Taking a break!
Channing: Hello to all of you! This is just an announcement to say that Skin Horse is going on an R&R break for the month of April. We plan to return on Monday, May 3.
The outpouring of support from so many of you in this community in the past few days has been humbling and overwhelming. Thank you so much for your kind words and your readership. Hope to see you back here in May!
Thanks, and love you all.
Shaenon: Thank you all for the incredible support and kindness. I’m trying my best to get myself back into a good place.
I am so glad you’ve been able to find a way forward that is good and restorative. I adore Skin Horse, and a huge part of that is the art. Nobody draws *character* and personality and body language like you, Shaenon! I would have been terribly sad if it had gone away, but I would be saddest if Shaenon wasn’t happy and fulfilled. I hope April is full of joy and rest and recovery!
I’m glad you’re taking a break, and I’m glad you’re continuing! I’ll try to comment more often with compliments, because it’s a really nice comic and it’s good to be reminded that people love your work.
Glad you’re getting a break.
Now I’m off to go re-read Narbonic.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!!
So glad to see this.
Please take care of yourselves!
Huzzah!
And please feel free to take a break whenever you need it. I’ll be here to read when you update.
Oh thank God. Guys, have a good time off!
OH THANK GOODNESS.
Again, you don’t owe your readers pain and if something doesn’t bring you satisfaction and joy and you can quit then by all means do so. But I really enjoy this comic and am so glad it will be returning. Much love to you both.
WAHHH-HOOOOOO!!!!!
Have a wonderful break and enjoy your time to yourself and with your family!
Huzzah!! I’m so glad that you’ll be continuing Skin Horse, but more glad that you’re taking the time you need. I love Skin Horse, but I’d never want something I love to come at the cost of someone else’s mental health. Enjoy your time off!
Glad to hear you’ll be back! Have a good break in the meantime =)
This is excellent news all around! Everyone needs a break now and then.
We’ll miss you tremendously while you’re gone, but knowing that you’re returning will make the wait easier.
Enjoy your break and see you in may !
On The Belfry WebComics Index, I was seeing posts asking who had upset you so much that you had threatened to stop the comic, others saying that it was an early April Fool’s Day joke, and many similar statements. It is very heart-warming to know that, as with Mark Twain, the rumors of the death of Skin Horse are greatly exaggerated.
Here’s my opinion (like you asked for it!). I think you will find that the number of people who left negative comments is much smaller than the total number of people who read your comic. You also have to wonder why they are here at all if they don’t enjoy it. What is wrong with *them*? I also think that by having comment threads on your comics you in a way invite that sort of behavior. Some people are going to say bad things just because they can. That’s the way they work. I think there was some sort of study where they found that negative comments and bad reviews on products and services outnumber good ones by about 10 to 1 and businesses take that into account. It seems to be human nature that people are more vocal with a complaint than with praise.
I agree with almost everything you wrote, except for “you in a way invite that sort of behavior.” That just seems cruel. The rest is useful information.
Agreed. Having a comment section leaves you vulnerable to ridicule, but it’s certainly not an invitation.
Yes. The problem lies with the troll, not with those who provide a free service.
It’s funny, I hadn’t heard that people were more vocal with criticism, but I *had* heard that it takes about 5 positive things to “even out” with a single negative thing. For example, about 5 positive interactions with a person for every negative one. This is part of why our expectations have so much influence; when one aspect of something fails to meet our expectations, that has about 5 times as much weight as the aspects which exceed our expectations.
Take as long a vacation as you need, whenever you need to.
And I will be so, so, happy to see new Shaenon art whenever any gets posted.
Enjoy your Break! I will eagerly await your return in May.
You all deserve a break. I mean, you have been providing great content 6 days a week for how long? Recharge, ignore the trolls, wait until you enjoy it again.
Thank you, thank you – thank you! I love ‘Skin Horse’ – and -have- loved all of your comics & characters over the years. I am very glad that you will return in a month. Please relax, de-stress and regain your joy. Truth be told -you-, your family and your happiness are all more valuable than your choice to entertain us. That said, I am still so very happy that ‘Skin Horse’ will return.
I’m really glad that you’re not quitting! I hope the rest helps, and I also hope that the comments stay a bit more positive now that people are aware of the issue. Your comics are really awesome, and partly responsible for several of my favorite things in fiction!
Thank you! Enjoy your break and May the … er … third be with you.
I was really, really hoping it would. One, so the trolls don’t win, and two, since you were planing on ending it soon anyway.
Yay. I am honestly moved to tears, by this good news.
YES! YOU DESERVE A BREAK!!! <3 SEE YOU IN MAY!!
as someone said, it's time to re-read all the comics! i found my physical copies of narbonic yesterday so im ready to re-read!!!
Yay!
YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April is the cruelest month. Take a good rest. Also something about “perspective,” but I don’t remember how it’s phrased.
Great to hear. Enjoy yourself and I look forward to your return.
