ValhallaComics: Battles, Interviews, Store & More

[valhallacomics]

Hello everyone and thanks for joining me in the forum version of Mimir's Word #2, which serves as an Official Valhalla Comics Update.

Things are rolling right along over at the Valhalla Comics Network and we have a few announcements this week.

1. To start off, I just finished an interview over at the Mug O' Mead with Stykman creator, Jonnie Allan. Jonnie is a great guy and had a lot of interesting things to say and information to share. When you have a free moment, stop on by the Mug O' Mead and read the interview here: mugoblog.valhallacomics.com.

When you've finished reading, feel free to peruse the other 15 interviews on the site. Keep on the look out in the coming weeks for interviews from: Ken Haeser with Buz Hasson, and John Rauch!

2. Next on the list is the official Valhalla Comics web-comic, Lil' Gods! There are two new strips that have been posted over the last week or two. Unfortunately, the colors weren't ready at the time of posting Week 4, but they should be underway in the next week. Read the new strips here: comics.valhallacomics.com/lilgods.php

3. Following that up, we're about 3-4 weeks into the Sagas O' Scrutiny, which is the official Valhalla Comics review site, headed by our very own Anton Curley. He's already got 5 reviews in the bag and they're only getting better with time. The stash will surely grow in no time. Head over to reviews.valhallacomics.com and read up on your favorite or not so favorite books!

4. I'd also like to mention that part of the VC Network is the Valhalla Comics store, which is a full-fledged, Diamond online retail store. We have thousands of back issue comics, comic supplies, BlueLine comic art boards, and soon we'll finally be able to offer Pre-Orders for comic new releases. New Releases will begin to trickle in at the end of this month and be ready for a February release.
www.valhallacomics.com

The store has a one-of-a-kind subscription pull box, unlike most others on the net. Add as many titles as you'd like and you won't be held accountable for purchasing them, BUT we will hold them for you for up to a month. You'll be notified once per week, when your subscriptions are available and will be directed to your pull box on the website.
www.valhallacomics.com/subscriptions.php

We also have a very unique Artist Alley, where artists can sign up for free, setup their account with biographical information, and start adding products to sell. The only time you pay a fee, is when you sell an item. The commission for a regular account is 15%, but for a featured account, it's 20%. Featured accounts gain maximum visibility on the site and the artist will be promoted at all conventions that Valhalla Comics attends. Sign up today... You've got nothing to lose!
www.valhallacomics.com/artist_alley_gateway.php

Click on the "Bastard Ninja" test account to see what it's all about.

Thanks for stopping by and reading the goods on Valhalla Comics and for getting to know us a little bit better. We have plenty in store for our members and will continue to add to our services as time permits.

Let us know what you think about us. Your comments/critiques/criticisms are very welcome and they really serve to only help us improve our services, as well as the content on our sites. =]

Thanks very much!

[valhallacomics]

Good morning everyone!

Well, it looks like we were suffering from the lack of holidays last week, as things were definitely running slow for VC. Hell, it took me over a week to get this out to forums, which is usually sent on Sundays. =X I suppose we're just getting back into the swing of things, and hopefully this week everything gets back to normal.

However, even though we've been slow, I still have some updates from this past week...

I'd like to announce December/January's Art Battle winner for the Holiday Character Battle: Kangarookid. Unfortunately, he was the only entree, but it was an awesome entree none-the-less. Loved his rendition of the Easter Bunny kicking the crap out of Frosty the Snowman. Congratulations to you, Skot, and thanks for the title change. Very much appreciated. ;P Let me know when you have a personal web site, and I'll hook you up with a week's worth of free advertising on the site.

Check out Skot's winning submission here: forum.valhallacomics.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=971&st=0&sk=t&sd=a#p7378

Right now we have two art jams going on:

1. The third Sketch of the Week (ending soon), focusing on extreme flexibility, where you're asked to sketch one or two drawings of people in various poses to the human limit. Find out more info about that and place your submissions here: forum.valhallacomics.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1009

and 2. We have our second Concept of the Month (for January), focusing on Rulers of Hell, where you're asked to draw a figure of a God/Demon/Ruler of Hell (from any religion/mythology) OR create your own. This is to be a finished piece and we already have one completed with hopefully more on the way. You can find out more and place your submissions here: forum.valhallacomics.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=998

January is almost coming to an end, so we'll spark up a new Concept Jam and Art Battle in the beginning of February, but until then, keep on creating and partake in some sketch of the week jams and the concept jam, or just post some art you're working on in your galleries (and if you don't have one... shame on you!)

I'm just finishing up a couple of interviews with Buz Hasson & Ken Haeser (from The Living Corpse), as well as John Rauch (freelance colorist/artist). Hopefully, I'll be able to get some art from the Corpse Brothers soon, so I can post theirs up this week. I know these are coming along rather slowly lately, but that's because I've been crazy busy trying to put the store together. So, please bare with me! =]

In the meantime, you can catch up on your interview reading here:
mugoblog.valhallacomics.com

Someone who hasn't been slacking, is Anton Curley, as he's got yet another comic series review up at the Sagas O' Scrutiny. Head over to reviews.valhallacomics.com and check out his scrutinization of The New Avengers!

