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Post by calithena on Mar 11, 2009 10:33:48 GMT -6
Hi all -
There has been some discussion at the skull-festooned Fight On! headquarters about commissioning an Erol Otus cover for a future issue. I am of a mixed mind about this. On the one hand, Erol is a likely dedicatee for a future issue and many of us here are huge fans of his. Having an Otus cover on one of our issues would be (a) awesome and (b) make it feel like we had 'arrived' in some important sense. And while we're not making much money off this at $1 per print issue, we've sold enough that we don't feel bad putting some of it back into the magazine (as we do with proof copies, promotional copies, contest prizes, etc.).
But, I feel like it's opening a can of worms. We have some other fantastic artists and writers working for FO! essentially for free PDFs, good exposure, and (mostly) love of the Old Ways. How can I pay Erol if I don't pay e.g. Kevin or Steve? Or James M. or Gabor? Or any number of other great people who are writing for us, for that matter.
Otus is a special artist who played a special role in the history of our hobby, so an 'Otus exception' to our fanzine status wouldn't be the end of the world I guess. But I don't want to piss anyone off if we decide to go this way.
So, if you think this is a good idea or a bad, feel free to post here. If you are an artist or writer who would be annoyed by this but for some reason doesn't want to say so publicly, please feel free to email me at calithena at gmail dot com and tell me directly. I want to make our mag as cool as possible, but I don't want to alienate any other potential contributors by jeapordizing our 'community fanzine' model either.
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Post by chgowiz on Mar 11, 2009 10:51:45 GMT -6
Ask Erol about it. Tell him that it's been a volunteer type of fanzine, that there are a lot of people here who identify with his work and see if he'd be willing to donate something perhaps in trade for ad space or something similar?
For my place, I understand the business. If I could charge and expect a reasonable return on my work, I would do it. I know I'm paying my dues and learning now, who knows, maybe in 20 years, I can command a price - but it wouldn't bother me if you paid Erol.
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Post by calithena on Mar 11, 2009 10:55:51 GMT -6
Erol is an incredibly cool person (at least in my chats with him over the internet) and he might conceivably give us a price break because we're a fanzine, but he would need to be paid.
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Post by jimlotfp on Mar 11, 2009 10:59:04 GMT -6
Explain the situation (maybe link him directly to this post) and ask for a quote.
Then set up a membership drive at Fundable.com (that's what Greg Stolze uses to "ransom" his Reign supplements). If us readers can pledge enough to pay Otus his fee to do a cover, then it's done, and nobody in the mag can complain about "the magazine" paying one person but not others.
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Post by calithena on Mar 11, 2009 11:09:01 GMT -6
Have an exalt, Lord of the Flame Princess - that's a really good compromise.
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Post by labsenpai on Mar 11, 2009 11:51:04 GMT -6
If FO was a regular magazine, I'd suggest commissioning a poster insert, which all nerds could frame and worship without damaging game material.
In fact, for those of us talking to game stores, convention attendees, and blog visitors, having an Erol Poster with FO info could interest buyers (help pay for the original art, bring up the numbers, etc)
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Post by calithena on Mar 11, 2009 11:53:41 GMT -6
That's a good idea too Lee, in some form or another. (Maybe a cafepress poster or a framed art print?) I will talk to Erol about that as a follow-up and see if he's interested in pursuing that angle.
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Post by kelvingreen on Mar 11, 2009 12:11:29 GMT -6
Personally, I'd be happy to provide free illustrations while Otus gets paid; he's an established professional and I'm just a hobbyist, so it seems fine to me. But I can only speak for myself, and I understand that others will have different, and quite valid, viewpoints.
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Post by calithena on Mar 11, 2009 12:46:45 GMT -6
Question about Fundable: is it possible to make the total amount private? I don't want to post Erol's rate publicly, especially if he gives us a discounted one.
An alternative would just be to have people send me money on paypal and/or make public pledges until we reach the amount needed, whereupon I'll call in chips as needed and we'll go forward.
