#hiveworks

[secondlina]

I drew a little comic for @hiveworks' Micro Comic Summer! It's a fun blend of my two webcomics, hehe! Check the #MicroComicSummer tag for stuff others have drawn too!

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[cartoonistcoop]

The Hiveworks Artist Guild has released a public statement alleging years of labor abuses, financial mismanagement, and misconduct at Hiveworks at the hands of Xellette “Xel” Velamist and Isabelle “Isa” Melançon. Read their full statement HERE

Attached image is their logo, no credit (artists asked to not be credited).

[feathernotes]

The Trouble with Hiveworks: an Open Letter

The Cartoonist Cooperative

Making comics better for everyone!

It's been a long ten years and I finally get to talk publicly about what happened behind closed doors.

Please take the time to read this letter linked above and please avoid working with these people. You are more valuable than an opportunity for people like them to use you as cash cow for your work.

Three years ago, I was approached by many artists at Hiveworks asking if their mistreatment was normal. That their feelings of horrible self worth within the company was really just a 'them' problem. Turns out, it was unfortunately normal in that we ALL felt that way. Stolen funds, reworked projects without permission, favouritism, opportunity sabotage- These were the common occruances over at Hive. Artists felt used, ignored, and walked all over to pay Hives bills and ego. People didn't know what to do. I helped co-found the guild in response to so many artists feeling this way, and we slowly gathered together to make a better Hive. Yeah, that's right- we thought we could help change and save the company if we all colaborated, hurt set aside and transparency deeply needed. Unfortunately, that wasn't in the cards. We spent 3 years going back and forth with staff to understand the debt, the mistreatment, the empty promises only to realise that the staff who was left to deal with the mess (because the CEO and COO went hands off or left) couldn't fix what was destroyed.

Hiveworks was supposed to be a beacon for webcomickers. It was supposed to be an indie opportunity to flourish in the small ways we can. But it became yet another example of a greedy publisher who saw an opportunity to take and take and take. It was also a vanity project for Isa and Xel too. They wanted the prestige of working in 'publishing' but didn't care a lick about the artists who brought readers in. If you were someone she thought was an artistic threat, Isa would go out of her way to humble you and put you in your place. That happened Many MANY times to me and my fellow creators. Not only was Hive using our work, it also would remind us how worthless we were in the same breath. Everything felt like some sort of competition, and Isa and Xel made sure artists didn't talk to ecahother about it too. So many instances of the two of them going around gossiping in public about 'the real story' when it came to their mismanagment and inability to handle their job. They would use someone else as a scape goat and pretend they did all they could. It was highschool stuff.

As for my particular case, I was the bane of their existance apparently. I was rumoured to be out for Isas job because artists would go to me for support and she hated that. I was apparently trying to ruin things because I saw those cracks. Squeaky wheel and all that. I took the risks I did, i didn't care about being 'everyone's friend' or missed out on 'the connections' because I didn't want to play that game. Artists were feeling used, stolen from, and neglected. I spoke up, and many others started to feel safe to do so too. The more we shared stories (and man, there are HORROR stories) the more we realised that the inner workings of Hive were more tangled than we thought. Our years of organising lead us to approach the cartoonist co-op for extra help. We tried our best to do what we could for Hive to survive.

After we were hit with the 'actually we're in a quarter of a million in debt' and they wanted us to help financially (while owing artists and staff money) it was the curtain call for Hive as a company. Isa left the sinking ship previously to avoid responsibility, and Xel ghosted the rest of us. All of this is to say that these kinds of people who promise the world with your work and take advantage are such a common and frustrating thing in not only comics, but all creative avenues. And speaking up and against them is the only way to make these cycles stop.

Please support the artists who were affected by this. Please spread the word and speak up against people who use artists like this. Hiveworks is an example in a sea of greedy people who want our work to inflate their ego. Don't let them forget we can bite back, and without us, THEY are nothing.

[thewebcomicsreview]

The Cartoonist Cooperative

Making comics better for everyone!

The Hiveworks Artists Guild has released a statement alleging various incompetence and mismanagement in Hiveworks leadership. You should read the whole thing, but the main claims are

Hiveworks leadership was a forbidden enigma of mystery and no one knew what the fuck was going on at any time.

