Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Jul 22, 2015 8:40:50 GMT -6
www.patreon.com/comicsreporter?ty=h
The Comics Reporter Announces New Patreon, New Spin-Off Publication
imageI'm doing a Patreon starting today.
I've been dissatisfied with the way I've been able to cover comics for more than a year now. I've had The Comics Reporter down to manageable 18 hour a week cycle since about 2006, but I've noticed that has increasingly meant a lot of stuff has gone uncovered. It takes longer than it used to to find out what's out there. There are more interesting creators and worthwhile comics than ever before, there is more going on everywhere within the industries that serve them, and information generally is much more scattered than it was in 2004, when CR started.
There's no way I could countenance bringing on free or degraded labor to help me keep up. Comics has an exploitation problem we all should be working to end, not perpetuating. I also couldn't stand the thought of just asking you straight up for money to do something I've been doing all along. There's something that seems slightly unfair about that, even though a big part of this is that more resources will allow me to stabilize what I do with the site on a daily basis.
So what to do?
I'm also unhappy like I think a lot of people are with the general thrust of what gets covered and why in comics; I certainly include myself in this. It used to be what people said about comics industry coverage is that it did the day to day pretty well, but what we really need is long-form investigative journalism. We still need long-form investigative journalism. But do we really do the basics anymore? I'm not sure I do. I find myself increasingly at a loss when it comes to basic reporting and arts writing. What's coming out. Who's been hired. Where things are taking place. Who is doing what to whom and why it's important to take notice. Why it's crucial to figure out what's good as opposed to what's great and why it's the honest effort to do so that matters more than the end result.
If journalism is the first draft of history, a lot of comics history over the last decade has been carved with a stick into the sand on a beach, instagrammed if we're lucky.
I think part of this current quandary is that an enterprise as marginal as journalism and arts writing that serves a cash-poor industry will tend to adhere to the latest technology in order to stay relevant. The current, social-media driven Internet does a lot of things very well and other things poorly. I would like to do some more writing and facilitate more coverage that maybe doesn't reflect what's going on in my twitter feed, or where it doesn't seem that someone has bought something before or buys something after the article is read for that writing to matter.
Comics is an amazing art form and it has never been more amazing than right now. I'd like to create coverage that matches what comics has to offer.
I'm going to try and do a monthly publication -- The Comics Report -- that reflects my best ability to put together a PDF-style magazine. I plan on keeping The Comics Reporter much the same as it always has been. I think I can make site and magazine independent reading experiences with very different purposes, experiences that key on what each form has to offer. I think this will lead to better coverage, and I hope it may serve a growing need for a way into comics that doesn't count on your full immersion every second of every day. I hope it becomes destination coverage.
Everyone that signs up for the Patreon at $2 or over will get the next month's issue: starting on September 1 with #1 (there will be a scattered "bonus issue" #0 on the first of August; it will be cool). You can also just send me the cash direct via pay pal for a sub as long as you want one. (send me an extra dollar, too: so $25 for a yearly; $13 for six months, etc.).
Anyone that wants to pay me more than that will get my stunned thanks and a really good Christmas bonus. I'm excellent at presents.
If you've enjoyed The Comics Reporter as a reader and want to support its stabilization and continued existence, this is a way to do that.
If you're an advertiser that's supported us, I hope you'll continue to do so. Thank you. We wouldn't have made it this far without you and we can't move forward in your absence. We'll be in touch about the advertising you'll get in the new place for all your support of this one. I think you'll be pleased.
I plan to account for every penny spent, and hope that how I use the funds will encourage you to continue supporting. I thought about doing goals and milestones, but that's not usually how media projects develop in the best way. The more money I get, the more I'll do. I do plan on hiring a few more columnists and to use them more regularly if it goes extremely well.
I'm a comics lifer. Comics is the best art form going. It's an honor to be one of those that gets to communicate that to other people, and to advocate on behalf of its great artists and fine industry-folk. With your support I think there's much more that can be done, in a way that's thoughtful, articulate, forthright and entertaining. I'll do my best not to let you down.
Patreon:
www.patreon.com/comicsreporter
Paypal Direct (If You're Not Comfortable With Patreon For Whatever Reason, Or Wish To Do One Big Payment):
comicsreporter@gmail.com at Paypal.com
I am also more than delighted to take any good-wishes or job-well-done donations from anyone that doesn't wish to be involved with any of the subsequent stuff. That would also be through the paypal address; just say as much, and god bless you.
I will also take a check at the address listed on this site via the links across the top.
I will take questions here for the update posts, and to help solve any glitches you notice in the system. If anyone supporting wants to suggest a feature interview subject or three, I'm all ears.
