#dethkomic past

[chordsykat]

I like your ideas on Magnus as it relates to him studying music theory. What about Charles? What about your own characters, also?

You can thank @fishklok for most of it. I'm just snowballing off ideas from the master. :D

Charles, though? Charles is a dabbler who goes to open mic nights and wows the crowd before his impostor syndrome sets in and tells him it was all a fluke. He's got some skills on the guitar, but has no idea how good he is. Charles could absolutely be a professional musician, and his discipline along with having no desire to hang out in spotlights for very long would make him an ideal session-guy. He's simply chosen a more secure, probably more lucrative path in life, and hasn't thought much about doing anything besides lawyering, I guess.

Then again...

I answered some of the questions of my own OCs in their character sheets. But since we're talking about the guitarists, specifically (I assume!):

Caj is a musical genius and plays a shit-ton of different instruments very well (Skwisgaar hates this). She leads by emotion over technique when playing anything, especially guitar (Skwisgaar hates this). She can dazzle you with an intricate chord progression or bring you to your knees with one note (Skwisgaar can certainly do this too, but for some reason, he especially hates this).

Eden is a prodigy. She has this ability to play by ear that is utterly superhuman and can do that thing where she hears something once and plays it back, exactly. Make no mistake -- I see her as being extremely good at improvising music as well, but it'd be the type of improvisation that feels heavily-borrowed from something else. She lacks formal training and has learned most of what she knows by her own exploration, which makes her a bit "quirky" when it comes to music terminology. She could very easily play you a major scale from G, but you'd have to describe it to her as "play the do-re-mi on the top string, third fret." She plays guitar, and guitar only, so is very capable with her instrument. She could play bass enough to get by, but I'm not sure she'd be as interested in it as a form of expression to ever prefer it.

Sparkles is a "pocket monster" (the music kind, not a Pokemon), and while she can play both guitar and bass, I see her the same way I see myself -- enjoying the ways the low-end can compliment everything else that is going on in a song in the interest of cinching it all together. She's got an excellent sense of rhythm and doesn't go in for showy bass solos. Sparkles would be the kind of bassist everyone in every band wishes they had. She just sticks to the job at hand and is amazing at it. She's on-time, on-note, and can come up with great fills, walks, and anything else as-needed without overstepping her place. Honestly, she probably doesn't even prefer to play "up the neck" at all (else, why not play guitar?) Come to think of it, Sparkles might secretly be the author self-inserting her hopes and dreams for her own musicality into a character. In fact, that's probably not a secret at all. :D

[dethkomic]

Welcome Back! And... A Look Ahead!

Hey goofballs! Hope you had a great time at the movie premiere..! In your own house... or wherever you got to see it!

Anyway -- welcome back to the latest and last installment of Dethkomic for this Volume! You heard that right: Issue #8 will be the final chapter of this saga, and boy what a doozy of a finale do we have in store for you guys. So...

Next Dethkomic Update will be Friday, September 15th, 2023!

And since I just said this series of updates will be our last, you may now be thinking... But what of Dethkomic, thereafter? The movie's over! The series (appears to be) also over! What next?

As I've said, I started on this Dethkomic journey to revive old stories I'd had from ages past in hopes to drum up and retain interest from our fan-community as we waited for the Army of the Doomstar movie... But I seem to have written a substantial amount of lore and now find myself looking back at all the worldbuilding that's happened over the last 2 years of creating Dethkomic. And folks, I can't tie up all those loose ends in the five updates we have remaining.

Therefore, it's the announcement I'm sure some of you have been waiting for:

Dethkomic will continue with Volume 3 in 2024.

That's my official word and you can quote me on it! Uh... also... no... I don't have anything further to reveal at this point... but stay tuned. :) AND REMEMBER! Dethkomic loves you!

