Posted: Friday, 10 August AD 2007. Edited: Saturday, 11 August AD 2007.
(Read the full comic here – MATURE READERS.)

Fans of Ben Riley’s The Midlands were startled to discover this week that the author has entirely rebooted his universe, abandoning over 500 pages of storylines for a whole planet of reworked continents and an entirely rethought cast of characters. The new comic is called Heliothaumic, and while it will parallel the storyline of the Midlands spin-off Empire Song, answers none of the questions of the old comic, while embarking on a whole new passel of puzzles of its own.

Over at aethertales.com, we have launched Aether Tales Presents in response, because a such a prolific tale requires closure, even if it simply means spelling out how it got cataclysmically erased. While employing swear words; which is why it’s not on this website, but on this one. Note that it helps to be a startled Midlands fan to enjoy fully, so go and become one.

I say, the dast! There’s no excuse for these self-appointed arbiters and artistes of “webcomickry” to simply up and abandon a story with a solid readership, and then just go off and draw something else! Harrumph! Ah-huff-huff-huff-huff-huff!

What?

We’re applying the principle that posting at Aether Tales or Aether Tales Presents is “greater than zero”, which we suspect is The Secret’sway of making “better than nothing” sound super-positive. Also, our computery stuff is finally upgrading, which is making some arty tasks bearable to do. So let’s see if this psychs us back to writing that funny page about the little hairy muscle-girl.

 

In other news, Dave Fooden is on Chris’ case to revamp CºNTINUUM… which is all we’re going to say about it here…

 

We remain aware that Ralph is still posing in the blender, for all of thirty-two dollars. Not sure we really specified which October 10th he’d be released.

He hasn’t lost any bodily functions, so it’s not torture. And he’s been paid, so it’s not slavery, either.

Fea was a totalitarian pioneer.