ABOUT THE COMIC
"Fragments" is a gay wolgraha/wolemet comic ongoing since August 5, 2022. It updates every other Friday.
WARNINGS
This work's meant for readers of 18+ years old who have completed Shadowbringers and, ideally, Endwalker too. ((nsfw episodes, mature language and imagery, explores heavy topics such as depression and suicide, spoilers, closely familiar with shb, storytelling style expects the reader to think for themselves))
What (not) to expect from the comic:
The reader's assumed to be closely familiar with the source material, able to think for themselves, connect the dots and pick up on subtle hints.
This work takes itself seriously and stays in-character, in-universe. It's fully focused on the roleplay-style reader immersion. You may find a cheeky reference, but it's never acknowledged by the characters in the world, i.e. it's only there for the reader, it happens on "our" side of the fourth wall. Game mechanics and limitations don't exist in Fragments.
This topic has to be in a visible spot because, unfortunately, some people see a character online and assume that they can grab and use the character and its art however they want. This disclaimer sits on every comic page, but I want to restate that Vivi's my personal wol. Not a blank slate wol, not an insert for you/your wol, not a shippable npc. Please don't treat his existence as public domain just because you see a lot of pictures with him. Look, but don't touch.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
One person known as NextLVL is responsible for everything that you see here.
My name's J (Jay), he/they, born 18 June 1990, queer, neurodivergent, self-taught every skill that I have.
SUPPORT THE COMIC
This project's fully funded by patrons. As long as people love and support what I make, I'll keep making it.
LINKS
tumblr twt bsky
There are two ways to support Fragments: patreon and kofi
FAQ
Q: When does the comic update? + How do I get update notifications?
A: The comic updates every other Friday (unless I need a break), a day before a teaser is posted to my social media. Follow me anywhere to get notified. Alternatively, follow the comic on webtoon/tapas that have notifications of their own. Or join my discord and get updates directly on there.
✦
Q: Are there physical comic books or other merch?
A: I only provide digital copies of Fragments for the time being. That may change in future, but no promises. No other physical merch except for art prints that are available on inprnt, a popular online print store that handles the entire process from ordering to shipping. I like inprnt because they give me a whole 50% from each sale, other similar platforms aren't that nice.
✦
Q: Are translations to other languages or dubs/voiceovers okay?
A: No, please don't edit, transform or redistribute my work in any way. If Fragments gets a voiceover one day, I want to be able to control how it's voiced and with whom it's associated.
✦
Q: Is fanart okay?
A: Yes! Here's Vivi's reference sheet that may help. If you've got a piece of fanart for me, please don't hesitate to @ me on any social media. I'd gladly share your work. Before you start though, please make sure that you understand and can follow these rules:
✓ You CAN draw Vivi solo or with characters that are established in Fragments. Please keep it sfw.
☓ Please don't draw Vivi with other wols or characters that aren’t established in Fragments. No what-ifs.
✦
Q: Can I use your art as an icon/profile pic/emote/etc?
A: No, please don't use my art in any way. The only exception are the dedicated discord emotes, but, as per their name, those are only allowed on discord.
✦
Q: What tools do you use?
A: Desktop pc, graphic tablet Wacom One medium, Paint tool sai, Paintstorm studio.
✦
Q: Can I commission you?
A: No, I don't take commissions.
✦
Q: I've got a collab, a community project, or a business offer for you! Can we make [a thing] together?
A: It's sweet that you want me to be a part of something or if you want to contribute to Fragments somehow, but I prefer to work on my own, at my own pace. Currently I'm able to solo-produce the comic, it sustains me financially, so I've got no interest or time for other projects.
✦
Why did you decide to make Fragments? How did it happen?
Short answer: my life needed a purpose, I was lucky to find it in a new obsession, and even more lucky that people loved my stuff enough to pay me to make more stuff.
Long answer: I was so awestruck by Shadowbringers and obsessed with Exarch's character that I spent months thinking about him. I also made a guy to ship with him pretty much right away, but had no plans for a comic yet, I just doodled them together. I wanted to interact with canon on a deeper level. I wanted to LIVE in Norvrandt forever. Reading other people's fics and posts made me realize that I'm not eloquent enough to express my own thoughts in a satisfying way, so I went to train in the mountains. I started writing down random ideas, headcanons, little scenes - you know, the ones that you see before falling asleep, - and that resulted in a somewhat coherent comic script.
That first iteration of Fragments was meant to be fairly short. I didn't know how well it'd be received, how long my own hyperfixation would last, and definitely didn't expect that it'd become my actual fulltime job. My work was met with enthusiasm, and it sparked more enthusiasm on my end. I felt loved and confident enough to really dig in and indulge in a longer story.
The comic's an amalgamation of every headcanon and character interaction that I find fun and worth sharing. While the main outline/direction for Vivi's story remains the same since 2022, I keep getting new cool ideas that I write down and see if they stand the test of time. Some get scrapped, some make it to the comic. It's like a writing playground for me, as long as people enjoy what I make and as long as I have something to say, Fragments will go on.
✦
Q: What inspires you? Any particular media or artists?
A: Anime: Sailor Moon and other old shoujo anime, One Piece, Dungeon Meshi, Houseki no kuni, Yokohama kaidashi kikou, Kotonoba drive, Kino no tabi, FLCL, Bakemonogatari, Panty & Stocking, many other Gainax/Trigger works. I've been a vocaloid fan since 2008, that specific aesthetic you'd find in older vocaloid videos is my mothermilk.
Cartoons/other: Adventure Time, Steven Universe, Arcane. I like to study from movies, which can probably be seen in my paneling. You can find my movie watchlist on letterboxd @ nextlvl. My favorite comics that 100% influenced Fragments are Alfie (it's a porn comic but the character writing'0s aspirational, I'm not joking) and Tamen de gushi (a cute f/f comic).