TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

Yesterday I blogged about the upcoming 'Indy Comic Book Week' that starts December 27th, 2009.... 

And stated that one of the persons that told me of this event was Jiba Molei Anderson.  I thought that today I would blog about Jiba's publication that will be for sale during that upcoming event at selected LCBS in the Illinois, Michigan, New York, and California areas.

Please note that I received an 'Official Griot Preview' .pdf file copy to review from, which does not always reflect what holding an actual printed copy in both hands could show when printed, or how the paper itself 'feels' when turning the pages while reading.

I have already blogged about his earlier work on 'The Horsemen', thus I was familar with the storyline, the characters, and the artwork.

Here in the 'Book of Olorun', the artwork once again is of fine craftmanship caliber, and the colors are vivid!

However, the text narration boxes were a little hard to read for me, because of the white text on the yellow-orange background boxes.  The word balloons were the normal black text on white background, which was clearer to read.  I had a little difficulty reading the narration boxes from the .pdf file. Hopefully the printed format doesn't have the same level of reading difficulty.

Jiba's artwork does seem to be more a pin-up style of artwork here in this issue.  Now, there is nothing wrong with that, as long as you know going in that the artwork is that style. Several artists work in that style, adding their own flair to the work.

There is still a story that is conveyed here, just that the storyboards are more of a pin-up style in presentation of that story.  But I happen to like Jiba's art style, so that was OK with me in this issue.

At the beginning of this blog I mentioned that Jiba's publication will be at select Local Comic Book Shops. Those shops according to Jiba include:

Chicago, IL - Graham Crackers, Brainstorm Comics, Dreambound Comics, 3rd Coast Comics, Keith's Komix.

Michigan - Green Brain Comics.

Georgia - Dragon's Horde.

New York City - Midtown Comics.

California - Four Color Fantasies in Rancho Cucamonga.

For those of You that are NOT in those named areas... Jiba's publication can be found at Indy Planet at this link! 

SPECIAL NOTE: As an addendum, Jiba has called me and told me that he will be signing at Graham Crackers Comics one day only on December 30th from the hours of Noon to 2 PM at the Downtown location at 55 E. Madison. Please call that store to verify that on the day of the event, as events are always subject to change!

For more info on Jiba's works and where YOU can be interactive with him and others about this series, please check out his 'Horsemen Graphic Novel Facebook Fan Page'! 

I will be blogging about more indy comics series right here at ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com in the days to come, right into the New Year itself as that is how long 'Indy Comic Book Week' continues into!

You can follow what is happening and how you can participate in 'Indy Comic Book Week' by checking out the details at:

http://indycomicbookweek.com/index.html.

For our part...Tina and I will be having all the independents comics / graphic novels that we have ready to be sold listed in our online store at:

http://www.makeitsomarketing.com/   

TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

I have had a few Facebook Friends ask me if I was going to publicize the upcoming 'Indy Comic Book Week'.... 

Which I am glad to do so here today.  Here is the press release for the upcoming event:

"Indy Comic Book Week is not only an event, but also a call to action.

Diamond Comic Distributors announced they will not ship any new comics for the last week of December. This company is the primary distributor of comic books in North America. What some would call a sad week without our favorite mainstream titles, we are calling an opportunity. This vacancy allows independent and small press comic book creators to claim this week as their own.

We challenge writers and artists to self publish new material for this week, and offer it to their local stores. We ask for retailers to take this as an opportunity to showcase local independent talent on the new release shelves. We encourage fans to break from their buying habits and try something new.

Raise your fist and proudly declare that comic books are more than an industry, more than a handful of corporations – it is a creative outlet for independent-minded artists and storytellers. This last week of 2009 belongs to you. Power to the people. Right on."

I've been blogging about many indy comic books, both one-shots and mini-series, since beginning this blog back in June of 2006.  So I am pleased to see others taking the lead in promoting indy comics at the end of this year!

I will be blogging about more indy comics series right here at ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com in the days to come, right into the New Year itself!

You can follow what is happening and how you can participate in 'Indy Comic Book Week' by checking out the details at:

http://indycomicbookweek.com/index.html.

For our part...Tina and I will be having all the independents comics / graphic novels that we have ready to be sold listed in our online store at:

http://www.makeitsomarketing.com/ 

TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

The above pictured comic book was sent to me for a possible review here in this Blog from Carl Herring Jr.... 

It currently is the first issue in the series, although at the end of this issue, there is a 'to be continued' note. 

