Goblins XIV: Clerical Omission.

[Lissou]

From what I've seen/learned about mental illness, sometimes people DO need a shove in the right direction. If you end up losing 40 lbs and not sleeping for a month and you can't tell that you really need help, then you need someone to get you to a hospital.

That's why I said he had Danielle for that.

[Elusivemike]

Let's hope.
Not for the comic, but for him.

[EvilRoeSlade]

Heh, if you guys were my fans it would be enough to convince me to quit webcomicing for good.

[Typewriter]

You know, a lot of people are talking about his potential/theoretical/definite breakdown and how he needs help, but we really don't know much about it. I mean, when I looked at the picture he posted I thought it meant that it(the comic) was affecting his relationship with his wife. I thought it was his obsession with getting his work done/focusing on the comic was causing problems, maybe he was acting like a jerk to her and it was causing problems. Not saying my interpretation is correct, just pointing out that we still don't really know much so we should remember that how we would handle it, or how we think he should handle it, isn't necessarily 'correct'.

As for nuklearpower - I wish warbot hadn't faded out so quickly. I thought warbot was great. I personally never really got into any of the other comics on the site after 8-Bit ended.

[Morquard]

No, he pretty much said on Twitter that he had a serious mental breakdown. Might not have used those words, but there was little chance to misunderstand it.

I think what happened now was that he thought he was through the worst and that getting back to regular work on the comic would help him... and then he suffered a relapse. That's only speculation on my part of course, and I'm no psyciatrist, but it seems to make sense.

I hope for him he gets through it somehow. With professional help or without.

[Starbuck_II]

Heh, if you guys were my fans it would be enough to convince me to quit webcomicing for good.

Aww, well, if you were only so lucky.

[Anteros]

Heh, if you guys were my fans it would be enough to convince me to quit webcomicing for good.

The vast majority of people are wishing him well.

[Ubiq]

http://rpgworldcomic.com/d/20070611.html

Still up.

Toxic relationship with the fans or not, he must still have some fondness for RPG World since he bothered to get a Hero reference into Stephen Universe.

[Carrion Pigeon]

In my opinion, whatever is the truth about the hiatus, I think Thunt should hire another artist. He could do the script, the storyboard and one thing among pencil, ink or colour. He'd have more time for himself, his family and secondary projects, less stress and the deadlines would be less difficult to stick to. It would be a bad thing for his own pride and I totally understand why, after all it's HIS creation and it's always a pain to "let it go", but since all that happened in the last months (also before his breakdown), it could be a good thing for Goblins and it's clear he needs someone else to work with on the webcomic.
Edit: and I think his revenue would also benefits, because he would be more prolific, both on the comic and on side things like the card game.

[Lissou]

In my opinion, whatever is the truth about the hiatus, I think Thunt should hire another artist. He could do the script, the storyboard and one thing among pencil, ink or colour. He'd have more time for himself, his family and secondary projects, less stress and the deadlines would be less difficult to stick to. It would be a bad thing for his own pride and I totally understand why, after all it's HIS creation and it's always a pain to "let it go", but since all that happened in the last months (also before his breakdown), it could be a good thing for Goblins and it's clear he needs someone else to work with on the webcomic.
Edit: and I think his revenue would also benefits, because he would be more prolific, both on the comic and on side things like the card game.

I think he's too much of a control freak/perfectionist for that. And I honestly don't mean it as an insult, by the way. He wants things to be done the right way. I think it would take a very special person for him to be willing to let them draw. I can see him letting Danielle draw for instance, but that would be if she could draw not just well, but well enough to copy his style. Not an option, I'm pretty sure. Danielle is awesome but I'm pretty sure she's not an artist (by which I mean one who draws. I understand she's a gifted musician).

[Neoriceisgood]

http://rpgworldcomic.com/d/20070611.html

Still up.

Oohhh wow, I used to read that! That takes me waaay back.

[AdmiralCheez]

...I think Thunt should hire another artist. He could do the script, the storyboard and one thing among pencil, ink or colour. He'd have more time for himself, his family and secondary projects, less stress and the deadlines would be less difficult to stick to.

Only semi-related, but Kiwi Blitz actually just did that. She hired an artist to do the pencil work, while she still does the rest. I think it was more of an issue that the update schedule had slowed to near-hiatus status, rather than any kind of mental breakdown, but the point still stands. If this is what it takes to get Goblins back into production, then I think it would be a good idea to consider.

Of course, there's still the issue of getting Thunt to consider it, which as others have said, is pretty unlikely.

[Morquard]

A first step would probably be that he'd say "Ok, 5 days isn't enough per update, it's updating only Mondays now" (or whatever day). Not so he can take more time than now working on it, but so he can take the same 5 (or sometimes 6) days working on it, and then have a day or two off for himself.
Or if necessary go with the Giant's tactic of "it updates when it's done" - but that's not for everyone. Some people need the preasure of a deadline to get anything done.

[Gez]

Heh, if you guys were my fans it would be enough to convince me to quit webcomicing for good.

Well, Thunt did. Instead, he has started a new career of clowning on his forums. Where a literal hugbox thread has been created. I'm sure the poor Thunt is very sad about his readership.

[T-O-E]

Well, Thunt did. Instead, he has started a new career of clowning on his forums. Where a literal hugbox thread has been created. I'm sure the poor Thunt is very sad about his readership.

I can't imagine this is good for his mental health.

I think you should probably step away from the computer once you get to the point where your detractors become your 'enemies' and you start expressing your despair with gifs. Kind of difficult considering his job.

