As far as Platinum being at the store… it astounds me that some people don’t see it but as DJ said, it wasn’t everywhere, we did get it HERE and here is Portugal. Now we only have a good Comic Shop that isn’t actually one, but i think that if we can get it, pretty much everyone over there can. I didn’t come to know Hero by Night when i stumbled into it at the store, i read about it online, and since then Comics like The Weapon and Ghosting, both by Fred Van Lente, have had pretty good coverage i think and deservedly so since they are both good books.

As far as “journalists” go… well, why would we even want to pay attention?

As far as these grudges go, i just think it’s lame. Bickering like this only serves to weaken the industry as a whole in the eyes of outsiders. I’d bet a fair sum of monies that if DJ got screwed by em he’d be suing someone’s pants off pretty quickly considering how important his work and vision is to him. Which is my whole problem with them picking on Rosenberg. If you had a real financial loss (slang: screwed us over…) then where’s the legal action? if it was worth bitching about, i’d hope it’s worth fighting for it legally. meh whatever, off i go to do something semi-constructive…like drawing hawt girls….wooo

Our book wasn’t EVERYWHERE, but the places it did go, it sold well for retailers or was quite a surprise. While not a poor reflection on other Platinum books, Hero By Night has been the only title with consistent praise and critical acclaim. Not to sound big headed there, if it reads that way, it’s not meant that way, in fact it’s been a humbling experience. — It was because of all the reviews and fanfare that Platinum put us on an ongoing schedule coming up here. — Is publishing comics Platinums MAIN goal? No, probably not– there’s not much money at all to be had, and to some it is a lottery mentality of “throw as many concepts at the wall and see what sticks for a media deal” — and that might be what the bulk of it is, or the prior business plan was… but yeah, it’s a bit different now.

As or Scott Rosenberg himself, I don’t defend him JUST because he’s my boss. I defend him for who I know he is now, and for things he’s taught me as a friend. Sure, he IS a magnet for this bad PR within the comic book world or online comic blogs—- I never really considered that someone would decide not to check out a book because of accusations on a blog. I hope that’s not the case, and i hope people would be open enough to actually check out a Platinum Comic book if they come across it. IN a lot of a ways, even though Platinum as a company has been around for 10 years, they are JUST starting the comics publishing side of things, and with good NEW people running the show. People like Sean Oreilly from Arcana Comics, and Dan Forcey inside Platinum—

So yeah, I don’t give a shit what happened 20 years ago. I care about what’s going on TODAY. For any “journalists” out there who keep driving speculation on ROsenberg, I encourage them to go get an interview with the guy one on one and get HIS side of the story if you can. That’s all.

But YES. Platinum IS producing COMICS. And lots of em. Please don’t believe otherwise, and a quick search on google could have shown that to anyone.

We have never met. I have never met your boss, nor have I ever had any dealings with any company he has been involved with. I do not work for Fanta , nor do I have any love for Groth and company.

I am just a fan of comics in general. One of those people that Platinum is ultimately trying to sell comics too. Someone who goes to the comic shop almost twice a week and reads comics news sites and blogs with an almost compulsive obsession.

I say all of this because I don’t want you to think anything I have to say is motivated by anything more than my desire to help with an outside perspective.

The biggest criticism people have with Platinum is that making comics seems like a secondary or tertiary concern for them. I have never seen your comic in stores. I have never read a review for your comic. In fact, I have never read any positive reviews of your book or any other Platinum book. I never see previews of Platinum books posted online. I don’t remember seeing Platinum set up at any conventions.

I recognize that there may be plenty of examples of these things, but the point is that I don’t recall ANY of it. If anything, the only things I have seen or read about Platinum is stuff about Scott and stories of market manipulation to generate “buzz” on a comic I still have never seen.

In fact, I have never seen a Platinum comic in any stores…ever. Not in any comic shops or any book stores.

Granted, I didn’t know to look for them, but I literally have never seen a single copy of a single book – which is why so many people laugh at the mention of Platinum as a “publisher”.

The lack of presence in the comics community, the lack of visible promotion, and the lack of visibility in stores just reinforces the perception that your boss isn’t trying to create a successful line of comics. He isn’t producing comics… he is producing “buzz”. It seems like he is simply chasing the elusive dream of continually selling properties to Hollywood – which is an absurd business model – especially when the media side is the foundation for the company.

I am telling you all of this because you seem like an OK guy. I respect your loyalty to your boss. I just don’t want you to have your blinders on regarding how people perceive Platinum.

It isn’t a grand conspiracy. It isn’t just 20-year old grudges (that I don’t understand). It isn’t snobbery. It isn’t bitterness.

Just my fanboy perspective.

Annie.

I just find the whole thing fascinating with the long time hatred of my boss, and axes from 20 years ago being constantly ground– while his successes keep piling up. I can understand their bitterness I guess… awh well!

In Eric Reynolds blog, the VP of Fantagraphics.”

Eric’s been promoted? or else this is some more sloppy journalism . . .

It makes you feel good to limit your critics to the “fantagraphics crowd” — but the criticism goes FAR beyond that – once again, you need to get your facts straight . . .