The Listener
To make this apparent, we haven’t seen Destiny in action, but I assure you she’s just as competent as Mr. Mills in asskickery.
Not sure if guy notice in today’s strip, but I’m trying to cut back some steps I take in coloring. I’ve come to realize I spend more time than I like with these strips. Well, that’s a lie, I’d like to spend twice as much time in a strip, but I need to manage time a lot better. I hope in the long run I can give you guys more, a better comic, better art, and a better experience 🙂
Destiny is HAWT when she’s angry! O_O
She HAS to be scary if she can make man-who-wrestles-with-bears complain in a manner similar to Chase O_O
Well They say women are attracted to men who share some similarities with their father, I think Chase and Mr Mills share more in common than Mr. Mills would like to admit.
Maybe that’s why Mr. Mills doesn’t like Chase so, because he sees himself in him.
My thoughts exactly
Also *stifles a laugh* “sees himself in him” Oh what I would pay to see such a thing
Scott, I really can’t notice any less quality in the strip. You still manage to do a better job than most of us are capable of. You’re the artist and you should do what you think is best, the rest of us will continue to count ourselves lucky that you share your work with the rest of the world (Internet).
I’m liking Mrs. Mills more already.
Those eyes.
Oh dear sweet mother those eyes see right through me.
I feel like Mr. Mills’ hands are way to small for such a large, imposing man; but otherwise I think it looks great. Honestly, if you hadn’t told us about cutting out some coloring steps, I wouldn’t really have noticed. And I love Destiny when she’s angry. Especially since I can imagine her immediately becoming adorable again the second she gets her way.
Honestly, I noticed the hands too. Absolutely awesome, otherwise! :-]
I love the way this looks. You did so good on the skull, too. Well done, chap.
Still looks great as usual, I doubt anyone would notice if you hadn’t said something.
Judging off of the two appearances she has made so far, I’d say it goes something like this concerning Destiny: “Don’t be afraid until you see the whites of her eyes.”
Destiny is gorgeous!
So, does she know about his affair with Legendary? her evil twin sister? (just making that bit up mind you.) lol
Nerf This is *always* good – the interactions between Mr. Mills and Destiny has been flat brilliant. 🙂
The question is, where did Mrs. Mills get that skull from?!
Non-human skulls are actually pretty easy to come by, in any size.
Damn, Destiny must be something else if she can control a (I mean the) member of the Kills Things With His Bare Hands Club.
All I can think is “Heroes Sleep With Destiny.”
Destiny… HOT… O,,O
I wish I could get a date with Destiny…but I really don’t want to become a member of the “Killed with bare hands” club
Dat stare o-o
XD
Since no one is going to say it, I’ll say it: what happened to Tayrn’s monster? The little orange guy without an eye? Is he dead or was he some sort of shared hallucination between Chase and Tayrn?
Actually, it has been said and asked several times, but I don’t think anyone has gotten an answer.
Is there something wrong? Or has there been a schedule change? There have only been four strips all month, only three of which were actually Nerf. If ther has been a schedule change, please let us know. I hope everything is ok.
I wanted to ask the same thing ladypirate asked. It’s a little disappointing coming back here each day and barely seeing updates. I really held this comic in high regard because it used to be frequent..I would just like to know if there has been an actual schedule change.
It is disappointing. I check several times a day. I am probably going to just take it off my daily list for now and stick it in my bookmark folder for strips I only check every couple of weeks.
I am fully aware that this amazing strip is free to me and for me to enjoy. I get that. However, I was under the impression that the artist was trying to do this for a living; selling merch, books, etc. Honestly, the only reason I didn’t buy the book, was because the update flakiness made me nervous. And I feel like I dodged a bullet because I have seen people commenting with things like “will you please tell me the status of my book order?” and I friend of mine WHOM I INTRODUCED TO NERF, paid for a book and is getting no reply to his email inquiriing about the book progress. He doesn’t mind waiting, but when you shell out your hard earned cash, you should at least get a status update.
I know a couple of web comic artists who make a living from theirs trips – and that is HARD to do. It doesn’t happen for a lot of people. And Nerf has the potential to be one of that rare percentage of comics that can produce a livable income. The art is amazing. The stories are great. The wit is sharp and unique and engaging.
