[...] I enjoyed listening to Ed Sizemore and Phillip Anthony talk about reviewing in this episode of the Eeeper’s Choice podcast. They discuss the issues with keeping up with a tide of material, whether it’s work you’re interested in or not, and the question of review copies, especially for an international site. (Phillip is Irish.) If you’d like to consider struggling with the problem yourself, here’s my advice on how to get review copies. [...]

Over the past month, I’ve managed to get on a couple more publishers’ review lists. As a result, I just handed in two graphic novel reviews for a future issue of CBG that I would have not been able to purchase otherwise. It’s definitely a slow process and not always easy to get a response, but I’m making some progress!

Thanks again,
Chris Galvan

I have been reviewing comics for Comics Buyer’s Guide for the past two years and just found this website while doing a google search. Although you posted this a few years ago, it is the most helpful information I have been able to find anywhere on how to obtain review copies.

Only a few smaller independent publishers have sent me review copies, and I sometimes receive material that is too old to include in a current issue of CBG.

Thanks for providing these useful tips!

Chris Galvan
Secret Identity Comics

This is certainly an informative post. I learnt new things from it. I only started receiving review copies late last year and have been receiving more since. Getting free books is fun and it’s not all that hard to read and review them. Reading, after all, is something I love to do.

After reviewing, I do send an e-mail to the person who sent it to me, informing them that I’ve already reviewed the book and I also provide the link to my review.

Anyway, have fun reviewing! =)

[...] a wonderfully practical guide for how mature bloggers should treat / request review copies here.  I did try to get 801 Media to send me review copies but I think they realized the audience here [...]

Coming a bit late to the comments, but I wanted to add my own “nicely put” stamp on your article. All of your points seem like a common sense approach, and it amazes me that people would need to be told what would seem only common courtesty – especially the point of following up when the review goes live. With the column I do at the Pulse, I always include a short Q&A with the creators, so it only seems fitting that if they took the time to answer my questions, I should take a minute and send along a link to the piece.

BOOM! is very blog friendly and though we do have a fairly strict policy of only providing PDF only review copies.

So anyone wanting to review our books – hit me up!

Best,

Chip Mosher
Marketing and Sales Director
BOOM! Studios

Dane: haha! Oxymoron there, hunh.

Jason: good advice, thanks.

Now I’m two and a half years in, and I’ve got established relationships with twenty different publishers, all gained by using the tactics Johanna describes above.

Another good tactic to get in good with publishers: offering interviews. Often, requesting an interview with a creator whose book a publisher was releasing was my foot in the door with said publisher, and then they were much more prone to seek us out when they had new releases they wanted reviewed.

I’m also one who follows up with all publishers, and I find they appreciate it as well. It’s also a good way to get your reviews linked from the publisher’s website, which results in more people reading what you write. Everybody wins.

I’ve always gotten follow-ups from people who have asked for review copies, and if it’s an interesting well-written review (positive or negative) I’ll link to it from my website. CBG always sends me a comp copy when they review my work, which is very classy.

A couple of weeks ago someone who I’d never communicated with sent me a copy of his review of Comic Book Comics #1 – this wasn’t a fan letter but an actual review that was posted on a comics website. No other communication, no explanation. Kind of unsettling actually.

[...] Draper-Carlson explains how to get yourself added to review comp lists: You look cheap and greedy if you start asking for review copies before you have a substantial body [...]

Do you want to get them because you want to be exposed to books you wouldn’t be otherwise. (after all no one can buy everything) Or do you want them because “hey its free comics!”

One doesn’t have to be a big name either to get review copies though. So don’t think you have to be as known as Johanna, or Alan or the like before anyone knows you. Work hard, network with others and you’ll get noticed as the point of review copies is to get the word out. I found myself getting some incredible opporunitites at the time I was reviewing. I got some fairly odd ones too, but it was interesting.

Something someone starting out might want to consider doing is getting in with your library/librarian. I wish I’d of used that resource back when I was reviewing, something I’ve thought about returning to, as there is just such a wealth there of books for people that seems to be rarely used.

Bad, well, I was told it was rare by someone. His perspective may have been different from others. I dunno.

And I’m glad so many people found this article helpful. Thank you, that’s rewarding to hear.

I have a website on which I review obscure, independently produced movies and, less often, self-published and indie comics.

I never ask anybody for a review copy of anything. Not that I think there’s anything wrong with doing that, but it’s just the policy I thought was the most fair for my situation. I can also usually tell from the “pitch email” whether or not the film or comic is something that will appeal to my sensibilities. If I feel it won’t, then I just I won’t ask for the film/comic.

That’s also interesting that it’s rare practice for reviewers to send out notices to the publisher that the review is up. I do that every time (except if it’s an extremely bad review, then I’ll conveniently put it off and “forget”). But I’m usually dealing with people who are extraordinarily attached to the material, e.g. the same person produces, directs and distributes their film. So, I feel they deserve to know. Also, by letting creators know I’ve put up a good or decent review, then I’m more likely to get quoted and linked to from the film/comic’s website.