3.20 - C Preview

@ngozi just wondering if there's a version of the group shot of them (in gear on ice) without words? (my b if someone already asked.)

woooow that was amazing!!!! Im so emotional <3<33!!! I wonder who bitty voted for for captain though??? :O!!!

the "exactly how I am" panel is when I LOST IT btw. You're such an amazing storyteller :'((

@ngozi girl you had me crying in a public toilet when you dropped this HAHA. I'm so happy for Bitty, and the loves he's found and how far he's come :) First out and proud NCAA hockey captain <3

I knewwwwwww it I knew he was gonna become Captain and my narrative hunches are always correct and will continue to be correct forever. SUCKAS

I am Bitty's face looking at Bitty's face as he accepts the C...This is too good. Too, too good. *watery smile*

CM

I've never gotten through a work shift as quick as I did today. made a bee line to my phone and read it right away. then got home and read again on my computer. I legit cried. This update was so beautiful.

The tone of this comic has my heart all up in knots. I might have shed a few tears at how far Bitty has come, and how much I LOVE HIM. His game face is so fierce and seeing it makes me so proud! And the team feels! His boys!!!! <3 Also this update is just visually gorgeous, my gosh. so wonderful!!!

Is Nursey the only one too cool for a tie or did he just spill something on it already? Yes.

Ngozi

Whoops, gah! I don't know anything!!

Ngozi

I think I may have set off the neighbourhood dogs, my squee was so high pitched! So much <3!

Jay

I see Nursey is the only one too cool for a tie, or did he just spill something on it already?

Aww, Jack's star chart... though as a nitpicker I'll note that QuebeC is abbreviated QC these days (and was PQ, Province de/of Quebec, for the first year of Jack's life). QB sounds like the kind of mistake Bitty would make, though.

Lis

love love love love love. Especially love: Bitty's lil tear in the last panel! Dex's face in the penultimate panel because that is the exact same face I'm making! "Exactly how I am." (!!!!!) Ollie and Wicky's fist bump hahaha. The lighting in Faber in the first panel! It's all amazing and I love it.

Also, I squeed for a solid five minutes!!! Thank you!!

I figure you might want to know it looks like there's a spacing error in the first panel, "I won't" is "I w on't".

Yayyyyyy!

i know exactly why i'm crying in the club right now................... T.T

I saw that coming and I'm still all teary. Go Captain Bitty!

Kelsey Kumpula

Im so happy????????

Unanimous Captain Bitty! I'm so happy for him! And Jack in RI: I sense a great disturbance in the force, as if something really fantastic just happened...

I read it at work and was flailing in my office. I was so proud of Bitty, you'd think he were actually my son. I got weepy! :D

!!!!!!! "Exactly how I am." Just murder me, why don't you, this is so great! I LOVE BITTY! ;___; <3 I also legit fist pumped and said "YES" out loud when I saw Bitty got captain, I am THE MOST PROUD! :,)

Allegra

CAPTAIN BITTY OMG I'M SO HAPPY FOR HIM. Honestly a small part of was kinda convinced we were gonna get bamboozled by Ollie and Wicks again :)

Danielle McManus

Whiskey's messy hair 🔥🔥🔥🔥

This update is Everything to me. This has been such a journey to get here AND there's still one more year. I'm so happy for all of them. I'll miss the original members but they're graduating and that's exciting.

So so great.

Jennifer Koons

I AM SO HAPPY FOR MY BABY BITTY. HE SKATED OFF THE CHECK, HE'S GROWN SO MUCH.

Also, dang Nursey why you gotta have such an attractive profile.

So does this make NHL!BItty more plausible? I'm torn between being overjoyed for Bitty and terribly worried about how he's going to balance it all.

Jenrose

Now that's he's captain, first order of business is BURN THE COUCH

thank you sooo much N!!!! i cried !!!!

!!!!!!!!

