Newer update 1 october: I’ve updated the art to this strip. Uploading from the train I’m on is proving kinda tricky though. It’s not showing for me, but it should be.
At any rate, you can expect regular updating to resume on the 5th of October.
Sex and the Suburbs PDF Donate any amount to read a 6 page mini taking place when Anders and Maria went to Uni together and first started dating. (NSFW) You will be automatically redirected after donating. If not email me and I will hook you up. |
Rene On   |
AppearancesMarch 20-22Webcomics Weekend March 28 UK Webcomix Thing April 23-26 SPX 09 Stockholm |
Links:Abominable Charles Christopher, The, Achewood, American Elf, Asfaltpress, Bellen, Bob The Angry Flower, Boy on a Stick and Slither, Cat and Girl, Diesel Sweeties, Dr McNinja, Every Other Week, KC Green, Dr Voluptua, Dykes to Watch Out For, Girls With Slingshots, Girly, Grumps, Gunnerkrigg Court, Herman the Manatee, Kinokofry, Kukuburi, Little Gamers, Nedroid, Octopus Pie, Overcompensating, Patches, Perfect Stars, Pictures For Sad Children, Questionable Content, Raymondo Person, Riotfish, Sam and Fuzzy, Scarygoround, Templar, Ugly Hill, White Ninja, Wondermark, |
September 7th, 2009 at 1:48 am
Aww, maria is adorable. Always!
September 7th, 2009 at 1:53 am
Awww I love maria’s eyes, and the way she looks over at him before falling asleep. It’s so innocent.
September 7th, 2009 at 1:58 am
Have always been a Luigi fan, I think it is mostly because, as a little brother, all the loyalty made sense to me.
The last panel is priceless, btw.
September 7th, 2009 at 2:03 am
she dreamt about tea that night.
September 7th, 2009 at 2:09 am
I really love the choices you made for the panel/camera angle shots. Very engaging–nicely done!
September 7th, 2009 at 2:12 am
I liked Anders on this one.
September 7th, 2009 at 2:27 am
squeal! i love them both so much. i wish anders hadn’t screwed up later in their relationship. he’s really not a bad guy and it’s scenes like this that really make me love his character. mmmm <3
September 7th, 2009 at 2:35 am
Anders probably says those things about Luigi because he imagines they’re similar.
Too bad he turns out to only be desperate.
September 7th, 2009 at 2:36 am
Also, that damn controller cable keeps disappearing!
September 7th, 2009 at 3:07 am
Maria looks like she’s not wearing pants in the last panel.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:55 am
Rene, how do you do it? I feel like I know EXACTLY what Maria is thinking.. aw <3
September 7th, 2009 at 4:30 am
Anders is missing a mouth the last panel, unless it was purpose and I am just missing the meaning of this,
And I agree with Melissa, Maria looks like she isn’t wearing panels,
I love this page though, your art is always so nice.
September 7th, 2009 at 5:06 am
Naah, I can see the suggestion of cuffs down near the ankles. They’re just “good jeans” – skintight, but still comfy.
I like Anders here, too. But he’s a victim of his own charm. He’s supposed to be with Sophie now, and we know he’ll wind up with Maria.
So much for Loyal Luigi…
September 7th, 2009 at 6:05 am
Hey, I have Luigi’s Mansion for the Game-cube as well as own the console itself. Awesome game, and yes i agree, Mario is way past his prime.
September 7th, 2009 at 6:19 am
I took some time off when you did, life beckoned and I forgot all about ALM. I just reread the whole thing to remind myself how awesome it is and I dropped by to say so! See you Monday!
ps. awww.
September 7th, 2009 at 8:48 am
@Carl-E
Meh, probably best not to assume right away that he cheats on Sophie. Relationships do end for different reasons, at least occaisionally. = P
These flashbacks have been nice, though. I love the comic, but it can be a little depressing some times, with just how much /everyone/ screws things up. (Anders isn’t alone in that.)
These flashbacks, even with the dark-room oral sexes, just feel so innocent..
~Sleet
September 7th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Del: Yes, yes she did
September 7th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
who are we kidding??? of COURSE anders is going to cheat with maria.
that’s the way he rolls.
he’s going to seduce her because she’s going to let him
September 7th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
don’t get me wrong – I love the guy, just sayin that keeping his pecker in his pants is not one of anders’ strong point.
September 7th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
The bulging eyes are getting a bit creepy
September 7th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
I dunno, I effing love Sophie. I think she’s hot and if I was tapping that, there’s no way I’d drop it easily. :/
But the connection between Anders and Maria is so obvious, even in these early stages. It’ll be really interesting to see exactly what brings them together.
September 7th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I wish I could look at Anders without hating him. It may be the douche-bag art haircut or it may be that hes always squinting with his lower eye lids. lol. Am I alone in needing to know whats going on with Maria and the whole giving birth thing?
I love flashbacks but its driving me crazy….
September 7th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Luigi sounds more like Tina to me.
September 7th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
maria is really cute ^^ i love luigi!
September 7th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
This is really strange, especially because these last episodes are meant to be cute and tender, but, believe it or not, I’m developing an intense *dislike* of both the main characters, I don’t see why these 2 should be together, so I’d really like to see the story ending in a sad way… Besides, I’m a sucker for the Anders/Tina couple!
But then again, my feelings regarding the characters of this comic change very quickly (something that is quite common among us readers, I see), I think that it goes to Rene’s credit having created a work that arouses such multiple and contradictory reactions in its readers.
September 7th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
The second panel is absolutely gorgeous.
September 7th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
It’s been a while since I’ve scrolled down to this little box and told you that this comic is an absolute gem! Many thanks for continuing to update
September 7th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
…isn’t Maria also still in a relationship? Couldn’t she possibly cheat on him with Anders, too? Anders isn’t the only one that could cheat. Although, he does have a knack for it…
There are times when I’m just … so in love with their relationship and how they are together, and then there are times where I feel like there isn’t enough there for them to be together. Anders is googling other girls all the time, and while Maria trusts him she’s also a bit too childish for him. The only thing they really have going for each other is the baby in her womb. But I also like the contrast with Maria’s first pregnancy, that tore apart her relationship, compared to her second pregnancy that’s trying to mold it back together.
I also think that Ander’s face in the last panel reminds me of his “uh oh, i’m about to/i’ve done something bad”. But I think it’s mostly the lighting and lack of a mouth.
September 7th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Wow, I really google too much. I meant to say ogling. O:
September 7th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
I love how anders is squinting as if trying so hard not to pounce on maria! You can feel his will power rapidly slipping. They are naughty kids. neither are innocent.
September 8th, 2009 at 3:56 am
I’ve been a long time follower of ALM, but I’ve never left a comment. I’ve read the series from the beginning all the way through multiple times, and every time I read it it evokes different feelings in me. Sometimes I like Tina, other times I despise her. I pity Maria then think she’s brought most of this onto herself. At some points I loathe Anders, then I think of the mistakes that we are all capable of and can happen so easily, yet for some reason are unforgivable. This is one of the most real webcomics I’ve ever had the great pleasure of reading. Keep it up Rene, wonderful plot, thrilling characters, and gorgeous artwork. Thank you for sharing them with us.
September 8th, 2009 at 4:21 am
I don’t really understand the word “release” when Maria says “What an odd release game”.
September 8th, 2009 at 5:17 am
I just realized that Maria has been drinking with a baby in her belly. That is simply unacceptable. For all those criticizing Anders, lets take another look at our leading lady and determine who is making the bigger mistakes.
September 8th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Chiara – I totally agree about the conflicting feelings thing! It amazes me to see how completely different other people view each of the characters, especially compared to my own views on them!
That said, I like all of them to varying degrees. But Maria pisses me off the most, since she pulls the most crazy-girl shenanigans. It’s nice to be reminded of what I like about them (together) through these flashbacks.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:28 am
internet warp hole brought me to this site tonight. just read from start until this point.
great work! very compelling.
g.
September 8th, 2009 at 11:04 am
hmmm.. Anders has been consistently proper for a while. I wonder how long can he keep this up.
September 8th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
I freakin LOVED Lugi’s Mansion! My sister & I would wander around the house shouting “Maaaaaaaaarioooooo!” & shaking furniture. Ellie, Anders isn’t squinting to keep his minds (& hands) off of Maria-he’s squinting b/c ghosts are serious business.
