Issue 1000 (Big Anniversary) Discussion Thread

[RielCZ]

1000th Edition

Her eyes snapped open in the dead of night. She heard nothing but the ambient pressure of water. It had happened again. Her mind was empty, free of nightmares, as peaceful as this part of the Ruins. It had to be the statue. In this eerie quiet, Caylis wondered what fate could have befallen this faerie, why she could not see her tragedy in her dreams.

—Liou

Articles
A Guide To All Things Neopets: 25 Years Later by rascle90 and kikepv
Wonderful Weewoos: A Personality Test by _brainchild_
The Gallery of Heroes: A Comprehensive Guide by jjensen687
A Guide to Random Acts of Kindness in Neopia by ultimatekai123
The “Write” Stuff for Making Headlines & Deadlines by jackie247
10 Ways to Spend the Day with Your Weewoo by tamimarieb and corryn10
Neopian Chronicles: 25 Years of Unforgettable Events by weakestlink33
A Guide to Winter Foraging by tangey_zumi
50 No-Go Items for the 1000th NT Celebration Party! by kabosir
THROWS COOKIES: Analyzing 1000 Editorial Offerings by starlight_whimsey03

Short Stories
From One Writer to Another by Kat
A Weewoo's Journey by emma_manatee
Jhudora’s Quest - Level 1000 by wingkandy
A Party, A Thousand Years Overdue by Herdy
The Hunter & The Betrayer: 1000 Years by dudeiloled
In the Neopian Times Office. Issue 1000 by betti666
One Neopoint. Seriously? by candylandtheonomy
The Mysterious Disappearance of a Neopian Times Editor by _myst_queen
Spilled Ink - Happy 1000th issue! by xxstarl1ghtxx
One Thousand Days of Procrastination by purplepeggie

Comics
1000 Weewoos on the Wall by draik_bianca
Happy 1000.... Kad feeds? by serebii251 and kindled
Dye-ing of Laughter! by classicmess
The Weewoo and the Neopian Times by tatyanne
The Times of Neopia for The Neopian Times by virtualgf and dreamyard
Impossible Dreams by salem_822
Celebrating 1000 Issues of The Neopian Times by missbeasty
Writer issue by chocokelle
Opportunist by Huntress
Crafty Critter by leighlizzzie
The Floating Islanders - Issue 1000 by Themeguy
The Lupees by the_lupees
A normal day for the Fountain Faerie by milalix
Growing Up with the (Neopian) Times by alagfalaswen
Peachy Keen - 1000 (Comic) Issues! by hisiihi24
Hot Off The Press by qwirka
Faellie Tales 19: A Thousand More by coco6468
1000 Miles by antonia22301
Avalanche of Neopian Ideas! by romina_r and krowkano
Wishful Thinking by hedesku
Growing Up With the Times by flames_unleashed
The More Things Change... by Kengplant , Lex , and Twillie
Rock Bottom by verggg
PrePAWSterous- I Know So by pau_meow
Grave Regrets by hakotie
The Weewoos are gone!! by _angel_852
Sutek Muffin by thegreenmooseofdoom
Party Planner Extraordinaire by pikcel
Prepping for 1000 by muggledude
Crossword puzzles by starbiology

New Series
Digging up the Past by _snails_pace_ and ryan100495
The Thousand Year Time-Out by Liou
1000 Hours Outside: A Tale of Two Friends by superkathiee and honorrolle

Continued Series
The Sleepers of Saint Garfir by josephinefarine
The Price of Ambition by golden1188
Knight & Squire: Preface by terpsichorean_writer
Samrin's Inspiration by greencheese79

And don't forget The Editorial.

[mollyscribbles]

Congratulations, everyone who got in! To those who didn't, my deepest sympathies.

[Stella]

Ah, didn't get in. Congratulations to everyone who did!! I'm curious: is there a special prize for this issue? Like the background from #500?

[Twillie]

They gave out the Neopian Times Coin, same as what's been given for other recent milestone issues.