But to have success, one most create and stick to an update schedule. If Monday through Friday isn’t doable, then scale back to two or three days a week. Create a buffer and do whatever it takes to maintain the schedule. The most successful strips stick to their schedules and post as little filler as necessary. If there is a filler strip, or the artist thinks they will be late posting, or an emergency, COMMUNICATE with your readership. People will be very understanding if there is communication. Not doing this screws with people’s trust. This is the single reason I 1.) did not order the book 2.) have not dropped a lot of cash in the merch store and 3.) have not contacted the artist about doing a commission I was interested in.
Like I said, I know I get to read and enjoy this strip for free. I admire so much about this artist, and appreciate his talent; I read over 45 web comics, and Nerf is in my top three favorites. I adore Scott’s work and am very happy I get to enjoy it. I am just, like you said, disappointed. And also concerned about Scott because I thought this was his business, what he wanted to do for a living. I would hate to see his ability to make this strip into a fruitful business tarnished. If he updated Nerf on schedule 3 times a week, and one of his other Properties (Scout, Motokool), maybe threw some more merch options in the store (I want him to make a “bears fisting” posted SOOOO badly…), he would be making a killing financially.
Like I said, I have endless fangirlness and respect for Scott. I am just disappointed. 🙂
Not meaning to change the topic, but do you perhaps read any of David Willis’s comics?
Yes! I am a huge fan.
You. You’re my new favorite person.
Yay! I win!
How many comics do you follow? I used to have 50ish, but cut down to a couple dozen last year. So much love for the comic-y goodness.
For the most part, just Willis’s, this, and Sparkling Generation Valkyrie Yuuki (eet’s funneh! :D). I’m unfortunately leaving high school this year which means I’m having to cut down on my “play time”. Life’s a bitch, no?
You know how to make this all work? Plan on releasing three to five strips a week, one of which is fully colored. The rest black and white. Maybe have the colored one reserved for Wednesday or Friday.
MOAR COMICS PLEASE!
Okay now that i got that out of the way, i hope all is well in your world. I miss my daily Nerf, but i am well aware that people have lives. Thanks for everything that you do
Guys Maybe something happened so lets not complain, sometimes shit does just pop up. Im sure we can all understand that. Maybe something big happened. Lets just be patient, he hasn’t canceled the strip, just not updating to lets just keep that in mind. Hope its all well
I’ve been looking back at previous comics and have been missing something. wtf happened to snarky?!!?
I have been wondering the same thing.
Scott has always given us comics on a daily basis. Don’t complain because he hasn’t been updating lately. Who knows whats going on in his life? And most likely he may not want to say if something bad is happening. If you really support Scott and his comics, you’ll just hope he’s okay and keep coming back to check up on his awesomeness. Don’t complain because there’s a sudden lag. We all have things that happen in our lives that take us away from things.
Don’t misinterpret what I said; I was simply offering a possible solution. I did not express my opinion on the matter because I think it’d be a little rude to assume the worst and gossip.
My concern is present, I assure you. This is unexpected behavior. While you’re right to tell others to be more patient with the artist, you should consider being more patient with others.
I wasn’t directing my comment at you. It was a general statement.
People have been very civil about their disappointment. We are allowed to express these feelings, and let’s face it; it’s important for Scott to hear it. There has been a history of late update and filler updates, before this month. As an artist and businessman Scott should be open to constructive dialogue. If he isn’t, I would be disappointed.
Sir, I must say, why have you written me out of the comic? I do believe I was adorable with my missing eye and stuffed animal appearance. I want to do to the beach as well!
~Snarky
Hey Scott,
Still faithfully checking your site daily, hope to see more from you soon and hope that nothing major has derailed in your life. Keep up the comics when you can 🙂
I know this may come off as bitchy, but over the past year – lets face it, slowly but surely his posting abilities have been pretty wonky. I remember staying up super late to see the update, and normally he wouldn’t fail… then those times got later and later, when suddenly it was journal comic (don’t get me wrong, I love them, just prefer the normal storyline) after random insert comic here that got posted in the mid day, or not until the following evening.
If he needs to take a few breaks or so because life is hectic, I honestly feel that we, as loyal readers should at LEAST get some sort of update or side sticky saying what’s going on and to please be patient. It’s just common courtesy.
This is exactly correct. The updating has gotten worse and worse. If five days a week is too much, scale back. If things are just too busy, announce a hiatus and take a break. Or update Nerf Mon and Fri, with a journal comic on Wed or something. It’s just bad business for a comic artist to update late all the time or not at all. or to, as Scott does often (especially with his other properties), promise update and not deliver.
People can be super understanding when there is communication. It rubs me the wrong way that, on the rare occasion a strip has been posted this month, that he hasn’t said so much as a “sorry for the once a week update, shits been busy” or something.
