Another day goes, and with it we’re all one step closer to the inevitable void. How was your day?
01. SUDDENLY
I’ve been digging my hands into more of the history of the medium lately. Between the discount that I get from the store, and the volume of historical volumes coming out lately, the process is getting quite easy – but I still need to make more of an effort to sit down and really get my hands into it. One day I’d love to write a history book myself, but I’ve always had to push myself to do anything that involves heat research. First, I figure, I’m going to get a hold of my deadlines (hello, daily posts), and then I can work on the more in depth stuff. Baby steps.
Anyway, this week I brought home the gorgeous witzend collection Fantagraphics put out, featuring the entirety of Wally Wood’s self published magazine series, and as always with the books from Fantagraphics, there’s a ton of contextual pieces to go along with the contents. So great.
Another thing that made it’s way home was Comics – A Global History, 1968 to the Present, which you can find a bit more about here. It’s gonna fill the international gap that I have in my collection a little bit. I should really find more things along that line, as I doubt it covers EVERYTHING in just over 300 pages.
02. PREVIOUSLY
Last week, Marvel announced that Rocket Raccoon #1 had managed to garner over 300,000 initial orders, which is a thing that’s happening. I did a commentary piece on how that number was a reflection of Marvel’s amazing marketing over at Comics Beat just before the news broke that roughly half the order came from a single source. Naturally, the comment section was fun. Turns out the orders don’t count if the comics were ordered by a service designed to get nerdy product into the hands of people who would probably enjoy said nerdy product? At the end of it all, I came out of it realizing my first article still stood – Marvel’s current marketing is dynamite, and the results are evident.
03. MEANWHILE
My lovely girlfriend Danica has been having a great week over at her Live Within Your Space blog. I’m usually astounded by the breadth of her knowledge when it comes to design and layout and organizing and all that, and the best part? She’s still growing and exploring. The blog is all process and it’s really, really cool – and I’d say that even if we weren’t living together. I particularly recommend Tuesday’s post about styling objects, but you should definitely check out her whole blog.
04. SOMETIME! IN THE FUTURE!
Future projects? For next week, I think there’s a piece in me about trying to work with comic publishers as a retailer, and how the industry really shouldn’t be the “us vs. them” thing that so many people keep pushing for. We’re all going to sell a lot more books working together, are we not? That, and I really, really, really need to re-read Casanova and get on writing those Pa-Zow! articles I promised back when Comics! The Blog started. Hopefully a few will be ready by the time the official on-sale date for the next volume is announced.
05. ELSEWHERE
Smiling, she turns, expecting him beside her. He’s not there, she notes. Not there. Not really. Yet still, a memory lingers, with a lopsided grin of crooked teeth, and sweet, adoring eyes.