Hey guys, I just want to clarify some items on the mook status of Super7. I think all you will agree it will be for the better. My first reason for the change, is that I did not feel we could cover topics the way I wanted to in the magazine. For example, in the Star Wars article, I wanted to see big full page photos of all of the Takara 8" figures, as they were unique to Japan. I wanted to see big photos of the Die-cast C3-PO that fires missiles, and the transforming X-Wing. Instead all I could do was put in thumbnail size pictures of the boxes. My point with the Mook, is now I can take 30 pages on a single topic. I can print 30 pages of full-bleed, gigantic, epic shots of toys. That way, I can feel like we really covered something, and it can be comprehensive. If I say, re-do the Astro-Mu article from issue 1 (subtle hint), I can show every toy in a full page photogrpah. Half of these figures I am still trying to find, so, here is a chance to see them all. I mean, REALLY see them. Secondly, I felt the "news" was old news. It was fun to do, but by the time the news ran, we already all knew about it, and it may have even come out. So, out you go. No news. Instead, we will launch an updated magazine site that will have all the latest news and photos in one convenient spot. Then, news will be timely, and we don't waste magazine pages on old content. Third, I thought we could live without music, dvd and other such reviews. While I really value this content, why should it supplant another 4 pages of space for toy photos? Once again, get this stuff on the blog. Time to narrow the focus a bit. Fourth, while calling it a mook, we are still a magazine. We just happen to be a magazine that looks like a book. We are on a strict 6 month schedule, just because we can't put out that much content in three months. Maybe later we can, but for now, there are still only a couple of us over here. Basically, we will have a 200+ mook, and we will only have between 6-8 articles in it. It will be an archive. It will be something you will want to keep. This way, we can have the most amazing articles any of us have ever seen. No more pages of 16 images for historical reference. Now, photos big enough to see the paint color shifts. I think the difference is, this will be the previous magazine but on steroids. Now we can do the content justice. I don't think you will be disappointed. Feel free to make comments based on the above. -brian
yeah...I agree 100% on the shift. In fact I may even start subscribing now if it's more of a pictorial reference. I can find movie/dvd/book reviews elsewhere.
sorry if this was covered elsewhere. I have 2 issues left on my subscription, so does that mean I'm paid up for 1 mook?
It sounds truly excellent! Great reasoning behind ditching the "News" and "Reviews" sections. Really looking forward to seeing the photos! I don't think anyone is disappointed in the mook itself, just at the idea of a longer wait between issues. Rhino - yes, 1 mook.
Brian, Will you be spreading out the love on all the toy fronts in the mook?What I mean is, in issue 15 there where articles on Starwars Jp, Mospeada(sp) Robots, and Kaiju.WIll the mook give us Fight Figure Fans something to look forward too with each issue?Or will one issue focus on just Kaiju, and another on Robots(Mecha), etc? Also, please include Clothing and Art and music that the staff enjoyed in the 6 months they were crafting the mook, I enjoy staff picks and pictures of the contributors.
We willhave a nice healthy mix. I don't want to give out the content yet (everyone just got their latest issue, I will elt you enjoy it for a bit longer), but there will be something for everyone, with some great stuff no one has ever seen before. Also, yes, you have 1 full mook coming to you. As far as staff picks, I don;t think anyone on our staff is that photogenic, but we'll give you something. Lastly, I have no idea what Godzilla even is. I only have about 16 shelves full of these weird radioactive lizard things. I don't think is has a name though.....
Dropping news and reviews from the print product and publishing it online makes alot of sense to me. I would suggest the same be done with Fashion, Life and other sections. Alot of big full page photography would be killer. Maybe with the luxury of showing some intense closeups for detail or just for artistic purposes. Along with checklists etc would make it more of a field guide to Japanese toys. I hope there may be some reformatting or reworking of articles. For some reason, the writing has never pulled me in to the end of an article. I'm not sure why. Some of it is a layout issue. I wish the type was bigger or a serif style. Other times, the layout just makes it difficult to read (like the Steven the Bat piece with white type on a yellow background). Or it might just be me, where I know what I like, and I just want summarized facts. Example, I like music, but I have a hard time reading articles about bands. But I need discographies and other reference stuff.
i feel like a dumbass.. i just found the sheet inside the envelope notifying the me of the changes to my subscription thanks for the info though
Brian - that's the sense I had when hearing about the mook change - that the articles would be comprehensive and the photos top notch. I also know what you mean about the problem printing "news" in a magazine in this digital age. This can be a big problem with any magazine, whether it's printed 2, 3, 6, or 12 times a year, especially when there are unforeseen publishing or distribution delays. I guess my only concern is you set yourselves up with a really massive challenge. Writing a 6-8 page piece is tough enough. But a 30 page piece...that's some *serious* content. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the mook, and I'd like to, in advance, tip my hat to the writers, photographers, and editors involved in this really impressive undertaking.
I think all of this sounds great. I like that you are getting rid of the music and dvd sections. I can get my fix of that stuff elsewhere. S7 is all about the toys for me. Can't wait to see the first one.
Lol !.... Oh I most definitely am..... ....For me it's all about content. If the Mooks focus primarily on VINTAGE material as S7 set out to do in issue one. Then I'm a life long subscriber. If however, the mooks are nothing but 200 page advertisements for new vinyls that essentially have nothing to do with the genre..... I'm outta here. And I don't want to wait six months to receive a pub that is filled with "current material" and maybe a couple of pages of "vintage" as a footnote. Space Magazine Uchusen has done this one before...... At least with a quarterly schedule there was always some small consolation that something better was coming along in the next issue. Aside from the Fireman article in the latest issue, it was to me, the weakest issue yet and continued (imho) a decline in vintage content since issue 12. I used to read and re-read (still do) my early issues. The last few issues....a cursory glance and that's it.. done. So I'm receiving the news of the Mook concept with a great deal of apprehension.
Uh, what about the Ultraman Leo Kaiju vinyl. What about the Takara Star Wars toys? Are these NOT vintage Japanese toys?
I think Brian is saying there will be a healthy mix of the old and the new. I myself don't collect fight figs or most of the new stuff that is not based on kaiju characters, but you have to be realistic about things. There can't possibly be enough interest in a vintage-only publication to keep one in business. Heck, I wish there was a Gamera-only magazine, but myself and 4-5 other weirdos would not make for very robust subscriber list. By mixing in new stuff, which might not be your taste, S7 can continue and cater to the old Kaiju collectors and the new batch of JP vinyl fans. In the end you will still get worthwhile articles and pictures of vintage Japanese toys that are available nowhere else. The new stuff might not be your taste, but obviously other folks like it. And if it keeps S7 in business, what's the harm in a new branch of JP vinyl collecting? Keep an open mind.