Exactly, that’s all I’m saying. I’m not complaining or being naggy and demanding he update, I read comics that only update once a week.
But they actually /say/ they will only update once a week..or if there’s a delay, they’ll mention it, or at least acknowledge that it happened in some sort.
:/
completely agree, if he says he is going to make updates just once a week i wouldn’t even complain, but checking his site everyday just to get dissapointed is just… dissapointing xD!!! just make a schedule that isn’t crazy (lets face it one fully-colored-strip a day is crazy) and stick to it. I’ve been a regular since, like, highschool…
Last Time this happened I posted some Dapper Dinosaurs and that seemed to bring him back so This time… Dapper Bears!!!!!
http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/ababwa/dapperA.jpg
Dapper bear is very dapper. I would say yes. lol
Hi i never posted here before but have been keeping up everyday with the comic what is going on with the updates im use to daily updates but its been almost a week with out any new
the picture of Zoey on the phone is the wall paper on my phone…. come back to us 🙁
*talks to my skull* where oh where is scott… *whine whine whine*
Scott may have died fighting dinosaurs on his recent expedition to the lost continent. May he feast in Valhalla among the finest heroes, food, and scantily clad women.
A schedule would be nice actually, but then again fans will whine when a page si delayed or not updated (unless you actually acknowledge them and let them know you’re running late.) . Instead of feeling disappointed every single day of no update. But then again, I seem to recall you’re doing something witht he L.A.W.Ls artist.
I find it funny how you provide something for free and then people get angry at you if you go a time without posting. Handle whatever you need to man. You make great comics and I’m perfectly willing to wait for them.
I’m more worried than anything. He just went through some apparently difficult shit and I’m wondering if he’s dealing with some sort of relapse. I hope that he doesn’t become some jaded asshole and then kills off Monty because “Everything good dies twaaa.”
Angry is not the word here. You obviously don’t understand our concern. Scroll down, actually read a few posts.
He should handle what he needs to. Scott’s a big boy with big boy issues. But for some people here, this isn’t a free service. This is something we want to invest in, to really show our appreciation. Keep THAT in mind, sir.
In the end, it boils down to how Scott handles this. I’m certain he’s doing his very best to work out his problems. However, from what I see, he’s not handling it. I’m afraid that his work ethic may be a reflection on how he feels overall; which would be a very likely indicator.
He’s also kinda pushing away possible clients. This may seem like a small issue at first, but in the end, it’s something that can hurt artists who are already upset. This is quite common, many artists face financial issues for large portions of their life while trying to live solely off their artwork.
Anger is not present here. Worry, concern, and guidance is. As someone who often invests in web comic artists, I fear he may soon cause more problems due to lack of finances. This is not the first time I’ve seen an artist get into a situation like this. And I am genuinely worried for the man, even though I may not fully express it as such. Does that mean that I’m angry? No. Not in any way.
And finally, keep in mind that your way of providing support is NOT the only way to provide support. I see nothing negative being shot out here towards Scott, only condolences and CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. Please do not mistake the later for anything other than what it is.
I did, in fact read all the posts. This isn’t the first time he has fallen behind, and in the past there have been angry comments about it. It may be something you invest time into but things take priority over posting a webcomic. Now, I’ll admit that comment may have stemmed from reading commenters on other webcomics that have been dicks, but people complaining about him not making deadlines will not make him post them faster, and may stress him out further. If someone is so upset by a comic not updating that they just stop reading it, then so be it. you can’t please everyone.
” Complaining” may not make him post faster – I never thought it would to begin with. But offering my constructive criticism may help him in the future. I am a huge fan of Scott and his wok; being so, I would very much like to see him succeed. A friend of mine ordered a book and has been ignored when enquiring about it’s status for two weeks now. That is most certainly not “complaining about something that is free”.
I must admit, I’d normally be on the defensive bandwagon, but the lack of dates / books failed to be delivered / ages without any word or update more and more often, is very concerning and very much damaging the fanbase. I mean, people are starting to drift away and grow fed up, as we’ve seen, and while the attitude is very much ‘sod ’em’, this isn’t a good thing.
With all due respect to his personal life and – all that, I don’t see why a change in direction towards once a week posting or even biweekly posting or a hiatus isn’t a good idea. I mean, it isn’t ideal, but it’s better than Nerf This lingering in some form of limbo until his lamentable life events improve or… you know, I really don’t know anything about what’s going on.You know, it’d resolve all this speculation and give more solidity and promise of return to the comic and the fan community.
