Hello and happy new year! Firstly, I’d like to thank each and every one of you out there who have supported, promoted, read and enjoyed my comic, "Lilith Dark". The response that LD has received over the past year and a half has been nothing less than humbling. Since the original launch in September of 2010, I have been able to meet and interact with so many awesome people, both readers and creators alike. I’ve learned a LOT since then, and now I feel like a cagey indie-comic veteran.

My plan for 2012 is to take what I’ve learned, and apply it to my comic, "Lilith Dark". There are a lot of opinions out there by so called "experts" about the right way to run a comic site, but there’s only one way that’s right for me. I’ll use this post to explain all of the website and comic changes for 2012, and my reasons for doing so.

• Website redesign- I took the last year to really study other comics that post online, and I reached out to many of you as well, to learn what makes a great comic book website. First and foremost, the COMIC is the most important thing. With that in mind, I have made the comic the focal point of the page. The art is bigger, better, and isn’t squeezed inbetween any other columns with ads and fluff. I also layed out the pages so that the comic displays nicely on your iPad or smartphone.
• Ads Etc- With the new design, I have decided to keep ads and fluff to a minimum. All ads are below the comic, and unobtrusive. I toyed with the idea of eliminating them completely, but frankly, I spend a lot of time creating Lilith Dark pages, and I feel like I should be allowed to expect some sort of revenue for my efforts, no matter how small. There isn’t much money in making comics, and the tiny amount of income from ads helps. I understand if you use ad blockers (I use them too), but I sure would appreciate it if you would whitelist Lilith Dark. You can help out even more by checking out the Shop and buying books and other merchandise.
• Schedule- Let’s all just consider the first year of Lilith Dark a test run. I tried running a weekly schedule, I tried running a biweekly schedule, and I was still constantly slammed to push out pages on time. I love this comic, and I don’t want to have to let the quality suffer just because it’s update day, and I don’t have the page done. Instead, beginning on February 1st 2012, I’m going to be publishing Lilith Dark in seasons. As I complete an issue, I’ll post that issue as a new season. You’ll get the whole issue, published uninterupted on a biweekly basis, every Wednesday and Friday. When all of the pages from that issue, or season, are posted, there will be a short hiatus until the next issue is complete. I highly recomend following Lilith Dark on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus, or subscribing to the RSS feed to be sure that you don’t miss any updates. And if you really just can’t wait for the next chapter, check out the Shop and buy the book! Each issue will always be available in regular printed comic book form prior to being published online. Artists gotta eat!
• Rerunning old pages- In keeping with the spirit of the new Lilith Dark Seasons scheduling model, I will be starting over from the beginning with Season 1. I thought this would be a better option than just letting the site sit dormant for six months. Each page will be bigger and better quality than the original versions, and I’ll be throwing in a few new and unreleased pages into the mix as well, so it won’t be exactly the same as the original run, it will be better and more consistent.
• Home page- I know a lot of you regular online comics readers out there are very vocal about your dislike of a "static" homepage for comics, but I honestly think it’s much ado about nothing. Lilith Dark is an ongoing series, and I get new readers all the time. A new reader deserves to experience the comic from the beginning, just like you did. Would you walk into a movie theatre an hour and fifteen minutes late? Of course not. Same goes for my comic. I don’t want a new reader to just drop into the middle of a story line and have no idea what’s going on, especially if that page is a big reveal or major spoiler, that could potentially ruin the story for them. I have placed very clear "Start Here" and "Latest Page" buttons on the homepage and the main navigation bar. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding your way around, and new readers can have the same great experience that you have.
• Printed Issues- In my humble opinion, "Lilith Dark" is best read in one sitting. The best way to do this is to buy an issue of the comic and read it! Click here and check out the shop. Buying a copy of LD also helps to keep the series going. Making comics is hard, and takes a long time, and blah blah blah. I don’t need to explain that, you guys get it. I don’t ask for donations, I sell comic books. If you like it and want to support me and Lilith Dark, buy a book. Already have a book? Buy something else. I have lots of stuff! Your support is always appreciated.

Thank you all for your continued support. It truly means a lot to me that so many of you have and continue to enjoy my goofy little comic. It really is a labor of love, and it feels great to know that so many of you dig it. Thank you!

~Charlie