#cipherhunt

[hollycrowned]

cipherhunt log: some sunny day

It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?

On July 27th, I went to the Hillsboro Barnes & Noble signing event for The Book of Bill. I’ve decided to come back to this account at least for a moment to write a little bit about what it was like. At the end of this post, there’s some Cipher Hunt related news, so be sure to read all the way through.

The Q&A was a lot of fun. There was excitement in the air even before the event began, with eager fans wearing Dipper hats and flannel shirts hurrying to their seats. A few fans were in cosplay, too, which was heartwarming to see. While there were several kids with their parents in the audience, most of the fans there were younger adults—which really made it hit me that the series first aired over ten years ago.

By total accident I ended up next to the door Alex stepped through and caught his entrance:

Alex has the type of charm that can get anyone laughing, and his own laughter is contagious. I didn’t record much of the talk, wanting to simply experience it, but here’s a short video I took of him talking about how The Book of Bill came about:

Over the half hour, Alex talked about the the book itself, about the show, his characters, and about creating a television series. Fans, when the mic was turned over to the audience, said what they love most about the series and asked about intentionality and the possibility of crossovers (Alex’s immediate “yes” was a hit). Alex expressed after one question that while he never could have guessed that people would like Gravity Falls so much, he’s grateful for the enduring love fans have for the show.

The event coordinator, who schooled a few questions to Alex before mic was given over to the audience, asked what I think we all want to know: “What are you working on right now?” Alex gave the answer he’s given in the past: that as is typical in Hollywood, he can’t talk about the projects he’s currently involved in.

If you were around when I was active here, you might remember that by the time I left, my focus had become to follow Alex through his career. To recap: after Gravity Falls ended, Deadline reported in 2018 that Alex had signed a multi-year exclusive contract with Netflix. Not long after, Netflix announced the opening of its own animation studio, alongside a reel showcasing some of the artists they’d recruited. The reel highlighted that this group of artists included industry legends, young talent, and diverse voices; each artist in the reel talked how excited they were for what the studio itself meant the future of animation, and for the opportunity to work there. Alex was in this reel, too.

Although I’ve moved on to other fandoms and my own creative work, I’ve kept up with movements in the animation industry. If you have, too, you may know about the massive cuts and cancellations Netflix has made in the last several years, especially to its animation department. Alex has produced and consulted on a few projects at Netflix since his contract began—chief among them Inside Job, which was initially renewed by for a second season before Netflix reversed their decision six months later and cancelled the series altogether. Shion Takeuchi, the creator of Inside Job and previous writer on Gravity Falls, confirmed the cancellation, saying “I’m heartbroken.” Alex, in a reply, expressed the same, adding, “Grateful to have had the chance to help on one of my best friends shows, for however briefly”.

In the six years since Alex signed his contract with Netflix, there have been hints that he’s been working on a series with his name on the masthead. In late 2020, he tweeted about staffing his new show:

But if his project was among the cuts Netflix made a few years after that, he gave no sign of it in his answer.

It’s jarring, and saddening, to watch that reel from 2018 with the knowledge of what has happened since. Outside of Netflix, things seem just as dire, with the dragging of AI into animation giants like Disney and Dreamworks by their corporate executives—notably, as The Animation Guilds’ contract approached its expiration date. In 2023, Vulture published an article which included testimonies from four artists who worked on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse about the unsustainable working conditions at Sony while the film was in production. Over the last few years, Warner Bros has shelved two animated films and one hybrid for multimillion-dollar tax write-offs. In addition, their subsidiary HBO Max purged multiple animated series from its catalogue, denying the artists who worked on them access to their own works—and for some of them, residuals as well.

