Wow, well. I figured it wouldn’t be anything anyone was guessing, but I definitely didn’t see this one coming. It’s enough to finally get a comment out of me. xP *such a lurker* Fantastic as always. <3
Cute, but still creepy. Wasn’t Townsen shot shortly after he thought he saw his brothers?
I take comfort in the fact that he didn’t get a chance to talk to them or pet them…
This comic is going somewhere, right? Maybe I lack the emotional awareness to “feel” the comic as others do, but I begin to wonder if it is going somewhere. The jokes are rare and the plot is spread out across a few characters (when it is present at all?), but the art is great. I just wish that things would pick up a bit. Just where is “Charles” slowly plodding towards, at this point? I come for the art. I would stay for more plot.
I feel the plot pretty well. Charles is on a journey toward something. He is finding things along the way that bring warmth to those who read and a bit of humor when Karl is “feeling it”. I personally have enjoyed the pace.
I for one, liked Townsen, but do not want him to return…it negates the whole impact. Like I said before- listen to the comments for the impact, but ignore them and tell your own story.
dude, awesome!!! seriously i nearly cried and thats all i can say!! tho i am sad that townsen isnt back, i guess its best for the story and the impact of it. good stuff once again!!!
cheers from toronto.
I’m a new reader and the comic is absolutely wonderful. Thanks so much for putting up something so great and so touching. I can’t wait for next week. :)
Several weeks of waiting for this update after reading an entire archive did not lessen the impact. Probably heightened it. I was very sad, and then I listened to the song, and the tears wouldn’t stop rolling. I knew it couldn’t be what everyone was crying for it to be, but I was still surprised. Beautifully done.
I think what kills me is the expression on the second fox in the last panel. Just from its face… he doesn’t know or fully understand what’s happened, but at the same time he KNOWS.
Aw, man! I imagine the voices of young Tod and Copper, the Fox and the Hound, as the voices of the fox brothers. When you make the cartoon series you gotta get real kids to play the voices of the animals.
The Fox and the Hound made me cry as a kid and this strip is making me cry LIKE a kid. Well done.
Wow. I think most of us knew Townsen wasn’t going to come back as his upbeat self, but then I was thinking maybe it’s Townsen’s spirit, and then with the panel with multiple eyes I though maybe it was him and his brothers’ spirits, because when he saw them before he got shot they were all shadowy… and then that ‘have you seen our brother’ just completely winded me. Wow.
I can see why you expanded the strip for today . No way you could have done it with less cels – thee impact of the entire images links it all together . We all felt bad at the loss of Townsend – but I think the gain of three broithers who knew that he was linked to Charles will – perhaps – bring closure to one section and increase the possibilities of help and comfort to Charles going forward .
i only had half the page up and when i saw the first wolf face i yelled TOWNSEN! like a 5 year old…. and i even put law and order on mute….
then i scrolled down and realized it was his brother. that was an emotional rollercoaster. but i agree with others – charles has made new friends! new friends are always good. =)
I think it’s remarkable the way Karl can create such a touching scene, and yet I don’t feel this is sentimental. I remember hearing Art Spiegelman a few years ago talk about “neo-sincerity” as a sort of alternative to the cynical, sometimes cruel humor found sometimes in the media.
But the name’s not important. Charles Christopher is a moment of clear, understated beauty. A momentary quiet disconnect from this overconnected network of a world.
I literally squeaked out loud when I saw the first panel, hoping that perhaps our dear snowfox was back…but I’m glad his three siblings have Charles to look after them, now. (and maybe they can look after Charles?)
I would of course love to see Townsen again, but I can’t wait to see the rest of the story unfold. Great as always, keep it up!
I’m reading the webcomic since more than a year now and it’s the first time a leave a comment (sorry i’m speaking french): your story and your drawing are wonderfull…they make my mind and my imagination feel good, my eyes are pleased everytime. Those panel are heartbreaking, but comforting..Charles no longer alone, neither Townsen’s brothers.
Like most of the people who posted, this one brought tears to my eyes.
Amazing what an effect a “comic strip” can have on a reader.
Karl you should be truly proud of what you’ve created.
His brothers are dead, IT’S ALL A TRICK! RUN AWAAAAY! Oh, and I feel the comic, but I understand he is pacing this to be read all at once. The pace will be slow, but the end result will be make sense… I think.
At the same time, though, this still doesn’t answer the question of Townsen. He was carried off by the birds. I know it seems silly, but I’m still not sold on him being completely out of the picture.
Unless he was one of those skulls, which is too horrible to even think about.
This comic is consistently capable of getting me to cry. Very sad. I’m guessing that Charles won’t be able to see Townsen until he completes the quest mandated to him, but his brothers are there to help and encourage him along the way. The real reward of the quest will be reuniting a family and the incredible downpour of love that is routinely crushed by the humans.
That bird clearly knew exactly who Charles was thinking of for that trade but didn’t deliver. If the bird can’t raise the dead then how was it able to raise the three siblings?
Btw in regards to those having issues finding the plot: it’s a very art-heavy comic thus doesn’t use words as much, so you’re going to have to make inferences yourself. Not to mention the fact that it’s a slow process of reading, and if the comic was made to jump as fast as you’re wanting it to, the emotional impact wouldn’t be the same. Try re-reading the archive in a few weeks once there’s more progression and you might feel differently.
Townsen could be still alive… Charles probably wished for Townsen to be alive, but instead got his brothers. Meaning he couldn’t be revived because he wasn’t dead.
