With all of the changes underway at the new GoComics, we want to give you an update on one of our most-asked-about services: Comics Sherpa, which gives cartoonists the opportunity to post their own work.

As any creator who recently sought to join will have noticed, Comics Sherpa is not currently opening new accounts. Why not? Because, like everything on GC, it's in the process of being rebuilt from the ground up, in order to better serve both creators and readers.

For 13 years, Sherpa has been an independent site linked to the rest of GoComics. The new as-yet-to-be-named version of Sherpa will be an official section of GoComics, hosted entirely on the site.

And the new Sherpa will be open to any creator for free — no more user fees. Any artist will be able to create an account, and post and share their work (within the guidelines regarding acceptable GC content). This means creators will have access to all of the same publishing and administrative tools as GC creators.

Until the re-launch in 2017, Sherpa content will not be available to GoComics readers in their comic feeds, for which we apologize. But Sherpa will continue in its current form as a separate site (comicssherpa.com) and new Sherpa content will appear there.

For current Sherpa creators: Because of the inconvenience to you involved in the changes described above, we are offering a pro-rated refund (based on the launch date, once that is determined). If you would like a refund, please email the Aide de Sherpa, David Stanford (support@comicssherpa.com).

Stay tuned to the GoComics blog for updates about the exciting post-Sherpa publishing platform.