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Description

Thank you for reading!

I started this comic back in 2011 just after finding out about the Nuzlocke challenge. I had always liked the idea of documenting a playthrough through comic, as a way to express just how much pokemon had meant to me through my life.

When I started drawing It's A Hard Life, I did it purely for fun. Making stuff up as I drew, not really caring whether I would finish it or not. I had a great time. Updates were frequent, and for a while, I started to think that maybe I would be able to take it to the very end.

Life had different plans however. For those who've followed this comic since it's earlier years, it's no news that I spent years dealing with depression and anxiety. I don't even remember exactly when my passion for this comic begun to dwindle, but dwindle it did. Updates became so rare people asked me if I had given up on it. In 2017 I made the decision to end this comic after the Saffron City arc. I set up a schedule, updating every 2 weeks, but eventually that became too much. The quality of the art took a huge blow, and I decided to slow things down again. While I wasn't feeling much for the comic, I didn't want it to end as a messy rush-job!

But here we are. Finally. It feels quite unreal for me. I'm happy to have the comic off my shoulders, but at the same time it's a little sad. This ending leaves quite a lot things unresolved, plot-threads still hanging, character-arcs unfinished. I drew everything as I had originally planned, but truth is, I was never quite sure what to do with the story after this point. When my passion disappeared, I couldn't come up with new exciting ideas about where to take the plot! There was going to be a thing about the legendary birds awakening to stop Mewtwo from destroying the land, but Kanto would be ravaged by the destruction – something, something. I would reveal my “special nuzlocke rule” which is that I must do whatever it takes to catch every legendary pokemon (but only 1 attempt, and no using them in battle) and Robin would have to fight and try to capture Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres.

Pluto would show up again of course, he was still part of my nuzlocke team and played a key part in quite a few battles. The team would agree to work with him for some common goal – probably to save Kanto from the legendaries, and eventually he would become part-ish of the team. There would be stuff about just how much one can forgive, putting your personal feelings aside to save the world (even a world that had been cruel). But I never worked out the details.

As for who lived or died in the game? I think I will keep that to myself. At this point, the comic is its own thing, and whatever happens to the gang after this is open to the imagination.

Now, I just want to say what I always say: Thank you so much for reading! Thank you for all the patience you've had, and thank you for the lovely comments you've left! I still can't believe how many people have liked this comic, let alone how many have stayed, even after all this time. If it hadn't been for you readers, I would not have come this far!

So, what now? I've been creating art outside of this comic, and have been dipping my toes in doing commissions. I want to try to make a living of art, and at the moment I'm more oriented towards illustrations. But maybe I'll find it unbearable to not have a comic project on my hands and pick that up again, we will just have to see!

For now. If you're interested in seeing my art you can find me on twitter as @HanselEldor or tumblr as DorkAgeDoodles.

Best wishes to you all! Take care, and stay safe!
-Hans

Description

Thank you for reading!

I started this comic back in 2011 just after finding out about the Nuzlocke challenge. I had always liked the idea of documenting a playthrough through comic, as a way to express just how much pokemon had meant to me through my life.

When I started drawing It's A Hard Life, I did it purely for fun. Making stuff up as I drew, not really caring whether I would finish it or not. I had a great time. Updates were frequent, and for a while, I started to think that maybe I would be able to take it to the very end.

Life had different plans however. For those who've followed this comic since it's earlier years, it's no news that I spent years dealing with depression and anxiety. I don't even remember exactly when my passion for this comic begun to dwindle, but dwindle it did. Updates became so rare people asked me if I had given up on it. In 2017 I made the decision to end this comic after the Saffron City arc. I set up a schedule, updating every 2 weeks, but eventually that became too much. The quality of the art took a huge blow, and I decided to slow things down again. While I wasn't feeling much for the comic, I didn't want it to end as a messy rush-job!

But here we are. Finally. It feels quite unreal for me. I'm happy to have the comic off my shoulders, but at the same time it's a little sad. This ending leaves quite a lot things unresolved, plot-threads still hanging, character-arcs unfinished. I drew everything as I had originally planned, but truth is, I was never quite sure what to do with the story after this point. When my passion disappeared, I couldn't come up with new exciting ideas about where to take the plot! There was going to be a thing about the legendary birds awakening to stop Mewtwo from destroying the land, but Kanto would be ravaged by the destruction – something, something. I would reveal my “special nuzlocke rule” which is that I must do whatever it takes to catch every legendary pokemon (but only 1 attempt, and no using them in battle) and Robin would have to fight and try to capture Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres.

Pluto would show up again of course, he was still part of my nuzlocke team and played a key part in quite a few battles. The team would agree to work with him for some common goal – probably to save Kanto from the legendaries, and eventually he would become part-ish of the team. There would be stuff about just how much one can forgive, putting your personal feelings aside to save the world (even a world that had been cruel). But I never worked out the details.

As for who lived or died in the game? I think I will keep that to myself. At this point, the comic is its own thing, and whatever happens to the gang after this is open to the imagination.

Now, I just want to say what I always say: Thank you so much for reading! Thank you for all the patience you've had, and thank you for the lovely comments you've left! I still can't believe how many people have liked this comic, let alone how many have stayed, even after all this time. If it hadn't been for you readers, I would not have come this far!

So, what now? I've been creating art outside of this comic, and have been dipping my toes in doing commissions. I want to try to make a living of art, and at the moment I'm more oriented towards illustrations. But maybe I'll find it unbearable to not have a comic project on my hands and pick that up again, we will just have to see!

For now. If you're interested in seeing my art you can find me on twitter as @HanselEldor or tumblr as DorkAgeDoodles.

Best wishes to you all! Take care, and stay safe!
-Hans