Helping me with the Lil' Gods comic this week, was EMC (Elizabeth Cowdrey). She applied some colors to the new script that was just posted last night! This marks the first appearance of a Frost Giant! DUN DUN DUNNNNN If you haven't been keeping up, take a look at the comic strip here: comics.valhallacomics.com

Well guys, it looks like no one's taking advantage of the Artist Alley at www.Valhallacomics.com, so I'm not sure what the turn-off is. Do people not like alternative venues for selling art? Is a 15% or 20% commission fee too much to ask for selling art through the store? I'm just curious what the problem is. If you can give me some info/crits/etc about how the Artist Alley should be, ideally, please let me know. I want to know what you have to say.

Finally, I wanted to announce that Pre-orders for March comic books ARE ready for purchase at the store. Head over to Valhalla Comic's Pre-Orders Page to pre-order over 200 titles that are coming out in March. If you order 1-10 comics, you'll receive a 10% discount, if you order 11-19 comics, you'll receive a 15% discount, and if you order 20+, you'll receive a 20% discount. These discounts apply to all comics: back issues, new releases and pre-orders, so please feel free to browse around and add whatever you'd like. You also receive a free bag & board for each comic, so you'll always be able to protect the comics you buy from Valhalla Comics.

The deadline for pre-orders is JANUARY 28, 2008 @ 11:59pm EST, so that gives you guys 7 more days to order. And remember, the more pre-orders I get, the more stock I'll have for everyone that shops at the store. Also, as time goes on, and the more pre-orders I receive, the bigger discount I can afford to give you guys. So, get to pre-ordering and using your subscriptions!

Again, if you have any suggestions for the site, what I carry, the subscriptions, artist alley, etc... PLEASE let me know. Remember, you must be logged in to subscribe to anything, so create an account! =]

Take care guys and I really hope to see you at the store. I'd love to be your comicbook/graphic novel provider, and if you don't see something that you want, just let me know what it is and I'll add it to inventory.

Better things to come in '08 guys, so stick around!

I should have a small update or two this week, concerning reviews, the web comic and interviews, so have a great rest of the week and I'll see you on the forums.

[valhallacomics]

I have just added PayPal as a new payment method for the online comic store. This should make everyone's lives easier, especially for those that don't like to use credit cards.

So, now we accept all major credit cards through Authorize.net, as well as PayPal.

Remember, you have 5 more days to make your preorders for March and you can save upto 20% on all comics: back issues, new releases or pre-orders; no exceptions.

Here's the rundown:
1-9 comic yields a 10% discount
10-19 comics yields a 15% discount
20+ comics yields a 20% discount

Not only that, but every comic comes in a protective bag and board to keep those suckers in great shape for your collection.

[valhallacomics]

And we're back for our 4th installment of the longest newsletter ever conceived! Okay, maybe not, but we're pretty close, right? I do, after all, enjoy typing for whatever reason.

I have a few announcements for this week/month, so bear with me here and pretend like you're enjoying this:

.:BATTLES & JAMS:.

1. Sketch of the Week #4 is up on the Forum, but I'm encouraging anyone that's reading this to post their sketches as replies to this, either via E-Mail to [e-mail], or even if it's just a reply to the thread. I'm going to start compiling all of your sketches for the weeks and posting them on the VC forum, MySpace, Facebook, ComicSpace and DeviantArt. So, if you'd like to join in, please feel free to do so! Just remember to title your drawing, so I know it's for the sketch jam, concept jam, or a battle.

Jam Title: Manipulation of Clothing

Objective: Draw characters with hanging clothing, manipulated by body position, environment and movement.

Link: forum.valhallacomics.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1032

2. Concept of the Month #3 has just begun, as well! Same with the sketch jam, I welcome all of you to join in on this jam. I'll compile all of the entries and post them. Again, remember to denote which jam/battle this is for.

Jam Title: Create A Super-Power

Objective: Create a character (hero/villain) that has an original super-power. That means no super speed/flying/etc. Use your mind/creativity to think up something new and put your skills to the test.

Link: forum.valhallacomics.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1033

3. Our first physical prize Art Battle has also just began. To coincide with the new interview up at the Mug O' Mead, I'm going to be giving away a "The Living Corpse" package of issues #1/2, #0, #1, the corpse sketch book, AND a sketch from Buz Hasson & Ken Haeser (the creators of the character/book). The Living Corpse is a new title being published by Zenescope Entertainment and has also been optioned for a major motion picture by Shoreline Entertainment (it's already in pre-production phase).