[chordsykat]

I'm gonna raise my hand and say I agree with this scenario of past lives/multiple lives and have since at least the later 2000's and really, fairly confidently felt the show might be going in that direction since we got through season 4 and Doomstar. Obviously, if you've read @dethkomic then you know how much I am casting an anchor on it in the stuff I write, lol. :) NO clue how the show will resolve the Metalocalypse itself, though. A big part of me wants Dethklok in God-mode from the start, whether it's "trying to get used to having powers" or an "oh shit, I remember everything about my past existence(s) and how to be all-powerful" sense. I think, judging by the events in Doomstar and the stakes raised to their current points (The Church of the Black Klok revealing themselves/the prophecy, Murderface's corruption, Falconback being actively built up, and Salacia being revealed to be a... demon? Monster? Whatever the hell he is...) it's at least going to come to them having to use whatever energy it was that helped in offing old Metal Mask, and connecting with these "past selves". Regardless, I think Galaktikon especially hints at the universe ending in some way, and who they are after (if we're told at all... and this assuming they're victorious, of course) will be interesting to see.

Then I think about this other idea: The total reset possibility. When I did the old-old Dethkomic back in 2009, the ending was going to be basically just that. Wiping the slate clean as if nothing ever happened and the world going back to normal. No more monsters. No more Gods. Just a bunch of guys in a band, with none of the stuff involving the bad guys ever happening. Literally wished away by Nathan using some ancient stone tablet thing. And I think back on that ending that I so lovingly thought was a good idea now and go, "Wow. Even for a fanfic, that's a shitty cop-out." :D

Whatever they do, I hope they don't do that, LOL.

finding myself thinking about the topic of past lives and how it pertains to what could be the conclusion of mtl; specifically if we’re assuming the universe resets at the end once the actual metalocalypse comes about, etc.

like. ok. if the universe resets, who will the band become? how much like their pasts selves would they be like? or would they somehow remain unchanged through godlike abilities or something? will they remember their pasts as actual gods, assuming that exists at all? their pasts as a band? will they come together again, still bound by some invisible string of fate, destined to always meet? will they still be a band? idk it’s just fascinating to think about imo. i’ve always loved the trope/idea of friends or lovers meeting again in every universe, even if they’re completely different from who they were in the previous life; like soulmates, in a way. and i just wonder if we’ll get anything like that. maybe i’m getting my hopes up, who knows. makes for good character or ship scenarios though haha

[chordsykat]

Kloktober 2023, Day 4 (part 2) A Favorite Headcanon:

Once... there was love..!

Have you guys read this yet? Thank you @exclectical and I wanna say it's been a tremendous joy and a tremendous heartache to write for these two kids in Dethkomic this past year, as well. Special thanks to the very determined Skwiscaj shippers out there -- you guys are troopers, to say the least.

[chordsykat]

I'm the anon who sent that ask asking for oc advice and I wanted to say thanks for it! <3 I was also wondering if you had any fellow oc creators I should check out?

Certainly glad to help and I hope to expand on everything I wrote in response, in the near future :) In the meantime, I do happen to know a few OC creators (yanno... one or two..!) Here are some stories that come to mind which are also actively being updated:

If you want to get invested in a singular, well-written OC, throughout the course of a huge body of work - may I suggest @thatwritingho's stories about Olive Axworthy and her adventures as Dethklok's doctor/mortician/babysitter? AO3 Link

If you want extensions of the canon, and loads of backstory that involves not just original characters, but really fleshed-out versions of characters' extended families, then I suggest @fishklok's stories - especially the ones surrounding Magnus Hammersmith, his past, and his relationships. AO3 Link

@gointothevvater has been with us for many years now, and if you're interested in stories centering around an OC pairing with multiple characters in the canon (heavy emphasis on Pickles and Charles) then you should give her stories a read. Most of them are quick snapshots of the life of St. Cecilia Jameson that tie together in no particular order unless noted - it's easy to jump-in anywhere. AO3 Link

I have been reading @sparklecinnamonbunny's stuff since she showed up on the scene last year with her stories involving the musician-sister-PITA of Charles Offdensen, Sunday Mourning. She is usually found to be romantically involved with Nathan Explosion, but an equally-delightful what-if AU exists where she and Skwisgaar have a show-stealing kid together. AO3 Link