[Twillie]

From One Writer to Another by Kat

Nice to see Klaudet back, and to have a little callback to his encounter with Rohane lol. I'm not sure where this bookshop is located exactly, although I automatically imagined the one in Neopia Central, so I like the idea now that Klaudet is in a different land or kingdom just every other week as part of his research haha. Judging from his past moat diving, he seems like the kind of person who would do that lol.

That's nice that he could be there for Andler's event, and that he was able to share his similar experiences and give the book a chance because of them. I could see the parallels as well between the book writing and getting feedback on Neopian Times stories, and it is a conflicting thing of how to carry on writing when you feel like no one reads or likes your work. It's a nice message that fellow writers should support each other and give some love to each others' works, as we all know how much of a boost it can be!

Is I Inherited a Secret Underground Library referencing a real book title? I could tell that Andler's name references Lemony Snicket/Daniel Handler, but I'm not familiar enough with A Series of Unfortunate Events to know if it's got any underground libraries in it, and now I'm curious lol.

A Party, A Thousand Years Overdue by Herdy

Ooh interesting, this story did not take the direction I thought it would! I guess I'm just used to the sentimentality of a lot of milestone entires that I thought this one would be similar in tone, perhaps using Altador's anniversary as an allegory for celebrating the Times. The idea that celebrations in Neopia are directly linked to fighting off Wraiths though is a neat idea, and I like the inclusion of Neopians having a special magic/spell to ward them away, and not just the Faeries. Also a cool detail how that piece of history about celebrating the sun in case it doesn't rise diverged in interpretation between the academics and magic users of Neopia. 

Also enjoyed the bits of humor added to each character, like the witches' natural instinct for turning up to events with free food, and Tippens' apparent propensity for disastrous events lol. It's also fun how the witches all congregate together away from everyone else, like they're their own little clique even if they wouldn't admit to being friends. Both the humor and world building balanced together to make this a very intriguing and fun story!

The Hunter & The Betrayer: 1000 Years by dudeiloled

I forgot that 1000 is a significant number for Altador as well until I read both these short stories focused on the land haha. Very fitting to make an Altador-centric piece for Issue 1000 then!

You write some very potent descriptions without the need for too many words, and while the relationship between Altador and TDF is one I've seen touched upon many times before, I still felt like I saw a new layer of emotion with it in this story. There was a great emphasis on the melancholy of it, and a sense that Altador may be nearing the end of his time as kind or even his life that brought a slight feeling of dread as well. I like how we're kept in suspense as well on what Fyora came to discuss with him, as that adds to the tension of his flashbacks as he reminisces before going to meet with her.

