Hi guys.

First of all, I'd like to apologize for this update being so late. Like I said in the chat-box yesterday, my hard drive decided to crash on me last Friday, and I've been spending most of my time since then trying to recover as much data as possible.

The good news is that I backed up most of my files only two weeks ago, so the data loss hasn't been as dramatic as it might have been. But I did lose two weeks worth of work on my dissertation, a bunch of things I was working on for my job, and also the Photoshop files for pages 359 and 360 of Stuff of Legend. I still have a jpeg of 359, but 360 is gone, unfortunately.

All things considered, I've been quite lucky, really. The hard drive crash came as a complete surprise, since there were no earlier malfunctions to indicate there was a problem on the horizon. It just sort of happened. 'Thankfully' my graphics card is also on the verge of packing up on me. It's been rattling fiercely for weeks now, which is why I decided to be more punctual about making back-ups in the first place. Otherwise I might even have lost my entire dissertation, which I've been working on for the better part of four years now.

And of course everything else.

That would have been unfortunate ...

So thanks, shoddy graphics card! I owe you one. (I'm not even being sarcastic here.)

All of this also has some consequences for the updates on this site, as you can imagine. I'm currently using my brother's laptop, so I can still do some work, but unfortunately it isn't very powerful and it doesn't have Photoshop. So I won't be able to work on digital art until the new parts to fix my PC arrive. Incidentally, I'm thinking of maybe contacting a data recovery service to get my lost dissertation (and SoL) files back. Even though I've 'only' lost two weeks of work, it's still something I might consider recovering if the price is right. If anyone has any experience with using such services, feel free to let me know. I could always use some advice.

How long all of this is going to take, I don't know at this point. However, even after I get my system back up and running, I think it is still time to take a break. Like I mentioned in previous posts, things have been very hectic lately. My job and the final stages of my dissertation have been very demanding, especially over the course of the last few months. How I've been able to keep updating a web comic through all that, I don't really know. Quite frankly, it was starting to become overwhelming. I started SoL over six years ago as a hobby, and as a means to practice working with a medium that I absolutely loved, comics. However, lately it had become a chore. And honestly, when something you used to love has somehow stopped being fun, it is probably safe to say you're doing something wrong.

Which is why effective immediately, SoL is on hiatus. I'm not sure when it will be back; it might not happen until my dissertation is finally finished (some time in 2013). I just need some time to get myself back on track, if that makes any sense. The maintenance on this site is horribly overdue, I've been terrible at keeping an eye on my in-boxes, and I don't know if it was showing but I've been coping with an art block for months now. I don't like leaving things like this, especially after we've been going strong for over six years.

I'd like to tell you all that you, SoL's readers, are the reason why I've been able to keep this web comic going for so long. Thank you for sticking with me for all this time!

Today's update is not one, not two, but three pages - the entirety of what's left of my buffer. It's not much, but I hope this somehow makes up for the fact that I'm leaving you guys in the middle of a battle here.

Also, please know that I'm not going to disappear altogether. I'll still be around, keeping an eye on the chat-box, and I'll also be on DeviantART as usual. Heck, I might even become better at maintaining my in-box. Maybe. ;)

I'll also start doing some non-comic art again. I still owe some people art (don't worry guys, the Photoshop files of your art survived the crash), and it's about time I took care of that. There are actually a bunch of things I'd like to do, but never got around to. All things considered, all of this may turn out to be a good thing in the long run.

So I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, and I wish you all a Happy New Year. Thank you again, and hopefully until later! Feel free to keep in touch, because I love hearing from you guys.

Cheers!



- Neko

Well, looks like we made it. So have a new page, and a great weekend! (I hope none of you sold your houses or anything ...)

- Neko

Since this is possibly end-of-the-world-week, it might be the last page ever!

Nah, I kid. Have a great weekend, guys. :)

- Neko

... sometimes there just isn't much to say ...

- Neko

You know, sometimes I just really have nothing to say on this page ... :P

- Neko