Oh god, you made me cry again. My boyfriend doesn’t like me reading this comic cause it makes me cry and he can never tell when somethings wrong on a wednesday. I love the story and art so much though I’d rather get teary-eyed then miss it.
Oh my god…
My heart absolutely thudded.
Your work truly amazing.
There are no other artists I know of who can so perfectly capture an emotion–and instill it flawlessly into each one of your readers.
Each week I change my desktop background to the latest “Abominable” comic, but I’m honestly not sure I can handle this one over and over.
Had my eyes watering.
normally I’m like @manfromthefuture too – all about the plot and/or at least heavy character development via narrative (David Foster Wallace being my favorite author and Alex Robinson’s Box Office Poison being my favorite comic), but this in particular brought tears to my eyes and was just perfect. I’ve told you on twitter before that you should look to patronage as a model – I beg you to go to kickstart.com and beg them to start a project wherein you set up exactly how much $$ it would take to get you to do CC for the next 6 months exclusively, put together a book with the strips to date, and offer tiered levels of patronage for ltd editions, mentions of thanks, etc.
An unknown dude shows up at their door, and first thing they do, they ask him about Townsen…… yeah, but how did they know that he knew Townsen?????? More importantly, what where they doing closed up under that tree??
Congratulations Karl, I just found the site today, have read every strip and will have to replace the wife’s box of tissues before she notices. I think I broke my eyes crying. Really beautiful. Thanks.
Beautiful comic. I agree with the comments here that your ability to convey emotion is quite extraordinary but I do have to agree with Manfromthefuture about pacing. This particular arc has gone on for just under a year and I have a feeling this is not the definitive end of Townsen so it will continue again for another few months. I will continue to visit for the beautiful artwork and for the occasional comedy moments but I am afraid I am not as invested in this story as I was a few months ago.
Lun-Sei wrote:
An unknown dude shows up at their door, and first thing they do, they ask him about Townsen…… yeah, but how did they know that he knew Townsen??????
I guess that’s what the sniffing was about in panel 1 and 3. Charles probably smells faintly of Townsen.
Am I the only one who doesn’t think the last panel quite works? It looks more like Charles has grabbed one and is tickling his tummy than a sombre scene. Finishing on the previous panel would have been more dramatic, but I suppose Karl didn’t want another cliffhanger.
… well played. Seriously. Was NOT expecting that… but it was better than anything I expected.. Yeah, I have nothing to say now apart from that one hit hard. Just, gonna go over here… and… sob for a while.
Oh, no! Don’t you dare make me cry again! Oh crap, it happened. I thought there were only two options: Townsen’s back or the Bird lied and there’s nothing dow there. I could have taken either option without crying. You’re a genius at manipulating readers’ emotions, you bastard.
Even if it isn’t Townsen, who’s to say the wish was granted right away? Maybe his wish was for Townsen and his brothers to reunite and this is just the beginning?
Truly wonderful as always. You do your source material proud while maintaining your own voice – which is an amazing accomplishment to say the least. This strip is proof that comics will never die because their impact is unique.
Ooooh the emotional rollercoaster! I was so happy at first, thinking it was Townsen, but then two more appear. Such a wonderful and unexpected twist! But it leaves many unanswered questions. I absolutely loved this strip so much, and I’ve refrained from listening to the song yet because I’m still trying to fight back tears even after reading all 90 comments. You are an amazing artist, Karl, and I can’t wait to see what wonderful things await us from your magical mind and fingers. ♥
Lovley art, lovely choice. I found that Glosoli worked really well. Hell, anything of of this album could work in one way or another…
I can’t wait to see where this ride is going :)
Well I for one, am surprised. I assumed that Townsen’s brothers were dead, that they had died long ago, in fact. I guess I interpreted Townsen’s lament that he didn’t know where his brothers were as a naive inability to understand death, which seemed in keeping with Townsen’s character. In combination with the appearance of his brothers as glowey foxes in the dead of night, and even the mother’s reaction, I assumed they had died. Huh. Maybe they did. Sort of depends on what Charles asked for. Or maybe not. Blarg! Also going through the archive and seeing how cute Townsen is/was made it more sad that he’s gone. I bet his brothers liked him a lot.
I wonder what happens now though. A lot of people seem to think that Townsen’s brothers will accompany Charles, but I think they ought to go home and see their mom again. Plus I have a feeling that Charles Christopher has to go forth alone. . .
…
…
TOWNSEN!!! How could you? PLEASE tell me he’s not dead? I was hoping and hoping and then I saw the little guy and was like “YAY! TOWNSEN!!” but then it turned out to be his brother. It took a minute for me to register this before promptly bursting into tears.
Seriously? Are you TRYING to destroy my soul? I’m so very very sad. Will they help him find Townsen? (though i do realize that this question is possibly optimistic to the point of complete idiocy, but still. Townsen) I’m sure his brothers are adorable and all but his loss has left me all empty inside. I don’t want a replacement! I want him!!!
Sorry for the rant, I’m done. Really adore the comic: great story, great jokes, great characters and FANTASTIC art. I love you (despite the fact that you may have killed Townsen. Could he even just find the body and bury it? It would make me cry again but if he’s not coming back I need closure!)
This comic, like so many others here, brought tears to my eyes. I’ve never commented before, but some of the comments here make me feel as though I should…
The plot paces so slow because if I recall correctly, Karl once said that the plots moves along at an unplanned, almost spontaneous pace. That this comic is almost like a muse, and there is only the most limited amount of planning from comic-to-comic. In fact, I think he draws these each week brand new… many comics have a large backlog and just throttle their posting, whereas this is done fresh each week.
