Got a lot to talk about today. I’d like to first open up with a new piece of Fan Art I received yesterday, courtesy of Fantastibad’s Craig Olsen:
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Thanks, Craig!
And now, on to a few topics I wish to discuss. Firstly, this strip marks the almost-end of the current story arc. This one went a LOT longer than I thought it would. I even cut stuff out, if you can believe that! But, Selkie’s gonna get a chance to recuperate with some fish and cartoons while Todd finishes designing overpriced houses. Meanwhile, next week starts a short epilogue to the arc that has me both excited, and apprehensive. No more about that until Monday. 😀
Now, the fun parts.
After I closed the last big arc, I did some between-chapter short stories, including a couple reader requested “where are they now” shorts. I think those would be fun to do again, so if there is a supporting character you want to see in a short, drop a comment or an email and let me know.
I can only promise a few of the shorts, so not every request can be fulfilled. And if you suggest something more lengthy like a script or a storyline idea, I can’t make any promises about using it. These “where are they now” shorts are just a bit of a between-story arcs breather. I doubt there will be more than two or three pages dedicated to these, although we’ll see where the suggestions go.
My second news item is… A CONTEST! Yep!
I thought it would be fun to hold an informal costume design contest. The goal: design Selkie’s outfit for the next story arc! The winner of this contest will have their outfit design used in the next long arc after the epilogue and reader-request shorts are over.
A few rules:
I will decide a winner based on how much I like your design. Your art skills don’t matter to me, just your outfit concept.
You are more likely to win if you design something a contemporary American eight year old girl would wear. Personally, I think Selkie would look great in an astronaut suit or a hanbok, but I can’t see her wearing those out and about the city. And a very good question was asked in comments about a timeline for the next arc. It takes place shortly after this one, so it will be the same time of year.
Costume Design submissions will be taken until April 1st, and if you need it my email address is in a link on the top menu bar.
Have fun! And thanks for reading, everyone. I love doing this comic, but your feedback and discussions and interactions makes it all the more enjoyable. 😀
Aww how sweet! By the way, love this comic, I’ve been reading it for over a year now. My daughter and I read it together, she loves Selkie.
Awww, now he’s going to have matching allergic reactions!
Also, I’m feeling so sad for Ms. Afkhami right now.
I like the subtle way the world map in the background serves double duty as a cloud of blue gloom over Mrs. Afkhami’s head.
Damn, we can see the new rash forming already… that’ll be sad if there’s no remedy for the allergy.
It looks like he’s clued in on it by now as to the rash’s probable cause. Even if there’s no cure, it looks like it’s just her saliva that causes it, so it shouldn’t be too bothersome. There are plenty signs of affection besides kissing.
Benedgril sry for bad spelling
First time posting, actually saw your comic in a newspaper, it was either Springfield or Decatur’s a few months back but it got me hooked since you’re from central IL (sadly, i’m a rochester alum)
Hello, fellow Central Illinoisian! 😀 I’m guessing you saw the State Journal-Register article, they wrote about me awhile back. Glad you like the comic!
So how do we send in our contest submissions?
My email link is on the top menu bar. dave AT selkiecomic DOT com
You do realize that you’re going to get spammed now, right?
I already do. XD
Actually, strike that, I see what you mean now. Forgot about web crawlers. >_< Thanks!
Do up a email template for the submissions, something you can do a search for so its easier to deal with the spam. Like putting *competition entry costume* as the required subject
[sigh] Guess he’ll just have to stock up on calamine lotion, or something. 🙂
It breaks my heart to see that she won’t be able show her dad how much she loves him when she realizes she’s hurting him. :C
Antihystamine. The secret of good parenting.
Interesting. Does her saliva contain an allergen that Todd happens to be allergic to, or that nearly all humans are allergic to, or is it a digestive enzyme that causes slight tissue breakdown?
If it’s the former antihistimine medication would be good for prevention and treatment, but if it’s the latter they will just have to use steroid cream to get rid of the rash, maybe antibiotic cream to prevent infection. There wouldn’t be a way to stop it from forming.
