Five years ago, I thought of a joke that made me laugh. I turned the joke into a single comic featuring my character Vidyala and the character of my friend Rades (aka Mike). I sent it to him to see if he thought it was funny, and whether he might like to do more comics with me. After a lot of brainstorming (especially to come up with the name), From Draenor With Love was born. I’m really proud of what we’ve created and how we stuck with it for all this time. Half a decade! We published fairly reliably (with a few breaks and bumps along the way) a comic almost every week during that time frame. I’m not sure exactly how many we wound up with in the end, because partway through we changed directions a bit.
Up until about three years ago we’d been making a gag comic, poking fun at ourselves and other WoW foibles. But then we decided we wanted to tell a story. I’m not sure if either of us knew where it was going to take us, or how much work it would be. We learned so much about planning ahead, things specific to comics like word bubbles, action fonts, panel flow, and layout. I know my art improved a lot just over the course of FDWL’s “story” run. I look back at the early pages and cringe, but it’s all part of the journey.
If I can be a bit personal for a moment, FDWL coincided almost exactly with a pretty challenging time in my life as I struggled with infertility. Some weeks the combination of hormone treatments and disappointments made things hard, and some of the breaks FDWL took were due to that. Although I didn’t write about it here, in my mind the two experiences are inextricably intertwined. FDWL and the story of Rades, Vid, Wrathion and Four developed alongside my personal challenges and it will always be deeply meaningful to me because of that. Some weeks, knowing that I had a commitment to doing my part for this comic was a tremendous anchor. I know that I’m a better artist and even a stronger and better person than I was before we began. I’m definitely more patient!
This is also due in no small part to my friend Mike. You can imagine I wasn’t always an easy coworker, but despite sometimes disagreeing, we’re still friends and we created this together. Just as FDWL is a story about friendship, it never would’ve existed without our friendship in the first place and I’m truly grateful for all of the hard work Mike has put into it over the years and for putting up with me when I was at my worst. He challenged me to be better with each page. Everyone should be so lucky as to have a friend and colleague like that.
As I write this, having just put the finishing touches on the final page of the comic, I’m in a pretty different place than three years ago. My second IVF transfer was successful this year and after all this time, I’m 18 weeks pregnant. It feels like the right time to finish this project as I embark on the next adventure. The story of Rades and Vid concludes here. We couldn’t have done it without people reading and cheering us on. Even if you read quietly this entire time, we appreciate your interest and support. After we created our Patreon friends and readers also contributed money and that was a tremendous help and thank you especially to everyone who did that. I’m so glad we had the chance to share our story with you and we hope you enjoyed reading.
With love,
Stacey
I always looked forward to Wednesdays and seeing what you two had made for us. If it wasn’t for the comic I wouldn’t even know you, and I’m grateful that I do. Thank you for many years of wonderful comics.
Thanks for stopping by each week! 😀
I’m just gonna sit here for a minute with these emotions and feelings and like this huge conflicted-ness of Holy shit I’m going to miss this story SO MUCH and at the same time, I’m so happy for you guys. Happy you made the story, Happy you made it to the end, Happy you’re gonna be a mama (omfg) and man I’d just hug you so hard right now if I could.
Also, you say Mike putting up with you at your worst, darling, as someone who has asked him for artistic critique before I can totally get wanting to throw a stylus or 6 at him and I only did ONE TIME. (and he was right, but that’s not the point.)
You’ll find it amusing then that during the creative process of this final page, Vid told me that she was going to murder me over some changes I requested to Garrosh’s line thicknesses! 😉
A story shared is a wonderful thing.
Well done to both of you.
Vid I am so excited for you!!! It gives me hope that others with infertility problems will have a light at the end of the tunnel!
Congrats!
Thank you both for this wonderful ride of a comic!
I’ve been reading fdwl for about four years- the first webcomic I’ve ever read-and it’s really amazing and weird that this story has come to an end. thank you guys with love <3
Congratulations and bravo on a great accomplishment! FDWL has been an awesome and delightful thing from beginning to end. It’s often been a highlight of my week, and I’m going to miss having new pages to look forward to on Wednesday mornings.
And double congrats to you, Vid. (hug)
Congratulations, and thank you for so many years of comics.
Though I hope you guys collaborate on something in the future.
Also: If you guys ever decided to print FDWL — perhaps two books, one for the joke comics and one for the story comic? — I would so totally buy it.
Secondin’ Kamalia, cause yes please xD
It’s been a great run, and I’ve enjoyed it from start to finish! Thank you both xx
It was you! Well, you also made an amazing comic, so I guess it balances out.
CONGRATULATIONS!! <3 <3 <3 and I will miss this comic but it ended in a deep and emotionally powerful way. <3 <3 <3
Boy, what a journey it’s been. Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of it. I loved seeing myself as a rare spawn that week.
Best of luck with the pregnancy and all future endeavours.
And happy Thanksgiving!! <3 <3 <3