FYI

FYI
This Week - Next Step with Publishers Part 1

February is drawing to a close, and I am just about ready to begin researching interview requests... just requests! That way if I am approved for an interview I can launch right away.

But what was the result of February's inquiries?

I approached six companies with reviewer inquiries. Dark Horse, DC, Dynamite, IDW, MARVEL and Valiant.

Two of the six emailed me in one day with answers. That would be Dynamite and IDW... however on Dynamite's front? Well I was contacted, but the email sent was rather... vague. So I sent an email inquiring for details, of which I have yet to hear back. I will send another email (to the first person who contacted me) and try again.

OK. As for the three inquiries I made?

Press Releases.
I now receive news from IDW and Valiant, which I need to now post daily to get all caught up.

Yeah. Valiant didnt contact me, but they did put me on their mailing list for news.

Interviews
I can make requests of IDW... thats it.

Technically the invitation is also available from Dynamite... so I am going to buy me a batch of Army of Darkness and make an interview request or three (one at a time slowly) and see how I fare.

Review Material Request
Well... I was expecting that this would have to be something done reasonably... it will never again be the first decade of the 21st Century, and I have some great reviewing tales of that era. So what happened?

IDW gave me permission to do sneak peek recommendations and I finally set a recommendation scale for the article, which means I am drafting up my first Sneak Peeks IDW article that I will send to the Editor at RKYV for consideration ASAP. Stay tuned for updates and a blogcentric version coming soon. And yes, embargoes will be respected, even if I dont plan to spoil nothing on 5 or so pages of sneak peek.

Dynamite? Again the offer is there but I plan on carrying the burden abit first before making my first request. And... that is it. Don't get me wrong I am quite thankful for this oppertunity and all, but at the end of the day... well... wow.

Next up I am talking about plans for the upcoming "That New 52 Smell" cast. The hows of reviewing, what I will review, and so forth. Stay tuned!
"

Start of the Week (delayed, sorry)

Start of the Week
Feb 25th

Well once again its the start of a brand new week, so lets see whats going on.

Wrapping up wait on publishers
Well we are rounding the corner to the finish line, and the wait on publishers. I will be doing the writeup on the whole experience in two weeks, unless Dark Horse responds this week.

Nothing changed since I last bought up the topic, so I am going to say most likely I wont be hearing from DC Comics or MARVEL. Oh well. In that regard...

- In light of events the best thing to do is to keep a positive spin on everything and put in that extra bit of effort to bring you content.

- To that end I will drop in from time to time to check both DC and MARVEL for news on slow news weeks.

- While not being able to make interview requests is a bit disappointing we can still point out the many others who can deliver interviews, and recommend them to you.

- Will continue planning to review titles from each company. Probably acquire subscriptions.

Yes, I am kinda disappointed in the turn of events. No hiding that. But once again there really is nothing to do but roll with it and maintain an overall positive spin on the whole matter. It really is the only option.

Maybe with hard work and due dilligence I can try again in 2-4 years, who can say.

In the end I did hear from half the publishers, so at least that is something good. At least there is that.

OK. Lets see what am I working on this week.

Tuesday - This Old Comic Addict
X-Men Evolution #3-#8 (Part 2)

Thursday - FYI
My thoughts on what is next in covering DC and MARVEL.

Saturday - Book Em' Danno
Update on progress in preparing to write ebooks.

Sunday - News Weekend

That is that otherwise. By next week a large amount of review content should be in, so I will have lots to say about that. Stay tuned.

Last minute update
Presently developing a new podcast specifically covering one of the publishers... that won't give me the time of day.
Presently working on "That New 52 Smell" covering a batch of New 52 titles from DC Comics... stay tuned as I post more information on the coming cast coming soon.

FYI This Week

FYI
Publishers Week 3

Now that we are rolling again full time... once RKYV Online #55 releases... anyway it's time to once again say hi to the publishers, and learn the 2013 ground rules.

Mind you back in the early 21st Century, when I worked for Comic World News and Comic Book Insider I already had contact with the likes of Dark Horse and MARVEL Comics pre Disney... and I tried to contact DC but I think they turned me down. But that was then, this is now. So far I have done 2 waves of contacts to date.

Wave 1 - DC Comics, IDW, MARVEL and Valiant.
Wave 2 - Dark Horse and Dynamite

From this so far I have come to the following conclusions.

- All responses to date have been... random.

Dynamite and IDW took 1 day each to respond. Valiant it was almost two weeks, and it was a press release as opposed to a proper greeting email.

- All responders to date are publishers I have no prior experience with. Valiant I am still befuddled about personally.