Kuro12

Also, Team Banquet Suit is my favorite outfit of all of Bitty's-- I'm surprised he still fits in it, with as much character growth as he's exhibited! (But seriously, all the fics are like, "blue suit, red bowtie", and I'm over here going NO NO NO GREY SUIT, GREEN BOWTIE!!!)

audiaphilios

Bitty's gotta train up next year's captain, right? RIGHT?! (And Bitty showed him that you can be gay and strong!)

audiaphilios

OH MY GOD IT'S OFFICIAL the real Year 4 conflict is Time Management. (I figured this would happen, but I'm so *worried* for this boy.)

audiaphilios

i am SOBBING this is so good yes yes yes

UNANIMOUS VOTE???? Oh, Bitty!!!!! I'm so in love with the colors in this update, and the details, and how you've everybody's faces have been aged just enough to show that it's the end of the year. It's absolutely amazing!

Ahem, also Jack apparently got a haircut and i'm dead

Crying in my car in the Target parking lot thanks!!!!!!!

Katie Larson

YAAAAAS SO HAPPY AND SO PROUD

also, LOOK AT LARDO AND JUST, THE WHOLE TEAM. SO BEAUTIFUL. WHAT A TEAM!!!!

I AM SCREAMING AND CRYING. my poor roommates, y'all. They have no idea. But OH MY GOD. oh my god. So many emotions. They've progressed and grown so much together and I'm so happy that as a reader, I've been able to witness it all. Ugh UNANIMOUS

I'm reading this in the bathroom at work and crying on the toilet because I'm so so so so so proud of Bitty. "They're my boys" YES. YES BABY. YOUR TEAM.

n ive been crying for the past 40 minutes over how much i lov this fictional team you've wrecked me

ariel

I'm gonna come for you, Tippy. GDI.

Right in the feels!!! I don't know why but Dex's face at the banquet especially kills me. He looks so soft and proud. And the little tears in Ransom's eyes when Bitty gets up!!

He just leaned on out a window and hollered "YO JACK IT'S YA BOY"

Ngozi

His expression just warmed my heart T_T He loves Bitty a lot

SQUEEEEEEE!!!!

This comic is such a Bitty Wins one, I'm so happy. Especially since he still has a lot of personal hurdles coming up. Thank you N!

UNANIMOUS MY HEART

Dale Kay

*cries* I am always in awe at the story telling that N does. And the parallels/mirroring that she does makes me come back to this comic over and over. I always manage to find something new to scream over. I gotta go show my twin this he just got home. It's gonna be amazing watching him flip out over this.

And im guessing Jack finds out about the C at the same time as the team because Holster's yelling and cheering can be heard in RI?

Oh Bittle when you smile I am undone, my son. Bitty and Jack are #legends who the team have supported like no one else, amazing. Lardo's face in that clapping group shot kills me, oh gosh. Beautiful work.

Emily Janecdotes

Dex's face is killing me!! Please tell me a special Dex and Bitty friendship is happening!

Question: who did Bitty vote for?

Cas Wanden

Bitty's face in the last panel is my face reading this update. I feel personally attacked by this emotional content.

Cas Wanden

Also, I really need all of the pictures that were cut off kthxbye

Contrary to what Jack thinks, Bitty apparently doesn't take many selfies. He's a lucky boy, Jack is.

This update has my crying for multiple reasons. Firstly, Bitty's Captain! Also, how much he has grown over the past three years. Also, Bitty is going into his final undergrad year. I'm going back for my final year in a week! I can't believe it. The time has flown by!

awwww I am so proud of Bitty!!!! But also WHERE IS CHRIS CHOW IN HIS CAMERA ROLL??

Bitty's pie seduced him away lol

And also I have never been so nervous to read an episode!

I seriously think panel 6 here (with Bitty on his knees on the ice) is now my favorite panel of the comic. This one was so good.

Same!

EEE!

Power couple destined to go down in Samwell history.

Lis

Also can we talk about the fact that the only other person who got unanimous votes was his BOYFRIEND

Did we manage to successfully detangle Whiskey from the Lacrosse Bros?