Onto multiple characters and multiple scenarios, but still in the "pairing" category is @pan-flute-skeleton's work, which centers most heavily on two characters: Vivi Skarsgård is romantic interest and eventual girlfriend of Skwisgaar Skwigelf, and Kari Naelstrom the childhood friend and eventual girlfriend of Toki Wartooth. Outside the realm of pairing, Pan has also written loads of crossovers with other OCs, and you might find her Happy Hour series to be a good primer for introducing yourself to someone new. AO3 Link

Beyond the realm of what I'd dub "pairing" fic is @procrazedfan's series of stories involving a huge world that is itself building into what promises to be an epic tour de force. If you like action/dramas and prophecy speculation, then I suggest getting to know the OCs of this brave new world -- most of whom are illegitimate children of Skwisgaar, whose relationships with "dad" aren't all sunshine and rainbows. AO3 Link

These are just some that I can name off the top of my head which have multiple stories in a serial format that have been recently updated. Loads more exist, and I highly recommend checking out the Characters section of the OC Wiki to get acquainted with even more of our fandom's thriving original character community. Additionally... Back in 2022, I did a huge OC get-together piece which showcases a lot of the original characters in our fandom and who created them.

If you're looking for a list of characters appearing in Dethkomic and who created them, that's right over here.

Whew. Again, not a complete list by any means... but I hope this is enough to get you started, anon!

[chordsykat]

Red, Orange, and Blue with Sparkles!

🔴 Red- What is a trait your OC has that those around them don't see very often? Is it seen by a rare few or completely overlooked?

I was thinking about this the other day. How do you go on having a character, where your answer for everything about her, for the last decade, has been this: ???

And I wondered to myself - am I cheaping out or just fucking with you guys at this point? Do I actually know the answers? Do I just not care to define them? Is it more fun to let everyone fill in the blanks?

I mean, yes to all, but... I reasoned that Sparkles' mystery is its own thing. The blank spaces are traits in and of themselves. We could all ask a hundred questions I'm never going to answer, and come up with our own conclusions and our own headcanons about her. And I think that's kinda beautiful. Maybe that's why she's so popular? IDK, but my *real* answer to this question is -- a defined trait of any kind. Beyond that though? I think she's a skilled visual artist. I think she could draw Dethkomic better than me, by a long shot. I really do.

🟠 Orange- What is a trait your OC hides about themself from others? Do they refuse to acknowledge it or begrudgingly accept it?

I mean she, like several others in her band, has committed murder and done crimes and stuff. I like to believe she's not proud of it. Maybe she's got a short fuse when it comes to acts of senseless violence... and that in turn leads her to get violent. I can't see her being proud of everything she's done in the past. Like her "sisters" though, I think she's learned to accept it all. She's probably the most likely of any of my girls to go to therapy, too. So there's that positive spin. 🔵 Blue- How would your OC spend a single day of interrupted peace? Where would they go or who would they be with?

Sparkles goes "camping." She hangs out in the middle of the woods and goes wherever her heart desires. She sleeps on the ground, She gets water and food from her surroundings. She does this no matter the weather, and has a wonderful time.

Excellent questions, friendo! Thank you for taking the time to ask them!

Feel free to do this prompt, yourself. Prompt list is here.

[chordsykat]

I listened to the Dethkomic soundtrack again yesterday, and I think I know why You Could Be Mine is on the list. Does that have to do with a certain Swedish hotdog eater complaining about the band's lead singer's secret spy life confusing a crush he has on her? 👀

Hmmmmm..!

A lot of the songs on that list have extremely ambiguous (if not straight-up abstract) connections to the Dethkomic plot (and some of them are just thrown in there because they're referenced directly in the story, hehe :D)

So I won't tell you otherwise. You might be on to something. However -- if I may... You want a Skwiscaj song that reminds me of their (past-tense) story arc? This is the one:

..and one more little detail: It's not Caj singing it. :D

[chordsykat]

Concept art I actually liked from this past week. I haven't drawn her in years, but:

Laerke Stryker -- fashion model, designer, and humanitarian. She's half Sámi and and becomes a big proponent for indigenous and more broadly, human rights upon learning of her heritage. Unfortunately, her husband isn't as big a fan of such things and in fact, he kills her for it.

