From: Michael
Ghettostone

In response to the articles and views surrounding the future of the comic book industry!

Brotha Robert Schmidt,
Bluecorn Comics,

First thanks for the information and articles on the on going debate over the comic book industry! Additionally, thanks for the fact that you represent Native Americans in your story lines! As you know I also produce a Native American story "Kulrock & Tara" you can check them out at my site.

I read your listings of articles and found many of the articles saying the same thing I've been saying for over two years now, that the comic book industry is self destructing!

The industry as it is, is over saturated and monopolized by two single-minded visions of two multi-national corporations that including the grand mainstream manipulator "Time Warner"! 400 titles a month go to waste in an outdated retail market, what a waste of paper and talent!

The so-called "mainstream" market (white people) have been manipulated for the past several years with the advent of MTV, Sega, hip hop culture, and blockbuster films!"

"Mainstream Kids" have been stripped of any originality in thought, dance, fashion, entertainment, and story telling!" "There is not an original critical thought!" "Everything seen in media has been part of a grant manipulation of our very ideas!" BUT this has nothing to do with what independent comic book publishers should be thinking about, which is BUSINESS, BUSINESS, BUSINESS...!

As an African American independent comic book publisher I have never been given keys to the "mainstream" market, in fact those people have done everything, but hold a gun to my head to get me to quite! From day one I knew that success was found in non-traditional marketing and business tactics!

These tactics are based in a famous quote from the movie "Jerry McGuire" when Cuba Gooden Jr. said, "show me the money!" "SHOW ME THE MONEY!" This is Ghettostone's montra! Ghettostone's slogan! Ghettostone's way of life!

Because we are different, our market is different! We sale to non-mainstream markets! What's that?

ANYTHING, or ANYBODY that ain't "mainstream"

Black People
Hispanic People
Asian People
Africans
Caribbeans
Southerners
Westerners
New Yorkers
Atlanta-ians
Kids
Families
Corporations
Not for Profits
Foundations
States
Governments

Ghettostone has enjoyed five years of producing what we want, when we want, to who we want! Ghettostone dictates who we are in business with! Ghettostone sets up it's own distribution deals! Ghettostone creates for those who love what we do!

Ghettostone has survived outside the "mainstream" comic book industry for years without even noticing anything missing! I'm all ways confused when people ask me about what comic shop I'm in, are who's my distributor? Ghettostone is where the money is, PERIOD!

If you can't understand this, it's too late for you!

No comics aren't dead!

Just the ideas have been murdered!

"If you want to kill your company, just do as others are doing!"

Think about it!

Michael R. Brown, Editor/Chief
Ghettostone Publications Company
www.ghettostone.com