I want...to hug you.

Sorry if that's weird. But, I've truly enjoyed you work and I sympathize with this feeling.

Some times it helps to let these emotions in one form or another it's a sad but necessary thing and this is a good way to cope, try not to overwork yourself to much

So that is why your stories are so relatable...

I know this is just a comment, but you're great! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
You don't have to be the best, because you already are the best!

I know the feeling,... especially that third panel.
Ignore the haters, man. I've always adored your style and its uniqueness.

Still a really good post, and a side of the artist we don't really see while we enjoy their work.

While I'm not exactly in a position to donate currently, I do want to say that your style is fantastic, and I enjoy your stories, and pass them on to others as well. I hope things pick up for you.

oh man.. :c *hugs tight* hey just know that ur not alone. u never are. you'll always have people who love and care for u. plus you'll get better with ur art in time. i love ur style and wish i had the dedication on my own art like u. dont let those haters that just insult u or ur art get to u. im here for u

When I first discovered your art I was interested in it just from the style itself. But then I had to go back and read each set of Comics from the beginning and as I read I got drawn in, I started realizing that you are a wonderful story teller. Each comic that I read each has it own value and charm. As some one who enjoys your work I thank you for your sacrifice and willing to be patient instead of noting you to hurry up. Everyone has their own lives outside of art and I understand that. So, Keep up the good work.

I dunno man, you stuff is pretty good

Frankly, you're one of the best/most unique artists I've seen online, either on FA or otherwise. Your comics are exemplary in their writing, your musical work is enjoyable, and most of all, your geometric/flat-with-depth art style is something I've not really seen anywhere else.
As someone who went for almost a decade with undiagnosed depression, I feel I can at least glimpse where you're coming from, and I'm truly sorry that you have to suffer through it. As a fan, I'm glad you've found such a productive method of coping, but would never wish it to continue at your own expense.
For as long as you continue creating, you'll find a loyal and concerned follower in me.

I appreciate every moment you put into your art, every ounce of thought that goes into your work. Time is a fickle thing, and it's a shame that people don't prioritize telling you how they feel about your work high enough to say something about it. We all rank what we want to spend our time on, after what we need to spend our time on. Sometimes a long, insightful comment, an anecdote regarding your work, or just sheer emotional spouting doesn't fit into that list. I can understand that wholeheartedly. When you sacrifice so much of yourself, put your heart on your sleeve only to have it ignored or, worse yet, battered around, it hurts more than people realize.

I've dealt with that my entire writing career, and I've just caved. I can relate to this so much that it hurts, and reminds me of what I can do, if only I had a little support and a little more will power. Just that alone hurts. Were I to put it on a scale with how I feel about people and my work, I'd have to say it teeters fairly equally. Depending on the day more one way than the other. The sense of accomplishment is the only thing I get out of working on my projects, but is that worth the time sacrificed? When I could be making money, making connections, doing any of the myriad things on my ever-growing to-do list? You know, I can't even begin to answer that. The day I can answer that with any definitiveness is the day I know I've lost my humanity and become a cold robot. What kind of art can be created in that state?

There needs to be that struggle, that friction. Granted, the extremes of it can be dangerous to the sanity of any artist. Losing an ear being an example. But without the sense of sacrifice, what is the art? Skill and talent condensed into a medium is nice, but there's always time, energy, patience and numerous other aspects sacrificed for it. How much of each depends on the artist, and sometimes it's more readily apparent what those aspects are and to what degree. Each one of your works is a culmination of all you've done, all your thoughts and ideas, all you've given up. With every new piece my admiration and respect for you grows.

I want to know you. I want to learn about you. I want to learn more from you. You're someone I genuinely enjoy, only I'm too shy to say or do anything about it. All I can do is feel close to you from a distance through your sacrifices for yourself and for us. You deserve far more credit, bounds more recognition and infinitely more praise for all you do. And I know, struggling with this mindset, my saying all this is likely not enough, or could even be construed as salt in a wound, but I hope, with my meager attempt to convey myself that even a fraction of my thoughts and feeling reach you and provide you even a moment of respite and solace from those voices in your head.

All the best, and apologies as always for the rambling. I hope this finds you in good health in body and mind.

♥♥♥♥♥

...Re-reading this I sound so creepy. Apologies for that as well. >.>

It was rather kind of yourself and rather warming to me. It is not often such time nor expression is displayed to myself and it certainly turned around a rather dismal evening of mine as I sat in a strange way. It is thought and emotion provoking and I would thank you kindly for every word of it.

I really hope to help you out of whatever mental quagmire you find yourself in, whenever you find yourself in one. Your work often times does so for me, so the least I can do is return the favour, or attempt to do so. For all my fumbling I always hope it helps pull you away from those darker places, and for what it's worth you can contact me privately for a chat, should you feel that to be beneficial.

I hope your evening is a fantastical one. All the best. ♥♥♥♥♥

You're one of my biggest artistic inspirations. The seemingly endless supply of creativity and productivity are a constant push at my back making me try harder to be that much better. It seems like every month I tell myself "this month I'll manage to keep up with Shane," and at the end of every month after falling far far short manage to tell myself, "I'll manage it next month for sure." If any of my jokes have ever made you feel put down I sincerely apologize. I have a sense of humor that often doesn't translate well. I respect and look up to you and it's just my attempt at letting you know that.

I understand where you're coming from. It manifests a bit differently for me, where instead, I produce nothing.

As long as you post here you'll find someone who will compliment your work. But rarely is it ever a case of all-or-nothing. You can still produce your work and keep time for other things in your life. I know that's easier said than done, but it's worth pointing out.

Most of all, just try not to be so hard on yourself. I know I should.