Wonderful news! I’m so glad to hear that there’s a way to move forward. After so many years of consistently producing six regular strips a week, plus bonus content and wallpapers and so on, this is a well-earned break. I hope this will be refreshing and relaxing, and I will look forward to the continuation of the story–when the time is right.
Hooray! Please be good to yourselves (and avoid or ignore the crud out of people who aren’t good to you)
*Virtual Snoopy Dance* Yay
I’m happy, because I take that as an indication that you feel better. I love Skin Horse, but I’d prefer it ending abruptly to it causing you discomfort.
I wish you a good rest.
I wish I was a mad scientist so I can make a time machine. May cannot get soon enough! Huge hugs and best wishes for a restorative month.
Also, if I may humbly make the suggestion for you to take a week or so off every arc so you can get your energies back? I realized you haven’t taken any huge chunk of time off, you see, and I think that is a needed thing. Breaks, I mean.
Yay for taking a break (we all need breaks!) and yay for not ending the comic!
This prompts me to send my first-ever response to a webcomic, I can’t think of nay news that’s made be happier. Maybe Trump not being re-elected, but other than that – I have greatly enjoyed this comic, trying to catch all the references to Wizard of Oz, Narnia, Disney, Pinocchio, Cleopatra Jones and who knows what else; plus a positive cultural message. I’m amazed at how much character can be described with a few eyebrow lines. The only improvement would be if this were made into a film.
Will last week’s comics be coming back? I know they are up on GoComics and I’ve gone over there to read them. Lovelace in Saturday’s comic made me lol in the last panel.
I believe that the missing strips that were already in GoComics’s hopper will be restored here as well once the strip resumes.
Take as long as you need. You’ve been doing Skin Horse for over a decade, you deserve a break sometimes. 🙂
:exhales:
Everybody needs a break sometimes. I think I’ll take next month to go back to the beginning of the strip and re-read the whole thing.
Getting rid of the comments section is totally a thing, too.
People can start their own commentary/fan club elsewhere.
Also, to be clear,
Skin Horse Rocks
It Rocks My Socks
Like Tip The Fox
And sweetheart’s paws
Obeying laws
Cauz Canadian,
And so polite
but push her, right,
andh she’ll fight
for Unity
With impunity
And dead rights
are dead to rights
and…and
I ran out of poetry.
Tldr
Skin Horse Rocks
Applause!
I’m glad you’re considering a return to Skin Horse after the sabbatical. In case you decide between now and then that comments are better turned off, I’ll take a moment now to thank you for many years of entertainment.
You might take some time to consider re-reading Bujold’s novel “A Civil Campaign” during this break. It’s entertaining, and has some bits that may pass for wisdom. “Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself. […] Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards.”
Happy happy joy joy! Pamper yourselves (Jeff and Pancha, too), recharge your batteries, and come back when it feels right, knowing that whatever you choose to do, you are loved.
I’m glad Skin Horse is coming back. Shaenon’s comics helped me make some very dear friends of mine, and I’ve enjoyed them from Narbonic on. I think both of you are clever, talented, amazing individuals and Skin Horse is a great comic that deserves all the attention and love it can get!
Wish now I had said something sooner. I’ve been hooked on Skin Horse since “I can fly” (and then went back and read it from the beginning). I am 62 years old and have loved comics as long as I can remember–even before I could read the words. And Skin Horse is one of my all time favorites. The plots are beyond imagiative and the drawings are just plain fun to look at. (I think it was Sweetheart who first drew me in; just looking at her makes me smile.) Kudos, too, for so persistently smashing gender stereotypes. So glad you are coming back.
I’m glad you’re taking a vacation from daily updates, it’s been something like ten years since you’ve had one. Enjoy it, you deserve it.
I’m going to try to remember to comment on this more because taking for granted the things I enjoy is a bad habit, but one I think a lot of us shares sometimes.
Hooray!
you deserve a vacation
Thanks for sticking with us. Enjoy your break.
Yay! Thank you. Enjoy your break.
So, so happy to see this. ^_^ I can’t imagine anyone objecting to what might be SH’s first ever break (I’ve only been following for about eight years) – a new strip Mon-Sat plus sketches or notes on Sundays.. that’s an /amazing/ feat, and all without ever losing the glorious sense of surreal wonder that underlies Skin Horse.
Oh hey, I recognize that artstyle. [waves]
Yay! Thank you, and enjoy your break!
I wanted the story to move faster, not be canceled! I’ve been reading for years and I love the comic 90% of the time. This storyline was the first time I ever got frustrated enough to comment about it.
Just wanted to say that you should take all the hiatus you need, but Shaenon please come back afterwards. i started reading a few months after the launch of Skin Horse (had only glanced at Narbonic a few times before that), and have always thoroughly enjoyed the writing and art since then. i really don’t understand the basis for criticizing an art style that so effectively conveys the character’s emotions, personality, and the action. i look forward to seeing the story resume after the break, and for what it’s worth i’ve always felt the art perfectly complemented the story.