The plot moves along with the thoughtfulness of a long novel, and I adore it. It’s what keeps me comic back. So what if this arc has been going on for over a year? It’s a beautiful story with some of the most intense art I’ve ever seen at times.
It doesn’t matter to me how long it takes or where the story goes. This comic had me from the first frame. I thank Ramòn Perez for introducing me to this strip when I was an avid reader of Butternut Squash. This comic is one of the highlights of my week. I feel I am a better person because of it.
I reread the whole story from page one the other day, and– as I, admittedly, expected to find– it doesn’t seem slow at all read in one go, as if it were a book. In fact, while the story is undoubtedly just getting started, the speed with which the major plot points came up (the lion, the death of townsen, this mini-arc) seemed almost rushed.
The side-strips with the bird family, the forest players, etc. are absolutely essential for pacing and for fleshing out the world, and I feel like Karl has pushed the story along as fast as it can possibly go– but, of course, just one week at a time. If he told it any faster, or with any less detail, it would completely lack depth and resonance when read all at once.
So of course, what we really need is for Karl to quit his day job!
Think Joe Glow is right on the mark – Karl’s early comments about the way he creates each strip make me feel lucky that we have this much of a ‘coherent’ storyline. Personally, I’m glad that the weekly format allows him to eschew standard story formats and create golden little moments like this.
Magnificent as always, Karl. My eyes are suspiciously wet, and given that I have no heart, I’m not sure what I just felt break. :)
I have been puzzling over the meaning of the last mini-arc and trying to put pieces together as best I can, and while I don’t expect you to spoil things by explaining them for us, perhaps jotting them here will help me along a bit.
Townsen saw a vision of his brothers and was lured into the clearing where he was shot. If we assume that this was done as a goad to Charles for some reason, then the vision could simply have been an illusion, not pointing to the brothers being dead. The mother fox worries over her son, singular — this either means that her other children are already dead, or more likely, that they’re all fine (if worried) and she knows it. We know Townsen was the youngest of the litter and loved spending time with his brothers, and we also know that he’s in the habit of speaking as if he’s the one in control when he’s not. So it’s very likely that his brothers have been out searching for him, having missed him when he wandered off with Charles.
Okay, enough hypothesizing. Back to lurking for me. Keep it up, Karl, I look forward to being proven right or wrong as time goes on.
You’ve consistently put together damn good strips, Karl. Hats off to you, good sir. Now, dying to find out how this latest revelation affects Charles’ path. Will he take the brothers back to their mother? Will they go with him to the humans’ city, where they will cause cuteness-overload and annihilate them all in some sort of furry apocalypse that will tear the universe in half? Questions, man! Questions.
I read all the comics today, and I am stuned! It reminds me of comics by Vertigo: Pride of Baghdad and WE3. You should try do publish this. I’d buy it in a second, and just you wait until my girfriend gets to know of it!
Alternaive soundtrack for the comic: Samuel Barber – Adagio for stings (op. 11) or J. S. Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major
I think this strip works best when it’s not too caught up in peripheral characters. I like Chuck on the move. Too much random magic in the forest to dwell on one critter or get tied down to linear plot and timeline.
RIP Townsend
Brother foxes… get tough or be clothing
Let’s go!
Amazing.. from what I understand, Charles let Townsen rest and let his siblings know what happened to him. Truly a selfless guy. Keep it up Karl, can’t wait for the next arc!
Oh my God- I feel like crying at the last panel. No wonder the eagle said his foolish choice was also wise.
Foxes tend to tunnel a lot. That’s probably why they were down there, looking for their brother.
@Mordred: “Adagio for Stings”? Scored for wasps or bees? Conducted by Chuck Jones? Good to hear that it’s not only Rimsky-Korsakov who wrote music for our little hymenopteran friends.
I think I know what is going on…I dont’ know if Townsen’s brothers were dead…and the shadows were merely a trick by the hunters to lure Townsen to the clearing…it might be that his wish was to complete Townsen’s quest and finally find his brothers and tell them what happened. I mean, the mother fox went “something happened to my baby” if something had happened before to his brothers, Townsen would have know, right?
I love this comic, and I really really like what you’ve done with it so far. Will finding the three brothers be enough consolation for Charles? Or for their mother? I guess only a mother can know. Keep it up! This is wonderful work!
I hope anyone who threw a fit when Townsend died is absolutely ashamed of themselves, I knew the plot would continue through and that it would be important and a bunch of people acted like spoiled children. Beautiful comic, beautiful plot twist
Jeez. That just hit me harder than anything I was expecting.
Karl, you have a fantastic gift in both dramatic and comedic elements in your stories. I’ve just stumbled onto it from IO9, which had some very positive things to say about you. You’ve got yourself another weekly reader.
I think the plot has moved very understandably… I would hazard that Townsen’s death was necessary to make Charles realize the gravity of the situation, and propel him to continue on his mission… It’s just like that theory by Joseph Campbell I believe about how all those stories about the “Hero’s Journey” (Star wars, Harry Potter, Hamlet) are all pretty much the same plot line: The hero is given a quest by destiny, he doubts his mission, he has a mentor or a friend, he loses the friend, he faces his fear, he endures trials etc. I don’t know exactly all the steps, but I believe Townsen’s death was essential to the overall storyline, however sad it was..
June 17th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Felt that one right in my belly, I liked todays strip very much!
June 17th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
I… argh. That one hit pretty hard.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Wow, well. I figured it wouldn’t be anything anyone was guessing, but I definitely didn’t see this one coming. It’s enough to finally get a comment out of me. xP *such a lurker* Fantastic as always. <3
June 17th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Happy happy last panel! I have allergies thats why my eyes are watering honest.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
What happened to the beer and pizza? Was I wrong AGAIN?
