Chapter 5, Page 18

Hi guys,

So what happened last week was, I had to go to the urgent care on Thurs afternoon and unfortunately to the ER on Sat for an unexpected and painful medical issue. It is mostly cleared up now, but I’ve had a terrifying few days and was physically unable to work, so please forgive my schedule this week :'[ I am feeling very low right now as I tried very hard to build up a work buffer before this week specifically, and now it’s all gone down the drain. Kinda sad and exhausted, just started eating again after a solid 3 days of being unable to, and have been playing catch-up all day while trying to ignore residual pains, so mentally I’m around the beginning Chapter 2 of this comic lol. very yikes

In other news, ECCC is upon us again, which will be VERY interesting given that I am still having some problems walking haha. Regardless, will be in Artists’ Alley at table P-13 from Thurs to Sunday with books and comics and sundry, and if you ask nicely, even a preview of the upcoming MI book cover(s) that are Kickstarting next month. I’ll also be on an anthology-making panel on Thursday~

I desperately needed the last few days to get my updates in order, but I lost them, and I will do my best, but ECCC is one of the largest events I attend in a year (plus I need to chip away at this eXtreme American medical bill I racked up haHA). It’s like one of those bad cards you draw in Monopoly, it happens, just gotta deal. Anyways thanks so much for understanding, and sorry for the bummer update, but I am very much looking forward to saying hello to some of you for the first (or second or third!) time at the convention. Update-wise I’ll be doing my very best with what I have, will be working on the plane and as much as I can pre- and post-convention. Will absolutely be updating as soon as I possibly can~

Love you all,

Der

 

PS Thank you to those of you who donated a bit to help :’] I didn’t mean to pressure anyone or imply I need donations; I keep an emergency fund for stuff like this so I will be okay. If you’d really like to support the comic you can just share the comic with interested reader friends, or consider backing the book Kickstarter campaign in a few weeks if that’s your thing. Thank you!

56 Comments

  • Glavos

    Glad to hear you’re feeling better, Der! Your health comes first, Take care and have fun at ECCC!

  • AGV

    Take care of yourself, ok?

    I know that work is necessary despite health issues, but stay healthy, alright?

    Luv u and the best of lucks, Der! ❤

  • tatch

    Take care of yourself, I’m sure we can all survive ^^
    Your health comes first o/

    Mike just realizing he left all his stuff behind like ‘…. fuck.’

    • Ben

      As I recall it, Mike’s helmet visor was/is broken?

      Also, he has a broken femur held together by an alien symbiote, a massive tear in the leg of his suit, and assorted other symbiotes growing on his head…

      Hard to know where to start, really. Bex is a hoopy frood, who really knows where her towel is; Mike can’t even count to 42..

      • Eman

        It’s all well and good that Bex is hoopy, a frood, and is aware of the location of her towel… but it’s kind of a shame that she doesn’t know where her sub-etha signaling device, a sort of electronic thumb, if you will, is. She could use that to hitch a lift from a passing ship of some kind, and escape her present circumstances.

    • evileeyore

      “Mike just realizing he left all his stuff behind like ‘…. fuck.’”

      I don’t think that’s his reaction. Seems to me to be more like “Okay… ignore me why don’t you.”

      Bex is being a little bit* of a bitch.

      * Deliberate understatement.

      • Spark

        I get the feeling she heard the “We do not need Bex after all” comment. And even if she hadn’t, I’d be a little annoyed too if the one other human there with her (and who got her in this situation in the first place) rejected her for a martian.

        • JJ

          This. As I read it, panel 1 shows that she easily was within earshot when Kalla said that.

  • Reign of Crows

    It’s understandable to feel frustrated, after all the hard work you did. But that’s life, and I don’t think any of us (fans of yours and this comic) would fault you (or your intenstines) for being delayed.

    Rest up and feel better soon!

    • shingworks

      Personally I fault my intestines, I was betrayed

  • Catalysis

    Takr care of youself, Gotham needs you С:

    Also, dear Shing, is there any chance to see Kallakore pre-MI backstory in near future? Like who she was, her role in martian society?

