2.31

c:

Wondercon! Are you going? Cuz I sure am. I’m going to be at table 814. You might be headed there anyways because I will be at in very close proximity to the fantastic creator of Lackadaisy Cats, the only webcomic whose quality that I don’t even attempt to compete with. OMGGG yeah I know. I’ll probably be there Sat, maybe Sun, and will have copies of Ch 1/ posters and just some general good cheer. Hope to see you!

Because of the Con I might be late with next weekend’s update, but probably only by a day or so since I’ve got SPRING BREAK halleluja. Can I wrangle an extra page out of a 5 day break?? We’ll see!

Before I forget, please take a look at this Meek opener made by a fan, it is awesome!

Last thing, pimp of the week goes to Lovecraft is Missing. I’m a big Lovecraft dork so it was fun to catch all the details. You could say the author is really worth his salte (heh heh). The new chapter is starting up in a few days so now is a good time to start reading!

Oh, and check back on the 1st for a small surprise :3

93 Comments

  • whooomeek

    AWESOME.
    are phe and luca looking at each other? or just at the people sitting around them :/

    • They’re supposed to be looking at each other! Yikes, that should be clearer… I’ll fix that later by zooming in on panel 3 a bit more. Thanks for pointing that out.

      • Crotius

        I think the issue here is not that you need to zoom in, it’s that they are both looking left :) Unless my grasp of space and time is really skewed, it’s just not possible to look at each other when they are both looking in the same direction… well, not without a mirror rig anyhow. Or maybe you’ve got some really strange panel layout going on here that I’m not aware of?

        • Tbwulf

          Well they’re on opposite ends of the table from what I can tell, maybe they’re turned towards other people but looking at each other.

        • The sequence (in my head is)
          Luca is pretty annoyed
          Luca glances up
          Luca sees Phe who is facing her right/ talking
          Phe makes eye contact and smiles
          Luca looks away/ is mollified

          The problem is maybe that you can’t see that Phe is talking to her right. Maybe her eye contact could be clearer as well. I’ll try to fix that up.

          • whooomeek

            Ohhh okay i see it now (: zooming in on panel 3 will definitely help!
            And like, just a suggestion – maybe you could adjust the 4th panel a little too? Cos’ see, in panel 3 Phe’s body is facing the front, and it’s just her head that’s turned sideways. But then in panel 4 it looks like her body is angled to the side, so it sort of breaks the continuity between those two frames.
            Anyway I’m not sure if that’s what you were trying to do or not, so… yup! hahaha

          • Crotius

            Ohhh, now that I’m not exhausted any more, I can see it a little more clearly! It’s still a little confusing though, but people have told me many times that I tend to get an idea in my head and it’s really hard to shake my (mis)conceptions of what’s going on. So just ignore the non-artist, and keep trucking. It’s not like I could even begin to approach your skill with these sorts of things anyhow.

            Keep up the good work, and whatever happens, finish this story! You’ve got my rapt attention!

      • Al

        I guess that’s because Luca should still be looking to front (like panel2)and not to the left.or you wanted them to look at each other’s panels?

        • Al

          ok sorry I guess I got it wrong they’re looking at each other till panel 4 and then Luca looks like:<_<?
          ;_;

  • Simply Me

    Phe looks gorgeous in the fourth panel. :] I’m certain there is something I’m missing though, as I so often do, haha.

  • The HYBIRD

    I’m probably the only person that’s trying to figure out what the cut off bubbles are saying. The fact it looks like it’s starting to drive Luca up the wall doesn’t exactly help either. The curiosity is killing me, I swear.

    I’ll be at Wondercon too, not sure what day though. But I’ll definitely look for your table.

  • Tbwulf

    Good job as usual, and should we be concerned about a surprise on April Fool’s day?…

    • Tbwulf

      Sorry to post again, wish posts were editable…

      But looking at that title sequence really makes me want an animated or audio form of The Meek, I think it would do excellent as either.

  • REEVA

    I’m confused. Who is fighting?

    • Random people on the side!

  • Al

    I love the way They’re looking at each other!They’re so adorable! ;3;
    And I can’ not express how much I love Luca’s expressions!8D
    Is it a norm for Pasori people to talk so much and so loud (and so rude lol!) while eating?

    • Yes, they are very obnoxious.

  • Emma

    I don’t think its very clear that Lucas and his wife are looking at eachother.
    I think its because they are both looking in the same direction.
    By the way, I love how you colour noses :3

    • Thanks, I’m definitely going to have to polish that up!

  • embieria

    Phe looks gorgeous there… I adore the look on her face!

  • Namsab

    For me it looks like Luca is looking at Phe for a while (panel 2), until she notices and looks back and they look at each other until Luca looks away quickly… and sporting an adoring smirk and lightened up eyes!