Indeed. It would be sad if the story being told here, with the end in sight, were to remain forever incomplete. My only concern about “all the hiatus [they] need”, not one that is remotely approached by a mere month’s break, is that I’ve seen too many webcomics go on hiatus for more than about 6 months, and either never come back, or spit out a handful of strips and then go silent again.
Also, about the art, although Shaenon’s tends to the minimalist, it’s incredibly evocative. As several readers have observed, if multiple characters appear in the same form, e.g. the Violet Bee body, you can tell who it is from the body language alone.
Well, that’s good news
Rest and recover Shaenon, you deserve it
I’m so relieved! Please take all the time that you need. I’m just glad to know that you’ll be back when you’re ready!
OH THANK GOODNESS.
I mean, yes, take some time off. Have a good break. I’m sorry things got to this point, and hopefully they’ll be better when ya’ll resume.
SOOOOOOOON <3 <3 <3 <3
Obviously, I’m glad the story’s resuming – as long as it’s the right thing for Shaenon (and Jeff!), a break is good and I issue a mighty huzzah!
Good folks above are pointing out how long the story’s been running without serious gaps and… a work ethic is something to be valued, but – good Hera! Take that break!
We’ll be here when you guys get back.
Enjoy your vacation (you absolutely deserve it), and I eagerly await the return of my favorite webcomic. We fans may not always be loud, and we’ll work on that, but remember that we will always appreciate your generosity in providing this content.
I’m glad you’re taking a sanity break. Vacations are good for the soul. Rest well, drink good drinks, nap good naps, and we will see you in May with eagerness and optimism aplenty.
Yay!!!! Enjoy your break. Can’t wait for when it picks up again. 🙂
I felt weird commenting on the last post, since it felt like I was trying to convince you to come back and do something you were fed up with. But I’m glad that you’re willing to take another shot at this, and since you are I’ll give my two cents.
Shannon, I’ve been reading your work since late in the Narbonic Period. Your stories have always been engaging and enjoyable, and you’re one of a handful of artists I will check several times a day. Honestly, it’s kind of compulsive at this point…
Please do what you need to do to be healthy and happy. Selfishly I hope that includes making stories, but if you don’t find joy in it anymore, take care of yourself first.
Well said.
Oh thank the gods, I go on a work trip, and my heart dropped out yesterday when I got home. I’ve been reading these since the third week of Narbonic, and I’m very glad to see there will be more.
I’m glad to hear you are planning on returning. You could take a break after every chapter like other artists. Loyal fans can wait.
Is my only joy!!!
Glad to see you’re going to keep the stories coming – as long as you’re willing to put them out there you will find readers wanting to read them. I got hooked on your stuff back in the Narbonic Days and always was happy reading them.
As re: Trolls dissing your artwork – ignore them. Every comic artist has a different (and often distinctive) style – I recall browsing the booths at one GenCon and finding “adult” comics, looking at the covers, saying “this looks like Phil Foglio’s stuff” only to look up and see the booth guy was indeed The Man. Few comic artists draw photographic art, in fact quite a few popular (and good) ones are far from “life-like”. XKCD for one, Order of the Stick, Servants of the Imperium (a wh40k comic) are a few stick-figure-ish ones that manage to entertain and keep audience with rather minimalist “art” at play. Can the artist invoke facial expressions, startlement, stunned disbelief, sacasm, etc., etc., etc.? That certainly displays more talent than required to pass a portrait class.
Your art has your “feel”, conveys what you need to convey, doesn’t distract from your story telling, is consistent with itself, and is damn well clear in who and/or what each character is. I pity the fool who can’t get past the need to criticize artistry that is different from a particular school to see the artistry on its own merits. Picasso and Grandma Moses are both artists of the first water – even if neither might never have been used as cover art for the Saturday Evening Post.
I’m very glad to hear both that you plan to come back, and that you’re going to take some time off. It’s well-deserved, certainly. Take it easy!
You really are a rare talent, and the world is lucky to have you. May your rest be restful.
That’s wonderful to hear! I’m glad you’re taking a break as well as glad you’re coming back after it. Please take care of yourself.
Oh please, we all know that it was just an April Fool’s day joke.
Hooray! Take good care of yourself Shaenon–I’m looking forward to Skin Horse’s return, because I like it, but getting yourself into a good place is most important of all!
Excellent! (Steeples fingers).
I suspect that those of us who would leave positive feedback don’t do it so often because we might feel like we’re repeating ourselves or are afraid of sounding lame, while those who leave shitty comments outnumber us because they have no limit of crap within them or have no shame to shape their lives — and it shows. Take care, and thank you both.
Thanks for the update. Take all the time you need.
Yay! Its not canceled!
Rest up and enjoy!
Thank you for the announcement, it was a huge relief to see. I love Skin Horse (and you two) with a big chunk of my heart.