    • shingworks

      That would be a fun comic! I owe a lot of comics right now for previous Kickstarters that I have to finish up before I get to new side-stuff, but I’m thinking I might update this site periodically with small things after the book is complete, and that sounds like an interesting topic :]

  • Luces

    Thanks for being so honest with us, but really, it doesn’t help anyone if your body is going down again. So take your time and don’t exhaust yourself completely.
    I wish you a really good time at the con!

  • Dawnilith

    i’ve never commented on your comic before but after reading what happened i just wanna say i hope you feel better!!! BLEASE try and rest as much as you can your health is more important!!

  • NielsR

    Hey, at least you had a buffer, even if you didn’t get to spend it the way you wanted. Money is brutal, but your fans will live through a few missed updates.

    Please, look after yourself, and best of luck for ECCC.

    • shingworks

      Yeah, or as my bf helpfully put it, “you can always make more money.” Convinced me to go to the drs instead of suffering another few days XD Logic

  • Android 21 3/7

    *Hangs out over your shoulder with cat and worries about you. Oppressively*

  • Jonas

    Shing, take better care of yourself. We can wait for the comic. All the best.

  • Dennis C.

    Shoot. Stay well o/

  • ObservantWolf

    Ouch, no worries about the schedule, much prefer you to be alive and healthy! We’ll be here no matter what, so do what’s necessary for your health and don’t worry about us! Rather miss updates than miss you!
    That said, thank you for informing us and hope you have a great and successful time at ECCC!

    • ObservantWolf

      As for the page, I see Bex and Mike are getting along swimmingly! Hopefully humorous sarcasm aside, having the whole gang together could have gone worse, nobody is trying to kill anybody else! (again) Poor Mike, left behind like he left his helmet behind. Wonder if the processor has processed his equipment for insight into human tech yet?

  • Zelly

    Take a breath. Take care of yourself.

  • Karyl

    So did Bex just start digging and trying to get out? or am I missing something there..entirely possible.
    Der, like all of your readers I hope only for your best health and will be more than happy to await your healthy return!

    • shingworks

      Yeah, these pages are a lot smoother in sequence. Right now they’re being closely monitored by the Processor via those little birdies so Thrip suggested a tunnel located ahead of them (a few pages back), which they are walking towards, and Bex on this page asked for clarification on where the entrance was so they can get in there.

  • ACrazyPerson

    Der,

    I’ve been following this comic since I started college, and it’s been the only stable thing in my life since I started. I’ve checked and refreshed this webpage every single day for the past three years now. Please, take care of your health first, and in the meantime, I’ll still be here, patiently waiting. I hope you get better soon, and thank you for creating such a beautiful world for me to explore in.

    • David

      I can agree with you about reading webcomics to keep one’s sanity. I would suggest that you read multiple comics, so that if one goes on break, you’ve got some backup.

      Der Shing’s are some of my favorite- if you haven’t tried The Meek yet, it’s worth a go, although it’s currently on hiatus until Mare Internum is done.

  • Jon

    Your health is the thing. We’ll be here for updates when the time comes.

  • nova12hunter

    Hey as far as pushing yourself to get pages done “on time”, I think we longtime readers would rather see you take care of yourself than stay on schedule. I certainly understand the importance of sticking to self-mandated goals, but sometimes there are good reasons to miss them. I hope you get well soon and don’t let the convention wreck your health!

  • Paula

    Take care of yourself Der-Shing! Hope everything goes well at ECCC :)

  • Solanuma

    What was it again, “we don’t need Bex” huh?

    (Get well soon! Take your time!)

  • Lilian

    I’m glad it was a temporary problem, Shing. I’m sorry it was so painful and scary! As for the updates, I don’t need them to be on time.

    Bex is thinking about some things right now, Mike. I also seem to recall a certain blond and muscular someone being not only standoffish to the folks around him, but hostile.

    They’re all just fumbling through this thing called existence, aren’t they? Here’s hoping for eventual healing and teamwork from this motley crew.

  • Pylgrim

    Dang, that sucks Der-Shing. I can only speak for myself, but as a patron, I believe that a visit to the ER followed by a painful recovery is a perfectly justified reason to do a mini-hiatus, instead of having to spend your buffer and then make more comics while also juggling several other things.

