With Crazy Sunshine’s 1 year birthday just around the corner, I wanted to stagger the changes being made to the comic, site, and update schedule rather than throwing it all in your face at once.
Update Changes
The truth is, I really didn’t want to ever have to make an entry like this, but it’s gotten to the point where this little comic has snowballed into something quite big, and I feel like all the effort, work, cost, and time I am putting into it is starting to affect real life.
Webcomics are tough! I never realized this when I started making Crazy Sunshine. You have to put in all you’ve got if you want them to work. For people without full-time jobs or other commitments, this is a cakewalk, but for someone like me, who has about 3 hours free time a day to pump out comics, reply to comments, fix or update the site and create blog entries, I cannot promise the same kind of commitment.
Having chatted with other creators and readers of the comic, I was slapped in the face and told to stop worrying about what other people do and focus on what works for me, not for anyone else. After all, it is my webcomic.
Therefore, like today, Crazy Sunshine will be updated on Wednesdays at 8am JST / Midnight GMT / Tuesdays 6pm CST.
Thanks for understanding.
Site Changes
As of next week I will be editing the Cast page with updated character profiles and brand new artwork, look forward to it!
I was also thinking about including a World Map and Lore page that shines some history on the world of Crazy Sunshine and the events that happened in the past in order to attract new readers to the comic, and to give a bit of history on where the characters came from.
Lastly, I would like some overall feedback on the site and if there is anything I can improve on (smaller title banners/rollover icons, larger text, simpler background etc.) let me know what you think in the comments below!
Comic Changes
With a new update schedule in place, meaning larger gaps between comics, I thought long and hard about the direction the comic itself is heading.
Each strip should – and can – be read in any order with no real progressive storyline set in stone (Including the Crazy Sunshine Chronicle story arcs) I would like to keep this going, but at the same time, really want to develop the relationships between characters (Shelbie/Lacie, Peppermint/Candy, Candy/Lacie etc.), which means I am at a total loss when it comes to sticking to my original plan.
I was thinking of making a sub comic that did follow a story, updating on different days, but that would just defeat the point of changing the schedule and reducing my workload.
So for now, I was thinking the new few CSC story arcs will be tailored more towards a story-driven plot, and not always resulting in a gag per strip. I think this would be a nice change of pace from time to time. Again, feedback on this would be welcome.
Thanks for reading this entry! If you have any more questions or need some answers, or just generally want to kick my ass, leave a comment! I will always do my best to reply.
“Time for a change in pace”
I’m absolutely cool with it.
Doing a story driven plot sounds pretty cool. It’ll be a welcome change alongside the norm.
I hope so! Fun fact, CS used to be mega serious.
Ohreally? I can’t imagine that. xD
At all.
yarly. The jokes started when I started making the old black and white 4 panel comics.
do whatever works for you. no complaints from me. do what you need to.
Thanks, I will!
*Walks around his house in boxers*
Whatever the day that you release new comics, for sure there will be people waiting for them, Jkun! And about the CrazySunshine Chronicles releases, I think it is a great idea. It will certainly be something very cool! Good luck with your new plans and ti’ll the next one!
All right! then I will consider trying to make something up that is a little bit more paced out, but still funny!
Like the other CS fans that have commented here, I quite understand the necessity of you changing your update schedule. I myself can only manage to get one page per week of my webcomic out.
I’m sure plenty of readers will be happy to visit the site for each update no matter what the update schedule is.
I hope so too – you and other readers are a very nice, understanding bunch of people! Thanks!
And thank YOU for making such a rad comic that I get a kick out of so much!
I’ve just been following your comic recently and imo the most important thing is that you live your life while you enjoy working on the comic+website in your free time. Once it becomes “work” to do it, it’s no more real fun. Please update it as you prefer to do it so you and all your followers will feel the joy of Crazysunshine!
What I would find handy is a clearer structure in your blog like Categories of Dev posts, posts about your life, posts about the comic etc. I know you have tags on each posts but it’s not really easy to find them all.
The world map idea sounds great as well as the cast page update! \(^.^)/ Looking forward to that!
Have a nice day,
Yuu
Thanks Yuu~
I will try to continue with as much genki spirit as before, making sure to take breaks, of course! Thanks for commenting!
You can update twice a week!! That’s like… twice as us! You’re doing nice, no worries… Keep up the nice work!
Haha, it was tough! Back down to no buffer – literally finished next week’s one this afternoon! Wish me luck!
Have you thought about adding “fillers” in between comics? Like fan art or sketch concepts of character’s early designs?? I’m a new fan to your comic.
And I agree w/ what everyone has said, in the end it is YOUR comic and YOU have the final say on what you are going to do with it. 
Hello! Yes and decided instead I would upload sketches to my Tumblr (check it out! – So people reading through archives to read comics won’t be disappointed!