I may have fist bumped the sky and burst into tears. My favorite panel was the one with the whole team huddled together: "I've trusted them with my hopes, my fears, my secrets, and they've trusted me too." That really is what the whole comic is about, isn't it?

Such a lovely update! I always knew Bitty was probably going to be Captain, but my reaction is still super emotional and happy!

Elfinder

loved that!

he's the first openly gay ncaa hockey captain and im so proud 😭😭😭

Holster: my loudest son

N!!!! I'm at work and I just almost started crying. God I love these boys so much I'm so proud of Bitty and so happy that he has all these people who love him and it makes me so emotional ;-;

Also, have we ever seen Dex look that fondly at anyone/ thing before? I think not.

Look at Dex at the banquet, I think this is the happiest we've ever seen him!

I'm so proud of him getting captain but I'm so much more proud of him shaking off that rough check and getting back into the game

I wish I could post a gif to fully encapsulate my feelings about this update. Also, these aren't tears, there's just something in my eye. Like a twig. Or a branch.

That's the couch's money for the couch.

Ngozi

I'M HOWLING

Not gonna lie....teared up at the end. I'm so happy for Bitty!!!!! <3

the important question, though: who claimed the money in the couch?

I feel like a proud mom right now. Look at him. Look how far he has come with everything. Look at how many people he has who love and support him!!!!!!!!

I'M SO HAPPY THANK U NGOZI I AM #BLESSED

Thanks for posting this here, it's great to have a place where we can comment about it! Always so hard keeping your mouth totally shut until the public release

Justaphage

duties as Captain - oh dear - Bitty will be judge in the Fine Court. I see this going about as well as Hazeapalooza.

UNANIMOUS! They all love Bitty so much <3<3<3

This is amazing, thank you so much for sharing! :D

Oh jeez! I'm so proud of that boy! He deserves this so much!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3

I'm crying at work oh god why! This made me so emotional in the best way! Just, Bitty realizing how strong he truly is and how much he's grown and how much the whole team loves him back and why can't I stop crying????

I didn't know it was possible to be this proud of someone fictional? #allthefeels I'm so excited for Jack to do something EXTRA to celebrate! Captain boyfriends!

Oh my god!! Ngozi!! I am so proud of hiiim. *bursts into tears*

Look. LOOK. Bitty has put so much love into these boys but also...he's a really great hockey player who has improved by LEAPS and BOUNDS since he started and goes out of his way to support his team on and off the ice (like they support him) and everyone--even the tadpoles--have recognized that? Man. ...the question is... how is Bitty going to balance all the stuff senior year? School work (which we know he's not strong at), duties as Captain, hockey, relationship with Jack... I can't wait to see where his final year takes him! Hopefully not to academic probationT_T

Nagako

Me too!! I'm just so proud of him :')

Good point!

Holly

The last 2 panels especially - omg. Tears!

Lisa Carey

OH MY GOD! <3 I am just dying. Oh good lord. Found/made families are just my JAM and... *tears of joy*

Nagako

I definitely teared up at my desk at "exactly how I am" Hoping the blog post art is Jack's reaction!

painted

OH NO THAT GUY NEEDS HAIR BRB

Ngozi

Okay I had to refresh patreon because A LOT OF COMMENTS: - Hm. Like who did Jack vote for when he was voted captain? Did he cast a vote at all then? We know Ransom and Holster voted for each other...We can definitely agree that unanimous means "everybody who is not Bitty voted for Bitty" at the very least. Right? 8^v - Jack's reaction = "not surprised at all bits why is my face wet when i'm not exercising or haven't lost a big game oh those are tears of JOY" (he probably is going to give Bitty a big hug and tell him he's really proud of him.)

Ngozi

I just realized, Ngozi released this as a birthay present to Jack. What a thoughtful creator. :)

If it was unanimous, doesn't that mean Bitty voted for himself?

Also, DUDE, I see at least three of the nameless members of SMH at the next banquet table over... Can we get some info on those guys? Is one of them bald??

This is beautiful! SO PROUD OF ERIC!!

