1204 Worth.

by

This whole arc was plagued by tragedy and upheaval in my life. I didn’t get to give the attention to it that I really wanted to. There was never a time to stop. The death of my uncle, and the events following, never let up. I did the best I could, which is all any of us can do really. It was unfortunate timing for a story that is really important for several characters. I regret not being able to do a better job. I chose having something there for the reader over a more perfect story. I think that is almost always the right choice. If you let something completely stop you it’s very difficult to regain your stride afterwards. A lot of comics fall apart like that. I’ve been doing this long enough to have seen it happen to almost everyone I know. Between Failures will be 8 years old on the 20th of this month. A small victory, but a victory none the less.

I hope I can do better for you in the future. Thanks for sticking with me.

53 Comments

This is a great strip with great characters. Humor, a little drama and hijinks are always a nice mix.

I know I’m way new to the strip but I’ve really enjoyed it since I found it (thanks to a link suggested at Sandra and Woo).

My own life this past year has not been good with the loss of my mom back in Dec 2012 so I would like to imagine I can guess where you’re coming from and I’m sure everyone here is backing you 100%.

Thanks for putting so much energy into the strip. It’s one of my highlights for the week.

I am also new to this strip but I have to say Crave, that I am glad I added you to the list of comic updates I check every (other) day. I see a little of myself in Thomas (and a few other characters) and their stories speak to me in a way seldom other comics do. Thank you for working so hard for us, and for being unafraid to say what’s on your mind in your commentaries. I’m not sure how long you plan on following Thomas and his pals, but I will tell you this: I’ll be here with you til the end, and I’m pretty sure there are plenty more who AREN’T posting that will say the same.

You rock dude.

8 years? Thanks, Jackie. Thank you for continuing to entertain us thrice a week for 8 full years. I’ve only been reading it 2, read it all of course, but thanks. Some people would’ve taken a sabbatical, and from there, it’d all fall apart, as you said. It demonstrates great strength, and loyalty to your fanbase that you powered through it and kept giving us comics.

So thank you. That’s about all I can offer you, unfortunately. Thanks.

Congrats Crave.
I’ve been a reader since the beginning. 8 years. 3 days a week for 8 years.
Wow. It has been a long ride.

Keep up the work, Jackie.

From all of your fans, we don’t want this series to end any time soon.

I have to say, Thomas’ comments here are eerily familiar. I feel like I may have said them before, or something so close that the lines are blurred between the two. I tend to lay it all out on the line with love. Sure, it may have lead to heartbreak, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d rather get all the rough, painful, raw stuff out at the beginning than have it royally fuck something up twenty years of marriage later.

P.S. Congrats on 8 years! That’s a long time. I dunno if I could stick with ANYTHING for 8 years, but it’s something I strive for. Thanks for the inspiration. :)

Not been around for that long (couple of years now), but if this isn’t a good opportunity to say that I appreciate your efforts (not to mention the results) in giving me something nice to read three times every week, I don’t know when it will be. So thank you for what you’ve given us!

Why worry about doing better? This comic has been going 8 years strong with a good following. Some would be so lucky. Keep up the good work.

This may not be “perfect” but it definitely has worth all its own and even if you suddenly gained the ability to instantly replace it with something “better” I would still want this version saved somewhere people could enjoy it. And I’m also glad you could stay in the saddle of your schedule if that helps you keep on keepin on though you know we will hang in there with you if you need the time at some point.

Thank you for 8 years of content. (even if I did archive dive through most of it )

I pray you develop what you need for happier times soon.

Because you’re willing to try, and know you don’t quite have what you want,
the effort you put in anyway makes this the best webcomic I read,
and my crapass job and crapass everything else get brightened every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Thank you so much for doing this, and I hope we keep going together down this road.

Thanks for whom the hard work!

I originally found this web comic about 5 years ago for reasons I can’t recall… I read a chunk of it in one night then lost the bookmark to it and couldn’t remember the address so I couldn’t read it for a while. I always wanted to re-find it, but the only thing I could remember about it was the adorable blue haired girl (yay Jo!) and her obsession with movie trivia, and that wasn’t enough for Google so I basically gave up.

Flash forward to two years ago, I re-found the comic while looking for things to cheer me up because my gf/fiancee of 5 years dumped me out of the blue. Reading Between Failures definitely cheered me up a lot, and helped me get though some seriously rough times since, including the untimely death of my best friend of 21 years this past December. I knew him since I was 5, and I was actually at his house when I found Between Failures again, so reading this kinda connects me back to that moment and helps me feel better.

I admire your perseverance, and I love the comic and story. Thanks for everything, and here’s to another 8 years!

Personal tragedy aside, I don’t think that you’ve let anyone down. You consistently deliver an engaging comic that’s always fun to read. Keep up the good work Crave, and you’ll easily make 10 years

Congratulations on the eight years of “Between Failures”. I have been watching this webcomic for four years. I really like the slow evolution of both the story and characters.