June 17th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Cute, but still creepy. Wasn’t Townsen shot shortly after he thought he saw his brothers?
I take comfort in the fact that he didn’t get a chance to talk to them or pet them…
June 17th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Bring him baaaack!
June 17th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
This comic is going somewhere, right? Maybe I lack the emotional awareness to “feel” the comic as others do, but I begin to wonder if it is going somewhere. The jokes are rare and the plot is spread out across a few characters (when it is present at all?), but the art is great. I just wish that things would pick up a bit. Just where is “Charles” slowly plodding towards, at this point? I come for the art. I would stay for more plot.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
*looks away, wiping eyes* somethin mustve got in my eyes… *snifffff* stupid allergies…
June 17th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Oh my soul crushing cliffhanger. Bring Townsen back! Please!!!
June 17th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I feel the plot pretty well. Charles is on a journey toward something. He is finding things along the way that bring warmth to those who read and a bit of humor when Karl is “feeling it”. I personally have enjoyed the pace.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
You’re good at this.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
That lad panel is just so touching, I had tears
June 17th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
This is the first time that a webcomic has made me cry. :*(
June 17th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
I for one, liked Townsen, but do not want him to return…it negates the whole impact. Like I said before- listen to the comments for the impact, but ignore them and tell your own story.
I really want to see where this is going.
June 17th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Ahhhhhhhhhhh. Lovely. I couldn’t have guessed who’d taken Townsen’s brothers, but though he is lost, Charles has rescued them.
June 17th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Ah! Now how long did she have them trapped beneath her, hm? Listening to Hoppípolla right now, you really do have to hear it to get the full effect!
June 17th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
I love that song… you’re right, it’s perfect. I don’t even have to listen to it again — I hear it in the art. Excellent work.
June 17th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
dude, awesome!!! seriously i nearly cried and thats all i can say!! tho i am sad that townsen isnt back, i guess its best for the story and the impact of it. good stuff once again!!!
cheers from toronto.
June 17th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
I cried. I was happy it wasn’t Townsen, but Charles was so sad.
June 17th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
oh wow, i got cold chills from this.
June 17th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
The music really does add something to it. (And yay! Another Sigur Ros fan in Montreal exists!)
June 17th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
AUGH. What an amazing twist. A very sad, depressing twist. *sniff*
June 17th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Wow, so much dust in the air and I haven’t even been cleaning house. Yup, dust in the air, that’s the problem. (wipes eyes)
June 17th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Wow… This one makes Townsen’s absence even more sad. On the bright side, new friends are made.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Well, thanks for making me bawl like a baby. At 3 AM. The song itself is going to make me cry myself to sleep, and… Oh gosh.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
omg i am seriously crying
June 17th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
I’m a new reader and the comic is absolutely wonderful. Thanks so much for putting up something so great and so touching. I can’t wait for next week. :)
June 17th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
The 4th panel is so touching. The look on Charles’ face is completely heart breaking.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Several weeks of waiting for this update after reading an entire archive did not lessen the impact. Probably heightened it. I was very sad, and then I listened to the song, and the tears wouldn’t stop rolling. I knew it couldn’t be what everyone was crying for it to be, but I was still surprised. Beautifully done.
- a little while reader, first time commenter
June 17th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
I think what kills me is the expression on the second fox in the last panel. Just from its face… he doesn’t know or fully understand what’s happened, but at the same time he KNOWS.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
…Oh, that hurt. The last panel… That’s… That’s just too much.
So ends a extremely climatic arc… I wonder what’s up next for Charles and his new friends?
June 17th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
O god. That was a punch to the gut. That last panel sent me to the bathroom in search of tissue to wipe away the tears (and to blow my nose.)
You are SUCH an amazing talent.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
*sniffle* … Not what I was expecting but… still so wonderful. *sob*
^_^ In a way, it makes me happy, though. We may not get Townsen, but maybe we get his brothers instead? I’m sure they are just as wonderful and cute.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Oh god… tears in the cockles of my bosom. There is so much heart in your work. *applauds*
June 17th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
This comic desperately needs movie treatment.
June 17th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
…I thought I read that this was a finale? Is there then nothing to the quest bit? Or is the message that family is more important?
June 17th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Aw, man! I imagine the voices of young Tod and Copper, the Fox and the Hound, as the voices of the fox brothers. When you make the cartoon series you gotta get real kids to play the voices of the animals.
The Fox and the Hound made me cry as a kid and this strip is making me cry LIKE a kid. Well done.
j.
June 17th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
really didn’t see that coming…what an amazing end to this arc. panel 4 and the final panel are beyond heartwrenching.
June 17th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Wow. I think most of us knew Townsen wasn’t going to come back as his upbeat self, but then I was thinking maybe it’s Townsen’s spirit, and then with the panel with multiple eyes I though maybe it was him and his brothers’ spirits, because when he saw them before he got shot they were all shadowy… and then that ‘have you seen our brother’ just completely winded me. Wow.
June 17th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Sniff. . . sniff. . . sniffle. . . .
June 17th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I can see why you expanded the strip for today . No way you could have done it with less cels – thee impact of the entire images links it all together . We all felt bad at the loss of Townsend – but I think the gain of three broithers who knew that he was linked to Charles will – perhaps – bring closure to one section and increase the possibilities of help and comfort to Charles going forward .
Well played Karl – Merci Bien .
June 17th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Nooooo!! My initial joy at seeing Townsen again quickly turned to sorrow. *Sniffle sniffle*. Though the music would be perfect. Great work, as always.