  • Aww, Luca’s little glance at Phe… <3 I had to smile. That's such a natural thing to do. (And I got it… I wasn't confused at all :( Maybe because I have to stall on each panel one at a time to drink in the gorgeousness of the art?)

    And ahhh the foreshortening in the last panel. Why is everything you draw FLAWLESS. It makes me so inspired and happyyyyy

    The little title animation is cute~ I love the music they chose.

    • Tobu

      It’s from Shadow of the Colossus, pretty much my favorite video game in the world. <3

  • x

    i feel like they poisoned everyone. just saying.

    • SladinForever

      I was thinking that too, what with the coughing. I have this horrid feeling Phe is going to end up dying :(

  • Colt-Khaboom

    You must have had fun sketching out Luca’s expressions. :)
    That’s always my favorite part. And Phe’s “heh” face in panel 4 is awesome. I love the way you do faces.

  • brushmen

    …Maybe if he looks down (into the cup) it would ease the confusion? But I know in this setup it serves double duty.

    Sweet sweet intro thing. (DH I have failed you!)

    • Yeah, looking down might ameliorate the confusion a bit more.

      And don’t be silly XD Is this your first comment here since the ch 1 cover?

  • Silver Lady

    I feel your pain, my emperor.

  • Melissa

    I thought it was clear enough. Phe is turned to her left, so when she looks left, she looks directly across the table. Then he’s averted his eyes and smiled. Unless I’M the one who is wrong. Hrm.

    • No, you’re right. I think I was too zoomed out for panel 3 so people can’t tell that she’s turned to the right and has to look left to make eye contact.

  • k

    Oh my, I love Luca’s expressions here.

    However, this beautiful page is foreshadowing what I’ve been fearing for this particular arc… *covers eyes*

  • I love their shared loving glance across the table. She really is a source of strength to him, it seems, and that’s touching to see.

  • amadre

    Hmm, not to be too picky but…it looks almost as though Phe’s hoops are just glued to the underside of her earlobes, not like her ears are actually pierced.

    On the issue of panels 1-5, I feel that Phe is still turning her body towards the ambassadors, no? But in panel 3, her torso is in alignment with the table. I would either turn her body towards the ambas. on the left more in that panel, or I would make that liiiiiitle strip of brown a bit larger in panel 4, so it looks more like the edge of the chair.

    Does that make sense? It did to my eyes…

    • There’s a second hoop on the earring that’s going through the lobe. Look more closely! ;)

  • sweet_gardenia

    Awww Phe I love that slightly painful smile. I think it was pretty clear they were looking at each other but your call! Also like that last panel, the worm’s eye view makes him look pretty intimidating.

    If this were a movie (maybe someday!) I could totally see it transitioning to the next scene with the background conversation fading out and the sound of Luca’s finger in slo motion going tap tap TAP TAP for extra dramas

    also cough cough…

    • You know, he’s actually supposed to have little “taps” in there. I must have lost them during one of my shutoffs >:C

      • Herissonne

        Oh don’t worry! We could totaly hear them anyway ; )

  • Awww, Luca and Phe looking at eachother smiling like that looks lovely. It made me melt!

    I caught it at once, but you could indeed make it clearer (I noticed previous comments).

    However: “Luca glances up and sees phe – Luca looks away/ is mollified” = I think that one was super clear (and super sweet!)

    I think your said solution to it is the right one: zooming in on the third panel. Because then we can see that Phe is having her head turned like that and looking to the left (her right) while talking.

    Ah, and wonderful angle on Luca on that last panel! <3

    Hope you'll have fun at the con! I wish I could rent a shiny yellow submarine and go overseas (you guys have such awesome cons over there!).

    • Yeah, I originally had Phe’s body more obvious but I moved her around I PS too much and lost the original sketch XD Transform tool is powerful and needs to be respected!

  • NEW Page! Yay!

    I’m too tried to comment any more than you rock as usual!

    <3

  • Courtney

    I’m still a bit confused – How many people are at dinner? Who is making those rude Santri/Pasori comments? The diplomats? The layout is so beautifully effective, though! Like watching a movie! :)

  • Deerinheadlights

    “I wouldn’t trust them with my laundry!” haha lol. Great page as usual :)

    But oh no the coughing is starting D:

  • Cinnamonmiko

    Ahh, there’s so many subtle detail sin this page that make it sing. The speech bubbles resolve Luca’s attention quite well, slipping behind him and then and disappearing entirely during the exchange of glances.
    I’m a huge fan of the handling of noses, by the way, one of my least favorite characteristics to render. They are very graceful, but lose no volume or distinction for it.