Awwww I'm so happy for Bitty!!! <3 <3 <3

Ahhh!!! I knew it! I saw his green bowtie during the livestream and I knew it was a good sign! He wore a green bowtie to the first banquet, so it seemed like a sign that things would come full circle!!! I'm so proud of Bitty, he's come so far!

TD Keh

Beautiful!! The line about being strong just how he is had me legit tearing up at work. Really appreciate your work!

Jack is going to lose his damn mind, but also say, "I knew it!" <3

I really just burst into tears when they announced Bitty as captain (and I'm at work oops) but anyway I'm so proud of him!!!! And when he says "They're my boys" I cried a little more like wow he has grown so much and his hockey family loves him so much!!!!! He is so happy with his team

Egg

Second all of the above!! Who did bitty vote for and what is jacks reaction? So much love in the banquet panel ❤❤❤

Thanks! (Edited!!)

Ngozi

If it is highlighted it gives bitty a good reason to come out to his parents, so they wouldnt hear it from someone else

How fucking proud is Jack!!!

MESS ME UP NGOZI!!! AHhHHhHh

there's some badly-kerned lettering in the first panel - "I W ON'T". and also I am having ALL THE FEELS. ALL OF THEM.

Is bitty the first openly gay NCAA captain? Will this be highlighted at all? (I'm guessing not since this comic hasn't been concentrating on that.)

yo that's a really good question... a unanimous vote can't be unanimous because the person can't vote for themselves.... right?

Oh man, it was unanimous so Bitty had to vote for himself, right? The character growth!!!

Blog questions: I second who did Bitty vote for.

omgomgOMGOMGOMG BITTY! :D

MY FACE IS NOT WET, YOUR FACE IS WET!! yay cap'n bitty!!! Blog questions? is this going to make bit's life even more complicated? we saw Jack's acceptance speech after he made captain, what else did Bitty say? what did they have for lunch? :)

I wonder who Bitty voted for lol

I'm so glad I was home along when I read this so I didn't have to contain my clapping and squealing. Also, YES I NEED JACK'S REACTION

Jack: WHY IS NO ONE TAKING PICTURES....OF MY BOYFRIEND....I NEED LIVE VIDEO....YOU'VE ALL LET ME DOWN

Ngozi

What did Jack say when he found out?

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I read this on the overtime blog and was legit tearing up, then came here and found that it was a universal response. 😭😭

i knew it would be him! i love it! i'm so proud!

That panel at the table is so wonderful, both from an art perspective and also an emotional perspective. Holster yelling especially kills me, that boy is so much.

Omg yes!

im so so happy

ariel

also JACK'S GONNA BE SO PROUD

YAY!! I loved all of the pictures but especially Bitty as Captain!!! He's grown so much! *wipes away proud tears*

Caroline

I can't believe I have to work in two hours and I'm already crying

Tony May

I was so hoping he would be captain, was afraid maybe you wouldn't go that way but I"m so glad. I'm also glad that this focused on the team and its effect on Bitty, and how it helped him grow, and not just about Jack, although of course the team includes him.

Oh no this is more tears than I expected.....go ERB #15???

Ngozi

Oh I'm definitely crying.

jk I know exactly why I'm cryin' in the club right now

IM NOY CRYING. YOURE CRYING.

Omg N you are the best

I don't know why I'm cryin' in the club right now

Oh my god oh my dear sweet freaking lord. I have a giant bubble of happiness in my heart and it's gonna pop any minute. This is the first time I've had a chance to give direct feedback to a comic so I will be super brief but - "EXACTLY HOW I AM." That's what made me cry. YES, BITTY, YOU'RE GOOD JUST AS YOU ARE. And loved. By Jack, by SMH, and by all of us. THANK YOU FOR THIS NGOZI. <3

there are literal tears in my eyes

I'm crying at work because I'm so proud of Eric Richard Bittle!!!

KNEW IT. HE HAD TO BE CAPTAIN!!! so cuuttteeeeeeeeeeee

bimbodollie

Y'all!! I CRIED.

Johanna Bowline