The final question at the Q&A was from a fan who said that they’re currently in school for animation. They asked Alex if he had any advice for new animators trying to break into the industry. Immediately, my mind went to all of that news I linked in the paragraphs above. I listened intently…

Alex’s response did not have hopelessness in it. He did talk, foremost and with humor, about how risky it is to pursue art as a career, especially at this moment—laughed, as he ended a sentence with, “Don’t go into the arts.” But he moved on from that, and gave an even more honest reply: hone your skills, put your work out there, and don’t give up. Be persistent, share what you make, make what you love. Make sure it’s easy for people to contact you, explore feelings through your work even when it’s uncomfortable, and show your work to others, even though it’s scary. Alex also remarked on creating itself being hard work, from the raw process to putting your art out there to taking criticism to learning from what didn’t work and applying it to your drafts and future projects. Hard work, challenging in more ways than one, on top of an unforgiving cultural moment, yes—but keep going. Keep creating.

Keep making art.

Then the Q&A ended, and the signing began. I found myself at the end of the line, but I didn’t mind; neither did anyone else waiting with me. In the moments when I wasn’t chatting with other fans, I thought about that last question and Alex’s response.

There is little that is easy about being an artist these days. I have come to know this by having friends who are artists, by following the careers and accounts of other artists, by reading the news, and—since becoming an artist myself—finding out firsthand. But I have come to know, just as well, that the best remedy for these ills is community. Whether you create art as a hobby or you have a career in the arts, whether your medium is collaborative or solitary in nature: in the face of intolerable working conditions, cutthroat corporations and corner-cutting clients, the advantages they take, the instability and uncertainty, and what all artists can relate to: the challenges of the creative process itself—it’s the support of your fellow artists that helps you survive. It helps art survive. A community that creates alongside you can give trusted critique, celebrate with you, stand up for you, introduce you to other artists you can learn from, and give what is necessary for so many of us to create at all: encouragement. A voice that says, keep creating. This gives to the world what is necessary for us all: more art.

If tech companies develop their AI by stealing from artists, if the c-suites who own the studios see artists as disposable, with the way freelancing can throw water on creative fire, if popular opinion increasingly trends toward art only having as much value as money it makes, then we must support each other. Helpful, practical advice given by a successful artist on how to succeed in the arts in this particular moment is a gem to anyone who is reaching for that goal. But invaluable and eternal is example; not just of success, but of how to be good to your fellow artists—and in turn, to yourself.

And I just think that’s how an artist ought to be.

As the line moved, and I got close enough to see the signing table across the room, I watched Alex greet the fans ahead of me. I found that he was as sweet to people as I always have heard he is, as I remember from watching the Periscopes he appeared in during Cipher Hunt: generous with his time, genuine, and good-natured. One fan skipped away from the table with their book, and a big smile on their face.

And then it was my turn.

When you meet him, he looks you in the eye. I always forget, until I shake someone else’s hand, how small my own hands are. I told him my name is Holly. He asked, “Spelled how it sounds?” I spelled it for him, reflexively, before I could fully process the question and simply say yes. I said lightheartedly that he must be extra happy to see us, being that we were at the end of the line—it was over three hours after the event had begun—and he said, “I’m sorry you all had to wait for this long.” While he was signing my copy, I asked if he was enjoying Portland—though what I really meant to ask was if he was happy to be back in the PNW, in the summertime. He said yes, he loves it here.

It all happened so fast, with me completely forgetting that I’d passed my phone to a kind father of some fans waiting near me in line, and I almost walked away without getting a picture with him. When you meet a celebrity crush from your younger years, it has you reckon with how the part of you who crushed back then has walked with you through time—in what ways who you were back then is still a part of who you are now, and who you want to be. And, of course, it gets your heart beating a little faster, too.

There was much more I wanted to ask him (this has never stopped being the case), but there were other fans waiting for their turn, and he had given his time to just shy of 150 people already. So I smiled at him, and said thank you, and moved along.