It also got me excited the way it tied into the upcoming plot by the end, and I could only hope that TNT writes something as emotionally hitting as what you did for it!

~~~

Congrats everyone who got into the issue! =D I'm going to try my best to review as many NTWF'ers' pieces as I can, and for those that submitted something but did not get accepted: please do link your entries here if you'd still like others to read them! :3 I'd love the give feedback on those as well, and I see that RielCZ also made a thread on the neoboards for people to share their unpublished submissions so that even more people can appreciate them~

[Twillie]

Opportunist by Huntress

Lol I wonder if Shad's "it was my brightest idea yet" line raised any flags to Saura before he headed out. He almost had a moment of responsibility though, maybe someday!

I love how perfectly you captured that early morning feel with the dimness, crafting a sandwich under a single kitchen light, and Saura's overall disheveled look haha. The beach sunrise out the window is also gorgeous, aaa. It's probably just the winter and beginning of the year feels talking, but I want to be there right now ;;

In contrast, the last panel has a bright cozy vibe to it, and I love the effect of the sunlight pouring through the window. That's probably also a place I'd like to be, especially if they print the Times there haha. Also, they're super tiny so this may not be the case, but are the thumbnails on Shad's paper referencing any real ones?

The Floating Islanders - Issue 1000 by Themeguy

Aaaa the amount of detail and effort that went into this is insane! I think you imitated all your old styles perfectly, and it was a real trip down memory lane seeing them altogether again as I remember reading your comics back in the day <3 The collage of all your comics in the background is another great touch, and it also reminds me of the old Times format that showed a compilation of various iconic comics. Not sure if that was an intentional reference or not, but either way I think it fits right in with the celebrations!

Really gives me a boost of motivation to keep creating, be it for the NT or just in general; this is a good reminder of how beneficial it can be to just give things a try and work to express yourself. With time you'll only get better, and the amount of memories and impact you can make along the way are worth it!

[Huntress]

Jan 27, 2024 23:10:03 GMT -5 Twillie said:

Also, they're super tiny so this may not be the case, but are the thumbnails on Shad's paper referencing any real ones?

Ayep, they're my own custom thumbnails from my various series across the years =D I wasn't even trying to be poignant with it or anything, it's just that I've found that whenever I show thumbnails in an NT issue in a comic, it's a lot easier to take an existing one and scale it down than try and do a reasonably thumbnail-looking wiggle of colors. I loathe drawing bookcases for that same reason >___>

And thank you for the review! <3 I've kept my drawing style pretty much the same over the years (else I'd never get a comic done in reasonable time) but I've started experimenting a lot more with lighting. Kinda suspect that drawing pretty tropical scenery is my own coping mechanism for the Season of Mucky Yucks as well. By rights my pets spend their winters in Terror Mountain as reverse snowbirds but I was nooot feeling up for using that as the setting this time x'D

[Stephanie (swordlilly)]

I'll edit this post as I go along and cross-post to the Neoboards when it's all ready. ^^; Might not read everything in order but I'll try to read as much as I can!

Would also like to echo this:

Jan 27, 2024 16:01:11 GMT -5 Twillie said:

for those that submitted something but did not get accepted: please do link your entries here if you'd still like others to read them! :3 ... I see that RielCZ also made a thread on the neoboards for people to share their unpublished submissions so that even more people can appreciate them~

Please feel free to share your unpublished work! We appreciate everything that was created for the issue. Consider resubmitting for a future issue as well; as of this editorial, apparently all NT issues will start awarding prizes in the future, not just special ones.


Short Stories

From One Writer to Another by Kat

SPOILER: Click to show

I liked this story, Kat! It was really sweet. You did a fine job of setting up the narrator's self-doubt from the beginning with "The bookshop had been kind enough to lend me..."

I also found myself laughing at this scene (and then immediately feeling bad about it...! xD)

"Um… I can sign that book for you, if you want?” Inwardly I wondered if I sounded desperate, or presumptuous, or…

The Lenny turned the book over and scanned the summary on the back.