I hate to sound like I'm undercutting all this, but...
Have you considered asking a medical figure about getting on antidepressants? :s
This kind of perpetual anxiety and self-criticism is something that needs to be stopped, or at the very least lessened. Clinical depression and the other labyrinthine emotional suckerpunches a person can fall prey to, really REALLY deserve attention. I really hope you aren't trying to ignore it in hope of it going away on it's own.

As for your work? I really can't think of anything like it.
Minimalistic, charming and with occasional depth or darkness, like a skullfaced Tim Burton with less money and cuddlier creations.

You may have forgotten my comments as they have been quite some time, but at the start of last year I was finally launching myself into a job. That was a huge milestone for me, given a weird anxiety disorder I had been struggling against in my post-depressive fuckery, as I had been unemployed forever and dealing with typical workstuff was an impossibility to me. And yet I landed a part-time job. With it came a whole lot of churning, nauseating gut-punches of doubt, worry and self-loathing... but during this time, you were regularly updating A Bat Followed Me Home. It wasn't too unusual to occasionally see two updates a day. To me, waking up with the imminent prospect of facing my anxiety milestone was made a little easier by that bit of sugar your humour and charm added to the morning routine. I made a point of peering into my FA inbox to see if there were any. Sure, it didn't magically cure me of all my personal ills, but between the ABFMH updates and a ritualistic cup of tea, it really helped curb the worst of it.

The sad thing is that every artist is allowed to be their own worst critic, but sometimes it's easy to fall into the trap of self-loathing.
Quite often, it's really just the regurgitated evils that someone else once threw at you. One of the most toxic and insidious things that any tormentor can do, is plant the seed of hatred into you, and then leave you to continue the abuse upon yourself. Because that's what it is. Between the emotional impulses you can't help, it's abuse you unintentionally heap on yourself.

While you may not be your own best friend, and have little appreciation for your own work. Other people certainly enjoy it.
You may doubt this in your darker moments, but it bears repeating.

Well the truth is that I had been on anti-depressants during my middle school years. The unfortunate thing is that it didn't really do much for me other than make me feel like I was living in a twilight state of being. It was horrible, I felt like a zombie. I pretty much have been stomaching the depression for so many years, I'm more terrified to screw with myself and medication while expelling more money to even figure what line would work with me, while dealing with low income as it is.

I know, I know " excuses, excuses " but in comparison to my previous experiences, I would rather feel the way I do than cluster f*ck myself again. I know I can't ignore it, believe me, it's not something that has or is going away.

I would thank you for your concerns and suggestions as well commentary. It does mean much to myself.

I had a similar experience with antidepressants. The first one that I took hammered me with side-effects. Raise in heartrate, fidgetty, cloudy-headed and unable to focus, a constant strange nausea, a mild fever. It was awful, like part of an out of body experience, but without enough detachment to stop me from feeling bad at the side effects.

After that first one, I refused to take a second.
Later on my doctor suggested a different one, and while it still had temporary side effects for the first month, I was able to maintain focus.

I would suggest giving antidepressants another shot, but to try a different kind. I have heard of a few people completely spacing out while taking certain ones, and others having harsh side effects like mine. It seems to be a matter of finding which one works best with you. Not that I'm trying to corner you on the issue or anything, but given I've been familiar with the awful state of 'reasonless mourning' and self-sabotage that comes with depression, I guess I just don't want to think of anyone else having to go through that too.

Regardless, you're still appreciated, even if you yourself can't quite hold the same opinion of yourself!

Like Uroboros said here, brainy meds have come a long, long way in the last decade or so; I tried them in elementary school and went knife-wielding, pants-on-head crazy, and stopped for a long time.

But 15 years later I started taking a little Lexapro, and was actually able to do things like Living and Feeling and having actual energy for once, and even going a whole day without a crushing, disabling, motivation-destroying flood of despair!

From the time we were kids to now, depression went from "some people are really sad sometimes, what's up with that? Give 'em some amphetamines, I guess," to "Oh, turns out this is a serious, identifiable neurological issue that a huuuuge amount of people have, better throw some money and research at it!"

So there's that, and I've actually been doing some Neurofeedback therapy, which is straight-up stopping my brain from overloading itself with simultaneous anxious and depressive signals, as opposed to just minimizing the symptoms thereof.

All in all, our brains are complex organs that quite often sabotage themselves and have no idea that they're doing so; and much like a car that's making horrible grinding noises and occasionally catching fire, it's hellish to try and actually drive it somewhere. Our brains don't know how to keep themselves healthy, so it's up to the owner to keep it maintained; never for a second believe that you deserve to feel this way, or that "This is just the way my life is now."

I hope I'm not coming off as unrealistically enthusiastic or pushy; after over a decade of feeling dead inside, and then going back to remembering what it's like to be a real living person, my heart aches for anyone who's still in The Pit, and I desperately want to share any and all of the ways I myself was able to escape, in the chance that someone else might find it useful.

If nothing else, it's really boosted my drawing productivity; and you've got a great comic-making mind, so a lot of people would like to see even more of that!

Whatever the case, and whatever you do, I want you to know that the hell you're in is not a permanent, certain thing, and I wish you the best of luck in your battle against it.

And, potentially relevant: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15947686/

I do not like to make my thoughts into endless, samy bars (tends to happen to me) so I'd like to keep it short.

You are creative and have a drive I only wished I had
and unless you forget that than these qualities won't be lost to you
even if you take a break for others in your life you need only to remember what you CAN do

...You need more compliments. Your work is inspired. And it makes me feel inspired. Seriously though you are awesome and you probably should be hugged a bunch by tons of attractive people.