Those of you reading Dethkomic can probably guess where this is going. And if not, stay tuned...

[chordsykat]

Would it fall into spoiler territory to ask the what where when why and how about Eden’s super sheltered persona? Those ask prompts with Eden’s answers seeming so oblivious to the world has me curious! Of course, if spoilers they be, feel free to say no!

This is a whole can of worms, and you guys will learn a bit more about her as Dethkomic goes on -- so I won't spoil too much of what isn't already out there...

However, there are things that I can totally reveal right now, and especially as it pertains to how I wanted to develop her...

That said, I'll put a cut here in case even that amount of spoiler is too much. :)

When the past scenes in Dethkomic are taking place, Eden is somewhere around 10 years old, I'd guess. Charles' hostel manager, Emily, says this:

Most readers guessed correctly that she was referring to Eden. Also, extra kudos to those of you who pointed out the secret bio-weapon Lars Luder was developing goes by the name "Project Dragonfly", which indirectly references her - the dragonfly being her totem animal.

Eden was orphaned at a young age under mysterious circumstances. The letter in the panel above says "The sisters", implying she was under the care of some sort of Catholic-run orphanage/school at the time. I am not sure if it's important enough for me to explore how she came into Orpheus and Valentina's care, but if you recall these panels from earlier:

...Dr. Necrophagist was fresh out of college then, and it seems Project Dragonfly had perhaps been abandoned, according to Charles' informant. And he wouldn't lie.

...unless he was trying to throw him off the trail... Which, hey - Orpheus seems to have managed to find himself as one of the girl's primary caregivers these days. Sure that's just a coincidence, though... right? Regardless, Lars Luder having a vested interest in the prophecy would seem to imply he's wise to the idea of Eden (potentially) being a piece to that particular puzzle. And as you'll see in the coming pages, he was right to think so.

Luder is one rich bitch, and he funds Eden's upbringing up to (and past) the day he dies. While alive, he seems to throw his whole existence (including his family) away on pursuing things like magical girls with super powers, insane experiments, and recruiting armies of people to become his followers. It's quite ironic, considering who he turns out to be, actually.

But then, that's a story for a few updates down the line. And Eden grows up in various institutions until coming fully under Orpheus and Valentina's care. By then, she's not only been revealed to be magically endowed as a healer, but a gifted guitarist, too. Orpheus finds himself as obsessed with The Prophecy(TM) as Lars once was, and you know the minute he finds out all of that research has been pointing to Dethklok playing a pivotal role in it all, he is going to start hatching a plan to get close to them. Luckily, a certain opening act just happens to be looking for a replacement guitarist so they can continue their tour with the boys, right around the same time.

All that said, Eden's not really treated as anything more than a convenient way to gain access to Mordhaus. Had she not shown any skill on the guitar, in fact, it's likely Val and Orph would have dumped her and moved on to trying to get Dethklok's attention, by themselves. They're clearly not impressed with her healing magic the same way Lars was, and by the time they all pack up for Mordland, it's probable they're not betting on her being connected to the Prophecy at all.

So you have this girl who has grown up with no real parents, passed around from place to place, possibly experimented on, treated like a lab animal, definitely sheltered away from much of the outside world, and suddenly given an amazing opportunity to not only tour with the biggest band in the world - but for the first time ever, have real friends and a life of her very own outside of four sterile walls (and the very occasional visit to the park and, I'd wager, out-of-doors at large)? I mean, there's culture shock, and then there's untangling indoctrination, and then there's what Eden's going through - which is kinda like finding out water is wet for the first time. :D

I've said it before, but it bears repeating: All of the girls in Baen-Shee play this sort of opposite-but-equal part to their reciprocal member of Dethklok. Eden and Toki may be the most up-front of them all, I guess. They're both the youngest members of their bands and are in a band for the very first time - both have a sort of "secret badass" thing going on - both have some real trauma to work through when it comes to things like isolation, rejection, the world at large and profound loneliness. Even the thing with Toki "killing" things and Eden healing them is the same, in a way. They both speak to the same "entity" (death). Their messages are just different, is all.