“Oh, hmm, it sounds interesting, but it’s not what I’m looking for,” they said, their brow furrowing as they returned the book to me. “Thank you though.”

I watched the Pink Lenny as they strode away, sinking into my seat. My watch told me it was already half past two in the afternoon; I would have to leave the table at three, and hope that I could sell more books tomorrow.

This part was really funny as well:

My thoughts ground to a careening, screeching halt when I saw a Disco Kacheek stop in front of my table. I bit back a scream – I nearly screamed this Kacheek’s name out loud. Instead, my thoughts resumed their loud clatter through my brain as I steadied my breathing.

I tried to observe the Kacheek without creepily staring at him.

All in all, it was a very wholesome story, enjoyable and relaxing to read. I'm so glad the narrator got a much-needed confidence boost from interacting with Klaudet!

A Weewoo's Journey by emma_manatee

SPOILER: Click to show

I thought your username looked familiar and did a search to find out why - turns out, we once wrote a story together! Huge congrats on your tenth NT publication and your first time being in a milestone issue! It's great to see you.

The backstory you wrote for the Weewoo is very cute. I especially liked this part:

It occurred to the Weewoo then that he was very small, and this was a very big island. Adventure had sounded like a lot of fun – until he got hungry, until he got lost. His stomach gave a loud gurgle, something he was sure the Blumaroos nearby heard.

Food. He would have to find food.

You did a really good job filtering the events through the Weewoo's point of view and getting readers to root for him.

I also liked how you vividly imagined and described the Catacombs:

Despite being a cave system, it was strangely cosy. Torches lit the way with soft flames, and faint jazz music could be heard in the distance. Various tunnels seemed to lead to different creative activities. It was at the very end of this catacomb that the Shoyru stopped, knocking a complicated pattern on the heavy wooden door.

Congratulations again!! ❤

Spilled Ink by xxstarl1ghtxx

SPOILER: Click to show

This was a really clever story positioning an evil character as the protagonist. xD I was almost-sorta rooting for her throughout the early part, following along with her nefarious plan and being fascinated by how it would come to fruition.

You did a really good job crafting a proud voice for her, like when she talks back to the Sloth representative:

"Have you gone to the proper means to make sure your communicator can’t be tapped?"

“I wouldn’t have made it this far if I hadn’t. More concerned about your side. But now you’ve got my attention.”

I also appreciated how you had her put on a show xD

Most Neopets besides Grundos in Kreludor are tourists, and so she tried to carry herself with that same energy, stepping into the city awed at the sight of the orange and purple architecture that she knew all too well.

... The Grundo at the front desk smiled and greeted her.

“Hello, welcome to E-Z Industries, how may I help you?”

Ylana pulled down her cloak hood.

“I’m here for the... delivery.”

The ending surprised me; I found myself chuckling. This was a really entertaining story. Congrats on getting in, and I hope to see more from you!

Articles

A Quantitative Route into the History of Publications in the Times by RielCZ

SPOILER: Click to show

This was such an eye-opener, holy Meepits O: I love all the detailed infograms you made, especially the Weewoo-shaped word cloud. xD It was also really interesting to learn that Lupe is the most written-about species and Neopia Central the most written-about land.

The Ecology of Neopia, part 9: White-winged Wonder: Weewoo Migration by Carolyn

SPOILER: Click to show

This is a really neat piece of worldbuilding. I liked the inclusion of the maps showing the Weewoo's seasonal migration route. It was also neat to see Melody Harvester again - I remember her from an earlier article! ❤

Growing Up with Neopets: A Personal Anecdote by _deltora_quest_fan_

SPOILER: Click to show

Thank you so much for sharing your personal account. These were some of my favorite moments:

I was a child who struggled with connecting to others; a bit too odd, a little too loud, running around with my heart on my sleeve. It was intimidating to other children, or perhaps annoying, but whatever my behaviors may have inspired the result was the same: I was a lonely child.

To have this sudden camaraderie with [my cousin] over this pet site had been everything.

As a kid, I made a lot of mistakes and stumbled around as I focused on all the wrong things. But all of that responsibility helped me in so many ways. . . . It made me see there was, and ALWAYS is, more stuff going on in the world outside of myself and that I need to be paying attention.