Battle Title: Scourge of the Undead

Objective: Draw (an) undead creature(s) [ie - vampire/mummy/zombie/werewolf/etc] wreaking havoc on innocent bystanders OR battling it out with a so-called hero [ie - Ash/Buffy/Blade/etc].

Deadline: February 29, 2008 @ 11:59pm EST

Link: forum.valhallacomics.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1041

.:INTERVIEWS:.

The Mug O' Mead has a new interview online, JUST posted today by yours truly. I was given the extremely awesome opportunity to interview both creators of The Living Corpse, Buz Hasson & Ken Haeser. Both great people who have a love for comics ingrained in the soul. They are the epitome of what a comic creator should be and they're here to tell you all about their experiences getting into the industry and what they think about it, now that they've made it.

Link: mugoblog.valhallacomics.com/?p=25

.:REVIEWS:.

Anton Curley has a new review up at the Sagas O' Scrutiny! This time? Legion of Super-Heroes! Before this? World of Warcraft! After this? Anything goes! Before you buy the book, read the review!

Link: reviews.valhallacomics.com

.:WEB COMICS:.

I have some good news and some sad news for the fate of Lil' Gods, the official Valhalla Comics web comic. Let's start with the sad...

Sad News: Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, Afonso Ferreira will no longer be able to draw the Lil' Gods scripts. We've come to really enjoy his take on the young godlings of Norse Mythology, as his lines have certainly brought an enlightened cuteness and much-enjoyed character to the stories of yore.

Good News: Fortunately, we do know some people, thanks to the craziness that is the internet, so we were able to get a replacement rather quickly. I had approached Skot Johnson (otherwise known in the online comic world as Kangarookid) recently about taking over for Afonso on the web comic, and with open arms and a smile, he accepted! I'm very excited about this, as I'm a big fan of Skot's work and he's very consistent with new/unique ideas/designs, so again, I'm very excited to see what he can bring to the
table. We'll have a new strip online for you as soon as possible!

Link: comics.valhallacomics.com

.:VALHALLACOMICS.COM STORE:.

Pre-orders are now over for the month of March. If you missed them and you'd still like to purchase a book coming out in March, feel free to contact me or order one of the titles listed for March (I am still buying limited stock of everything I had up there). If I can, I will try my best to make an adjustment through Diamond Comics to receive additional amounts. Also, if you don't see something that you want, let me know!

Link: www.valhallacomics.com/comic_books.php?rd=po&pub=&tit=&sub.x=37&sub.y=16⊂=go

New Pre-orders will be available for April very soon, so keep checking!

For all you artists out there, I want you to know that we DO sell BlueLine Comic Art Boards and Sketch Cards. Our prices are very competitive and we offer a great selection. We CAN offer everything from BlueLine, so if you want something that we don't have on the online store, please let us know and we'll order it for you. This also holds true for any markers/pens/pencils/or other art materials that you should want. We have a distributor account for these materials, but for now, we're limiting what we offer to custom orders only. If you want something at a discounted price, please let us know and we'll work with you.

Also, for you artists out there, we do offer a free Artist Alley account, where you only pay a 15% commission on what you sell (20% if you're featured). There are no limits to what you can sell. You can have as many items as you want, with as much quantity per item as you want. You can sell original art, prints, posters, sketchbooks, statues, models, masks, etc. Anything your little heart desires is capable of being sold, so long as it's art and you own it.

You can also write a bio about yourself, your educational background, favorite medium, the work you've done for various publishers, etc.

When you're ready to sell, I will personally create a forum for you on the Valhalla Comics Discussion Board, where you can promote your work and chat with your growing fan base.

Remember, selling art with us will kill two birds with one stone. You'll be able to reach comic fans who are actually shopping for comics and they'll be able to add your art to the same shopping cart. It's as easy as that!

Oh, and I forgot to mention... We're adding an option to the Artist Alley, where you can define two different shipping rates, based on your global location. This shipping rate will be applied to the shopping cart (separate from the comics people buy). How awesome is that?! No hidden fees, no complicated shipping. it's all right there. Plus, you can keep
track of what's sold and how much commission the store receives in your sales stats area.

Link: www.valhallacomics.com/artist_alley_gateway.php

Comic fans: this one is for you...

You will ALWAYS save on all your ocmic purchases from ValhallaComics.Com. You will receive 10% off, no matter how many comics you buy, 15% if you buy 10-19, and 20% off if you buy 20+. Not only that, but you also get a FREE bag & board with EVERY comic: new releases, back issues, AND preorders.

Link: www.valhallacomics.com


Well, maybe I was right about this being the longest newsletter in history... If you made it this far, I congratulate and thank you. Please take a minute to explore the ValhallaComics.com store... I offer a lot of services at the VC Network, but that's the only one I get paid for. =/ So, please help all of this continue to grow, continue to give us a place to discuss, and continue to live on in the thriving world that is the internet.

Thanks again guys and gals, and I'll see you soon!