I’ve been reading this comic for a while & I am amazed at how the artwork has evloved-way to go Rene! The story has also developed in the most unpredictable ways-I can’t wait to see how this all pans out (holds thumbs for a happy ending!). I love how the characters are all so human-no hero or villian, just a bunch of kids trying to realize adulthood while maybe not completely understanding their youth (maybe except Bjorn-I think he realized who he was a long time ago & is cool with that). Absolutely FANTASTIC all around & super big thanks Rene for sharing your talent with us!
September 8th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
@pdf
Release means it was a launch title for GameCube, i.e. it came out when the system did.
Love ALM, keep up the amazing story Rene!
September 8th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
pdf23ds : Luigi’s Mansion was released the same date as the Nintendo GameCube, with Wave Race and Super Monkey Ball. Hence the word of “release game”, although “release title” is more often used.
September 8th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Damn, JoelGuelph explained it before me
Oh well.
Keep up the awesome work, Rene !
September 8th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
i think maria gave anders that look thinking he was trying to come on to her in a charming sort of a way, but when she saw his gaze fixed on the telly, she knew it wasn’t so.so she just went to sleep thinking he’s sweet or just hyper-romantic.whaddya think?
September 8th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Everyone thinks Anders is this sex-crazed maniac who goes around sleeping with whoever he can, but here is Maria, laying on the couch of Anders, making jokes about not having sex (last comic) when she is in a relationship AND is carrying her boyfriend’s baby, not to mention the drinking while pregnant. In this particular point in their relationship, Maria is no more innocent than Anders is.
BTW, love this comic. Found it through Questionable Content a while ago. Keep up the good work!
September 8th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
What happened to monday’s update?
September 8th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I really like this page. I completely get the feelings going on here. It reminds me of me and someone I used to date. I’d be really intoa game (Usually Zelda), and she’d act a little bit more interested than she actually was. She’d come over and watch me play, never wanting to play herself, ’cause she wanted to spend time with me, and she thought it was cute how focused on the game I’d be. And on more than one occasion we’d end up just like they are in the last panel.
September 8th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Do we know what and how much alcohol Maria was drinking? My dr. recommends a few ounces of beer or wine once or twice a week because it helps me sleep and therefore helps my twins as well. Most Dr.s will tell you a few ounces is just fine and there is even studies that show it may produce babies with a more even temperament. Being Maria’s child, this baby could use some help in the temperament area probably lol. Beautiful strip.
September 9th, 2009 at 12:42 am
I don’t know, it seems like Anders is much more concerned with the game than he is with Maria at this point. And I can sort of see Sofi hurting Anders as being the reason that they’d break up, not necessarily that Anders broke up with her.
I’m also trying really hard not to judge any of the characters because it’s so realistic and there is no saint any where in the story. The closest there is would have to be Maria’s brother, but there’s not that much about him. Even then, look at what he did to Tina.
It’s hard to say that Maria is to blame here, just like it’s hard to say Anders is to blame later. It’s such a diverse and complex relationship that it’s impossible to pin a “bad” guy here.
September 9th, 2009 at 2:45 am
@Salinza- Wow! That’s really interesting, I’ve never known that before. O; Who knew I’d learn something in a comic’s comment section? xD
September 9th, 2009 at 3:29 am
Ok, there are some bad things about this comic,
First i found it at work, second it made me get no work done for the WHOLE day, and lastly, i’m not a patient person….and waiting for new updates after being able to read up to this point in one day is soooo difficult!
best. comic.ever.
*grin*
September 9th, 2009 at 4:08 am
This is the most beautiful webcomic I’ve ever read.. It has all the qualities of a book or movie, and I am so addicted. I’ve shared it with at least four people who’ve all loved it, and I will keep on recommending it as long as you keep writing it
September 9th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Renee- I would like them all at once when you guys are all better- which I hope is soon! The flu sucks major goat balls!
September 9th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I on the other hand would like them as they’re finished.
September 9th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
did it even ever get confirmed that she was drinking alcohol, or is this another ‘she drinks apple juice/chocolate milk while her friends have booze’?
Do whatever works for you best, and get well soon. I’m fighting a nasty cold now, so I have lots of sympathy
September 9th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
So, here’s a cute girl sleeping in his apartment and he’s not jumping her bones yet. Is he just having some sort of crisis in the present or did he used to be a nice guy? OR do they actually both end up cheating? Oh well, at least this scene is nice and peaceful.
September 9th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Hi Renee,
So sorry to hear that you’re sick!
I’d prefer to see a whole batch of comics at once… but really, I hope that you take care of yourself rather than pushing yourself to make comics if you’re ill.
Get well soon! (And I hope the kids don’t get what you have!)
September 9th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Yuck. I was sick with Swine Flu two weeks ago. Not fun. I hope you get well soon!
September 10th, 2009 at 12:59 am
RENE!!!
The flu sucks. So does the extended wait. However you dying of Swine Flu would suck more, so I vote for you to get better, rest…… dream of Yumi’s sortyline. And post when you’re healthy. <3
September 10th, 2009 at 1:21 am
Sorry you’re so sick
You should just get as much rest as possible and post the pages when you’re feeling better. Your health comes first!
I hope you feel better soon.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:07 am
Read them all again from start to finish
love them! Keep readin this strip though, don’t know what it is about it but I love it…
September 10th, 2009 at 2:40 am
I vote one large update. Sorry to everyone who wants to be spoon fed…gimme a plethora of Anders meets Maria goodness all at once, i say!
September 10th, 2009 at 3:08 am
I think you should just wait until you’re well again to worry about updating. You’ve given us all plenty of awesometastic comics, we’ll survive a week or so in waiting while you get well.
Take care!
ps- this was one of the cutest strips from A<3M evar
September 10th, 2009 at 3:11 am
I would like them all at once please! It would take me back to when I read the entire archive all at once. Feel better!
September 10th, 2009 at 3:13 am
anders doesn’t ever really seem to the one to initiate though. he’s just really charming and very passive and overly receptive. not that this relieves him of responsibility, but i don’t think he goes looking for crazy sex with all the wrong people, he just stumbles into it. which is party of why he’s so charming.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:30 am
all at once would be awesome!
apparently hot toddies work well on colds…but only if you drink it all…otherwise you just get tispy…while everyone else is sleepy….not made for fun times.
September 10th, 2009 at 3:33 am
Post however you see fit! I’ll be here waiting
September 10th, 2009 at 5:23 am
I’d suggest putting up no new comics until you’re back on a regular(ish) schedule, then use those you’ve got stored up as a buffer for the next time unfortunate things happen.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:54 am
I want updates NOW.
haha but seriously, get better. I would really like to be “spoon-fed”.. I check this webpage first thing every morning, ANDERS<3MARIA FOREVER.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:54 am
all at once is best. Don’t want to kill yourself trying to deal with sick sself sick kids AND comic all at once. Take your time and rest up. The comics will come in time. and I’m happy to wait a bit. plenty of fluids! Feel better soon! and if I’m allowed to have an address to send a get well card to, I’d love to send one!
September 10th, 2009 at 5:58 am
I just devoured your whole comic within a week and a half and I’m thoroughly addicted. Thank you. I love your Illustrator work, even more than the hand inked stuff. I love how flashbacks work into the storyline. Get well and I look forward to your future pieces! Rock on!
September 10th, 2009 at 6:00 am
I vote do your buffers
that way when you are sick then you can post at leisure and not worry about it. So make us wait til you are better then post at your shedule whatever goes next. 
No worries and get better soon. I <3 your comic Rene.
September 10th, 2009 at 6:23 am
Spoon fed FTW! xD
September 10th, 2009 at 6:45 am
Whichever is easier for you, I’d prefer them as they’re done, but if it easier to post them all at once go for it!
I just got over being sick with a bug too, best of luck to you! Drink lots of ginger tea
September 10th, 2009 at 8:38 am
@Brandi i totally agree! i can’t point a finger at anybody because it’s such a tangled web, how is there a bad guy and a good guy when everybody is doing bad and good things? that’s why i love ALM, everybody is the good guy (and conversely, everybody is also the bad guy haha)
September 10th, 2009 at 11:29 am
Hey!! don’t worry about the comic,. just, stay in bed and relax a little bit.
we hope you and your kinder get better really soon! greetings from mexico
September 10th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Rene-
Hope you feel better soon! It’s best you get your rest now and worry about the comic later, otherwise you might end up getting yourself sicker. Thanks for such a great story! I <3 Anders <3s Maria!
