Comments on: Quick News LinkBlogging

By: Don MacPherson

Don MacPherson — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 03:14:06 +0000

Here’s something… interesting from Joshua Elder, given his unfortunate reaction to Johanna’s review. He’s going into the comics-reviewing business himself. Quoting him from The Engine on Nov. 10:

“As of two days ago I’m pretty much the new go-to guy for graphic novel reviews at the Chicago Sun-Times. I’m not sure exactly how often they’ll be running the reviews, but I’m going to try my darnedest to make them a regular feature.”

By: James Schee

James Schee — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 22:45:20 +0000

See so someone did agree with your tastes.:)

Seriously though I have agreed with your takes a lot. There have been times where you’ll talk about how you dislike a certain aspect, say a buddy movie type approach in the Lethal Weapon vain. That I can go “Hmm I can see that, but it wouldn’t bother me so I’ll check it out.”

I’m fascinated by Steady Beat as it takes place in TX, where I live, and I see some similiar things in real life.

DramaCon I was hesitant about, because I’d grown tired of comics about comics. Yet the reviews make it seem to go beyond that which has me wanting to try it.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 21:36:03 +0000

Joshua, for years, I said that more of my readers were likely to use my comments as an opposite guide than a recommendation. That is, if I said, “I hated this”, they’d think, “great, that’s for me”.

That’s changed with the opening up of the comic audience to include bookstores, graphic novels, and manga, thankfully. (Because it got a little wearying never having ANYONE share my tastes.)

So yeah, a negative review doesn’t necessarily mean sales death. As many have pointed out, critical favorites often don’t sell for beans.

James, Dramacon and Steady Beat are the only ones I’m already ready for book 3 of. Good choices.

By: Joshua Elder

Joshua Elder — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 20:18:30 +0000

“Earthlight,” Stuart Moore’s book, is fantastic. Great juvie sci-fi with some fantastic art by Chris Schons. I’d also suggest “Dogby Walks Alone,” “Kat and Mouse,” and “MBQ” as well. All very different, but all very good.

By: James Schee

James Schee — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 19:21:05 +0000

Hmm I don’t know which is odder that DC send funds for the ComicPRO, or that it only takes $5000?

Wow, I missed an internet dustup (though seemingly a minor one) involving my buddy Johanna? Darn life thing! Crap.. does this mean I have to turn in my online fandom membership card?:)

Seriously though, I’ve tried some of the OEL books and Steady Beat is the only one I REALLY want to get #2 of so far. Though I haven’t tried DramaCon yet, and will probably look through the second volume one Stuart Moore did.

By: Joshua Elder

Joshua Elder — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:57:54 +0000

I’d rather have folks aware of “Mail Order Ninja” than not. Obviously negative reviews are, well, negative, but they’re not necessarily a net loss.

If people are talking about the book — even if just to point out where it fell short — then others may be intrigued enough to seek it out for themselves and end up loving it.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:54:37 +0000

Which leads to the question: better to get some people talking, even if they’re not praising, or better to have nothing said about you at all?

I recently read the second volumes of a couple of OEL titles, and my reaction was “eh”. I didn’t bother writing about them because taking a post and a couple of hundred words to say “it’s part two of three, nothing much happens” didn’t seem worth it. One of those titles I haven’t seen ANY coverage on, so I wonder.

By: Dorian

Dorian — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:45:57 +0000

Similar things have happened to me once or twice, when I was less than wildly enthusastic about one of Tokyopop’s original titles. The lesson I learned was that writing about their OEL titles isn’t worth the headache, and so neither is buying them.

By: Joshua Elder

Joshua Elder — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:38:13 +0000

And given my luck, it’ll probably backfire in a most spectacular fashion. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. He who dares wins, etc., etc.