Behind Merman in Wonderland- The real Story -
The summer of 2023 was not an easy one for me. After a terrible fallout with the character artist of my first webcomic, I was left completely distraught. The whole situation was so awful and it cut so deeply that I actually came dangerously close to ending my own life—Someone I trusted not only attacked me personally but intentionally crushed me over things far beyond my control. It was devastating and very hurtful, and it remains a wound I still carry to this day.
During that dark time, my greatest supporter—my husband—encouraged me to revisit some of the other story ideas I had written down. Among them, I rediscovered one I had once published under a random username on Archive of Our Own. The story originated from a DeviantArt contest I hosted, where the challenge was to place a merman in an unusual situation. That idea eventually blossomed into a Wonderland-inspired tale combined with my lifelong love of mermen. I later removed the original version of the story from Ao3, archiving it to give the concept a fresh start.
I began assembling a team of artists to bring the new story to life. Just a little over a year after my first webcomic's collapse, I launched the first chapter of Merman in Wonderland.
What a journey it has been. Now that the story is complete, I can look back with pride. I intentionally left the ending open, allowing space for a potential return someday—but for now, there are no plans for a sequel. To me, this webcomic is more than a story; it is living proof that I can write, direct, and produce a full series. It’s proof against the actions of a certain someone who blatantly told me that I could never achieve this.
I realize some people may think it looks easy, or that I simply sit back while others do the work. But what isn’t seen are the countless hours spent preparing for release, building connections, promoting, funding, and worrying—always worrying—whether the story would be good enough to matter to someone out there.
Not everyone can take a webcomic from start to finish. My first attempt failed, but I was determined not to fail again. And I didn’t. I finished it. I survived. I’m still here, still alive, and still able to share my passion for storytelling with you.
I want to give a heartfelt thank you to the incredible team and supporters who made this project possible.
First, to our background artist MorbidRide—thank you for staying on board with this new story. After everything I went through, your empathy and kindness was a much needed reminder to me that there is still good in the world, and that life can still be worth living.
To the CallawayWolves team—
Mai, our character artist: you stayed committed all the way through, and I am deeply grateful. Knowing you enjoyed the work gave me so much hope. Some chapters may have been more challenging than others, but you brought them all to life beautifully. You’re a wonderful artist, and I hope this project has given you valuable experience for your future in the art world.
AmanBest, our character colorist: your coloring has been and will always be a vital part of this series. I appreciate your flexibility during those times we had to renegotiate prices, and I’m glad we always found fair solutions. Thank you for your talent and professionalism.
Stoicegg, our detail render artist: you delivered consistently quick, high-quality work that helped keep us on schedule, and I couldn’t have asked for more.
A special shoutout to FinalbrainCell, who has supported and commented on every single chapter since the very beginning—you’ve been an anchor of encouragement throughout.
And finally, to all the readers and supporters: thank you. It truly means the world that I got to share this adventure with you.
Please follow our creator profile for updates on future projects—and once again, thank you for being part of this adventure. Long live the power of storytelling!
Until next time,
-Loore
Writer, Director of Merman in Wonderland.
