2019 3rd QUARTERLY EDITION

NO QPQ 2019 1ST & 2ND QUARTER EDITION BLOG POSTINGS

A thousand apologies abound! Two deadlines were missed for publishing and releasing this blog's 2019 1st and 2nd Quarter editions! Due to an abrupt decline in consistent managerial oversight, production on script writing and interior story for developing comics had stall pretty much everything for several months, which sadly included even these QEW PUBLISHING QUARTERLY web log postings. However...praise Jesus! It appears that things here at QEW HQ have begun to turn around again favorably and has rescinded that cloud of inactivity. Progress has resumed and art production for four projects and scripting for three project are finally nearing completion. So were simply just wiping the slate clean and moving on here. Any topics that would have been posted in the 2019 1st and 2nd Quarter editions are now posted below for this edition instead.

2019 1ST QUARTER NEW RELEASES

Out of three books that had been selected as new releases for the 2019 1st Quarter, only two of these were actually able to be produced. DARK POWERS #1 and THE GIFTED #1 are now the latest new comics being released here at QEW Publishing. The third book, KRISTARELLA, a 3-part, sci-fi fantasy mini-series, which would have been released as a trade paperback edition, had been delayed. Overall, it's been quite a while since QEW Publishing has had new releases. Following a duration of unfortunate bouts concerning financial limitations, there'd been a serious decline in QEW Publishing's effort in meeting its annual goal. Thankfully an opportunity had finally begun to peak upon the horizon and the will to resume this endeavor had managed to ensue. So while the pleasantry of this achievement is at the risk of being short-lived, there is hopeful inspiration here for more new releases to come.

WEN-CON 2019

QEW Publishing had happily returned to WEN-CON this year in Wenatchee, Washington. The 1-day event yielded some wonderful opportunities for QEW Publishing to greet and meet new prospective readers while showcasing its comics. There had also been a fun and insightful opportunity to participate as a guest panelists with several other publishers in a candid Q & A session about the realities of the challenges of creating, producing, and marketing comics. THE GIFTED #1, the first issue of a 6-part magical fantasy mini-series, was happily showcased there. Chad Dulac, the comic's creator, writer and artist, was invited to attend there as QEW Publishing's guest artist. There were other presentations as well such as showcasing the developing interior story art of THE BUGS NEXT DOOR, as well as highlighting promo T-shirts for ZOMBIES MINUS ZERO mini-series. Overall, just good, productive representation, and marketing there at Wen-Con. Already looking forward to next year.

RETAILERS ROUND-UP, AMAZON & COMIXOLOGY

Despite some minimal success, Retailers Round-Up, QEW Publishing's marketing and sales campaign aimed at comic book retailers, has unfortunately been no more than a very short-lived spark in the pan. Though the effort to engage retail stores directly has waned significantly, there's also an admission that simply just reaching out to retailers alone isn't enough. Obviously, a dual effort must be enacted to marketing and selling directly to comic book readers, too. So now there's consideration to establish an active selling account for printed editions on Amazon and submit more e-comic editions to Comixology, Amazon's subsidiary e-comic retailer platform. Books will be selected to have them made available there before the end of this year. The failed effort of reaching out to retailers combined with the failure of the Patreon campaign are huge morale and financial setbacks. Expanding to these two other venues could hopefully re-inspire applying more effort promoting Patreon again, especially if there are favorable signs of retail sales being accrued there. 

BLOOD & SILVER SCRIPTING

Since BLOOD & SILVER issues 1-4 have been published, there's been sincere elation here at QEW HQ about the scripting for this 6-part werewolf mini-series finally resuming. Only issues #5 and #6 still remain in production and nearly two-thirds of the scripting for BLOOD & SILVER #5 has been completed. There's also great admission here that BLOOD & SILVER's production has dragged on much longer than it should, which is mostly directly due to procrastination. Thankfully, this has changed. The deadline set to finally wrap-up the scripting for issue #5 is the before end of September. And then it's onward to scripting BLOOD & SILVER #6.

BACK TO BLOOD ROOT

In the 2018 1st Quarter edition of QEW Publishing Quarterly, a massive delay was declared for the first draft of this developing first novel of vampire fiction. The enthusiasm and motivation of that era to proceed accordingly with composing the manuscript has unfortunately waned with no writing May of 2018. However, as stated then, so it is stated now: A renewed effort is coming. The manuscript production for BLOOD ROOT will indeed resume again, and it shall continue all the way to the end of this year. Yes, it will likely be a monumental feat to achieve in the wake of such prolonged inactivity on it, but the fact remains that there are still roughly only six to seven chapters left to be drafted. So the manuscript for this novel simply has to get done.

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY EVENT

Saturday, May 4, 2019 was official Free Comic Book Day, a very special event for comics nationwide QEW Publishing has oddly never participated in until then. However, after receiving a gracious invitation from Gus Foster, friend and owner of retailer Central City Comics in Ellensburg, Washington, accepting such a grand opportunity was something that could not be declined. The turn out of arrivals at Central City was amazing, and hence the event's title, an inventory of forty (40) printed editions of PLATYPUS REX QEW Publishing had designated its cache of "free comics" to give away to Central City's customers, was happily reduced to a mere fifteen (15) comics remaining. There was also a significant amount of books that were actually sold, and at least two orders for other comics that were taken. Needless to say, participation in Free Comic Book Day in the future is pretty much now a no-brainer.

REPO KATZ ILLUSTRATIONS

We're so glad that the penciled story art for this 4-part mini-series is finally nearing its completion! Production on this project has been such a long and challenging slog with some contentious moments and delays. Artist, Hakan Aydin has been consistently coming through with finishing and submission of page art production, and he's almost done. Penciled story art for REPO KATZ 1-3 is happily all in-hand. QEW Publishing's primary focus now is the completion of the Visual Plot scripting for REPO KATZ #4 along with all of its penciled story art as well. Hakan has also kindly ensured QEW HQ that his intention is to meet this same goal.

MAGISPHERE PRODUCTION STALLED INDEFINITELY

In the QPQ 2014 3rd Quarter edition, it was reported that artist, Narayan Baidya, had finished pages 1-20 for this graphic novella. There was lots of excitement about the progress, but as of the last several months there's sadly been nothing else. Narayan Baidya appears to have cut off all communications. Holli Richey, MAGISPHERE's collaborative character model, was informed of this situation and thankfully she's been more than understanding and gracious about this whole thing. QEW Publishing has no qualms about taking drastic measures implementing a pragmatic Plan B, such as, dashing the current project to restart it anew with different artist. Either way, QEW Publishing will see to it MAGISPHERE will ultimately attain its fruition.

CONVENTION EVENTS

As the reduction of QEW Publishing's attending of comic conventions continues to be maintained, there does remain a moderate effort to balance this cutback with some modicum of presence, nonetheless. Wen-Con in Wenatchee, WA, Lilac City Comicon in Spokane, WA, Olympic Collectible Expo in Silverdale, WA, and this year's Free Comic Book Day event in Ellensburg, WA were the only pro-comic events QEW Publishing has attended this year. So despite limited resources, there is every intent to sustain appearances as much as possible. A reservation for exhibiting at Lilac City Comicon 2020 has already been confirmed. The next biggest, uphill challenge currently is replenishing QEW Publishing's showcase stock of printed edition comics, which have been happily depleted over the course of attending each of the aforementioned venues.

NEXT UPDATE: DECEMBER 31, 2019