User blog:Vauseman/Dead Frontier is over af

(NOTE: I had a much longer blog planned but that did not work out for some reasons I won't get into otherwise I'll fucking rage)

HELLO

As of yesterday, Dead Frontier has finished. I'd like to thank you all for reading, commenting, supporting, and it has made the journey that much smoother. I'd like to thank specifically a few people: Danny (he posted 105 and 142 when I was incapable of doing so), John (for helping me so much), Warfare (For being my #1 confidant), Fitz (for being such a loyal reader/commenter), and PBR (for analyzing Hannah's arc like an english teacher). And then everyone else I love you all dearly.

It was requested I do a top ten--the explanations were a lot longer but since my previous attempt was mercilessly deleted, these are a lot shorter.

10.) Chloe

Chloe is one of my longest-lasting characters. From timid scientist to speaking up for her group to save their lives, which unfortunately got her hammer'd. I think her development was one of my most realistic, and I did love her, all the way to her end.

9.) Roxie

I'll admit, Roxie was a bit cartoonish as villain, bordering on caricature-ish in some ways. When I gave her human qualities was when she was my favorite, and her finale scene with Jake is honestly one of my most proudest moments. She earns a spot just for the lasting impact she left as DF's poster villain.

8.) Hunter

Hunter was one of my more mercurial characters. Sometimes, it was hard to decide if he was a good guy or bad (Warfare would say bad :P), which made him so enjoyable. His fiasco with Cedric and trying to build his place back into the group were, at times, difficult, but it made him the character his was. Also, his final scene is one of my favorites as well and what I think was an appropriate end.

7.) Lienne

Lienne is also one of my longest lasting characters, as well as one of my most unique (TOKENGAY). You may have noticed she received more flashbacks than the majority of my characters, mostly because the backstory KP wrote for her was so interesting and I wanted to expand on it as much as I could before the end (her natural connection with kids, her suicide attempt, specifically). I felt she had one of the most appropriate endings, finally finding true happiness by being a character for DF's two kiddies.

6.) Billie

As much as I rip Billie, I can't deny her importance. Her character and death still had ripple effects volumes after her last appearance. With that, her relationship with Cole and Issue 100 were some of my favorite things about DF, and she is one of the few characters I can honestly say I can't imagine DF without.

5.) Hannah

Consult PBR.

Just kidding.

Hannah is one of DF's most tragic characters, and as bad as I do feel about everything that happened to her (yes, I do feel bad, Jamie :P) I don't regret a thing because of how important she and her arc were to the development of my story and its protagonist. I really think "Her" tells the whole story.

4.) Jake

Jake initially wasn't going to be in the story and holy shit I don't know what would have happened if I didn't add him. From awkward kid to angry-and-crazy dude with an occasional soft side, he's been so interesting, in my opinion. Being able to expand on him as an adult is also something I'm looking forward to, but I'll also miss writing him as the crazy teenger he was.

3.) Lucy

Don't get me started on this piece of work, God damn. Lucy was, without a doubt out, the hardest character for me to write BY A MILE. Just ask John--I was freaking out about getting her right. But I was successful in the end. She started off rocky, branded the 'bitch' (for good reason, I can't deny), and even 'the second girlfriend,' with such big shoes to fill so soon after Hannah's death. But I had to get right, because she clearly carried the story from 129 to the end. I think I did, because she became my favorite female character.

2.) Adam

"Will the black guy live 'til the end?"

Yes. He fucking will because he's Adam and I love him so much. He started off with a pretty minor role, a little bitch some would say (sorry) and turned into a respected and revealed leader. Honestly, his fast was up in the air, and I was going to kill him, but after what happened to Chloe,and a bit of thinking, I decided all he needed was a little happiness to end his journey. This guy has been through so much, arguably had one of the roughest apocalypse experiences compared to the rest of my characters, and I'm so happy I chose him to live until the end. Thanks KP.

1.) Mae Newton

Mae's arc is something I'm amazingly proud of. I cant deny how different DF would be without her--

My real number one is obviously Cole, if you didn't guess beforehand :P

I could go on for pages as the why I enjoyed writing Cole so much, the little intricacies of his character, but I'll leave this as short as I can. I wanted my protagonist to be someone who started flawed, and ended flawed, but never during that entire journey did you think he lost who he was, or became the terrible person so many people fear becoming. I wanted him to have hard time, but always a little hope left for him, all the way until the bitter end.

Speaking of bitter ends, I'd also like to address why I seemingly killed Cole in a random issue at a random time. In my eyes, Cole's arc ended. Even if he didn't know it, he left his mark, he changed people for the better, he saved lives--his friends, his kid, total strangers. I wouldn't have a story if he went on any longer, and so off he went. As terrible as it was when he did die, I wouldn't have it any other way. Whether he was happy or not at his end is a whole other question--one I'm not entirely sure I even know the answer to.

Okay, that's it. Ask questions if you have them, and thank you again guys :D