[Bit Fiend]

Well, Thunt did. Instead, he has started a new career of clowning on his forums. Where a literal hugbox thread has been created. I'm sure the poor Thunt is very sad about his readership.

Ouch... well I guess that's it for me and Goblins. I quite enjoyed the Brassmoon arc but the quality really went only downhill from there and by now Thunt has lost the last bit of respect I had for him...

[Daywalker1983]

I can't imagine this is good for his mental health.

I think you should probably step away from the computer once you get to the point where your detractors become your 'enemies' and you start expressing your despair with gifs. Kind of difficult considering his job.

Well, in his defense (AM I saying that? ), that stuff is rather old. And he seems to have vanished again.

Although I really think he made an ass of himselve there...Imagine hiring THunt for some comissioned artwork and finding that on his boards.

Sure, it's understandable, but it's not good.

But somehow I think goblins is gone for the near future.

[Carrion Pigeon]

I think he's too much of a control freak/perfectionist for that. And I honestly don't mean it as an insult, by the way. He wants things to be done the right way. I think it would take a very special person for him to be willing to let them draw. I can see him letting Danielle draw for instance, but that would be if she could draw not just well, but well enough to copy his style. Not an option, I'm pretty sure. Danielle is awesome but I'm pretty sure she's not an artist (by which I mean one who draws. I understand she's a gifted musician).

Being a perfectionist has nothing to do with doing everything himself. He could supervise thoroughly the work of the other artist as not to allow mistakes. Also, not to take anything from Thunt, but there're a lot of comics artists better than him at drawing. However, he's a great storyteller and could focus on that part of the job and leave the rest to someone better and faster than him. Sure, it wouldn't be easy to mimic someone else's style, but that's a problem only in the beginning. Of course, this is what I think would best for him, his family and Goblins...not what would be actually better. Only for me, it is.

Only semi-related, but Kiwi Blitz actually just did that. She hired an artist to do the pencil work, while she still does the rest. I think it was more of an issue that the update schedule had slowed to near-hiatus status, rather than any kind of mental breakdown, but the point still stands. If this is what it takes to get Goblins back into production, then I think it would be a good idea to consider.

Of course, there's still the issue of getting Thunt to consider it, which as others have said, is pretty unlikely.

Well, Thunt had problem sticking to his schedule long before the breakdown, so that would be only another reason to think about hiring someone.

[Ravenlord]

Well, Thunt did. Instead, he has started a new career of clowning on his forums. Where a literal hugbox thread has been created. I'm sure the poor Thunt is very sad about his readership.

I'm pretty dismayed how he wasn't restricted from internet access already. Seriously, I think the blokes around him (IRL) should be a little more proactive... :/

[Janus]

Part of me wants to join just to see how Thunt would change my name, but it's obvious he'd just drop the J. Don't want to make it too easy on the guy.

[Hazuki]

Yeah. Just don't tell him that his name ends with "unt". I want to see what happens when he realizes it by himself.

[Starbuck_II]

Those forums post paint Thunt as a bit of jerk.
He seems to be treating his feelings by putting down those posters. Whether or not one finds it deserved, in his state it sounds mighty unhealthy.

[Winterwind]

The first one of those posters probably really did deserve a ban - from what I saw on the Goblins forums, he wasn't so much a detractor as a fairly insulting and unrepentant troll. Whether he deserved that sort of ridicule, too, is a different question entirely, though. I didn't read what this other guy had done.

As for whether it's good for Thunt's mental health though, I guess that depends entirely on what it is precisely that Thunt is going through right now (which we don't know), and on how he is going to view his treatment of those people in hindsight. Is he going to feel bad about acting unprofessionally? Then it might pull him further down, worsen his self-esteem even more, and ultimately aggravate his condition. Is he going to feel good about standing up to Internet bullies, and protecting his "friends", as he view the rest of his forum community? Then it might have the opposite effect. There's no way for us to know.

[Neoriceisgood]

those forum posts are fascinating, I wonder if his explanation is gonna be similar to it. Filled with gifs and bad name jokes.

[Killer Angel]

Those forums post paint Thunt as a bit of jerk.

I'd say that THunt is not known for his patience, or by his reflectiveness, when he feels "threatened" in some way. He attacks, often in very sarcastic and unpleasant ways, then later he apologizes for being a jerk.

[FatJose]

Huh, all those pages in the picture are death scenes.

[Neoriceisgood]

I'd say that THunt is not known for his patience, or by his reflectiveness, when he feels "threatened" in some way. He attacks, often in very sarcastic and unpleasant ways, then later he apologizes for being a jerk.

Yeah, I've seen Thunt post tons of "reflective" journal updates on his comic fight that implied he's gotten in fights before. Not super surprising to see him lashing out sarcastically at detractors on his forums.

[DomaDoma]

I've always felt you guys were too hard on Thunt - I don't remember the Brassmoon arc being nearly so well-received when it was actually happening, for instance - but... let's face it, the guy's wallowing in his misery at this point. And the scary thing is, I think he's wallowing because he believes it's the psychologically healthy thing to do. None so imprisoned as those who falsely believe they are free. Or, worse yet, believe they'll get free Any Day Now if they come to resemble Edmond Dantes closely enough.

Thunt, if you're reading this: you're in an emotional rut right now. And the only difference between a rut and a grave is in the dimensions. Feelings can't of course change through force of will alone, but ruts are dug by walking them over and over. For the time being I'd suggest taking another path, a productive one that steers well clear of the Internet.

[Macha]

From Twitter:

Tarol pushed himself back out into the world a bit too fast. When he does come back, he hopes you'll still be there.
-Danielle

Poor guy.

[Hyena]

I don't think he will ever be fully back.