FA+
Shop
Original Life Webcomic
14 years ago
I've received a trickle of email over the last month that's lead me to realize something I knew would happen. Those who listened to me from the beginning and approached Original Life as its own comic, are enjoying it. Those who wanted Better Days repackaged with newer characters, are disappointed. From the very beginning I noted that Original Life would mostly be the kind of fun light stories I actually enjoyed doing more. I said there would be no named chapters to contain plot arcs so I would have the liberty to create single page comics on the fly, whenever it struck me to do so.
I'll restate everything I said from the very beginning of Original Life:
Better Days was an experiment in my first webcomic. Originally meant to be funny, I decided to give it very heavy dramatic moments and carried it a long way. But the most fun I had in Better Days was doing the lighter chapters. I also felt limited while doing Better Days. I was unable to react to observations of current trends and events (such as record cold weather, or Tron, or whatever video game I was playing). I couldn't insert a stand-alone page about a stand-alone topic in a chapter that's designated for a specific plot arc. I have all that freedom with Original Life and I'm enjoying it. I'm enjoying doing the light stuff I want to do. I'm enjoying robotic teddy bears, commenting on video games, movies, and philosophy, without being too heavy handed with the drama. If you're looking for rape, gunplay, and incest, you're not going to find it. If you're looking for Better Days part 2, you will not find it, and I've been clear about this for the beginning.
Better Days was created when I was a very different person. I had very different views, values, and priorities, and I evolved as a person as I was doing Better Days over the course of six years. There's a lot in Better Days that I wouldn't include if I was doing it today. There's a lot of things that I wrote that I wouldn't have written that way, now. I don't like looking at the old pages. I don't like looking at the old art. It's embarrassing and bad in my eyes. I don't like lingering on the past. It's enough that I've left the archive in place, and find myself having to explain some of the themes and events depicted in Better Days, by a much younger, less mature creator, compared to who I am today.
Better Days had an end planned out all the way from the very beginning. When it was done, I had to do something else: something I wanted to do and had more freedom to go in any direction I wanted. Better Days is what it is and it will always be that. I will not try to repackage it as something else and try to make lightening strike twice.
I'll restate everything I said from the very beginning of Original Life:
Better Days was an experiment in my first webcomic. Originally meant to be funny, I decided to give it very heavy dramatic moments and carried it a long way. But the most fun I had in Better Days was doing the lighter chapters. I also felt limited while doing Better Days. I was unable to react to observations of current trends and events (such as record cold weather, or Tron, or whatever video game I was playing). I couldn't insert a stand-alone page about a stand-alone topic in a chapter that's designated for a specific plot arc. I have all that freedom with Original Life and I'm enjoying it. I'm enjoying doing the light stuff I want to do. I'm enjoying robotic teddy bears, commenting on video games, movies, and philosophy, without being too heavy handed with the drama. If you're looking for rape, gunplay, and incest, you're not going to find it. If you're looking for Better Days part 2, you will not find it, and I've been clear about this for the beginning.
Better Days was created when I was a very different person. I had very different views, values, and priorities, and I evolved as a person as I was doing Better Days over the course of six years. There's a lot in Better Days that I wouldn't include if I was doing it today. There's a lot of things that I wrote that I wouldn't have written that way, now. I don't like looking at the old pages. I don't like looking at the old art. It's embarrassing and bad in my eyes. I don't like lingering on the past. It's enough that I've left the archive in place, and find myself having to explain some of the themes and events depicted in Better Days, by a much younger, less mature creator, compared to who I am today.
Better Days had an end planned out all the way from the very beginning. When it was done, I had to do something else: something I wanted to do and had more freedom to go in any direction I wanted. Better Days is what it is and it will always be that. I will not try to repackage it as something else and try to make lightening strike twice.
Those who want more Better Days can just read it from the beginning. Nuff said.
<3
Agreed. Both very different, but both good. Better Days does get very deep at points, deeper than most webcomics, especially when it had that rape plot line, though I have to say, the bit where Fisk beats the living hell out of his headteacher for that was very satisfying ^^"
September 26, 2003
Chapter 5: Predators
>Page 12
Yup; at that moment; 'lil Fisk officially became my hero ^^
I liked Better Days, but once it was over I felt it was wrapped up nicely and I didn't crave more of it. I really like Original Life and I do crave more of it. It's one of only two web comics, of all the ones I read from time to time, that I bookmarked for quick access. I like the lighter humor, the characters, and the loose feeling of it. It's fun, makes me want to see what happens next, yet doesn't disappoint if page b isn't related to page a.
