To be honest there was no version of this where it was a simple "The End". Trust me, I thought a lot about it. It was always going to end on some kind of cliffhanger. I want to continue this story one day, as I have a whole outline written that involves so many different Nintendo characters, but until then I wanted to reach a point where it felt right to stop. And I think the promise of Altaria, Incineroar, etc, reuniting with Chansey and the implication that there is a larger story at play here was a good wave to ride into the sunset on. Plus, I wanted some kind of incentive to return when the time comes... For readers and for myself!
Incineroar has lost his best friend, which is tragic of course, but in his place and because of him he has found new life long companions. His once sworn enemy is now his greatest ally. The Pokemon he once loved has officially moved on and started a family with his former foe and instead of envy or frustration Incineroar is nothing but happy for them. The team succeeded in rescuing Pichu and Delphox and the greatest threat that was posed to them - the corrupted Daisy Ditto, was defeated in a selfless sacrifice by a Pokemon that was once anything but. And, most importantly, Dr. Chansey - the embodiment of purity and hope - is, at the very end, very much alive. I know the comic probably didn't resolve the way you might have thought or hoped but I hope you can appreciate what I was going for.
So anyway it's been two short years of working on this comic and I'm happy to say I really thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into when I started but I'm glad I pulled through. I like to draw and tell stories, and I don't claim to be great at either, but I feel like this was a great exercise and I've learned a lot. Plus, this was an excuse to draw hundreds of images of my favorite Pokemon! I don't think I've drawn this much in my life.
From my heart, thank you so much for reading this. Thank you for enabling my silly storytelling shenanigans and giving this comic a chance. And thank you for being so nice! I'm really humbled and honestly surprised by how supportive you all are. Week after week you folks would return and a bunch of you would always post such nice and insightful comments each time I updated, which means so much to me. I will keep your usernames close to my heart ❤️.
If anyone has any questions I'd be happy to answer them, but I can't give away certain answers before the sequel has a chance to.
This was a wonderful ending! It's been great following this comic for the last few weeks and I'm very much looking forward to that sequel whenever you get to it. For now I'm going to relish in this ending, because this has been a really great ride that I'm happy was able to reach an ending.
Thanks! I tend to have a gift with my precognition. If you'd like, I can tell you about a few other times I made ballsy predictions and ended up being correct.
To be honest I'm kind of hoping nobody is ever able to read that because it's a bit spoilery. The "SOMEONE'S PC" was just something I had to throw in there though :P
I'm super super late to the party but, I could read them. Very interesting. I'll just say, I think the egg is not quite what we have (or perhaps more importantly haven't) been led to believe...
This was a fantastic journey to read through, with stunning artwork. Thank you for providing this story to us, I'm looking forward to your plans for the future!
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed reading through it and I'm relieved that you're not sick to death of it yet! I definitely plan to post lots more in the future :)
I prefer and love open endings so to me this could not have ended any better. But to show this isn't just bias clouding the choice- because of the story telling style you have gone with, there is no stronger ending for Incineroar, family, and friends than the promise of yet another adventure around the corner.
Thank you for sharing. Whatever you create next, whether it's the sequel or something entirely new, I very much look forward to your next works.
That means a lot coming from you my friend! Thank you so much. I was very anxious that people might be disappointed with this "ending" but it's like you said, it's a promise of another adventure and I just love that sentiment. I really appreciate your kind words, and I hope to see you again whenever I publish my next comic!
Thank you so much for sticking with it for so long! I can't even imagine reading this comic without the click-to-scroll feature anymore! Safe to say the comic got an upgrade when Smackjeeves went bust! Thanks for all your kind words :D
I am SO happy that this is continuing. It'll let us see what the next journey has in store! I was confused at seeing Mewtwo at the end, hey, we'll learn about his motives in the next book. Thanks for a great reading experience(even if it took nearly 3 months to complete it)! Again, can't wait to see more!
3 months! Jesus I didn't even realize lol. Thanks so much for your patience throughout! I'm so glad you like how it all came down and I'm even happier to know you're looking forward to more! Mewtwo will be a huge part of the story going forward and I look forward to sharing his involvement! Until then, take care my friend and hope to see you again sooner rather than later when this returns!!
"Didn't resolve how I expected?" Bruh, this BLEW my expectations away! What a twist!!! And such a foreboding ending! I had so much fun over these past years following along this epic, and it makes me so excited to know you have more planned. All I hope is that you take the time to keep yourself healthy and not burn out! Best of luck, and can't wait to see more!