Congrats on 8 years! and thanks for writing something that stuck with me from page 1. also this comic has been my morning medicine before work :)

Man. I feel more and more like Thomas with every strip. He does a lot of the kinds of things I do and says things I think. It’s actually kinda cool in a creepy sort of way. Between failures is turning 8 years old huh. That must feel amazing and bewildering at the same time. I don’t remember when I found bf, all I know is I really connected to it and the people in that little store of megatainment. You may not feel it’s perfect, but, I think I speak for all of the fans when I say, it’s perfect for us. You deliver a quality product 3 times a week without fail (so far as I know) and your story speaks volumes for itself. I can archive binge over and over and still be entertained every time. That says something. Keep up the good work crave.

Crave,

Congrats on the 8 years. Lets hope for at least another 8.

Don’t ever feel bad about your comics – they are amazing. The stories, the characters, the everything. Real world intrudes on everyone. I can promise you that as long as you are putting out the comic, I’ll be reading it.

Congratulations on eight years of story telling goodness.

I raise a glass and wish that you keep publishing to infinity and beyond.

the fact that this has been going on for 8 years (ive been a reader for maybe 2) blows my mind. go, you!

Part of what makes web comics better than the ones you find in newspapers is that they are more intimate. we the audience learn more about you the artist that we would ever know about Charles Shultz or Bill Watterson. one of the things we learn early is that you are all perfectionists of the highest order. i am sure if left to your own devices you would update once a week and STILL not be happy with the finished product.

let me tell you once and for all that your comic has NOT suffered because of your real life. stop beating yourself up. thank you for your concern, we are more than happy with the level of your work. now, go hug your family.

You’re one hell of a professional for keeping this up amidst tragedy. Congrats on 8 years, man. I’ll be glad to keep coming back again and again.

I actually can’t tell how much arc you are talking about, because it all seems like solid story to me. You’ve done an excellent job making characters I actually care about, to the point where as bleak as their world is, it somehow makes me feel better about things. So kudos, you’ve touched a lot of people.

@Crave–

Way to end an arc! Great, healthy philosophy, and some ‘mushy stuff’.

Honestly, I haven’t heard too many people whining about quality, although there were a few goodbyes a couple months ago (you mentioned them in the blog). I think you’d have to eleven-o’clock the SUCK control to lose anyone significant. This is a pretty loyal bunch; you’ve earned that much and more. Speaking strictly for myself, I think this past arc has been one of the stronest in the strip’s run.

A number of webcomics have suffered when things got a little rough (when the going gets tough, the lame go on hiatus) — Ozy and Millie, Coyoteville! and Dissonance come to mind — of them, none were improved by long absence. I think at one point or another, the audience gives up the vigil and moves on.

Keep blowing our minds.

–Perfesser

I do feel like you have maybe not been at the top of your game recently. But even sip, what you have produced (while off your game) remains better than most comics out there. You have nothing to be ashamed of, fine sir, and only the stars to shoot for. For what little it’s worth from a faceless internet person, you have our support.

You know, in his situation, I’d do the same as Thomas-though unquestionably not as well. Minus the cute redhead though, I’d have to bring out the Red Ryder BB gun and massacre the snail. Yeah, I know-I’m a monster. But man, what fun!

So I’m assuming that thomas is kamina on the low, that was a pretty g thing to say. I thought he’d put on the cape and walk into the distance while ‘The Real Folk Blues’ played in the background. That’s the kind of life philosophy that makes me look up to the sky and think about this city of mine, and the humans who populate it.

Gets me thinking about how fast life flows where I live and the nature of introspective thought and just the dumb things people do (myself included) that seem so purposeless to others in such a beautiful world. I’m glad I got some words of wisdom today, maybe I can help share the sentiment around.

If it weren’t for the blog posts I would have no way of knowing this didn’t come off as planned. I thought the writing and art both were amazing and the ending very good. If you had better planned, I believe you, but don’t let that take away from what you did manage.

I wish you the best in life as well. I understand quite well how personal tragedy can hurt and I hope you and yours manage through it together.

Man, this page is so great. I feel like if the comic ended here it would feel complete. It’s been a long time since I felt that way about a webcomic. I’m kind of glad I waited so long to catch up on it so I could experience this undiluted.

Between Failures is definitely one of the better webcomics out there, and certainly in my top five favorite ones to check in on when I make my webcomic rounds. The art style is simplistic and interesting, giving it a clean look that you don’t see a lot of. The story really needs no comment that hasn’t already been said. Slice-of-life comics aren’t really my favored genre, but this one managed to get its claws into me and hang on. Thanks for giving us eight years; may the next see you as fortunate as I feel to have been able to read this comic.