September 10th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Your comic is superb. As eagerly as I wait for new updates, I would not want you to rush or stress over it; let it come at its own pace, and finish being sick and have groovy fever dreams.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Update when you are well, whether you have 3 strips or 1. Just be sure to get plenty of rest.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:41 am
whenever you want to, if you feel it’s done and it’s not a hassle then sure. however if in anyway hinders your recovery then we’ll wait patiently on the updates until you have slaughtered the pig flu.
September 11th, 2009 at 2:40 am
Feel better!
September 11th, 2009 at 4:24 am
I don’t know… can you get swine flu from reading a comic by an author who has swine flu? I may just have to avoid it until you’re feeling better!
No, really, whenever you feel like it. Don’t push yourself.
September 11th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Don’t go back to work until you feel better!
Take good care of yourself
September 11th, 2009 at 9:07 am
I literally have this open in a tab all the time, and refresh it AT LEAST three times a day
In other words… anything works, I’ll be waiting for as long as it takes! Get better, lotsoflove from Vancouver <3
September 11th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
…Am I the only one who dislikes the art style? I really, honestly do not like it. But the story is engaging and that’s the important part. I mean, I read the entire thing even with the art soo I had better like something. Though…Anders and Maria are both idiots…honestly. And Maria looks like she’s about 12…I have a hard time with ages. Okay..I like the comic, have a good day.
September 11th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Anders and Maria look so oddly like my boyfriend and myself. I’ve pointed this out to others, they all find it very odd. In the wallpaper you made Anders is… exactly what my boyfriend would look like in cartoon, sans freckles.
Although I’ve been a fan of this webcomic for quite a while, this is my first comment. You’re a wonderfully talented webcomic artist, perhaps my favourite. Thank you.
Unlucky about the flu, hope you and the we’ans are alright!
September 12th, 2009 at 5:34 am
hope you feel better soon
more comic
must have more comic
September 12th, 2009 at 5:38 am
upload them when you’re all better…and take care of you!
September 12th, 2009 at 5:46 am
Get well soon!!! Better to upload the comics when you’re better than overwork yourself. I can wait for new updates.
September 12th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Large update, I say. Hope you get well soon and defeat that nasty flu bug!
September 12th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
@D: that’s pretty harsh.. dude.. have you considered constructive criticism?
September 12th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
I want all the comics at once when you are better. I hate the wait, but something tells me I will die of happiness at getting a plethora of pages all at once!
Hope you and the kiddos feel better soon!
September 12th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
I need my “anders <3 maria" fix
September 13th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Put them all up when you’re better.
You really should remove the text that says “3 days a week” though. It hasn’t been 3 days a week in months.
September 13th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
I think you should wait until you’re better…don’t worry about li’l old us.
September 14th, 2009 at 3:33 am
Duuuude, I hope you and you’re little ‘uns are feeling all right D:
But yeah, definitely update all at once whenever you’re feeling better.
September 14th, 2009 at 3:38 am
Your kids and yourself are a priority over the comic. Load up when your all better.
September 14th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
lol, i want an update on the update(s)!
September 14th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
I WANT THIS COMIC IN MY BOKHYLLA NU.
September 15th, 2009 at 2:37 am
Feel better soon and don’t push yourself too hard. <3
September 15th, 2009 at 3:04 am
As much as I have enjoyed this comic, it’s inconsistency lately is starting to frustrating. I understand life gets in the way at times but as someone else said, it would at least be nice if we got an update in the news section a little more often if things are delayed. After all that just takes seconds.
Sorry if this seems harsh to some of you, but my momma raised me to be honest
September 15th, 2009 at 3:09 am
@ shortcake- read Renee’s Twitter for an update on the updates…
September 15th, 2009 at 3:58 am
I for one would be very disappointed if ALM stopped updating until the whole story was done being drawn.
This comic is something that I really look forward to! I don’t mind waiting for somewhat irregular updates, really. It would make me frown if I had to go that long without.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:13 am
It’s annoying to have to wait. I’m sorry but I want to be honest. I understand that you are sick. I hope that the ending isn’t coming soon because you are bored or tired of the comic because I am not. You seem to have something really great going on here and I’ll be sad to see it end.
I’ve been spoiled by QC and others that update so regularly I guess.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:10 am
I think you should do whatever you want. If you want the ending unbiased I’d suggest that at least turning off the comments if you do end up posting pages. People may not like not being able to comment but it’s your damn comic.
You aren’t being paid. Do what you want. The real loyal fans will be here regardless of what you do, and you have a lot of those.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
While I would not enjoy the wait, I can guarantee you I will still be here to read them if you do decide to post them all at once, so do what you think is best for you.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Okay, thanks guys! I just want your feedback. It seems the absolute majority of the people want regular updates. I’m listening. As soon my kids are back in preschool I’ll start the updates again. But I might shut down the forum and disable comments so I can just pretend no one’s reading.
@elisabethmae I am ending the comic as planned. I am not looking forward to ending it at all. I love all these characters and hate to leave them. But this was always a story with an end in mind. And it will be a good story.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
@Soos:
i Do look at twitter, they went treasure hunting, they found a cutlery set, there was a documentary on the lack of advertising regulations for childrens products…. there were no update updates.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I have been reading this comic for quite some time and the thrill really does end after one is finished with the archive… so those of you who want updates, you should probably reconsider since they are going to be inconsistent and slow… just as they have been for the past 6 months. If it’s not one thing it’s another — sick, tired, taxes…blah blah blah. This is a business and one she makes enough money off to support herself and her children. She has a loyal fan-base and judging by the previous comments, a very patient and understand one. This patience and understanding WILL eventually run out. The excuses are getting old. I work around single parents with children and if they called in “sick” as much as she has or have missed the deadline as many times as she has, they would be FIRED a long time ago. QC and GWS and LICD manage to update regularly, if not daily, and all have busy lives and yet no time management issues. QC even manages to sell t-shirts and GWS artist hits up every possible event, meeting, and comic-con. It’s embarrassing to take advantage of your readers this way and you guys keep encouraging her with your “oh .. it’s ok” and “ohh don’t worry about us” — she is making money of your time here by selling ad space, donations, and commissions. You should at least deserve a regular update.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
@Zac: I would not be fired if I had to call in sick this much because I fortunately live in Sweden where people and companies put health first. Or at least the companies are forced to. Strict laws are in place so people cannot get fired if they fall sick. In fact, if I am home with sick kids I would get my full wage. So in reality I would make a lot more money had I stuck with my day job. But I choose to tell stories on the internet. The work is here for free for you, updated on my terms. It’s up to you, the readers, if you want to support it or not.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
I’d love to keep seeing the comics updated regularly. Also, Rene, I mean no disrespect, but I’d love it if the comic updates were more regular. I cry a little bit on MWF when I don’t get my ALM
September 15th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Truth be told I agree with Zac’s point if not his delivery. I adore anders loves maria but once I was finished the archives I found it more frustrating than anything. I’m an artist myself and I understand it’s hard sometimes to put aside time to draw as well as have a life. But I work part time, 25 hours a week and am a full time university student. The main problem I imagine you’re facing is do you push forward and meet the deadlines you promised on or do you go at a pace in which you can still have fun doing the actual drawing. Not an easy choice. So, I don’t know… I guess for anyone reading the comic, forget about it for a month or two at a time like I’ve been doing and read the few posted in mass so it feels more rewarding.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Oh dear: My main problem is I am a single parent without a network of support. I have no one to fall back on if I or my kids get sick. I enjoy drawing at both a fast and slow pace. I have never made a promise about my schedule. I try to update 3 times a week. If I can’t, I can’t. It frusterates me too.
