Perhapablog

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

searching for proof of the perhapanauts...

okay...

so, for weeks, nay, MONTHS, craig and i have been banging our heads together trying to find ways to get the word out there about The PERHAPANAUTS...we are, basically, just a couple of storytellers trying to do some fun, exciting, suspenseful comics with a bunch of characters that we've come to care for. but in this current comics market, it's really tough. did i italicize really...? really. really tough.
it seems that anything that doesn't have marvel or dc on it needs to flounder and flail and wave it's arms just to be seen or else be dragged down by the undertow in a sea of independents just begging for your attention. and support.

so far, we've been fairly lucky and it doesn't hurt that we got our pal, art adams, to grace our first issue with a knockout 50/50 cover. we have postcards and choopie cards to hand out at conventions and soon t-shirts that might get people wondering what the heck that word is...
but what we're hearing most is that the big two still have a stranglehold on the independent market and that retailers just won't order extra copies of any non-mainstream book to try to attract new readers. a lot of YOU have told us that your local comic book shop ordered YOUR copy of the annual, but that there weren't any other copies on the racks to catch the eye of potential new readers.

so that's what we're working on.
and what we're looking to YOU, our favorite perhapa-fans, for, for ideas or suggestions that might help us get copies of the perhapanauts into the hands of people who haven't seen it before...

in the meantime, it's us and you and word of mouth, so thanks for all you do! but keep talking us up. perhapa-mania IS about to sweep the nation and you can be a big part of it!

also in this same "how-do-we-get-seen" predicament, are our pals in the paranormal, alex grecian and riley rossmo, who publish the image book, PROOF
talking on the phone a month or so back, alex and i were brainstorming as to how to appeal to the retailers, how to attract more readers, just to stay afloat. (we actually came up with a cool idea that we'll be able to tell you a little bit more about in a week or so.)
we also realized that maybe we should try a little cross-promotion and make sure that our readers are aware of their book and versa vice. and so, here are a few pages from the upcoming PROOF #6 in our attempt to give you a taste of what you're missing if you aren't already picking up this compelling book!
enjoy!








that's it for me!
see ya friday!
smell ya later!
todd

8 comments:

LegendsCrazy said...

Maybe some posters that local comic shops could put up in their stores would help. It probably doesn't help that comic shops always showcase the independents on the lower shelves in their stores either.

Brian said...

What about a FCBD appearance at a store. It is usually a day where new readers are coming in the door, and while you might not have a free comic book for them to walk out with that day, you can point them to the web where they can read issue No. 1 for free.

Christian D. Leaf said...

Satin jackets are always a boss way of advertising whatever product you're selling.

Seriously though, FCBD like Brian mentioned is a good idea. Maybe even cardboard standouts or wall decals. If you wanted to get real fancy you could always come up with a BEDLAM field kit chockfull of promo items and actual cryptoid hunting gear to send out to stores.

Adam Hutch said...

The FCBD idea is a great one. FCBD is May 3rd this year, I think.

Also could Image run some ads or maybe a sample in one or more of its higher selling comics, like Invincible?

Maybe a random mailing of posters to some comic shops with instructions on where the 'Haps are located in Previews?

Matt Wieringo said...

Wow. FCBD was the first thing I thought of too. My LCS, Nostalgia Plus, ordered several extra copies of the Annual for the shelf.

Maybe action figures?

portalcomics said...

how about a hot chick who digs comics and does a comics segemnt for a antionally televised cable show??? the answer... Blair Butler...

http://www.blairbutler.com/

she hosts the Fresh Ink segment on G4's "Attack of the Show" if you haven't seen it, AOTS is a show all about games, movies, comics, etc... all the important stuff!! LOL!! the past 3 years, they've done a live broadcast from Comic-Con...

try to get in touch with her, get a few copies of the 'Haps to her and beg her to mention it on Fresh Ink, or try to get some face time with her on camera in San Diego...

couldn't hurt!!

todd said...

WOW!

those are great ideas, EVERYBODY!
everyone is something that we're going to look into/chase down! every little bit helps...

thanks so much for all of the suggestions and for taking some time out of your day and putting your minds to it--really! great ideas!
thanks!

see ya tomorrow with some new stuff and trivia--
and a series of pictures that made me laugh so hard i cried...
(but maybe it's just me...you be the judge...)

Heywood Jablomie said...

Hmm....these all sound like great ideas! word of mouth seems best, and if anyone can afford to lend out their first mini for the leary readers to give it a shot, that might work too.

also, BUTT CARDS and lots of 'em!! haha