The Epilogue: "Literally, your actual ass."

[Astrobot7000]

Man, that was great.
I find it especially funny that no one has a nose… except Red Mage and he keeps it covered.

But as for the finale, it was really good. I would’ve liked to have had the Darko/Swordopolis thing mentioned, but that’s all right as everything else was perfect. I really did enjoy it. There was so much fan service it was amazing. The Messenger/Royal Guard, cultist, mob boss, Sulk, etc, etc, the list goes on. Plus it was GREAT to see Dragoon again.

Well Brian, I just have to say thank you. I know you hated your comic for the last half of it, but I, and about a million others, LOVED it. I agree with the person who posted before me. The comic really gave me something to look forward to during a particularly sad time in my life. It always brought a smirk to my face and I loved it from the very beginning. It will be deeply DEEPLY missed, but it went out the way it should and the fact that you gave us an epilogue was fantastic of you. Plus, now you can finally wash your hands of it forever and move on. I hope in the future you can look back and at least appreciate how happy you made many people, even though you hated your own comic.

I wish you luck in all of your future endeavors and I will continue to buy your comics and read the ones that are here. Thanks again man.

[Dr. Casey]

Originally Posted by Astrobot7000

Well Brian, I just have to say thank you. I know you hated your comic for the last half of it, but I, and about a million others, LOVED it.

I don't think he ever hated it, did he? I just thought he was getting somewhat burned out and wanted to focus on his other projects more.

Great ending, it was worth the wait. White Mage is pretty cute, I see why Black Mage spent so much of the series wanting to tap that, and I laughed at the part where there was already a black mage recruited for the rescue of the Alexandrian princess.

[Solid Snake]

Lovely job. (Though I have to agree with a prior comment, it looks like Matt Speroni's art or Brian's tearful epilogue writing assignment has somehow translated to an increase in intelligence and wisdom for nearly every Light Warrior, with perhaps the suitable exception of Fighter.)

This felt like the perfect way to end things.
I'm really looking forward to HIKYM starting back up, too.

[Bells]

Not too hot and not too cold, juuuuuuuuuuuuust right!

Nicely done guys!

[RickZarber]

That made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Thank you Brian and Matt. Pitch-perfect.

[Green Spanner]

OMG NOW BRIAN HAS TO DO FF 2 AND THEN 3 AND THEN ALL OF THEM AFTER THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

But in all seriousness, I would just like to thank Brian for sticking it through until the end. Almost a decade is a long time to work on a comic, and he could have ended it at any time to work on more rewarding projects.

Although I've only been reading the comic since c.2005, I've always felt it pushed the boundaries of the sprite comic, showed what could be done with little more than images ripped from games with writing to prop it up. But at the end of the day it's done all it can do in this regard, and Brian has moved on to better things.

I don't feel disappointed that its over. Rather, I feel satisfied that it came, it saw, it kicked some ass, and then it died peacefully. What more can you ask from a story?

So yeah, thanks Brian for those years of 8-bit.

Also, thanks Mr. Speroni for the art. You're on top form as usual I see.

Now both of you get back to work on HIKYM, damnit!


EDIT: Reading the epilogue whilst playing the FF ending theme adds to the experience somewhat.

[MSperoni]

Originally Posted by Green Spanner

EDIT: Reading the epilogue whilst playing the FF ending theme adds to the experience somewhat.

Drawing it while listening to the music does too I actually got kind of sad myself working on the last page.

[Aldurin]

It almost seems like it will someday continue at some point when Brian gets the feeling he should restart 8-bit (I mean when he gets the feeling while he's sober).

Economy musta been bad as everyone had to sell their noses.

That was awesome seeing the squid-face cult dude.

Was the guy with the "Doin' fine" sign Garland without his armor?

[Nuklear Waste]

For some reason, I feel ashamed as a geek for not getting who Jeff was talking to until multiple readings and for not getting the Twelve Dragons joke* at first (I stared at my screen for a minute when I first read until the 9 part got to me)...Yet I got the shovel reference upon first sight.

*And that's easily one of the funniest/most memorable strips ever fer cryin' out loud!

Originally Posted by EvilEarl

Was the guy with the "Doin' fine" sign Garland without his armor?

Mob Boss and his lackey. (From when the Light Warriors took over that nameless town as the "City Guard".)

EDIT: For Matt: Am I correct in assuming that King Steve/Matoya/Bikke/Garland were people in costumes, whereas Sulk, Mrs. Von Vampire, Gary, and Sara are the real dealz?

[MSperoni]

Originally Posted by Nuklear Waste

EDIT: For Matt: Am I correct in assuming that King Steve/Matoya/Bikke/Garland were people in costumes, whereas Sulk, Mrs. Von Vampire, Gary, and Sara are the real dealz?

Yeah, with the possible exception of Garland depending on how you choose to see it.

I tried to make the cosplayers look as UNlike the person they're cosplaying as possible. That's why King Steve is a black guy/girl (I'm not sure), Matoya is a young, gawky looking girl, and Bikke is a scrawny blond guy with an obvious fake beard. Garland on the other hand? It's hard to tell.