Lets see... I am on the PR mailing list for Valiant, but I am waiting on my first press release from Dynamite.

I am told Dynamite will help me with reviews, but they didnt say how yet or if that includes review material requests. I did send an email for verification... haven't heard back from them yet.

Valiant? No contact emai so no idea where I stand on either interview requests or review material requests.

Best thing to do right now, I think, is stick to the plan. Do my research, prepare reviews and get ready to drop my first interview request... but still, even with the news I am getting? This is very little to work with. So that is where we are right now. We are onto week 3 of FYI, and over the halfway point of the month, and I have made contact with three publishers.

News on upcoming releases? Got that from IDW and Valiant... still waiting on Dynamite.

Interview requests? IDW... and MAYBE Dynamite.

Review Material Request? IDW... well actually its 5 page previews so my RKYV Online article will be called "Tickle Your Fancy" utilizing my preview rating system.

Now explain to me how a five page preview can violate an embargo.

Dynamite I have that vow of assistance, but need to gather more information on what that means.

So, in actuality, to date I am at the minimum in regards of review material requests. Maybe that will change with further contact with Dynamite and Valiant... stay tuned.

Admittedly I am the most perplexed by my contact with Valiant. From listening to the podcast Only the Valiant I actually had a warmer, more interactive and open image of Valiant in my mind when I contacted them. But this? Confuses me. I think I will drop an email on Only the Valiant to see what they say. Stay tuned.

Well thats it for the week behind the scenes. Next week? We'll look at some of the new stuff I'm writing up for http://rpgunite.blogspot.com, so see you next week!

Start of the Week

Start off the Week
Week 2

So here we are once again. Monday has rolled around once again, and yes this time I mean Monday, forgot to change the opening last time to denote a Midweek update, so lets see what we're working on this week!

Big Six Wait Continues... take 3.
It is now Day 15, and I so far know I am in contact with Dynamite, IDW and Valiant... only Dynamite I am still uncertain how much I am in contact with them, and Valiant I just know I get news from them... and I am still waiting on Dark Horse, DC and MARVEL... oh well. Any fresh progress to speak of? Stay tuned, I am getting to that.

So what is coming up? Well coming up this week... again.

Tuesday - This Old Comic Addict
X-Men Evolution #1 to #8

Thursday - FYI
Publishers Update

Saturday - Book Em' Danno!
Bloodshot #1

Sunday - News Weekend
Latest News!

Another week, another batch of original content. If you like what we are releasing please follow the blogs (RKYV Revue and This Old Comic Addict) I am updating weekly. It would be most appreciated! Well we are all caught up so lets get back to the count down... starting from the 14 and ending at the 15... short update.

When it was all said and done...

- I was receiving abit of press news from IDW and Valiant, but nothing yet from Dynamite.

- Didnt hear nothing from the guy at Dynamite concerning review aid so I sent him some questions for verification.

- Havent heard a peep from Valiant. Presently thinking contact limited to press releases but we'll see.

- No contact yet with Dark Horse, DC or MARVEL.

So in short while a thing or two was cleared up a little, the rest remains a mystery. Stay tuned.

I think that is about it. Bing thing today is all the news to put up so I should get back to that. See you next weelk for another start of the week rant!

FYI Week 2

FYI
Introduction Part 2
Sweet 16 & Updates

Continuing from last time we wrap up the Sweet 16 list by looking at MARVEL and Valiant... then I have an update on my contacting the big 4! But first thing first...

MARVEL
About as good a time to jump in since they just twice rebooted themselves, their present gimmick being the MARVEL NOW line, of which I will tap into review wise.

Avengers
What can I say? It's an Avengers title, and Avengers 2 is coming up 2015... go figure.

Guardians of the Galaxy
Since we will be talking about it next year with the coming movie I might as well review the comic.

Superior Spider-Man
I'd say we are in for the long haul... but rumor has it Peter gets over being dead in Issue #7 at the earliest...we'll see what I do next with this title when that happens.

X-Men
New female led X-Men title? Me want.

And finally...
Valiant Comics
Presently it sports 5 titles, but I am only reviewing 4... the 5th, Harbringers, I will pick up in Trade Paperback format.

Archer and Armstrong
Bloodshot
Shadowman
X-O Manowar

My crowning achievement with Valiant, though, will be the series of ebooks I plan to write covering the history of Valiant in the 90's. I also have books planned for covering Defiant Comics, Malibu's Ultraverse and MARVEL to an extent. Stay tuned to Book Em Danno for more info.

Now onto some pretty positive news... and that is I contacted the big four publisher I mentioned (DC, IDW, MARVEL and Valiant).