September 15th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Hey Guys,
I’ve been reading this comic for a while and always find the comments interesting. You have the people that don’t care that much about updates and then you have the people who are annoyed that they aren’t that frequent. We can look at it from two view points… 1: This is a business that to keep going must be tended two no matter what personal situations may occur. Because in the end if you make any sort of money off your readers they derserve some stability in updates to keep them as readers (most of the time). Personally I think asking for one update per week isn’t asking that much even with a crazy hectic life. BUT it’s not up to me, I don’t know about the authors personal life so how can I demmand this? BUT I do believe the whole point of a comic is to have people keep reading on a regular basis. Am I right in thinking that the comic is the authors main source of income? (is this any of my business?). In the end it’s the readers that decide whether or not to read it and support it. From what I read the comic is coming to an end, I think that’s a smart. It just seems that the author doesn’t have the time to continue it and planned for it to end they way anyways. SOoo…. 2: From reading the authors comments she is a single Mom? And she’s a Mom who puts her kids first, period. I’ve worked for a Mom who was like that, put the kids first no matter what was going on with the business. While great for the kids and the personal life it was a disaster for the business. I remember she decided to open a second store but the week she was supposed to have her grand opening she took her kids to Disneyland instead because she promised them. I think was a sheer lack of planning on her part, but both of her stores closed down / sold them because of lack of business because of lack of time to put into them. I think in the end we have to understand who we are dealing with. A single mother who put her kids and personal life before the comic. People could get frustrated but it’s beyond the readers control. We can’t do anything about it. The guy who commented that she would be fired if had a regular job was slightly right and slightly wrong in my opinion. Yes you wouldn’t be fired if you were sick. But is you were sick or had personal issues all the time things would come into question. Being Canadian myself I can have sick days but if I called in sick all the time they would either question my state of health or fire me for some other reason just to get rid of me. It’s all about balance. I love the comic but since the updates aren’t regular I don’t check the page often, or donate because of the lack of balance. I respect a single Mom trying to do her best but in the end I think it’s time to end the comic on a high note and move on.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Lulha, whoever said this was a business? She is making it available to the public because she chooses to. She has an actual job that is her main source of income. This is her hobby, not a business. She makes no money off her readers other than creating a few print products and advertisements. I fail to see how your points still stand under these facts. Rene has no requirement to fulfill anything as it’s not her job. She’s not in this to make money. She’s in this to give something back to people, something that is a part of her. What she chooses to do with it is not your concern, nor a “failure” business model.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Sorry for the double post but I may have realized that Rene did make this her main source of income? I was not sure when this switch had occured (if it had). Her points about Sweden’s health care stand up though. She would be paid at a normal job for this time off due to sickness, no questions. The flu happens, you know?
September 15th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Several of you, including the author, seem to be holding on, if not grasping, to this sick day idea I mentioned earlier. So maybe in Sweden she wouldn’t be fired, here in America, I wouldn’t be fired either.. but I imagine that my boss, being a GOOD businessman, would get annoyed at having me miss a lot of work for other things like taxes, vacations, visitors, etc.. Obviously, no one should be discriminated or treated unfairly for being a parent or having health issues, but come on, that’s not what we’re talking about here, are we? This IS her main source of income .. ie.: the last sale of original artwork was to raise money so she would not have to have a day job and could continue creating ALM… Which, by the way, was presented in such a way as a favor to US, the READER, since she subtly warned that ALM could not continue if she had to actually work — so it becomes this twisted cycle, she can’t draw ALM if she has a job and yet she can’t seem to draw ALM either, so what are we even doing here? If she is doing us the FAVOR of not having a day job, then I am doing her the favor and advising that she smarten up if she has any chance for future income from her artistic endeavors.
September 15th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Whoa! I think it’s pretty gross how people are getting pissy over something they get for free. From what I recall people got pictures in the donation drive and if you donate it’s because you appreciate what you’ve already read it doesn’t entitle you to demand anything.
I also read Octopus pie by Meridith Gran and she changed her comic so that it updates once a month, you just give your email and she lets you know when the new bunch are ready. I like reading a chapter at once aaaaaand then people can get off your back because they spent a second of their precious day checking to see if a new page is up. I imagine it’s less of a hassle and then you wouldn’t have to deal with people whining about punctuality and spend as much time as you want on them so that you’re happy.
Even if you and yours weren’t sick, you don’t charge a subscription and you don’t owe anyone anything. Do whatever you want whenever you want.
I absolutely love your comic
September 15th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Jen.. you’re obviously missing the point. While the author of Octopus Pie changed the subscription to “once a month” — Renee changed hers to “Whenever the f@#% I feel like it” and forgot to tell everyone else.
She also makes money off the ad space since she actually has a following and the vendors are counting on some of us clicking on whatever they are selling, providing, etc.
No one is getting pissy. It just makes sense to have some respect for your readers and do your job.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
@Zac: If you’re so upset about Rene getting 5 cents every time you come to this page, stick this site on your RSS feed and don’t visit until you see an update.
You are not her boss. None of us are her boss. We continue to read ALM and support Rene for various reasons. You are humorously mistaken to think that you can compare the timeliness of a webcomic to a nine-to-five job. If you paid for a subscription, then maybe I could see you getting upset, but you don’t. The only thing you spend is the two seconds it takes you to check this site and realize it hasn’t updated yet.
She isn’t taking advantage of you. If you donated to her, that should have been in payment of the entertainment you’ve received for past strips, not in expectation of more, or to encourage her to stick to a schedule. If you haven’t donated to her, then shame on you. You have absolutely no right to be complaining as much as you have been, regardless.
Furthermore, this is Rene’s hobby that, through her own talent and hard work, manages to support Rene and her two children. Maybe instead of bitching about the free art you get, *you* should get a hobby.
@Rene: I hope you and your little ones are feeling better. I’ve enjoyed reading your diary strips in the meantime and you’ve actually inspired me to restart my own daily sketches. (http://www.carolinemartin.name/tagged/sketch+diary) So thanks for that! On my next paycheck I’ll be throwing a few more dollars your way. Hopefully it will help for your next train ticket to Malmö. :]
September 16th, 2009 at 12:03 am
Zac… “Renee changed hers to “Whenever the f@#% I feel like it” and forgot to tell everyone else.” – This would be the very definition of getting pissy and since you figured out that it sometimes doesn’t post regularly you should calm down, cause you’re in the know.
Sometimes she posts regularly and sometimes not, so what.
Sometimes it could be three times a week or once in two weeks, so what.
… luckily those banners are posted all over the internet so a potential lack of links through Anders Loves Maria won’t destroy their endeavors.
She shows her readers respect by posting quality and I look forward to the rest of Anders Loves Maria as well as any other comics she may do in the future, however frequently or infrequently.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:21 am
I would like an update soon… I hate checking every day and being disappointed. But I also understand you and your kids being sick. Having tried making my own comic and failing miserably because real-life got in the way, I understand. But you have something great, and it sad that it’s ending and that your fans are losing interest.
I like Jen’s idea of an email notification of a new comic posted, but then I wonder if the email would get sent.
I’m going to try not checking for a month, which sucks because I discovered a handful of other comics and shops from their advertisements on your page. Bye for now. Feel better soon.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:45 am
I’ve been reading this for some time now – another QC referral. I never got excited enough to comment until today – I’m a quiet person. This is far and away the best web comic I’ve ever read/become attached to, predominantly from the complexity and ‘realness’ of the characters, their interaction and development, and the discussions about what might be going on by the readers. The artwork appeals to me too in a way I’m simply not experienced enough to articulate. In retrospect, I am glad the updates are sporadic and delayed, as it pushes out the inevitable end when I’ll have one less thing to look forward to *maybe* seeing each morning.
I admit – it is quite frustrating for me as another week passes by with no new comic, but I excitedly check the feed each morning nonetheless.
However.
To those who complain that the sporadic nature and “excuses” are bad business or are disrrespectful of the readers (and you will have a hard time finding a much more capitalist leaning person than myself): Hello Free Market??? If you don’t like it, Mr. Customer, don’t buy it, and by “buy” I mean “spend your time visiting the site.” In essence, the logical implication of such complaints is that never having published the comic at all would have been preferable to an inconsistent release schedule.
It’s art, not a widget, y’all.
Rather than looking at this comic as something one expects regularly, try looking at it as you would a rainbow or a perfect sunset and be excited when its there to take in. Expectation management is important to one’s mental health!
Thank you for adding beauty to the world, Rene. I hope you and yours feel better – I’m sick this week myself. I’ll be anxiously checking my feed each day until the last update shows up (at which point I’ll be hoping you publish a hard copy)
September 16th, 2009 at 1:14 am
I can’t believe that you can manage to do this beautiful comic and raise kids alone. It must be hard. Thank you for ALM, update whenever you are able to, and good luck!
P.S. I love the way the color purple stands out in the page.
September 16th, 2009 at 4:42 am
If irregular updates were really driving readers away, the advertisers would stop paying for their space. They’re really the only ones who have a right to complain about irregularity or make demands. The readers, who are getting what they want for FREE, have a right to be frustrated at times, but they certainly have no right to start telling Rene what to do!
On that note, a thousand thank-you’s Rene, for your sharing your art and storytelling talents, even if life does sometimes get in the way of regular updates.
September 16th, 2009 at 6:05 am
This comic is amazing.
Clearly the end result is good enough that yall keep checking, and checking enough to complain multiple times, no less.
As an artist myself, I know the importance of deadlines but I also know it is 100000 times more satisfying to put a piece out there that you know is your best, quality work. I’d rather wait than have something rushed (illustrator takes a hella long time, btw).