So the front cover pictured above looks really cool... What's the series about?"

Here is the press info for issue #1: 

"A bi-annual publication suggested for mature readers, Crime Wave Anthology is a collection of three stories that features the exploits of men and women of law enforcement as they fight all levels of crime to keep our city streets and the country safe. The stories center mainly around the adventures of an FBI duo, Chase and Hunt." 

So what did I think of this series?

Well, It's always 'thrilling' to open up a comic book that turns out to be an anthology, because I never know what to expect!  Am I going to be satisified when reading or maybe have mixed emotions about the different stories?!

However, in this case I was 'notified' on the cover that I was holding an 'anthology' comic book.  Even though the word 'Anthology' was in smaller print than the rest of the title...

The cover looked really good, and if it was at a LCBS, I would have stopped and checked it out.  That is a good point in its' favor, right from the start!

I really appreciated seeing the text on the inside front cover.  That text emphasized that I would be reading an 'anthology' as I turned the next pages.  That was a very good idea, and one Not always used today by the creator(s).

The splash page, which was actually page one of the first story, really caught my eyes. The presentation was similar to comics I used to read, and the action and story kept me reading.  Kind of reminded me of comics before the 3 or 4 issue story arcs that a lot of mainstream comics are into today...

The second story also kept my interest.  I noticed that there were no ad pages inbetween the first and second stories... nice!

The third story ended up being 'To Be Continued'.  Okay... well OK until I realized that the second volume of this series may take a while to read.  I wasn't aware this series was a bi-annual series until researching to blog here today. Darn!

However, the shower scene in the third issue reminded me of the Natasha 'Black Widow' shower scene in the old Daredevil series from years ago... so I'll be back!

You know... this was a 'fun read', even though it was a 'crime comic'.  If it is the intent of Carl to establish a 'brand' using this comic as one corner of the foundation, then he is on the right track with this series in my opinion!

Regarding the creative team on this anthology comic book:

Scott E. Ambruson does the interior artwork on the first two stories.  His earlier credits include Trailer Park of Terror #6.  The third story is illustrated by Chris Torres whose credits include Robert Sodaro's 'Agent Unknown'.

If you thought you recognized the style on the front cover, that was because it was by Norm Breyfogle, who is best known for his Batman artwork!

The Creative Director for Three J Productions is Ed Traquino. Ed did the lettering, coloring and all the technical aspects of the publication.  My thought is that it is the coloring that really makes this issue stand out, both on the front cover and the interior pages. Great work Ed!

To me, this first issue is a very good foundation on which to build the series!

You can buy this comic, (as well as other Three J Productions publications), at:

http://www.threejproductions.com .

Plus You can be 'interactive' with this company if You are on Facebook, by becoming a 'fan' of their Fan Page at: 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Haven-CT/Three-J-Productions-LLC/45275790627 .

TODAY'S "MAIN FEATURE":

This blog has been updated today, (May 3rd, 2010), due to the fact that I continually use this archived blog post to refer comics / graphic novel creators to for them to send in their work(s)... For possible mention or review in my Blog... 

I refer to this because I keep getting asked questions if a creator can send their  published work to me, because the publisher of their work doesn't send out 'comp copies' to bloggers or 'other media people'.

So instead of repeating myself over and over, I put together this blog post back on December 11th of 2009 to show what I am asking for to help me read and possibly mention or review YOUR work in my Blog. 

Please Note the use of a 'key word' in the above title of this blog.  That 'key word' is "Best".

You see, I am sent several publications to review every month. And No, I'm Not complaining!  I enjoy reading what comes in, no matter what the genre the publication is in.  It keeps me involved in what's being published out there inbetween attending comic book and pop culture conventions, where I am also handed hard copies of publications to possibly review in my Blog.

So again... Why This blog post?

It's because after reading the received publication and finding that I either want to blog about it in the Blog's "Main Feature" section, that is when I run into 'time management trouble'.

That's due to several problems.  Which if they are 'problems' to me, they must be a 'problem' to other reviewers, but possibly in different 'difficulty' levels.  I'll explain further below.

What I 'Need' from You to be able to post a "Main Feature" section in my Blog is the following:

1)  NOTIFICATION: A notification that the publication is being sent to me for possible review. That should be simple enough.  But it isn't always.  If the publication is being sent via a physical mailing, then a brief letter with the sender's name, email address, physical address, and phone number would be sufficient. 

