Kickstarter Discussion Thread - How the Paladin Got His Scar (SPOILERS!)

[The Giant]

Hey guys. This is the all-spoiler thread for talking about the O-Chul prequel story that I just dropped into your inbox, if you were a Kickstarter backer.

If you weren't a backer and you want to read the story, it will be published separately for purchase at some point in the probably-not-too-distant future.

Please try to avoid spoiling the contents of the story on other threads on the message board. Thanks.

[Yana]

Giant, thank you.

My opinion of O-Chul has risen immeasurably.

[Porthos]

In case people are curious...

96 pages long (well, 95 if one doesn't count the cover page).

WOWZA! No wonder it took so long!!!

(off to update the Page Count thread, then read the thing!)

<<<EDITED BECAUSE OF CORRECTION FROM THE GIANT >>>

[The Giant]

Ahem, it's 95 pages PLUS the title page, thank you.

[Porthos]

Ahem, it's 95 pages PLUS the title page, thank you.

*checks*

So it is. I blame Apple Preview.

[ti'esar]

Woooooo, finally!

[Porthos]

I will absolutely not provide running commentary as I read.

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That said, the Ettin Encounter? BRA-vo.

[Yana]

The fate of the Supreme Leader had me laughing for a good two minutes. That was a simply delightful callback.

[kles76]

I've been lurking forever and I just had to register to say that was well worth the wait.

[CoffeeIncluded]

I love O-Chul so much.

This was so timely, and so important. And in a way, it was therapeutic too, at least for me. Even if it's just in a comic, it's still wonderful to see someone calmly and firmly stand up for what is Right.

Thank you for doing this. It was so worth the wait.

[Emanick]

I'm so excited to read this!! I backed the Kickstarter way back when I was starting college, and my final paper to finish college is due tomorrow morning in 10 hours. Reading it will be a nice way to celebrate getting my degree.

...also, I just realized that I've been reading this comic since middle school. Craziness. Absolute craziness.

[fishguy]

Whoa! Is that a big black spot on the sun? (final panel)

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Whoa! Is that a big black spot on the sun? (final panel)

More likely, it's the local equivalent of Mercury.

That was so worth the wait.

GW

[Roland Itiative]

Quite a pleasant surprise to find that in my email today. And by the Twelve Gods, was it an awesome read. The comedy was spot-on, the serious parts were masterfully written, the call-backs (call-forwards?) were great. The old characters got a ton of new depths added to them, and the new characters were amazing on their own rights (I hope they show up again in the main story). I couldn't ask for anything more, this was a nice, densely-packed 95 pages of pure fun. Thank you, Giant, for your awesome work :P

Whoa! Is that a big black spot on the sun? (final panel)

And that moon seems way too big too...

P.S. Also, O-Chul was already among my favourite characters, but this story elevated him to the undisputed first spot :P

[Coventry]

Hey guys. This is the all-spoiler thread for talking about the O-Chul prequel story that I just dropped into your inbox, if you were a Kickstarter backer.

If you weren't a backer and you want to read the story, it will be published separately for purchase at some point in the probably-not-too-distant future.

Please try to avoid spoiling the contents of the story on other threads on the message board. Thanks.

THAT WAS (is?) AWESOME!

[Gwynfrid]

A splendid story on all counts. Love the ettin, love the hobgobs, love the new characters (ha! finally a badass ranger in OOTS!), and O'Chul is... well, O'Chul. Well done, Sir!

[silversaraph]

Understatement of the year: It was worth it.

I'm so excited to read this!! I backed the Kickstarter way back when I was starting college, and my final paper to finish college is due tomorrow morning in 10 hours. Reading it will be a nice way to celebrate getting my degree.

...also, I just realized that I've been reading this comic since middle school. Craziness. Absolute craziness.

Also been reading the comic since seventh grade. Still in high school when I chipped in my 10 bucks. I've graduated college since then...

So many things were fantastic, but I'd have to say the moment that got me to make a physical disturbance in my house was when we got to see Miko again. Wow.

Receiving entire years of material in one burst makes me just want to kind of vomit out commentary, but I'll spare you that and let my dreams sort it out.

[ti'esar]

And now that I've actually read it, I can definitely say it was worth the wait. That was a straight-up graphic novel.

[Keltest]

Is there going to be an option to buy this for us unfortunate souls who were too late to the party to back the kickstarter?