Can’t wait to see how this all pans out!!!!!!
September 16th, 2009 at 6:35 am
Rene
Thanks for the speedy response. I’m really glad to hear that the comic isn’t ending early because of all the bs going on in your life. It’s been great so far and I look forward to a great ending…sometime
September 16th, 2009 at 6:37 am
hm. I’ve written three times on this page now… but just have to say… give it a rest people! this woman wrote this because she wanted to. We have no rights over it, in fact, if Rene wanted to finish up today, she’s well entitled to! She owes us nothing, it’s a privilage to be able to read something of someone elses creation.
If the people paying this woman want to have a go, then they are entitled to it, we however should feel lucky she has put this on the internet in the first place. I honestly can’t believe some people. let her relax and spend time with her kids!
for goodness sake.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:28 am
Who are you people??
From the way you make it sound, all of you who are judging Rene’s “business,” are superhuman, single parents who work 80 hours a week, walking to work uphill in the snow each day, possessing an inhuman immune system…
well, you know what? THAT IS FAN-F*@#*%’-TASTIC FOR YOU.
Now go back to your home planet, and bitch at your teddybear instead, k?
September 16th, 2009 at 7:30 am
today is my birthday
please update
i’m coming to resent luigi and his mansion
September 16th, 2009 at 7:42 am
I’ve been reading this comic since 2007 and never posted. I’m sorry you’ve had to put up with so much crap because of this comic, first with the stalker and now with influx of ridiculous posts.
I love your comic, thank you for continuing to make it.
and to those of you complaining, grow up, I’m sorry your day was slightly inconvenienced, get some perspective.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Aww! Poor Rene! If she worked in the US, YES. She would be fired. But I think it’s fine that she updates as she can. She’s busy with kids currently AND sick. (Kids take a good chunk of your time. They’re younger too, right?)And this is a …webcomic!
I have plenty of comics to read myself, so I check this one from time to time. Altho, I do have to say… I check it only weekly, sometimes less. I no longer check 3+ times a week because… well, yes, it just doesn’t update often. ^^;;
Also, don’t people get rewards for donating? Comic sketches and such.
Check the top ten comics on the voting sites. Surely, those can entertain some.
We still love you, Rene! Hope you and the kids get better soon! (And you might wanna update just once/twice a week, then you could have extra pages ready for times such as this. I love the M/W/F thing, but it hasn’t happened for a while and at least once a week would be great to have.)
September 16th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Renee,
You’re awesome! Fuck everyone else. Family and Health comes first.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:43 am
I hate that people are complaining. A good webcomic that goes up for free is a thing of sheer joy that should not be rushed or be thought to incur any kind of obligation. I don’t think anyone would be in a place to complain if you walked away from it tomorrow. I am thankful for this wonderful work of art and for your will to keep it going, and I hope you’re not too sick. I’ll have to start following you on twitter so I can see if you’re OK.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
I can’t remember if I’ve commented once or twice, or none at all, but with all this drama, I had to comment this time.
Rene, I adore Anders Loves Maria. I discovered it through Josh Lesnick’s Girly, and I’ve been reading ever since.
I will admit, the sporadic updates can get a tad annoying. However, it happens. Girly is updating sporadically as well, though nobody’s complaining. And Josh is, as far as I know, a single male, no kids, no job… and yet there’s still no complaints when he updates “whenever the hell I feel like it.” (As Zac basically put above.)
The swine flu is NASTY. I have it right now. Then with 2 kids who are also sick? It’s bad enough she’s sick, and couldn’t get her kids to someone else fast enough, people. But now she has to worry about taking care of her little ones.
And even otherwise, with vacations and such… isn’t she allowed SOME time for herself?
I admire webcomic artists, no matter how often they update. These people put up beautiful pieces of art mixed with wonderful stories for us as often as they can, because they want to share their joy with everyone else.
So, WHO THE HELL are we to judge when they can’t put it up every once in a while?
Wonderful comic Rene, I truly enjoy it and will be sad to see it come to an end. I suggest, however, possibly changing the schedule to “Once a week” or “Once a month” to get people off your back? Besides, that way you can work ahead and create back-ups.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
get well soon!
September 16th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
and dont rush yourself ill keep checking for updates for another month without complaining if need be, the comic is good enough to be worth the wait.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
@Nikki ^_^ Thanks Nikki. I was tempted to change the update text to “whenever the !*?& I feel like it”
September 16th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I think you should take your time and get better too
Although don’t be skivin cause ALM rocks!
QC and other comics update regularly so we can stick with them for a while until you’re feeling better
September 16th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
On one hand, you seem to be the most sickly person in the universe, like seriously, I’m worried about you, you’re sick like every other week.
On the other it’s your comic, no one ever forced you to make it or update it, so the speed / frequency of updates is obviously your choice and no one elses.
September 16th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
I’m really shocked at the sense of entitlement of some people posting comments here.
Rene has created a truly remarkable work for us to enjoy, and given it as a gift. She’s dedicated to this project. It is really unfortunate how some people take this for granted.
I wish I could fly over and make Rene some chicken soup.
September 16th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Its easy enough to not give proper thanks and thought for what a gift pieces of art like Anders Loves Maria are, when you just dont take a minute or a second even to really THINK about it; it is free and generally is updated around a certain schedule.
So I can see why some people would (mostly jokingly!) feel a sense of entitlement to their weekly dose of ALM… (but they shouldn’t!)
September 16th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I think the point the ones lobbying for updates are trying to make is that for a webcomic or any type of writing/art, there needs to be regular updates for the publication to become truly great. Many people are relating to QC on this point which is a good example because Jeph does a very good job at doing a good job 99% of the time. I would even go further and throw Penny Arcade or PvP or even order of the stick. OOTS was amazing at updating regularly for a while and has kinda been slacking lately on that. However it also maybe needs to be noted that Rene may not be trying to achieve that kind of level in this endeavor. So help me nobody had better say that Penny Arcade or PvP are gaming comics so they operate under some special rules based upon their fanbase. That argument is ridiculous because all 3 of those guys used to catch flak years ago when they wouldn’t update regularly. Mike and Jerry actually have said that when they quit their job and did PA full time it was a gamble but they realized that to really make it in what they were trying to do they had to update regularly no matter what. Jerry had his daughter just a few days ago and still updated the news feed. I think the crucial point is if ALM is trying to accomplish that kind of unilateral accomplishment if you will of PA and PvP arguably the two most successful webcomics. I personally think that this comic has an incredible amount of potential in that case but all roads to success in thsi world do seem to be tied to regular updates unfortunately. Zac was right in his core idea not his delivery again. Most webcomic authors do not realize that their readers need updates regularly until it’s too late. Regardless of the situation it needs to be paramount. If you go through the PA archives and see what life events have occurred and they still update it really makes the readers feel good, lately because of the Swine flu outbreak at PAX Mike hasn’t been drawing because he got it but Jerry is still posting and getting guests to draw, which btw is very rare at PA, in conclusion I have to salute Rene for what she is trying to do here and what she has already done, but I would advise her from my longtime readership of this and some of the other great webcomics to at least pay heed to some of the comments made here. Also realize that generally it’s not a good idea to ream your fans publicly on the comment board. Just a thought.
September 16th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
cripes!
when i said i wanted an update on the update i meant “by 9-22″ or something OR “when we are all better i will post all completed work, all at once” (i didn’t see that info on twitter but i haven’t looked yet today), i would then tack on 2 days because maybe then Rene’d realize she couldn’t post completed work due to broken hardware/software issues because that has happened, and it seems ok to me, i figure if ALM is her job its pointless for me to get all uppity over it because i have no say or control over it anyhow. i have been grouchy in the past with the update schedule, but its just a comic. i have bigger fish to poach than Anders.
Also, in the first few comics Maria looked very different to how she looks now, owing to the style shifts. I prefer her current appearance if only because i can’t imagine Johan looking like his sister as she looked in those comics.
And: thanks for listening
September 16th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
I was pleasantly surprised to see how the majority of these comments are nothing but supportive and empathetic, but for the few reeking of entitlement, I suggest you read Neil Gaiman’s blog post on an entitled George R. R. Martin fan: http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html
A particularly entitled feeling fan of GRRM complained to Gaiman that he was increasingly frustrated with the author’s lack of communication about the next book’s publication date, and that the author was letting him down. (Hmm, sound familiar?) Gaiman’s response and explanation of the reality: “George R.R. Martin is not your bitch.” Well, Rene isn’t your bitch either. Seriously, I recommend that everyone read Gaiman’s article above, and hopefully that’ll tone down the sense of entitlement that some people have.