I’m so sorry you found yourself in the dark place, Shaennon. I’ve been in similar places in my time, but not with anything like the level of pressure you experience. I’m glad you’ve mapped a way forward, and if that way involves a little time off or a lot, I’m glad you’re doing what you need.
Thank you for all your wonderful comics for these lo, so many years. And thank you for choosing to finish the story, too.
Take all the time you need! We love you!!!
Brilliant!
Walk away for a while and recharge, Shaenon. Goodness only knows that you’ve earned it. The people who love your work will be here when you get back.
Joy! My only service is.
That is wonderful news! I’m so glad to hear you feel validated, because you should! Skin Horse has fans because it is a worthwhile endeavor.
Take the time you need and I’ll look forward to the return of the awesome comics.
Hurrah! May I suggest an annual break?
What pleases me most about this announcement is the (possibly fanciful) idea that Shaenon considers resuming SH as an early birthday present to herself, as well as a present to the rest of us.
Thanks and best wishes to all the SH team.
Glad to hear you’re looking after yourself Shaenon. Hope you feel better soon.
Just to say: glad you’re taking a break for yourselves. Enjoy it.
Selfishly: you’ll be back on May 3rd – hurrah!
Adding my thanks that you’re returning and hope you feel better for the time off. Don’t hesitate to take more if you need it – the strip’s important to us, but your health is more important.
Glad to Hear of the Planned Return,
Take Care
Stay Healthy
So happy to hear this. I’ve loved this comic for a long time. Take care of yourselves! <3
This is wonderful news but please don’t feel you need to rush. I understand not being ok and I’m grateful for the many times you buoyed my spirits in the midst of the sea of awful last year. I so look forward to the continuance of the story but I’m mostly interested in the long game … stories for years to come. Take the time you need to reset, refresh, restore.
Hooray!
Will be back on May 3rd, for sure. Going forward, might it be worthwhile to consider regular (scheduled) breaks from the strip, as well?
Yay! Enjoy your rest!
Everything about last week screamed “Shaenon badly needs a mental health break” (and after 2020, we ALL do, if we’re being honest with ourselves), so I’m glad for you.
Take all the time you need, whether that be “until May 3” or whenever; that’s what the feed is for. Better you come back WANTING to come back than out of some sense of obligation.
Keep well and see you soon.
Yay! Snd if you ever need proof of how much we love you, look at how fast your book kickstarters get funded, and how far past the goals they go.
Happy resting!
Yay! Take care of yourself!
smiles!
to quote mehitabel again …
toujours gai!
toujours gai!
there’s a dance in the old dame yet!
I haven’t commented before in here for which I feel terrible when I’ve been loving this comic so much, and Narbonic before it. I just wanted to say that, and that I’m glad you’re continuing.
glad to hear you’re continuing! enjoy your long deserved vacation!
I’m very glad you’re taking care of yourself first. Now, I enjoy your work, I like this web comic, and I am eager to see what’s going to come along in the future.
I usually avoid commenting and the comments section, for whatever reason, so I never told you how much I did enjoy your work, and I regret that now.
Take care of yourself, remember that your work brightens our day, and I’ll see you in May.
I’m glad that you’ll be returning. Please remember that criticism is like death and taxes. The only way to avoid it is to do nothing
Hi! I’m glad to see that you will finish the comic! I’ve been following Skin Horse almost since it’s start. I found it right after I finished Narbonic. Please don’t let the self styled critics get to you. I seriously doubt any of them can do a daily strip. So take a break and recharge. EVERYBODY is stressed these days. P.S. I am secretly hoping that Dave and Helen will make a cameo appearance before you wrap it up.
Dave and Helen, certainly. The world NEEDS mad scientists. But for maximum violent fun, how about Mel?
Hello Shaenon. Long time fan first time poster and wanted to say…
Glad you are taking time out for you.
I love skin horse, I loved narbonic. I love the clever dialog, the heartful and expressive art, the wonderful storylines and believable characters and was sad to see you were thinking of stopping the comic but honestly I want you to be happy and would rather you be doing what makes you happy. If this was making you unhappy…. I would well… you get my rambling.
I am thrilled you are taking a break and planning on bringing it back but remember to chase your bliss. Do what makes you happy.
So glad you’re taking a break, and so glad you are coming back! I love Skin Horse, but I would still love it with the comment section turned firmly off, if it is a source of stress for you. Take care of yourself and get some rest, (as much as that’s ever possible with a little one around).
I (and a lot of other people) are greatly relieved. Take your time, we’ll be here waiting.
I am glad you are resting up and taking care of yourself.
I love Skin Horse and talk it up all the time. I am so glad that you are moving past the haters. You have loyal fans who love this story and want to see where it goes!
Late to the party but, for what it’s worth, I’ve been following your stories since Narbonic, long enough ago that I forget quite when I hopped on board. I think… Sometime during the Madblood’s base arc?
