com and print books are available at hivemill.com

[a-hobit]

Been kicking myself for a few weeks about an artist I follow that does webcomics and how well they’re able to just have a seamless comic style with the backgrounds and such. I never feel like mine really have a “comic book” y look to them and I’m always wondering how to fix that because I love the look.

Im rambling! Point is that I’ve been really turning myself over the fire for not trying or working hard enough to improve and I found out this person is 10 years older than me.

I thought we were around the same age (20~) but my god I’ve been putting myself into such a mean spot with someone who has a literal decade of practice ahead of me. Obviously I still beat myself up but finding that out today made me feel so much better. Also that that person might be me one day — still having the same passion I have now at 30 or 40 or 50! It was nice to learn and I hope im as good in ten years haha.

[dreadlock-detective]

y’know, all this recent Tumblr activity has got me in a fan artsy mood, and instead of some video game I thought I’d start with Tobi from @neorice‘s webcomic, Hero Oh Hero! With a little bonus art from 2009, back before the reboot/redesign when it was called A Path to Greater Good~

The comic follows 3 different plots - Tobi’s seems like a reverse isekai so far, her being from some weird video game-y land transported to the... comparatively (?) more normal world of the rest of the cast.

Can’t believe I’ve been following this comic for well over a decade now! It’s been restarted a few times but since becoming Hero Oh Hero it’s been incredibly consistent and, moreover, the iteration has helped the story find its feet very well! (and, well, maybe helps me feel better that I keep rebooting my comic ideas before I end up posting them! Haha!)

Anywho, check it out if you’ve got the time! http://neorice.com

[this is not a paid sponsorship i just want to plug things I think are cool! lol]

[unsoundedcomic]

"In over a decade I’ve never encountered a reader that young" - hey, I've been reading since I was 12! I found you through your final fantasy fanart on deviantart in 2011 and I've been following along ever since :) Unsounded introduced me to webcomics but it's still one of my favourites now. So, thanks for making it! and sorry this is a bit of a pointless message

Oh, not pointless at all! Now I can’t say I’ve never heard of kids reading the comic, haha. Thanks for following along! <3

[comicteaparty]

May 1st-May 7th, 2019 Reader Favorites Archive

The archive for the Reader Favorites chat that occurred from May 1st, 2019 to May 7th, 2019.  The chat focused on the following question:

Of all traditionally done webcomics, which is your favorite?  Describe what you like about it specifically!

€heshire777

What is "traditionally done"?

CalimonGraal(Fenauriverse)

probably like, done on paper

RebelVampire

that. done on real paper.

Respheal

http://rumplestiltskin.smackjeeves.com/ is done on paper and that's just wild to me. She cleans it up digitally though

H0ly tried doing inks digitally recently and she hated it (edited)

Desnik

One that I've been following for many years is Prophecy of the Circle: https://www.prophecyofthecircle.com/ Watercolors and inks! No undo

With bonus process and gorgeous photos of her underpaintings to boot...I just think all her worldbuilding and techniques are neat, especially since I've been watching them grow for a decade at this point, haha (I'm pretty invested)

Kabocha

I might be biased, but I really appreciate 7" Kara! http://7inchkara.com/ It's also watercolor (yay watercolor comics?)

varethane

I really love Prague Race! http://praguerace.com/ Unfortunately it's unlikely to be continued, but the creator's skill with any medium has always impressed me. The delicacy and deliberateness of the lines, combined with chaotic hatched shading, gives the art a really neat feeling and complements the quirkiness of the story and worldbuilding.

Deleted User

Devil's Candy is traditional, the artist is really good. http://devilscandycomic.com/comic/prologue-01

RebelVampire

im gonna go with Chirault http://chirault.sevensmith.net/ I can really appreciate how the traditional aspects give the comic this really unique atmosphere that perfectly fit the fantasy genre, especially at the beginning of the story when the comic is defining its story and setting. There is also just this really unique quality about it as well that makes the comic immediately identifiable by the art alone.

[charle1515]

25!

25. Talk about any OC/Story you’ve made this year

I’ve been holding off on this one, mainly because I was drawing a blank, but these past few days I’ve seriously been considering doing a webcomic based on this alien deliveryman whose stuck traveling through the outskirts/backwater parts of the universe. His name is Vork because I’m not creative with that type of thing.

Another set of characters I have are this group of militia in the outskirts of what is essentially the frontier of an expanding empire. This is from a universe I’ve slowly been developing over the past 3 years, so there’s already a ton of worldbuilding elements to it. Essentially it’s one of those universes where both technology (or at least steampunk tech) and magic exist together. 

Also monsters like vampires, werewolves, and forest spirits live in conjunction with runaway robots and supermechs.

The story for this one is basically following their adventures in the area as its settled and slowly becomes industrialized (which ticks off the nature spirits there). Also over time the empire they’re in slowly starts to buckle under the weight of decadence and corruption, since I love that sort of theme for whatever reason.

Honestly for that one though, I have a more defined story for the world and the empires within it than the actual characters haha.

[brutalfish]

This is a list of all the Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde media I’ve seen/read, because I’ve had people ask me where they should start with the story and what adaptions I recommend!! I love this story, I want to see/read every version of it so I can make a cool version myself someday, hoho~ (my blanket tag for this story and all adaptions is Chief of Sinners and Sufferers, in case you wanted to peruse it)

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1886) - Robert Louis Stevenson

Original novella, I definitely recommend reading it before diving into adaptions. (Most versions of the novella aren’t just the stand-alone story, and usually come in a collection with other short stories from Robert Louis Stevenson.)

