Apr 22, 2008: by Stan
Whoops. It seems that chapter 2 isn't starting today. Well let me be right upfront here. It's not going to start. At all. Yes, I'm pulling the plug on the Devil's Gate webcomic. No, I'm not going to start talking about another relaunch date or anything like that. There is no relaunch, this isn't another hiatus.Sorry to be so sudden with this. I know it seems like I've been very cheerful on the website since the restart in March. And truth be told I am cheerful. I'm not actually sad. But at the same time I'm not pleased with how the Devil's Gate currently stands on many levels.
But first off, let me say that the Devil's Gate isn't dead to me. I know that sounds a bit selfish and a little bit of a contradiction from what I just said, but I mean it. I'm not actually giving up on the Devil's Gate, but after 3 and a half years the story has become a bit convoluted and I think it's time for some major remodeling.
There is no one person to blame for that. And I know that I deserve probably most of the blame, but what can I say, I've been a slave to the status quo. Some things about the story I really love. But there's many things, including some of this past chapter 1, that I didn't really like at all. Things were included simply for tradition's sake, in that they were in the original chapter 1, or because for some reason I still felt some slavish devotion to the original spirit of certain things that was in Charles' version of the script (FYI, Charles was the original DG writer, he left in 06, long story), or because I had this narrow and dogged determination to explain too much upfront this time around.
Also when we did the relaunch the last time the focus was on better character interaction, which while we did succeed a little more, we didn't really work on changing up the plot. Basically the synopsis of chapters 1 and 2 are identical to the first versions in general. A lot of this is because we felt we owed it to our old fans to keep it in line with the first version. Again, this is completely my fault. And it's not a knock so much on Charles' old work, it's more that I'm NOT Charles, and I should have focused more on going in my own directions than trying to fake my way through his.
I'm also not happy with this "illustrated story" format. I never really was. It's a compromise. Between my ego that wouldn't let anyone else handle any art duties and my common sense that realized I couldn't keep up with the schedule of drawing (inking, and coloring) a comic. But I can't shake the desire to have it as a comic, or (in my wildest dreams) an actual TV show.
So that's what I'm going to do. I'm taking this story line (which has long been codenamed "the Naye Story") and reworking on it from the ground up. As well as developing a few other Devil's Gate stories I've had. I'm going to work and develop them into full fleshed out plots. And I'm going to admit my limits and actually try to find real artists that would like to work with me and we're going to try to get the Devil's Gate made into a real comic book series, or graphic novel. I'm also going to study more on screenwriting (knew I saved those college text books for something) and actually work towards developing a pitch for a Devil's Gate tv series. I figure if I really work towards both, at least one should take off. Hopefully. And if not, then I at least can say I've been putting my effort into doing with the DG what I've always wanted to do.
So where does that leave devils-gate.com? Well for the time being it's going to act as a shrine of the past Devil's Gate webcomic work. Eventually it's also going to serve as sort of a behind the scenes place for me to rant about what I've been doing with the DG. As well as a place to put up new artwork that I do (or that others do). I may even throw up a little comic strip here and there if I fancy it.
So what can I say? I don't want to ask anybody to stay tuned. It's just not fair and slightly deluded to expect anyone to keep paying attention to this site. But, I do want to say Thank You to those that have read, supported, and/or enjoyed the Devil's Gate at any point over the past three years.
But to ask anyone to keep following it's exploits is far fetched. So simply, I shall bid you adieu, and if you ever see a Devil's Gate comic in the comic shop or at Barnes & Noble, or catch a tv ad for a Devil's Gate show, then I hope you take the time to check it out.
Goodbye for now everyone.