Regardless, Narbonic is a work much beloved to me, and I think we can agree that its art wasn’t one of its strengths. I know it improved over the course of the run, and your art has improved further over the course of Skin Horse’s run, but it’s sort of… Not something I really stood up and noticed? I settled pretty early into following along for the story and the characters, so I never paid much attention to the art. Perhaps I should have.
Ugh, this was meant to be a compliment to your plot and characters and it’s coming out so backhanded. I’m just gonna stop here before I dig myself any deeper.
Take care of yourselves! And thank you!
Glad to hear it; I avoid most comments pages specifically because of the negativity.
Do whatever you need to recover, we still support you.
You know, I was just thinking about that. “Never read the comments” is a Rule Of The Internet. I sometimes glance through comments here because there are a few old-school geeks who leave filks below new comics, but until this happened I still mostly avoided them and almost never left comments myself, just out of internet-in-general habit. I suspect an awful lot of people who just don’t want to deal with the level of hostility you seem to get universally on comment pages do the same. But then that becomes a bit of a reinforcing loop, right? The more hostile the comment page, the more people who aren’t there for the hostility avoid it, the more hostile it gets.
Other creators I know of (and one or two I know personally) solve this problem with moderated comments, which might be helpful in this case too. People are free to say whatever they want, but they don’t have the inalienable right to say it *here*.
I was a few weeks behind on Skin Horse when I heard about the negativie comments and your decision to end the strip in the Discord server for another comic. It was a sad day, especially since one of my favorite podcasts had just ended as well. But I was overjoyed to learn that you’re taking a health break and planning to return.
I’ve enjoyed the comment section over the years, with the filks and witty jokes and insightful analysis of the strip seeming to vastly outweigh the negative comments for most the time since I started reading (around “Dead Dogs” or “Big Bad Wolves”), but I’ve noticed an increase in negative comments over the last year or two, though I didn’t see whatever recent comments were the last straw. If you need to drop the comment section when the strip resumes, I’ll understand.
I love these characters and though I greatly admire the tight plotting of the last couple of years of Narbonic, I’m enjoying the rambling pace of the final Skin Horse arcs as well, because they give us time to spend with the characters. Thank you so much for giving us such wonderful art and humor and pathos over the last twenty-pllus years.
Honestly, I’ve been following this strip since the very beginning and have been amazed how long you have been producing this wonderful story and wonderful art without a break. Take your rest. As much as I want to see more of your work, I only want it if you enjoy making it.
To Narbonic!
See you when you’re ready!
Yaaaaay!
SF is about to subsidize select artists $1K per month- I don’t know the restrictions, but hope Shaenon can get in on it!
Take the time you need–you’ve brought so much suprise and delight, and I hope you can bring at least a few more years with this story–not just to all of us, but to yourselves!
Take care of yourself. I’ve been a fan of yours since the Narbonics days. I wish I had half your creativity and ability to create quirky, lovable characters.
Take whatever time you need to take care of yourself. I look forward to seeing the comic when it returns. 🙂
Allow me to add my voice to the chorus saying “Yaaayyyy!!!”
My work is very different than yours, but everyone knows it is good to have appreciation .
Road trip?
Road trip, woooooo!!!!!!
I am so glad to read that Skin-Horse will be returning. I hope you’ll feel free to take all the breaks you need, and finish your comics on your own terms. Bye for now!
The drawings in Skin Horse are expressive and enjoyable and skillful. It is a consistently suspenseful, enjoyable quirky, and thought-provoking comic. Like everyone here I hope you are taking care of yourself and getting the support you need! These are weird hard times for lots of people. They’ve been less hard for lots of us, though, because of this comic.
w00t! You take care of yourself, folks. Come back to it when you’re ready; we’ll all still be here.
Glad to hear you’re taking care of yourselves, and look forward to the strip resuming.
Take all the time you need! Take care of yourself and your families. We’ll leave a light on for you and the the words of Red Green,”Keep you stick on the ice!” 🙂
“Keep your stick on the ice!” … (Sorry,fat fingers.) 😀
Y’all do great work. For May, rather than posting a strip a day, you might try posting two strips every other day? As in, no strip Mondays, two strips Tuesdays, etc. Staggering content might give more room for you to breathe and even out the comment section. You put years of thought into most storylines – and I am definitely interested in seeing how the arcs play out. Thanks!
I am SO GLAD you decided to take a step back rather than make this permanent. To hell with those trolls who’ve screwed with your head; this is one of the very best strips I’ve ever read, and one of the few I’ve stuck with without becoming disenchanted or bored by it. It makes me think, laugh, occasionally cry, and grin so hard some days my face hurts. Take your time and do what you need to reach an equilibrium; I agree with warrenrose4254– a staggered content might be better for you, and if it is, go for it! In any case, we’ll be here when you both come back. Peace.
Wow, I cannot leave you people alone for a week
I’m so sorry this happened. I’ll admit I may be partially at fault. I dread the day when Skin Horse will end.
But I will defend you to the ends of the Earth.
