How many comics that you've read actually properly end?

GrimRose 2019-09-02 18:12:04 UTC #1

This might seem like a silly question. But almost all of the webcomics I've read or followed over the years almost all are still ongoing 8+ years, cancelled/creator quit posting, or have completely rushed endings last minute.

Only a few seem to have a proper ending or plan on ending and honestly I think the ending is the most important to series, just as much as the start.

Most comics are a long progress and might take years to finish. So why is it that the ending of a series is often overlooked?

If there are any comics you have read/ you created that have a good/proper ending do you mind sharing?

DokiDokiTsuna 2019-09-02 18:20:26 UTC #2

Oh, shoot...I don't think I actually know any. O_O The only comics I've seen end have been professional projects, or at least doujin creations with steady financial support.

I don't think it's for lack of trying, though. The thing is that making comics takes a long time, especially when you're working alone, and 8+ years is plenty of time for a teen to grow up and realize that their story doesn't appeal to them anymore, or for any number of life's problems to get in the way. Stuff happens...

joannekwan 2019-09-02 18:34:28 UTC #3

This is probably the longest series that I've ever read on here that has ended with a proper conclusion

As for other ones I've read that ended, they're mostly shorter, like one shots or short graphic novels.
Schlissel's got some great short stories! https://tapas.io/schlisselart/series

But to address your other questions. I don't think the majority of creators overlook the endings per se, it's just usually life gets in the way and they have to stop their series before ever reaching that ending for one reason or another.

punkarsenic 2019-09-02 18:36:32 UTC #4

https://tapas.io/series/fst

https://tapas.io/series/Damned-Playhouse

https://tapas.io/series/Third-Weel

looking through my library and excluding oneshots, these are the only three with definite endings. i HIGHLY recommend the first one

i think its bc most webcartoonists start their webcomic when theyre very new to the medium, truck along fairly aimlessly for the first 3 years, and will eventually be like 'oh fuck i have other things i wanna do' and will either rush the ending or just cancel. its just inexperience - and ofc, the young wannabe sees their fave webcartoonists just keep going for years, so theyre like 'oh right, thats what i should do!' and so we all start epics in our teens and then D I E

my comic always had a planned ending, but was gonna be pretty sprawling on the way there and i defo wandered for the first two years, but then realised i was fed up with that way of working and had to decide whether to cancel or keep going. i reworked the ending to come within a year, and kept going with new vigour - i do hope people wont think its rushed...

Strontium 2019-09-02 18:40:16 UTC #5

I don't count Homestuck - that'll never really end - but of finished webcomics that I've read, I can think of one called Darwin Carmichael is Going to Hell. I might've read this by the time it finished however.

And oh, Demon's Mirror! That one ended and I think Harry's other comic is getting close to ending too.

There are also shorter webcomics I've read that ended, but in terms of longer comics those are the two I can think of.

DiegoPalacios 2019-09-02 18:53:18 UTC #6

Out of all i have read, seven were finished. (unnoticed hiatuses don`t count on this category)

ButterflyEmpress 2019-09-02 19:32:22 UTC #7

The only comic I've read that has an ending was Rock n Riot. But I think the lack of endings is due to most comics being a solo passion project. So if life gets in the way or the passion is lost, then no more comic.
Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever finish mine due to the same problems.

Freemints30 2019-09-02 19:38:35 UTC #8

The web comic strip Narbonic which is very good with an amazing story line. It has a sort of sequel that is still on going, but other than taking place in the same universe and reference to old characters it's more or less unconnected.

This one was finished this year a nice creepy atmosphere.

There are probably more but I can't think of them at the top of my head right now.

Jenny-Toons 2019-09-02 19:46:10 UTC #9

I know quite a few from Webtoons! Though, a lot of them are kinda short and horror-based. I think Melvina's Therapy and Mr. Charlie are the two longest I read that were finished.

(Warning, as some of these comics do deal with some gore, murder, and other related abuses.)

rajillustration 2019-09-02 19:50:56 UTC #10

Woah woah woah wait, webcomics can end?

artofkcici 2019-09-02 20:33:58 UTC #11

I think that the roadwork to reach an ending can be longer to achieve time and effort wise due to real life responsibilities, financial support, motivation, and pure interest based on the artist. If even one of those factors cause an issue, then it's more likely that it might take a slower time to reach the ending, might lead to a badly written or rushed ending, or prematurely end the comic altogether.

I don't think this is something exclusive to web comics though. These issues pop up in many forms of media, especially those that require more creative input.

And as for comics that have a good/proper ending, from just going off of memory, here are some that I've read and liked. I'll edit my comment if I remember any more.

Hinges
New to world, doll Orio and her impish companion Bauble must find their place within a city named Cobble.