    Also, I love the light touch of silliness amidst all this srs bznss. Luca’s ‘I wasn’t looking’ expression in panel five, for example. :P

    Wonderful. :D

  • Kantra

    Love the way Phe and Luca look at each other, even with the previous tension between them :(. I am a new reader and just caught up, I must say that this is one of my favorite webcomic/novels. The drawing is just….amazing, I love how rich and full the colors are and the attention to detail is pure win. The plot has depth to it, unlike many webnovels I have read and the characters are very loveable and I feel like I can connect with them. So glad I followed this from Johnny Wander, keep up with the excellent work!

    • Thanks for stopping by! I’m glad you’re enjoying the comic so far :) I have to tell you this is where the chapter really picks up so I hope you’ll keep on reading.

  • Someone Else

    I wasn’t really clear on if Phe and Luca were looking at each other at first or what, and actually I was confused about the whole composition of the scene. The problem really is that you’re looking at the strips with the wait of a couple days between, not the way that the strip is presented, so you just forget little details. I understood after I went back two strips and re-read.

    First comment I’ve made for the comic but I’ve been reading for a couple months now. The art is amazing, and the story so far is interesting enough for my attention span (believe me, that’s a compliment) keep it up! *thumbs up*

    • Thanks, thats a good point. I’m still going to make some edits but it is a also a good idea to maybe wait until all pages are done to see if it still reads correctly. Gah, flow!

  • Jennifer

    I’ve just gotta say that I’ve been reading your comic for awhile now and I really, really love it. Thanks for taking the time to do such great work! It really stands out. :)

  • Nick

    I get it. Luca and Phe are on opposite sides of the table and Phe is facing >. Luca looks at Phe in panel two to see that she is talking to her right (panel three) and she, while looking right, glances left to see him. In panel 5 he looks left to avert his gaze, probably out of some kinda shyness.

    Hope this helps? Or maybe I’m wrong too.

    • Nick

      Err.. Phe is facing right in the panel, but it’s her left, then she looks right. I promise I know my lefts and rights, but that’s a good sign it’s bed time.

      Love the comic.

  • Megan

    Hm…there’s a lot of coughing going on. Makes me think something is afoot. *gasp* could it be…poison? XD

  • HendoGirl

    It’s almost better to read this chapter a page a week. It give you time to really care about the characters, especially Phe ;_;
    Also, since no one mentioned it yet, panel 3 is great. You show so much about the characters just thru their posture.

  • LeDayz

    AAAAAUGH!!! It sucks that other people know what’s going to happen and I don’t! *pouts*

    Suspense kills me.

  • portheiusJ

    You know, I’m totally getting a MacBeth/Ivan the Terrible vibe from Luca, which of course puts Phe as an Anastasia. It makes me quite curious to see what’s going to happen. *strokes beard*

  • The One

    bwahahaha, that last panel reminds me of my dad when I’m trying to explain how I got a C in math.

    Great job, as usual! The Meek is the best comic out there.

    • Woah, don’t get a C in math! Math is important to your daily life!*

      *lies

      • Maggie

        Speaking as a computer science major and math minor, it is quite important.

        which is why I’m studying for my test riiight now. yeeahh.

  • Maggie

    someone needs a lozenge!*

    *and it isn’t me, although I could use one
    /sick

  • Marion

    Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no.

    I suddenly get this awful sense of forboding…

    Phe is going to die now, isn’t she? Just after that sweet smile, Phe is gonna die, and Luca is gonna think the ambassadors poisoned the food (since he tested the food and the ambassadors are sitting next to her) and of course its the evil lurking glowy-eye thingie who did it, but Luca is going to declare war ever so much (hating in the name of love, etc)

    I don’t want Phe to die!!! Waaaaahhhh!!!

    Tell me she isn’t going to die! *sob*

  • >B

    I keep thinking that this comic will move when I look at it. There is so much life in the lines. I say things in my head like “I love this show.” But its not a show. Wonderful visual work.

    >B

  • Llama

    My confusion on the ‘looking at each other’ was because Luca looks directly at the camera, but Phe doesn’t… It’s like we switch to Luca’s viewpoint in panel 3 and 4, but if that’s true then Phe isn’t looking at Luca. If Phe looked more into the camera in panel 4 I think it would be clearer? Aaa I hope I make sense. ;3; /comic love btw

  • Pashtun Jim

    Bas is a Pashto phrase! I’ve had my suspicions.. has Pashtun language/culture influenced your creation of the Pasori at all?

  • SpawnofHastur

    I do believe that Phe is drunk.