I know this is hours off your day (I’ve tried doing it and discovered I don’t have the patience for it) every day. I know you’ve been at it since we were both in college (yes, I’m in that age group) and you’ve been one of the most consistent at it I’ve ever known.
Well, that submitted before I could finish. But yeah I’ve defended you and this strip (and your other strips) before, and I’ll do it again. If anyone says you’re making mistakes, tell them the Narboniverse is just that wacky. And that’s why we love it
For sure please take all the time you need and look after yourselves! <3 Hope to see you back happily wild and crazy and weird once more in May! 🙂
So what would be involved in us fans running a moderator service for Skin-horse comments?
The moderator would have to be someone close to Jeff and/or Shaenon. No offense to any of the fans, but I wouldn’t trust anyone else – not even myself – to moderate these comments. It’s too easy to misunderstand a comment, or simply have a difference of opinion. And we’re all a little unbalanced to begin with, otherwise we wouldn’t be here in the first place, reading about Mad scientists and sapient robots and talking dogs and zombies and humans who double as helicopters.
Fair point.
Wait, are those topics supposed to be unusual in some way?
“Unusual” is a relative term.
Yay! Best news I’ve ever had on a Monday! I love you guys, and I love Skin Horse.
I have been in a bad place lately; rereading Narbonic, Skin Horse, and Lil Mell has been uplifting.I’ve been looking at the Couscous collections with extra Narbonic/SH stories and wondering who to ask if they come in ebook form. Shaenan’s work is so soothing to the frustrated and confined mad scientist in me.
I didn’t want to comment on the last update and sound like I was pushing for something Shaenon said she didn’t want. I hope she has a healthful break and comes back–if it’s the right thing for her.
Hey, elfchick. Thank you for your interest. I’ve checked into it, and unfortunately, the Couscous anthologies were print-only and not available in ebook format, according to my source at Couscous Collective. The ones that presumably remain in print can be found here. Thank you!
Oh wow, thank you for checking! (also, drat)
Everyone is allowed to burn out, particularly in a pandemic with children to take care of. I’d say “rest and relax”, but nobody’s getting any of that. At least this takes one burden off your plate for a while!
Have a nice, more-relaxing month. Recharge. Read funny stuff and get some laughter in.
Take care of yourself first – sure you don’t need me to tell y’all, but your work is something special and there are so many people who appreciate the joy you bring into the world, and want you to get joy back!
And as always, noli illegitimati carborundum.
Thank you so much for letting us know what’s going on. I’m so glad that you can take the rest of March and April off from “Skin Horse”, and I hope it restores your energy! I continue to be grateful for the time and love you’ve put into this project, and I respect and enjoy your work very much. I’m pleased that you found a way forward with “Skin Horse”, but if it ever impacts your health again, I will also understand if you need to drop it entirely.
Thank you for your work.
Yaay, great news!! Your well being comes first though, so take care now and please feel free to take breaks whenever you need in the future. Us fans aren’t going anywhere.
Take care of yourself, Shaenon. You are a priority.
We’ll still be here when you come back. 🙂
Lots of (((( HUGS ))))
Congratulations. You have moved beyond negativity. Remember; the only real happiness in your line of work is not to look for a “place” but to realize that Love from your many admirers and fans is all the “place” that you need. Let this episode strengthen you and be used to armor yourself with love…
Skin Horse’s combination of massive scope and artistic discipline has been stunning.
The four-panel layout is tight and unforgiving, and it takes a lot of juggling to keep an ensemble story humming along. This kind of stylistic maturity takes a lot of sweat.
My wife and I still have your art on our walls, and we’ve kept it there across several moves.
We hope you have a good break!
This pandemic’s been pretty hard on a lot of folks. Y’all get the rest you need.
Glad to hear that you’ll be taking the rest that you richly deserve. We enjoy the content that you produce, but don’t want it at the cost of anyone’s mental or emotional well-being. Thanks for deciding to come back to us after a break.
Take the time you need. We’ll be here waiting eagerly when you’re ready to come back.
Please be safe, I don’t make comments on sites as a rule but have enjoyed and loved the artwork and story line from the first time I found Skin-Horse…take a rest, I will be waiting to enjoy whatever you do.
Thank you for a fun world to watch.
I look forward to the return of Skin Horse. In the meantime, time to reread the archives, starting with Narbonic.
Glad you’re getting a break, will be here and glad when you’re ready to be back!
That’s the best news I’ve heard all week. I’ve missed the comic and your particular style of art and comedic sensibility. May your sabbatical be restful and restorative. Please be assured from this that you have a /legion/ of fans who will follow you wherever you go, creatively. You’ve brought joy to so many of us. Please make sure you still have some for yourself!
I hope you enjoy, and make the most of your break, I have recently gone back and read some of the earlier chapters of skin horse. I will admit it took me a while to fully warm to the strip after Narbonic, but I have grown to love it. It has struck A/ what a mammoth task a daily strip is, especially one as long running as this! B/ How long it took before people started to comment, I have discovered that for me many of the comments add to my enjoyment and understanding of the strip. ~ Being English and quite old I do miss quite a few of the cultural references if they’re not pointed out to me.
