Page 228 - October 1, 2012

It's a brand new month, and as I mentioned on Saturday, this month I'll skip our usual Sunday break and just blast through this final part of the chapter in one go. Some of the chapter will spill over into next month, but the last defining parts should be pretty much wrapped up before this gloomy month of October comes to an end.

Because it's a new month, the ranking over at Topwebcomics has been reset once again, and it's time for some vote pleading on my part. Last month was simply marvelous: we finished on place 16, which I think is up 13 places from the month before if my brain is remembering correctly. We were even in the top 10 for a couple of days in the very beginning of the month, but that was mostly because of the little 200-page anniversary minicomic that I posted as an incentive. I'm sure that tasty vote incentives to go with the updates play a huge role in getting votes and climbing the ranking ladder on that page, I've got to admit that I can't even be bothered to vote for myself unless each day unless I've put up a new incentive, even though every webcomic-promotion guide I've rifled through pretty much states "at least take those two seconds each day to vote for yourself, you lazy bum!". Buuut I don't. Because... I have no reason, I just don't.

On that note, I'm really itching to try out a "new saucy incentive each day"-month some time in the future, just to check how high something like that could get aRTD. Sure, back when I started this comic I didn't even dare to think the thought of ever even getting near the top ten and I probably shouldn't be so greedy for more, but I've gotten a taste of that sweetness and I'm a human being. Human beings are greedy. Anyway, that'll be an experiment to try out in the future, December feels like it could be a suitable month for a stunt like that. I actually have a really fun idea for a christmas countdown/calendar thingie that I think you guys would enjoy, and that I would also enjoy actually putting some time on. But it's a while 'til that, we'll just have to do with sporadic (and often quite lame) vote baits until then.

Today's vote incentive is a nice one though, got to start the month with something good, right? It's the first sketch I made of Hannu with his newly acquired crossbow, which I colored and made into a little speedpainting-esque piece. The uncolored pencil sketch is also included. So... I can has votes naow, please, maybe? : O¨

Aww, Hannu is looking so grumpily determined. And would you look at that, he's making pretty much the same face in the page that I finished yesterday, except with way more grumpiness added. Oh, yes, a sneak peek panel! It's such a non-spoilerful one that I figured it would be okay to post. If anyone feels like chapter 5 has now been ruined for them, tell me and I'll be more careful with posting sneak peek panels in the future.

Uhh, kind of looks like he's about to bite someone... he's not, though, I promise.