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Post by carjack on Mar 11, 2009 13:57:47 GMT -6
Erol Otus for the cover??
Pay the man, for goodness sake!!
Erol Otus' work on the cover of FO! would be flat out awesomesauce and wouldn't ruffle my feathers one bit.
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Post by coffee on Mar 11, 2009 14:17:55 GMT -6
Erol Otus for the cover?? Pay the man, for goodness sake!! Erol Otus' work on the cover of FO! would be flat out awesomesauce and wouldn't ruffle my feathers one bit. What he said. |
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Post by makofan on Mar 11, 2009 15:07:22 GMT -6
It's your magazine, cal. Run it as you seem fit. All else leads to unhappiness.
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Post by kesher on Mar 11, 2009 17:10:03 GMT -6
From the point of view of someone who's contributed art and articles to every issue so far, I'd have no problem with commissioning Erol for a cover, though I think the idea of raising the funds externally is even better. I know I'd kick in what I could.
I totally agree with what a few other posters have said: For me, getting published in this magazine is a dream come true; I don't have a problem paying the true professionals (although I say this as a hobbyist---I'm aware that some of those who choose to publish gratis in FO! may well be professionals themselves, as the quality of some of the art, especially in the latest issue, testifies... )
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Post by kevinmayle on Mar 11, 2009 18:58:36 GMT -6
I personally wouldn't be offended if you paid Erol Otus for a cover.
He's a "Name" Artist for this particular field that would substantially increase the notoriety and awareness of Fight On! amongst the targeted community.
It is very considerate of you though to have and bring up this concern.
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Post by ragnorakk on Mar 12, 2009 20:22:19 GMT -6
I think it's a pretty great opprotunity and he should be lavished with vast fortunes.
And then with the huge sales boost having an EO cover delivers, you should talk to Liz Danforth about the NEXT one...
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Post by Finarvyn on Mar 12, 2009 21:38:11 GMT -6
Erol is a likely dedicatee for a future issue and many of us here are huge fans of his. I think that the commissioned Otus cover should be on the Otus dedication issue. It would be great to honor him with an interview and a cover at the same time. |
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sham
Level 6 Magician
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Post by sham on Mar 13, 2009 6:19:40 GMT -6
Erol is a likely dedicatee for a future issue and many of us here are huge fans of his. I think that the commissioned Otus cover should be on the Otus dedication issue. It would be great to honor him with an interview and a cover at the same time. I agree with Finarvyn here. |
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Post by geoffrey on Mar 13, 2009 6:32:32 GMT -6
Actually, we already have an Erol Otus cover: the back cover of issue #4. I've been wondering how you pulled that off, unless it was by sheer (and commendable) bravado! ;D
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jrients
Level 6 Magician
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Post by jrients on Mar 13, 2009 7:29:51 GMT -6
Actually, we already have an Erol Otus cover: the back cover of issue #4. I've been wondering how you pulled that off, unless it was by sheer (and commendable) bravado! ;D The back cover is credited to Kevin Mayle, so I assumed it was a study of the original black & white piece from the Deities & Demigods. |
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Post by geoffrey on Mar 13, 2009 15:59:43 GMT -6
Actually, we already have an Erol Otus cover: the back cover of issue #4. I've been wondering how you pulled that off, unless it was by sheer (and commendable) bravado! ;D The back cover is credited to Kevin Mayle, so I assumed it was a study of the original black & white piece from the Deities & Demigods. My apologies to Kevin. I hope Kevin takes it as a compliment of the highest order to have his work mistaken for Erol Otus's.  |
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Post by kevinmayle on Mar 13, 2009 16:04:35 GMT -6
Hey thanks!
I actually submitted that piece because I thought Erol was getting the front cover and wanted him to see my homage to his work.
I hope everyone liked it and I hope they like the upcoming front cover to issue 5 even more.
It will also be an homage piece and will be appropriate for the issue's theme.
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