On a lighter note, add me to the multitude of people wishing you well, thanking you for an amazing comic, and asking you to take it easy and put your health and family before the comic! The comic is just wonderful, but I am fine with waiting as long as it takes. butternutsquash.net just came off about a year hiatus, and it was worth the wait too!
September 16th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Well, I’m probably going to be slaughtered for this, but I’m with Zac on this one.
Waiting for updates is really getting tiring. There seems to be a constant “Yes I’ll get it done three times a week for sure”, which lasts for 2 days and then starts to slip again.
I didn’t contribute to the last “send some money and get a unique sketch” thing because I KNEW that this would happen. Zac’s right, “she subtly warned that ALM could not continue if she had to actually work”, but ALM is still not really continuing, I didn’t bother to contribute because I knew the promise would only last a short amount of time. I’m not exactly loaded with money myself but if I had thought that we’d actually get regular updates out of it I would have contributed something.
Advertisers ARE leaving, several times now I’ve logged in and seen the Project Wonderful spaces blank, at ALM’s height they were going for three times the basic rate, now people just move on to places that are more active.
I’m sorry Rene, I love your work and I love ALM, but this is just getting silly.
Disable the forum, disable comments, whatever, just please start updating the comic again.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Wow. I am shocked at the people complaining.
Yeah it’s frustrating when updates are late, but what does it really matter? Everybody on here gets to read this stuff for free. You’re not paying for it, so let webcomic updates come at the leisure of the writer.
You don’t have to read if it really drives you that nuts.
Rene doesn’t owe any of us anything. But Rene, you owe yourself and your kids a good rest until you’re all healthy again =) Do what you feel is best. I’ll be checking in daily anyway
Feel better soon!
September 16th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
I agree that the lack of updates are frustrating – this is such a great comic, one I thoroughly enjoy reading. With that in mind, I only check the site once a week instead of 3x a week. This is Rene’s comic, not mine. I don’t pay her. I enjoy her story and her art work and will hang in there until the end. I’m sure Rene is aware that she doesn’t make as much money if she were to post 3x a week. Clearly her priorities are with her family, which is pretty awesome. It would be nice if Rene would make more frequent “update” posts, but again, this is her comic and her rules.
Anyway, I hope the comic starts updating soon. I can’t wait to see what happens! Rene your comic is totally addicting and wonderfully written and drawn. I applaud you for putting your kids first, I wish more parents would make their children a priority. (even if it means having to wait to read ALM, as frustrating as that is!)
September 16th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
ps
if you changed the update schedule to “whenever the **** i feel like it” i’d high five you and laugh my buns off. that would be rad.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
oh, my. so far, i’ve seen such a sense of entitlement only in 5-year-olds or something. if any of those guys is a 5-year-old, congrats on your reading and writing skills, otherwise: have you considered that rene is a single mom with responsibilities and stuff?
have you considered how much effort goes into every single page of alm?
have you considered you’re not paying anything at all for this?
do you remember a time not so long ago, without the internets, when you had to actually buy comics in order to read them? at that time, were you able to contact the author of the comics you read? could you make demands? did that stop you from reading comics? i believe not. so – what we have here is a free online comic which you get delivered right to wherever you want to read it, whose author encourages feedback and even engages in discussions with her readers and twitters and facebooks and livejournals and keeps her readership informed – did it ever occur to you that it’s actually none of our business why she can’t keep up the regular updates? in my eyes, a short notice reading “i’m busy, so there’s no update this week” or something would be perfectly sufficient. anything else is just being nice and open and friendly on her part. something that ought to be appreciated, isn’t it?
phew, what a rant. anyway, this is the important bit: THERE IS AN RSS FEED! could anyone who thinks that pressing 2 or 3 buttons on their computer is too much effort please set up that feed so that they don’t have to check the site? if setting up an rss feed is still too much effort for you, could you please……… (i’m not going to say it, i’m against being rude to people whose faces i can’t see.)
September 16th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
LOL @dave!!!!
Rene…what it comes down to is this…
YOU and your FAMILY come first, what these people, including me, say has no bearing on when you update. I feel like I win the lottery when I check the page and there’s a new update! If by checking the website (sometimes several times a day) you get 5 cents, more power to you! I love ALM, and will wait as long as it takes.
I doubt you will lose any fans. Those who say “I will stop reading, blah blah blah” will come back at some point, regardless of what they say. Maybe not this week, or next, but someday, they will be like, “Oh yeah, ALM, I remember that, it was a great story, with wonderful art, and maybe I was an a$$hole about the updating, but I wonder what’s happened since then…” They will go and check, and will be a fan again…just like that! It’s life…
Anyway!
I love ALM, and will continue to support you Rene. Keep your family first! It’s the right thing to do!
September 16th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Just wondering, what’s the status with the sketchathon drawings?
September 16th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Emma: I have finished 10% of the orders.
September 16th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
I miss the good old days when there were updates.
September 16th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Feel better, Rene!
And I’d love to see a handful of updates at some point before the finale, but seriously people? If you like Rene’s art, then you have to deal with whatever schedule best suits her art. If her schedule bothers you enough that you don’t wanna see the art, then don’t come here. I think it’s pretty simple. I enjoy both the storytelling and the drawing enough to wait until whenever the next update comes; I’d like it sooner rather than later, but it’s just silly to get upset about it. As long as an ending does come eventually, I’d hate to be left hanging!
September 16th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
I’m glad to know that I’m not the only person frustrated with the lack of updates. I understand that she is sick right now and I do wish her and her family well. I really do. Like someone else pointed out, it always seems to be something. I’m not going to go into great detail about my life but its not all peaches and cream all of the time. I still manage to make it to work every day and work 12 hour shifts. My husband is also a cartoonist who shall remain nameless and updates 3 times a week every week. His comic is much more detailed art wise to this one. Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not disrespecting her art. I have enjoyed her art but when people say “well think how long it takes to do a page” it kind of irritates me. If she is too busy to do her update then she should change the frequency. I don’t feel “entitled” to updates as some have said but if the site says m-w-f then thats what I would expect. I don’t think that I will really be coming back to this site. This comic was cute at best but it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea anyway. I know this post sounds harsh but I don’t really mean it to. I’m just giving my opinion.
September 17th, 2009 at 12:14 am
lol, M, did you bother to read any of the comments above you, really? Because your pathetic complaints have been addressed. If this comic is not your cup of tea, of course you shouldn’t be reading it, sweetie. Why you bothered to comment on something that’s “cute” but “not your cup of tea” is beyond me. Your post doesn’t sound harsh. Self-entitled, yes. Harsh, no. Thanks for the exit speech.
September 17th, 2009 at 12:23 am
thank you for this comic…i started reading it he other day and read all the way through to today (whatever day this was posted)
take care of yourself, update when you can…single mom of one here in the US who appreciates your work!
September 17th, 2009 at 12:33 am
Wow. I read the whole comic in one day but I only read the comments to this last page. I’m not sure if all the people who complain about irregular updates are American but the fact is that Americans tend to be more “entitled consumers” whereas Europeans tend to be satisfied with whatever they can get.
I think the European attitude is more justified here because this isn’t a product we’re buying. This is art and we’re getting it for free, so we don’t have the right to complain. We’re not Rene’s customers, nor are we her employers. Sure, sporadic updates can be frustrating. Deal with it!
Thanks for the comic, Rene! Keep up the good work and don’t let the complainers get to you.
September 17th, 2009 at 1:10 am
I’ve adored this comic since I first saw it. I’m not concerned when the updates happen, so long as they happen.
And you and your family absolutely come first. I have a chronic pain condition, and when you can’t work, you can’t work. Pushing yourself just makes you recover more slowly.
September 17th, 2009 at 1:40 am
If you don’t update now america will split into two half’s, one half falling into the depths of the Pacific and the other into the Atlantic. The fate of the america lays in your hands!!!!!
“L Says:
September 17th, 2009 at 12:33 am
Wow. I read the whole comic in one day but I only read the comments to this last page. I’m not sure if all the people who complain about irregular updates are American but the fact is that Americans tend to be more “entitled consumers” whereas Europeans tend to be satisfied with whatever they can get.
I think the European attitude is more justified here because this isn’t a product we’re buying. This is art and we’re getting it for free, so we don’t have the right to complain. We’re not Rene’s customers, nor are we her employers. Sure, sporadic updates can be frustrating. Deal with it!