Might just be her diet. How’s Todd around shellfish?
It could be venom. In that case, it might just stop forming with enough exposure.
Teehee, at this rate his face is gonna be red all over within a couple days =’D the last two panels are so cute.
By the end of the day, Selkie will have noticed the horrible itchy blotches on his face, and asked what happened.
She’s going to be so heartbroken to realize that he’s allergic to her kisses.
Seems like some Caladryl is in order here.
Her species must have evolved a toxic body chemistry as a defense mechanism, judging from this and Crooks’ reaction to biting her.
Sweet fanart there. Just thought I’d say that. 🙂
I agree. Even with the pointed teeth, she still looks adorable. 🙂
Another day, another rash, heheh 🙂
And… the rash spreads…. 😀
I think Todd has captured M(r)s. Afkhami’s attention…
He needs to relax, my Mom raised me with movies like Evil Dead II, Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elmstreet. Is’t not that big of a deal.
… And if you try to say it is, I’ll f#(king cut you!
Some parents are fine with letting their kids get a hold of horror movies. Others are not.
Other parents- like my friend- have PTSD like triggers that are set off by horror films so for her own health she can not be in the house when horror movies are being watched. She had an asshat of an ex that hooked her kids into watching horror movies (the ones that focused on a lot of blood, gore and gratuitous sex) against her wishes. -_-
But if it’s something that the parent(s) and kid(s) do and bond over, power to them.
My parents hate the idea of me watching horror, even as an adult. :p
And some kids are way ticked that they were enticed to see Poltergeist by being told it was “a funny movie.” LIES! ****ING LIES! I didn’t sleep in a room with a walk-in closet for YEARS after that.
(My mom woulda been smarter than to show me that thing…)
On the other hand, I got into the Playboy magazine stash and read the cartoons as a preschooler. Eh.
Heh… I remember my Mom and Aunt taking me to see Alien in the theatre when I was about 9-10. Didn’t faze me, not even the chest-bursting scene. If I remember correctly, I was just like “Huh, trippy…”
I remember when I finally had a TV in my room and I went on a summer horror movie binge to catch up on all of the horror movies I “missed”. X3 All of the original Freddy movies, Candy Man, all of the Hellraisers (that were out at the time), all the Alien movies….lost interest in the Halloween movies and never had interest in the Friday the 13th movies- mostly because I had to grow up dealing with stupid summer camp kids. XD
I was 18. -_-
When I was like, six, my mom would watch X-files late at night, and I would sneak out of my room and hide behind the futon/couch to watch it.
I guess she probably knew I was their, but when I made noises, she never made me go in my room. I think she liked the idea of me getting scared enough to go the heck to bed. 😛
And one new years a few years ago with my dad, we watched Saw 4 and laughed hysterically. XD
One year my dad worked a haunted house and made fake blood from Karo syrup and food coloring. That same year, my parents took us all to see Jurrasic Park in the theater. My sister was 5 and I was 10. Mom kept on whispering, “remember, it’s only a movie, it’s not real” to her through the whole thing. Now I can’t watch anything scary because the possibility of practical research for effects creeps me out, and my sister watches horror all the time just to see how “movie fake” it gets. 😀
You know, I think Selkie WOULD run around in an astronaut suit if given half a chance. 😀
Yup:) She’s 8!
Probably.
If I’d had a batsuit at that age you would never have been able to get me into civilian clothes ever again.
Todd certainly looks very apprehensive about being kissed by her again, but I have to wonder if her happy kiss will cause any reaction – I always read the rash Todd got as being due to her being in an unhappy, stressed (poisonous) state of mind at the time of the kiss.
He is going to get a lot of rashes on his cheeks if Selkie kissing him is going to be a habit. I wonder if he wears a lotion or vaseline or something it would act as a barrier…?
Todd, at the market, don’t forget some ointment, dear, so Dave won’t have to remember to draw those rashes anymore!