The author, too, admits to taking Eden as more utility than person, sometimes. Remember the Baen-Shee quiz? This answer to this question is "the Eden one":

Anyway, I'm guessing that was more than you wanted to know. :) Actually, it might be none of what you wanted to know, hehe. Either way, it was fun to sit down and write about Miss Nightwish for an hour, and I'm always happy to spout on and on and on when you guys want to know more about my characters. I very much appreciate the question, Anon, and I promise - there's SO much more to come. :)

[chordsykat]

☀️ 📌

Ohhhh, some good ones out of the gate.

☀️ Has anyone ever left you a comment that made your day? What did it say?

Lots of people leave me lots of comments every time I post something and I never take it for granted. The comments on the last Dethkomic update in fact, were some of the most inspirational I have ever gotten.

It's not just you guys liking the series, either - it's knowing that you're honestly giving a shit about what's happening. I read "wow good comic" comments and my heart melts. I read "i just put x and y together and wow" and I become a pile of happy goop, never to return to my corporeal form. :)

📌 If all your fics/WIPs fell off a ship and were drowning (go with it), and you could only save one, which would it be?

Oh good god! UH. Dethkomic. XD I am currently re-reading my old fics so, good timing on these prompts. I foresee digging around in my old stuff if I'm going to be able to answer some of these...

So how about this, from the introduction to my old fics, which, after a little editing, still holds up surprisingly well to my great surprise:

So this was it. This was how the mighty empire fell. As if emphasizing the thought ringing out in his mind, it was then that the tallest tower of Mordhaus, the fierce dragon’s head which had been grievously cracked across the neck and was now ablaze in flame, lurched forward. Somewhere inside, the groan of steel bending, then breaking was heard. The stone skin of the statue gave way at its jaw-line, and the concrete head went tumbling downward, striking the ground and splitting open with an earth-shattering crash. Dust flew around the atmosphere and lingered in the air. About a minute later, dead silence . Then, there came the unmistakable sound of a shotgun cocked, ready for firing. When the double-barreled business-end of the weapon was up against his cheek, Charles’ mind reeled and the recent events of the past few weeks flashed before his eyes. He searched each and every one of them, however brief, trying to remember where it all went so wrong…

...More to come. :)

Prompt list is here!

[dethkomic]

If you haven't already, would you consider printing physical copies of the comic? 👀

I have had some people ask me this on my main, and in the past, my answer has typically been "Nah, don't wanna make money off of someone else's IP" But you know - lately, demand's been getting higher and I admit to attempting to think of ways that I might be able to swing them as giveaways or - better yet, charity trades. The charity in question would probably be something annexed to the show and the people who worked on it, or music/animation charities (I'm open to suggestions on that front). I am starting to think something like that could be possible in the future.

The legalities of that are, to my understanding, a lot kinder on the producer of the fanwork under copyright law - and moreover, don't ring as ethically dissonant as selling them does to me. :) To the point, I guess - I am fortunate to not need any money in exchange for working on Dethkomic, but I'm not well-off enough that I could have a bulk amount of what will very likely be two 100+ page comics (or one 200+ page comic) printed and postage managed to give them away in large quantities - but I am interested in looking into ways of making them physically available to you guys for a good cause at this point!

Real talk: I'm just so stoked people are interested in that, by itself. :)

[chordsykat]

(Rhea's main here) I see new faces on the second comic cover. Is this the one where we have the Charles backstory, too??

Yep! And I'm excited to tell you all about it. Writing Charles' past was one of my favorite parts of my old fanfic... For a twist, he's going to be 'dead' in Dethkomic 2, because I've decided to have it take place after Season 2 of the show, but before Season 3. And that's always fun...

