Hey folks! So, that's it for Sea Change, and you know what that means.... Kickstarter time!
Come check out the project and pick up a copy of Sea Change, or any of the other volumes too! And because it's gonna be a big bulk mailing, I can offer some pretty reasonable prices on shipping outside the UK for either a copy of the newest book or a set of all ten! These are Kickstarter-exclusive prices, easily the best they're ever gonna be, so a good chance to hop on and nab a set!
There's also some Kickstarter- exclusive travel stickers up for grabs- come travel to all four anchors!
So! As usual, I will be taking a nice long break before the next book, at least a month. I expect to be back and updating on the last week of October, but I gotta see how it goes first. The next book is gonna need a lot of prep, and that is because the next volume of Widdershins will be the final one.
Yeah, you heard me! Volume 11 will be the last book. It's an ending i've been working up to for some time now, and I hope y'all enjoy it! I'm a great believer in giving a thing you love a good strong ending while you're still able, and I hope I can live up to that for Widdershins. I still love the comic dearly, but I've been working for a few years now on a bunch of new stories that I'm really interested in telling, and I gotta make time to do that. But not before we get a big silly finale!
What project I get to do next is kinda up to the fates to decide, but please be assured that I will still be around to tell my silly little stories for you regardless.
Thanks again for all of your continued support- If you're enjoying Widdershins, please consider helping me to bring this thing to a great end by backing the kickstarter, or supporting my patreon monthly where I'll soon be uploading some design work for the final book, or if you don't like signing up to stuff you could even simply donate a little to the comic via paypal.
See you soon, and please enjoy the filler material until I return!
Cast: Jack O'Malley, Nyree
Comments (102)
ThoughtBubble
14 Nov 2026 – 15 Nov 2026
Harrogate Convention Centre
Manchester Megacon
31 Jul 2027 – 1 Aug 2027
Manchester Central
I'm sure it's fine.
While I'm saddened to hear that Widdershins is coming to an end, it's a sadness I'm happy to live with. I have great respect any time a storyteller says "And that's the story I wanted to tell. The end." I can always return and go through it again.
Personally, while its sad the story is ending, I like the fact that all the storylines will be properly wrapped up and everything come to a tidy, planned conclusion, rather than just dying out as focus moves on to other things.
Or dragging on overly long beyond the point the author had good ideas. I look forward to whatever comes after this (and what's left, of course).
And I'm sure Kate has more ideas so it's not like we'll be left without anything to read. Her last story universe was great too.
So it's "Avatar for the Great Old Ones" then.
Gotta wonder, will Thea lose a sense? For O'Malley, he was born already colorblind and able to see spirits. He was "meant" to become the Witch of Widdershins, in some way. I assume it worked the same way for the other witches. But unless she was hiding it really well, Thea had no such affliction/ability. It will be interesting to see what effect brute-forcing an Anchor has on the cosmic whatsits, as well as on Thea herself.
Have we seen evidence that Nyree and Arpana have any such disability? Arpana seems unable to walk, but I think that's a reflection of her age.
[Nyree can definitely smell to some degree](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/january-21st-2020 "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/january-21st-2020")—but then, O'Malley can see to some degree. It's possible that O'Malley just happens to be colorblind in a perfectly normal way, and his witch-sense being sight (the way that [Nyree's is smell](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/january-28th-2020 "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/january-28th-2020")) is a coincidence, but that would be quite a coincidence.
Too much of a coincidence, if you ask me. When Ben wound up with Mal's sight, he also got the colourblindness. On its own it doesn't sound like anything to be Envious of, so it comes across as a side effect.
And Mal started seeing colors, too.
"I think I like blue." Best line ever.
And doubly so, retroactively.
Oh hey his door's blue too. I'm sure that's a coincidence.
Good point, I forgot. So yeah, definitely a part of being a witch, so I'd expect the other witches have some equivalent.