I think the occasional serious story arc would be pretty cool. I look forward to whatever you have planned.
Hey, thanks! I will try my best no matter what!
I understand the update and all but what does “Each strip should – and can – be read in any order with no real progressive storyline set in stone (Including the Crazy Sunshine Chronicle story arcs)” exactly mean anyway?
It means there is really no solid storyline, like an an action comic or romance comic, Characters will rarely reference the past, or talk about events that have transpired, making each comic it’s on, independent gag. I tried to make it this way so new readers could flick through 2 or 3 comics in order to get into it, without having to trail through a year worth of archives just to “get it”.
I dunno how I can expand on it or make it clearer. D: English fails me!
I have mix feeling about this. On one hand Crazy Sunshine makes a good for independent gag comic and make the reader get it. But on the other hand you have very (“detail”) character that with “deep rooted” past behind them so it seems weird for them to independent gag comic.
I was going to say “Also having this whole world fill to the brim history n’ events just be ordinary setting throws continuity out of whack.”
BUT, I reread the (thing about including a World Map and Lore page that shines some history on the world of Crazy Sunshine and the events that happened in the past in order to attract new readers to the comic, and to give a bit of history on where the characters came from.)
and about the whole “I was thinking the new few CSC story arcs will be tailored more towards a story-driven plot, and not always resulting in a gag per strip. I think this would be a nice change of pace from time to time. Again, feedback on this would be welcome.”
Then I realize it would be like Gintama a “A funny Comedy Manga but, when its time to get to a serious story arc they deliver a serious story arc like a boss.” I mean its a great manga and they have an excellent way to execute characters backgrounds without it being to much or to little.
What I mean is don’t go with no solid Storyline but, with a semitransparent solid storyline. For Example lets say you have a villain that know one of the character in the past as a friend but, seems likely the one to do something suddenly surprisingly more reckless than the already reckless character. In which leave a permanent mental and physical scar on the Character leaving them Hellbent on revenge or changing the world against those who “betray” them. Causing something make do something which changes the Main Character, in which lends the Main character to either make them snap out of it or Beat the shit out of it. but before the Main Character can do that the newly form Villain went into hiding or preparing for something evil for the future. Lending the main character to prepare to they’re ass for when they decide to show their face again.
So in conclusion I had mix feeling about the web-comic changes but, comparing it to something that also like Gintama I’m okay about the changes. And its your your Webcomic and you can make whatever changes you feel like doing. Also English is iffy at best for me.
P.S. Also some fans like me don’t mine going though what seems like century’s wroth of archives most cause they’ll be interested in the comic. If it something like homestuck just use the wiki and a temporary l33t translator it will be enjoyable to say the least. But, Penny Arcade is on the Mother of god I’m not even gonna touch this one and even if I did I got long fucking way to go for me list.
Thanks for your input!
When I mentioned individual gag comic, I mean in relation to the situations our heroines find themselves in. There is a solid background for each character, and how they met – I just haven’t touched on it yet because I want each scenario to be perfect before releasing them in comic form.
So, for example, after getting to know the characters a bit, and the reason they exist, readers can come to terms with each character’s personality, motives and goals, then hit the Random button or jump into any pagfe and enjoy the comic, without having to follow one, huge, overbearing plotline.
Additionally, returning readers and fans who have read the whole archive will be subtly rewarded by the cameos and hints to previous comics I splatter around the pages. To new readers, these are things that would at first appear as “inside jokes”, but could be seen as an incentive to read the archives and understand each little cameo’s origin.
A good example of this is in the comic “Masterpiece”, where every item on top of Shelbie has been features in a previous CS strip; It’s not blocking new readers from getting the basic gag for that strip, but rewards returns readers with another, subtle little piece of familiarity.
Don’t let the comics become bigger than you, Jim. It has to be pleasant, not become a burden. There are some of my favourite webcomics that are updated once a week – and they keep being great. So, don’t overdo it.
I’m confused on the new update schedule… Is it Wednesday or Tuesday or both?
I’m not complaining in any way, btw! I just want to be able to properly label CS in my “Webcomics That Update On:_____” folders.
If I understood it correctly, it depends on where you live for whether it’ll be Tuesday or Wednesday. It’s Wednesday 8am Japan time, and you can go from there to see when it’d be for your local time
Awesome, you are so organised! D:
[mimi=on]
Well, aslong as you keep the quality, you could update every two weeks, as far as I’m concerned.
But once a week is even better.
Storydriven? Even if it’s a lose arc? Fine, gives even better opportunities for fun … and some jokes are even better, when they are propperly prepared.
I’m always delighted when my RSS-feed tells me: “Hey, new CS!”
So, go ahead, do what’s the best for you.
[/mimi]