Content warnings for the epilogues?

i'd say that it's less about an increase in crude humor as compared to the original comic and more that it's covering more adult content because the story is about adults now. there are a few sex scenes (with varying amounts of seriousness) and the usual amount of violence. candy is a bit more adult in tone.

i don't have specific content warnings to list i fear outside of that, but i'm sure there are others that do!

The epilogues are actually quite dark. Well. Really dark tbh.

There are proper content warnings at the start of it, but I reiterate, I'd sincerely recommend waiting a few years. It is, categorically, 18+.

that being said the content warnings in the ao3 list is definitely a little jokey but is, yknow, accurate to everything that's in there. without knowing you i can't really advise what you wanna do, it's ultimately up to you.

The Homestuck Epilogues explore heavier subjects than Homestuck 1, and they contain some shocking and disturbing content.

The Content Warning list at the start is actually accurate - it's presented like humour, an absurdly long list of CW, but they concretely warn about the content. To put the warning in such a shape was a mean joke in my opinion: in 2019, a lot of people, myself included, though it was simply a joke, and that the following pages would be on par with the usual level of violence of Homestuck.

The double novel mostly talks about f4scism, depression, general existential distress, self-destructive behaviour, abusive relationships, sexual violence, predation and systemic oppression.

Post Act 7 Homestuck is edgy and miserable because apparently that's what being an adult is like according to Hussie. The content warnings are accurate.
If you actually were fond of pre Act 7, skipping the Epilogues wouldn't be a bad idea. They're the equivalent of slipping a turd into your water supply.

The Homestuck Epilogues are a magnificent experimental science fiction double novel and the best thing to come out of the Homestuck franchise (yeah, Homestuck 1 included).

True, they are edgy in some parts, but mostly, the violent and depressing elements serve an aesthetic/philosophical purpose. Won't develop too much as long as this forum doesn't have spoiler tags, but there is a vision behind the book.

i think the best way to describe the epilogues is as "incandescent rage at the last 10 minutes of the harry potter movies where the adults are all married and cops and have kids that they're sending back to hogwarts for some reason." it's adult in content but it was also written for like... "the type of adult that read homestuck as a teen," so waiting a few years is probably a good idea all around. but also wait until you're 18 because it's 18+.

If you're fifteen, I would definitely wait a little bit! The HS Epilogues and further Post-Canon content (so, HS2) are definitely aimed at an older audience. The Epilogues themselves HAVE content warnings, written in the style of an Ao3 fanfiction, but it's a little hard to tell what's a joke content warning (as in, just a one-off Homestuck bit) or what is actually present in a serious way. I would recommend heeding all warnings as serious, just to be safe!

Out of this list, there are a few serious ones that may cause you to wait a few years before reading. Because there are no pictures, and it's just dialogue and prose/narration, it can be hard to bounce between all of the serious topics. Homestuck usually gives you a goofy break by showing you a silly panel during a serious or triggering moment, but the Epilogues don't have that. It's a more serious story on purpose, in that way. The content is similar, but it's presentation is definitely not.

If you're interested in seeing what Homestuck's Post Canon has to say (yay!), I would just be aware of your own boundaries! I'm not your Dad, so if you want to read it nobody can stop you, but just be aware it's a pretty different story, tonally, and is for the "grown up" Homestuck reader. If you wanna wait and come back to it, that's probably best! There's a ton of incredible Homestuck official stuff besides Post Canon, and a billion unofficial projects, that you can consume in the meantime!

Congrats on finishing Homestuck!! I hope you enjoyed it!!

I'd reiterate what others have said. The Homestuck Epilogues is, moreso than Homestuck, a story aimed at adults and about adult topics in a way that absolutely makes it an 18+ story. There's a greater level of gore and sexual content, and the list of content warnings, while presented in a jokey way, is indicative of everything present in the story.

Personally, they are my favorite part of the entire series. I think they're a fascinating exploration on the purpose of narrative and "canon", they have some devastating emotional gut punches, and some fantastic character moments. I would recommend them, but even if not recommending them to someone younger than 18, I would still say to wait a bit after reading Homestuck. This is a story about the "happy ending" not actually being what the characters want. It's a story about the consequences of growing up. Giving some time, at least in your mind, the let the kids "grow up" is probably a good thing.

oh wow. um!

I honestly had no plan to read Epilogues/Beyond Canon. I’m not too fond of sexual themes. :P Thanks for all the help everyone! :)))))

homeslice is way too cute >o< I’ll check out pesterquest and hiveswap as well

Oh, I will say, Pesterquest is post-epilogues. It's mostly not relevant, but the ending may not make much sense if you haven't read the Epilogues. Friendsim and Hiveswap are both great tho and are even a great point to start for folks who haven't read Homestuck yet.

at the time I was 16 when I read the epilogues as they dropped and with the tags and stuff I read it and i felt legitimate dread after reading it, I def recommend waiting a few years even with what's inside is interesting especially within writing theories and such it doesn't joke around with the more serious tags and I don't wanna spoil but definetly wait its not going anywhere and there's no rush to get into things I recommend instead getting into the mspfa adventures or even hiveswap (especially since its the prequel to og Homestuck and we might get more acts soon) and on the mspfa there's so many on going projects and finished ones that are lots of fun to read

tbh more than any actual sexual/graphic content the biggest barrier to entry for the epilogues as a teenager is probably just that they're such a Jaded Adult piece of media lmao. that said even though they're not like THE MOST DISTURBING THING EVER THAT WILL SCAR YOU FOR LIFE they're definitely a step up from the og comic in how serious, dark, and plain old weird the sex and violence are, so know your limits and do what you think is best!

I am a little perplexed seeing some people say you should wait until you're an adult to read the epilogues? At least from my perspective, I am used to reading books that deal with serious issues and dark topics in school. I agree that the epilogues are darker and are aimed at an older audience, but I personally don't think that determines who should read it.

Also kevin, the comparison to Harry Potter's ending is FANTASTIC.

@wolfkitty42

now obviously I can’t speak for everyone but I don’t think it’s a “oh it’s dark and adult you shouldn’t read it as a teen” thing so much as “you will understand and appreciate it more as an adult” thing. like the advice is to foster a better reading experience moreso than shielding from nastiness. a recommendation not a rule

the epilogues should include an extra warning saying "WARNING: Don't read this if you don't want to read 16 year old Vriska emerging from the black hole and getting sexually abused by Gamzee for absolutely no fucking reason."

re:autumn Ohhh yeah that makes sense, I think I sort of misread the tone of some replies here. Thanks!