July 1st, 2009
A Far, Far Better Thing
This ends Chapter One of The Abominable Charles Christopher.
I’m going to do something I feel a bit guilty about now, which is to take some time off. It’ll only be for a month, and that month will be put to good use as I prepare myself for the next story arc and do the layout of the first book collection (you’ll be hearing more about this very soon).
In the meantime, though, the Abominable site marches on! I have some incredible talent lined up to provide guest strips for you, and I’m really excited about them, so tune in every Wednesday, as usual, for more Abominable shenanigans.
I’ll be back before you know it.
-karl
UPDATE: I’ve added wallpaper of this week’s strip, as requested!
July 1st, 2009 at 8:49 am
Thanks so much for your comic Karl! Enjoy the sabbatical and I look forward to see what comes next. and yay for guest strips!
July 1st, 2009 at 8:50 am
Woo hoo! The strip came early today! But booo, no more TACC for a month. But yay! A book! (And so the emotional roller coaster that is Charles Christopher continues.)
Enjoy the break Karl. It is well deserved.
P.S. Nice strip today.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:53 am
Yay book!!! I’m so going to buy it when it comes out! Enjoy your break, Karl. You certainly deserve it. I’m sure most of us will be able to live with the support of guest strips while you’re away.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:01 am
Karl!! The usual week-long wait is already nearly more than we can handle… and now we have to take a month off!?! D:
You deserve the break, of course (and I’m thrilled about the book prospect), and I’ll figure out the whole patience thing sooner or later, I’m sure…
Thanks for the early comic, and congratulations on the completion of Chapter One of a very fabulous tale. Can’t wait for Chapter Two.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:29 am
Been loving this strip since the begining…so excited to hear there is a book in the works! Looking forward to chapter 2 :)
July 1st, 2009 at 9:31 am
Oh my god. I love it Karl. =D
It’s great closure for the first chapter!
Congratulations! Have yourself a great break!
July 1st, 2009 at 9:41 am
Fantastic piece, Karl. Enjoy your month’s hiatus… we’ll be waiting here, eagerly, for your return.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:42 am
Take all the time you need. It’s worth it!
But not TOO much time…
July 1st, 2009 at 10:03 am
I am always blown away by your ability to make an impression with a single image.
Look forward to the guest strips ant to chapter 2…. [now trying to wait quitely]
July 1st, 2009 at 10:13 am
What a great end to the first chapter. :) You always create the right mood without needing any dialogue at all.
Enjoy your month off! Can’t wait for that book.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:14 am
The entire tone of this one seems so different, so much more hopeful, the shafts of light…
I’m sure it just sounds ridiculous at this point, but I’m keeping up hope. I think Townsen’s still out there, somewhere.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:21 am
enjoy your time off, cant wait for the book!
July 1st, 2009 at 10:41 am
I’m glad to see you care for the craft of this comic enough to weight out its future direction. Enjoy the time off. I do have a question though, will the guest strips be one shots or will it be just a couple of artists doing it for a few weeks?
July 1st, 2009 at 10:42 am
I see the crisp er… crab!
See you next month!
July 1st, 2009 at 10:43 am
Have a nice vacation, Karl!
July 1st, 2009 at 10:56 am
what a strip, make it wall paper sized for PC!?…
July 1st, 2009 at 10:58 am
Wow, all this was just for chapter ONE? We must be in for something bloody epic! Like, Akira or Trigun epic!
So now the cubs are travelling with Charles. Say it with me…WOODLAND ROAD TRIP!
July 1st, 2009 at 11:10 am
A lovely ending to the chapter, Karl. I only wish it was a double-sized picture to really *end* the Chapter, with the graphic impact of the previous strip, but what the heck, I can always print it out larger, can’t I?
Enjoy your down time and we’ll see you soon!
July 1st, 2009 at 11:18 am
Are you fancying a crisp? Have a fun (yet productive) vacation. Will be here patiently waiting for your return.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:25 am
You deserve the break! Take your time, get some stuff done, and get back to us soon.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:27 am
This strip would be an amazing wallpaper. *hint hint*
July 1st, 2009 at 11:27 am
Also, enjoy the time off!
July 1st, 2009 at 11:32 am
That log, it’s made of styrofoam with a ballasted keel, right? It’s hard enough keeping a regular canoe upright with ONE dog aboard, and Karl has three…
Maybe… he stole a racing log from the otters? They’re gonna be pissed.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:44 am
Karl,
No need to apologize. Enjoy the time off.
Print collection…? PRINT COLLECTION?! YIPPEE!
By the way, I’d love to contribute a guest strip if you have any openings. Hell, I’d be honored to do so.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:45 am
I agree with Roberto
+1 for the wallpaper
July 1st, 2009 at 11:46 am
Oh… Bloody gorgeous page!
July 1st, 2009 at 11:49 am
Suuure….go on a break the week I start reading these…. ;) Awesome story! Love this comic.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:08 pm
1 month off! I don’t think I can take it! COME BACK!!!
July 1st, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Take a break, recharge your awesomeness, hurry back!