I'm not sure if Arpana can't walk, I think she's just prepared and brings a chair to hang out in Witch space rather than sit on the floor. In previous pages it looks like a normal chair rather than a wheelchair she's got (though as a wheelchair user I'm still holding out hope we get to see a wheelchair in widdershins before the end lol)
I guess I shouldn't have said "unable" but I at least inferred that walking and standing seem to be difficult for her, so she makes sure she has a place to sit.
that makes sense, yeah I don't think it's related to being a Witch
I have wondered about this before...I can see how Arpana might be tone-deaf b/c of her spirit-hearing, but really have no idea how Nyree's spirt-tasting/spirit-smelling would affect her mundane senses. Possibly it doesn't noticeably affect her life at all. I do remember that both of Mal's colleagues considered his condition to be unusually, ah, inconvenient for a witch.
[Here's one guy's explanation of what it's like to be a non-smeller.](https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/smell.html "https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/smell.html")
He's the guy who wrote PuTTY and a bunch of games. Has a version of Minesweeper that doesn't cheat.
...Wow. I've tried to describe this to people, but never came across anyone else with it. That's been my experience, down to the gas-worries and different culinary experience.
Thanks for linking that, now I can share it too when it comes up!
Edit: Oh and PuTTY rules, I used it all the time back in college and afterward.
I think Nyree might be able to smell/taste normally as well because she gives a name to some of the spirit things she can smell (can't remember off the top of my head but I think she says someone smells like liquorice at some point) whereas Mal doesn't know any colour names
She says that about Harry (and calls her Licorice later).
Aagh, cliffhanger! I was hoping this page would have the fourth door opening and dumping Thea into the Witch Space in a puddle of seawater, but apparently we're not quite there yet.
Question is, is the rancid smell from whatever the heck is going on with Thea's motivations, or is something wrong with the Fourth Anchor itself?
Nyree smells spirits. I think she's smelling Thea's.
But Nyree can't smell another witch, so if Thea really is a witch now, her spirit wouldn't have a scent.
Maybe she's not. Maybe it's the witch that was talking to her. But what witch would be in charge of a submerged anchor?
I think it's the general magic she's smelling. It looks like Mal is shielding his eyes, when he says he can hardly see it I think he means it's too bright, not that it's too faint, so that's probably the strong smell for Nyree
Oh wow I bet you're right! I thought he was shielding his eyes as if from the sun, but your theory makes a lot more sense. I was also wondering if Nyree jostled him while standing up, but it looks more like he saw something painfully bright just after she caught the strong smell!
The smell of seawater is in good part the smell ofdeacy...
This story's been fantastic. Been a fan since Darken, though, so I know your other stories will be great, too. Can't wait to see 'em.
Mal's door has a frame and more wood grain on it that it used to - it seems to be taking shape and detail the more he gets used to his role?
I think that's the mountain witch's door.
I think they’re referring to the blue door in panel one, which is indeed looking a little more physically detailed than last we saw it.
Ooooh.
good catch i didn't see that! that's so cool i hope we get to see the final version!
Mal's door is starting to take shape! I wonder if it will look like the front door to the Witch's House when Mal has come into his own.
Also, does it bother anyone else that the doors are not equidistant along the Circle in the Void? It looks like a right angle from the City Door and the Sea Door when we first came here in Curtain Call, which means there could theoretically be room for twelve doors. Normally I'd say it's for easy of drawing or some other mundane reason, but I prefer the Eliza method of rampant conspiracy speculation (It seems to work!)
I think that the new door is Thea's door. Mal's door is the blue-glowy one.
The blue glowy door in the first panel is Mal's, the brown one with the yellow frame on the left of the second panel is Arpana's, the white one with the red frame on the right of the second panel is Nyree's, and the dark brown one with the puddle under it in the last panel is Thea's.
It's easy to forget, I suppose, but officially they [do know how many doors there are in total](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/july-24th-2020 "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/july-24th-2020") ...
The doors aren't equidistant along the circle for the same reason Star Wars and Star Trek cram lots of spaceships and or asteroids into the same shot.
I don't know if I can handle the demise of another webcomic.
a conclusion is not a demise :)
And yet it hurts the same.
other webcomics WISH they were getting a cool planned ending! (with advance notice!)