As my usual when contacting publishers I focus on 3 criteria of relations.- Press Releases, aka the Daily Newsfeed of comics. What's new, what's big, what's up and coming.

- The ability to make interview requests

- Review Material Requests

With those three basics set to mind I approached the big four, resulting in...

Day 1 (February 4th)
Made contact with IDW. Brief and right to the heart of the matter. Look forward to...

- IDW News, here every Sunday as well as with RKYV Online.

- Researching for first interviews.

- IDW Reviews article coming in, double the words double the reviews... previews. I am still figuring that out.

Day 5 (February 8th)
As the first week drew to a close... nothing else happened. But still I figured I would be patient. After all this doesnt go up until February 14th. Plenty of time, right?

So I waited. And waited... and waited...

Week 1 ended, and... we'll end it here. What happens next? Lets see... Day 8 we brought in Phase 2, and that is when I heard from Dynamite. Then I began receiving press releases from Valiant from Phase 1 so I knew I did get in contact with them... but the details remained rather unclear, kinda like my present dealings with Dynamite really.

Next time?
Well unless there is a major update in this venue, ie I hear back from Dark Horse, DC or MARVEL... also looking for more info on my dealings with Dynamite and Valiant as well. Stay tuned.

End Note?
If I don't hear back from MARVEL before the end of the month? I am seriously thinking of bumping them in favor of Dynamite, who I have heard back from.

Start of the Week Midweek Update

Start off the Week
Mid Week 1 Update

So here we are again. Monday has rolled around once again, so lets see what we're working on this week!

Big Six Wait Continues... take 2.
As February started I contacted the four big publishers, and as of Day 1 I heard back from IDW! Then I expanded it to six, and one day after that expansion I heard from Dynamite. It is now Day 15, and I am still waiting on Dark Horse, DC, MARVEL and Valiant.

So then 2 weeks... I mean one and a half weeks have passed... any fresh progress to speak of? Hmmm... good question. As of right now, with the notable exception of Valiant, only publishers I have no past experience with are contacting me... strange though about Valiant, especially since all my listening to Only the Valiant gave me this impression that they would have contacted me first. They're really supposed to be fan friendly. I am abit worried, but I am still hopeful that I hear from them soon.

Sadly after two 1 day responses I wonder if I will hear anything if they did not respond on day 1. Well lets clear away some other stuff first as we wait.

So what is coming up? Well coming up next week...

Tuesday - This Old Comic Addict
X-Men Evolution #1 to #8

Thursday - FYI
Publishers Update

Saturday - Book Em' Danno!
Bloodshot #1

Sunday - News Weekend
Latest IDW (and hopefully Dynamite) News!

Another week, another batch of original content. If you like what we are releasing please follow the blogs (RKYV Revue and This Old Comic Addict) I am updating weekly. It would be most appreciated! Well we are all caught up so lets get back to the count down... as I flashback with past experience.

2/12
We start off by remembering Dark Horse. I did abit in terms of coverage of them in the past, from when I use to work for Comic Book Insider, then homemademech in the UK. I did a few interviews, reviewed a few things, all was good and well.

I thought we left on an ambicle high note... we'll see. Anyway updates?

And then I heard from Valiant... in the form of a Press Release. Well I am on their PR list now. News coming this Sunday. And its great news! Get in at ground level of the new era of Valiant this May 1st, and buy all five Issue ones for $1 a pop, $5 total! I am so there, so look forward to a BIG Valiant review this May!

OK... now my theory is confirmed. I only heard back from all the publishers I had no prior experience with. Go figure. But we have a few days left so...

Actually it looks like we are out of space so special midweek update! Lots happened in a few days so go figure... hopefully Monday's Start of the Week update brings more news. Stay tuned.

Publishers Update 2/11

Well we just heard back from another publisher, Dynamite... I actually seem to be running into a trend but I will talk about that in next week's FYI (2/21).

Still waiting for more info but hopefully we should be seeing press releases from Dynamite for the news section shortly. So stay tuned.

Still waiting on Dark Horse, DC, MARVEL and Valiant. Though if my current trend holds I would think that I would be hearing from Valiant soon since... well... you'll see when I bring up the topic shortly.

OK. Back to work writing and reviewing stuff.

Publisher Meet and Greet Phase 2

Well expanding just a wee bit the search for publishers to speak to, and make interview and or review material requests with. Phase 2, half the size of Phase 1, sends out contact messages to Dark Horse and Dynamite... so that means I am now waiting on word from five publishers to date. Updates to come, stay tuned.