Break Update: Important Announcements and Questions (11/24/22)
on November 24, 2022
at 1:29 pm
Hi everyone, just checking in because I’m incredibly eager to start posting this next chapter. Just a reminder that page 41 will come out Next Week on Thursday (December 1st). I realize that’s not the day I usually post on, but I just wanted it to be exactly at the start of the month.
A few other things:
-Quick reminder that Nine Gates turned a year old last month on October 29th, so happy late birthday Nine Gates. I would’ve liked to have gotten more done but I’ve just been easing myself into this whole comic thing. If you don’t know, Nine Gates originally ran on a biweekly schedule, before I switched to weekly. Between my developing ability to pace a weekly release webcomic properly, and growing accustomed to actually getting a page a week done, I think Nine Gates should progress at a steady and enjoyable clip from now on. There’s definitely things I’m looking forward to getting to in the story, but I need to learn to enjoy the things I’m getting to work on now. rather than pining on things I want to do later.
-Something I’ve been thinking on for a while is the topic of two page spreads, and how I should consider them as far as page releases go. What I’ve decided on is that it is two pages, so I should treat it as such. Any time there’s a two page spread I’ll consider it the page release for that week and the week after. This is most certainly not relevant to page 44 and 45 at all.
-I’ve already talked about how I want to build a healthy community and fandom around Nine Gates. What I want to know is what you want out of a community, and what you would like me to do concerning that.
If you’ve stuck with Nine Gates and you’ve made it your weekly or monthly routine to check out the next set of pages, thanks for sticking around, I appreciate the comments on every other page. I originally started Nine Gates pretty much entirely for myself, but having people who enjoy it is a good motivation to continue improving my art and writing to make it the best it can be. I hope the following continues to grow, and honestly as Chapter 3 comes out it would be pretty badass if you could boost Nine Gates as much as you can. I can only promote it so hard, and the cost of ads kinda builds up after a while. So, tell your friends, shove it in people’s faces on reddit or discord or something, reblog tumblr posts about it, etc.
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Soma Journal #7
on November 11, 2022
at 10:30 am
Happy Friday, just a reminder that Nine Gates will return on December 1st.
I’m feeling very refreshed and ready to work on the comic again, I feel like my art has powered up some in the two weeks I’ve spent on break. I haven’t just been doing nothing, I assure you! I’ve taken the time to learn some new things to make my job a bit easier and to make the comic nicer to look at. I don’t have too much to say, just a quick update so you know that I’m still alive. It seems like it’d be kinda rude to go on radio silence my entire break.
COOL GATE FACTS
The Sacred City of Seat-of-the-Helm has over 27 layers of buildings and complexes, counting both ones visible from the outside and the ones hidden within. Approximately 13 of those layers are abandoned, and 4 are populated by a skeleton crew of workers tasked with maintaining the foundations of the city. This is considered a great responsibility; the laborers chosen for this task, alongside their family, live comfortable lives, and are placed in a private tomb after their death as thanks for their service.
Soma Journal #6
on October 28, 2022
at 10:30 am
Hi again, it’s been a bit. I’ve decided that I simply don’t have enough going on to be able to write a journal every week at the moment, so the journal will more or less be a “When I feel like it” thing.
But anyways, here we are: Page 40 and the end of Chapter 2. Like Chapter 1, I learned a lot and feel like I’ve improved a ton– particularly with detail economy and color choice, as well as how I frame my panels. The panel work overall isn’t as dynamic as I’d like, but that can’t be helped with how relaxed this chapter was. Thank you for sticking with Nine Gates so far, and I hope you enjoy the story and artwork as it progresses. I’m very excited and kind of scared to do the next chapter!
I will begin releasing Chapter 3 on December 1st. I know that’s a while away but don’t groan, it’s so in the future you’ll get higher quality pages without a delay, and so the break between chapter 3 and 4 will (hopefully) only be two weeks long instead of a whole month. Thanks for being patient, now onto…
COOL GATE FACTS
Hadia keeps a small collection of books with her for travel. Books from the Penitent House are mostly utilitarian in nature, serving either to chronicle Sepulchrum’s history, or to record innovations in bonecraft for future generations.
The most prolific author in the house’s history was Father Madis Grafseptus, a corpse priest who lived to be 116 years old. His dying wish was for a copy of his treatise on long-term skeletal conditioning, “The Osseoderigus,” to be bound in leather made from his skin. This particular copy of the book is currently in Hadia’s possession, and she treats it with great care.
Soma Journal #5
on October 7, 2022
at 10:30 am
Happy Friday everyone. Two weeks ago I entirely forgot about writing the journal because I was so busy, but I did warn you that the upload of these might be inconsistent.
A few weeks ago I started HRT, my appointment was during the week and it took something like 6 hours because of where I went to get my prescription. That, and admittedly being a bit tired from working as well as doing Nine Gates, is why uploads have been a bit rocky lately. Funnily enough, I thought I was behind again this week, but in actuality I’m kinda ahead for once.
Once Page 40 is released, there wont be more pages for another 4 weeks. This gives me plenty of time to recuperate as well as put together a bit of a backlog– and if this ends up working out I’ll probably do this after each chapter is finished.
COOL GATE FACTS:
The colossal corpse that Jeane collapsed in towards the end of Chapter 1 contains a thriving ecosystem of plants and animals, similar to real life whale falls but on a much larger scale. People from nearby settlements in the Ash Dunes also use it as hunting grounds, or to scavenge its armor for materials.
Possible Delay for Sept. 30th Page Release
on September 22, 2022
at 9:33 am
Due to personal business I’ve been kind of busy this week, so I’m a bit behind. Next week’s page release will probably be pushed back to October 7th, thank you for your patience.