Thanks for the comic, Rene! Keep up the good work and don’t let the complainers get to you.”
Seriously, thanks for your opinion, but I doubt that is the sort of response Rene was looking for here. You’re really swell at making yourself out to be a jerk though, so kudos. But, you’re right Europeans are better, nay, the best.
And, you my friend are living, breathing, online defecating proof!
Rene, get better, work on the comic when you’re up to the task. Your true fans will wait it out, no complaints or questions asked. Quality over quantity?
September 17th, 2009 at 2:15 am
I don’t think it’s “Europeans/Americans” as much as it is just “assholes/normal people.” Sorry, I just really hate it when self-righteous non-Americans try to (negatively) classify and stereotype us as a country. It’s arrogant and annoying.
I feel kinda sad knowing that ALS is almost over. I really hope the flu passes over soon; the flu is the worst. >_<
September 17th, 2009 at 3:59 am
Mario rules. Luigi just supr-rules. That`s all folks.
September 17th, 2009 at 4:00 am
Like i’ve said earlier in this whole discussion, i personally wouldn’t mind coming back and reading the end of Anders Loves Maria. I wouldn’t even mind coming back if there’s a period of time where there are no updates to updating three times a week again. It’s not that big of a deal when you look at the whole picture.
I think the problem is all of the fans are emotionally connected to it so hardcore because it’s highly relatable.
That just means good writing, although i have to say the story hasn’t followed through for me. The artwork especially. Now, don’t take this the wrong way…I’m no artist. It would take me years, if even, to do what you do. But when you compare the pages as of late to maybe…let’s say…a year ago the art HAS changed but i just feel…it lacks something. What exactly i’m not sure of. I hope that doesn’t hurt your feelings, that’s not what i’m trying to do. It seems to me like your drawings are taking a hit from your personal life. I think the comic NEEDS a break, especially since we’re getting to the most important part of it all. I keep up with you Rene on livejournal and from what i hear from there and here, you owe it to yourself and your children to prioritize family first. My mom was a single parent of three children, there’s no explaining that lifestyle to anyone who hasn’t been through it. Sure, there are plenty of single parents who can multi-task kids, a job, this, that, the other thing (like mentioned in some comments) but everyone’s situation is different. There are obviously complications and instead of being selfish and demanding free comics we the fans should respect.
In fact, if you don’t take time for your kids it would be detrimental and i don’t hold it against you.
None of your fans should.
As someone who donated money for a sketch, it’s the only thing i expect from you. I totally agree that this is YOUR webpage, YOUR comic, YOUR time, YOUR life and YOU SHOULD live your life to suit you, not everyone else. Whatever you choose to do i’ll back you.
September 17th, 2009 at 5:21 am
Just to clarify my comments from a few days ago: Rene, I love your comic. I honestly would prefer it if you changed the your update schedule to “whenever the @#$% I feel like it.” It’s more honest….
It’s the promises – and the inevitable letdown – that bother me. I like to take people at face value, which means believing their promises.
That’s all. it’s not a sense of entitlement; I just like to have an idea that you haven’t died … so updates on life are fine if things are being delayed.
As for Twitter, sorry folks, not a bandwagon I’m jumping on. Ever seen the movie “He’s Just Not that Into You”? It’s the line about how we have all this technology that now allows us to be rejected in 10 different ways, or something like that.
September 17th, 2009 at 5:22 am
In regards to all the comments about bosses firing her and things like that, you have kind of missed the point a little. The business model is very simple. She draws, you enjoy, there’s some people who put ads on the site and she gets money. If she continues to draw so that you continue to enjoy, then people will keep giving her money to put ads on the site. If you really have a problem with how that works, and you don’t like that she is has a pretty tough life. “My main problem is I am a single parent without a network of support.” pretty much sums it up. Yeah, she’s working. Yeah, it’s tough. Give her some slack and keep enjoying the awesome artwork that she produces.
If you could honestly give so many people so much happiness from your own personal artwork, then go make your own website, prove it, and keep to your own 3/5 days a week schedule. Yeah – I am sad every time I come on and there is not a new strip. I absolutely LOVE it whenever there is a new strip. But for me that is part of the joy of this strip. It’s eccentricity, it’s pure “this is how I am and how things are, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to” attitude. It’s truly individual and unique. If I have to wait a bit more for it, so be it. I will still support her because it is awesome. In the end, you don’t pay, you get a cool comic and she gets to live. The only people who might lose are the advertising companies and that doesn’t seem to me to be a too terrible thing.
Rene – Again, I truly love your work. Please keep at it and tell us that there might be a new project after ALM! I want to keep seeing your artwork. And might there possibly some day be a fully printed version of the entirety of ALM? I for one would love to have an ALM hard copy
September 17th, 2009 at 6:24 am
Hey hey Rene,
I’m an avid lover of ALM, don’t get me wrong, and I do most definately understand your illness and children (my sister’s a solo Mum, so we can all feel the intense frustration and general negativity of illness and ill children.)
And then, there’s the inevitable but.
I dislike the idea of you not updating until the comic’s finished. It almost seems like a cop-out of you updating regularly, I’m not trying to be nasty, but that’s what it feels like. Plan out the ending and stick to it, but you’re just gonna annoy people if you leave it for too long and then update it all at once.
Just a suggestion: Why not do something like Jeph of QC when he updates with a yelling bird strip. Sure it annoys people, but it lets people know that the comic’s on it’s way.
With the irregularity of updates, both comic and news (for those of us not on Twitter,) it’s hard to know if you’re still there. And there are far too many comic artists who just pack up, stop updating and eventually shut down their website. They give irregular updaters a bad name.
Put yourself first and get well soon, but don’t forget about us.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:38 am
i agree with what mel is saying.
its not that i mind the delays. i just mind being promised over and over that the updating is going to be more frequent when it never does. if you’re not going to update more often don’t tell the people who call themselves your fans that you are.
i really feel that rene is taking us, her fans, for granted. If it were not for us this site would not exist. She wouldn’t be able to have creating this comic as her primary job. I’m assuming creating art is something that she loves and lying to and taking for granted the people who help you do something you love as a job is just not good business practice to me.
As a fan of ALM i feel very neglected. Rene and this comic should be here for us just as much as we are there for her and right now i feel like it is very one sided.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:39 am
@ Mel, you bring up a good point about the promises and then let downs. I think it is fair for people to be able to bring in their opinions in a respectable manner, just as you are doing, and to be treated in respect in return. There is no right or wrong on this issue, it is how we all feel about it.
As for Twitter, I agree with you on that, but you don’t have to join to see what she is up to (if you care to), and there is a link to it right at the bottom of the page.
Cheers to everyone
September 17th, 2009 at 6:40 am
Oh, and to clarify, what I mean by “it is how we all feel about it” I mean, we all have our own opinions and feelings on the issue. Renee asked us what we thought, and we are all sharing how we feel about it all.
September 17th, 2009 at 9:21 am
@ Zolota, quite a few ago… YOU’RE AWESOME! i read that on Neil Gaimans site and was trying to find it to quote, but couldn’t. i agree with it completely. Rene is not our B!atch
just thought i’d mention
September 17th, 2009 at 9:38 am
I don’t have much to say that hasn’t been said far more eloquently than I could manage. But Rene did ask for our thoughts, so I think that I will add my perspective.
I love this comic. It is absolutely my favorite comic. I love the artwork, the writing, and the characters. I think that is why I feel so disappointed when Rene tells us that there will be an update, I wait for it, and then I find that it wasn’t posted. I really look forward to it, so when Rene mentions that she’s going to re-commit to a schedule, I wait for it. When she misses one day, I wait for the next. I check back, waiting for the new strip. But after more than a year of visiting this site, I know that posts will be somewhat random. And that would be fine, if Rene told us that she will only be posting sporadically. But it sort of seems like when we fans are disappointed by long delays (because we love her work and look forward to it), she seems upset. For example, the statement about with-holding all comics until she finishes. There’s no need to do something so drastic – just let us know that they will only be one per week, or one per month. Whatever works. I feel like this whole issue with schedule and fan feedback has taken some of the playfulness and fun out of the strip. I think the artwork reflects that. I feel pretty sad, too, because I feel so connected to the characters and story.
All I really want is to know when I can look forward to a new strip. It doesn’t matter when that is, as long as I can look forward to it. I love being able to anticipate it. And I want Rene to understand that wanting to know when we can expect a strip does not mean that I don’t appreciate her art. I want Rene to feel happy about ALM because when she’s enjoying it, her joy shines through in the strip. And that’s what makes it special.
