GRS112

In which we learn what is actually up with these door things.

Alright guys, let’s sit in a circle and light a fire because Ajah needs to discuss something with you. I’m going to take another hiatus. Now, before you all gasp uncontrollably and jump off cliffs and writing hate letters to e-mail me later, I’m going to give you my reasons and you can like them or not.

I’m not happy with my comic. I’m kind of burnt out but I don’t want to give it up. As a result of being burnt out, and dealing with real life issues like depression and pressure at work, and I just need a break.. There are some other things I want to get off the ground. I want to open an online shop so I can sell my comics. I want to spend some time developing future chapters of GRS and finding some kind of workable timetable where I can update and be more productive. There is another project (it’s either a graphic novel or a novel-novel, I still haven’t decided) I want to start devoting some time to.

BUT I AM NOT GIVING UP GRS!

GRS has been around for a while. A LONG time. I had originally made it as an RPG idea that I couldn’t get anyone to play, so I made it into a comic. People liked it so much I kept it around. I’ve lost tons of followers and gained new ones, and I have self published the comic to take to conventions where I met new fans! I appreciate all of the support and kind comments I have received, and I always feel bad when I miss an update or can’t update for an extended amount of time. I care so much about what people think of the comic that I literally stress out if I can’t make a comic page or update on time, because even though I make this stuff for myself, the other part of that happiness is knowing that others enjoy it too.

But all of the stuff that is going on in my personal life caught up with me yesterday. Like, I ended up in the E.R. last night because of it (no I didn’t try to kill myself or anything stupid like that, it’s just that my anxiety attacks got so bad ). My day job is so stressful, we are coming up on inventory right after the Christmas and New years rush. I want to start looking for another job that isn’t so stressful, and so that I can do more with my art and have time to devote to it. It’s just such a friggen process, and I don’t want to end up in the E.R. again because I am trying to handle too many things at once.

So, after this week, GRS will officially be on hiatus so that I can write more scripts, put Volume #1 together, and work on some other projects as well as get my life sorted out. I go back to England in February but my next con isn’t until June or July. So, I’m going to aim to have the comic back up and running sometime in the spring and early summer.

You CAN still keep in touch with my work, if you wish.

There is my DeviantArt
My art tumblr
The GRS Facebook (to watch like a hawk until I update again)
My public twitter which I intend to put into good use this year
And the forum which is dead right now but hey, join, liven it up, talk to us. We don’t bite! (link at the top)

My D.A. and my art tumblr are the best ways to keep in touch though. So follow, send me DM’s or Asks if you have any questions or concerns, or leave a comment in the chatbox. I check that daily :)

Thank you for all your continued support. I’m sorry if I have lost any fans by doing this but, when my actual health is involved I have to take a step back and make some decisions. I hope you all will understand and continue to support GRS in the future.

Thank you!
Ajahli

Update Day Change

Hey guys! Just letting you all know I am changing my update day to Sunday. This is because I have Sundays off and it’s really hard to coordinate during the week especially when my work schedule requires me to work a majority of the day and a majority of the week. So, in order to update on time and to give myself enough time to work on pages, updates will moved from Tuesday to Sunday. Not that I was really strict on my Tuesdays anyway, but the first part of the week is usually guaranteed that I am going to be at work most of the time.

Thanks for reading! See you all on Sunday!

This week’s update

alrriiiiight let’s try news updatey posts!!

UHH. Update this week will be on Friday. I had initially wanted it to be today but I got caught up in enjoying the holidays with the family so I didn’t get the page finished in time.  Ah well. Updates will come no matter what! Just… not always on the same day OTL

It’s getting a bit harder for me to produce pages, and I don’t mean in a sense of time management or whatever, although that is kind of part of it. I usually take a hiatus at Christmas time because work gets so busy, so that I can build up a buffer, but I was already on hiatus for so long I tried to keep it going. Guess I’m not doing so great at it.  Either way, it’s just kind of taxing, I guess just because I don’t have the energy. I’m hoping now that the new year is upon us, work will slow down a bit, I will be less tired and stressed, and I will feel like putting a lot of work into things.

Also the one who voted “DONT CARE” on my poll, shame shame!! Although, I can’t blame you seeming as how it is taking me forever to actually get to it. HEH. But when I do, it will be GLORIOUS~ Or lame. IDK!

Anyway, see you guys Friday.

Free Comic Book Day and some updates~

Hi everyone!  Well, since a page didn’t go up this week I figured a news post was in order. I should probably get better at doing that but I’m never sure who sees what. I guess I will implement a new “harass everyone to read my blog” policy? Who knows…

I got back from Free Comic Book Day not too long ago. I sat with my fellow MSCA buddies and we promoted the group and our stuff.  I have to say I really do appreciate having a support system, artists who want to promote themselves as well as each other, and make it somehow in this big scary world of comics! (Okay maybe not so scary).  Thanks to anyone who came out to the Comic Cellar to talk to us and meet us, thanks to anyone who dropped by to say hi and who might be reading GRS after they picked up a postcard from my end of the table.  If you like to draw comics and you live in the area (or visit often), we meet on the first Thursday of every month (the 31st of May this month too actually)  and our awesome President, Chris Jowers, has a lot of big plans for the group for this year!  We have a broad range of comic people, from creators, to writers, to those who just love comics, and anyone is welcome to come out and talk to us!

