The GoComics change was inevitably bumpy, but I managed OK. I wish I had been in a higher-paying profession, but I must be content at the level with three comics I don’t have to click on to read. I choose FurBabies as one of them. But I do click my top three anyway and press “like” every time. I try a newly launched comic from time to time, but FurBabies was surpassingly good. And the chance to interact a little with you once in a while is like interacting a little with Sparky Schulz or Walt Kelly—or Fontaine Fox. It’s wonderful of you. Thank you!
Nancy, Neither question you ask us to answer is the one I want to click on. I want you to keep drawing - and keep creating. I love your art. The answer to whether you continue FurBabies is up to you. Is it done? Is there a new project (a book? panel cartoons?) that would keep you inspired. Call me selfish - but as long as you keep us entertained with you marvelous drawings I'm happy. Keep drawing.
Things should be easier and better for those who bring joy and beauty to the rest of us. Life is just not fair.
I love FurBabies -- everything about it, Floof, the incredible artwork, the characters, Floof, the humor, the love, the joy -- and did I mention Floof?. I no longer comment on any strip because of other nasty people -- I just don't want to interact online any more. I do make it a point to do a "like" for all my comics each day.
I am on the free level on GoComics because I only read a very few comics and didn't want to subscribe. I suppose I should. I don't know what subscribers see. On the free level, I automatically see three comics with no "like" or "comment" options. To like a comic, I have to open it in the full view to get the "like" and "comment" options. I wonder if the subscription folks see all their comics they follow without the full options and so don't bother.
In case you may find it useful, I also only have a free-tier subscription at GoComics. But I don't use their system for tracking comics. Instead, I use a bookmark folder in my browser that contains bookmarks for the strips I read (e.g. https://www.gocomics.com/furbabies ). I tell my browser to open that folder in tabs, and therefore see every strip (as many as I want), each one in a separate browser tab.
If I'm logged in to GoComics (the login cookie sometimes expires), then I can also like and comment from there. And if I'm not logged in, I can still see the strips.
I find this a lot more convenient than the max-3-comics system that GoComics imposes on people who don't want a paid subscription.
Oh, Nancy! I don't know what I would do without Shawm, Sirius, Stella, and Kate! Floof is okay, too, and we need more Chaos. I read every morning. It is part of my routine. I do not like the new Comics Go site, though. Very glitchy. I try not to overcommit as I worry I keep just raving about how impactful your colors are. TekoaMT
I began subscribing to GoComics in June of 2023 because of you. I don't read it daily, but the days I read I enjoy it. I'd hate for FurBabies to go away, but also hate that the platform is delivering less and not user-friendly for creators or readers. (example: FurBabies is among the five strips featured in the "Funny Animals" category today, but the list ends there. There are many "Funny Animal" strips in the GoComics library, but you can't view them a group. Other categories include a way to see more in those categories. If you want to view funny animal strips though, you have to scroll through the alphabetical listing of all titles and check each strip, title by title. I don't usually look for funny animal strips, btw; this is just an example of inept coding.) The poor website organization and clunky functionality makes me wonder if GoComics is struggling financially.
.
I also wonder what marketing strategy - what combination of platforms and promotion - works best these days for creators. What non-print, non-legacy strips are financial successes and where are they seen? All the combined methods I see cartoonists using appear to involve an increasing amount of work for the creators, and it's not clear what works. It doesn't help that what does work also seems to change frequently.
Your comic is my most favorite on GoComics. I have so enjoyed the animation and the stories. Beautiful work. And people's comments have been fun to read, and your history has been enlightening.
Of course you can subscribe. GoComics raised the price and it's in American dollars, but by subscribing you can read up to 400 comics (including Ginger Meggs) for one price. I have many readers and followers in Australia. If you subscribe through FurBabies, I get a nickel. That was not an exaggeration.
I have tried subscribing - the only countries coming up are Canada and the US, with no plans to add other countries (I sent GoComics an email asking). And you deserve more than a nickel.
The poll doesn't seem to be working for me, but I have been reading Fur Babies since day-one and I will continue to read it.
I don't post many comments, and the new GoComics system seems to discourage discussion (e.g. I get no notifications when others like or respond to my comments), but I do read and love the strips and will continue to do so for as long as you are able to write them.
Please keep up the great work, even if GoComics is making it hard for you to get a feel for your audience.