  • makani

    hmm I think you should actually show a bit of some of the just random people talking- in the last strip I assumed it would be someone we knew or something talking (suda and rana fighting or something) and in the last panel of this comic it still feels like there’s going to be a reveal of who is doing this chatting, rather than the chatting just being there to provide “background noise” and not coming from anyone in particular.

    also phe you’re looking pretty fat why dont you just skip dinner fattie you dont need to eat

  • cali

    i love your comic, i think you draw brilliantly. but i felt i had to offer some constructive criticism. the coloring on the end of phe’s nose on this page….i think its too dark. it looks like it has some sort of internal bleeding and they need to apply leeches to suck out the excess. or like its frostbitten or something. sorry to be blunt or whatever, but i had to say something. i know youve done something similar with pinter before but i just attributed that to him being a drunk. and idk. maybe it bothers me because of the juxtaposition of her husband’s nose in the next panel, which looks so normal. if you made it that dark on purpose and ive missed the reason for it i apologize. …..so…thats it. again, i love this comic and i cant wait to see where it goes. <3

    • It is on purpose :) Most Santri have brown noses.

      • Tbwulf

        Most Santri are brown nosers?

        • Cheri

          Both of you!! Read the meek Wiki!
          It gives you an awesome look into the cultures involved in this comic, and explains as many questions as it rises! It’s great. =D

          • Tbwulf

            I was making a joke. Brown noser = suck up.

  • Asrath

    great comic ^^
    I love how you draw/colour and create all sorts of stuff, its so incredible ^^
    LOLZ! I always thought that “phe” was some kind of accidental thing that Luca said cuz his two missing teeth XD I’m such a fool!

  • Umm, what was on the 1st? I was out of town that day and it seems I missed quite a lot of things. D:

  • Nik

    :) I could definitely tell that Phe and Luca were looking at each other. I love the dynamic between those two characters. Phe and Luca are probably my favorite part of this comic, although it’s pretty awesome all around.

  • Laurens

    Oh, thanks for linking to Lackadaisy! I started reading it and DAYUM that’s skilful. One other thing: Am I the only one who’s vaguely creeped out by Phe’s smile?

  • Kate

    UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!! I almost, ALMOST, went to wondercon. I would have defiantly gone if I had known that you were going!!!!! Crap… I need to pay more attention next time. :)

  • Caly

    Great comic :3 but why is TWC saying you don’t exist? Can’t vote, you’re not on the ranking anymore…??

  • Robert

    Hmmm… so I voted this morning on my home computer, but now at school I’m trying to vote and The Meek isn’t even amid the rankings (it was 6th-ish earlier); I get a page that says the comic is “inactive or unknown.”

    Seeeeeeems fishy and unfortunate.

  • EnviousMango

    Hey, I tried to vote and TWC said something is wrong. You might want to check that.

  • Pedro

    Hmmm…. Tried to vote for Meek on TWC, and I got a notice of “unknown or inactive”. Assumed it was a mistake, but when I checked their website, the comic was nowhere to be found. It was there this morning… What gives?

  • Merrem

    Hey,
    I have the same problem, when I tried to vote just now. After I klick the ‘VOTE’-button it says: “The comic voting page you tried to visit was for a comic that was inactive or unknown. If you are the comic owner, please check your settings or contact support.”
    So I thought you’d like to check this out ;)
    This morning it was like no problem at all…

    • Thanks for noticing :) I took it down this afternoon to play around a bit! I may put it back later.

  • Coentje

    What’s happend to The Meek on TopWebComics? I tried voting but it said: “The comic voting page you tried to visit was for a comic that was inactive or unknown.”
    And it’s completely gone from TWC.

    • Yeah, I’m doing some experimenting. I like TWC but I don’t like asking readers to vote to see things on a middleman system. I might bring it back later, but for now I’m going to play around a little.

  • SladinForever

    I feel like the coughing is a foreshadow for something. Like, whoever is coughing is going to start vomiting blood or something and then die. Or am I being paranoid?

  • GoSign

    Am I missing something about how the website works, or should I expect a comic update? I just discovered this comic and read through the archives a little over a week ago, but haven’t seen any change here yet. Is it dead or just dormant?

    • My computer has been slowly dying. I got two pages inked over my break this week before it died 100%. I am in complete emergency mode right now and freaking out over the lack of updates.

  • Levistus

    Sounds to me like coughing is used to punctuate a verbal jab. Sort of a “Thou hast been pwn-ed” gesture.

  • Lillian

    Rereading this page makes me wonder why I didn’t see the coughing before….

  • shin

    okay now i know what`s going on with Phe!!!! I didn`t notice who she was sitting by or weather or not she was coughing

  • What the heck, you were at WonderCon?? I didn’t see you there! D:

    • I was at the Lackadaisy table :) I’ll probably be there again next year too!

  • RizuChan

    I just noticed that already here her throat is beginning to look swollen, and slightly purple. Or maybe that’s just shading… o.o;

  • Person

    “Bas”… that means “stop” in Farsi! I don’t know if it was intentional, but… *squeals like a happy little language geek*

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