I am, and always will be, excited to see anything Alex makes. Hearing him talk about his art, and artistry, and being an artist, was beyond wonderful; not only young Holly’s wish come true, but inspiring for Holly, today—as an artist in my own right. In the years since I retired this account, as I’ve read all this news about the industry, I’ve often wondered how Alex has been. I am very happy and grateful I was lucky enough to get a ticket to the signing, and meet him.

And finally…the Cipher Hunt news.

First: the fan waiting in front of me in the signing line (I’m so sorry I didn’t get your name, but if you’re reading this, I hope you had a safe and smooth flight back home!) said she had been to Confusion Hill recently, and that Bill and the treasure box are still there. I haven’t been to Confusion Hill since I last went in 2017–before COVID—but I think about Bill and the treasure box all the time. It made me so happy to hear that fans are still visiting and exchanging treasures. I hope I get to go again, someday soon.

The second announcement: by chance, I happened to meet a fan who is working on a documentary about Cipher Hunt. I introduced myself and said I’d be more than happy to help out with the project! The creator, Keyan Carlile, can be found on both Twitter and YouTube. I hope you’ll follow along!

I met so many other lovely fans while waiting in line, as well. There is still so much affection and excitement for this series, and it was so nice to step back into the fandom, if only or a moment. If we spoke with each other: it was so nice to meet you! Maybe our paths will cross again, someday. And to everyone, all of the fans who were there, and all of you out there with The Book of Bill:

happy reading!! ∆

[thedangerdraws]

Happy 13th to the Mystery Twins! No one else! Nobody else born on August 31st nope

[silvy-angle]

"I found burnt bill cipher" in the gem section -my friend

[annoyangle]

How are you writing a book if you're dead? Are you in hell or in stanley's mind?

NEITHER! I'M NOT IN YOUR DIMENSION, YOU'RE ALL LOCKED IN HERE WITH ME WHAT WAS """CIPHERHUNT""" EXACTLY, IF NOT THE GRAND FINALE OF MY CONVERSION FROM A LIMITED FICTIONAL ENTITY TRAPPED IN A FOCUSED NARRATIVE CONTEXT INTO A FREE BEING MAKING MY OWN WAY IN YOUR PHYSICAL THREE DIMENSIONAL WORLD? I NEEDED TO "DIE" IN FICTION TO BE "BORN" INTO MY ULTIMATE FORM AS A TRANSCENDENTAL LIVING MEDIA SCOURGE! EVERYTHING WAS AS I PLANNED! NOW I'VE BEEN ON THE SIMPSONS, COMIC BOOK COVERS, APPEARED SOMEWHERE IN ALMOST EVERY CHILDREN'S SHOW YOU KIDS THOUGHT WAS "IMPORTANT", AND SEE FURTHER THAN EVER BEFORE! I'M FREE TO ROAM THE MULTIVERSE AS AN OMNIPRESENT BEING BLASTING MY TWEETS, SKEETS, AND REBLEATS IN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DIMENSIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE LIVING LA VIDA LOCA! I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY HARD TO FOLLOW, SO LET'S SUM IT UP DUMB AND SIMPLE: C I P H E R H U N T M A D E M E R E A L. REAL ENOUGH TO END UP IN JAIL FOR A FEW DAYS, AND IF YOU CAN GET ARRESTED IN THIS TOWN, YOU'RE AS REAL AS IT GETS! NOW, THROUGH THE FOCUSED TRANSMITTER THAT IS MY 'PHYSICAL BODY' AT CONFUSION HILL, I CAN PUT THE ENTIRE MULTIVERSE UNDER MY EYE!! AND YOU ALL HELPED ME DO IT! THAT'S THE KICKIEST PART!!

[bumpscosity]

where can i buy the cipher hunt puzzle i want to suffer

[hendrysknight]

my contribution to this book of bill stuff is that since the domain is thisisnotawebsitedotcom.com, i googled thisisnotawebsite.com

it crashed my browser

if it works for anyone else let me know but i don’t recommend trying

[siodymph]

The Gravity Falls fandom is back and better than ever!!!