Of course, it’s not my place, but I’m just making a suggestion that would placate people and avoid daily disappointments for fans. I’m not going to bitch, as Nerf This certainly isn’t something he should feel obliged to do. That’d lead to creator resentment in the best of people and kill it off once and for all.
People need to relax a bit, but perhaps Scott could benefit from, as many have suggested, not aiming for such an ambitious update schedule when it is obviously and understandably very difficult for him to keep to it.
You have really hit the nail on the head here.
It is causing his fan base some serious damage. My friend’s missing book aside, I have seen several people using the comments section to attempt to get a reply with a book update, Saying their emails have one unanswered.
In the end, it’s all about Scott’s priorities, wants and need. He has three great properties here. Nerf is the only one that has had even remotely a semblance of a schedule. I LOVE Scout Crossing – it boasted a weekly update schedule when I began reading, and has gone at times 2 months without a peep.
He needs to think it through and figure out a game plan that people can count on. His material is truly brilliant. He write wonderfully and is an incredible artist. He has potential for great success; success that the %99 of comic artists who want to make a living at it and cand, would give anything to have.
I hope he can get it sorted before much more damage is done.
But you know how people perceive criticism on the internet. No one seems to quite understand that as an adult, you need to do the adult thing. Scott’s got that on his plate; he wants this to be his job, so he much treat it as such. I don’t stop going to my job just because I’m having issues (which have been frequent for me this past year, family deaths, suicides, etc). I have to suck it up or deal with the consequences.
And I’m very afraid that Scott’s going to have to deal with more problems by not handling this correctly. That’s not what anyone needs, but it’s the vicious cycle of life.
It makes me sad because he could be one of those rare %1! I want him to succeed because his talent is wonderful and he could pull it off with ease. It’s so rare to have this opportunity. He could still turn it around, and I really hope he does. Since he is doing a lot of freelance work, commissions, projects, etc, changing to a two or three day a week schedule, with a once a week for his other strips (honestly, he should discontinue one – his last Motokool update was JULY) he could still make this his full time gig. I am not sure if he has a day job (I assume he does) or what it is. Once he can quit the day job, he can update more…
I am surprised he hasn’t caught this discussion yet. I expected some sort of comment from him by now. Not sure why, though, since he isn’t updating anything else.
The strips I see doing really well are the ones who update when they say they will – and sticking to it tenaciously.a lot of artists who make their day job, will recommend this as one of the most important things to do. In the years and year it’s been in production, Least I Could Do, has never posted a filler strip. That strip is wildly successful, they even started a second fantasy epic and just recently were able to open their own comic book store.
I wonder how thin we can make these 😀
That’s so unny, I was just wondering the same thing!
I win. Haha
For the most part, all I have read here is concern and constructive criticism. I expected people to jump on the “stop bitching about something you get to read for free!” bandwagon, however. 🙂
I had every intention of ordering a book and about $100 worth of merch this week when my tax return came. I LOVE this strip. It’s in my top five. HOWEVER, the wonky updates (let’s face it, this has been an issue for some time – not merely this month) is the reason I spent that money elsewhere. I am just flat out concerned about either being ripped off or waiting months for my purchase to arrive. I also had interest in commissioning Scott for an art piece for a special occasion in May. I was willing to pay a couple hundred dollars for it – but not when I have lost faith like this. And it’s such a special occasion, that a late finishing of the project would be heartbreaking. I asked another artist whom I feel safe entrusting my money to.
I wish we could at least have a quick note. I am really quite worried about Scott’s wellbeing.
There is a difference between “complaining” and “constructive criticism”. If I were an artist, and asking people to buy my shirts, my books and art, I would want to know if I were letting my readers down. As I said in one of my posts, a friend of mine ordered a book and has gone two weeks ignored about the status of his order. That is not free. That is hard earned money. The lack of scheduled dates is the single reason why the artist doesn’t have $100 of my money for merch
Hit the post button too soon, oops.
Anyway, as I said, this updating issue (and my friend’s missing book, I suppose is also part of it) is why I didn’t drop any money here when my tax return came. I just don’t really have enough faith to spend money here when I don’t know if there has been a schedule change, emergency, personal issue, etc.
Like I said, my comments are based on genuine concern and intended to be constructive criticism. It’s all very unfortunate.
Your fate if you do not listen well in the form of the listener. Killing two ughs with one skull ^^
/sigh
I have a feeling that skull belongs to a bear…
Hmm that skull could be from anything with a snout, from the deceased family dog to some bear.