Five Things: February 11, 2021
NOTE: Twitter’s new newsletter feature tempted me into trying something new, and after playing around with setting up an issue I realized how stupid it would be to launch something new on yet another platform I don’t control rather than focusing on my own neglected site. So, as the old meme goes, why not both? I’ll be aiming for bi-weekly on Thursdays, and we’ll see how it goes. If you prefer email, sign up for As in Guillotine at Revue.
_____ONE
How Jane Friedman built her book industry newsletter The Hot Sheet
“I want to promote understanding, not conflict…”
A friend and former colleague, Jane Friedman is one of my heroes in the publishing industry and this brief, insightful interview with her about The Hot Sheet is a very good read. While most chase controversy & clicks, she focuses on comprehension.
_____TWO
ReedPop Prez Lays Out Plans for Pax, Comic Con Events
“Niche” consumer events like Comic Con will surely bounce back and possibly be stronger than ever, but obligatory B2B events that rely on vaguely defined “networking” and industry inertia had a rude awakening last year. Many won’t survive, and won’t be missed.
2020 broke a lot of “But we always go!” habits. If you’re not fully re-imagining your event to include online access, you may not be around in 2022.
_____THREE
Not Just Big in Korea: Why Wattpad’s Acquisition Matters for Book Publishing
“Manga has a young, diverse, and sometimes more female audience relative to the rest of the comics market, representing an opportunity for growth and new readers. Manga and juvenile titles have been growing, but superhero stories—typically from DC and Marvel, intellectual property owned by corporations—have been declining.”
Comics are the most exciting segment of the publishing industry. Change my mind!
_____FOUR
Black Cop Denounces Police Brutality, Racism Before Killing Himself Outside Of Sheriff’s Office
This broke my heart on a number of levels, partly because I served in the military and understand what the sense of betrayal feels like when you realize that being Black trumps everything in America.
_____FIVE
We started watching On My Block about a week ago, are currently halfway through Season Two, and it’s jumped right into my Top 10 of Netflix shows! A teen comedy with a strong dramatic foundation, it manages to balance real world issues with some Goonies-inspired absurdity thanks to smart writing and an excellent cast, especially Jason Genao.
Oddly, I hadn’t heard much about it despite it being around for three seasons already, and I don’t think it’s ever popped up in my Netflix recommendations. So much for that vaunted algorithm of theirs.
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