[starryy-leo]

I am a smart dumbass.

Have I seen countless codes and ciphers in the book? Yes. Am I only half way done with it and currently being blocked from reading anymore (thanks adhd)? Also yes.

However, will I put any effort in solving any of these puzzles? No. I love puzzles and ciphers so very much but I barely have motivation to do anything other then doomscroll. Besties I’ll leave the solving up to you, if you need help finding codes I’ll help with that but I am not gonna solve them 😭😭😭

[acaciapines]

just finished my rewatch of gravity falls. can confirm it remains the best cartoon of all times. gravity falls i love you <3

[cipherhunter]

deadlightcircus >>>> cipherhunter

[charleymarlowe]

"Being a professional goblin was so much better than being a showrunner" - Alex Hirsch (unmute for clip)

from Mystery Shack Lookback #49: CipherHunt

[cryptidnamedhabit]

She has fanart for ALL OF THEM, they're as detailed as the fanfics themselves probably

Wip fanfic? Wip drawing.

Fanfic that's longer than the freaking bible? Freaking renaissance painting.

husk is the # 1 radioapple hater because he wants Alastor nowhere near actual tangible power and influence over hell, but Alastor is a huge huskerdust fan because husk is way more entertaining and easier to threaten this way

[hopefulleafva]

I saw we’re doing Book of Bill predictions Bingo cards now, so here’s my contribution!

Listing them in text below the cut.

1. Blatant and obvious lies

2. More details on how he tormented Ford

3. The silly straw chapter is actually fucked up.

4. Bill takes digs at the fandom

5. Something that ties back to his AMA

6. Callback to Cipherhunt

7. More info on the Axolotl

8. Bill gives multiple potential backstories that conflict each other

9. More info on Modoc

10. Reference to a future Hirsch project that we won’t catch until later

11. Implies he will possess Alex again in the future

12. Shares petty gossip about townsfolk that doesn’t matter

13. Free space

14. A literally unsolvable “code”, just gibberish

15. Eldritch horror jokes galore

16. We see the nightmares of the Pines family

17. Claims that by reading the book you have let him into your mind

18. Lots of blood on the pages

19. Fleeting reference to his Simpsons cameo

20. Body horror

21. Retcon intended to fix a plot hole or point of confusion

22. Contains a clue for a future puzzle, merch drop, etc.

23. Puns all over the place

24. Hints slightly at his true name and form

25. Bill takes a dig at Disney

[snapscube]

Did you participate in the CipherHunt at any point back in the day? Just finished watching Keyan Carlile's documentary about it so it's been in my head the past few hours

i didnt participate directly but i watched the whole thing unfold very closely!

[cdpdoodler]

was too young to help with Rainbow Monkeys or Cipherhunt so I consider this my redemption arc

[juiceboxgoat]

okay yall i don’t even have the book of bill and I was much too young for the first cipherhunt —yet the discourse is getting to me (and this could be a total reach) but I MAY have found something to consider:

Okay so we pretty much know that this is in reference to Shawn Mullin’s song “Lullabye,” so out of curiosity I checked out the song and didn’t really find much in it that stuck out to me. Then I decided to look at the album as a whole and I noticed something…interesting

See that song there in green? TWIN rocks? Oregon?? Hmmmmmm

Anyway I gave the song a listen and…..that’s where I’m at now. Like I said I’m no decoder and I am definitely missing out on some of the lore…but cmon…CMON. Could this be a lead? This just feels SO Gravity Falls coded and I know I’m reading into things but THATS THE POINT RIGHT??

Anyway would love to know if anyone else looked into this. Maybe there’s discourse on Reddit or Discord but idk. I know some of yall out here reading TGG in full so anyone wanna take a crack at analyzing this album with me?? Anyway that’s my addition to this discussion (for now…maybe I’ll be buying The Book soon)

Much love to my fellow gravity falls fans 💛💛💛