Also, please make sure the envelope is sturdy enough for the contents inside. I have seen the periodicals sent in to me go from being 'sandwiched' between two pieces of cardboard inserts for protection and carefully enclosed, to just being literally 'thrown' in the envelope, with the flap barely closed and sent media mail.

If the publisher or creator thinks that 'little' of their publication being sent in... what should I think of receiving a package in such a manner?  First impressions do count! 

(UPDATED Note: As of May 3rd, 2010 -  I am no longer accepting .pdf copies for possible mention or review in my Blog.  I have a 'backlog' of these, as I just don't find myself reading .pdf files for 'pleasure' reading.  Sorry, but I find myself to still be a tactile reader . If I have NOT mentioned or blogged about your previously submitted .pdf copy, that may be the reason, sorry!)  

2)  HOW TO PURCHASE: A note as to where the publication can be purchased by readers of my Blog. An url address link to an online site would be sufficient.  If I don't know where You want me to send my blog readers to, I'll have to 'guess' if I can't contact you. 

If it is self-published, and only sold via mail order, then please state so!  If it is sold via LCBS using Diamond then let me know that.  If it will be found shortly on Indy Planet, or other indy sites, that is fine also.  Just communicate that to me.  Plus if you've been reading this Blog for a while, you'll notice that I blog more about indy publications than I do 'mainstream' publications.  That's basically because those get more 'publicity' anyways from other reviewers.  I'm open to publications in genres that don't get all the attention!

3)  PUBLICATION PHOTO: A .jpeg or .gif for the periodical  that has been sent in for possible review. It does NOT need to be a 'print' quality photo, as I am reducing the 'size' of the photos anyways, usually no larger than 400 pixels wide to 555+ pixels in height.  Usually I'll Photoshop the picture to move the 'k' size down to less than '75 k' in size for quicker page loading.

4)  CREATOR PHOTO:  A .jpeg or .gif of the main creator(s) of the publication.  You would NOT believe how hard it is to find a photo online of many creators.  Yes, I'm sure that a lot of creators would like to think that their works speak for themselves, but even Steve Ditko has a few photos online from 1950's that a reviewer could draw from!

Note to Creators: 'Branding' is very important in marketing your publication.  I read other genres that I normally wouldn't because the creator(s) have 'branded' themselves as being good in another genre or media, thus leading me to 'try out' their endeavors in a different field!

5)   PRESS RELEASE: A 'press release' or a promo piece about what your publication is about.  Not a 'review' from another reviewer, but what the creator(s) think is what they had published. It would best if this is already online somewhere to send me a 'link' to that page.  Thus I could just 'copy and paste' that press release.  

6)  CREATOR BIO: At times a short 'bio' about the creator would be appreciated, especially if the publication is basically written / illustrated / inked / lettered / etc. by that one creator.  That would give that creator a little more 'exposure' or 'branding' as to who they are, what background they have, and why they are involved in this project.  I have on occasion also blogged a special series called "Spotlight On..." persons that may or not be directly involved in comics or cartooning, but are in other pop culture fields.  

Note: If You are on a Social Network, such as Facebook, please let me know that. Also if you have a 'Facebook Fan Page' or 'Facebook Group Page' that I could refer my blog readers to as well.  Quite often my blogs or wall posts will go 'viral' which could lead to your Fan or Group Page obtaining more 'fans' or 'members'!

The above half-dozen requests would save myself time, as well as for so many other reviewers that could be interested in Your publication!  It is still a wonder to me that so many creators don't 'market' themselves to bloggers or other reviewers with the basic information that is needed to present the publication and the creators in the best possible light.  

Again, presentation is important when sending the publication(s) out.  The first thing the reviewer see is the package the contents arrive in.  Giving the reviewer the necessary background as to the project's origins is helpful.  Also any 'press' or 'promotional' pieces is always appreciated.  And of course, if You already have a web site with the photos of the publication(s) AND yourself, you are so much easier to blog about and refer blog readers to! 

I still have a few publications that were presented to me that haven't been blogged about yet, even though they made the 'cut' to either be mentioned in my Blog's "Main Feature" section at the top of the Blog, or in the Blog's "Featurette" section at the bottom right of the Blog.  Quite often periodicals that don't have the six necessary components listed above don't make the "Main Feature" section because it is too hard to obtain that info/photos to publish a well drafted blog.  Thus the publication could end up in the "Featurette" section or not being blogged about at all... (UPDATE May 3rd, 2010 - I have 'discontinued the 'Featurette Section', at least for a while, as I was ending up writing two blogs in one.) 

