Posted during a serious upheaval in Shawn’s personal life at the time, this strip would mark the beginning of what Red Ring fans refer to as “The Dark Ages” of Red Ring’s lifespan, from around 2014-2016. It is hard not to see why. I don’t want to go into too many of the details regarding what Shawn was going through at this time, since so much of it is public knowledge at this point due to a highly publicized trial (and various other unseemly events). But suffice it to say, Shawn felt abandoned by many of those he believed cared about him at this time, and this was his way of expressing it. We would prefer not to post any Red Rings from around this period, but we feel it is necessary for historical context. 

For one wondering who the man is holding the hammer: that’s Rian Levinger, author of the contemporary gaming strip Fantasy Follies. The two had a falling out after Shawn made some insensitive remarks about his sister’s personal issues.