Now for news~

I am working hard to have Issue #4 and Volume #1 for Anime Blues Con this June. (I am also doing a couple panels! Y-yay!).  I apologize for pushing back the release date so much but eh. That’s really a personal story not for the internet. However!  I am working on making my books available to readers who may not be local.  I have a few things to figure out in terms of shipping costs and etc. and the easiest way to make it possible for people to buy them, but I am working on it!  I am also going to set up a little donation button on the sidebar here pretty soon, so if you like the comic and want to support it in other ways, you can always drop in some spare change. I’ll have some kind of reward available (a high res wallpaper perhaps??) and anything I collect from the tip jar will go towards funding the website or printing. (anything that needs doing, basically). I may do a commission drive later this summer, because I need a new computer, but stay tuned for that.  I need to make sure I have the time.

Lastly, I have a forum!  We have a few cool active members and we would like more to talk to! So if you want to talk about the comic, or anime, or post your art, or whatever, please drop by and see us!

That’s all for now folks!  The new page will be up next week~

This week’s update!

I’m back from MTAC! Oh man it was so much fun!

This week’s update will be on its 2nd update day: Thursday!  So stay tuned and come on back!

See you soon!

Oh it’s 2012!

I was actually on my way to write a blog post when I noticed people are raging excited for GRS to get going again xD  So okay, you ninnies here’s the low down!

Next week I will be posting the contest winners. The week after that I will (hopefully) start updating again.   At the start of February I will send Volume #1 into its printing process. And send the awards to the winners!

*checks list* yeah I think that is everything.

As to the reason why getting started again has lagged behind… I forgot about inventory at work.  Which means, we spend a week counting everything in the dang store, then spend the following Sunday counting the rest when the store is devoid of customers.  That is next week (oh god help me).  There has also been some RL drama whiiiich I am not inclined to talk about the internet. But I promise you I have been gearing up for this. I have stories, I have new characters, I have cameos and contest winners… AND CONVENTIONS.  Well.. one convention but I’m hoping for a second!!

I should also mention that in case it isn’t obvious, I have problems keeping multiple places updated BUT! If you would like to keep even MORE in touch, there is the GRS DeviantArt club where I have been posting micro blogs and pestering people, and there is also my public twitter and facebook (oh and a GRS one)where I wander around and act stupid update when I have things on the roll. And also where I spend most of my time because, hey, outside of work I have little to no social life. YAY.

Also I should mention if anyone wants to contribute fan art to the first Volume, you have until the beginning of February to send them in!  If not, there is always Volume #2!

OKAY. That’s all for now. Just hang in tight there, folks! And keep those torches and pitchforks held high! I’m gunna need the motivation!!! <3

~Ajah

P.S. How did I not hear about this mob meeting?? I bet you guys ordered out too. JERKS.

ISSUE #3!!!

HEY GUYS ISSUE #3 IS OUT!!

OOH~ AHH~ AMAZING!!

SO LIKE… you guys should totally get one! Especially if you see me at cons, because then you get to see me in person and watch my eyes tear up with gratitude. It’s totally embarassing.

I should also mention that this Issue features guest art by my very good friend Hoska~

SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTEEEEED~

Issue #3 is $6

if you would like one, please contact me: modernreaper@gmail.com I accept payments through paypal! And I will send you a nice crisp signed copy!

Also note that the colors may be a bit different from the images. I had a local printer do them up for me and my camera is horrendous so the color on the cover may be a bit darker than the digital image.

STILL. IT’S PRETTY FREAKIN COOL.

I also have plenty of Issues #1 and #2 so … if anyone would like some… *taunt taunt*

Grim Reaper School 5th Anniversary Event!

Hi GRS readers!!  This fall marks Grim Reaper School’s 5th Anniversary of existence!  So you know what that means? An event to win free books!  I am currently in the process of assembling Volume #1 (aiming for a release of late October). So what better way to celebrate it than an art contest??

HTTP://GRIMREAPERSCHOOLCLUB.DEVIANTART.COM

Also, in other news, you can now ask the GRS characters anything at any time! I gave them a formspring, which is probably a bad idea, but maybe you can make it worth their while?

Thirdly, I am in the process of getting a new printer.  There have been some issues regarding my bank account so I’m really in a rush to get my Issue #3 books printed.  So if you are here in the Memphis area, I will be at MCFC next week selling books and hopefully Issue #3! Come on over and see me! And if you dress up as a GRS character at any con I’m visiting, you get a big hug…and a book! (provided there are any left LOL)

Lastly, after Chapter 5 stops posting on the site, I will be taking a break from GRS. I know this means a lot in terms of webcomics but work will be getting very busy soon for seasonal time and I won’t be able to draw or write or post or do much of anything. So I will be taking a month long break. Plus the contest prizes include cameos, so I can’t very well have the next chapters without those, now can I? xD

That’s all! Hope to see you guys in the contest! Thanks for reading!

Let’s try this again…

Blog keep attempt: #2!! IDK, I feel weird keeping more than one blog in one place… because then I feel like I am subconsciously annoying the internet.

Anyway, this space will become more useful later on. This is mostly just a placeholder. DERP!

As always, things may be crossposted on my main site and whatever, but hopefully I will use this to keep everyone updated on GRS happenings, cons, books, contests…and anything else really.

So yeah. See you guys on le~ Tuesday