TWIDI is NOT dead!!
The journey to return to this world was WILD!! I will spare you the gruesome details, but let’s just say, since TCM wrapped up, I established a graphic novel publishing career, got a dayjob which then devolved and ended unceremoniously, started a new webcomic, went through the pandemic, completed a Masters in Arts Management, became a permanent resident of Australia, endured the worst writer’s block ever… etc. At the end of this rollercoaster decade, I am finally home.
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The Ending Near the Beginning is a story that was in the making for 10 years. In fact, the idea behind it is actually one of the first from when TWIDI was created in 2010 (16 years ago! Frightening!). I created two characters: Alcott Benedict Grimsley the Jersey Devil Detective and Alcott Benedict Grimsley the human, his original namesake. Over time the human character’s personality and backstory split into two characters, one of which is Alfred, who was first introduced in TCM Volume II. The other is… well, you will discover her soon.
I am very happy to finally have closure for one of the earliest threads in TWIDI, and to actually show you so many things I had kept secret: the origin of Alcott Grimsley!! More on my favourites Alfred and Zeynel!! Lore stuff on TWIDI that will set up mysteries for however long this webcomic lasts. And then, after this, the return of SHORT WHIMSICAL GOTHIC COMICS!! Ilias! Cat! Bronx! I miss them all!
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The update schedule for TENTB is kinda whatever. It’s been ages since I regularly maintained and actively worked on a comic… plus with my new potential chronic exhaustion, I don’t want to pressure myself into a tight schedule. Luckily the art direction for this Chapter is pretty low-key.
Anyway!! I am so happy to be back with Night! Always very grateful to have this webcomic chilling in the background, and thankful to readers who have been here since the beginning.
The screech of wild excitement that I just let out, discovering that we were back with Night – and with such a fascinating storyline that I’ve been looking forward to, from the hints – may well have been audible all the way round the globe to you in Australia (I’m in the Netherlands). So excited that you found your way back here, tumultuous though the decade was! But please do take it gently and without pressure, in so far as that is possible – I know only too well how crushing chronic fatigue is.
Also… well. So… when I first discovered your work a couple of years back, and read and reread my way through the World In Deeper Inspection several times over in a week, in my excitement I went and made fanart figurine of Grimsley – in crochet, with a wireframe, so he’s poseable, and has a full outfit of clothes which i based on a carefully catalogued list of all the outfits he’s seen in…. he stands about 40cm tall. He is… almost finished. I stalled at the point of having to attach miniature buttons to his clothes, because my chronic illnesses have made me very wobbly and the 3mm brass buttons are terrifyingly small, i was afraid I might sneeze them to oblivion if i opened the packet. And then, while paused, i realised that I have no idea what the etiquette of making fanart is (this wasn’t the first idea I’ve had, but it is the first that I actually made), and became very worried that I may have commited a faux pas. And then got too nervous to write to you and explain. May I send you an email, with photographs of my Grimsley figurine, so that you can decide what you prefer to be done?
Haha glad you’re enjoying my long-awaited-but-inevitable return, and thank you for reading TWIDI!!!
And omg… this is so cool. I love art dolls so much! I always wanted one of my own (whether as a commission or to make my own – I do felt plush-making and punch needling as a hobby so doll-making would be a natural extension; just haven’t gotten round to learning the skills) I would so love to see crochet Grimsley!! And his wardrobe too!! That’s so much attention to detail. Thank you for making this fanart!!