It only occurred to me to check last week and realize we’d been doing this for exactly five years now.
With this in mind, I’ve decided Curtailed is going to take a hiatus. This doesn’t mean we’ll stop updating the site, and you can expect to see us posting on social media as well, but you should expect Mandy to be getting a forced vacation from the comics.
I say “I’ve decided”, but it didn’t take much to convince her. A lot has been going on in our lives recently. Things have ramped up at our jobs. We’ve started appearing at conventions and those require time and work to prepare. Even as I type this I have work queued up on the “Curtailed Cop Car” and panels to rehearse.
Over time I’ve noticed Mandy getting burned out doing all this in addition to the comics. It’s becoming less of a fun activity and more of a chore. It’s become work–a second job–and that’s not why she started doing this. I’m worried if we don’t take a long vacation–a real ‘do nothing’ vacation–from the comic and everything else now it’ll contribute to a full burnout. I don’t want Curtailed to turn into one of those comics that never restarts, or simply ends outright, just because it became too much.
To prevent this we’re trying to destress our minds and bodies. We’re cutting out as many tasks that have deadlines as we possibly can. During the hiatus, I’d like the comic to be something we can update, not something we must. I want all our tasks to be like that: something we want to do rather than being something we need to do.
We started this as just a comic, but it’s turned into so much more. We’d like to restart the comics with a fully redesigned site that makes the comics center stage, but also showcases our other crazy activities, such as projects in the workshop, cosplay creations and activities in the recording studio I built, such as streaming online gaming. (I can’t remember the last time I got to play a game T_T)
Thank you for understanding. I suspect for many of you this isn’t an unfamiliar feeling–the world has become a lot smaller and a lot faster moving. I don’t believe our species is meant to live in a world like this. So, like my namesake, we’ll all adapt. With luck one day we’ll have pictures here of us on the weekends relaxing around a fire with a drink in our hands. I’d encourage comments of everyone else doing the same.
I love drawing comics, love this one specifically, but Fox is right, I’ve been running just shy of burnout for a long time, now. I’m bad at making myself take breaks (ACTUAL breaks). Fox has given me a few reality checks lately, I’m really lucky to have him looking out for me.
I’ve got a lot of ideas for Curtailed that I’m excited to share, but to make them happen, I definitely need some time to get my feet back under me.
We have a ton of lovely readers and I’m so grateful to all of you, it means the world to me that we’ve made something so many people seem to enjoy! Thank you for all the kind words, feedback, comments, shares, likes, and encouragement, I didn’t really imagine our little project would take off the way it has.
Take care, keep being amazing!
Oh, now also seems like a good time to point out again (Since it’s the next big thing on the calendar) that we’re currently gearing up to be guests of honor at FurTheMore at the end of the month! See ya there!
And be sure to follow the comic on social media where we’ll make announcements when comics resume:
Facebook: CurtailedComic
Twitter: CurtailedComic
Or you can just follow Mandy and I via links to the left. Cheers!
Disappointing, but it happens to every webcomic eventually. Thanks for all the comics you have given us while getting nothing (tangible) in return. Human beings crave novelty, and most of the things we do for fun stop being fun at some point. Although your intent is to come back, I for one am not going to get my hopes up too far, as I suspect you’ll find life without the obligations surprisingly more pleasant, and/or become distracted by fresh, new interests. Which is fine! You deserve it. Five years is a long run for a comic anyway.
Happy quinquennial, and good luck with whatever you choose to do in the near future, whether it involves Curtailed or not.
We shall be here, like hungry hamsters awaiting our seeds of humour and insanity.
A+ comparison! I’m hoping this break gives me time to finish the nicer hamster cages I’ve wanted to build so I can have adorable vermin in my home again. 🙂
CurTailed is being curtailed??? My life has been made just that much less awesome and suchlike.
I’ll miss seeing the ever-expanding line of “Yay!” products, too. (Yay Ponies exists, by the way.)