Forlornly googles Sortelli again
Even if the main story comes to a conclusion, the world still exists, and (as with the Discworld by TP) it is a very detailed one. So side-stories, prequels, sequels, and even fanfiction are more than possible. Maybe in the future, after the unexpected viral success of the Widdershins graphic novels and subsequent literary stardom, Kate will be inspired to create more stories based in this world...
fanfiction is more than possible, it's here already! :P there's over 150 fics, including novel length adventures :)
https://archiveofourown.org.../works "https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Widdershins%20(Webcomic)/works")
Just don't drop a main character off a waterfall at the end, only for him to reappear in the shower when the story restarts.
Hang on, didn't TP already do that with Twoflower&Rincewind? So it's legit. Very nice work on "The Girl that Wasnt There" fanfic by the way - Kate should totally illustrate it ;-)
Dr Conan-Doyle did it too. Hope Kate isn't going to be stuck with Holmes syndrome, where she'd wants to write other stories, but the fans keep clamouring for more Widdershins.
And thanks for reading the fanfic. I'm not sure about the illustration though. Harry won't take kindly to a picture of her wearing a bonnet. :-)
"The hell's that mean?!"
"Nothing good, mate. Nothing good."
:Under the Sea starts playing:
Tapa Tohunga Moto is becoming a tourist attraction? Nyree isn't going to think very much of that!
Don't let her drown in theeere
Thank you for once again coming to an ending... a satisfying ending is a rare and wonderful thing! And I'm excited to see what comes next.
I LOVE Nyree's waistcoat, love it, LOVE IT!!
So I've been reading Widdershins long enough that I don't actually remember when I started. I love the world and the characters so much, but I always knew there was going to be an end to the comic someday and I'm excited for this final volume. Like you say, it's better to end strong and give yourself the space to move on to new stories. I can't wait for the finale and what it brings!
Spoiler alert: After swooping in at the last minute to defeat the final Big Bad, the Purple Hippo of Happiness is suddenly transported to the world of Darken. Will the world survive?!
I would read the heck out of that
yep
Oof webcomic conclusion ... gonna feel weird to reach that final page, there's always this strange sense of loss when I reach the conclusion of a story and I know I'll no longer journey along with the characters.
Still, being able to draw a story to its natural close is amazing and a real accomplishment, Widdershins was a blast and I'm super excited to see how the tale will officially end!
Definitely on board for whatever project is to follow, Definitely been a fan of your work from the moment I discovered Widdershins!
Honestly you could have ended the comic after the big crossover with all seven deadlies and it would have been fine. Everything that's come since is like really, really good bonus material. Sure, I'm still sad to see the comic end, but I look forward to seeing it go out on a high note. Best of luck with the final chapter and your next projects!
I was expecting that, actually! The fact it continued was a very pleasant surprise. So really, I'm all set for it, and eager to see what comes next!
Only thing I regret is not getting more Eliza. And Eddie's Beard.
Aye lads! It be the greasy maw of Davy Jones' locker! Lest ye behest that door to open ye'll meet the terrific mass of a million tuns of water! arrg
Aw man. As a relatively new fan, I admit I'm not quite ready for Widdershins to end! But there's still some time left, and I'm more than thankful for what we've been given.
Good luck with the kickstarter, and I can't wait for the last chapter! I'm sure it'll be great!
as a fan since 2016 I'm not ready either T^T but all the characters have grown so much I'm glad we get to see it wrap up properly
I'm sure this isn't the first time this has been seen, but I love that Nyree just calls Jack 'city' as in 'city witch'. :-}
The first webcomic I ever followed that intentionally ended on purpose, like, because the story was intended to come to an end and then stop, not because something else happened with the artist, just about blew my mind.
The second time it happened, after years of Darken, I was all, Oh, so this is a thing that could happen again, better get used to it.
There's been a few but yeah they're in the minority. Guilded Age is a big one, Schlock Mercenary, Supernormal Step, Dr. McNinja, Leftover Soup, Plume, Legostar Galactica recently.
Though a lot of those weren't the author having an entire story arc planned form the beginning but them having an ongoing story that they decided to end and so they wrapped it up. Kate having the full arc (or at least the framework) planned from the start is a rare and beautiful thing, it makes the story that much better too.
Stand Still, Stay Silent is another. It has two volumes, more or less. The first one ran its course as planned and came to a satisfying conclusion. The second ended more abruptly as the author's priorities changed, but she still made a point to conclude the story rather than abandoning it.