Also, out of curiosity, how much time has finishing this opened up for you to work on other things you want to/need to do?

[Porthos]

I do NOT say this lightly.

This is the mirror image of Start of Darkness. What that story did to flesh out 'Team Evil', this does for O-Chul and others

It is THAT good.

Possibly even better.

Wow. Just wow.

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Also had to snerk at the two instances of Miko 'learning life lessons'.

More after I have time to digest.

But, mark my words, this story is going to light the forum ablaze as it skins in, over time.

[The Extinguisher]

Just for comparison: Start of Darkness was 112 and I'm pretty sure that number includes the forward and preface.

This is just so so good. I can't even organize my thoughts around it properly I've got so much I want to say about it. One of the best things I've read all year for sure. I need this sitting on my bookshelf.

And I'll say it. Better than Start of Darkness. It's close for sure, but this has the benefit of being written ten years later.

[bengator]

I really enjoyed that, especially the part about where the Celestial gets called out of her date. I wish I had the recall of most on the forum and appreciate their input. I get the Supreme Leader call forward, but what about Zhou Bo or OChul's aunt? Or Nguyen? Any other characters (other than the obvious) make an appearance that we have seen before?

[Ted The Bug]

Oh, man. Miko. Gouda. O-Chul being a good person. So much Azurite history.

I'm so so happy that I backed the Kickstarter when I had the chance. What an incredible tale.

Edit: I'm old and like physical copies of things, especially things as good as this latest story. I hope that one of whatever future forms it takes is a print book. I could see a book of this+Therkla's story+one more Azurite comic totally unique to the collection, called The Blue Book or something. I would snap that up in a heartbeat.

Can't wait to read it a second time tomorrow to catch everything I missed!

[Porthos]

Is there going to be an option to buy this for us unfortunate souls who were too late to the party to back the kickstarter?

From the OP:

If you weren't a backer and you want to read the story, it will be published separately for purchase at some point in the probably-not-too-distant future.

[TheNecrocomicon]

Whoa! Is that a big black spot on the sun? (final panel)

There's a little black spot on the sun today? And more importantly, is it the same old thing as yesterday?

[Porthos]

And I'll say it. Better than Start of Darkness. It's close for sure, but this has the benefit of being written ten years later.

It's just... On one level it's too fresh in my mind to properly compare.

One thing HtPGHS has over SoD is this was a single story, if in recognizable chapters, while SoD was several stories wrapped up in one tome. If with an over-arching myth-arc.

This is one loooooooooong story. So it has more time to really sink its teeth into things.

Still... I want to say "Yes it is better" just because of some of the complexity that was going on. But I really can't rightly say since this is so fresh.

Either way.... Just.... Damn that was good.

[The Giant]

Is there going to be an option to buy this for us unfortunate souls who were too late to the party to back the kickstarter?

Yes, definitely. Most likely outcome is that I bundle it with the Therkla story and a few other Azure City-themed short stories and sell it as a book, rather than as solo stories like I did Belkar and Halelo/Julelan. Best case scenario would be this Fall, more likely is holiday season.

Also, out of curiosity, how much time has finishing this opened up for you to work on other things you want to/need to do?

A lot. Main comic is going to be getting my full attention probably for the next month, then I'll need to see whether I need to split time with an income-generator of some sort.

[Porthos]

Gouda.

In retrospect, this strip has a LOT more weight than it did.

"As long as I am Supreme Leader..."

So many threads (and forum questions) brought together.....

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Edited to not double post:

Also had to snerk at the two instances of Miko 'learning life lessons'.

Thinking about this, as I said over at KS, I think the only very, very, very minor criticism I would have of this is that Miko 'learning life lessons' was a tiny bit too neat.

Just a tiny bit. Like a smidgen.

But, again as I said on KS, it's was also so deliciously done. More to the point, it did make me laugh at the time (while wincing), so I suppose it's fine.

I think that is my only criticism, and as said, it's more a mixed thing than something I didn't like.

An easy 10/10 overall.

[ti'esar]

In retrospect, this strip has a LOT more weight than it did.

"As long as I am Supreme Leader..."

So many threads (and forum questions) brought together.....

Now I really do wonder what actually happened to that guy.

[Sniffnoy]

Now I really do wonder what actually happened to that guy.

Yeah, me too...