Hiveworks spent money inappropriately, most notably Xel using Kickstarter money to make a"large personal purchase".

Less dramatically but still bad, money was spent on ads for comics that were long-dead instead of active ones [This is the only claim I can say 100% is true; I've seen ads for dead comics on Hiveworks sites a lot and have long been confused by it]

Hiveworks leadership were just generally huge assholes

Hiveworks staff has not been getting paid, and Hiveworks has $17,000 in unpaid wages floating, and $340,000 in debt.

Support Hiveworks Artists in this trying time

Don't spread speculation and rumors

Pretty much every claim made here has been floating around for years, so I believe every word of this, and know how difficult it is for the Hiveworks Artist Guild to stand up so officially like this. If you know any struggling Hiveworks artists that you like, maybe now's a good time to throw 'em a few bucks on Patreon.

[phantomarine]

Why I Left Hiveworks

The Cartoonist Cooperative

Making comics better for everyone!

For anyone who ever wanted to know why I and many of my friends left Hiveworks, please read the above open letter that we, the members of the Hiveworks Artist Guild, have penned and shared with the Cartoonist Co-op.

My fellow webcomic creators at Hiveworks were amazing - and their vast reserves of hard work and creativity were used and abused in so many ways. The above Guild Letter is the result of 3 years of trying to save something we thought was worth saving. We failed in one way, but we succeeded in others. Please listen to my peers as they tell their own stories, and support their comic journeys away from Hiveworks. For many, their stable foundation is now gone.

Below the cut is a transcription of my posts from today over on Bluesky, for anyone on Tumblr who wants to see and share. It's long, but it's all here. Please read the open letter before reading my testimony, just for some extra context. My story is one tiny part of a much larger whole.

Thank you for listening to us.

My Experience:

Most of my personal bad experience at Hiveworks was the result of head editor Isabelle Melançon, who is the creator of the massively popular webcomics Namesake and Crow Time. Isa's cumulative internet audience is enormous, and many of us have been wary of saying anything for fear of backlash. I know her work has touched hundreds of thousands, but please take this as you will.

Phantomarine was one of the last comics to join Hiveworks by submission in 2021. Hiveworks creators are interviewed prior to acceptance, and I was told that I could ask for a critique during that interview. I was immediately given one without asking.

Isa said that she had discovered my work the year prior, but she hadn't liked it, so she had specifically not invited me to Hiveworks as she does many others. Someone else at the company liked it, though, and wanted me to join. But not her. Not the head editor. She had other harsh criticisms for the story and characters as well - some of which, in hindsight, made it clear that she had not actually read much of my work at all. But it didn't matter to me at the time. I left the interview in tears.

I was given a chance to 'redeem' myself by making a new prologue for the comic, to "make it less confusing and bad." Which, to be fair, DID make the comic a bit better in the end. But it was clear that I was never wanted in the first place, and that made me feel like an ugly weed in the walled garden. I would never really belong.

To my joy, people flocked to Phantomarine pretty quickly after I was accepted - the 'webring' aspect of Hiveworks still served as a great connecting point for so many incredible comics, and new readers found me through those links. I found an audience that has only grown since. For that much, I am very grateful to Hiveworks.

Over the years it became clear that there were other creators who were also told that their work was inferior from the start. And the belittling didn't really stop for us, even after that first interview. Isa had a habit of going to DMs to neg people who were celebrating milestones - I was no different. No one could shine if they were constantly in her shadow.

Her influence extended to various technical troubles as well. Anyone who ever saw me complain about someone at Hiveworks who gave me lots of conflicting direction on my first book's cover, that was also Isa. Sadly I wasn't alone in this. Several Hiveworks creators got confusing design advice that contradicted itself over and over, leading to some cover illustrations that we weren't very proud of. But she would always be proud of them, because that was 'her' work.

Some advice I received from her:

1) Don't feature the characters on the cover on their own, you have to show them in action in the world

2) Don't show them in action, because the comic is not an action comic

3) Don't show the world because people don't read the comic for the world, they read it for the characters

4) A cover featuring a single character is usually a romance comic

5) Don't feature your characters on the cover at all, because no one knows who they are

Which is all clearly bonkers when lumped together. It was impossible to make a cover that pleased her, unless it was done exactly from her own ideas.