Overall, nicely done. I tip my hat to you good sir.
Original Life is a very funny comic and I get a kick out of it, I am a fan of the Better Days, but Original Life has opened many new doors and hey maybe we'll see a few other characters from Better Days. I'd love to see Amy some more, she's cute. Hehe But that's me :D
Original life is much more like the morning comics then Better Days is, but that's okay because it's very cute and funny.
Better Days although may feel like it does to you now Jay, but it's an accomplishment in it's own right as a testament to your growth as an artist. Which is something to be proud of.
It marks your success in over coming and becoming the artist you wanted to be, and your fans love you for it. Now granted some of the topics in Better Days were pretty racy but well some people do enjoy a bit of realism every now and again, and choosing to make your way over to the lighter side of web comics couldn't have had any better timing than when you choose to. On top of that allot of your adult comics you made that tied in with some story lines of Better Days made the series as a whole just absolutely fantastic.
Admittedly I do miss your new Worlds Comic. And I wish I had the presence of mind to save them to my hard drive, because I really enjoyed the story line to that as well.
Keep up the good work, because it's fantastic!
I did approach Original Life as your description led me to believe: it was a lighter comic featuring the children of the people you saw grow up in Better Days. I knew it was going to be a more lighthearted release from the old comic, starting with the first glimpse of Thomas sleeping in his messy-compared-to-his-sisters room.
But I suppose it can't be helped that people might make assumptions about the webcomic. One of my friends noted a moment in one chapter of Better Days where the grandfather was dying and told them how glad he was to see grandchildren. He said that he was seeing a connection there due to Fisk and Lucy having their own children. I couldn't see a connection myself until he pointed it out. Frankly, I just see Original Life as Original Life, not Better Days II: This Time The Kids Are Different.
Plus, since Original Life is a followup series, comparisons and inquiries to Better Days are only natural. So I guess it'll happen. We're just glad that you keep up the good work, Jay.
Now it moves on to the life of their children. This is the life that the parents wanted for their kids and the life they didn't have growing up. It is more carefree, funny, enjoyable, and has plenty of merit for the development of the new lives of each child to the other characters from the original story.
Plus Better Days is sillier
For me, a learning artist and aspiring webcomic writer, your experience in this is actually rather eye opening. I liked Better Days, but you are right... Original Life is a very different comic. But I like it for its own reason. That said, it's a pretty different genre. It doe snot want for anything different to support it in its own genre, so I have to agree with you. Whose who want more "Better Days" will have to do without. Adding those elements into this comic would damage the core feel of it.
I like'em both so no problems for me about this :)
that being said more Tracey's Stalker m/f butt sex pls :P
The only thing I might do is put in a little more of Lucy's family, or maybe one or two parts of "Fisk at work" where his family has no idea what his real job is.
Also, I'm still musing about Abigail and Bonk's wedding, wondering if we'll get to see that? x3;
As for Abigail and Bonk's wedding, I don't know what you're talking about.
And that was on Twitter; a while back I had asked if you were going to show Bonk and his wife at all.
better days was completely original and it does not in any way need to be redone at all. i loved all the drama, the comedy, and the over all story. I love the characters as well. (fisk is my favorite) fisk reminds me of one of my very good friends.
i love original life because it is better days continued. i love reading about the older characters, and i get excited about being introduced to new ones. im a devoted fan and i try and keep up with pretty much everything you put out. my husband got me hooked to your comics. he even bought me a pass to your site.
(sorry about my terribly long note) keep up the good work! <3
PS: do you like seeing fanart of your characters? i wouldnt want to draw any of them without your permission first. ouo;;
But all in all its not like Original Life is bad, I still read it every week. :3
Lots of funny sidelines, the weird neighbors, sibling rivalry, the works.
Honestly? Keep it up =3
I will admit it took me a short while to adjust myself to the new atmosphere and characters, but once I was there it's a full ride of enjoyment.