Thank you so much! I probably took a little too much time keeping to myself and not burning out between this and the previous update lol. But I'm glad you think it was worth it in the end! I really hope to see you again when this comic returns, thank you for all your kind comments!
I don't think the ending was that much of a ripoff. The whole daisy ditto arc was wrapped up by the end. That's why the epilogue isn't an "end." So I'm not disappointed at all! If anything, I'm excited for when this comes back! Thanks for the incredible comic about funny hulk hogan cat
You're very welcome, and thank you for following it! I've enjoyed reading all your comments and I'm grateful you followed it to the end! Thanks my friend!
Thanks so much for the kind words everyone! I am so glad you all like the way this went. The fact that you've all read through it and are here to comment on the end means a lot to me. Thanks again and I hope to see you all when I publish my next comic!
YES! The legend continues! Man, what an amazing ride you've put us into. I'm very glad to see how this masterpiece has developed and matured through the years. I'm fortunate to have found this comic that since then has kept me hooked.
You have a very interesting manga-like art style of your own which involves a clever use of just pure black and white (and a tiny bit of red), which is recognizable among the rest.
The recurrent implementation of the family concept through this comic carries a satisfying message which is enriched with the unexpected and unfortunate plot twists. The way the story slowly introduces and unveils the mysteries about what each character is going through and the connections between them keeps you wanting more. Thank you, for making my Mondays more enjoyable.
I hope you find yourself a well deserved rest from all this hard work, and then see you back with more great stuff.
Cheers!
I'm humbled! I'm so glad you enjoyed it my friend. Thank you for the kind words here and on so many other pages. It means so much to me that a fellow Incineroar fan enjoyed this as much as you do! I hope to see you again in the future when this continues!
This comic was a beautiful trip. Some of the panels could straight up be prints and I would buy ad hang them on my wall. I'm glad to see that you stopped where you wanted to, even if it meant a cliffhanger!
Hey, he'll always be an entertainer at heart! Thanks for following the comic, Ace! I appreciate all your comments, hope to see you again when this returns!
That's a great ending! Even if you never continue (which I hope you do), you've showed us that the legend continues, which feels both satisfying and exciting.
Oh I'm glad you think so! I wanted nothing more than for this to feel satisfying for everyone that's taken the time to read it. Thank you for the kind comment, I hope to see you again when this returns!
that was just stellar. when i started reading back when smackjeeves was still up, i had no idea this comic would spiral into such an intricate tale (the contrast between the cute beginning and this ending is so big!!). i loved watching these characters grow and change over the course of the story, it was super satisfying. and i also love the mystery in this open ending!!
i'll gladly read anything else you write for sure. a sequel to this comic, pokemon, nintendo characters or otherwise. you're real skilled in your craft :>
Thank you so much for following this since Smackjeeves! I'm so glad to hear you like the transition, it's something I tried to make feel seamless but still wonder if it's a little too jarring. Thanks so much for the kind words here and on so many other pages, I look forward to posting more stuff in the future and I really hope to see your thoughts on them!!
First off, Pikachu's expressions at his end. How you generally use expressions on Pokémon is wonderful, the more intense, darker emotions get conveyed through harsher, more human faces compared to the cute mugs Pokémon normally wear when we see them happy. Seeing Pikachu look happy reminded me of this, and throughout the whole story I very much enjoy seeing this variance in expressions on him, Incineroar, Chansey and everyone else.
Second, the gigantic ending update was very much appreciated, I think it was good to space it out like that, the epilogue coming all at once was for the best from my perspective as a reader.
As for the epilogue itself, I love how everything resolved for our remaining heroes and doubly love the stinger we got, I'm not sure what is happening, I'll need to process it a but, but I know I'm excited for whenever we get more of this world and these characters.
Congratulations on making it to the end of this story, and I'll do my best to be there again when you revisit this plot later on, whenever that might be. I'm glad you enjoyed drawing and writing this whole series, I loved reading it as well.
Thanks so much my friend! Conveying the Pokemon's expressions was such a fun exercise for me. Body movements, too. Whenever Incineroar was upset or sad I'd always try to make sure his tail was low, for example. It was always fun trying to work out how these animal-like beings should look at any given point. I'm grateful those details caught your eye!
I really appreciate all your insightful comments, thank you so much for following it to the end! I know this ending was a bit perplexing but I guess the main take away is that Chansey is alive and Mewtwo is a big part of what's been going on. I look forward to elaborating more on that but I'll have to leave it to the imagination for now! Thanks again my friend, all the best!
