I started publishing MeatShield on September 9, 2009, wanting to create a “sort of Dungeons & Dragons sitcom.” Since starting the strip I’ve moved four times, I’ve made a lot of good friends, published two books, and learned a lot about the life of a cartoonist.
However, for the past year, I have been running on fumes, from a creative standpoint. It has not been uncommon for me to be writing the next strip on the day it was due to run. Sometimes that’s a good challenge and I relish it, and other times it is just a challenge. The weeks where it has been a challenge and not a fun one have been more and more frequent of late. I need a break, folks.
There are other webcartoonists whose work I admire and several of them have taken long hiatuses, publishing their work in “seasons,” similar to how TV networks release their shows. As of this week, that is what I am going to do. MeatShield will be on hiatus until September 12, 2016. My Patreon campaign will be placed on hold as well until that time.
Over the next few months, I will be doing the following:
• Finishing all outstanding illustration commissions
• Letting my creative batteries recharge
• Writing the next season of MeatShield
• Taking care of myself, which I have not been very good at lately.
I will still be maintaining a social media presence via Facebook and Twitter, which will be the most effective way to get ahold of me. Thank you all for your understanding and your support over the years. I could not have come as far as I have without all of you.
Take care,
~Rob
Hey Rob, hope you feel refreshed by the time Meatshield comes back 🙂
I assume the RSS will be kept working? I don’t really have much of a social media presence, and it would be great to have a heads-up as and when you start updating this again.
Good man. Plenty of creatives burn themselves out, pressuring themselves and forcing themselves to keep up a pace doing something that is *supposed* to be fun and expressive for themselves.
We’ll all look forward to your triumphant return. For now, take care of yourself.
We’ll be here when you get back. Your fans can be a good resource for ideas and story archs. Some of us may even send in some fillers comics or art for you to use at your disgression. Enjoy your summer and check out some state parks. Hanging out in nature can help with creativity and some of the history about the park can carry over to your stories.
Not totally unexpected, Rob. I’ve seen this happen with plenty of web comics.
Good on you for recognizing the signs, and catching it early.
We’ll all be here no doubt, when you get back. In the meantime, blow
off some steam, and get yourself back on top form. 🙂
Regards.
Eli…
Take what ever time you need Rob, as said above, several times…, the lot of us will still be lurking around when you come back.
Hopefully well rested and ready to give Gotham a wedgie again.
Good luck, Rob! Take care of yourself and we’ll look forward to your return. ^_~
Have a great break! I think you deserve it. I could not even begin to guess where you were procrastinating the effort. The story all looked great to me. Hope you have a good summer as well!
So, there will be another season of Meat Shield! And there was much rejoicing! (yea!)
We will wait patiently, until you are ready to show us what you’ve made. ^_^
As so many readers prolly feel, take the time you need so you can come back.
Personally I’d rather you take breaks when you need it than think you need to keep going and end Meatshield.
Rob;
No one does their best work when they’re exhausted. Please have a restful summer and we look forward to seeing you this fall!
P.S.
There will be a huge, massive, humongous temptation to push off your commissions and outlining for Meatshield. First it will be the end of June, then after the 4th, and on and on. Suddenly it will be the middle of August and deadlines are approaching (or worse, receding) at light speed, the knot in your stomach comes back and you start cursing yourself for not getting started earlier. I don’t know how much of a self-starter you are, but I’m not, so I speak from bitter experience. Small bites, every day. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, etc. Be well.
Only Two months to go. Must. Hold. Out…..
^_^
(BTW, I won’t really be too upset if it’s actually longer. So long as you deliver the Awesome eventually. But since you did have a specific date posted, I will be mildly disappointed if you miss it.)
Take care of yourself
Five (5) days and counting! 🙂
Looking forward to the return. I hope you’re feeling rested and rejuvenated.