June 17th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Was not expecting that… Brilliant as usual, Karl.
June 17th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
i only had half the page up and when i saw the first wolf face i yelled TOWNSEN! like a 5 year old…. and i even put law and order on mute….
then i scrolled down and realized it was his brother. that was an emotional rollercoaster. but i agree with others – charles has made new friends! new friends are always good. =)
June 17th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
charles’ eyes are watering!!…. oooh…
June 17th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
I think it’s remarkable the way Karl can create such a touching scene, and yet I don’t feel this is sentimental. I remember hearing Art Spiegelman a few years ago talk about “neo-sincerity” as a sort of alternative to the cynical, sometimes cruel humor found sometimes in the media.
But the name’s not important. Charles Christopher is a moment of clear, understated beauty. A momentary quiet disconnect from this overconnected network of a world.
June 17th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I literally squeaked out loud when I saw the first panel, hoping that perhaps our dear snowfox was back…but I’m glad his three siblings have Charles to look after them, now. (and maybe they can look after Charles?)
I would of course love to see Townsen again, but I can’t wait to see the rest of the story unfold. Great as always, keep it up!
June 17th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
It’s not what you wanted, but at the same time, you wanted it and didn’t even realize it. Wonderful, Karl.
June 17th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Fantastic! I’ve been reading ever since the PVP guest strip and now I can’t wait to see each week’s strip. And always, the artwork is the best around.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
why can’t i ever remember to check for updates when no one else is home. my crying freaks out my roommates ; . ;
June 17th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
I’m reading the webcomic since more than a year now and it’s the first time a leave a comment (sorry i’m speaking french): your story and your drawing are wonderfull…they make my mind and my imagination feel good, my eyes are pleased everytime. Those panel are heartbreaking, but comforting..Charles no longer alone, neither Townsen’s brothers.
Thanks for each update.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Like most of the people who posted, this one brought tears to my eyes.
Amazing what an effect a “comic strip” can have on a reader.
Karl you should be truly proud of what you’ve created.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
There’s something in my EYE!
June 17th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Wait. Where IS Townsen. Didn’t the birds carry him here?
June 17th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
His brothers are dead, IT’S ALL A TRICK! RUN AWAAAAY! Oh, and I feel the comic, but I understand he is pacing this to be read all at once. The pace will be slow, but the end result will be make sense… I think.
June 17th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
At the same time, though, this still doesn’t answer the question of Townsen. He was carried off by the birds. I know it seems silly, but I’m still not sold on him being completely out of the picture.
Unless he was one of those skulls, which is too horrible to even think about.
June 17th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
i have been reading for a while and i want to say – jaw-dropping beautfiul, not just for its art work, but for its message.
your work says a lot about the man you are-
thank you
June 17th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Ooooohhh… *heart breaks*
June 18th, 2009 at 12:31 am
Oh well done.
Great, now he’s got three of ‘em. Somehow, that’s ok, heh.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:34 am
Panel 9 just killed me, running eyes, at work, and meeting in 30min…
June 18th, 2009 at 12:36 am
I just had to say… Well played, good sir.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:39 am
This comic is consistently capable of getting me to cry. Very sad. I’m guessing that Charles won’t be able to see Townsen until he completes the quest mandated to him, but his brothers are there to help and encourage him along the way. The real reward of the quest will be reuniting a family and the incredible downpour of love that is routinely crushed by the humans.
That bird clearly knew exactly who Charles was thinking of for that trade but didn’t deliver. If the bird can’t raise the dead then how was it able to raise the three siblings?
Btw in regards to those having issues finding the plot: it’s a very art-heavy comic thus doesn’t use words as much, so you’re going to have to make inferences yourself. Not to mention the fact that it’s a slow process of reading, and if the comic was made to jump as fast as you’re wanting it to, the emotional impact wouldn’t be the same. Try re-reading the archive in a few weeks once there’s more progression and you might feel differently.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:39 am
RE:Androc
Townsen could be still alive… Charles probably wished for Townsen to be alive, but instead got his brothers. Meaning he couldn’t be revived because he wasn’t dead.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:51 am
Great comic
June 18th, 2009 at 1:00 am
Oh god, you made me cry again. My boyfriend doesn’t like me reading this comic cause it makes me cry and he can never tell when somethings wrong on a wednesday. I love the story and art so much though I’d rather get teary-eyed then miss it.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Oh my god…
My heart absolutely thudded.
Your work truly amazing.
There are no other artists I know of who can so perfectly capture an emotion–and instill it flawlessly into each one of your readers.
Each week I change my desktop background to the latest “Abominable” comic, but I’m honestly not sure I can handle this one over and over.
Had my eyes watering.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:02 am
::sniffle:: I want Townsen, too. I’m greedy that way…
June 18th, 2009 at 1:34 am
normally I’m like @manfromthefuture too – all about the plot and/or at least heavy character development via narrative (David Foster Wallace being my favorite author and Alex Robinson’s Box Office Poison being my favorite comic), but this in particular brought tears to my eyes and was just perfect. I’ve told you on twitter before that you should look to patronage as a model – I beg you to go to kickstart.com and beg them to start a project wherein you set up exactly how much $$ it would take to get you to do CC for the next 6 months exclusively, put together a book with the strips to date, and offer tiered levels of patronage for ltd editions, mentions of thanks, etc.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:55 am
Excellent story telling. Thank you for providing such a phenomenal web comic.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:03 am
Amazing storytelling. You really are awesome at this!