Both stories are good, and taking them as two parts of the same story or separate either way they are still both enjoyable. Though together you learn more of how the characters came to be who they are. Yes a lot of heavy shit went down back then in BD, but sometimes you gotta wade through a lot of dark to make it to the happier parts.
I know I am :)
- Shado
By the time I came onto the webcomics scene and heard about Better Days, it was just finishing up. I saw that it had already had quite a bit of archive and I didn't feel like reading that much, so... I've never really read it.
But I thoroughly enjoy Original Life, and so does my kid. (Yes, I let my kid read something that was created by Jay Naylor! *GASP*)
Personally I like the little "video game inserts" you do. Until I read OL, I had never played Mass Effect, now (although not really as a result of reading OL, though) I am a Mass Effect whore. It's the same with Fallout New Vegas too.
It beats constant references to sodding anime, any day!
I read Better Days and loved it. Original Life doesn't grip me in the way Better Days did but I still read on because it has a charm all of it's own and, like you say, sometimes a lighter tone is better.
Wardy
That said, I did understand when entering ORIGINAL LIFE that it would be nothing like BETTER DAYS. Thus I entered your new world with no pre-conceived notions, no expectations. I wished to experience your new world fresh exactly as I had the old one.
I have not been disappointed. ORIGINAL LIFE is a world unto itself, the characters are fresh, believable and just as wonderful as the characters in BETTER DAYS. The two comics have some link of course, the parents. Other than that nothing of importance.
I very much intended to enjoy this world as much as I did the previous one. If others cannot do so, there in no Spanish Inquisition forcing them to read ORIGINAL LIFE. They may wander elsewhere.
Finally, having experienced the darkness that was Vietnam, I prefer the lighter haze of childhood. Where everything was possible, dreams were unsullied by reality and no one had to kiss up to someone else just to put food on the table for their family.
My best to you and your loved ones.
Mr. David R. Dorrycott
writer
I loved the ones featuring Fallout: New Vegas though....
I also adore thes tyle of drawing. Nothing else like it, and I adore it.
I was originally disappointed by the gap between the two, however now I understand why better. OL seems more of a slice of life thing, which not only can I appreciate, it can also keep the comic fresh. It's also more suitable for the twice a week format than a storytelling comic.. it's frustrating when a story doesn't seem to progress enough because of the posting schedule.
less drama, more fun >X3
1. I really enjoyed Better Days.
2. I'm having a lot of fun reading Original Life.
3. You're the artist, _you_ make the rules.
4. So far, such being the case, I'm still enjoying the ride.
Exactly Better Days was Awesome and I enjoyed it but Original Life is Awesome as well in its own take, one should note be graded by the other. Stick to what YOU want to do and enjoy doing it.
There was a time where I was trying to fit everything together, time line wise, but then gave up because its your world, and you could make it to where aliens kidnapped someone for some reason.
I say, continue what your doing, and dont hold back
I'm not here to kiss ass nor get into a fight/pick a fight, but I will say my opinion.
I do /not/ like Original Life. I find it to be very boring. The characters are very well rounded and very well drawn, but it is lacking something. Maybe a backbone. It seems a bit limp, frail even. Not edgy or emotion invoking. I truly enjoyed Better Days, because the story was very well rounded, well planned, and kept me wondering what will happen next. OL is more of, "Eh, I guess I'll go to his site to see if he posted a new one. How long has it been? Months? e.e" I remember finding BD and staying up for 2 days reading every single page- laughing, crying, shocked, amused, etc. OL pales in comparison to the emotions invoked from me like they had been from BD. Personally, I'd like to see a revival of a Better Days comic or something similar.
You really have to do what your audience likes. When you become this "famous", your opinions, wants, and wishes take a back seat if you want people to like it. Otherwise you might push away the older fans. Actors do this all the time to play a role, otherwise they lose fans and fans = money. You are the artist and you call the shots, but shots have unpredictable consequences. I do, however, find it ballsy (in a good way) that you wish to keep these attributes.
People do not want new things, they want the same thing coated with new faces. People are usually scared of change. People who float on about how they like something are most likely attention grabbers, but some are truly sincere with their approval. It does show great integrity. If majority of the fans wish to see the death of a Better Days-like comic then let it be, but if not, listen to your fans.