July 1st, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Hey All! I’ve heard your pleas and added wallpaper of this week’s strip to the Downloads page. Enjoy!
-karl
July 1st, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Oh, and in answer to your question, Rex, the guest strips will be by different artists each time. They’ll be whimsical moments in the Cedar Forest, outside of the story continuity.
July 1st, 2009 at 1:07 pm
love love love! i thought of leaving a snippy comment about a month without CC, but you deserve a break. ^_^
July 1st, 2009 at 1:14 pm
also: book & more shirts! :D
July 1st, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Happy Canada Day :)
Hooray, a book! I’ll buy ten copies and give them out as gifts! Enjoy your break!
July 1st, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Enjoy your break! We’ll struggle along without you but knowing you’re recharging your batteries so you can give us TWO Charles strips every day when you come back will get us through. ;D
July 1st, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I like the fox out front. Watching, thinking, trying to figure out where they are headed…
Will definitely be my new wallpaper once I get my laptop fixed up.
July 1st, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Yay! More Townsens! They’re adorable! But, nonetheless, i will NOT be happy with replacements (however cute and no matter how many of them). They are not Townsen and will not be loved as much by me. But sooo cute! ^_^
Can’t wait for the book thing ^_^
Kate
July 1st, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Thank you so much for the comic, it’s beautiful. Enjoyed it from start to finish. -love, a long time lurker.
July 1st, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Wooh, book time! Excited now. I suppose it’s a good thing I only discovered you ten comics ago- Townsen was already, y’know, and it was very sad but I had no strong connection to his character. Hope nothing bad happens to the new foxes. What is the third name, by the way? Townsen called out “Kosey” and “Kino” back in August. Another K name? Or another T name, splitting the cubs into two sets? Will they all be distinguishable from each other? I suppose time will tell.
I can’t wait for chapter two now, but if the break helps it be better in the end, I’m sure I can hack it. Enjoy yourself!
July 1st, 2009 at 4:39 pm
nice work as usual. PLEASE HURRY BACK!!!
July 1st, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Awesome job Karl. Enjoy your time off. There’ll be big welcomes for you when you come back.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Have a nice break, take your time! <3 I look forward to seeing TACC when you return. :)
July 1st, 2009 at 5:26 pm
I can’t stop crying. This comic is so incredibly moving. I’m sobbing endlessly in torrential rains from the emotional content. Oh Lordy, I haven’t felt this way since my parents died and my child was born — on the same day! It’s joy and grief all at once! The trials and tribulations that Charles has faced, the loss of Townsen, the incredible challenges every other animal has gone through. The heartbreak, the broken families, the horrendous economy, the unemployment rate, the housing crisis …
…oh, wait. I know why I’m crying, now. It has nothing to do with this s**t.
July 1st, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Well deserved, rest, rest.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:17 pm
I have just started reading this comic to my younger sister. I haven’t gotten to the part where Townsen dies yet… but it breaks my heart every time she laughs at his antics. |D
I congratulate you on taking the big step of killing off a beloved character. I wonder how you felt doing it? And will the personalities of his brothers be different and how? lol, I don’t know if I can wait till the end of this month. XD
July 1st, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Also, I’m a bit interested in doing a guest strip… but I wouldn’t know what about. |D Are there any openings or are these all strips you’ve gotten in the past?
July 1st, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Aww! I want to huggle all of those cubs (and CC of course). So cute.
have a great vacation, and good luck with the book! (that’s so cool!)
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:32 am
That is a great way to end though. I wouldn’t have minded at all to look at this lovely scene for a month. But still, guest strips should be interesting.
July 2nd, 2009 at 4:42 am
I just read this in one sitting. Can’t remember the last time I felt so many emotions in the space of one hour, especially while reading a webcomic. Thank you for writing this, and I can’t wait for the next part!
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:51 am
Your work is beautiful and I am regularly brought to laughter or tears by it. Enjoy your vacation; it sounds like you don’t take enough time for yourself (a trait I recognize). I look forward to the publication of your book, and hope to be able to support you for years to come.
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:23 am
Love it!
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:37 am
Farming out the wacky woodland hijinks and keeping all the meaty stuff for yourself? OK, I can deal with that.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:38 am
Dang it! I just found this comic two weeks ago. Completely in LOVE with it.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:44 am
You deserve a standing ovation for what you’ve done so far… to say the least.
And about today’s comic, it took me a while to notice they’re floating on a log. X-D
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:03 am
Okay, time to re-read everything from the top then…
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:28 pm
thank you so much for this 1st chapter, it was so amazing, i can´t wait for more…but i will =D
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Have an excellent break, Karl. Thanks for lining up some guest artists for us while you get some much deserved rest! I’m sure we will love them almost as much as we will love to see you back.
Oh, and… book. Boooooooooooook. Book.
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:43 pm
wonderful!
enjoy yourself and thanks for the strip so far.
2 questions before you go…
1. If it isn’t too invasive a question, what is the process you use to create the comics, as far as materials, programs, steps… I’m just curious. Like a lot of us here, I really admire the visual art as much as the stories and characters.
2. For the second chapter or as a special edition, would you consider tossing in full color a time or two… or maybe even a great big full color poster of Charles and the creatures of the forest? …too much to ask?