Just starting one, struggling to make something you’re proud of despite the real turmoil in your life is extremely admirable. All you need now is the luck you deserve.

This strip sits at the beginning of my daily checklist of comics. You have created the most memorable characters I have ever found in this medium or any other. Thank you so much for all of your hard work and I hope you don’t lose the drive to continue, for your sake and (admittedly selfishly :P) for mine.

Thanks :)

Somehow I found this comic, and I seriously read over a thousand strips in 2 days. I have no idea why I like it as much as I do. I was never really a comic strip person but now I check the site almost constantly. :-D

Eight years of webcomic goodness. You go, Crave, and congratulations. I found this strip while web surfing five years ago, read the archives and have been a steady reader ever since. The art, the plotting, the dialogue and the characters are all first rate.

Hey, I know you didn’t write this comic “for me” in specific, but you should know that from me, personally, this comic helped me through some of the toughest times in my own life. I’ve had deaths in my family (it’s a big family, so that is inevitable and repeating), I’ve had breakups, and I’ve had existential crisis after existential crisis. And through it all, this comic and 4 others have actually helped keep me sane.

This thing you’ve created is an expression of an idea. An idea you felt was important enough to draw, color, write, make cogent, and make funny. The idea is incredibly important, and the fact that someone else in the world thinks it’s important matters to ME personally. With this post in particular, I actually teared up because what he says to her in panel 5 is absolutely true, even at it’s most painful. It’s essential to me to know I’m not the only one with that thought in my head.

So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for being strong enough to keep this up. You have never once disappointed me with your work. I hope it can continue long into the future.

” It was unfortunate timing for a story that is really important for several characters. I regret not being able to do a better job”

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

That’s hilarious. As if a better job COULD have been done. You, sir, are a card.

I think you are being a little hard on yourself. I read a lot of webcomics, and I mean A LOT, and your comic is among my favourites. I particularly like your character development, I feel that I know these people, your detail work in their personality is amazing. And for the record, I like how this arc went.

I’m sorry that you’ve had a hard time this past year or so, but if this bad writing then your good writing is going to blow my mind.

Thank you for the wonderful story.

Considering that Thomas is essentially me in a nutsell, you’ve done better than any other writer I know. Always know that you are (usually) you’re own worst critic. As for the past eight years and those to surely follow…

We shall follow you to the ends of the Earth and into the depths of Tartarus itself, so lead on Captain Crave!

I always wonder what it would be like to actually meet people who identify strongly with Thomas, since he’s so similar to me. Would we get along, or be too much alike to? In any case I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my work so far. Thanks for sticking around.

THIS! THIS RIGHT HERE! This is the kind of relationship I want with this girl I work with. I really like her and she used to like me the way I do her (mayhaps she still does on some level), but the sin of it is I’m not sure how much of a chance at being with her I have but I’ll be damned if I’m going to give up on her. The first dream I ever had about her, after confessing my feelings for her, was her in her room crying about something (still have no idea what but I think I was the cause of it or part of the cause of it or tied to it in someway, I digress) and I was just sitting there outside her room, back against the door, telling her I wasn’t going to leave/go anywhere no matter what. I mean I had a shot with her (again still possibly do) but I was “friend-zoned” after she heard a song at her b-day that reminded her of her ex, whom she then proceeded to get back with, again (numerous again’s), then broke up with again, and lather, rinse and repeat, (sorry if I sound bitter here, I kinda am. Why? because reasons). ANYWAY, she and the jerk of an ex recently broke up again, him doing it to her, and we are now talking again (why weren’t we? again because reasons) and I’m trying to do right by her this time, starting off as a friend and always being there for her and making sure shes happy and find out why she isn’t when she isn’t and trying to bring her back to happy. The first night we hung-out I told her “I think I love you.” Stupid I know but I think it might actually be true, or pretty darn close to it. We are woefully two different people, by a long shot. I like nerdy/geeky stuff, classic rock, gaming, anime/manga. She doesn’t. She listens to not-classic rock, watches not-anime, she watches some reality tv and stuff, but idc, she doesn’t game like I do, but I’m considering cutting back on it for her, and semi-changing my personality, minor things really, like just not shutting up, talking in a British accent, etc. I’d do all this to have a chance at being her permanent bf, because I know I can make her happy. We have chemistry together, it’s obvious even to a blind man. She has admitted on before and shortly thereafter said “but I don’t like you like that.” When I know she does on some level. She has some drawbacks, but who doesn’t? I don’t care about that. I care about her.

Yeahhh

I’ll wrap it up here.

Bottom line. The relationship Thomas and Carol have? I want that. I want that so much so with this girl “I’d run right into Hell and back.”

That’s a tough situation. Just be sure not to miss out on other possibilities because you’re focused so much on what you want. What we need and what we want are hard to tell apart sometimes. Good luck no matter what you decide to do though.

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