That's not be being glib, or combative. That's a life lesson I've learned and it can apply to anyone in any career when it comes to self-starting. So don't take it as a rebuke. Take it as a lesson from someone who's been there.
That's as nice as I can be to someone with the temerity to tell me I should enslave my work to the likes of an audience comprised of a huge range of people with different and often contradictory tastes. How absurd.
When I look at the difference between BD and OL, the "backbone" you're trying to grope for seems to be the presence of scaring drama inflicted on vulnerable characters. The "meat" people are looking for is a harsh impact on the ecosystem of childhood and/or young adult development, by some force beyond their control. I covered that. I don't want to cover that anymore. I don't want to entertain people who require that level of impact to keep them from being "bored". I like a good thriller, but I don't need to be watching a thriller to enjoy a movie, so I can't relate to your position.
It's not hyperbole of me to tell you it doesn't matter to me if you read my comic or not. It really is just for myself and the people who enjoy it.
But, from the looks of the ending, such as it was, they both grew into superlative individuals. As it should be, even though that doesn't always happen.
Following Original Life is like a view at a couple that have "been there, done that" will all the troubles and are determined to not have the same kind of trauma inflicted on their children.
That being said, some people are NEVER going to be happy unless they can view others in situations that suck. If they can't cope with the lighter side of Original Life, I would suggest going over to Hopkins and reading Jack. No shortage of awful things happening to whet their appetite for "Sucks to be you."
As far as your plans for the future? Hey, I'm along for the ride, and I enjoy the effort and thought you put into your stories.
Now of course, if you decided you wanted to do your version Teletubies or that purple dinosaur, I might just wander off.
You can have that, even with considerably less drama, or scares. ^^ An adventure together, say, a vacation trip, a "road movie" like experience with the family and Amy on-board, perhaps?
I'd be delighted to see portal sentry guns posted to ward off scary animals by the campfire, kids running off to play cave explorers, kids hating to reception for their cells to work, what -no- twitter out here and what not, without going too much into the older "fishing is boring" stereotypes. ;)
"Trust me, you don't want to know..."
pinkie pie = tsunami of random
In all, I see it as your choice, if some people are whining because "Original Life" isn't "Better Days 2", then too bad for them, they're missing out on a very unique webcomic.
I like Original Life. The characters are pleasant, the storylines interesting, and the artwork lovely.
In other words, it's all good. :D
Original Life is accepted by me. better that than nothing.
Original Life is also enjoyable in that the characters feel like PEOPLE to me. Part of that is the spinoff characteristic, which gives some personality to the whole already. Obviously, the children re the big stars, but are not one-dimensional jokes. My only real hope for the future of OL is that time will pass, and, however slowly, the kids will grow further. I don't really want to see them at the same age forever. While the stereotypes are entertaining, it does grow old after a while.
I say well done with both series. I'll be around reading while you keep making them. ;)
Better Days was a comic that gripped me through emotion and such plausible situations and for that I loved it. Original Life has held me through laughter and encompassing real life events which has caused me to focus on it as much as Better Days. I at one point wished for a Better Days 2 but after you stated it wouldn't happen I somewhat underestimated what Original Life was going to be but I'm now enthralled in Original Life as much as I was in Better Days.
Done. Love the comics.
There's plenty of drama-laden web-comics out there as it is. Time for some family-oriented funzies--with some drama thrown in just for good measure.
I love Original Life and look forward to each update
I find this humourus in a sort of round about way. Many artists allways find their previouse works sort of....bad. Not just the style, but sometimes even the lack of certain detail, a different perspective, or maybe just layouts in general. While I agree that sometimes great art takes time and experiance, I also must point out that we all start somewhere. We must begin, even if we find erros or every little defect in the begining, it starts to become an obsession that leaves one embarrassed. To try and avoid it entirely is to deny ever begining the attempts of something greater.
And while Im sure you won't have a problem with it, Its sometimes ironic to hear about an artist who wish's they could just go back to the days when they just started drawing or creating. Less was expected of them, there wasn't such high expectations from their creations and so forth. And then they start to really dweel on their past creations.
Besides, the true great question is if today's masterpeices are tomarrows futer adjustments, where will they all fall in the past?