I've heard not great things about the end of SSSS so I'm torn on if I want to actually finish reading it or keep having the good but unfinished version in my head :')
It came off a little rushed, with some parts being anticlimactic. If you want to limit yourself to the "good" version, just stop at the end of "Adventure 1." I don't think Adventure 2 was bad, but it wasn't nearly as good as the first one.
I found Darken a year or two before its finale, and I was sad at first when that came to an end and Widdershins was announced. But I quickly fell in love with this new story and I've been quite eager for every new page as it came out. I'm looking forward to experiencing that once again!
I'm saddened to hear this fun ride's gonna end! And without a lot of barfing!
I caught up near the end of Book 7, and I will be sad to see the comic end, but I will happily read whatever you write next!
The door to Atlantis isn’t very colorblind accessible, it seems :P
As for Widdershins ending… I’ll smile because it happened, and stayed strong all the way through. Better that than to go on simply to go on!
I kind of always assumed Widdershins would be this big world that we would get endless stories told in until the end of your career. Like Discworld. That's how I remember it being described to me, coming out of Darken.
Oh well.
It's been great and I truly appreciate you planning the conclusion rather than abandoning it! I know there are many reasons that comic creators end up leaving stories unfinished, and I can sympathize... It's happened so often that I greatly value a story that comes to its rightful end. This has been such a long and lovely story too! (I hope Henry and Izzy are okay.)
woah!!! comin to a close, huh? im so glad i get to see this story wrap up!
MAL LOOKS SO HAPPY AND COMFORTABLE AND RELAXED AND AT EASE AND HAPPY AND AT HOME AND
Good ol' Mal. Trust him to confirm that a 'poof!' stings.
I think whatever Nyree is smelling also made Mal's head hurt, which distracted him enough that the little critter he'd summoned went "poof".
I love the detail of Nyree kicking off her boots to feel more comfortable in witch space
(in case nobody else linked it yet) the contrast to the start of book 5 ! [https://www.widdershinscomi...](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/june-11th-2014 "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/june-11th-2014")
Oh yeah, good point! Being taught the right way for his abilities makes all the difference.
Finally, one of the kickstarters I've been waiting (and hoping) for!!
Oh wow. Congratulations on getting to the final book! It's rare for webcomics to come to a proper conclusion, especially one as complex as this. So I'm really looking forward to seeing how you wrap all this up!
I can't help but notice that Thea hasn't come through the door
It's good that you're writing towards a conclusion, so many serials simply peter out, or stop updating at the climax from what the great science fiction master Lois McMaster Bujold called "paralysis at apogee".
I will be sorry to lose Widdershins, but it has been a wonderful run and you're to be congratulated for all you've done!
Very excited to see how this all wraps up. I bet it's a doozy!
Rancid? Uh oh. Here we go!
Sad to hear Widdershins is ending, but I understand. It's hardly the first webcomic I've seen come to a planned conclusion. It's so much better than the ones that have just stopped updating and never got to any conclusion. I have a folder full of bookmarks for comics I still hope will update someday, but I don't think any will ever start up again.
Same. I have an "updates never" folder in my RSS reader for comics that have gone on unplanned indefinite hiatus.
Do we find out sbout the time-traveling spies?
When you find a new webcomic you like and then binged in 2 days, only for the creator to say "It's ending!" ;~;
Poor unnnFORRtunate sooouuulllssz..
(Theodora comes in riding a surfboard)
Widdershins has been a fun ride, and I'm glad you've brought this story to all of us. I'm sure this next chapter will take a while, so I'll enjoy the final chapter as it rolls out.
I'm excited to see what new stories you'll tell, and that reminds me I really should check out Darken at some point.
And I'm looking forward to seeing the resolution of this plot point, which I'm completely surprised no else seems to have mentioned yet: [https://www.widdershinscomi...](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/march-14th-2014 "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/march-14th-2014")
So the offensive knees have been properly covered.
We’ve seen that door go “CRK” before…https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/march-3rd-2017. What’s the tie-in? Did I miss something between then and now?
Why yes I am re-reading this from the very beginning.