Out of all my concepts for that Volume One cover, maybe it's no wonder that she chose the one where my main character, Phaedra, was the smallest. I could never shake the feeling that making her small was the whole point. I'm still happy with the cover but yeah. Stuff I think about.

It was always just so mind-numbing to hear both: "Do what I do because it's best," and "Don't do what I do, it's not right for your comic." The only kind of comic that was acceptable was one made by her. The rest of us were going to be lesser by default. It was universal.

Troubles outside Hiveworks include Valor 3, a long-unfulfilled Kickstarter anthology that has several Hiveworks’ creators work in it. Take a look at the comments page. Why was something like this left to rot, but her own work was allowed to flourish? If you backed this Kickstarter, maybe ask for your money back. It's been nearly 7 years.

Valor Anthology: Volume 3

The final volume of our fairy tale comic anthology trilogy about courageous heroines, Valor 3 : Cups.

The excuse, as you might see in various places, was always her health - always always her health. And we always wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, because we’re all struggling with something. Life gets in the way, and sometimes comics have to take a backseat.

But the financial debt kept piling up, and the time kept passing. And nothing ever seemed to get in the way of the crow comics. There was always time and energy for tons and tons of crow comics.

I want to say how much I looked up to Isa when I first came across her on Twitter. Every time she liked or interacted with my work was a huge boost to my day. I know others have felt this too. She made herself into a daunting presence in the webcomic community. That illusion faded so quickly for me.

Conclusion

I ultimately left Hiveworks after seeing the full extent of financial turmoil (to the tune of $340,000 in debt) but because of Isa, I never really felt like I was part of Hiveworks to begin with. A sad number of people feel the same. We jumped ship when the ship became unsalvageable, but much emotional damage had already been done.

Please check out others' testimonies here and on Bluesky, and you'll see far worse stories than mine. Whatever you take from all of this, take this: please, PLEASE do not ever work professionally with Isa or Hiveworks CEO Xellette Velamist. I have had to hold my tongue for five years, and I will not do it anymore. The damage they've caused extends far beyond Hiveworks. Please don't let it spread further.

Listen and beware. And thank you.

-Claire/Clam

[pepurika]

Home from Petra's Shop

Petra Nordlund's Tiger, Tiger merchandise!

THE LAST 185 BOOKS OF TIGER, TIGER- HIVEWORKS EDITION ARE NOW UP FOR SALE!

They are all signed and numbered, and there are also new sticker sheets and metallic pins of Luck! The book is incredibly well made, and it weights over a kilo, so it's HUGE. Consists of the first four chapters of Tigers!

Sulo, the person who handles the shipping has worked hard figuring out the best and cheapest shipping for every country, which sadly consist mostly only European countries.

WE DO NOT SHIP TO THE US AT ALL! People in the US, please seek out for the Seven Seas edition instead! Their resellers can be found from here; https://sevenseasentertainment.com/books/tiger-tiger-vol-1/

The Seven Seas edition is also running out, so if you want the book, this is your last chance to get it!

[ufophy]

i have been reading comics on hiveworks for 14 YEARS. and it all makes SO MUCH SENSE reading the hiveworks guild statement: why 90% of comics petered off, or died slowly. creators becomig so drained and discouraged by a system that was SUPPOSED to support and uplift them!!! NO WONDER ! its so awful hearing how much bullshit these artists had to wade through, and my heart goes out to them.

Guilds are important. Artists supporting each other is VITAL. Share your favourite comics, uplifting your fellow creators and DON'T LOSE HOPE!!!

[marsoid]

🔥 RIDE OR DIE UPDATE! 🔥

4 new pages!

When Lucky learns his missing mother was a renowned street racer, he and flirtatious mechanic Vick enter an illegal racing tournament using her old car to find answers. As they attract the attention of a masked cult leader, they discover the muscle car is possessed by a demon, with secrets and vengeful ambitions of its own.

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Read update | Tapas | Webtoon

First page | Read ahead on Patreon

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And don't forget to check out the Ride or Die KICKSTARTER!!