And most importantly, it taught me kindness and how to make friends.

Overall, I found your writing very easy to read, and was able to relate to a lot of the experiences you shared.

A 1000-Word Poem by Mostly Harmless (flufflepuff)

SPOILER: Click to show

The variation in style throughout the poem is really neat! I chuckled at several moments too, especially this stanza:

Still, it was not enough that I drank in
The others' works: I'd wished to join the dance.
And so, I sent in what I thought would win
Despite the crystal rules of "no romance."

The listing of cryptic objects pertaining to different editors across time is also humorous; I enjoyed it. xD

Once a shank of ham
A mound of dung to follow
Later a snowflake
Solitary drop
Of water stayed on a leaf
For years ere it fell

Scraps of paper joined
Storied soul a piece of jade
A queen of country

It has once been said
That a stone may call aloud
When no one else has

And who could deny
The power of mac and cheese
On a winter's day

Comics

The Daily Grind by drakko

SPOILER: Click to show

This comic was really funny and "meta" and I liked it a lot! I love the details, especially the Blobikins with the translucent bones and downward-drooping eyes in the first panel. xD

The Floating Islanders by Themeguy

SPOILER: Click to show

I actually remember your older comics! It's really moving to see how much your style has changed over time. It was neat to see how your character's surroundings and equipment changed, too, from the huge desktop with the mouse in the first panel to the laptop with a Wacom tablet in the dorm room, and finally the Huion(?) tablet with a gaming chair and posters in the last panel. Time really flies!!

A Tale As Old As Time by shenkuun

SPOILER: Click to show

This is really cute! I liked the details of the Neovian surroundings - the clothing and hairstyle, the pictures on the wall, the fireplace - and also how the Weewoo said "wooo" when the father was telling the story. xD The baby falling asleep at the end is adorable, too.

The More Things Change... by Kengplant , Lex and Twillie

SPOILER: Click to show

This is really cute and moving ;u; I loved seeing the progression from the early sketches to the current style. It was also nice to see everyone's characters with shared expressions, especially in the last panel when they're all flattened against the editor's window. xD This must have taken a lot of coordination - and research, too, to include symbols for all past editors. Great work from all of you!!

Opportunist by Huntress

SPOILER: Click to show

I've always liked your slice-of-life style. The characters' dialogue is natural and I love your attention to detail: Saura's messy early-morning hair, the harsh lighting showing the darkness of the room, the translucent wrapping on the loaf of bread, the water bottle, lunch box, ham, and cheese. The last scene is beautifully done too. xD I love how the angle contributes to the contrast between Shad's pure contentment and the other workers' frenzy.

Thank You by rebeccanmn

SPOILER: Click to show

The linework and colors on this piece are really lovely! They remind me of classic illustrated children's books. The expressions are natural and vivid, too.

1000 Stock by katuen

SPOILER: Click to show

You're definitely not the first person who had that go through your mind when purchasing STFP. xDDD Thanks for this comic, it was really funny!

Congrats on 1000! by winner19955

SPOILER: Click to show

Your Kyrii character is adorable. That is all. xD

Dear Neopets, Thank You by nyala, meepit_poo and twilight_princess

SPOILER: Click to show

Awww, I love the details in this comic! The starter pack with The Mystery of the Kougra Paw and the cardboard petpet xD, Meerca Chase, Cheat!, the Beauty Contest, the Mystery Island training school, Altador plot, and Rainbow Fountain. All unforgettable Neopian memories to be sure.

The End is Coming by serein and siellan

SPOILER: Click to show

This is a really funny interpretation of the plot teasers in the Advent Calendar. xD I love how the Shop Wizard pops up randomly at the end too.

[Twillie]

The Thousand Year Time Out by Liou

I like Caylis' nonchalant and unafraid attitude towards Darkie throughout most of this, makes for a fun contrast to the terror other characters usually feel regarding her. Has me interested to see how their relationship will develop and what exactly Darkie may seek out from Caylis and her abilities. The fact that they both live on the fringes of society with a strange understanding of each other, and that Darkie blocks Caylis' nightmares, almost feels like the setup to an unlikely friendship between the two. Knowing how the Darkest Faerie story goes, though, I've got a feeling she has ulterior motives to speaking with Caylis beyond a personal bond. There's a lot of room to develop Darkie's personality and the reasons for her treachery, though, so there's several different directions I can imagine you taking her, which will be interesting to see!