Make the most of your break and come back a “Giant refreshed”
Looking forward to your return. You deserve your sabbatical — every creative does, once in a while!
I know you’re not coming back until May 3rd, but I’m still clicking on my “Skin Horse” link every day. 5 weeks is a long time, and I don’t want to get out of the habit.
For the record, me too. I’m even checking the bottom to see how many comments there are, and doing the math in my head to see if there are enough new ones to bother coming in here and looking at them. Obviously, today I said “yes.”
Part of me is an adoring fanboy who cares deeply about your mental health and says, “Take all the time you need.”
Part of me is an impatient addict who needs a fix and says, “A month? All the time and it’s still more than a month away? Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!”
Goodness knows what I’ll do once you finish it.
Channing: love to you too. You guys are great!
Yup, me too. Seems unlikely there’ll be filler, given the circumstances, but you never know.
Breaks are good. Webcomics are good. I like this webcomic, particularly. I anticipate more when it comes. Have fun!
(april first… maybe it was all a joke…. nope, no update.)
Yes, a sabbatical is a good thing. Rest. Enjoy the reduced pressure.
(pouts)
I am sorry that the bad space became overwhelming.
Whenever I check the comments, I’ve always seen the wonderful song lyrics, the tremendous and fancy comments discussing what’s going on, the cheerful squeeing about which adorable character is most entertaining to ship…
I love this series. I love the magic and wild and random and heaven it can be.
I just… Haven’t tried to do more than lurk and enjoy.
Your art is magic, Shaenon!
Sometimes, a break is just what you need. I love this webcomic (and I loved Narbonic and still love it). I hope you come back from your break rested and relaxed, and I will be looking forward to the ongoing adventures! Take care, stay safe, be well.
HUZZAH! Enjoy your break, and see you in May!
I’m not usually one to comment, but I wanted to throw my support your way. I’ve been reading since the early Narbonic years because I love what you do: the art, the characters, and the plots 🙂
Hope the R&R is good for you, and I’ll be excited when my RSS reader lights up again with new Skin Horse 🙂
Not for nothing, but I am going to use this as an impetus to finally start buying books and art before I lose the chance
Please enjoy your break. Haters can bug right off. I devoured both Skin Horse and then Narbonic. The storytelling is fabulous.
I’m so relieved to hear this 🙂 Not a regular commenter but, like so many in the comments above, I have been a fan and avid reader since Narbonic and Skin Horse had been a prime component of my weblog consumption for years, and I’m thrilled to hear that haters on the internet have not ruined it – for the fans, but worse, for the creator!
I really hope you both enjoy the RnR, that it helps, and that when we see you again you can come back to a SkinHorse community that feels like a place full of warmth and love and appreciation
*webcomic not weblog, apparently my autocorrect is stuck in the 90s…
Bit late on this, but I need to throw my encouragement in here, too. I have been a fan of your work since the early days of Narbonic. You two are brilliant.
It takes an active effort to visit this site. If someone comes and leaves mean/insulting comments, that says more about them than anything else.
Just want you to know that I have been reading comics since the seventies or even sixties if you count the Donald Duck comics I read as a child, and I consider Skin Horse to be the absolute best that is out there at this time, And I don’t just mean among webcomics but all comics that are produced today.
There is absolutely nothing else that can compare to the mix of daily gags, intriguing storylines and over all plot, that Skin Horse provides.
If anyone thells you otherwise they are simply wrong.
T-minus 624 hours and counting…
I’m not a normal commenter, but when I heard out Skin Horse was on break and found out why, I had to add my two cents. I love Skin Horse. Everything about it is so well done, and it’s my favorite comic. I look forward to the updates every day. Thank you for creating such a weird, wonderful story, cast, everything! Enjoy your break.
I want to throw in my support as well.
This is one of the most imaginative and fun strips around.
I am in awe of how fresh it is every day. I love visiting their world. The crazy plots and characters continually surprise.
I am constantly in awe of the art. It communicates, it’s beautiful, and it frames my view into the world in exactly the right way.
Thanks for your work on this.
Good Monday, everyone (unless you’re a cat named Garfield, in which case, there is no such thing as a “good Monday”).
May your week be productive and free of incident.
Thank you, awgiedawgie. To you as well.
Not a cat, but I have all my zoom meetings on Mondays, so no such thing as a good Monday for me
…although the meetings did go well so… I guess it was a good Monday?
Just dropping in to wish Shaenon and Jeff the best. It’s probably a very quiet month for them.
WAITING FOR MR. GREEN
Reasonable isn’t.
Who said that?
A young woman with a death-ray, arguing with a gerbil. She said the cost of forcing a reasonable standard far outweighs the cleanup fees that unreasonable entails.
What was the gerbil’s argument?