June 18th, 2009 at 2:12 am
An unknown dude shows up at their door, and first thing they do, they ask him about Townsen…… yeah, but how did they know that he knew Townsen?????? More importantly, what where they doing closed up under that tree??
June 18th, 2009 at 3:43 am
Man – heart strings go tug. Well done, Karl.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:54 am
Congratulations Karl, I just found the site today, have read every strip and will have to replace the wife’s box of tissues before she notices. I think I broke my eyes crying. Really beautiful. Thanks.
June 18th, 2009 at 4:02 am
Oh god – you’re going to make me cry again…
June 18th, 2009 at 4:36 am
I actually find Hoppípolla far too happy for this strip.
June 18th, 2009 at 4:38 am
Beautiful comic. I agree with the comments here that your ability to convey emotion is quite extraordinary but I do have to agree with Manfromthefuture about pacing. This particular arc has gone on for just under a year and I have a feeling this is not the definitive end of Townsen so it will continue again for another few months. I will continue to visit for the beautiful artwork and for the occasional comedy moments but I am afraid I am not as invested in this story as I was a few months ago.
June 18th, 2009 at 4:40 am
Lun-Sei wrote:
An unknown dude shows up at their door, and first thing they do, they ask him about Townsen…… yeah, but how did they know that he knew Townsen??????
I guess that’s what the sniffing was about in panel 1 and 3. Charles probably smells faintly of Townsen.
Am I the only one who doesn’t think the last panel quite works? It looks more like Charles has grabbed one and is tickling his tummy than a sombre scene. Finishing on the previous panel would have been more dramatic, but I suppose Karl didn’t want another cliffhanger.
June 18th, 2009 at 5:20 am
… well played. Seriously. Was NOT expecting that… but it was better than anything I expected.. Yeah, I have nothing to say now apart from that one hit hard. Just, gonna go over here… and… sob for a while.
June 18th, 2009 at 5:43 am
ooooooooooooohhhh. damn.
June 18th, 2009 at 5:43 am
Karl, what did I say last time about making me get things in my eyes? Stop torturing me!!
Okay, look… you don’t have to bring Townsen back… but it would be really cool if you did… just– just don’t kill off his brothers, okay? Please?
June 18th, 2009 at 5:49 am
I need some bird comics to balance this…
June 18th, 2009 at 6:06 am
Oh, no! Don’t you dare make me cry again! Oh crap, it happened. I thought there were only two options: Townsen’s back or the Bird lied and there’s nothing dow there. I could have taken either option without crying. You’re a genius at manipulating readers’ emotions, you bastard.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:45 am
Thank you, Karl, for not copping out and bringing back Townsen. Very moving twist. Well played.
June 18th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Such an interesting move…and at the same time it brought me some tears. Very touching.
June 18th, 2009 at 8:16 am
UGH Karl, you keep making me cry at work
there are no tissues in my cubicle…!
this is the greatest story i’ve read in years…thankyou again
June 18th, 2009 at 9:06 am
perfect karl, perfect. THANK YOU for surprising everybody and not doing things the easy way!
June 18th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Even if it isn’t Townsen, who’s to say the wish was granted right away? Maybe his wish was for Townsen and his brothers to reunite and this is just the beginning?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Truly wonderful as always. You do your source material proud while maintaining your own voice – which is an amazing accomplishment to say the least. This strip is proof that comics will never die because their impact is unique.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Wow. First came the chills and goosebumps, and then came the tears. You’re KILLING me here! *sniffles* I just hope no one sees me crying at work.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Ooooh the emotional rollercoaster! I was so happy at first, thinking it was Townsen, but then two more appear. Such a wonderful and unexpected twist! But it leaves many unanswered questions. I absolutely loved this strip so much, and I’ve refrained from listening to the song yet because I’m still trying to fight back tears even after reading all 90 comments. You are an amazing artist, Karl, and I can’t wait to see what wonderful things await us from your magical mind and fingers. ♥
June 18th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Perfect choice of music. Thanks for putting that in my head. And a great twist to the story.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:45 am
My goodness. The tears I have. The tears!
June 18th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Lovley art, lovely choice. I found that Glosoli worked really well. Hell, anything of of this album could work in one way or another…
I can’t wait to see where this ride is going :)
June 18th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Okay, that was heartbreaking.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:59 am
That was perfect.
I could hear the music in my head in conjunction with the last panel.
Absolutely Perfect.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Amazing comic.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Thank you Karl.
Just….thank you.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I second Cram completely. Thank you so much for sharing Charles with us.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Well I for one, am surprised. I assumed that Townsen’s brothers were dead, that they had died long ago, in fact. I guess I interpreted Townsen’s lament that he didn’t know where his brothers were as a naive inability to understand death, which seemed in keeping with Townsen’s character. In combination with the appearance of his brothers as glowey foxes in the dead of night, and even the mother’s reaction, I assumed they had died. Huh. Maybe they did. Sort of depends on what Charles asked for. Or maybe not. Blarg! Also going through the archive and seeing how cute Townsen is/was made it more sad that he’s gone. I bet his brothers liked him a lot.
I wonder what happens now though. A lot of people seem to think that Townsen’s brothers will accompany Charles, but I think they ought to go home and see their mom again. Plus I have a feeling that Charles Christopher has to go forth alone. . .
June 18th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
There are no words.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Did anybody else see the hole in the 7th panel as a portal? like the one in Midnight At The Well of Souls?
June 18th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
…
…
TOWNSEN!!! How could you? PLEASE tell me he’s not dead? I was hoping and hoping and then I saw the little guy and was like “YAY! TOWNSEN!!” but then it turned out to be his brother. It took a minute for me to register this before promptly bursting into tears.