[Kengplant]

copy pasting all my reviews over from the neoboards! I think this round is all comic reviews.

1000 Weewoos on the Wall : by draik_bianca
I love the starry krawk! Those weewoos need to unionize!

Happy 1000.... Kad feeds? : by serebii251
Oh no that poor kad!

Dye-ing of Laughter!: by classicmess
I like the correlation between the potion and the petpet puddle! And getting it tied all nicely with a perfect pun!

The Weewoo and the Neopian Times : by tatyanne
Omg that newspaper house is adorable!

The Times of Neopia for The Neopian Times : by virtualgf
I spotted the weewoo in the first panel and was like "hmm" then got excited when I saw it again with sloth. The final panel with xandra is epic!

Impossible Dreams : by salem_822
The colours and rendering on this are gorgeous! I'm so impressed you got this down to size! I love the thumbnail!

Celebrating 1000 Issues of The Neopian Times : by missbeasty
I love the newsie kyrii! And that slorg on the desk it so cute!

Writer issue : by chocokelle
Ahahahah! I laughed at the weewoo's line!

Opportunist : ssjelitegirl
I was so impressed by Shad's responsibility for a little bit there. He fooled me too!

Crafty Critter : leighlizzzie
OMG adorable! Shout out to thinking you'll get around to reading that open tab of an old issue of the NT someday!

The Floating Islanders : yankeesrule244444456
I loved seeing the progression of art getting a little better each time! And squinting at the progression in the BG too!

The Lupees : the_lupees
Duude! This art style is amazing! Reminds me of old 80s and early 90s cartoons. Those nose and cheek shapes are amazing!

A normal day for the Fountain Faerie : milalix
I love the stretch on the aisha in the 4th panel! Amazing!

Growing Up with the (Neopian) Times : alagfalaswen
Amazing to see your growth between your last entry and now! Great work capturing the feeling of reading the times!

Peachy Keen : hisiihi24
Yesss! More artistic growth! Love it!

Hot Off The Press :qwirka
Ohh!!! This style! Look at those birbs!!! The garfield meowclops! Love this!

Faellie Tales 19: A Thousand More :by coco6468
I love how much you've simplified the weewoo. They're just a bean! I like that the suggestions reflect each faelie's personality.

1000 Miles : by antonia22301
great way to use the song and I like all the little activities they do across each region of neopia.

Avalanche of Neopian Ideas! : by romina_r
The paper avalanche looks so good! Great expressions and I love that up angle in the last panel!

Wishful Thinking : by hedesku
OMgosh that kacheek's face is so precious! Congrats on a wish come true! Love it's knowing look into the camera at the end.

Growing Up With the Times : by flames_unleashed
This is such a sweet story! Your colours and page composition are fantastic. I love the way it flows. The ghost of "so proud" at the end

Rock Bottom : by verggg
IT SMILED!!!

PrePAWSterous- I Know So : by pau_meow
I'm loving all these little tales of growth and growing up with the NT and getting to see yourself in it one day. 100% this feeling!

Grave Regrets : by hakotie
ooh! that moody night lighting! Love the way the greeble delivers the prize. Great anticipation on that drawing! I like the blownout red lines for the lighting.

The Weewoos are gone!! : by _angel_852
YAY! You made it in! So great to see this in colour. The NT headquarters at the stairs looks stunning in those blues and golds! I love the way you faded the colours into the distance in the last panel!


Sutek Muffin : by thegreenmooseofdoom
YOOOOOOOOO!!! I haven't seen you around since back when I first started in the NT!!!! Great to see you in there again! Love the squeaky paws so much! How did you get this compressed down with the gif animation?

Party Planner Extraordinaire :by pikcel
I love this colour palette and the soft glows in the Bg! The purple lines are so pretty! I'd come for the 1000 cupcake party! They should so that one!

Prepping for 1000 :by muggledude
The posing on the lead weewoo in that first panel is fantastic! Great use of such a limited character! I like that you can see behind the front of the crowd to the waves behind them when they first open the door.

Crossword puzzles : by starbiology
Ohhh!!! I love this interpretation of their relationship! Darky couldnt have been all brooding all the time. She must have had some friendship with the other founders to have been accepted into their circle! I love the timing on this!

And finally..

The More Things Change... : by me AND MY WONDERFUL FRIENDS Twillie and Lex!
Thank you so much again for joining me for this! It feels even more special that we made it in together. The friends panel is still my fav