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20 Word Comic Reviews for May 22nd

2012-05-22T09:42:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Nightwing #9

An interesting story with a strong dose of history while stressing the role Dick Grayson could have played in Gotham.

Justice League #9

It was great to see this issue building upon prior material rather than simply fighting and tossing witty comments around.

20 Word Comic Reviews for May 15th

2012-05-15T07:14:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Uncanny X-Force #25

Though the back-up stories were nothing special, the main story sets the stage for intriguing future battles within the team.

20 Word Comic Reviews for May 10th

2012-05-10T08:32:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Batman #9
This storyline reminds me of a elegant vine which grows beautifully and twists effortlessly through a trellis.

Daredevil #12
I enjoyed the story behind the depth of friendship between Matt and Foggy. Chris Samnee's art was an ideal fit.

20 Word Comic Reviews for May 5th

2012-05-06T03:32:44Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Free Comic Book Day Special Blog Post

DC Comics – 2012 Free Comic Book Day Issue

I’ve enjoyed learning more about the mysterious Pandora and this issue adds a significant piece to her back story.

20 Word Comic Reviews for May 3rd

2012-05-03T09:16:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Swamp Thing #9

Like a clock’s pendulum, the power struggle between the Green and the Rot continues to swing to and fro.

20 Word Comic Reviews for May 1st

2012-05-01T08:00:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

American Vampire #26
Vassals recruiting plans are divulged and the spotlight focuses on Calvin, an intriguing character last seen in Ghost War.

All Start Western #8

Though very different in theme than other DC books, it continues to offer a well developed story and unique characters.

Daredevil #11
I didn't read the first two parts but the finale of The Omega Effect had some great character development moments.

20 Word Summary for Contra Alliance - Shadows of the Past by Tom Kolega

2012-04-26T07:38:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Summary of Contra Alliance - Shadows of the Past by Tom Kolega

Globe trekking chapters blend with well developed characters and highly descriptive language to help bring this future world to life.

20 Word Comic Reviews for April 24th

2012-04-24T08:00:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Nightwing #8

Harkening back to his Gates of Gotham mini-series, Higgins once again adds fascinating depth to the history of Gotham City.

Daredevil #10.1

This is a superb issue that is new reader accessible while also advancing the overall story for returning fans

Secret Avengers #25

The long awaited back-story of the androids added to both my enjoyment and my understanding of this story arc.

Justice League #8

Unfortunately I felt like I needed to read three separate titles just to try and keep up with this issue.

Uncanny X-Force #24

Fond memories and fury, sacrifice and survival, as well as sorrow and passion all blend together as eloquent story juxtapositions.

20 Word Comic Reviews for April 19th

2012-04-19T07:02:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Batman #8
Perfect set-up. Dizzying twists. Terrifying threat. Ingenious weapons. Plans uncovered. Assistance requested. Battle begins. Terrific story. Stunning art.

20 Word Comic Reviews for April 10th

2012-04-10T12:21:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Secret Avengers #24

Though I am not a fan of the villains they are facing, the heroes’ interactions make this a worthwhile comic.

20 Word Comic Reviews for April 5th

2012-04-05T14:40:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Daredevil #10

I can't recall ever reading such a realistic fight scene in comics. Without raining death blows, tact and strategy ruled.

Uncanny X-Force #23

Like many issues by Remender, this one left me thinking after I finished it. The Omniverse is a confusing place.

All-Star Western #7

Despite the introduction of new characters, the spotlight shines on Hex while Arkham takes on as significantly smaller role.

American Vampire #25

This issue had so many jaw dropping moments in a rapid fire succession that it demanded an immediate second reading.

20 Word Comic Reviews for April 3rd

2012-04-03T15:28:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Birds of Prey #6

I feel like I'm watching a well developed movie script play out on the pages of this comic.

Wonder Woman #6

Azzarello's story gives you small glimpses of what is really going on while keeping you eagerly awaiting the next issue.

Both of these books were purchased digitally from Comixology without printed copies, giving the industry another example of the increasing acceptance of digital comics.

Are QR codes necessary on ads?