2nd, The comic probably saved my life. Let me explain, when Elizabeth caught David cheating and joins Lucy at the bar and Lucy says something that really gotr me thinking about myself: "Why do you make the most important decisions with the least consideration for the one who has to live with them? YOU!" That sentence alone saved me from myself, I was the type of guys that was always there for everyone and sometimes at my expense. With your somic it helped me understand Life better.
But there are some things in Original Life that I like and some I don't like. For the things I like, there are some "stories" that are hilarious, the best exemple is the comic #81, I was laughing my ass off, never happened that bad in Better Days.
Things I don't like, well the biggest thing I regret is some stories are cut short or should I say relationships of the characters, well that's how I feel, like the crush that Thomas has on miko, I would've loved to see what would happen between them.
In the end, continue to write what you want but that was my honest opinion and I'll continue to read your stuff
DJK, a man changed by your stories
PS: Sorry if some things doesn't make sense my English sloppy at this hour
As much as you may deny yourself credit, Better Days has been, and likely always will be one of the BEST webcomics I've ever read.
The art was better, too in my personal opinion. I liked all the line-shading and all ink, or whatever you call it.
And as much as I enjoyed it, and as much as I wish you'd make a sequel, even if it were just a story, I accept that things have changed.
I do enjoy the new characters, I even enjoy the plot arcs. The main things I don't like about the new comic is the art, being colored, and not resembling Better Days at all, and the one-page stuff that usually makes NO SENSE.
But, I digress.
I miss Better Days, and I wish for a sequel, but I enjoy what you're doing now.
it's freakin awesome!
I figured the name itself kinda explained it had a differnt tone and its general light atmosphere.
I enjoy it either way, the only thing I like to see now and then is some of the Better Days characters make a cameo or something now and then. Maybe see their side of things a little more.
I kinda miss seeing Fisk's sister more often really.
Still, I'm fine with the way it is and I tend to like the lighter story a bit more really.
Ya do what you want with it, I enjoy it for what it is.
If I had to pick which I like better in terms of style, I'd pick Better Days. I simply enjoy the old style more.
If I had to pick by quality of the overall art, it'd be Original Life.
By drama? Easy pick of course. Better Days.
Which is funnier? This is a hard one. The thing is, I think the 'lighter theme' in Better Days was more funny, to me. But that comic has ended. Still, in it, I had the snot come up while laughing at times. Original Life gives me a nice big smile, too, and can brighten my day sometimes. But not as frequently or intensively. Not sure why.
The characters? They had more drama in Better Days to develop depth so I'd get emotionally attached. Better Days, once again, for me. I do like the characters in Original Life, but believe it or not, I *still* forget their names all the time! I know that sucks ;(, and it's not the comics fault.
But enough about that. Personally, I wouldn't mind if the mini semi-story-arcs in Original Life (being overly competitive, getting psp stolen, inventing crazy stuff, etc) were a wee bit longer, or even interwoven when you find a way to mix'em up from time to time.
And - I wouldn't mind having a good old fashioned 'young romance' plot mixed in, without it becoming cheesy or all too prominent, over time. Like the one you're already hinting at. :) It reminds me a little of "The Wonder Years".
I didn't see your warnings about Original Life, but no matter. I like it a lot too. I wondered what you were planning for it, and I think it's cool keeping it light hearted. It's nice to see the familiar characters and I certainly enjoy the new ones so far!
It's all good. Please yourself, the rest of us will figure it out on our own. ;)
Muffins!!!!!
I enjoy that you put those "spur of the moment" type panels in that are relating to current topics or something that strikes you as amusing that week.
The lighter tone is what I actually look for in most of my reading online, as I take my comics as a moment to relax, get a laugh, and just generally be amused (please take that in the positive context I mean it in ^_^ )
I'm really enjoying Original Life, please dont change it :)
Original Life is just so relaxed and charming that it is a pleasure to read
Better Days (though you may disagree) was brilliant and still is. If you ever feel like looking back the only thing I'd suggest is to do it in your current style. It’s a part of your past that made you, the individual you are today, and even if factors of it shame you...just look at how you've grown and you should feel proud of yourself. Original Life has always been its own story, and the fact that you even use ANY of the characters from Better Days is brilliant, and shows just how mature you are.
