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Posts categoriezed as Dispatch

WIP – Valley of the Silk Sky: The Long Run – chapter 13 pencils

WIP – Valley of the Silk Sky: The Long Run – chapter 13 pencils published on

Hi, remember this comic? I don’t blame you if not, I haven’t been able to work on it for awhile. The last time I penciled a page was in January 2022, and chapter 13 of Valley of the Silk Sky has sat at 75% penciled ever since.

In the intervening time I spent 6 months in physical therapy (two rounds, somewhat different issues, the bulk of it focused on getting my drawing arm in working order again). And so VotSS has sat on my cork board, those penciled pages staring at me every day, waiting for the will to work on it to return.

Well, it didn’t return, so I did what you sometimes have to do as a creative professional, and decided to pencil the next page anyway. I can’t make any promises as to when I will actually publish chapter 13. But I do still very much intend to finish this book, and I’m hoping knocking the rust off will help me get it running again. Onward!

Valley of the Silk Sky: The Long Run – Status Report

Valley of the Silk Sky: The Long Run – Status Report published on

Believe it or not, I have not actually abandoned this comic. I know it SEEMS like I have, but I’m still penciling a page here and there as time permits. The trouble is that time hasn’t permitted nearly as much as I’d like.

2021 was an extremely difficult year, both for the obvious reasons and for personal, behind-the-scenes reasons. Trials on top of tribulations. You’ve very likely seen various memes going around, imploring artists to forgive themselves for not being as productive as they think they should be. So I know it’s not just me, but I wish I had new, finished pages to share all the same.

I’ve been posting work-in-progress images periodically, like the one in this post, over on my Patreon. WIP posts are typically for $1+ subscribers, but you can also follow my public Patreon posts for free. That’s a pretty decent way to get a notification when I actually start posting new pages. I’m about halfway through the pencils for Chapter 13, so I do expect to release SOMETHING this year, haha.

In the meantime, I’ve been doing a monthly comic strip for OUT FRONT Magazine, a queer rag based in Denver, Colorado. I started this gig in June of 2021, and have had a comic in each issue since then. You can access each issue online for free over on OUT FRONT’s website.

Cheers,

Dylan

“Extraction” page 9 bravely runs away

“Extraction” page 9 bravely runs away published on

Thrill to the exciting conclusion of this ridiculous tale. The final installment is to be found here:

Which means, yes, you can now read the entire story in a single sitting. To do so, place your eyeballs here.

Also, don’t forget I’ll be participating in a virtual queer media convention March 12-14. Rainbow Space Magic Con is happening this very weekend, and will have even more queer SFF for you. Attendance is free!

Cheers,

Dylan

“Extraction” page 8 has launched

“Extraction” page 8 has launched published on

The time has come to unleash the full power of SCIENCE:

I suppose we’ll find out next week whether or not SCIENCE is up to the task!

On an entirely different subject, I’ll be participating in a virtual queer media convention March 12-14. If that sound like your jam, check out the Rainbow Space Magic Con website for more information. Attendance is free!

Cheers,

Dylan

“Extraction” page 7 is busting out the science

“Extraction” page 7 is busting out the science published on

Hmm, could our protagonists have found a solution that involves a solution? Examine the evidence:

Check back next week to find out if the results of the experiment support the hypothesis!

Cheers,

Dylan

“Extraction” page 6 is in a tight squeeze

“Extraction” page 6 is in a tight squeeze published on

What do our protags have in mind to extract themselves? Let’s find out:

If you want to see all the pages posted thus far in one handy location, this is your link.

As I have mentioned before, one of the most important features of the Valley, at least as far as humans are concerned, is the high level of biodiversity that in turn enables the development of a great deal of medicinal technology. Anything that might dramatically alter a particular ecosystem could have major deleterious effects on access to medicinals, which means the humans have to be very careful regarding how their own actions impact the environment.

So when Razi says they can’t kill the yonge because it’s a keystone predator, what xe’s getting at is that it’s a species with a significant impact on the ecology despite a relatively small population size.

Check back next week to see if our protagonists manage to come up with a better plan than “explain complex ecosystem interactions to the yonge.”

Cheers,

Dylan

“Extraction” page 5 seeks a secure hidey hole

“Extraction” page 5 seeks a secure hidey hole published on

Burrow into the new page here:

I know I’ve said this somewhere before, but Razi would be the person bleeding out in the middle of the street after getting hit by a bus, rasping out xer dying words: “I had right of way.”

So yes, yonges do not live in caves and you shouldn’t expect to see one there, but when you do you can be pretty sure it’s a very hungry yonge. This is likely to be a problem for you whether the yonge is supposed to be there or not.

Will our protagonists escape this pickle and/or jam? Is pickle jam even a thing, and if so, why?? Tune in next week for some answers to at least one of those questions!

Cheers,

Dylan

“Extraction” page 4 hits the ground running

“Extraction” page 4 hits the ground running published on

Is it possible Razi was wrong about the safety of this endeavor??? Find out here:

[spoilery stuff to follow, so read first, then come back here]

Why yes, the creature our protagonists are currently fleeing from is indeed based partly on the star-nosed mole. This has less to do with wanting to incorporate mole-like characteristics per se, and more to do with making a dangerous animal look extremely ridiculous. Sort of like how a hippo is a killing machine but looks like, y’know, a hippo.

The yonge (for it is called a yonge) does have some mole features, most notably the predation of tasty critters it finds underground. Oops!

Check back next week to find out if it’s snack time.

Cheers,

Dylan

“Extraction” page 3 sneaks up from behind

“Extraction” page 3 sneaks up from behind published on

Don’t be caught off guard! Get eyes on the page right here:

Tune in next week to find out if this is a 4-page story with an abrupt ending, or if our intrepid protagonists start making better life choices.

Cheers,

Dylan

“Extraction” page 2 expresses some light skepticism

“Extraction” page 2 expresses some light skepticism published on

Surely there’s no cause for concern, though. See for yourself:

I’m sure I’ve talked about this before, but to recap: the Pocalo Valley is widely renowned for its advanced medical treatments for all sorts of conditions, including trans medicine. When Razi references hormone treatments, that’s what xe’s talking about.

Also, the last panel is referencing the Valley of the Silk Sky short story “Medicine; Run,” though you don’t need to have read it to follow the events in “Extraction.”

Cheers,

Dylan

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