I love these characters (I even like Poppy) and I don't want to turn out substandard work. The strip will be updating on odd days only, beginning in June, so I can keep the quality up and get a little time to breathe. I'll see if I can go back to daily updates when there is bad weather. Thank you so much for your kind remarks.
thank you all. I'm going through some unrelated issues that are probably having an effect on the comic strip. I'll keep going, and try to keep it a daily. Occasionally it'll have a character on a white background with a one liner or a pun, explaining why there's no strip today. I think that is better than 'did not update today'. And please tell GoComics, and your friends, if you like the strip. Thank you!
I wake up each morning looking forward to Furbabies. Please, please continue. Also, I checked across a number of comics on the Go site. The lower number of likes,, fewer comments, loss of reader numbers, etc., hit all the comics I checked. Even veteran comics like Arlo and Janis. The new site is a clunker for sure, and Go is getting a lot of complaints. Please don't let corporate fill in noun of choice kill Floof and Sirius.
Please write to GoComics and tell them about the FurBabies. They are not publicizing the strip, even when they recommend 'strips about cats and dogs'. Thank you
I hate dark and snarky strips. I love fur babies and look forward to reading it daily. I hate the changes to GoComics, which I have subscribed to for years. Their "update" has been a "downslide" in my humble opinion. I hope you can continue and hope GoComics changes direction. If that's not possible, I'll be leaving GoComics. The greatly increased price hasn't brought any changes that I like.
I like good dark humor and good autobiographical strips (Finding Dee is the best and I also like Margreet de Heer's work). Most of the rest are self pitying or didactic. Dee and Margreet never do that, and both have a great sense of humor. Both are here on Substack.
I would love to read FurBabies! I don't right now to be honest, since I'm focused on Substack and avoid other platforms. Maybe the right question to ask yourself is: do YOU want to continue FurBabies? Do you still get enough enjoyment out of drawing? If so, why not take (back) control and publish them yourself, here on Substack? That way I could read them, you would see all the stats and comments and you can set up a payment system if you want. Or did you draw a contract with GoComics that prohibits this?
The GoComics change was inevitably bumpy, but I managed OK. I wish I had been in a higher-paying profession, but I must be content at the level with three comics I don’t have to click on to read. I choose FurBabies as one of them. But I do click my top three anyway and press “like” every time. I try a newly launched comic from time to time, but FurBabies was surpassingly good. And the chance to interact a little with you once in a while is like interacting a little with Sparky Schulz or Walt Kelly—or Fontaine Fox. It’s wonderful of you. Thank you!
Nancy, Neither question you ask us to answer is the one I want to click on. I want you to keep drawing - and keep creating. I love your art. The answer to whether you continue FurBabies is up to you. Is it done? Is there a new project (a book? panel cartoons?) that would keep you inspired. Call me selfish - but as long as you keep us entertained with you marvelous drawings I'm happy. Keep drawing.
Things should be easier and better for those who bring joy and beauty to the rest of us. Life is just not fair.
I love FurBabies -- everything about it, Floof, the incredible artwork, the characters, Floof, the humor, the love, the joy -- and did I mention Floof?. I no longer comment on any strip because of other nasty people -- I just don't want to interact online any more. I do make it a point to do a "like" for all my comics each day.
I am on the free level on GoComics because I only read a very few comics and didn't want to subscribe. I suppose I should. I don't know what subscribers see. On the free level, I automatically see three comics with no "like" or "comment" options. To like a comic, I have to open it in the full view to get the "like" and "comment" options. I wonder if the subscription folks see all their comics they follow without the full options and so don't bother.
In case you may find it useful, I also only have a free-tier subscription at GoComics. But I don't use their system for tracking comics. Instead, I use a bookmark folder in my browser that contains bookmarks for the strips I read (e.g. https://www.gocomics.com/furbabies ). I tell my browser to open that folder in tabs, and therefore see every strip (as many as I want), each one in a separate browser tab.
If I'm logged in to GoComics (the login cookie sometimes expires), then I can also like and comment from there. And if I'm not logged in, I can still see the strips.
I find this a lot more convenient than the max-3-comics system that GoComics imposes on people who don't want a paid subscription.
Great idea. Thanks.
Oh, Nancy! I don't know what I would do without Shawm, Sirius, Stella, and Kate! Floof is okay, too, and we need more Chaos. I read every morning. It is part of my routine. I do not like the new Comics Go site, though. Very glitchy. I try not to overcommit as I worry I keep just raving about how impactful your colors are. TekoaMT
I began subscribing to GoComics in June of 2023 because of you. I don't read it daily, but the days I read I enjoy it. I'd hate for FurBabies to go away, but also hate that the platform is delivering less and not user-friendly for creators or readers. (example: FurBabies is among the five strips featured in the "Funny Animals" category today, but the list ends there. There are many "Funny Animal" strips in the GoComics library, but you can't view them a group. Other categories include a way to see more in those categories. If you want to view funny animal strips though, you have to scroll through the alphabetical listing of all titles and check each strip, title by title. I don't usually look for funny animal strips, btw; this is just an example of inept coding.) The poor website organization and clunky functionality makes me wonder if GoComics is struggling financially.