Seriously? Are you TRYING to destroy my soul? I’m so very very sad. Will they help him find Townsen? (though i do realize that this question is possibly optimistic to the point of complete idiocy, but still. Townsen) I’m sure his brothers are adorable and all but his loss has left me all empty inside. I don’t want a replacement! I want him!!!
Sorry for the rant, I’m done. Really adore the comic: great story, great jokes, great characters and FANTASTIC art. I love you (despite the fact that you may have killed Townsen. Could he even just find the body and bury it? It would make me cry again but if he’s not coming back I need closure!)
I’m honestly done now. Love it! ^_^
June 18th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
This comic, like so many others here, brought tears to my eyes. I’ve never commented before, but some of the comments here make me feel as though I should…
The plot paces so slow because if I recall correctly, Karl once said that the plots moves along at an unplanned, almost spontaneous pace. That this comic is almost like a muse, and there is only the most limited amount of planning from comic-to-comic. In fact, I think he draws these each week brand new… many comics have a large backlog and just throttle their posting, whereas this is done fresh each week.
The plot moves along with the thoughtfulness of a long novel, and I adore it. It’s what keeps me comic back. So what if this arc has been going on for over a year? It’s a beautiful story with some of the most intense art I’ve ever seen at times.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
SHENNANIGENS!
Where’s my broom…?
June 18th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
It doesn’t matter to me how long it takes or where the story goes. This comic had me from the first frame. I thank Ramòn Perez for introducing me to this strip when I was an avid reader of Butternut Squash. This comic is one of the highlights of my week. I feel I am a better person because of it.
June 18th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
bawwwwed at the 8th panel from the watery eyed Charles.
June 18th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Awesome.
June 18th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
@Stephen:
“Maybe his wish was for Townsen and his brothers to reunite and this is just the beginning?”
NOOOOOOOOOO!!! That would mean his brothers would get shot, too!!!
I love this twist, and SO glad (for plot’s sake) that Townsen is not back. But, I do have to wonder, what were his brothers doing under that tree?
June 18th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
WHAT? what was the trade? whaaaaat
June 18th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
This is the only webcomic I follow…I’m so impress by your work. So inspiring…
June 18th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Townsen was the best part. He should come back.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
I knew I shouldn’t have cut that onion before I read this…amazing Karl…absolutly amazing.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Augh. You wonderful bastard.
In the first row of panels, with the sniffing… I thought maybe it WAS going to be Townsen reborn, but with no memory of CC.
June 19th, 2009 at 12:06 am
re: pacing
I reread the whole story from page one the other day, and– as I, admittedly, expected to find– it doesn’t seem slow at all read in one go, as if it were a book. In fact, while the story is undoubtedly just getting started, the speed with which the major plot points came up (the lion, the death of townsen, this mini-arc) seemed almost rushed.
The side-strips with the bird family, the forest players, etc. are absolutely essential for pacing and for fleshing out the world, and I feel like Karl has pushed the story along as fast as it can possibly go– but, of course, just one week at a time. If he told it any faster, or with any less detail, it would completely lack depth and resonance when read all at once.
So of course, what we really need is for Karl to quit his day job!
June 19th, 2009 at 12:16 am
this is a beautiful page, and charles’s expression…oh dear
June 19th, 2009 at 1:21 am
This and the last page are wonderful works of art, Karl.
I followed your advice on the music, and put them on YouTube :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u8BU6iTW3o
June 19th, 2009 at 3:30 am
Damn you Karl. I have never wept from looking at my computer screen before.
June 19th, 2009 at 3:42 am
Think Joe Glow is right on the mark – Karl’s early comments about the way he creates each strip make me feel lucky that we have this much of a ‘coherent’ storyline. Personally, I’m glad that the weekly format allows him to eschew standard story formats and create golden little moments like this.
June 19th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Magnificent as always, Karl. My eyes are suspiciously wet, and given that I have no heart, I’m not sure what I just felt break. :)
I have been puzzling over the meaning of the last mini-arc and trying to put pieces together as best I can, and while I don’t expect you to spoil things by explaining them for us, perhaps jotting them here will help me along a bit.
Townsen saw a vision of his brothers and was lured into the clearing where he was shot. If we assume that this was done as a goad to Charles for some reason, then the vision could simply have been an illusion, not pointing to the brothers being dead. The mother fox worries over her son, singular — this either means that her other children are already dead, or more likely, that they’re all fine (if worried) and she knows it. We know Townsen was the youngest of the litter and loved spending time with his brothers, and we also know that he’s in the habit of speaking as if he’s the one in control when he’s not. So it’s very likely that his brothers have been out searching for him, having missed him when he wandered off with Charles.
Okay, enough hypothesizing. Back to lurking for me. Keep it up, Karl, I look forward to being proven right or wrong as time goes on.
June 19th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I know I commented already, but this needs to be said …
That last panel needs to be made into a print. I’d buy it in a heartbeat. <3
June 19th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Amazing artwork and great story-telling. You know how to grab ahold of the reader and make them care about what happens next.
Hopefully I’ll learn some of that from you. ;)
June 19th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Okay. Made me cry. Yep. Thank you.
June 19th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
what…
i’m… so sad.
June 19th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Ah…
June 19th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Hmm. Gripping.
June 19th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Is this the first one to break 100 comments or no?
June 19th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
You’ve consistently put together damn good strips, Karl. Hats off to you, good sir. Now, dying to find out how this latest revelation affects Charles’ path. Will he take the brothers back to their mother? Will they go with him to the humans’ city, where they will cause cuteness-overload and annihilate them all in some sort of furry apocalypse that will tear the universe in half? Questions, man! Questions.
