I've been browsing the categories for awards at the Webcartoonist Choice Awards, and checking out the competition. Like a lot of webcomic artists, I can't help but fantasise about what it would be like to be nominated for a category (or even win), but the more time I spend checking out other webcomics the more I realise that Crimson Dark really doesn't have a chance. There's just too much innovative and excellent work out there, truly wondrous stuff.

And I'm okay with that.

I'm seeing this as an opportunity, not as a stumbling block. I look at the list of categories as a challenge, a call to webcomic artists everywhere to never be satisfied with simply producing "good" or "satisfactory" work, but to aim to be outstanding. In 2007, I'm going to do everything in my power to transform Crimson Dark into something truly outstanding, or die trying.

And it's perfect timing for it too. Chapter 2 ended just before the end of 2006, and the scenario and characters have now been properly introduced. Chapter 3 signifies the real beginning of the story, the moment I've been working towards for so many months now. The gloves are off.