Can someone explain what’s happening besides someone being reborn?
In the first comic, which is from the Warrior’s point of view, the Warrior has defeated the Monster, who jeers that there will always be another Monster to fight. The Monster dissolves into mist, leaving another tiny, baby Monster in its place. The Warrior picks up this helpless new baby Monster and carries it away. They will try again and do better this time.
In the second comic, which is from the Monster’s point of view, the Monster says that this has to happen; it can’t come with the Warrior, and there will always be another. It tells the Warrior to use what they have learned to fight. It wants to die knowing that the Warrior has hope for the future. It dissolves into mist, and the exhausted Warrior collapses. The new baby Monster comes and brings the Warrior some water in a leaf. Because we are reading this in the Monster’s voice, we realize that it is a new Monster, but also somehow, magically, the same. We also see that the Monster is not inherently evil. It is only very strong, and inevitable.
The third comic is a dialogue between the Monster and the Warrior. The Warrior is exhausted and horrifically wounded. The Monster is also horribly maimed. They are both dying. The Warrior doesn’t want to fight anymore. The Monster tells them to rest and heal. The Warrior hands over their amulet, and we see the Monster’s paw become a hand just before they both dissolve into mist. It clears, revealing that the Monster has turned into a beautiful humanoid, who says they will take care of the new baby monster the Warrior has turned into. The two have changed roles. The Warrior takes up the former Warrior’s gear and strides into the new year with the new baby Monster riding on their shoulders.
It is a beautiful, ruthless, hopeful metaphor about keeping up the good fight, year after year, even when we are worn down, and how we can still face the new year with hope and light, no matter how painful the last one was, and how it is okay to rest if we can’t fight.
Three years ago, my constantly worsening sleep deprivation and stress resulted in a burnout. I’m 30 years old now, at the time of posting this comic, and I still haven’t recovered fully. I still have the heart symptoms – even the smallest amount of stress brings the symptoms back. It’s likely I will never recover enough to work a fulltime job again and I can’t go back to high-stress environments like customer service. But that’s alright. I am more than just my work. I’m slowly learning to be merciful towards myself and to show myself the same kindness I show others, and I think that’s very important.
This is my story and I won’t be ashamed any more.
I needed this. Especially the percentage part. As someone who compares myself to others a lot, I really needed that.
Your best is yours, not anyone else’s
Just to emphasize
You’re doing amazing, all of you guys are. I believe in you all, and I’m proud.
So this was the first comic I made, published exactly ten years ago: December 29, 2008.
Port Sherry was to feature mostly video-game related comics, like Penny Arcade (or to be more precise, a by then already defunct strip called Eegra Hilarity Comics, by Patrick Alexander). At some point I believe it was going to be called Infinite Lives. I found out quickly that I didn’t have the time or money to keep up with the gaming scene, so I just started making comics on whatever caught my fancy. And I guess that has remained as a descriptor to this day.
It seems pompous to devote a space to mark the date, the number, my credit and even a dedication. Truth is, I made a mess of the layout and ended up with a blank space I needed to fill somehow (this happened a lot in my early comics). I see it now as important information, however: on that day, I made the first of 638 comics, on not even my own domain, using my real name. But more importantly, my wife Sara, who met and married me long before either of us knew I had any of this in me, had been, since day one, the biggest supporter, fan and believer of Port Sherry. It is true now as it was 10 years ago: none of this would exist without her. Thank you, my beautiful princess. Here’s to ten more and beyond. . (We’ll cut through the treacle before the year ends, I promise.)
