Missy Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 SCOOP: Wizard Magazine To Close Immediately Now this is an end of an era. I am receiving multiple confirmations from across the industry, through none yet from Wizard’s higher ups and PR people yet, that Wizard: The Guide To Comics, the magazine that covered the mainstream comics industry for twenty years and created all manner of careers in the process has closed, effective immediately. Or at least the print version has. Almost all Wizard magazine staff have been laid off, and all freelance engagements cancelled. Sister magazine Toyfare, covering the toy market, has not been affected, nor have the Wizard comic conventions. Created by Gareb Shamus and Stephen Shamus in 1991, the magazine carved a niche for itself covering the most commercial comics in the most aggressive fashion. At one point it regularly sold more than the comics it covered. But sales have declined of late, as the internet has grown in prominence and favour for this kind of news. For many Wizard is no longer the news breaker and agenda setter of the comics industry it once was. And people still have issues with the tone it has taken over the years. Even though it’s arguable that the last couple of years have seen some of the best Wizard content since it started. But right now it’s time to bury that pointy hat... Source. The conventions, supposedly, will remain unaffected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom BITD Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Well, let's be honest...for the longest time it was just Shamus alone in his building. He had laid off all the regular employees years ago.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFetch Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 I haven't cared about Wizard in years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc20willsave Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Wooo! I've never had a subscription to a magazine when it went under. Can't wait to find out what I get now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 The magazine will continue online, and the company is going public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George W. Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 In other words, no one's buying it since they removed the snarky humor, but there's too much invested in the conventions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuaveStar Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Update: ToyFare is being cancelled as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prez Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 In other words, no one's buying it since they removed ALL humor, but there's too much invested in the conventions. Fixed that for you. Honestly, it's sucked for a long time now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom BITD Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 In other words, no one's buying it since they removed the snarky humor, but there's too much invested in the conventions. For me, the beginning of The Long, Slow, Death March was when, somewhere in the realm of five, six years ago, Shamus decided to try and compete directly with the 'Men's Magazine Lite' publications like MAXIM and STUFF, only adding a geek slant. Since the Men's Magazine was already suffering....well, it was the first of many mistakes that resulted in Shamus laying off all his regular employees, becoming a weird, Ahab-like figure who would buy up conventions to tilt at already-established conventions and, well, apparently go totally nuts. Given how Shamus apparently treated people when WIZARD was at the peak of its power, refusing to write stories on titles unless the publishers bought ad space among other mistreatment, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc20willsave Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 So, I got what is probably the last issue of wizard ever in the mail today In the back there's an advertisement for next issue. One of the items, "Pop culture's Greatest Cliffhangers." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 HA HA HA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc20willsave Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 According to Bleeding Cool, the official word on what's happening to all the old subscriptions:As our last issue shipped two weeks ago, all subscriptions are currently up to date. As is customary in the industry, we are working with other publishers on a suitable replacement for our subscribers’ remaining issues. Also, we cannot control third parties from selling subscriptions, but no new subscriptions have been processed by us for awhile. I'm not very happy with this. I have a year and a half left on mine and I would have preferred a refund, not a subscription to a magazine I don't even care about (also ignoring the fact that I only got the subscription because I got a weekend pass of equal value to Wizard World Chicago). Still, if I end up with a subscription to Guns and Ammo or Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade out of this, there will be violence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 I'm of two minds about this. I haven't read Wizard in many, many years. However, in the mid 90s, even when I was otherwise totally out of comics, I bought Wizard religiously. It used to not suck. However, it's just been terrible for a long, long time. That said, it's gonna be weird to walk into an LCS and not see it there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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