Wizard & Hero Illustrated

[ManofTheAtom]

How significant would you say that Wizard's support and regular promotion for early VALIANT was to the success of the VALIANT Universe? And how could that be replicated using online outlets?

Which online site like Bleeding Cool, CBR, Newsarama, Comicsbeat, or the like would put their muscle behind VEI/Alien to promote them the way that Wizard (and, to an extent, Hero Illustrated) did back in the day?

[nycjadie]

Wizard was a king maker back on the day, consolidated into one coveted publication. It’s a different world now with social media and “news sites.” There isn’t an equivalent of Wizard today, in my view.

There are certainly lists that impact the sale of back issues and spur buying of new books, but nowhere like it was back in those days.

If you talk to people that worked at Wizard back then, they were treated like kings among comic folk.

[ManofTheAtom]

Wizard was a king maker back on the day, consolidated into one coveted publication. It’s a different world now with social media and “news sites.” There isn’t an equivalent of Wizard today, in my view.

There are certainly lists that impact the sale of back issues and spur buying of new books, but nowhere like it was back in those days.

If you talk to people that worked at Wizard back then, they were treated like kings among comic folk.

Definitely. I do think we need something like that now. A comic book publisher cannot survive on its own nowadays. Outside support is paramount.

[nycjadie]

On the other hand, Wizard also killed opportunities.

[ManofTheAtom]

On the other hand, Wizard also killed opportunities.

How so?

[SwiftMann]

There isn’t an equivalent of Wizard today, in my view.

On the other hand, Wizard also killed opportunities

Agreed completely with both.

[nycjadie]

On the other hand, Wizard also killed opportunities.

How so?

If they didn't like you, you didn't get in the magazine. A bad review could kill a book. There were only a few people who were gatekeepers to the publication.

[ManofTheAtom]

On the other hand, Wizard also killed opportunities.

How so?

If they didn't like you, you didn't get in the magazine. A bad review could kill a book. There were only a few people who were gatekeepers to the publication.

Ah.

[corey]

I must admit I loved the price guide,the top 10.
And I liked most of the articles in wizard.

I quite miss it

[ManofTheAtom]

I must admit I loved the price guide,the top 10.
And I liked most of the articles in wizard.

I quite miss it

I do too.

[greg]

I always liked checking the Top 10 each month.

They're posted (historical) online now: WizardTop10.com

[ManofTheAtom]

I always liked checking the Top 10 each month.

They're posted (historical) online now: WizardTop10.com

Nice.

[corey]

I always liked checking the Top 10 each month.

They're posted (historical) online now: WizardTop10.com

O yaaaaaa. That will be a fun little diversion

[daniellew61]

How significant would you say that Wizard's support and regular promotion for early VALIANT was to the success of the VALIANT Universe? And how could that be replicated using online outlets?

Which online site like Bleeding Cool, CBR, Newsarama, Comicsbeat, or the like would put their muscle behind VEI/Alien to promote them the way that Wizard (and, to an extent, Hero Illustrated) did back in the day?

Well, Fred Pierce was at Voyager, then was Wizard COO, then in 2012 became Valiant's publisher there is an argument for a pretty huge impact haha

[ManofTheAtom]

How significant would you say that Wizard's support and regular promotion for early VALIANT was to the success of the VALIANT Universe? And how could that be replicated using online outlets?

Which online site like Bleeding Cool, CBR, Newsarama, Comicsbeat, or the like would put their muscle behind VEI/Alien to promote them the way that Wizard (and, to an extent, Hero Illustrated) did back in the day?

Well, Fred Pierce was at Voyager, then was Wizard COO, then in 2012 became Valiant's publisher there is an argument for a pretty huge impact haha

Indeed, heh.

[IMJ]

There isn’t an equivalent of Wizard today, in my view.

Agreed 100%.

It was a perfect storm - you had Wizard, Valiant and Image which were all new. Wizard went the "access media" route and Valiant and Image needed exposure so they gave Wizard access.

The closest thing to Wizard nowadays is the access-media movie bloggers.

I have a 192 issue Wizard collection in a book shelf in my basement. Most of them are still in their sealed bags from around the time they went to that larger magazine sized format until the end. Obviously this is missing a few normal issues and the majority of any of the variant covers, but I only buy them when they are dirt cheap or when lots can be amortized dirt cheap across the lot.

I originally did the same with Hero Illustrated but ultimately wound up passing quite a few of those up in the bargain bins when I see them. The motivation just isn't there.