Most of you know (of) Eden, and a slim percentage of you might recognize the guy in glasses who isn't Charles, here -- Dr. Orpheus Necrophagist. New to everyone will be the woman on the right -- Valentina Kruiz.

Eden, of course, becomes Baen-Shee's guitarist. Orpheus is an ass and a masochist and a wiener rolled into one, and you'll come to despise him quite a bit, I think. Val is his muscle and she's just a big mean thug.

[chordsykat]

What are your rules for using Eden? I'm just curious, I swear! I get it if she's supposed to be underage, but I'd like to know for fan art purposes

Yep, totally get that! Eden is, technically, a grown up (she's 19 in Dethkomic, currently) but it's her character in general that gives me pause about pairing her more than platonically with anyone.

I had to really think about it once I realized this, too: Caj and Skwisgaar, in the past, are only a hair older than Eden and Toki are in the present timeline. So, no, it's not her age, it's not her maturity, and it's not something creepy like being "coded" young. I think it comes down to the fact that she's probably asexual and possibly even aromantic. And that's really the long and short of it.

Whether that changes at a later point in her life or not, in the current timeline as I've written it, it'd be a stretch for me to think about her taking a shine to someone, beyond friendship. To put you in the author's head here, she's (almost literally) a caged lab animal that is still figuring out socializing beyond "I want to do that."

Case-by-case basis, of course, and I'm not telling you that she's totally off-limits... but please! Just reach out and ask. :)

[chordsykat]

Heyyyy getting notices the invite is expired! Here ya go!

And for the tl;dr of what I wrote up above -- we got a cool event coming up this weekend - everyone's invited - even if you don't wanna chat with a microphone and just wanna type and/or you just wanna hang and watch the chaos:

Dethkomic Q&A Session! Saturday, November 25th, 2023! 8:00PM Eastern, 5:00PM Pacific!

Those of you who have had characters with cameos in @dethkomic this past year will especially want to join in at the very beginning... I'll be unveiling a special treat..!

Along with this special thing and the question/answer sesh, I will have some previews of what I'm planning for the THIRD Volume of Dethkomic in 2024. Art and story and everything else I can show you guys. It's gonna be a crazy time. Or, as I said in the Discord, it at least promises to be a lamp-meeting.

And one more thing...

TOMORROW is the FINAL UPDATE for Dethkomic Volume 2! Holy shit!

Let's party :3 Happy Turkey Day, y'all!

This is my apology for being away from Tumblr as I deal with a heavy seasonal workload, and a little APB about what I'm doing right now in general. Lately, most of my fandom-time has been spent on Discord and thus, I'd like to invite people onto our MTL-adjacent community, Dis-Chordsykat once more. We're an 18+ server (seriously... no kids, please) basically a group of Metalocalypse creatives at this point, conspiring with and encouraging one another to do terrible things to fictional people.

For those of you who follow me for Dethkomic, this is also where I frequently post WIPs, extras, NSFW stuff and of course... crush on my OTP which is made up of two of my own characters whose relationship I recently canonized (See above image. Yes, I have gone mad with power. Thanks for asking!) I am also doing a Dethkomic Q&A where I'll be answering any and all Dethkomic questions as it pertains to production, development, and the story itself, on Saturday, November 25th (The weekend after Thanksgiving and day after Dethkomic's final update). I'll also have previews of things I have planned for the future of Dethkomic and a few other surprises, too. Full details/meetup will be in the Discord server, for those of you who wanna join in on that.

So that's what's up with me. Thank you to everyone sending me notes and messages. I'm not dead, just busy. :) Still love coming on here and seeing what everyone's been up to, and I hope to be more active after the holidays if you can't make it to the Discord!

[dethkomic]

The End

Well gang... Here we are. The end of an era!

Okay, so, maybe not that. But certainly the end of a dethkomic. For now, hehe.

I want you guys to know something. I want those of you who have only been with the fandom for a little while to know someone.