.
I also wonder what marketing strategy - what combination of platforms and promotion - works best these days for creators. What non-print, non-legacy strips are financial successes and where are they seen? All the combined methods I see cartoonists using appear to involve an increasing amount of work for the creators, and it's not clear what works. It doesn't help that what does work also seems to change frequently.
Syndicates should always heed their clients as even they are not too big to fail.
Your comic is my most favorite on GoComics. I have so enjoyed the animation and the stories. Beautiful work. And people's comments have been fun to read, and your history has been enlightening.
Thank you
I love FurBabies. I wish I could subscribe (I live in Australia) so I could continue reading the earlier strips as well the current.
Of course you can subscribe. GoComics raised the price and it's in American dollars, but by subscribing you can read up to 400 comics (including Ginger Meggs) for one price. I have many readers and followers in Australia. If you subscribe through FurBabies, I get a nickel. That was not an exaggeration.
I have tried subscribing - the only countries coming up are Canada and the US, with no plans to add other countries (I sent GoComics an email asking). And you deserve more than a nickel.
The poll doesn't seem to be working for me, but I have been reading Fur Babies since day-one and I will continue to read it.
I don't post many comments, and the new GoComics system seems to discourage discussion (e.g. I get no notifications when others like or respond to my comments), but I do read and love the strips and will continue to do so for as long as you are able to write them.
Please keep up the great work, even if GoComics is making it hard for you to get a feel for your audience.
I am getting fewer comments but they are showing up. If you are a follower, you should be able to post there. Thank you for posting here.
Are you kidding? Where would I be without Kate, Sirius and Flood?
Please keep producing your sweet and thoughtful comic strip. The world needs cuteness more than snarkiness.
I love these characters (I even like Poppy) and I don't want to turn out substandard work. The strip will be updating on odd days only, beginning in June, so I can keep the quality up and get a little time to breathe. I'll see if I can go back to daily updates when there is bad weather. Thank you so much for your kind remarks.
thank you all. I'm going through some unrelated issues that are probably having an effect on the comic strip. I'll keep going, and try to keep it a daily. Occasionally it'll have a character on a white background with a one liner or a pun, explaining why there's no strip today. I think that is better than 'did not update today'. And please tell GoComics, and your friends, if you like the strip. Thank you!
You are one of the few strips that I would pay extra to read. Please don’t stop.
I read "FurBabies" daily! It's a breath of fresh air in the world of comics. I hope you can keep it going
Thank you, it was intended to be just what you say it is. That is high praise.
I wake up each morning looking forward to Furbabies. Please, please continue. Also, I checked across a number of comics on the Go site. The lower number of likes,, fewer comments, loss of reader numbers, etc., hit all the comics I checked. Even veteran comics like Arlo and Janis. The new site is a clunker for sure, and Go is getting a lot of complaints. Please don't let corporate fill in noun of choice kill Floof and Sirius.
Please write to GoComics and tell them about the FurBabies. They are not publicizing the strip, even when they recommend 'strips about cats and dogs'. Thank you
I hate dark and snarky strips. I love fur babies and look forward to reading it daily. I hate the changes to GoComics, which I have subscribed to for years. Their "update" has been a "downslide" in my humble opinion. I hope you can continue and hope GoComics changes direction. If that's not possible, I'll be leaving GoComics. The greatly increased price hasn't brought any changes that I like.
I like good dark humor and good autobiographical strips (Finding Dee is the best and I also like Margreet de Heer's work). Most of the rest are self pitying or didactic. Dee and Margreet never do that, and both have a great sense of humor. Both are here on Substack.
I would love to read FurBabies! I don't right now to be honest, since I'm focused on Substack and avoid other platforms. Maybe the right question to ask yourself is: do YOU want to continue FurBabies? Do you still get enough enjoyment out of drawing? If so, why not take (back) control and publish them yourself, here on Substack? That way I could read them, you would see all the stats and comments and you can set up a payment system if you want. Or did you draw a contract with GoComics that prohibits this?
HI Margreet, I enjoy your Substack blog and cartoon style. In an earlier poll, no one wanted to pay to read the strip here.