I think that should you ever decide to, all you'd have to do is modernise the quality of the work, nothing more nothing less. I only say that because some may struggle to read the words in the speech bubbles because of how their written especially when the style is compared to Original Life.
One thing I most certainly know is that Better Days is over, and it’s time for Original Life to shine. There is only one thing I worry for. Our characters though their fiction, have gone through and done a great deal of things for us, and regrettably we don't live forever and others might twist the world we dreamed up too different so I do believe that Original Life should someday have an ending...just so we know what became of them. Heck with all the side characters that you gave a happy ending; you could easily make hundreds of comics about a number of characters. I may sound a bit mad, or out of it. But as a reader I've grown to care deeply for what became of your characters, and would like to see them living the happy ending they've always deserved.
I accept it’s your comic, and they are your characters...but I felt I had to say that piece since our works of fiction can't.
Regardless, I wish you great luck with all your future endeavours.
Much appreciated Fisk, I'm just up to Oct 23, 2009 and enjoying it so far.
I've reached the end of the archives.
Though seeing the girls in prom dresses would be awesome! Or would they dress in Tuxes?
And on the note of the current comment. I'm already really liking Jeffery. ^^ Big, can bake, and able to spot irony easily. My kind of character. ^^
I know what you mean about not wanting to "...try to make Lighting strike twice", but I don't think you should be embarrassed about Better Days. People will always find ways to criticize your work. You can't impress the world my friend =/
Your an amazing person with amazing intellect. No wonder Fisk is so wise in your comics
I didn't know what a furry was until I started reading your work. It fascinates me how many people are into this sort of thing =P Also, ignore people who are asking for incest and stuff =/ they don't realize that your a different person since then.
After reading Better Days and watching Fisk character grow up, it helped me realize I needed to grow up too. In fact I never even thought about what I'm going to do after school until now =S
PS. I Chose Tali as my gf in Mass Effect XD
PSS. Thx =P
I read most of the BD comic after seeing some of your, ahem, "works". It really swayed me emotionally, especially the stuff about the military and war and such. When it was over, it left a hole in my consciousness that was soon filled with negative emotion. More on that never. I was quite happy that you promptly filled that hole with OL. I don't remember perfectly, but I'm pretty sure I didn't expect the same type of thing. Maybe I did, if it filled the hole so fast, but who knows. As usual, this comic is well-written. But to be perfectly honest; I liked BD better. I'm not going to bitch about how OL should be BD Generation 2, nor do I really feel it should be. You took OL in a new direction, with room for it to go back if you so chose. Personally, I get enough emotion from the several other webcomics I read, and can go with one that only flirts with light emotion; and even then, quite rarely. Both are good in their own way, and shouldn't expect everything by one person to be the exact same. I can't quite remember were I was going with this, so I'll throw in a couple more thoughts and then leave this alone for while. With some thought, I think I'm glad you didn't try the same thing twice. When people try to do that, the second time usually is crap. This is due to the fact that the creator realizes what they are doing is immensely liked, and try to do the new one consciously with this in mind. For a good example, compare the Numa Numa. You know the old, but look up 'The New Numa' by the same guy. You'll be disappointed. When people "try to make Lighting strike twice", those who called for the second strike will usually be unimpressed and backlash.
I don't expect anyone to read this, but thank you for giving me a chance to voice my opinions that ended up fizzling out. "Thank you, and goodnight..."
As long as it's Jay Naylor it'll be pure gold.
On a nigh-related note:
Angelica is turning out to be quite the little communist. Its pretty cute.
I mean really people, just enjoy that he choose to share his imaginative creation with us. Don't go cut your damn wrist because he won't change his vision for you to cum your pants. This part applies to anyone who wants to be desrespectful assholes who would rather not appreciate the Story but instead critiuqe someone for not doin what you expected/wanted. Also take into consideration that the whole thing is FREE unless you'd rather pay to read something that obviously has a great value. If you don't like Original Life, don't read it anymore. Is it that hard?
And to end my little comment thingy here, I love your work Fisk. I do hope you choose to continue for as long as possible despite the irritation you suffer from trolls,haters, and manipulatist. ^^