Plume
Plume is a western adventure about Vesper Grey and her supernatural (and reluctant) guardian Corrick. On their way to recover some stolen artifacts, they start to learn the gritty truth about the past and how far they’re willing to go to amend it.

Utensil
U,T.E:N.S.I.L. is an experimental comic with light romance, random humor, and gag action.

And the story...? Well...
Ninja-wannabes are out to steal cakes. Love Triangle. Maybe drama.

Open Spaces and Closed Places
Open Spaces and Closed Places is a cute loverly comic about starry eyed youth with lots of flowers featuring gakuran, delinquents, glasses, scary things, fanciful thoughts, eroguro innocence, crack humour, weird characters, and paranormal stuff.

I hope these can provide a nice read for anybody who's interested in them!

Iris-Grimoire 2019-09-02 21:09:07 UTC #12

Wow, now that I think about it, none of the ones I followed over the years have ended, except maybe Black Adventures which had a weird start and eventually mutated into a regular webcomic with an end and now a sequel series. Other than short stories which are done by the time I got to them, of course.

It's kinda like following a video creator, it's really hard to pick it up if it's done, and if it ends on a high note(and not people parting ways), it just feels weird that there's no more stories to tell. Probably how people felt like with Every Frame a Painting.

skicoak 2019-09-02 21:17:55 UTC #13

I said this before in a similar thread but you're talking about a media form that isn't traditionally structured to have clean endings. Both the newspaper strips and comic books were designed to run as long as they were popular (even if their original creators were dead, retired, or replaced) then canceled//replaced as soon as their reach faded.

We're really in the middle of the first generation of creators with the tools to potential reach large audiences and yet retaining control of their creations.

auk 2019-09-02 22:23:37 UTC #14

On this site? None.

Otherwise, the Flintstones physical reboot, 8-Bit Theatre, Calvin and Hobbes, and Rumplestiltskin (which is on its last strips). Comics aren't really designed to stop, they're designed to keep going until they're forgotten.

bitsofnerd 2019-09-02 22:34:54 UTC #15

Here's a bunch of my faves.

A Tapas classic.

I love all of Puck's work. When Dragon Husbands finished, he started a new series call Hive Heart, so check that out too.

This used to be free to read, but the author recently made it premium. >_< But it is complete!

This is a sweet short piece.

I love the main character in this one. Adorable couple too.

Also adorable. Also complete.

EDIT: Also this cute story.

AmazementComics 2019-09-02 22:49:35 UTC #16

There is not a single webcomic in my library that has ended. Which doesn't make sense considering how big my library of other series is. I can tell you from experience that life interfered with my webcomics many times, but I still got around to completely finish writing the story. The series isn't set to officially end until late summer of 2022. Too bad I can't say the same for other comics. I can't stand seeing some of my favorite series go into a hiatus without the creator properly telling their subs that their series will be. With all seasons of my series, it always reads "series complete" which I feel is such an underrated option to post on your series. Yes, The Action Fruit Society will end, but I've created a whole universe in that story that could potentially go further by exploring other characters, but that is unlikely for the near future.

Amazement Originals is purposely not supposed to have an ending as it is a series that is all about telling "Elseworlds" stories within the multiverse.

TL;DR: It may not be my place to make this statement, but the true beauty of a series is to see how many years it can last, but it also needs to have a proper conclusion (story-driven comics that is). People spend a decade writing a story but then lose interest or never find time to work on it again, and to that, I say "what was the point in creating the series in the first place"? There are comics here on Tapastic that I think should end, and then the creator can move on to other projects. There's no point in maintaining a story if it will never get the ending it deserves. A lot of the creators on this platform just don't seem to understand that.

DiegoPalacios 2019-09-02 23:40:37 UTC #17

just realized i forgot to share the finished comics i mentioned.

ar-ninetysix 2019-09-02 23:53:04 UTC #18

In my library, I've got quite a handful of completed series lol I'll separate the list into the ones I actually finished reading vs. the ones that are on the back burner for me

Completed, and finished reading

Completed, and have yet to finish reading

These two series aren't on the site anymore, but they caught my attention enough to buy all the episodes with some earned ink when they made the announcement that they were gonna be taken off. I've tried looking around for other places to read them so I could link them here, but so far, no luck..

Childminder by Peacock Kim
Winter Night by Yeonji

BobbyjoeX 2019-09-02 23:56:48 UTC #19

only complete comic on the top of my head that i read was Happy Angry Grandma, yes it has a plot, a rather strange but enjoyable plot

DokiDokiTsuna 2019-09-03 01:51:49 UTC #20

BREAKING: After 3 days of hard work, I'm proud to announce that my Webtoon can be added to this list of comics with endings!

GoodgraciousI'msotired...