So there You have it!  What I as a reviewer need to be able to blog about Your periodical here.  I hope it helps!  I definitely don't want to 'scare' anyone off, but it has taken some time to retrieve the necessary six components to properly blog a review here on several publications that were sent in or given to me. 

I listed what I need from you, so here is the necessary info you need from me to be able to submit your publication(s):

email address:   makeitsomktg@aol.com

mailing address: 
Michael D Hamersky
c/o Make It So Marketing Inc.
PO Box 130653
Carlsbad CA 92013

LAST NOTES IN THIS UPDATE As of May 3rd of 2010:

One:  Several of my reviews are being reprinted in my New Column at Comic Fan! magazine published by Main Enterprises. So there is a possibility of even more exposure of your work via that channel.  Not all reviews submitted to that magazine get published, but some do...

Two:  Because EACH one of my blogs takes at LEAST an HOUR to produce, minimum, I only blog on works that I personally like, or that I find unique enough to stand out from the others that would be on the shelves at a LCBS. 

Three: Continually  emailing me or messaging myself as to why I haven't mentioned or blogged about your work yet, like is currently being done this week by a party who will remained unnamed here, does NOT get your work mentioned any faster, and if continued will be taken off the possible mention or review candidates list. 

Sorry about the above  last paragraph, this is the first time this has happened, after 3,120+ blogs that I have posted to date....

To end on a Postive Note...My thanks to All of those that have taken the time to either send a printed copy in via mail or given me a copy of their publication at a comic / pop culture convention this Year.  I look forward to receiving more publications from those reading this blog post, that are motivated enough to send in their publications for possible review!  

The above pictured comic book series was sent to me for a possible review here in this Blog... 

It currently is a two issue series, although at the end of Issue #2 there is a 'to be continued' note. 

So the two covers look kinda cool... What's the series about?"

Here is the press info for issue #1: 

"At long last comes the first comic book format publication from Main Enterprises, featuring the space born hero that began within the pages of Jim Main's legendary fanzine *PPFSZT!...COSMIC MAN! The first issue features a brand new tale, written by Steve Keeter, with art by Tony Lorenz and lettered by Jim Pack,with an inside back cover by guest artist Jack Bertram. Join Cosmic Man, his friends Dr. Kelsey and his daughter Mary, as well as his "cousin" The Phoenix, as they take on government agents while an even bigger threat, not of this world, looms above! All this excitement is topped off with an eye-popping, dynamic full color cover illustration by Scott McClung. $2.25 plus 1.30 S&H in the U.S. Payment by check only."

Here's the press info on issue #2:

"Another stupendous issue by writer Steve Keeter and artist Tony Loenz featuring the mis-understood super hero is here at last. And what an issue it is, as other heroes are called upon once again to help with the alien invasion begun last issues. Fans of the 70's fanzines will thrill to the return of characters such as Nightman, The Spy, The Raven, Sunwing, The Titan, The Acrobat, The Simian, all answering a call to assist in the defeat of the menace, alongside K'bar (The Phoenix) and The Cosmic Man. Additional art by Jack Bertram and a dazzling full color front cover by the amazing Scott McClung. $2.95, plus 1.50 S&H-$4.45, personal check only, made out to Jim Main." 

So what did I think of this series?

Well, the two covers were really striking, and would stand out on the shelves at a LCBS that you would go to if they were distributed to your Local Comic Book Shop.  Although the covers are in color, the interior pages are in black and white format. Continuing with discussing the artwork, the illustrations are drawn in a 'fanzine' style or early independent comics style.  Not saying anything bad about the style, but it is totally different from the front covers.  The breakdown into chapters is good, and goes with this art style.

The writing is similar to that of a 1950's Sci-Fi film dialogue.  Again, nothing wrong with that, it does flow with the storyline.  I enjoyed issue #1 enough to delve into issue #2 right away. Issue #2's artwork looks more 'finished' to me, maybe because the panels seem to have background details in the finishing inks.

The lettering in issue #1 appears different than in #2.  I noticed that right away, and that style complemented the more 'finished' artwork used in issue #2.

This series so far kept my interest, and I'm wondering when issue #3 will be published...???  Possibly the publisher is waiting for You to buy out the first two issues?!

You can buy this series, (as well as other Main Enterprises publications), at:

http://mainenterprises.ecrater.com .