(It would also be nice if there were a place where Sketch-a-thon status could be posted and updated.)
September 17th, 2009 at 10:26 am
@Izzy
I couldn’t have put it better myself and whole heartedly agree with you.
Thank you!
“I don’t think it’s “Europeans/Americans” as much as it is just “assholes/normal people.” Sorry, I just really hate it when self-righteous non-Americans try to (negatively) classify and stereotype us as a country. It’s arrogant and annoying.”
September 17th, 2009 at 11:24 am
youre all a bunch of crazys
great comic tho
September 17th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I just want to say that I love guest strips with any long-running webcomic!! They rock and are a great way to give the artist a bit of a break!
September 17th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
I’m sending myself to slaughter here, but I’ve sat by in silence for quite some time now.
I understand how difficult it must be being a single parent. I have a hard enough time staying awake after a 6 hour day of assisting elementary school teachers for my teaching experience. However, the problem I have has nothing to do with any of that.
My problem is with all of the excuses. We had a month long break for taxes. There’s a serious illness every month or so that takes out another week or two. It’s just the little things that seem to ‘come up’ all of the time. The schedule hasn’t lasted for more than a week or two tops since MONTHS ago. I periodically check twitter for updates because we don’t get them very often on this site and what I find is updates about life and fun adventures and conversations with fellow webcomic-ers. If I were so sick that I couldn’t find time to work on updating a webcomic, I probably wouldn’t be on the internet at all. Five minutes here and there would amount to a much faster update than we’ve been seeing. It just seems like ALM isn’t even a minor priority anymore. (Let alone a source of income.)
Don’t get me wrong, obviously I love ALM or I wouldn’t be saying anything, it just gets frustrating. My boyfriend quit following ALM quite some time ago because he was irritated with the update schedule – quite honestly, lately, I’ve been contemplating the same thing. (And I guess I’m not the only one.) Please go ahead and tell me to leave because you’re angry that I’m speaking my opinion – Rene asked, people are going to answer.
I’m sorry, but I’m not going to jump on the bandwagon and tell her to take her sweet time. If you have no idea when you’re going to update again, be honest about it.
September 17th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Sorry, some people got me wrong when I stereotyped Americans and Europeans as consumers. I thought my meaning was obvious but clearly it wasn’t, so let me explain. I didn’t mean that the “American” way of thinking is wrong. It’s just my personal experience that the Americans I know tend to expect to get their money’s worth, whereas Europeans don’t like to make a fuss, even if it means they end up losing money or paying for a product that doesn’t meet their expectations.
That’s the stereotype I’ve formed but of course I there are exceptions, as there always are. And for all I know, most Americans could be less demanding customers than most Europeans… it’s just that the ones I’ve met seem to be more active in defending their own interests as consumers.
When you’re actually buying something, defending your interests is a smart thing to do. You get your money’s worth and the producers can’t get away with bad products. That’s a good thing.
My observation was that some people here have applied this way of thinking to chastise Rene, which I think is misguided because, as I said, we aren’t customers. We’re audience.
Anyway, even though I talked about “American” and “European” ways of thinking, I didn’t imply that all Americans or Europeans think one way or the other, and even less was I implying that one is better than the other, generally speaking. Only that in this particular context the so called American way of thinking is wrongly applied.
Why did I even use these stereotypes at all, knowing that stereotypes don’t apply to all people? Well, where I come from, people tend to take all kinds of stereotypes with a pinch of salt, and not assume they’re meant as indisputable truths, and I made the mistake of assuming that attitude was universal. Also, I thought stereotypes would be a quick way to illustrate the point without long explanations. It didn’t work.
September 17th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
I have an idea- why doesn’t Rene do a buffer like most other web comics? Then when she wants to take a few days off for whatever we still get a comic and she doesn’t piss off her loyal fans? Seems pretty simple to me and while it might take some hard work to create said buffer- it must be better than alienating half your fan base?
September 17th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
This sense of entitlement is a load of crap.
Rene, if I were you, I would shut off the comments, shut off the forum, take down any 3 days a week or other little tagline that says anything about a schedule of update, and just leave this website as is until you have your whole comic done and post it up for everyone.
To the people who want updates when she has them, you are the same one’s who are complaining about the lack of regular updates! Don’t you think that if she did it like that, it would be this long list of complaints all over again in between each one?
Its HER comic, its HER art, she is her OWN boss as far as this goes and its HER decision what she wants to do with it. You are lucky she still even WANTS to finish it what with all of this ridiculous harassment.
Please feel better Rene, and I hope you don’t read all of these nasty comments, you do not deserve to be treated like this by your readers.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Those complaining likely don’t have children and can’t even grasp the magnitude of literally not having ANY time, or even the energy to put forth doing anything for yourself or others as the case may be. For free, no less.
I get it, Rene. Trust me. My 15mo rules my life…not some random faceless strangers on the internet.
I check daily, and do get a little bummed when there’s no new update, but honestly…no worries. I don’t spend my days angst ridden around this comic like it seems to do for others. It’s a great read with beautiful artistic style and I look forward to continuing the story, including the grand finale.
Have you considered gathering emails to send out notifications when a new chapter comes out or when you need to send a new update and whatnots?
Great job!
Oh, my cousin lives in Skellefteå!
September 17th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
some of you seem to forget that without the people that call themselves her fans this site would not exist and she would not be able to have doing this comic for a living.
its not a sense of entitlement, its a want for acknowledgment. she’s able to do what she does because of us.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
as for the updating i think you should use all the comics you get done during this break as a buffer.
that would allow for more regular updates.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Umm…Rene Engstrom is not your bitch?
http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html summarized my feelings on this neatly.
As for the comic, thanks for previous strips and I can understand an artistic decision to wait until you’re finished to put up the strips until the end. That’s up to you – if you think seeing feedback would influence you, wait! I’ll be happy to read it when it’s done.
September 17th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
where did anyone say that?
September 17th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
seriously
youre all insane
September 17th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
I say do what you’d like! I first got into ALM not because of the daily updates but because I was able to read through most of the archives without break–Now i’m just waiting for the next chapter. Your story is so enjoyable in the daily updated form but all the puzzle pieces cannot truly be appreciated until it’s completed. I hope you’ll do what suits your creative style the best and keep bringing your incredible talent at 100 percent.
ALSO, I hope that once this is all complete, you’ll make a large coffee table hardcover book or something where I can read your comic by the fireplace with a drink without struggling to not drop my laptop
September 17th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Okay, several things:
I can wait for updates. I don’t -want- to wait until everything’s done for updates, but whatever. However, it would be nice if there was something straightforward regarding this. I don’t even think many of the people who are cross about lack of updating are cross simply over the lack of updating…but as others have said, the abundance of incidents that put things on old, or the claiming of a schedule that is never adhered to. Yeah, there’s RSS. Yeah, there’s Twitter (which not everyone has and/or likes). Ultimately, it probably WOULD be best if you put, “Updates whenever the $*?& I feel like it.”
For all of the people going on and on about it being free art…well, for you, maybe. Some of us have donated to keep her in commission! Not necessarily just to see whatever mini-strip or whatever comes up but to support her work which is her primary source of income for her and her children. While no one twisted our arms to donate, the fact that we did was, in many of our minds, to help keep this alive–not just to reward for previous strips. I don’t want to call it a gratuity or tip, but to explain to some of you…the word, “tip,” is actually an acronym for To Insure Prompt Service or simply To Insure Promptness. I was under the impression that such donations would continue to allow her to do her work without disappointing people.
Again, I’m not so unreasonable to say, “Damn it, your kids suck, you need to come draw for us. Nao!!11?!” But it really does seem that your family is sick quite often, Rene. Vitamin C is quite good for the immune system… And I don’t really know of anywhere that requires someone to take that much time off to do their taxes. Sure, you get 100% excused sick days there, but do you get an excused tax month? But beyond that, there’s always something. This. Or that. Or the other.
Any given month would be only three weeks of potential update time maximum, if the MWF idea was adhered to even then. If you can’t make time to have a schedule, then just say so…I think there would be a lot less bitching. Either that, or take up a day job again because I imagine people will stop donating out of frustration and lack of fulfillment–some already have, as noted in above comments.
September 17th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Oh, also… GRRM had not posted a schedule of publications that his readers were expecting, so the situation isn’t entirely the same.
Dunno, maybe go rawr at QC and LICD and XKCD for spoiling us by adhering to their promised schedules.