That it wasn’t a good enough reason to use the death ray. She asked for less pre-rationalization and he said a cogent response would require five years, a decent infrastructure budget and a pack of hyper intelligent llamas.
Llamas?
Yeah.
Not alpacas?
That’s what I said.
I’ve been using this time to re-read all of Skin Horse… I kinda realized that the last time I re-read everything was ten years ago and there was a while lot less everything to re-read then. There are so many great moments and storylines. The ending of “Come Swing From My Branches”, and all of “Choose” are favorites of mine. Also EVERYTHING with Nick and Virginia.
You are my webcomic hero! Take whatever time you need!
And another Good Monday to all. There’s a spot of snow in the forecast for tonight (yes, you read that correctly), but aside from that, it’s looking to be a great week.
Shaenon we all love your work so we’re happy you’re taking a break! I’d be so incredibly sad to lose an amazing artist/cartoonist such as yourself! I’ll wait patiently/impatiently for May 3rd and use this time to reread Narbonic/Skin-Horse/Lil Mel.
Love your guys’ work and can’t wait to see SH has in store as we get near the conclusion and then (hopefully) what’s next for the Narboniverse!
Hey I just realized May 3rd that is so cool! I turn 62 that day. What a wonderful birthday gift! To everyone, be safe and Shaenon I hope your break has been good.
Curiously enough, May 3rd is also the day before Shaenon’s birthday. She will not be turning 62.
Nice to know there are older people than me hanging ’round here. Though not that much older.
I remember 62.
It’s not my decision to make, but you’ve put posts up EVERY SINGLE DAY for decades now. I’d encourage you to work 5 days a week, and if there’s some “Sunday” style content you want to post on the occasional Friday instead of an update that’s fine with me. Take care of yourselves!!!
Also, scheduling guest artists in advance may be a way to provide both your audience with new content and y’all with a slower work day.
Yes this, absolutely seconded
As I’ve shared with some other creative types, this Australian YouTube artist named struthless has some great advice for productive people who are feeling overwhelmed. Good luck and stay safe 🙂
struthless: “How to Silence the Negative Voices in Your Head: An Illustrated Guide” https://youtu.be/yfUszzU_Tjc “ADVICE FOR CREATIVES: 7 Life Lessons I’ve Learned from 2019 so far” https://youtu.be/H8ih1_EkVOo
As I’ve shared with some other creative types, this Australian YouTube artist has some great advice for productive people who are feeling overwhelmed.
Feel free to head by the YT channel of struthless and check out, in particular, “How to Silence the Negative Voices in Your Head: An Illustrated Guide” and “ADVICE FOR CREATIVES: 7 Life Lessons I’ve Learned from 2019 so far”
Good luck to y’all and stay safe 🙂
Well here we are at Skinhorse Central. Kinda quiet in these halls this weekend. There was a window, though, and i let myself in with a rock. Just wanted to see if any sketches had appeared or if any office equipment would fit into the trunk of my car. But i can hear something in the basement moving around… slithering, really, and that photocopy machine is kind of out-of-date these days. Yeah, i gotta go. Things to do, people to hurt. Back later.
Awesome!
Good Monday, again.
Well, we’re one week closer to finding out what happens to little Timmy in the well. Oh, wait, we already know Lassie goes and gets help.
But, we are one week closer to finding out what happens to Nick and Virginia and the whole gang.
Have a great week, y’all.
Problem: Helen has turned Lassie into a cat…
I don’t see that as a problem. Timmy is safe at home, and cats are much quieter.
Unless, of course, Helen turned Lassie into a cat that barks.
If Lassie were a cat, Timmy would *still* be down the well!
But we already know that Lassie went and got help. So Helen had to have changed her into a cat after that.
I dunno. A barking cat would certainly get my attention!
Besides, knowing Lassie, the hairballs would probably be pictograms of Timmy and the well! 😉
Well, yeah, a barking cat would get your attention. Problem is that a cat would lose interest somewhere between the well and actually getting help.
It depends, did the cat ever smoke?
I started reading this comic from the beginning a few months ago, and have just caught up.
I’m sorry to hear you got trolled, but happy you decided to continue in spite of them. Your fans far outweigh your trolls.
(Also happy that I caught up just a few days before the end of your break!)
Just wanted to stop by and wish you the best. We’re all rooting for you. You’re a wonderful person. Don’t let anyone ever say you aren’t talented.
Seconded!
Shaenon, I hope your spirits are lifted, you got some enjoyable rest, and you know all us fans are sending you virtual hugs!
But for all our “Squee!”s of delight at your imminent return, please do so only if it brings you joy again…
Respectfully Yours,
Dave Huber
OMG! Almost there! Soon we’ll see new Skin Horse comics again! Yippee!!!
Frenziedly nibbling my tie clip in anticipation…
Who has two thumbs and a “Skin Horse returns!” alarm set for tomorrow morning?
I’ve been connecting the dots waiting for the moment.
I hope that they’ve been having an enjoyable vacation.
IT’S ALMOST TIME!