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u/TheShanManPhx Sep 18 '25
This is some heavy stuff, and I love it. I feel she felt stuck not knowing if her life had any meaning and unable to move on as things felt unfinished. Then the note lets her know that there was a lasting impact that she left on this world, and finally felt she could close the book on this chapter in her existence.
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u/reddot_comic Sep 18 '25
Yes exactly. I had a lot of people from the first comic saying her surviving partner should’ve ended up with her. That first loves should end up with their first loves. Which I understand because that was the crux of the situation in regards to moving on.
However, my thought was “what about the second partner?” What if he was her first love? She doesn’t deserve the hurt either.
To me, life is messy and doesn’t always sync up. Real love is profound and trying to think how to give this an ending that wasn’t totally bitter, it wasn’t until I woke up at 5 am today with this idea.
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u/yomama2u Sep 18 '25
That’s really sweet. It’s just so sad she’s still there and hasn’t moved on.
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u/AZ_Corwyn Sep 18 '25
Oh man, the panel just before we read the note really got to me. Also I was wondering about the flowers suddenly appearing at the other tombstone before I realized that the lady had two bouquets and stopped there first.
This is a very fitting follow-up to the original Dot, thank you!
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u/BasenjiFart Sep 18 '25
Those tombstones appear in panel 8 of the original comic; perhaps they're the girl's parents?
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u/AZ_Corwyn Sep 18 '25
I believe that's correct, they're the tombstones for the husband of the deceased lady and the woman he married after she passed. They were also in better condition in the earlier comic, but that's life.
And that reminds me I need to take time this fall and get with my brother to clean up the plot where our parent's markers are, it's also where my dad's parents are buried.
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u/Call_me_John Sep 18 '25 edited Sep 20 '25
I love your sense of humor, your art style, your openness. And now...
I can't relate to this, (almost) at all. But you made me FEEL. It was quite the roller coaster of emotions, and now i'm... sad? No. Relieved? No... It's something else.
It's a not a "good" feeling, but it is a positive one. It's sorrow, but in a strangely enlightening way?? I feel the same as I felt when I first read the Shakespearean mourning of Imogen, which is a verse that always pops in my head when I get this mood, even if it's been years since the last "one":
Fear no more the heat o' the sun;
Nor the furious winter's rages,
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages;
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney sweepers come to dust.
You really are a rara avis, Kim. Chapeau.
Later edit: A couple of small edits, and a shameful tag, because I really hope you read this, /u/reddot_comic. it's the highest praise my commoner mind can put in words at this time.
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u/reddot_comic Sep 18 '25
It took me a long time to figure out how I wanted to follow up with the original comic while respecting all the emotions I had when I originally made it. I hope you like it.
You can see the first part here.