Absolutely beautiful! I've been a fan ever since you posted your drawings on gamefaqs. If you ever do continue this, I would love to see how things pan out. It wound up so much more epic and intense than your initial scribbles. Great work on this series!
Thanks brother! You were there for the conception! This story went so overboard from those initial scribbles XD. I miss Black Shadow and Blood Falcon's shenanigans, lol. Assuming all goes well and this continues as planned I look forward to retracing some of the more ludicrous steps I took from those days XD
Hey Ace, I'm happy to answer any questions. I haven't really done a Q&A before so I don't really know how this goes. I assume I just answer a bunch of questions at once, right? I'm happy to do that, I'm just lacking the questions :P
Also I imagine a lot of questions will be answered in the follow up stories so I'm hesitant to spoil anything.
I'm so, so late, but... congratulations Blargargy and thank you for all of your hard work! What a fantastic way to wrap up a story arc. I knew it wasn't going to be the END end, but WHAT A TWIST. I 100% was not expecting Mewtwo to be involved or Chansey to be alive. I certainly wasn't expecting a set-up for another story arc featuring Incineroar. I thought you were planning to do something like create a spin-off story in the same universe.
On the topic of the next arc, are you stepping away indefinitely? Do I need to build a time machine so I can travel 20 years into the future to see the start of the next arc?
Hey, I'm the master of the late game so no hard feelings there haha. I'm very happy to read that you liked it, I was very much looking forward to reading your opinion on the ending. Thanks so much for reading it and for all your comments!
I will definitely be continuing this at some point but I don't want anyone to hold their breath or tamper with any DeLorean because I really don't know how long it'll be! If everything goes according to plan though there will be spin-off stories for days, don't you worry!
Man. cool story, superb art. Thank you very much for the great read!
When the time comes and this saga continues, will it continue right here? Or how will I find it?
I discovered this comic by accident this afternoon, and I binged it all within a couple hours. The story did not go in the direction I was expecting, to say the least, and it was a roller coaster ride of twists and turns the entire way through. Your art style is amazing, and I loved seeing how the plot developed. Thank you for the wonderful comic!
So, I've finally read this comic after it being in my backlog for almost a year at this point. Started it today and binged it in a single evening.
As a huge Incineroar fan, I obviously wanted to read something with his name in the title. I expected something like similar to a "Fight Club" story, you know, fighting, training, intense matches on the ring, stuff like that... Boy was I wrong.
This is a giant, epic, absurd adventure, where you will NEVER see the plot twists coming. The most impossible, crazy and mind-blowing things happen in this story and I'm all here for it! The premise is basic, but it doesn't detract from it's effectiveness, especially as the more out-of-the-box elements come into play.
The characters are so simple, yet interesting and captivating, and their determination and love for each other seeps through the screen. As the comic goes on, you start to genuinely care about them. The protagonist, Incineroar himself, is so likeable, inspiring and strong-willed, he alone could carry the story, but no! The "side" (even though any of them can be hardly called so) characters are just as charming and I was so concerned for their well-being I was practically holding my breath at times. And boy will you be too, because they are a danger magnet.
The action is non stop, there's so much suspence, drama, and God, the artstyle! Really accurate to official Pokémon designs, but with it's own unique flair at the same time. As a beginning artist myself, that shadow-work is absolutely stunning. The impact of powerful attacks and blows is actually sold through the pages, which I've rarely seen in static art!
I could gush about this comic for hours, I swear, but the comment is plenty long as it is. So, just to finish this:
Thank you, blargargy, so much for this emotional rollercoaster! Absolutely one of the most investing stories I have ever experienced. Puts anything the official series has done to shame. And if/when The Legend continues, I will be one of the first to read it (unless I miss it, oof).
Once I found and started reading this comic it was impossible to stop! The art is incredible, and the story is amazingly heartfelt, and I enjoyed every moment of it. I hope you get to continue the story eventually, but I can't understate how much I've enjoyed the journey as is.
Things like these make me so happy that the internet is free. Cohesive story, amazing visuals, and you're a good sport throughout the entire process, and here also felt like a really good place to stop. Thank you for creating this wild ride, blargargy. I'm so happy to have read this and known that this exists. Happy 2025 and onward, wherever you are!
Comments:
For all intent and purposes, the one thing I didn't see coming was Mewtwo's involvement in the post-credits stinger of Dr. Chansey and Daisy.