XD
Ah yes… favorite food and favorite cartoons – the ultimate “get over bad times” package.
I’m somewhat confused as to what Mrs. Afkhami is doing to her name. Is she making it into Ms. Afkhami or Mis. Afkhami?
Making it into Ms.Afkhami
Oh goodness, what a cute father/daughter moment!! xD Todd’s such a good dad~
This is just a wild guess, but I think Selkie might be fond of Sue and Kathryn
I think that little heart kiss is what sets off the allergic reaction. Because I’m almost certain she’s kissed dad before.
Just not *heart* kiss.
You cut stuff out?!
TELL US WHAT IT WAS!!!!!
So about the contest… what seasonal period will the next arc take place in? Still fall?
Oooh, good question, thanks!
Next arc takes place shortly after this one, so the season will be unchanged.
Despite it being right after, I have to wonder if she would start wearing warmer clothes earlier on. Like, in early fall right when the weather starts getting colder due to what has been said about her and cold. I am not sure about the weather patterns where she lives, but her being further north would mean it gets colder earlier right?
Also, I am a new reader and I have enjoyed every bit of the story so far. Thanks for all that you do.
I dunno… Some of the stuff Selkie wears… I could see her wearing an astronaut suit in the city <3
When I was eight I wore my mom's bracelets, a fishing vest over a sunflower dress, a million necklaces, pink rubber shoes, and a WAY TOO BIG sunhat. 😛 I could see it XD
Anyway, yeah, what season does the next arc take place in? 🙂
Todd: cover-up and ointment.
Selkie: keep being adorable and turn those assessments into paper airplanes. XD
D: Poor Ms. Afkhami… it must be so hard to be apart from your child. The first four panels made me have a sad “aw…”
I really love how you establish each character and don’t hold back on showing us parts of their back stories and who they are, Dave. Keep being awesome like that, dude! 😀
From the ground to Todd’s shoulders that fast…either she has one hell of a standing jump or she has some sick climbing skills.
Tattoo idea
I think Todd should get a tattoo that says “I *heart* my daughter” using
the fishey love heart, or one made of fish scales. I’d love to see Selkie’s reaction!
ok after a long time comeing i finaly got around to grabing some screen shots of our favorite little orphan in the wold of Champions online now just a matter of getting them for all to see.
Two things: It’s still the same day – I doubt the rash will go away in, what, less than six hours since it showed up?
Second – LOVE the fan art. I think Selkie is gonna be gorgeous as an adult. You can see it here.
Selkie´s facial expression looks a bit off in the next-to-last panel, though – more scared than happy.
In an inbetween arc I’d like to see what’s happening to some of the orphange kids that got adopted (like Mark) and Todd’s siblings again because they seem fun.
I second the latter suggestion. In particular, I would like to see Antoine and Marta meet Selkie for the first time.
And I still think it would have been nice to see Selkie´s reaction when she wakes up in her room the first time, and realizes that being adopted wasn´t all just a dream.
A trip to Grandma and Grandpa’s house to meet the Aunt Marta and Uncle Antoine is, in fact, the next arc. No need for a short. 😀
May I please have a good picture of the Kathryn and Sue characters? For the outfit I’m drawing.
Best reference I have for Sue and Kathryn is here: https://selkiecomic.com/?p=494
Only advice/thoughts here is that the map needs a border… it’s properly aligned, but looks like a giant sticker or painted on the wall, so it seems… awkward? Could just be me…
I totally had the same thought!
I do not remember how I found this comic but I have now finished the archives! Heh, a bit disappoited there weren’t more archives actually, it’s a good story and now I have to wait!
I’m wondering whether Selkie’s accidentally given anyone else rashes before; I mean, why would she have a habit of kissing her dad on the cheek if she didn’t pick it up somewhere? Also of course like everyone else I wonder why her saliva would cause rashes! Maybe she is actually an alien and not just an Earth-descended sentient? But that’s a different issue.