That's me... a younger me... in front of my artist alley table at NYCC in 2013. The Klokateer on the left is my friend, Holkie.

Her real name was Holly, and she was a New York native who braved the ridiculous train and subway systems that day (It was Saturday, so things were nuts) just to come out and meet a random person she met through the Metalocalypse fandom. I was surprised and delighted to see her for the first time, live and in person. I gave her some of my werewolf comics, we talked MTL, and generally had a good time. Unfortunately, that was both the first and last time we'd ever see one another in the flesh.

Holkie died in late 2020, just a few months before the Metalocalypse movie was announced. It's a shame she isn't still here to see the show conclude. But I'm willing to go on record and say without her, and her dedication and genuine hard work as a fan, we might not be getting a movie otherwise. She ran the original Dethklok Minute on Livejournal and continued that work here on Tumblr for a time. It kept us fans up-to-date and looking forward to more Dethklok in a time when news about the show was hard to come by, and interest threatened to wane in-between seasons(that's just how it is when you're a fan of an animated series). I know wherever she is, if there's any justice to be had in this life and whatever happens after, she's somewhere biding her time before the premiere with my other friend (and yours) Jon Schnepp. And in the great hereafter, the two of them will have front-row seats in a theatre with a kickass surround sound system. And there'll be a 3D IMAX option. And Dorito dispensers. And candy snake tits. Whatever they are.

I thought a lot about Hokie when I wrapped this comic. I got emotional more than a little when I was writing the eulogy given by her own Klokateer OC, Janet. You might guess that Janet's speech had as much to do with Cherry as it did Holkie, and you'd be right about that. But more so, I wanted it to be a statement to all of us.

When you have a fandom like ours -- a bunch of people who believe in a little cartoon show about heavy metal idiot-gods that hasn't had the ability/huge budget of other shows to churn out official content on a regular basis... and in spite of that -- in spite of apparent cancellation, even -- it still manages to come up with a great storyline, memorable characters, and captures the imaginations of talented masses like yourselves who have managed to make some of the most compelling fan-content on the internet for over a decade, now... It defies probability. And in our case, it defies being cancelled without a resolution.

I think that's something quite special. And it's worth celebrating.

Today is Halloween here in the USA. In our fandom, it's also the last day of Kloktober 2022. To me, this has always been a special time of year -- and I sometimes feel, even more than January 1st, it's a time of celebration for what has come to pass. It's a time of reflection and looking back. It's a time of looking forward to what will be. I can think of no better time to say thank you to each and every one of you dethkomic readers out there, for making this a kickass year. Thank you all -- my MTL friends from the internet, casuals who lurk in our fandom, people who are or who have worked on the show, and everyone in general, for keeping the faith. Thanks for keeping the torch burning.

Holkie, wherever you are, we hope we're doing you proud. This comic has been dedicated to you. And I really miss you. We all do.

Here's to the end. Here's to what's to come. Here's to you all.

Remember... Dethkomic loves you.

[dethkomic]

Got some character profile sheets done for the girls (including Eden!) over on my main account, this month. Now you can really know more than you ever wanted to know about my OC cast in Dethkomic! Next update to the comic will be coming next week at this point. As a lot of you know, I work mostly as a contractor for various projects as a J-O-B, and July has been my "month off". I say that while I still have projects to do, I also have been taking the time to just relax on everything in general and enjoy some mindless fun.

Which is important and if you don't do it for yourself, you should because fan-stuff is great but it can wait if you need downtime, my friendos.

Also, part of the fun I've been enjoying has been a return to concert-going. I must admit I haven't been to a show since COVID hit, and it's been really nice to get out and be amongst music people once more. With that, YES, I will be at the Dethklok show during the Adult Swim Festival in Philadelphia come August. I will only be there for the concert and not the whole of the festival, but would love to say hi in person! More on how you can find me, forthcoming, I'm sure.

As always, thanks for your patience as I've kicked back a bit this past month. Really looking forward to bringing you guys these last chapters of (what's probably just part one of) Dethkomic!

Seeya soon, pals!