I’ll soldier on, somehow. (Dramatic pose).
Good luck in all that real-world stuff!
Have a good time you two
You two -enjoy- your lives! You have both certainly made mine better with ‘Curtailed’, and the descriptions of your other fun activities. (Still think the wedding stuff was one of the most fun of those!) I don’t do “social media” so I’ll keep checking back here now and again. Have fun!
Awww… we’ll miss you!
Also, party-hat ham is best ham.
Funny how it’s hard to push yourself away from a potential burnout and you need someone else to help you in that regard. At least that’s how it worked for me. Also the fact that even things like these can become chores.
Such is life, keep on rocking!
Wow, five years… Has it really been that long? Well done, guys – I think you deserve a break.
I mean, It’s none of my business, but are we talking like a month break, or more like a year? Or more like “As long as it takes for it to no longer be a chore.”?
Yeah, one of those. 🙂
I work in IT. I’ve learned not to so much as speak anything that could be construed as a time frame, as users will latch onto that word, regardless of those conditional statements around it, and walk away with nothing but it, setting themselves up for disappointment.
Good policy.
Have you heard this one? “My computer runs too slow, how long will it take to fix it?”
They assign me a time to complete the task. I love the sound of deadlines zipping by, though, and given that I’m an unpaid volunteer, they can’t fire me …so it’s all good.
No matter what, people are people. Here’s hopin’ it’s the third one, but that’s on the shorter end of that list. This should always be fun, and we’ll still be here for the triumphant return. *walks away with a completely arbitrary number tucked into her variable, grumbling about how she’ll have to get up at 3:42am on a workday to catch the next update*
Go! Relax! Play with your hamsters! Supercharge the Cruiser! We’ll be here when ya get back.
Good luck. We understand – we’ll be here when you are ready.
Thank you for so many comics that have made me laugh when my spirits were low, and for bringing CERT awareness, and for general fun – all for free for so long. You guys are amazing and deserve a chance to recharge. Also, thank you for the note and letting us know what is happening. A lot of sites don’t post that, or don’t take care of themselves until it’s so far gone that they can’t post something like that without loosing their lunch.
A sensible decision folks. I’ve enjoyed for work whenever it’s appeared for a long time, but you should do it because you want to and enjoy it not because you feel you have to at a detriment to your health. I’ll keep tabs and I’m sure I’ll enjoy whatever you put out in future on whatever schedule works for you. Best wishes to you both 🙂
Fox, Mandy, thank you so much for all of the laughs and entertainment that you have provided to myself and many of my friends over the years. I totally understand that you need a break, and you both certainly deserve it. Take all the time you need, and we’ll see you whenever you’re ready.
I know from experience that burnout sucks. Thank you for all the heartfelt smiles and laughter, and I hope you have an awesome break. Take care!
> Take care, keep being amazing!
Right back at you two!
Wise decision… we’ll wait as long as you need.
Have fun on your well deserved break! I totally know how you feel. I just started doing comics, and my art isn’t nearly as good as yours, but it sure is taxing.
The comic is semi-autobiographical, right?
So get out there and LIVE!
It’ll give you more content for later.
Five years of webcomic, the beginning of success.
Good luck!
Have a good rest. Every Webcomic artist needs a break once in a while.
Enjoy your break!
Five years? Has it been that long? I’ve been reading the comic for most of that and hadn’t realised!
Go away, both of you. Have a break. Recharge your batteries. I see some folks in the comments have
insinuated that the comic will be ending (‘they’re on hiatus, that must mean no more comics, oh noes!’ etc)
but i can clearly see how much enjoyment the comic has given the both of you, so i know it’ll return.
So go forth and have fun, look forward to seeing you back refreshed with new ideas whenever it is
that you’re ready to return 🙂 And thanks for the comic so far, i have thoroughly enjoyed it 😀
Have fun! And if you so kind to share with us, when you do that, we will have fun too! Thank you!