  • Some guy

    So sorry you had to deal with that Miss.
    Missed updates are by definition nothing.
    A surviving lady and her finished works are temporary but nothing to apologize for

  • Diana

    You just take time to heal. That’s the priority right now. Healing.

    I say that as someone who is currently in enforced healing mode her ownself. :D

  • I’m just glad you don’t have mushrooms growing out your eyes or flappy thigh friends. Stay well, and don’t accept assistance from aliens of dubious motives if you can help it.

    • Shweta

      +1!

      also this made me feel better about my own health. I’m going to say it to myself from now on! No mushrooms growing out of eyes? Doin pretty well!

  • Reo

    Oh gosh, hope you will be ok! Take care of yourself!

  • Natalie

    That sounds awful :C. So sorry that it happened to you and you had to pay for it! Just absolutely fuck the American healthcare system soooo much >:(.

    I’m sure you don’t need strangers lecturing you on how to spend your time, but I trust you to ignore me if this is irrelevant, so here I go… Take care of yourself! After you’re back from ECCC and you’re all tired maybe you could make a little bit of time to do something fun and relaxing that you really like to do. You deserve it! If we are a page behind because of it, I’m pretty sure that’s fine by us :). Okay, sorry about that, end unsolicited advice.

    Enjoy ECCC, hope you make lots of money and have loadsa fun!

    —-

    Comic-wise, I really want Bex and Mike to talk. Come on, you guys!

  • LeLutin

    Still following your webcomic! lots of love and best wishes for full recovery and great health to come to you!

    I love your work

  • SSR

    The color here makes me think of “The Dig” game

    https://www.google.it/search?q=the+dig+game&&tbm=isch

    • David

      I have that game and never got around to playing it. Is it worthwhile?

      • Vert

        Yes, it absolutely is. Pay particular attention to how the music changes from screen to screen but never stops completely.

        Also to the awesome environments.

  • David

    Glad to hear you are feeling better. All things considered, I’d say you did really well with updates. Nobody can predict an intestinal ailment, so you shouldn’t beat yourself up about it.

  • Silpher

    Hi Der Shing! I usually just lurk but wanted to wish you an uneventful recovery, medical issues can be the worst!

    • shingworks

      I love when people unlurk, haha… thank you XD

  • Shweta

    Oh no, Bex heard Kalla say that didn’t she…

    I wanna give her a hug :(

  • get some rest after this holy shit 8|

  • Katie E

    Awwwwwkwaaaard….

  • Reo

    If anyone here makes intricate stitched bead jewellery, you can buy a digital pattern to make a very Thighfriend- looking necklace from- https://store.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/product/digital-download/bbpdf120850
    I saw it in my email and shrieked with delight.

  • David

    How you feeling, Der-shing?

  • brokenidealist

    Of course painful, scary health problems hit right before major events — why only be painful and scary when you can also be damn inconvenient? Seriously though, Der-shing, I hope you have been progressively feeling better and that ECCC went well. I’ve been wanting to go to ECCC for years, but this was not the year, either. On the plus side, that gives me time to work on this idea I have for a thrip hat….

  • Danielle

    As an aspiring comic artist with health issues I’ve been reading and looking up to your work for years – started Meek a while ago, and love Mare Internum too.

    Take as good care of yourself as you can – you have the right to rest, you’re important! Sending up a prayer tonight and cheering for you from the other end of the computer screen!

  • Kim

    Don’t apologize for having to take days off to take care of yourself. Your health is most important. I’m glad you’re on the mend and hopefully feeling much better by now. Don’t worry – we will all be here when you’re ready to get back it :)

    Poor Bex :( But her determination to just get on with it is awesome though seems to be a huge defence mechanism. We were all excited to see them back together but there’s already this huge rift between them… wonder where it will go from here.

  • Tassit

    I just noticed Mike is barefoot.

  • Sheridan

    Well, that was awkward.

    I don’t know about the rest of you, but it’ll be a great day when the US finally becomes a civilised nation and adopts a proper socialised healthcare system for everyone.

  • No One

    Poor Kalla is worried Bex will take away her new friends and leave her all alone again.

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