The rest are going under a cut!!

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931 US Film) - Fredric March

I only recently found a place where I could watch this version (I’d been looking for a long time!!), and this film blew me away. One of the few film/tv versions that actually made me anxious while watching. Fredric March does a fantastic job in the title roles. The transformation sequences in this film are amazing, and the technique they used for it wasn’t revealed until decades after the film was made.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Volume 1+2 or just the Omnibus 2011 graphic novel) - Alan Moore

I personally have the omnibus, which collects the first two volumes of LOXG and I didn’t buy the rest of it because this has all the J/H content in it. I really loved their character arc (specifically Hyde’s, during the War of the Worlds bit) and it’s just a generally good romp.

Jekyll & Hyde (1990 US Musical) - Anthony Warlow

There are a few different recordings of the full musical up on YouTube (I recently rewatched the Rob Evans recording, and I know the David Hasslehoff (I know) one is up there too) but honestly, imho, none of them are as good as the original concept album with Anthony Warlow in the title roles. You can listen to it here. The musical is genuinely good and the music is just *kisses fingers like a chef* delicious.

BBC Jekyll (2007 UK TV) - James Nesbitt

This miniseries used to be up on Netflix, which is how I originally found out about it. I really like this version (the ending is a little... meh) but it’s definitely one of my favorite modern takes! James Nesbitt is so entertaining throughout.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932 radio show)

This is my favorite retelling that sticks around the original story. It’s 52 episode show, with each episode clocking in around 12-13 minutes long. There are embellishments and added details/events, but it’s a finely crafted show and I enjoyed every second of it. The week that I was listening to it I was in a daze, wandering around the house with headphones in and exclaiming every once in a while as if I was watching a soap opera or something. You can listen to and/or download the whole thing here: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Once Upon A Time [S5/S6] (2016 US TV) - Hank Harris, Sam Witwer

Listen I know this show is not good it’s not a great show it is NOT and you do not have to sit through the whole thing. I used to watch OUAT, and heard that they did Jekyll & Hyde in the newer seasons. I sat down and watched the episodes with them in it expecting to be let down and disappointed, but I actually loved this adaption of their story?!! They subverted some of the original events from the original story but it was a very interesting take on the J/H story. Also Sam Witwer is the prettiest Hyde I’ve ever seen so I might be a smidge biased. [Appearances = S5E22, S5E23, S6E1, S6E3, S6E4]

Jekyll & Hyde (2015 UK TV) - Tom Bateman

This version takes place in the 1930s, and follows Henry Jekyll’s grandson, Robert Jekyll. There is only one season (sadly!!!). It’s a goofy superhero romp, and just, really cheesy, but it’s got pretty good special effects and Tom Bateman just totally kills it in his roles. I loved this show.

Penny Dreadful (2016 UK TV) - Shazad Latif

I really enjoy Penny Dreadful, but as a J/H adaption it’s kinda lacking! Jekyll only shows up in the last season, and doesn’t get to do a whole lot besides pal around with Frankenstein (which in and of itself is Good). (Penny Dreadful IS a good series though I do recommend it it’s good)

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003 US Film) - Jason Flemying

This is not a good movie, but I love it.

The rest of these are not necessarily recommendations, but adaptions I’ve watched/read and feel like I should list out anyway!

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941 US Film) - Spencer Tracy

This film is almost a carbon-copy of the 1931 Fredric March film, but with worse effects.

Van Helsing (2004 US film) - Robbie Coltrane, Stephen Fisher

This movie is in the same boat as LXG except this one only has J/H in it for the first five minutes. Still counts as a J/H film tho.

I, Monster (1971 UK film) - Christopher Lee

This movie isn’t bad, but it’s reallllllllly boring?? I was excited about watching Christopher Lee in this role, but he was a baby and I was let down because I had too high of expectations, haha

Igor (2008 US animated film) - Jennifer Coolidge

I GUESS this movie counts. The J/H character is a lady who takes pills that transform her into different women who are all dating different scientists. She’s a spy for the main antagonist. Jacqueline Heidi. Get it?

Jekyll + Hyde (2006 Canada film) - Bryan Fisher

Bad, but the promo art was cool. Tried to make it more in the Slasher Film genre and it just did not work.

Mary Reilly (1996 US film) - John Malkovich

This movie is so frickin weird. It’s so frickin weird. Body horror warning for the literal last five minutes of this movie. John Malkovich was the most boring J/H I’d ever seen, he just... idk, I’m into the premise but the execution wasn’t great. (I should read the book.)

Bipolar (2014 US film) - Andrew J. West

BAD. BAD BAD BAD. A VERY BAD MOVIE. Not worth your time. Demonizes people with mental illness. It’s bad.

Do No Harm (2013 US TV) - Steven Pasquale

I ended up enjoying this show off and on! It’s kinda weird. It’s a modern take on the story, except it’s also a Medical Drama in which the Jekyll character is a successful neurosurgeon. I liked bits and pieces of the show! The story ends in a really weird place. I couldn’t personally handle all of the brain surgery they showed in it, if I wasn’t such a weenie about surgical gore I probably would have enjoyed it more, haha!

The Glass Scientists (webcomic) - Sabrina Cotugno (read here!)

I’ve recently started reading this comic, and it’s just about getting into the plot/conflict, so I don’t really have a review yet!! I’m enjoying it, it’s cute and I’m excited to see where it takes all of these characters! (Easy Brownie Points for crossing over various classic horror literary characters in one story, my Biggest Weakness.)