June 19th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Like life, you are unpredictable. Beautifully done! Fantastic last panel! You set the bar for all the aother web artists. Bravo!
June 20th, 2009 at 12:29 am
Marvellous. -sob
June 20th, 2009 at 1:08 am
oh no….i was hoping for townsen….that made me feel like i was swallowing a rock when i read that…those poor little kids… :(
June 20th, 2009 at 2:13 am
Now… where are the parent foxs?
June 20th, 2009 at 7:37 am
I think I need to get back to the lonely bunny for a bit to get over this one.
June 20th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I read all the comics today, and I am stuned! It reminds me of comics by Vertigo: Pride of Baghdad and WE3. You should try do publish this. I’d buy it in a second, and just you wait until my girfriend gets to know of it!
Alternaive soundtrack for the comic: Samuel Barber – Adagio for stings (op. 11) or J. S. Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major
June 20th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Panel 10… just about welled up with tears.
Wonderful strip!
June 20th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
GAH! WHY DID I PUT ON THAT SONG?!?
as soon as i put it on and read that…i just couldn’t stop the tears coming. very nice choice.
wonderful stuff, really just the best out there!
June 20th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
*sniffs*…
June 20th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
I think this strip works best when it’s not too caught up in peripheral characters. I like Chuck on the move. Too much random magic in the forest to dwell on one critter or get tied down to linear plot and timeline.
RIP Townsend
Brother foxes… get tough or be clothing
Let’s go!
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:08 am
Amazing.. from what I understand, Charles let Townsen rest and let his siblings know what happened to him. Truly a selfless guy. Keep it up Karl, can’t wait for the next arc!
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:51 am
How did the dogs get buried down there?
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:40 am
Oh my God- I feel like crying at the last panel. No wonder the eagle said his foolish choice was also wise.
Foxes tend to tunnel a lot. That’s probably why they were down there, looking for their brother.
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:35 am
I’ve read this about 14 times and it still makes me cry. Karl, you are amazing and you break my heart constantly.
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:17 am
@Mordred: “Adagio for Stings”? Scored for wasps or bees? Conducted by Chuck Jones? Good to hear that it’s not only Rimsky-Korsakov who wrote music for our little hymenopteran friends.
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:50 am
I think I know what is going on…I dont’ know if Townsen’s brothers were dead…and the shadows were merely a trick by the hunters to lure Townsen to the clearing…it might be that his wish was to complete Townsen’s quest and finally find his brothers and tell them what happened. I mean, the mother fox went “something happened to my baby” if something had happened before to his brothers, Townsen would have know, right?
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I’m suddenly reminded of the fairy tale about the three brothers and the treasure.
June 25th, 2009 at 5:20 am
Awww, crap. I’ve got to learn not to catch up on TACC at work, even during lunch.
Going to stare out the window for a few minutes….
June 26th, 2009 at 12:26 am
As if I didn’t have enough reasons already to cry when I hear Hoppípolla.
Powerful.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
I love this comic, and I really really like what you’ve done with it so far. Will finding the three brothers be enough consolation for Charles? Or for their mother? I guess only a mother can know. Keep it up! This is wonderful work!
July 9th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Awww, that’s so sad, their faces.
July 13th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
NOOOOOOOOOO! Damn you and your excellent plot line! (But seriously great work!) It is my deepest hope that we have not seen the last of Townsen.
July 13th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Heh. I read this without the music and it was emotional, but when I put on Hoppípolla it gave me the extra little push that caused me to tear up.
July 16th, 2009 at 12:04 am
MattLB, it looks to me as if he’s comforting the fox, not tickling it.
July 20th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
i put on hoppipolla
and i sobbed like a small child.
this is heart – wrenching.
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:38 am
Wow.
That was serious.
July 22nd, 2009 at 9:22 pm
I hope anyone who threw a fit when Townsend died is absolutely ashamed of themselves, I knew the plot would continue through and that it would be important and a bunch of people acted like spoiled children. Beautiful comic, beautiful plot twist
August 23rd, 2009 at 10:11 am
Jeez. That just hit me harder than anything I was expecting.
Karl, you have a fantastic gift in both dramatic and comedic elements in your stories. I’ve just stumbled onto it from IO9, which had some very positive things to say about you. You’ve got yourself another weekly reader.
August 23rd, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I think the plot has moved very understandably… I would hazard that Townsen’s death was necessary to make Charles realize the gravity of the situation, and propel him to continue on his mission… It’s just like that theory by Joseph Campbell I believe about how all those stories about the “Hero’s Journey” (Star wars, Harry Potter, Hamlet) are all pretty much the same plot line: The hero is given a quest by destiny, he doubts his mission, he has a mentor or a friend, he loses the friend, he faces his fear, he endures trials etc. I don’t know exactly all the steps, but I believe Townsen’s death was essential to the overall storyline, however sad it was..
August 24th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
it’s just not right how much this strip made me cry *weep* [just for the record i blame pms!!!!!]
December 1st, 2009 at 8:11 pm
the fuck is Townsen? :(
December 14th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
i love sigur ros! that fits in so well… this is so beautifully sad…
December 27th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
like Stephanie said, this is the first time a webcomic has made me cry. Great job.
*rubs at her eyes*
December 29th, 2009 at 4:18 am
;_;
No more words needed.
March 13th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
You are officially my second favorite web comic. the art is beautiful, and now i know you listen to sigur ros that made it even better.