2012-04-02T15:10:37Z

This morning I found a great article about QR codes by Tom Albrighton on his ABC Copywriting blog that really struck a cord with me. The article makes some very valid and interesting points about possible barriers to using QR codes in advertising. The link to his article is here and at the end of this post. He writes about QR codes alienating possible target customers or not always directly impacting the customer conversion process it brought to mind other advertising add-on features that may have seemed strange in the past but today are more commonplace.

First, the inclusion of a website in advertising, though almost necessary today, would only be taking up valuable ad space in the not to distant past. I can imagine a client asking "why include my website when I can just use the address and phone number of my business and customers can come to me?” Today few would argue that directing customers to a quality website carries a direct benefit.

It seems like a similar string of logic could have been used for companies who post their Facebook or Twitter information in an ad. Clearly those mediums are not solely controlled by the company and there is more of a chance of distraction than interaction on those sites. Yet some customers really want to interact socially with a brand and they see interacting on Twitter and Facebook with their chosen companies as a necessary component in their buying process.

My opinion is that while there is a slight chance of harm to the interaction by using QR codes, it can also give potential customers instant interaction with the company without giving them a chance to forget the call to action. It also gives the perception that a company is more cutting edge than a competitor without QR codes on their ads. With society becoming more technologically savvy, QR codes can rarely hurt and add more benefit than harm.

Check out The Madness of QR Codes blog post by Tom Albrighton here http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/2012/03/30/qr-codes-madness/
and follow him on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomcopy

Access to inside information

2012-03-28T12:48:35Z

The Web has given us unparalleled access to others. Once, we wrote letters and used the mail system to interact with those who were far away; now we can email and use Facebook to connect in more immediate ways then ever before. When we want to learn about news in our backyard or around the world, we no longer have to wait for the newspaper or nightly broadcast; we have immediate access to breaking news on a plethora of sites which are updated throughout the 24 hour news cycle. If we want to learn about a company, there is no need to wait for a published annual report when you can go to their website to learn everything about what they are doing today and planning for tomorrow.

This post is not meant to signal the end of the newspaper, the mail system, or the annual report, but is a reminder that the Web provides access to inside information that was not available to prior generations. Businesses that have meaningful online interactions can greatly benefit from those customer connection opportunities.

An example that shows how far we have come in accessing inside information came from a person I follow on Twitter. Scott Snyder is a comic book writer who is currently writing Batman, Swamp Thing, and American Vampire. He was asked in a tweet recently if an upcoming issue was a good jumping on point for new readers. Rather than simply reply with an answer to their question, Snyder created a nine page primer to get new readers up to speed. This primer included images from past issues, a character summary, images from the upcoming issue, and a recap of recent events. He then posted the primer as a TwitDoc and linked to it from a recent (see below) tweet. By so doing, he created an entry point for potential new readers/customers to buy the product he is selling, while showing current readers inside information on his story concepts.

To expand this thought into the realm of business, companies need to be able to react quickly and knowledgeably to customer demands in an effort to gain new customers. Though not every question posed online demands a nine page answer with visual aides, most questions could benefit from a knowledgeable person answering on behalf of the business. This can keep current customers using the service or buying the product by showing that the business cares about the needs of their customers. It can also get new customers looking for businesses to purchase from who are masters in their chosen market. This highlights the social aspect of both Social Media and Marketing.

Scott Snyder may have gone above-and-beyond with his efforts, but people now demand speedy access to information, and giving them measured access to inside information can be a great way to ensure your company’s website thrives in this access to information age.

To see the example of what was posted, visit http://twitdoc.com/WWC

20 Word Comic Reviews for March 27nd

2012-03-27T11:09:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Batman #7

Though I felt confused by the opening van sequence, this issue was packed full of strong story-building details.

Justice League #7

I appreciated the blend of story elements in this Justice League issue and I love Gary Frank’s artwork for Shazam.