…again… i’ve enjoyed the ride so far… have the greatest hiatus… peace!
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Not invasive at all, Ra!
The answer to your first question can be found in one or both of these interviews (I should make these links more accessible somewhere):
Interview 1
Interview 2
And as for your second question, these strips are all technically full colour, but I know what you mean. I won’t deviate from the current look of the story unless I have a REALLY good reason to do so. But I’ve got a couple of ideas in mind for posters and deluxe prints, and those would probably be very colourful.
-karl
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:52 pm
This is a beautiful end to the first chapter. I smiled when I saw the little crab joining the floating parade of cuteness.
Enjoy your break, Karl, you deserve it. Can’t wait for the book.
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:15 pm
the cubs remind me of my bf’s cat. curious, mischievous, and loving.
i’ll miss you for the four weeks, but i look forward to reading the guest renditions.
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:14 am
i’ve never been so tempted to buy a webcomic in my life
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:34 am
What (or where) would the next arc take off from? I’m wondering what the strip will look like collected. Will the strip be sufficient as it stands? Or will it need some additions to clarify or fill out the narrative (or parts of it)?
A very sweet strip, exceptionally scripted and laid out.
Thanks for the strip, and I’ll be looking for new ones in a month, and (re)reading the archived ones until that time.
I’m going to have to make a donation before the end of this month as well.
All the best,
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Woohoo!! TABC graphic novel!! I’ve been hoping for one of those forever!
July 3rd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Great work! I´ve discovered it today and couldn’t stop reading it until it was done!
I didn’t read past comments, so I assume you got this all the time, but I’m asking anyway:
Are you going to publish it(in a book/graphic novel)?
Have you thougth about an animation movie?
Any of those would be great!
Congratulations from Brazil!
July 4th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
That panel is almost unspeakably cute.
Thanks very much for the comic. Enjoy your vacation.
July 5th, 2009 at 6:54 am
I’m just … I don’t know what to say … one of the fine people in Travelling Man Manchester put me onto this strip yesterday and I have just fallen head over heels in love with it. You stunned me with your artwork, made me smile (and laugh out loud several times) with your dialogue, made my eyes water on so many occasions and tears fall at least twice, and absolutely captured my soul with the magic, the mythology and the intrigue you are developing within your story and your characters.
You manage to bridge so deftly between the punch and zip of the newspaper strips I grew up with into the depth and epic fantasy of comics like Bone (and the fact that you may just have filled the ‘bone sized hole’ there has been in my heart since that comic ended is about the best compliment I could offer).
I’m so pleased to have come aboard when I did, because reading the first story arc like that in one was a wonderful experience.
Yours utterly captivated
Robin
July 5th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Your taking a break NOW?? But I just discovered your webcomic!!
I just finished reading all of your comics from the beginning. It’s awesome! I’m looking to create my own webcomic soon, so this is great inspiration. Thanks for telling a great story.
July 6th, 2009 at 6:03 am
Wow. Just…. wow. Words fail at the sheer AWESOME of you!!! Yay for your well-deserved break! And just so you know, the quote (er, partial quote) that you used just so happens to be my absolute FAVORITE line from Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”. Here’s the quote in full! (you probably know the whole thing anyway, but I just wanted to put it down…)
“‘Tis a far, far better thing that I do now than I’ve ever done before. ‘Tis a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”
July 7th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Karl -
I just recently found your strip and I’m totally in awe. Brilliant, brilliant stuff, mate.
July 7th, 2009 at 11:45 am
“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.”
-Sydney Carton
July 7th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Were Townsen’s siblings dead before CC found them? I am slightly confused about that.
Also, I have a conspiracy theory: when Townsen died, it was one of the spirits (possibly even Moon Bear) who lured him to his death with an illusion of his brothers. The spirits seem to think CC is about to have a great deal of influence over what happens with the humans, and some of them (such as Moon Bear) have reason to loathe the humans and possibly believe they should be driven out at any cost. Luring Townsen would be a demonstration to convince CC why the humans should be destroyed.
This is probably just paranoia though.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
i didn’t notice the crab rejoining until i made it my desktop background…teehee! ^v^
July 9th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Enjoy your time off! =D
July 14th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
B-b-b-b-b-b-book!! There was a good reason to get out of bed today! (Yes, I know I’m way behind on this news)
July 16th, 2009 at 8:22 am
I love your comic, it has such a great story, and really makes me laugh! I cried about townsen though :’( (bring him back! haha)
awesome comic, keep it up!!!
July 18th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Just wanted to let you know this is now my favourite webcomic. Your ability to evoke such a range of emotions with your art is phenomenal, looking forward to whatever you create in the future. :)
July 21st, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Oooh, tell us more about the book! When do you think you’ll come out with it? I have a friend I would love to introduce this series to! I’d love to buy the book for her as a present. Any chance the book comes out before her birthday, Oct 23? ^_______^
Ahahaha oh by the way I read the whole series today and it was AMAZING and FUNNY and SAD. Keep it up!!! ;_;
August 12th, 2009 at 10:01 am
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