The Comics Reporter Announces New Patreon, New Spin-Off Publication
imageI'm doing a Patreon starting today.
I've been dissatisfied with the way I've been able to cover comics for more than a year now. I've had The Comics Reporter down to manageable 18 hour a week cycle since about 2006, but I've noticed that has increasingly meant a lot of stuff has gone uncovered. It takes longer than it used to to find out what's out there. There are more interesting creators and worthwhile comics than ever before, there is more going on everywhere within the industries that serve them, and information generally is much more scattered than it was in 2004, when CR started.
There's no way I could countenance bringing on free or degraded labor to help me keep up. Comics has an exploitation problem we all should be working to end, not perpetuating. I also couldn't stand the thought of just asking you straight up for money to do something I've been doing all along. There's something that seems slightly unfair about that, even though a big part of this is that more resources will allow me to stabilize what I do with the site on a daily basis.
So what to do?
I'm also unhappy like I think a lot of people are with the general thrust of what gets covered and why in comics; I certainly include myself in this. It used to be what people said about comics industry coverage is that it did the day to day pretty well, but what we really need is long-form investigative journalism. We still need long-form investigative journalism. But do we really do the basics anymore? I'm not sure I do. I find myself increasingly at a loss when it comes to basic reporting and arts writing. What's coming out. Who's been hired. Where things are taking place. Who is doing what to whom and why it's important to take notice. Why it's crucial to figure out what's good as opposed to what's great and why it's the honest effort to do so that matters more than the end result.
If journalism is the first draft of history, a lot of comics history over the last decade has been carved with a stick into the sand on a beach, instagrammed if we're lucky.
I think part of this current quandary is that an enterprise as marginal as journalism and arts writing that serves a cash-poor industry will tend to adhere to the latest technology in order to stay relevant. The current, social-media driven Internet does a lot of things very well and other things poorly. I would like to do some more writing and facilitate more coverage that maybe doesn't reflect what's going on in my twitter feed, or where it doesn't seem that someone has bought something before or buys something after the article is read for that writing to matter.
Comics is an amazing art form and it has never been more amazing than right now. I'd like to create coverage that matches what comics has to offer.
I'm going to try and do a monthly publication -- The Comics Report -- that reflects my best ability to put together a PDF-style magazine. I plan on keeping The Comics Reporter much the same as it always has been. I think I can make site and magazine independent reading experiences with very different purposes, experiences that key on what each form has to offer. I think this will lead to better coverage, and I hope it may serve a growing need for a way into comics that doesn't count on your full immersion every second of every day. I hope it becomes destination coverage.
Everyone that signs up for the Patreon at $2 or over will get the next month's issue: starting on September 1 with #1 (there will be a scattered "bonus issue" #0 on the first of August; it will be cool). You can also just send me the cash direct via pay pal for a sub as long as you want one. (send me an extra dollar, too: so $25 for a yearly; $13 for six months, etc.).
Anyone that wants to pay me more than that will get my stunned thanks and a really good Christmas bonus. I'm excellent at presents.
If you've enjoyed The Comics Reporter as a reader and want to support its stabilization and continued existence, this is a way to do that.
If you're an advertiser that's supported us, I hope you'll continue to do so. Thank you. We wouldn't have made it this far without you and we can't move forward in your absence. We'll be in touch about the advertising you'll get in the new place for all your support of this one. I think you'll be pleased.
I plan to account for every penny spent, and hope that how I use the funds will encourage you to continue supporting. I thought about doing goals and milestones, but that's not usually how media projects develop in the best way. The more money I get, the more I'll do. I do plan on hiring a few more columnists and to use them more regularly if it goes extremely well.
I'm a comics lifer. Comics is the best art form going. It's an honor to be one of those that gets to communicate that to other people, and to advocate on behalf of its great artists and fine industry-folk. With your support I think there's much more that can be done, in a way that's thoughtful, articulate, forthright and entertaining. I'll do my best not to let you down.
Patreon:
www.patreon.com/comicsreporter
Paypal Direct (If You're Not Comfortable With Patreon For Whatever Reason, Or Wish To Do One Big Payment):
comicsreporter@gmail.com at Paypal.com
I am also more than delighted to take any good-wishes or job-well-done donations from anyone that doesn't wish to be involved with any of the subsequent stuff. That would also be through the paypal address; just say as much, and god bless you.
I will also take a check at the address listed on this site via the links across the top.
I will take questions here for the update posts, and to help solve any glitches you notice in the system. If anyone supporting wants to suggest a feature interview subject or three, I'm all ears.