About

The Comic

Inspired by the redwood forests and wildlife of the Pacific northwest, Pacifica is a fantasy adventure comic set in an early 1800s type era that combines mountain men, monsters, and magic. The story follows a thrown together group of outcasts: human, bird-people, beastfolk, and more. They work together and search for a new direction in their lives while battling fantastical beasts and internal conflicts.

In a nutshell: it’s mountain folks coping with Grimm fairy tales, cryptids, and other strangeness in their everyday lives.

This project was mainly inspired from growing up exploring the redwood forests and beaches of northern California with my cousins. It really took shape from my love of comics and tabletop Role-Playing Games like Dungeons & Dragons. I feel that those things instilled in me a desire to share wondrous stories and this webcomic is how I’ve decided to do that.

I hope that the adventures in Pacifica stand out from any other fantasy comic you’ve seen online.

The Artist

Tait is an artist from northern California. Growing up he spent a lot of time wandering the forests of Humboldt County either alone or with his cousins. He later obtained a BA in Art from Humboldt State University due to his love for comics and sequential art. This is his first real attempt at long-form comics online.

In his spare time Tait likes to write, take nature photos, hike, game (both video and tabletop varieties), and read comics online.

Questions & Answers

How often/when does the comic update?

Due to various things making life chaotic right now, the update schedule is sporadic. I am trying to get back to a monthly update schedule, but it’s not clear when this will be possible at the moment. I am continuing work on the comic though.

If there are no comics this week I may post previews, sketches, or other goodies to pass the time to the next update. There is also a link page where you can find other fantasy webcomics to pursue until the next update of Pacifica.

How long have you been working on Pacifica?

I’ve been toying around with the basic ideas behind the comic since the late 1990s. I wanted to create comics online that incorporated nature, wildlife, fairy tale stories, the adventures of heroic fantasy characters, and everything else I love. It probably wasn’t until 2004 or so that the core ideas for what’s actually here on the site started to come together as the recognizable fantasy world it is now.

If a tree falls in Pacifica and you’re not around to draw it, does it make a sound?

I believe the answer to that is “No.” Unless you believe it does, in which case it might if enough other people believe too. Isn’t that usually how magic works for fairy tale characters? 😉

Do you use references when drawing the comic?

Yes. In fact I use my own nature images whenever possible. I invested in a Digital Rebel camera and have literally thousands of beautiful nature pictures that I’ve taken myself. I highly recommend using references to up the quality of your comic drawing.

Is there a world map of Pacifica/Urth somewhere?

While there are a number of fantasy world generator apps that would make this quite easy, I have mixed feelings about actually mapping the world out. I have mapped out certain areas, but I think sharing those maps would take away some of the mystery surrounding my fantasy world.

I would prefer that readers imagine their own relations between the various locations visited in the story.

Will Pacifica be made into a book?

That is the eventual plan, but it’s still a ways down the road at this point. I’m hoping to create several books containing comics and more to expand on the world in different ways. In fact, I think Pacifica would make a great campaign setting or stand alone tabletop RPG game.

Will an anthro __________ show up in the story?

Pacifica will feature a wide variety of anthropomorphic species that appear, but I can’t make any promises about what animals you will or won’t see. I started with only a small number I was going to include, but it has been growing as I come up with new ideas that would be fun. In general, I want to focus on animals actually found in the Pacific northwest. That’s not to say that others can’t show up, but I’m not actively looking for ways to bring them into the story.

Can I create fan art of your characters?

Yes! If you do draw my characters I’d love to see your interpretation of them. Please send me a link through social media or e-mail so I can check out and share your work. I might even put up a fan art page on the site at some point.

How can I support Pacifica?

The best way to support Pacifica is to follow the comic on social media and share links with your friends. Be sure to let your friends know why you enjoy the comic when you link it.

If you’d like some rewards and don’t mind spending a little money then check out Pacifica’s Patreon page. There is also a Ko-Fi page if you’d prefer to leave a one time tip.

Patreon and Ko-Fi both allow you to get your name on the Legends page if you like. I’ll try and give those people a shout out whenever I can.