“Linsanity” continues thanks to Volvo

2012-03-26T11:00:00Z

Jeremy Lin, the American born New York Knicks basketball player of Taiwanese descent, has agreed to become a brand ambassador for Chinese owned car company Volvo. Volvo hopes to use Lin’s popularity and fan following—dubbed “Linsanity”—in corporate and marketing activities throughout the world, but with a major focus on the markets in the United States and China. Though his initial effectiveness on the court has been diminished as opposing teams have learned how to better defend against his skills, the Harvard educated Mr. Lin seems poised to take over as the basketball world’s “Asian fan favorite,” a role formerly held by Yao Ming. Volvo hopes to use Jeremy Lin’s growing popularity among Chinese and Chinese American basketball fans as a spring board to the success of his brand ambassador efforts.

Volvo is making a push to appeal to the Chinese market where sales of Volvo branded vehicles totaled 47,000 in 2011, up 54% from the 2010 sales in that country. The theme of the new Volvo campaign is “Designed Around You” which echoes the major focus of the past Volvo campaigns as a safety-focused car company. This campaign is a massive roll-out, with a projected cost of $11 billion over the next eight years, and the goal of selling 800,000 vehicles worldwide by 2020.

Volvo is not the only company that is hoping to capitalize on the popularity of Mr. Lin. Nike is coming out with a Lin branded shoe, and Adidas plans to release his jersey in company branded stores throughout China.

Read more here at the Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304724404577291660946498178.html

20 Word Comic Reviews for March 22nd

2012-03-22T12:15:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Avengers: X-Sanction #4

The concept of the story should have been told in a single issue rather than a hero-fighting-hero four issue series.

103 Ways to Create Sharp Blog Content - a free eBook

2012-03-09T15:28:46Z

I'd like to recommend the eBook 103 Ways to Create Sharp Blog Content which is written by fellow copywriter Sara Lancaster on this Final Copy Friday.

This FREE to download book (there is no registration required at all) gives you tons of idea generating tips so you can write Sharp Blog Content.

The tips in this eBook are perfect for companies with a blog, but 103 Ways to Create Sharp Blog Content is also packed with ideas for professional writers.

Concise writing is something that is very important in our modern times. At only 29 pages, this eBook is short and to the point while still bursting at the virtual seams with amazing ideas.

Download your copy of 103 Ways to Create Sharp Blog Content today at http://www.no2pen.com/sharp-blog-content/

(On page 17, you can see my tip that Sara Lancaster chose to include.)

20 Word Comic Reviews for March 8th

2012-03-08T11:00:00Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Swamp Thing #7

It’s the perfect case study on writing an issue with extreme tension. I found myself rooting, smiling, and wanting more.

20 Word Comic Reviews for March 6th

2012-03-07T05:46:51Z

In an age where time is tight and concise writing is important, I offer my 20 Word Reviews of comic books.

Watchmen Graphic Novel

I've tried reading the first issue of this graphic novel in the past, but it didn't really grab me. I found a copy again today at the library and I'm going to give it another try to see my reaction.

Chapter 1
This chapter has such a dark and depressing tone. I'm starting to recall why I could not enjoy this book.

Chapter 2
This section builds on the last one but the somber tone remains and for me it's still a tough read.

Chapter 3
Thus far this chapter has been the best of the bunch. The character of Dr. Manhattan is an interesting one.

Chapter 4
I enjoyed learning about Dr. Manhattan with his quirky and time slipping way of thinking about events in his life.

Chapter 5
Trying to find the bright spot, I spent this issue enjoying the repeated themes that played out in the artwork.

Chapter 6
Rorschach is a character beyond help and the horror envisioned within this chapter was not at all enjoyable.

Chapter 7
This issue was a welcome respite from the others because there was actually joy and heroism within the pages.

Chapter 8
Like the man who sailed a rotting raft to save his wife - I pray that this horror ends soon.

Chapter 9
This chapter felt very preachy to me as Laurie tries to convince Dr. Manhattan to save the world.

Chapter 10
I see things coming together that have been in the background since the early chapters - there may be hope.

Chapter 11
The ultimate plan is revealed, my glimmer of hope dies, and happily there is only one more chapter to read.

Chapter 12
This gritty and offensive story mercifully comes to an end. I disagree with the critics who loved this graphic novel.