Thank you for sharing. Whatever you create next, whether it's the sequel or something entirely new, I very much look forward to your next works.
You have a very interesting manga-like art style of your own which involves a clever use of just pure black and white (and a tiny bit of red), which is recognizable among the rest.
The recurrent implementation of the family concept through this comic carries a satisfying message which is enriched with the unexpected and unfortunate plot twists. The way the story slowly introduces and unveils the mysteries about what each character is going through and the connections between them keeps you wanting more. Thank you, for making my Mondays more enjoyable.
I hope you find yourself a well deserved rest from all this hard work, and then see you back with more great stuff.
Cheers!
i'll gladly read anything else you write for sure. a sequel to this comic, pokemon, nintendo characters or otherwise. you're real skilled in your craft :>
Second, the gigantic ending update was very much appreciated, I think it was good to space it out like that, the epilogue coming all at once was for the best from my perspective as a reader.
As for the epilogue itself, I love how everything resolved for our remaining heroes and doubly love the stinger we got, I'm not sure what is happening, I'll need to process it a but, but I know I'm excited for whenever we get more of this world and these characters.
Congratulations on making it to the end of this story, and I'll do my best to be there again when you revisit this plot later on, whenever that might be. I'm glad you enjoyed drawing and writing this whole series, I loved reading it as well.
Thanks so much my friend! Conveying the Pokemon's expressions was such a fun exercise for me. Body movements, too. Whenever Incineroar was upset or sad I'd always try to make sure his tail was low, for example. It was always fun trying to work out how these animal-like beings should look at any given point. I'm grateful those details caught your eye!
I really appreciate all your insightful comments, thank you so much for following it to the end! I know this ending was a bit perplexing but I guess the main take away is that Chansey is alive and Mewtwo is a big part of what's been going on. I look forward to elaborating more on that but I'll have to leave it to the imagination for now! Thanks again my friend, all the best!
Thanks brother! You were there for the conception! This story went so overboard from those initial scribbles XD. I miss Black Shadow and Blood Falcon's shenanigans, lol. Assuming all goes well and this continues as planned I look forward to retracing some of the more ludicrous steps I took from those days XD
Also I imagine a lot of questions will be answered in the follow up stories so I'm hesitant to spoil anything.
https://ask-tssb.tumblr.com/
On the topic of the next arc, are you stepping away indefinitely? Do I need to build a time machine so I can travel 20 years into the future to see the start of the next arc?
I will definitely be continuing this at some point but I don't want anyone to hold their breath or tamper with any DeLorean because I really don't know how long it'll be! If everything goes according to plan though there will be spin-off stories for days, don't you worry!
*MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS*
*
.... Will the spanking scene return?
*
*END SPOILERS*
When the time comes and this saga continues, will it continue right here? Or how will I find it?
As a huge Incineroar fan, I obviously wanted to read something with his name in the title. I expected something like similar to a "Fight Club" story, you know, fighting, training, intense matches on the ring, stuff like that... Boy was I wrong.
This is a giant, epic, absurd adventure, where you will NEVER see the plot twists coming. The most impossible, crazy and mind-blowing things happen in this story and I'm all here for it! The premise is basic, but it doesn't detract from it's effectiveness, especially as the more out-of-the-box elements come into play.
The characters are so simple, yet interesting and captivating, and their determination and love for each other seeps through the screen. As the comic goes on, you start to genuinely care about them. The protagonist, Incineroar himself, is so likeable, inspiring and strong-willed, he alone could carry the story, but no! The "side" (even though any of them can be hardly called so) characters are just as charming and I was so concerned for their well-being I was practically holding my breath at times. And boy will you be too, because they are a danger magnet.
The action is non stop, there's so much suspence, drama, and God, the artstyle! Really accurate to official Pokémon designs, but with it's own unique flair at the same time. As a beginning artist myself, that shadow-work is absolutely stunning. The impact of powerful attacks and blows is actually sold through the pages, which I've rarely seen in static art!
I could gush about this comic for hours, I swear, but the comment is plenty long as it is. So, just to finish this:
Thank you, blargargy, so much for this emotional rollercoaster! Absolutely one of the most investing stories I have ever experienced. Puts anything the official series has done to shame. And if/when The Legend continues, I will be one of the first to read it (unless I miss it, oof).
How have you been, @blargargy? Are you still drawing? Will you grace us with a message? :)
That's all folks